Dog Lovers...do you do Off-Leash?

[PlayfulAlex]

http://globalnews.ca/news/987876/eyewitness-to-tragic-death-of-pit-bull-steps-forward

Eyewitness to tragic death of pit bull steps forward

"The pit bull’s owner, Samantha Fairbridge, claims the pug, which was off-leash, sparked the confrontation and its owner went berserk.

In an earlier interview Fairbridge said, “My dog (pit bull, on leash) bit the pug (off-leash) on the ear and was not letting go… So the owner of the pug ran up and immediately pulled out a knife and began to stab my dog."

 

[Ms Erica Phoenix]

Alex, I do off-leash, but I do NOT do off-leash parks. Instead, I find local places where I am unlikely to encounter other dogs so my boy can run freely, chasing rabbits, squirrels and the occasional coyote...

I have seen far too many dog fights start because the dogs are keyed up and anxious, making their owners uptight and anxious; that's when things spiral out of control. What makes it particularly bad in some parks (at least 2 that I can think of in my area) is that they are located under VERY powerful Hydro lines that will give you shocks from walking through damp grass... One or both dogs can be playing happily and then all of a sudden, it's "Go Time"! There are also a lot of owners that know very little about canine behaviour, and these people have to be avoided too! An example of this would be the woman who asked me (right before her 180 pound St. Bernard 'puppy' tried to mount my 11 year old male Rotti cross) "Why do dogs sniff each other's bottoms; do you know?". My 60 pound dog put hers into submission; as she shrieked and flapped her arms, a friend and I tried to SAFELY separate the dogs. Unfornately for me, I lost hold of her dog, and the resulting bite on my left middle finger went nearly to the bone. (Got a badass scar out of it though) Both dogs were fine; I got a tetanus shot.

 

[badbadboy]

Watching the video paints two very distinctly opinions of what actually happened that day. I won't get into who who right and who was wrong.

Yes I do go to off leash parks with my dogs and have done so for five or more years. I can count one one hand the number of incidents I have witnessed and no one's dog died.

Ironically one of my dogs was attacked by a German Shepard in my own neighbourhood. The woman gave a false address and false phone number presumably because there were five attacks on other dogs by a Shepard in my area. It probably have meant her dog would have been put down.

My dog spent two days at emergency at $700 per day.

Do I carry a deterrent now? You bet and I would do the same as the 72 yr old man in a heartbeat if either of my dogs were ever attacked again and I thought their lives were at risk. Own a dangerous dog, you had better go through all the training and keep everyone safe.

 

[MissingOne]

My dog and I do off-leash twice a day every day. It happens that we live close to the edge of forested crown land, with lots of "unofficial" trails. We encounter all sorts of other trail users, with and without dogs. I'm pretty careful to have the dog under control, as in close to me and attentive to commands, when approaching strangers. We rarely have issues. There is one neighbourhood dog with whom mine feuds, and has since they were both pups. The other dog's person is aware of the situation, and if we see each other approaching with our dogs we get the animals under control and on-leash before we get too close. Once recently we caught each other by surprise, there was a dogfight, and a bit of canine blood was drawn, but because we know each other and the dogs, we got them separated and nobody tried to blame anyone else.

When visiting the Lower Mainland we do occasionally make use of the off-leash parks, but many of them really aren't very attractive places.

 

[VanessaofBC]

My good friends have a lovable pug. But the neighbours nicknamed her "Taz" as in the Tasmanian Devil.

 

[badbadboy]

My dog and I do off-leash twice a day every day. It happens that we live close to the edge of forested crown land, with lots of "unofficial" trails. We encounter all sorts of other trail users, with and without dogs. I'm pretty careful to have the dog under control, as in close to me and attentive to commands, when approaching strangers. We rarely have issues. There is one neighbourhood dog with whom mine feuds, and has since they were both pups. The other dog's person is aware of the situation, and if we see each other approaching with our dogs we get the animals under control and on-leash before we get too close. Once recently we caught each other by surprise, there was a dogfight, and a bit of canine blood was drawn, but because we know each other and the dogs, we got them separated and nobody tried to blame anyone else.

When visiting the Lower Mainland we do occasionally make use of the off-leash parks, but many of them really aren't very attractive places.

This is a good post because a lot of people will just keep going without any concern if their dog or dogs get in an altercation. I also have a neighbour who has two dogs that do not like mine and vice verse. We see each other approaching each other and we both pull a 180 degree and go the other way. I do it for self preservation of my dogs since one of his is known to be quite vicious. He has had other dogs removed by the Police/SCPA and doesn't want to lose another pet. Personally, I think he is too old and frail to be trying to handle such big dogs but of course there is no law with respect who can own a dog or what type of dog.

