Friends of ours lost, quite literally, their unleashed dog while
hiking in the Berkshires. Can you imagine the sense of guilt and
grief this engendered? He probably got caught up in running down a
deer but we will never know.
My daughter has a pitbull and a pitbull mix. which she aquired when
they were only a few months old, from responsible specialized
shelters after lengthy interviews. Despite extensive training and
lots of love and attention, one is dog agressive if a dog runs up to
her off-leash, and one is afraid of small children. Obviously, these
dogs are always on leash even in my yard when they visit. When she
hikes with these dogs it is dumbfounding how many owners have dogs
off-leash who run up to her dogs, as she restrains and commands the
agresser to behave. She gets lectures from these people who are not
following park policy about the dog breed, to add insult to injury. I
am very much anti-breeding. However, these dogs are here and deserve
a good shot at life.
One point I wish to make is that leashing protects one's beloved
pet as well as the hapless hikers who must endure unwanted attention
positive and negative) from unleashed dogs in public parks. I am
certainly one who encounters unleashed dogs all too often.
Catlover/teacher/gardener
Re. unleashed dogs
2 messages in this thread |
Started on 2004-05-01
Re. unleashed dogs
From: rospa10 (wilmes2@mindspring.com) |
Date: 2004-05-01 23:43:04 UTC
Re: [LbNA] Re. unleashed dogs
From: (gbecket@aol.com) |
Date: 2004-05-02 08:16:27 UTC-04:00
I have been reading these posts and want to put in an earnest pitch for
leashing your dog while hiking. It is thoughtless at best and dangerous at worst,
to your pet and to others, to permit a dog to wander unleashed in a public
park.
I take my children letterboxing and hiking at least once a week. I have a 7
year old, a 4 year old and a 2 year old. We have several times had large dogs
come running down the trail followed by their thoughtless owners (who are
sometimes trying to stop the dog and sometimes not!) and scare my children into
running shrieking and shaking behind me. The worst was an aggressive red chow
that ran barking at my younger son and whose owner had the gall to be angry
because I popped the dog in the head with my walking stick when it wouldn't back
off. I also sometimes hike with a friend who is allergic to animal dander
and she can't abide being jumped on by other's pets, and this has happened and
basically ruined her hike.
I love dogs and try to teach my children not to be afraid of them but this
certainly doesn't help. I can't wait for the day when we can have a dog to take
hiking with us! But, it just about stops my heart when I can't read the
dog's intentions as it's running toward my small child. I use the knee in the
chest when the dog jumps on me but if a dog jumps on one of my children, I'm
going to hurt it and give no apology if it is injured or even killed.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
leashing your dog while hiking. It is thoughtless at best and dangerous at worst,
to your pet and to others, to permit a dog to wander unleashed in a public
park.
I take my children letterboxing and hiking at least once a week. I have a 7
year old, a 4 year old and a 2 year old. We have several times had large dogs
come running down the trail followed by their thoughtless owners (who are
sometimes trying to stop the dog and sometimes not!) and scare my children into
running shrieking and shaking behind me. The worst was an aggressive red chow
that ran barking at my younger son and whose owner had the gall to be angry
because I popped the dog in the head with my walking stick when it wouldn't back
off. I also sometimes hike with a friend who is allergic to animal dander
and she can't abide being jumped on by other's pets, and this has happened and
basically ruined her hike.
I love dogs and try to teach my children not to be afraid of them but this
certainly doesn't help. I can't wait for the day when we can have a dog to take
hiking with us! But, it just about stops my heart when I can't read the
dog's intentions as it's running toward my small child. I use the knee in the
chest when the dog jumps on me but if a dog jumps on one of my children, I'm
going to hurt it and give no apology if it is injured or even killed.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]