Should dogs be kept on a leash in public places?

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Replies

  • pawnstarNate
    pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
    Why yes.....yes they should!
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  • kikicast
    kikicast Posts: 4
    I think it's as much the owner as it is the dog. I have an 8lb miniature dachshund puppy with way too much energy for my puny backyard. The park I go to is only a stone's throw from my house but it's not an off-leash site. That being said, I take her off the leash when I get there so she can run herself silly. But you also have to know this park isn't frequented a whole lot by other people because it's the backend of a school which is out of session for summer right now - and I also take her for walks right before bedtime when most sane people are in bed sleeping. But if I'm there during the day and she's off leash and I see someone walking or at the park playing I put her right back on the leash so she doesn't excitedly go and introduce herself to them. Of course, if they're not heading in my direction or going the opposite way and she's not going to see/bother with them I won't put her on the leash. She's more interested in butterflies frankly, she can't figure out why they just won't stop and play with her.
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
    I'm sure there are a bajillion good dogs that are kid, other dog, cats, and effin' unicorn friendly but mine is not. She got attacked by an off leash dog when she was a puppy so without the proper introduction it scares her when she sees another dog and she can be reactive. Sometimes she just shies away but most of the time she freaks out and tries to back out of her collar. (Yes, I do have her in a martingale collar for her protection and a harness during light runs but harnesses seem to rub her wrong during our long runs.)

    I swear to god a ticket for dog at large is the last thing a person will be thinking about if they cause my dog to back out of her collar into oncoming traffic...
  • perdie7
    perdie7 Posts: 266 Member
    depends a lot on the owner and the dog.

    I run(with my two leashed dogs) and ride my bike on a trail and have encountered lots of dogs.

    A big dog on a leash, crouched and ready to attack, who's owner was an older man, no way could he have held that dog if he decided to attack.

    I've seen many many dogs off leash who were very well behaved, never bothered me as a rode or ran by (even with my dogs).

    I have missed getting bit by about an inch by a dog on a leash, as I passed on my bike he lunged before the owner could stop him. I saw a small child on a bike farther down the path, warned the dad to be careful, I'm pretty sure the dog would have bitten that child. A dog like that shouldn't even be allowed out, leash or not
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    Also children.
    Agreed. And I have them. Kids and dogs.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    depends a lot on the owner and the dog.

    So is it the owner or the dog that is in control?
  • sm1zzle
    sm1zzle Posts: 920 Member
    yes.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    depends a lot on the owner and the dog.

    So is it the owner or the dog that is in control?

    ETA I am not picking on your reply I am just asking in general
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
    It's the law around here but I don't really care if people let their lab off a leash in public so long as they are well behaved.
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
    Kinda mixed because I had an amazing collie dog they was better behaved then my children, but tonight I went out for a run and wes partially mauled by a terrier!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    depends a lot on the owner and the dog.

    So is it the owner or the dog that is in control?

    There in lies the problem, too many people "think" they are in control, when, in fact, they aren't. I am not opposed to the idea that a dog could be off leash and in control of the handler, assuming the handler has trained the dog and actually knows/understands the dog. The problem is, this isn't the case most of the time.
    I also have 3 large dogs, and I am fully aware of how uncomfortable they can make people even if they are obviously well behaved and friendly. I leash my dogs because of this.

    ETA- I am also not a fan of dog parks.
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
    When I owned a dog he was military trained, so wouldn't do anything crazy when outside without getting a command for it.

    A couple of years ago I saw a dog in a park who got excited when he saw kids and would run up to them and play with them. Well after an hour being there a dad and his kids came to play and the dog saw the kids and ran to them. What happened next was just crazy.

    The dad saw the dog running towards his 2 year old and without hesitation punted the poor pitbull like 4 feet into the air, the sound that dog made was soooo sad. Of course the kids are crying the dog owners are freaking out the dad is freaking out, some lady who saw it happens calls the cops. One of the owners is in a heated argument that was about to turn into a fight, the cops come and end up giving the dog owner a ticket/summon for not having the dog on a leach.

    I love dogs but if the dog is not trained then leach him for his protection and others.

    If I saw a pitbull running towards my nieces, I'd have done exactly the same thing.
    I probably would too, except I think it's strange to give a ticket for a dog not on a leash in a dog park! Also, survey the dog park before you go in there with a two year old. In the one I've been too, they have different pens for large or small dogs. I might not take a 2 year old in with large dogs.

    Once someone brought like 4 dogs that started bad pack behavior towards people and dogs. They were getting a little bit scary. Don't bring your dogs to the dog park and let them off leash unless they can behave.
  • CaliforniaBarbie
    CaliforniaBarbie Posts: 346 Member
    yes. its law where i live. unless you're at the new dog park. but i dont think i would let mine off their leashes there either.

    i for one have 1 very behaved dog, and 1 who behaves when she sees fit to. but i would never allow either off their leash in public, i hardly let them off in our front yard, seeing as it isnt fenced like the back is.