 

[kickback]

A dog is a loaded gun...with teeth. Sure they are cute, lovable and obedient but they are animals that have lived in packs much longer then being domesticated. As the owner it is your responsibility to be the 'pack leader' and to keep your dog under control. Control does not mean your dog is on a leash and pulling your arm out of the socket. Training starts when they are young and less aggressive. Training requires only voice commands with a tug on the leash; dogs want to learn, do the right thing and follow your lead. They naturally love you and want to please you.

When two dogs approach they will each behave based on their training. An untrained dog may decide to take 'the lead' and feel it must protect the pack or themselves(the owner being part of that pack). A trained dog will look to the owner for the appropriate behavior. A relaxed trained dog will not 'attack' even if provoked.

The size and breed of a dog makes no difference. There are many well trained and well behaved pit-bulls. Unfortunately the pit-bull can be the dog of choice for for guys with small dicks. All dogs bite including yappy little lap dogs who are known for biting children...in the face.

Be a responsible dog owner or get a cat...cats also are a good source of protein during a disastrous

 

[Ms Erica Phoenix]

And how is the best way to separate two dogs that are fighting?

By approaching the ends that do NOT have teeth! (My hands speak to experience) STAY CALM as you can, walk up to your own dog, get a firm hold on his two back legs and lift up and away. The dog will let go.

Knowing your dog is your best defense against problems. I know that mine is often unfriendly with other younger larger males, so I leash up when a dog I don't know is approaching. I was also badly bitten on my right hand by an unleashed pitbull/mastiff cross while walking my boy on leash. As a result, I get really triggered by large breeds being off-leash approaching me, so I hang back and ask "Would you leash your dogs until we pass you please?" Often, I get rudely told "My dog isn't a problem! He's never bitten ANYONE! He's just a (Great Dane) puppy!", etc.

My response? "The dog that bit through my hand had never bitten anyone either. Could you please leash your dog?"

 

[kickback]

And how is the best way to separate two dogs that are fighting?

By approaching the ends that do NOT have teeth! (My hands speak to experience) STAY CALM as you can, walk up to your own dog, get a firm hold on his two back legs and lift up and away.

Good approach but you'll be better served by grabbing the other dogs legs. It's no different then when your buddy is in a fight; you never grab your buddy but instead pull the other guy off. This way the other guy never has the opportunity to hit your buddy while your pulling him off.

 

[retriever]

Alex, I do off-leash, but I do NOT do off-leash parks. Instead, I find local places where I am unlikely to encounter other dogs so my boy can run freely, chasing rabbits, squirrels and the occasional coyote...

I have seen far too many dog fights start because the dogs are keyed up and anxious, making their owners uptight and anxious; that's when things spiral out of control. What makes it particularly bad in some parks (at least 2 that I can think of in my area) is that they are located under VERY powerful Hydro lines that will give you shocks from walking through damp grass... One or both dogs can be playing happily and then all of a sudden, it's "Go Time"! There are also a lot of owners that know very little about canine behaviour, and these people have to be avoided too! An example of this would be the woman who asked me (right before her 180 pound St. Bernard 'puppy' tried to mount my 11 year old male Rotti cross) "Why do dogs sniff each other's bottoms; do you know?". My 60 pound dog put hers into submission; as she shrieked and flapped her arms, a friend and I tried to SAFELY separate the dogs. Unfornately for me, I lost hold of her dog, and the resulting bite on my left middle finger went nearly to the bone. (Got a badass scar out of it though) Both dogs were fine; I got a tetanus shot.

+1

My dog gets his primary run at five in the morning so having other people around is not a problem.

Now as far as me being on leash, well, that's another story.

 

[retriever]

And how is the best way to separate two dogs that are fighting?

By approaching the ends that do NOT have teeth! (My hands speak to experience) STAY CALM as you can, walk up to your own dog, get a firm hold on his two back legs and lift up and away. The dog will let go.

Knowing your dog is your best defense against problems. I know that mine is often unfriendly with other younger larger males, so I leash up when a dog I don't know is approaching. I was also badly bitten on my right hand by an unleashed pitbull/mastiff cross while walking my boy on leash. As a result, I get really triggered by large breeds being off-leash approaching me, so I hang back and ask "Would you leash your dogs until we pass you please?" Often, I get rudely told "My dog isn't a problem! He's never bitten ANYONE! He's just a (Great Dane) puppy!", etc.

My response? "The dog that bit through my hand had never bitten anyone either. Could you please leash your dog?"

Bear spray.

