So in a week I encountered a FOOL from 3 different generations.

Fool #1 Hank and I are out for our morning ride, like we always do around the area (Hank is off leash now because he's so good when I ride, but still has his remote collar on). Most morning walkers/runners and dog walkers know us in this neighborhood park. We approach this guy in his late 20's running a dog (a little smaller than Hank), he's shirtless and tatt'ed up and very 'ripped'. Not typical for the burbs, he would have fit right in on Venice beach though. He starts yelling at me as we get closer, "how smart is that! how smart is that, that dog should be on a leash!" all the while jerking on his leash. Hank was at a loose heal and only pauses a sec to smell the new dog and we keep going. After we pass I start realizing some things about this fool! He's running a shepard puppy! maybe less than a year, this is a hot morning, 80's at 7am 85% humidity! I was cutting our ride short because Hank was getting hot, (and we have trained in these temps) and this fool was going to ruin or kill this puppy just to stroke his ego. GRRRR

Fool #2 It gets better, Friday one of the neighborhood boys stops by the house to talk to one of the other kids that was swimming with our girls in the backyard. As he rings the bell Hank goes running for the door barking like crazy (like he's supposed to). I open the door, Hank stands at the door with me with his head wedged between my leg and the door as I talk to this 7 yr old. This dirt eater can't seem to get it into is thick skull I am not letting him in the house to talk to his friend, he then steps up on the stoop still talking, and hank gives him a little low growl. Now, 7 year old boys still don't seem to understand personal space so I let it slide, but then this fool grabs Hank's muzzle with both hands, I mean he reaches into the house and grabs my dog!!!!! Thankfully Hank just scares the tar out of the boy and doesn't bite him, but I gave that boy an ear full. Man he's a good dog.

Fool #3 Opening day of dove season was Sunday so Hank and I head out to the family property for the big get together. This is both family and business clients so a big mix, some bring their bird dogs and its a good time had by all. After a very poor showing by me and my worthless bird dog, we headed back in. Once we got back in to the big meeting spot one of the family 'friends' (he's in his 60s and owns the grocery store in town) comes rolling in with his crew and his 2 bird dogs, and old lab with terrible hip displesia (who he's running all over the field) and a 7-8 yr old wire hair. This is where I should have been paying better attention. His dogs met Hank and all was well, I turned away because the body language seemed to be good by all critters, next thing I know Hank is yelping because the his wire hair has Hank by the ear and neck trying to damage my dog! Thankfully all 'we' got was a couple of tiny cuts on his ear but the Leerburg leather collar looks like it kept major damage from his neck. His son pulls the wire hair off and puts the dogs up finally, but the best I can figure is that the wire hair being neutered caused the instant bad blood. But what really pissed me off was how he laughed the whole thing off like it was funny that his dog bit Hank, you know because he's an 'alpha' dog you know. I am still at a loss to as to what to say to this man when I see him again, he's in his 60's with lots of money, and our families have been 'friends' for 70+ years, he went to school with my mother for goodness sakes!

Anyway 3 generations of males joined by a common thread. Stupidity. I will adjust to meet this threat to my dog's well being. But I don't know what I'm going to do about my sanity.

Thanks for letting me rant.

Biting a child is a death sentence in my state, in many states. Even if a child provokes the dog, even if the dog is in his own home or yard, courts can order euthanasia.

When you were talking about the little fellow coming to the door I thought of that. Got to be really careful.

Some boob might think that Hank is a pitbull. An uninformed angry parent is more likely to think "pitbull" than "south african lion hunting hound".

It could have been awful for you if Hank had bitten that child.

#1 Your dog, your responsibility! Are there leash laws in your area? Do they specify that e-collar control is exempt from them?
"Hank was on a loose heel and only pauses a second to smell the new dog.

That should NEVER have been allowed, in particular with a guy that was yelling at you for not being on a leash.

#2 You allowed your dog to get close enough to this 7yr old "CHILD" and did nothing about the dog growling at the "CHILD". It's a fricking 7yr old for crying out loud!!

I seriously doubt your attempt/need to impress OR or maybe just scare this "CHILD" registered with the "CHILD".

Seven yr old "dirt eaters" are pretty much expected to not let things get in their thick skulls easily. They are "CHILDREN"!

#3 "where I should have been paying better attention". "His dogs met Hank and all was well, I turned away because the body language seemed to be good by all critters, next thing I know Hank is yelping because the his wire hair has Hank by the ear and neck trying to damage my dog"!
Again, your responsibility to and with your dog was slack yet you still talk about three generations of male stupidity????
I'm thinking some sort of ego check is due here. I think you missed a stroke on yours and got pissed about the situations.

Thank you, Bob. You saved me some typing time so I could search and post this -

Restraint:
The control of a dog or cat under the following circumstances:

When it is controlled by a line or leash not more than six (6) feet in length, if the line or leash is held by a human being who is capable of controlling or governing the dog or cat in question; or
When it is within a fully enclosed vehicle; or
When it is on the premises of the custodian and the animal does not have access to a sidewalk or street.

http://www.hcphes.org/vph/Animal_Laws/AnimalRegulations/index.html#SECTION_4._RESTRAINT_AND_IMPOUNDMENT

I'll refrain from telling you what I think about your judgement on 'male' stupidity when you're in clear violation of common sense and the law of your county.

Seems like there have some pretty good threads over the last couple of days concerning unrestrained dogs and accidents waiting to happen. Not sure how this is any different. No matter how much you love your dog or how well behaved you think it is, putting it in situations among other dogs or people off leash is just asking for trouble. Just my humble opinion.

