A$$ Hole With Foxy In Spearwood

[megan_]

here we can have our dogs offlead at ovals and parks but the ovals and parks do not have fences artound them so does this mean i shouldn't let my dog offlead. Shelley even looks both ways before crossing a road which i took the time to train her. Sorry for wanting to give my dog some freedom outside the backyard,even when the dog is in the backyard there are still dangers so it maybe best to confine them to a foam room for safety.

No one is saying you can't exercise your dog off leash at a designated off leash oval, regardless of fencing. I exercise my boy at an off leash oval with no fences - I prefer them and find the dogs to be better behaved. The difference between you and I is that I do it at a designated off leash area. It isn't rocket science. Every council has these areas and they can be found on your council's website.

Everywhere is on leash unless there is a specific sign saying it is off leash).

Lots of us exercise our dogs every single day at off leash places, we just don't break the law and inconvenience everyone in doing so.

I get in the car and drive my girl around trying to find a place I can exercise her without running into "oh, he's friendly/well trained/never done that before" dogs.

[Rebanne]

what I am saying is if people can't train there dogs proper recall and can't control them offlead what makes you think they can control them onlead,

I can control my dogs perfectly well while on lead but they are not allowed off lead in Victoria so very hard to train a really reliable recall. Plus I would be a fool to ignore their breed and what they were bred for.

[Rebanne]

I do not allow her to go up to strange dogs or people i understand somepeople do not like dogs going up to them or there dogs. This is why i have trained Shelley to return to me/heel and i also tell her ignore which she obeys 99% of the time.

so what happens the 1% of the time she ignores you and what happens if it's one of those awful little dogs she hates? Neither you or your dog are as good as you think.

[Cosmolo]

The risk reward ratio is simply not worth it. I will never understand people who have theur dogs off lead trotting next to them/ infront of them in on lead areas. Why NOT have them on a lead?

I have 5 dogs. 2 of them could be like those dogs who trot along next to their owners without a lead. But i NEVER do it because not only is it unfair to others and i could be fined but i would NEVER forgive myself if just one time, they got a scare or behaved unexpectedly and ran on the road etc. I relax with them on lead, walk to an off lead area and then they can be off and run and play. My dogs do need off lead exercise and its my job to provide it for them in a lawful, safe and considerate way.

And by the way, you would change your mind if you met my JRT. Well bred, well trained and well socialised they are SUPER dogs.

[RallyValley]

I am pretty sure all of Victoria is on lead unless in a designated area.

I knew a very well trained dog who once, and once only, forgot his training. And ran out onto a road. Pity it cost him his life.

For me this is the crux of the matter. I would never forgive myself if this happened to me so I make sure it never will.

My dog never leaves my side, is well behaved, focuses on me and has amazing recall BUT she is never off leash unless it is an area that is fenced off and off leash is allowed and there are no other dogs around (because I do not trust their temperament).

It only takes a nano second for an accident to happen and a dog is a living thing sometimes driven by it's own motivations.

I will not ever put my dog at that level of risk because the ramifications are unthinkable for me.

This. One day we forgot to close our front gate and our dog ran out across the road to greet another dog, it happened at peak time and he didn't have a chance. :D RIP Jack. This dog was perfectly behaved, never roamed or strayed, and had perfect recall 99% of the time.

Now most days I see people walking along this busy road that we live on with dogs offleash! Sometimes they even have the dog like 6 or 7 meters ahead of them on the footpath! WHY?!? What does it prove? How lazy are you that you can't hold a leash? Why bother having a dog if you are too lazy to hold a potentially lifesaving handle, especially if your dog is 'perfect' it should make no difference then.

[kitkatswing]

As another JRT owner I am offended....

We do have him offlead sometimes, there is a park/spilway near us (In Vic) that is designated off lead during certain times of the day (not when school start/finish hours are!)...

He has a few "friends" now that he first met on leash (both on leash) that when we see them now he is offleash and so are they, they ahve a lovely time playing together. But they were introduced on lead....

If we see children or people on those scooter things, then he is immediatly put back on the leash until they are out of sight (or until they finish playing with him, the attention seeker!)....

[raz]

And by the way, you would change your mind if you met my JRT. Well bred, well trained and well socialised they are SUPER dogs.

A lot of people wouldnt know a purebred JRT or Fox Terrier if they fell over one and their offlead dog ate it. Anything small that's white with tan or black patches just gets called one of either. Dont worry about it.

[Leelaa17]

You're assuming that every dog attack is the fault of a bad owner. Even good owners have been unpleasantly suprised by unexpected behaviour from their own dogs. A good owner (in my opinion) wouldn't place their dogs in a position where they might harm another dog, simple as that.