 

[Ms Erica Phoenix]

LOL retriever! That's when my boy likes to go too! It's also figured as a big part of my fitness routine, as ducking under branches, stepping over fallen logs & jumping across creeks for 2 hours or so (with my faithful digital camera along for wildlife spottings!) is much more enjoyable to me than a treadmill or elliptical could ever be!

 

[Cami Parker]

I do off leash, but not around other off leash dogs... I know he won't run out into traffic so we are good with that. He is also very well trained (I don't think it's fair for dogs to be untrained, they like to know what is expected of them) and would stop immediately in his tracks if I told him to.
It's a shame that man did that to that woman's poor dog, and right in front of her too. How traumatizing. I wonder, if it wasn't a dog with such a (unfair) nasty reputation, oils he have reacted the same?
My ex and I had a Pitt in NYC and she was the sweetest thing you'd ever hope to meet...

 

[CJ Tylers]

And how is the best way to separate two dogs that are fighting?

By approaching the ends that do NOT have teeth! (My hands speak to experience) STAY CALM as you can, walk up to your own dog, get a firm hold on his two back legs and lift up and away. The dog will let go.

Knowing your dog is your best defense against problems. I know that mine is often unfriendly with other younger larger males, so I leash up when a dog I don't know is approaching. I was also badly bitten on my right hand by an unleashed pitbull/mastiff cross while walking my boy on leash. As a result, I get really triggered by large breeds being off-leash approaching me, so I hang back and ask "Would you leash your dogs until we pass you please?" Often, I get rudely told "My dog isn't a problem! He's never bitten ANYONE! He's just a (Great Dane) puppy!", etc.

My response? "The dog that bit through my hand had never bitten anyone either. Could you please leash your dog?"

Picking dogs up by their hind legs work great with any dog that doesn't "lock jaw" on you. Pitt bulls, amongst a few other breeds, have lock jaw. It's why the owners couldn't pull them apart, the pitt bull was in death-grip mode... it wasn't about to let go until it had killed the smaller dog. I don't know of any dog owner that wouldn't go into a panic at that... some might even go after the owners, violently, to make their point.

Alex... according to the article I read, the pitt bull bit the pug on the neck (lethal). That's a fair bit more serious than the ear (playful).

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Van...death+after+wouldn+release/9191775/story.html

It's always the same story when dogs engage in vicious behavior... "well, it's the nicest dog and it's never done anything like that before!". I love dogs, but some are ticking time bombs.

 

[Unpossible]

Pitt bulls, amongst a few other breeds, have lock jaw.

No, they don't.

 

[Ms Erica Phoenix]

Picking dogs up by their hind legs work great with any dog that doesn't "lock jaw" on you. Pitt bulls, amongst a few other breeds, have lock jaw. It's why the owners couldn't pull them apart, the pitt bull was in death-grip mode... it wasn't about to let go until it had killed the smaller dog. I don't know of any dog owner that wouldn't go into a panic at that... some might even go after the owners, violently, to make their point.

Alex... according to the article I read, the pitt bull bit the pug on the neck (lethal). That's a fair bit more serious than the ear (playful).

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Van...death+after+wouldn+release/9191775/story.html

It's always the same story when dogs engage in vicious behavior... "well, it's the nicest dog and it's never done anything like that before!". I love dogs, but some are ticking time bombs.

This is a myth. Although pitbulls can exert tremendous pressure and the strength of their bite might exert more psi than some breeds, it's just not true that once they bite down they must bite through what their teeth are locked in. ANY dog that believes it's fighting for its life or that of its owner can inflict a nasty bite on a human or on another dog. The pitbull that my tenants own is the sweetest girl, but I wouldn't go into their suite when she's home alone because she will defend her territory. The worst dogbite injury I've ever witnessed on a human hand was inflicted by a Sheltie! ER doc said, and I quote, 'we'll set the bone, sew the finger back on and hope for the best!'

 

[badbadboy]

Pit bulls are awesome and lovely <3.



In what fuckin world did that seem smart. Honestly.

Hey I have met some lovely Pits.

Since there are two very conflicting stories about this incidence IMHO we should not be too quick to make a judgement.

If your dog was facing death, would you give a Pit a pass? I sure wouldn't.

 

[Unpossible]

If your dog was facing death, would you give a Pit a pass? I sure wouldn't.

I'd use a product specifically designed for the scenario.

 

[badbadboy]

I'd use a product specifically designed for the

How did it work for you when you used it?


I live in an area with lots of coyotes. A neighbour carried it and the nozzle jammed and it wouldn't spray when he needed it. Personally I wouldn't put too much faith in it. You still need to get close enough to spray it in their eyes.

 

[Unpossible]

You still need to get close enough to spray it in their eyes.

You have to be close up to stab a dog as well.