When You See a Leashed Dog In The Park Do You Let Your Unleashed Dog Run Up To It

[JulesP]

I actually only ask people to call their dogs if I consider the dog to be approaching in an aggressive manner. Also some 'off lead' areas aren't fenced parks but walk through areas. I pretty much can't go on heaps of my routes without going through my off lead area. Most people walk through on lead btw, I would be in the minority in having my dogs off lead. It did used to get annoying to constantly call my dogs back so they didn't bother on lead dogs but I am polite and that is the law. 

 

 

[BDJ]

My 2c on the topic.

 

I never go to fenced offleash areas - I have walked and driven past them, and it appears they are heavily populated by dogs who have no recall and owners have limited control (yes, that is a generalisation, but they are my observations).   Following on from that observation, I feel there is increased risk of injury, fights and altercations due to dog rudeness and pack behaviour.  Apart from that, many I have seen have hard/gravel type surfaces, which would be uncomfortable on feet methinks.

 

I am fortunate to have a large (a couple of acres) park just up the road which is offleash.  It has trees and shrubs which also make for informal 'zones', so it is easy to find an area where you can be in peace and quiet.   It is not perfect, and I have seen a couple of rude/pushy dogs over the years, but not often.   I also go to the offleash beach - again, it is very long, so people walk, rather than stand around.

 

I do get royally peeved with people who don't understand/accept that some people don't want (or are scared of) dogs who run up to them.  I don't give a fig how 'friendly' your dog is or whatever crap they believe.  Dogs and humans need manners, sadly they are not always there.

 

The rules for my dogs are - they can approach a dog if it is offleash and 'not working' (aka, obedience etc).   If the owner indicates they don't want my dog to approach, I call them straight off.   They are not permitted to approach a dog who is onlead.   And yes, they soon learn the rules (they seem to interpret it as being able to approach any dog which is more than 2-3 metres from a person).    Having said that, my dogs over the years have never been 'social butterflies'.  Some days they will say a few hellos, most days they ignore everyone else.   

 

No, they are not perfect and sometimes will go over to a dog on lead, but they are soon told to come back.   Also, I am not perfect.  I was down the beach the other day and was taking photos.  My girl was lying down next me.  I didn't realise she had got up and walked up to someone walking past with a dog on lead.  The owner said 'please call your dog off', which I immediately did and apologised.  No harm (she was only 2 paces away from me and is a senior, so was just standing there) - but I should not have taken my eyes off her.

[Princess Fru Fru]

4 hours ago, ~Anne~ said:

This I totally agree with. 
 

We’re talking dogs here people. They’re not robots. They’re living, breathing, creatures who do not know what a human rule or law is. 

 

No they're not robots, nor do I expect them to be.  What I do expect is the understanding of the term public space.  

 

I'm predominately talking about areas that are effectively the size 4+ football fields in which there's ample room for all without the need to encroach on others.  If you essentially have acres of off-leash space, why do you feel compelled to allow your dog to race so far away from you or better yet, approach someone who's clearly moved themselves to a far back corner?

 

Most people who want to be alone in parks do use them in "quiet periods", however, numpties still feel the need to allow their dogs to race up to others.

 

I ask you all this question, if there's a group of dogs already running around playing, why would you feel the need to then allow your dog to race to the far opposite end to engage in a dog and owner that are clearly happy on their own?  Common sense surely indicates that if this person wanted their dog to engage with others, they too would be involved in the group already playing.

 

To me this is just courtesy and if you don't want to respect someone who's taken the time to create distance from others, then you're the problem.  Thank goodness I don't need to bother with dog parks is all I can say.

[~Anne~]

2 hours ago, Princess Fru Fru said:

 

No they're not robots, nor do I expect them to be.  What I do expect is the understanding of the term public space.  

 

I'm predominately talking about areas that are effectively the size 4+ football fields in which there's ample room for all without the need to encroach on others.  If you essentially have acres of off-leash space, why do you feel compelled to allow your dog to race so far away from you or better yet, approach someone who's clearly moved themselves to a far back corner?

 

Most people who want to be alone in parks do use them in "quiet periods", however, numpties still feel the need to allow their dogs to race up to others.