I recently posted a thread about my 7month old GSD female who got quite aggressive when any dog used to come near me and people told me not to sit on the ground etc at dog parks (that's where she would get aggressive - at dog parks)... I took everyones advice and stopped sitting down - whenever she would come near me I would walk away so she didnt feel she needed to protect me - and it started to work... then two days ago I took her to the dog park and she went absolutely MENTAL at another dog that came about 3 metres away from me... If I hadnt have been holding her collar she would've taken a chunk out of the dog that was 3x bigger than her... it scared the hell out of me and she is not going back to a dog park until she gets assessed by Steve from k9 pro...

MY POINT IS..... I was absolutely SHOCKED at this behaviour - she has NEVER acted like that before... it always used to be just growls - that was it.. she was actually snapping her jaws and barking crazily... I was completely shocked - If I hadnt of had her restrained it wouldve been disastrous.

This is the same kind of situation with off-lead dogs... you just never know...

Edited April 3, 2011 by Leelaa17

[whiskedaway]

This is the same kind of situation with off-lead dogs... you just never know...

Completely agreed. My Sibe has an issue with SWF dogs due to the neighbour's dog continually barking at her and being an aggressive little shit. I don't think she'd purposely hurt a SWF, but she would get much too over the top and accidentally hurt it. She is allowed off leash in designated areas, but if someone with a SWF comes into the park, I make sure she's clipped up straight away. On Saturday we were sitting at footy with both dogs on a leash (the sibe sitting under my chair, the lappie asleep in the dirt behind it). I had a tight hold of both leashes and was enjoying the match. Some idiot with a SWF off lead walked past and let their dog walk straight up to Akira. Well she went mental and I nearly got yanked off the chair by her bolting upright so quickly but was luckily holding onto her leash tightly. The owner gave me a dirty look because of my dog's reaction and she got a few choice words (which were echoed by the people sitting in front of me). The fact of the matter is, this dog probably never walks up to strange dogs (and hopefully never will again after Akira's reaction). But the one time it did could have ended badly if I weren't holding onto the lead so tightly.

[Leelaa17]

This is why i have trained Shelley to return to me/heel and i also tell her ignore which she obeys 99% of the time.

Sorry for wanting to give my dog some freedom outside the backyard,even when the dog is in the backyard there are still dangers so it maybe best to confine them to a foam room for safety.

This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. I don't know where you live but there would be SOME sort of off-lead dog area near you... and if there isn't only within 10km or you... then DRIVE to the nearest one - there was a dog park that was 5min away from me.. but if there hadnt been I would've driven the 40k to take my dogs to the dog park - they LOVE it there because they can socialise with other dogs and you don't have to worry about them running onto a road or running off and never coming back..

as that other person said about the dog that didn't listen ONCE and ended up dying because of it (RIP) - that once day could be shelley... one day she just might not listen and that could be the last time you see her... YOU DON'T KNOW - this is the thing... I said in a previous post that I had no idea my dog would go psycho... I thought she was getting better because we are taking her to training and I have changed my behaviour etc...

YOU. JUST. DON'T. KNOW.

this is what everyone on here is trying to say. its not about giving your dog freedom... they have freedom - by you treating them well, with affection, feeding them regularly and walking them (ON LEAD) - IS FREEDOM!!!

letting them run around off lead... is irresponsible.

[Leelaa17]

Also mumtoshelley............... if I KNEW I was a safe driver and have never had an accident in my car before... does that give me the right to drive 50k over the speed limit?.... because, I mean... I've never had a crash before and I KNOW I am a safe driver... therefore I am adove the law... right???

[TsarsMum]

i drive 20 mins so i can take my dog into a fence off lead area. he only goes once to two times a week. not hard to get into the car. when you own large breeds espically lovely rottis etc you need to be a little more proactive as people dont see the good in these breeds only the bad. so if its a on lead area you do so. its simple really

[RubyStar]

I'm really interested in this, if she walks perfectly and you're holding a lead, why the need to have her unclipped? What is the benefit if you are just walking down a footpath? Its not like she's in an open space running around, she's right next to you walking, so why not clip her up just for safety?

I want to know this, too. Is it like some trophy or status symbol to have your dog walking next to you without a lead attached? Why not just have it clipped for it's safety, and quite frankly, other people's safety. Annoys the heck out of me to see people doing this along footpaths. What if I want to walk my dogs ON LEAD, approaching an off lead dog is worrying.

