I live in the country. You might see a car or two drive by every couple of hours, houses are pretty far apart from each other.

Here is my situation. Either direction I want to walk my GSD 4mth old Maximus, there are dogs that are allowed to run free. To the left out of my driveway the first house we come across lives a Saint Bernard(full grown from the looks of it). One time he charged up on us, chain and all and his hair standing. The owner did not seem to care one bit. I screamed at the dog to sit and stay(or at least that is what I think came out of my mouth? I was scared). They claim he is harmless? Really?

Turn the corner walk about 1/4 of a mile and guess what? Three more dogs running freely, all from the same house. I was able to get the phone number to this house and called her.

I explained to her that I walk with my dog and my concerns. Here is what she told me.
The pit bull mixed with boxer who is a year old is harmless. Ummm....I did not feel that last night during our walk when he charged to the end of his driveway, barking and running back and forth. He seems sorta pissed off. But according to this woman she or her husband are out there all the time watching their dogs. I did not see them last night or this morning.
Then she only talked about the other big white dog, I did not ask the breed. Now he concerns me she said(those were her words, not mine). He will leave the yard along with this other unknown dog of theirs. But remember she told me her and her husband are outside all of the time.

Go right out of my driveway and I can walk a good distance until I come across a no-kill shelter. Now the woman that runs/owns it has been fined so many times for neglect of her dogs and roaming dogs. Needless to say I don't care to go that direction either.

What do I do? Wait almost forgot the best part. The woman I called said "Call me when you want to take a walk and I will be outside watching my dogs" HONEST..that is what she said to me.

I am so upset I could spit! lol
Julie

Julie,

I feel for you. This is one of the worst banes of responsible dog ownership. I live in a rural area, and will often drive to very quiet dirt roads to walk a dog, and run into the exact same thing.

Then again, you go hiking...you run into people with their dogs who are off leash and not under voice control. Not exactly the same thing, but close.

The only thing I can suggest is driving to a place that you're unlikely to have this much trouble, as much of a PITA as that is to do (I know, I have to do it myself). It just sucks not to be able to walk your dog safely from your own yard.

leih

Sounds silly, but I live out on an unsafe road (fast drivers, no shoulder)so walking the dogs is out. That and your exact troubles...charging dogs. SO, I drive down, into the village to walk the dogs on sidewalks, and where, for the most part, the leash law is followed. That or I take them to the kennel and let them run on the 100acres around it...after checking with the owner (who owns my building too) to be sure he isn't out shooting any guns. (avid hunter) Used to drive to an open field near the village industrial park but they had the nerve to put a building in it.

I am sure I sounded pretty naive? It is just not right! I worry about Maximus more than anything.

Sad I have to drive from the country to the city to talk a simple walk.

Thank you Sonya and Leih

We have the exact same problem. We can get a mile in if we double back the other way.
Saving up money for a treadmill.
They will go out for a mile and then come in to drain the remaining energy on the tread mill.
We always carry pepper spray....always.

Julie,

I so understand what you are saying, and I wish I had the answer. We have been rushed 3 times in just the last month. Its sometimes scary, always very frustrating and the last time it resulted in me absolutely flipping out on the dog's owner.

We live in a city, too! I can't imagine living someplace where the owners have a false sense of security that the dogs will be OK just running loose. I'm always amazed by how many people I see walking dogs off leash on busy roads around here.

Just tonight we came across a guy who was walking a huge malamute, off leash, on a main street that most people drive at least 40 mph. He saw us and began to nervously order the dog to heel and come as his dog stared at us.

What do people like that have to prove? Wouldn't it just be easier to walk the dog on leash? I'll never understand it.

I think all you can do is train your dog and carry some sort of spray. If it makes you feel safer, you can deal with any situation in confidence.

I could rant on for pages on this subject! Not only does this happen while walking my dogs, it is frequent while walking my preschoolers. While at a park last year, a very aggressive dog stormed over to my group of 2-4 year olds, not a good thing as most this age will scream,jump, run, pretty much everything one shouldn't do! The only thing I could do at the time was to step in front of the kids, moving toward the dog as he was running toward us, hoping he will stop at me. This dog was not playing, very serious, and I am 100 percent convinced he would have bitten me had I moved! The owner finally got there, the dog was psycho and out of control with her as she was RUBBING his head, telling him he was a "GOOD BOY" and he needed to stop so the kids wouldn't be scared...I am sorry but owners like this are the ones that should be euthanized!

Mace or a handgun. Protect yourself.

What are the containment laws like where you live?

Carry a dressage whip (about 4' long, cheap, legal, lightweight, makes a scary "whoosh" sound when you swing it, and it will sting the flesh it connects with--be careful you don't hit yourself) and start swinging before the dogs get too close. It helps if you have a demented glint in your eyes as you yell/roar at the dog to get back. The vast majority of dogs I have waved a whip at usually manage to get out of the way before getting hit, and they always seem to retreat rather quickly as I chase them while using my demented eye glint, whip whoosh, and yell/roar. I AM trying to hit them, it makes more of an impression on them than just pretending. The neighbors who are "watching" probably won't give you any crap either.

Tiny rude dogs are more fragile, so be careful not to hit them, just create a breeze on their butts. Or my favorite method...Ride a smart horse (wearing leg wraps) on the public road in front of the owner's house as the yapping Pomeranian charges out with the owner on the porch yelling "Fifi come back!" over and over. Stop your horse so you don't accidentally squash the tiny dog buzzing around the horse's feet. Wait while Fifi's owner continues her ineffective yelling at the dog, while said dog proceeds to bite the leg wraps on horse. When the horse shifts her foot and pins the Pomeranian's leg to the road, look down so that the picture is etched in your mind forever, then move the horse off of the dog so it can run yelping back to the house. ROFLMAO

I digress....

Practice whooshing and yelling at home with your dog so he isn't freaked out when you are doing it for real.

An expandable baton is also effective but it is more expensive, not always legal, and can do serious damage.

Never mind the crazy cat lady...watch out for the demented woman with a whip or a smart horse. Bwahahahahaha

"Knockenmädchen in Pelze mit Peitsche", way to go Debbie go get them!