OT: Dogs are my favourite animals, irresponsible dog owners - are not.

[MM213]

Last Saturday I went hiking to South Mountain Reservation, NJ. It's a great park, designed by Frederik Law Olmsted (same guy who designed Central Park in Manhattan) about 100 years ago. With beautiful trails, streams, waterfalls and ponds. It's in a bit of disrepair, probably because of lack of funding, but still is worth a trip.

The only problem we encountered were unleashed dogs roaming everywhere. On our 5 mile hike we've met more than a dozen of them, even though the rules were clearly posted at every entrance to Reservation (with a $50 summons for unleashed dog).

What is it with the local dog owners: they can't read, they don't care or simply feel entitled?

I love dogs since I was a kid, but leaving them free in a setting like that is dangerous: they are affecting wildlife (I saw unleashed dog injuring a chipmunk right in front of me, with the dog owner unable to do anything), they are at the risk of getting injured (it's forest, not a city park), they can simply run away (and yes, there a plenty of "Dog Missing" posters in Reservation).

There are 2 fenced dog parks within Reservation, where dogs can run free without a leash in a safe environment. Why not use them? What am I missing here?

 

[dare2be]

Don't leave cat owners out of the equation. They are just as bad. My 7-year-old daughter found a headless squirrel on my front porch. Was she ever tramatized.

 

[Burns80y]

Don't leave cat owners out of the equation. They are just as bad. My 7-year-old daughter found a headless squirrel on my front porch. Was she ever tramatized.

That was not a cat. That was me.

I take my dogs in the woods with me all the time without a leash but i would have them on one if i went to a park. My dogs are way to slow to actually catch anything.

 

[pixburgher66]

my uncle trains dogs for field trials, he's been doing it for years and years now, and he lets them roam with out leashes in the woods...the only difference being that it's his property. his dogs are probably some of the best trained animals i've ever encountered, but in public he puts them on a leash, no question. honestly there's no need for the leash because the dogs heel to your side when told to, but he knows that no matter how well trained, a dog is still an animal.

 

[MM213]

Don't leave cat owners out of the equation. They are just as bad. My 7-year-old daughter found a headless squirrel on my front porch. Was she ever tramatized.

Ouch, that's really bad

When it comes to backyards, cats are the worst, since there is no law against them: no leashes required, owners don't even have to pick crap after them. Neighbour's cats used to crap in my backyard all the time. I had some heated conversation with him about it (didn't want my kids to step in there while running), nothing helped. So I bought few of those ultrasonic devices, set them up on a perimeter and that was it - no cat problems since then.

 

[MM213]

my uncle trains dogs for field trials, he's been doing it for years and years now, and he lets them roam with out leashes in the woods...the only difference being that it's his property. his dogs are probably some of the best trained animals i've ever encountered, but in public he puts them on a leash, no question. honestly there's no need for the leash because the dogs heel to your side when told to, but he knows that no matter how well trained, a dog is still an animal.

Your uncle is a professional, he knows a lot about dogs.

Most of those soap opera-watching bimbos I encountered around South Mountain know shit about proper dog upbringing, but for some reason feel entitled to let them roam free in public. Those dogs were big enough to playfully knock down little kids hiking in the area (and I know it happened there in past). Will fat-ass bitch, whose only physical activity includes eating donuts, be able to stop her unleashed oversized dog in time? I don't think so.

 

[UTVolCountry]

Don't leave cat owners out of the equation. They are just as bad. My 7-year-old daughter found a headless squirrel on my front porch. Was she ever tramatized.

My cat has killed at least 15 squirrels. She drags them under the porch. She hasn't killed any lately. Probably all dead.

 

[dare2be]

My cat has killed at least 15 squirrels. She drags them under the porch. She hasn't killed any lately. Probably all dead.

And you have no problem with whatever potential germs that cat has carried into the house??? Serious question.

 

[UTVolCountry]

Yeah, I have. It's disgusting. She has had all her shots and everything.....so I hope she doesn't have anything...

 

[Comeds]

I hate in my neighborhood when I am walking my dog on a leash and someone elses dog runs freely up to mine. The dog on the leash usually frets because it is at a disadvantage. Luckily there have been no scraps.

My dog listens well but all one has to do is see and hear (thats worse) a dog get hit by a car and they would probably keep it leashed from then on.

 

[dare2be]

We had a dog who lived to the ripe old age of 16. She was happy with her free run in the fenced-in back yard, but of course that fence couldn't keep the neighbors' cats out. The first time she saw a cat in the yard, she went playfully running after it, only to get her ears batted by the cat's claws something fierce. Ever since then, she had struggled with ear infections and hearing problems, until she went totally deaf for the last 4 years of her life. It was gut-wrenching. I hate cats.

 

[Dacks]

All depends on the dog IMO. I've got the family beagle trained really well (all you need for a beagle is food) and I feel pretty comfortable with him off the leash. As long as I stay within twenty feet, keep a treat handy, and stay vigilant, we can avoid any trouble.

Irresponsible dog owners can kind of ruin things for responsible owners.