Loose dogs while jogging

To those that don't use a leash while jogging, are you in a bigger city or somewhere smaller?

I don't jog with my dog, but she is on a leash whenever we step foot off our property. She is an excellent listener, but for her own protection, the leash remains. I am confident in her recall, I'm just not confident in the other non-leashed dogs in the area that sometimes find us while we're out.

To the OP, I would carry some sort of pepper/bear spray as others have suggested. Also, carry your cell phone and report each and every dog that is out without a lead. Some fines and the potential of losing the dog should wake up most people.

I'll preface my comment by saying that I'm the biggest dog lover that there is BUT having been attacked last September while jogging by two neighborhood dogs, my way of thinking is skewed. I used to run outside every morning, never have i been scared of dogs but now, I can't even stand to hear one barking without my heart racing and panic sets in. I was lucky, it could have been a lot worse. My instinct did tell me not to continue running and the "dog lover" in me told me oh maybe they will sense that you are an animal lover by remaining calm. I had ran by this house before and the dogs were in a rinky sort of fence and they always bark even when you drive by, but they've never gotten out of the fence. This particular morning i jogged by the house and got past the house and heard the dogs tearing up behind me. I cannot describe how scared I was when I knew i was going to be attacked and just prayed it wouldn't be bad. One was less aggressive, it bit me once on the calf and let go. The other one punctured my achilles tendon and knocked me down in the road and then chomped down on my thigh. They were definitely working together to "herd" me. it must have only been a minute or two but it felt like half an hour before i was able to get up on my feet and literally limp the last 1/4 mile home. The owner is a truck driver, gone for days at a time, the grass was a foot tall and the dogs obviously weren't taken care of. When animal control came out to get the dogs to test them for rabies, DHEC informed me that the dogs had just bitten a male jogger three days prior to me. What the hell were they still doing there with the gate open? Ugh, it's frustrating and has definitely put a damper on my running outside. A lot of times now, I go to the track because I am still afraid.

To those that don't use a leash while jogging, are you in a bigger city or somewhere smaller?

As a dog owner and a Canine handler, I strongly feel that ALL dogs should be on a leash. I run with my Husky on lead. In fact, I'm considering buying him a harness for running with rather than the regular collar to minimize the risk of him choking himself. Further, having worked with dogs trained to attack and recall on command, I agree wholeheartedly with "Atlantique's" statement that you have yet to meet the right circumstances that will get your dog to not listen to you... I had a dog that completely ignored cats but would chase squirrels to no end (completely ignored rabbits too!). I had a dog that I could get out of the patrol car and tell him to heel on me and he'd ignore every cat, squirrel, rabbit, person and even people that were arguing amongst themselves or wearing the bite suit. I never did find out what would make that dog break the heel and disobey me (as he got cancer and died in December). However, that's not to say that when I was outside of the training fence that I didn't have his lead on.

All people must realize one VERY important fact about their dog before they ever take it out of the house. All dogs, from Chihuahua to Great Dane are all direct descendants of the Wolf. Would you be comfortable walking around outside with a lone wolf just hanging out on your street? So, how do you think other people feel about your animal being off-leash? although you may think that your dog is 100% reliable and friendly, you cannot trust him/her. I've seen dogs over 10 years old, having NEVER bitten anyone, get froggy and bite someone runnning by. It's called prey drive. What do prey animals do? They run from the wolf. What does the wolf's instinct tell it to do? Chase it and bite it. Wolves have taken down moose with only one or two wolves actually attacking the moose. If that is engrained in the dogs DNA, then isn't it possible the dog may see you as a prey-thing too?

My suggestion(s) to the OP still stay the same. First, if you feel you must slow to a walk before you cross paths with a loose dog, then do so. The slower and more confident you are in your stride, the less chance the dog sees you as prey. Even if it's playful prey-drive. Second, if your city/town/state has a leash law, don't hesitate to take the issue to the owner and to local law enforcement if the owner doesn't respect your wishes. Third, if you have to carry some sort of protection, then do so. Ensure you contact your local law enforcement agency to make sure you are within your legal rights to carry a baton or pepper spray, though.

I fostered a couple of Rotties and one awesome AM Bulldog - I really wanted to keep him but attacked my fiancee, so I couldn't adopt him. He was so great - he was 130 lbs @ 11 months. I don't think they're supposed to get that big though - he was HUGE. He now lives with an old man who runs his own business. Because JD (the dog) had severe separation anxiety - he had to go to someone who could be with him most of the day.

I really enjoyed fostering got to handle some GREAT dogs....but i get too attached so I don't do that anymore. LOL

In 9 out of 10 cases its people who fail to understand/read dogs or dont care for them like they should and socialize them wrong or not at all that are dangerous.
Its the same with a gun or a sword, if sombody has it who has no idea of what he or she is doing its a dangerous weapon.

That brings me to my number 1 pet peeve that I see more often than not. The ONLY times your dog should be out in FRONT of you when on lead is when going potty or if you are skating/mushing with them. If they are out in front, not only do you have NO control so that you might as well not have them on a lead at all, but you are also letting them be the ALPHA. You are being subservient to a dog!!! Please, please, please examine how you are with them on lead as well. Dogs out front just don't cut it. Also please don't let aggressive breeds herd animals. It will eventually lead to violence and/or the loss of your dog.

Speaking of aggressive breeds, these are often the ones I see taking the lead. Having your dog out front doesn't make you look cooler, or tougher or anything other than out of control and possibly overpowered and definitely subservient.