I can't comment much on the OP as I found it too hard to follow. But I think I gathered out of it that the OP was walking their dog offlead in an onlead only area? Doesn't matter how good your dog is, laws are laws and disobeying them just makes dog ownership harder for the rest of us.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

I'm really interested in this, if she walks perfectly and you're holding a lead, why the need to have her unclipped? What is the benefit if you are just walking down a footpath? Its not like she's in an open space running around, she's right next to you walking, so why not clip her up just for safety?

I want to know this, too. Is it like some trophy or status symbol to have your dog walking next to you without a lead attached? Why not just have it clipped for it's safety, and quite frankly, other people's safety. Annoys the heck out of me to see people doing this along footpaths. What if I want to walk my dogs ON LEAD, approaching an off lead dog is worrying.

I can't comment much on the OP as I found it too hard to follow. But I think I gathered out of it that the OP was walking their dog offlead in an onlead only area? Doesn't matter how good your dog is, laws are laws and disobeying them just makes dog ownership harder for the rest of us.

sorry got mixed up with who said what

Edited April 4, 2011 by Jaxx'sBuddy

[B-Q]

Yeah, I gotta say just use a leash, if its annoying to hold onto it then get something to loop it around your waist?

Buster is always leashed these days, even in areas where I know I can trust him, he has DA and eventhough I can recall him if I see a dog and leash him I want a leg to stand on if we are ever int he position of having a dog rush him offleash then atleast I am completely in the right.

I also don't let Quinn offleash except in leash free designated areas, I don't want to lose a dog to one silly mistake that was easily avoided.

[raz]

First off the OP said the dog walked by her side then the OP changed this part of the story and said the dog ran around for exercise so I am now assuming the dog is allowed to travel well away from the OP whilst it is off leash

This entire thread is ridiculous - Hey look at me I'm going to promote breaking the law every day and someone gets grumpy so I need to whinge or... certain breeds are horrible (even though I wouldnt know the breed if it bit me on the arse) to my illegal offlead dog. Smacks of one big beat up to me. No offence.

Edited April 4, 2011 by raz

[Beth.]

I also don't let Quinn offleash except in leash free designated areas, I don't want to lose a dog to one silly mistake that was easily avoided.

Totally agree!! It's not hard to clip your dog up - and it's the LAW! Mumtoshelley - you say you have 99% control over your dog - what about the 1% that you dont - is that the % that's going to end in tragedy?? I just don't understand why you would want to put your own dog at risk . I would NEVER NEVER walk Lottie near a road without a lead on - although she's very well trained etc - if a rabbit or cat shot out and ran past, I would have no hope!!!!

A little off topic - but for Brisbane people who might know the area - I was driving up Moggill Road on Sat (which is an 80km very busy road), and there was a person walking there dog off leash sooo close to the road - only a couple meters :D and the dog was a little behind the owner, so she had no idea what the dog was doing. She also had her lead around her neck - what help is it there?? I was so shocked that someone would do that!!!

[raz]

Mumtoshelley - you say you have 99% control over your dog - what about the 1% that you dont - is that the % that's going to end in tragedy??

No doubt. Like my poor bloody old dog walking home on lead when a bastard owner's illegal offlead dog who 'OMG she has never done that before' ran across a busy road to pick him up and maul him into a seizure and vet treatment. Stupid asshole of an owner!

[poodlefan]

Dear Dog Owner walking your dog offlead in an onlead only area:

* You may think you're Cesar Milan and that your dog is perfectly trained, but how the hell do the rest of us know this? We're not telepathic and you and your dog look like every other owner and dog to us. Spare a thought for the rest of us and leash up.

* Its easy to tell whether or not your dog needs to be onlead.. if there's no "dogs allowed offlead" signs, assume a leash is required.

* Breed, size and age are not reasons that you don't have to obey the law. All dogs need to be leashed if required.

* If I had a dollar for every time an owner has said one of these lines, I'd be rich:

* He's never done that before.

* He's gentle/friendly/just wants to say hi... often said about some pilar erect, stiff legged dog attempting to dominate yours.

* He's just a puppy. Honey I don't care how old your dog is.. put it on a freakin lead.

* IF your dog does something it shouldn't, all dog owners will pay for your arrogance.

Dogs aren't robots. Even well trained ones can chase a cat, get a fright and end up in traffic by accident. For everyone's sake, stop feeling special and leash up. You might just stop people abusing you for breaking the law, but who knows, you might save your dogs life as well. How you consider yourselves to be above the law beats me.

And while you're at it, carry some bloody poo bags. Feeling "special" often seems to relate to that requirement too. You dog's shit is as offensive as anyone else's people - pick it up.

Edited April 4, 2011 by poodlefan

[WreckitWhippet]

That needs to be place on the front page of every newspaper in the country...