 

I ask you all this question, if there's a group of dogs already running around playing, why would you feel the need to then allow your dog to race to the far opposite end to engage in a dog and owner that are clearly happy on their own?  Common sense surely indicates that if this person wanted their dog to engage with others, they too would be involved in the group already playing.

 

To me this is just courtesy and if you don't want to respect someone who's taken the time to create distance from others, then you're the problem.  Thank goodness I don't need to bother with dog parks is all I can say.

Thank goodness you don’t. I agree and good for you. 

[Tempus Fugit]

The worry I would have with my dog running off in a rural area as per Sandgrubbers post is the risk of 1080 baits, snakes and cars on nearby roads. I agree with Anne that dogs are not robots. Different dogs of the same breed can have vastly different peronalities. Also they work on context. You can get a perfect recall in at an obedience training ground but in an off-lead area where there are strong distractions like foxes and roos not to mention other dogs, if there are no disagreeable consequences for your prey driven dog getting joy from ignoring your calls and chasing prey then it will contiue to do it. In past years, gun dogs used to get a thourough whipping once they had returned if they hadn't obeyed a recall. Nowadays there is a modern tool that can correct a dog while it is running off but after lobbying by do-gooders and the PP people governments have made the tool illegal to use and yet require our dogs to be under "effective control".

Thankfully a lot of councils now have separate areas for big and small dogs at fenced dog parks but if I had to share an off lead area with small dogs when travelling through a town I got into the habit of putting a muzzle on my dog in case one of the little ones tried to attack my dog.

[Rebanne]

9 hours ago, Tempus Fugit said:

 

Thankfully a lot of councils now have separate areas for big and small dogs at fenced dog parks but if I had to share an off lead area with small dogs when travelling through a town I got into the habit of putting a muzzle on my dog in case one of the little ones tried to attack my dog.

Not to mention snail bait thrown over the fence. My council, in it's wisdom, fenced in an area for a dog park directly across the road from homes. I am glad I don't live in any one of those houses.

[sandgrubber]

On 11/01/2023 at 2:15 AM, Tempus Fugit said:

The worry I would have with my dog running off in a rural area as per Sandgrubbers post is the risk of 1080 baits, snakes and cars on nearby roads. I

I'm in NZ, no snakes.   No 1080 in the area.   No cars.  Good swimming for dogs.

[Selkie]

A bit of both. The owner completely ignoring the dog-agressive cattle dog is clearly in the wrong. On the other hand, regularly walking an on-lead dog through an off-lead area is a bit of a PITA thing to do. Yes, my off-lead dog is under my control, but there are so few areas that allow dogs off lead, and I take my dog to these areas so that she can have some freedom. The minute you bring your on-lead dog into the area, I'm having to bring her under close control again, because she's suddenly focused on running up to your dog. I've probably had to drive quite a way to access a park that allows my dog to run around under her own steam, and by bringing your on lead dog into the area, you have ruined that for her.

[coneye]

Some people really are idiots and i mean idiots on purpose , start with  Every single day i walk my dog ONLEASH to a dog beach , on my way there i always pass other dogs and there owners , 99.9%  the other dog is freindly the owner is freindly , and its a hello  goodbye ,  and ALL dogs are on leash ,   when i get there i UNLEASH my dog  it runs around and plays with other dogs ,, over the years i've seen a few aggressive dogs run around  but by and large most people take there dogs there to run and there not dog aggressve ,, But every now and then you will still ge an idiot   walk through a bunch of dogs playing and start demanding that  you leash your dog because they want theres left alone ,,, STRIKE A CORD PRINCESS FRU FRU ,,, when the simple thing would be to not take there  unsociable dog to the dog beach ,,, Jeez woman you sound like my mate who went to a day on the green , could;nt be bothered going early to get a good seat  , walked in  last set up his   blanket and drinks at the back then when the concert started , demanded everyone in front probably 10.000 people  sit down  because he could'nt see the stage , then when they would'nt he left and complained he could'nt see the stage , he's a total goose has well .

Don't want dogs running around and spoiling your   moment  alone with pooch ,,, go elswhere not to a dog beach .