 Quote: Betty Landercasp

Some boob might think that Hank is a pitbull. An uninformed angry parent is more likely to think "pitbull" than "south african lion hunting hound" .

Betty, I couldn't quite tell from the 2 little PIX, but I was even thinking "?Part Dogue de Bordeaux?" myself, LOL -- Otherwise, I must agree with everything that you, Bob, Samantha & Greg have already said here...

 Quote: Ken Easterling

So in a week I encountered a FOOL from 3 different generations.

Fool #1 Hank and I are out for our morning ride, like we always do around the area (Hank is off leash now because he's so good when I ride, but still has his remote collar on). Most morning walkers/runners and dog walkers know us in this neighborhood park. We approach this guy in his late 20's running a dog (a little smaller than Hank), he's shirtless and tatt'ed up and very 'ripped'. Not typical for the burbs, he would have fit right in on Venice beach though. He starts yelling at me as we get closer, "how smart is that! how smart is that, that dog should be on a leash!" all the while jerking on his leash. Hank was at a loose heal and only pauses a sec to smell the new dog and we keep going. After we pass I start realizing some things about this fool! He's running a shepard puppy! maybe less than a year, this is a hot morning, 80's at 7am 85% humidity! I was cutting our ride short because Hank was getting hot, (and we have trained in these temps) and this fool was going to ruin or kill this puppy just to stroke his ego. GRRRR

"Not typical of the burbs?" I guess my NY side is showing, but what does this guy's physical appearance have to do with anything? Seems like you were both "fools" in this case, but for different reasons. He was a fool for 1) running his pup and 2) in the heat, but I seriously DOUBT he was doing it to "stroke his ego." I think the more likely scenario is that he simply didn't know you shouldn't force run large breed puppies. I really doubt his mindset was "f%^& the vet, I know more about canine orthopedics, I'm going to run my puppy anyway because I don't believe in hip dysplasia... I'll show him!"

Why were you the fool? You were running with your dog off leash, and actually feel the need to comment about the person telling you to leash YOUR dog?

 Quote:

Fool #2 It gets better, Friday one of the neighborhood boys stops by the house to talk to one of the other kids that was swimming with our girls in the backyard. As he rings the bell Hank goes running for the door barking like crazy (like he's supposed to). I open the door, Hank stands at the door with me with his head wedged between my leg and the door as I talk to this 7 yr old. This dirt eater can't seem to get it into is thick skull I am not letting him in the house to talk to his friend, he then steps up on the stoop still talking, and hank gives him a little low growl. Now, 7 year old boys still don't seem to understand personal space so I let it slide, but then this fool grabs Hank's muzzle with both hands, I mean he reaches into the house and grabs my dog!!!!! Thankfully Hank just scares the tar out of the boy and doesn't bite him, but I gave that boy an ear full. Man he's a good dog.

I wasn't going to comment until I read this, but this really made me livid, and not much does.

What kind of grown up insults a 7 year old child? What made the kid a dirt eater? What makes him have a thick skull? Because he doesn't interpret your body language and tonality? Or did you explicitly explain that you weren't going to let him in? HE's SEVEN YEARS OLD.

You let your dog "Scare the tar" out of the kid? You seem like a real upstanding citizen. Why wouldn't you take the opportunity to explain to the kid some basic dog manners? Kids LOVE dogs, this could have been a really great teachable moment. You then "gave the kid an earful?" WHY? Do you really think yelling at the kid does anything other than make him FEAR you and your "pit-bull looking dog?"

"Man he's a good dog." Are you serious? Your dog almost bit a 7 year old child. There should be no ALMOST. If the ALMOST is a possibility, the dog shouldn't be allowed to rush the door. I can understand having a dog that bites; mine doesn't like strange men. He's at a point in his training where he probably won't bite, but guess what? I don't know. So you know what I do? When the doorbell rings, he has to go to his crate, because I'M A RESPONSIBLE person.

I have no patience for people who are mean to children.

Sorry for MY rant.

For a different take, the liability if the child was bitten. I know someone through my previous profession who has had her paycheck garnished pretty much for the rest of her working life because her dog bit a kid. Lawyers love dog bites.

It's so hard to put aside how crazy the other people are when it affects our dogs. I get that.

But we have to assume that everyone else is stupid about dogs, and that we must always be the responsible one.

Because if our dog bites or is bitten, it's our dog and ourselves who bear the brunt, and in many cases (bites while off-leash; bites a child, no matter where; is bitten while off-leash), it isn't going to matter one bit how stupidly the "other" people behaved.



I know that everyone here reacted from fear of what could have happened. And other people reading will (I hope) even stop and reflect on the unthinking things they (we) do.


I've had two near-misses. Both could have been completely avoided with better management on my part. Both times, I erupted in rage at the brainless other person who did indeed trigger the incident (but would not have been able to if my dogs were leashed and controlled).


Reading a thread like this reinforces my intention never to allow my management to slip again, and I'm grateful for that.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

...Because if our dog bites or is bitten, it's our dog and ourselves who bear the brunt, and in many cases, it isn't going to matter one bit how stupidly the "other" people behaved.

...Reading a thread like this reinforces my intention never to allow my management to slip again, and I'm grateful for that.

AGREED 100%, Connie -- Exactly as in practicing "defensive driving" habits in traffic, we have to use "proactive protocol" in the handling & management of our own DOGS around Others ... I would go so far as to say this is even More True for those of us who own breeds which the powers-that-be Irrationally Blame for any & every Incident of Aggression, irrespective of HOW WELL our own dogs actually are Contained & Controled.