    it seems every time i think it may be okay, something happens and i re think it. like today, i had both big dogs in the back of the truck and went into town, they love going for rides, my alpha likes to bark at everything but wouldnt hurt a fly, layla doesnt bark unless she wants something. we were on our way home (btw they are chained to the bed because i have the biggest fear of them accidentally jumping out, so their chains dont reach over the bed, there for there is no way to jump/fall out) i was driving down town, and we passed these people on the sidewalk with a good looking dog, that started to bark at my dogs, and layla started getting pissed off and barking and tried to jump out, and alpha attempted to follow. there would have been nothing for me to do if they had gotten out, other then stop in the middle of the road and try to stop a dog fight. Alpha is behaved and wouldnt jump out or attack another dog on his own but he would defend Layla if he had to, now they only travel together and you cant separate them for anything

    so they stay on their leashes
  • larsensue
    larsensue Posts: 461 Member
    Absolutely! just like cats should not be let out to roam the neighborhood....
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    Absolutely. I have bitten by a dog who "wouldn't hurt a fly."
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Kinda mixed because I had an amazing collie dog they was better behaved then my children, but tonight I went out for a run and wes partially mauled by a terrier!

    Wow. hope you are OK... this is a classic example for sure :grumble:
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Any animal should be bound 100% of the time. Front yard? Leash.
    Cat? Leash. Dog? Leash. Lizard? Leash? Toddler? Leash. Snake? Leash.
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
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  • lisamarie1780
    lisamarie1780 Posts: 432 Member
    What is your opinion?

    Personally, I think they should. I have a dog and would never let him off his leash in a public area even though he is a cute toy poodle.

    There are so many stories that I read in the news of people/animals being mauled by dogs that are not safely controlled by their owner.

    I think society is having a bigger problem with people than it is with dogs... dogs are the least of our problems. Every day I turn on the news only to hear that someone has been shot, stabbed or raped .... dogs are the least of my worries. Most dogs I meet are well behaved and friendly... unfortunately I can't say the same about people :ohwell:
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    Any animal should be bound 100% of the time. Front yard? Leash.
    Cat? Leash. Dog? Leash. Lizard? Leash? Toddler? Leash. Snake? Leash.

    how about significant others? Leash em up?
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Absolutely. I have bitten by a dog who "wouldn't hurt a fly."

    If the owner really thought that, then they are part of the problem. Every dog will bite. The difference is the threshold at which they will.
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
    Also children.

    and spouses!
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Also children.

    and spouses!

    Cats, children and spouses...they are a different species to dogs you can leash them/love them/train them but your dog will love you whatever but all the lot of them can bite :wink:
  • RivenV
    RivenV Posts: 1,667 Member
    I hate when I am walking my kid (off-leash lol) and someones dog runs up to us. They always say 'oh its ok - he won't bite'. Um excuse me if I don't care about your warning. Put that damn dog on a leash because Im not just taking your word for it.

    It's nice to know that there are parents out there who monitor their children around dogs. I don't have kids, but when I walk my dog I hate it when little kids come running up to my dog to pet her. Yeah, she's small (all of 25 pounds and half Corgi) so I get that she looks cute, but she's actually a full grown dog who doesn't like chubby little hands crowding her space. -_-
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I hate when I am walking my kid (off-leash lol) and someones dog runs up to us. They always say 'oh its ok - he won't bite'. Um excuse me if I don't care about your warning. Put that damn dog on a leash because Im not just taking your word for it.

    It's nice to know that there are parents out there who monitor their children around dogs. I don't have kids, but when I walk my dog I hate it when little kids come running up to my dog to pet her. Yeah, she's small (all of 25 pounds and half Corgi) so I get that she looks cute, but she's actually a full grown dog who doesn't like chubby little hands crowding her space. -_-

    In case anyone is interested regarding "supervising kids and dogs". I thought this was a good read.
    http://www.robinkbennett.com/2013/08/19/why-supervising-dogs-and-kids-doesnt-work/
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    What is your opinion?

    Shouldn't be a need, requiring dogs to be leashed places an assumption that the dog is the cause of an incident.

    That said my dog has a chest harness and a five metre leash so he can get plenty of range away from me even when he's on the leash.
  • DaniellaB1995
    DaniellaB1995 Posts: 64 Member
    Definitely! More for MY dog's safety than anything else. That off-lead dog may be very good with other dogs, people/children and everything, but fact is my dog isn't good with other dogs. Hence his lead, he's got amazing recall!

    There are a few big german shepherds that are always off lead round my area, and yeah they're well behaved but if they come up to my dog HE will go for them, i'll have him on his lead so he can't actually get to them but if they're close enough there's nothing I can do, and they might retaliate - which would be perfectly reasonable because they're being threatened, and then my dog is in danger!
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
    It really depends on the dog. Usually it's just polite to keep them on a leash when there are people around because some people might just be a little afraid of a big dog.
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
    I have a pig dog who is part pit and just to make some people feel a little safer I hold the leash tighter if i'm walking by someone.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    It really depends on the dog. Usually it's just polite to keep them on a leash when there are people around because some people might just be a little afraid of a big dog.

    I am a big dog owner (2 German Shepherds and a Lab, well, we call him Little but people think he's big), I know people are afraid of them. I don't think that any of this should be limited to "big" or "little". Little dogs can cause as much of an issue as big dogs (ie starting fights, etc). They can still do damage. And some people are afraid of dogs, big or little.

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