quote from Ms. Boche:

"For example, just last night I had my Mal on a drag line and under control in a great heel (we work hard at the heel since she is young and likes to break), small Yorkie runs at us and jumps into the face and bites my dog, of course my Mal grabbed the yorkie and gave her a toss."

Ms. Boche:

Your situation is far different than what Ms. Cadogan described:

Ms. Boche:
one dog;
dog at heel, at your side, with your foot on the drag leash;
polite conversation with friend about how to avoid situation the next time after "terrier assault" on larger dog.

vs.
3 dogs
100 ft. away
off lead
threat to stranger about what will happen to his small dog next time he lets it approach 3 dogs.
uncertainty with the outcome ("Thank God they held the down...")

It didn't say small dog owners were right, or smart to have their dogs off-lead, I said they could get away with being stupid.

I also would note Ms. Cadogan doesn't seem to be aware of the possibility that the Pomeranian owner didn't approach for fear of his own safety or that of his dog. Of course, after picking up the dog, she then goes over and berates this man, and threatens his dog.

This is unacceptable behaviour.

rgds, andrew may

Andrew -

Anyone that can relax when their well trained under control GSDs are being aggresively approached by a small prey like out of control dog, better call me NOW and tell me how they do it!!!!!

I don't think the issue is small or large, it is the element of control and the presumption that everyone will tolerate your animals behavior...some very arrogant about it, and when another ANIMAL does not tolerate bad behavior the owners are surprised...WHY????

Why would you let your small dog aggressively approach three off leash GSDs??? Why? Is it a test?

I am glad I don't frequent my neighborhood anymore with my dogs, because I cannot count the number of people who let their smaller dogs approach mine. I HAVE PIT BULLS!!!!!! The man that lives accross the street likes to let his Shitzu chase my Pits when they are on their leads, his dog is not.....he thinks it's funny...WHY???? Then there are the folks that let their off lead dogs run up to mine...and shout from across the way..."Ah don't worry he is not DA"...

Why would anyone condone this behavior from any dog regardless of size...if you see someone training their dogs, is it not the courteous thing to do is wait until the training has concluded before you intrude????

If this were an unknown person to me, I probably would have done the same thing to the owner. To me what the owner was told was not a threat but a fact. People need to be aware of their surroundings and they also need to respect others. Otherwise, crap dogs get injured and our dogs get blamed for being terrible vicious monsters.
I know what damage my dog can do and I am very mindful of that and I always will be no matter how obedient she becomes. BUT when a situation like this one happens, you bet I will be silently thinking, "Oh Crap, don't break!" That I think is a normal response. People who turn their dogs loose and then turn their backs or sit on a park bench to take a snooze are just asking for trouble.

"Why would anyone condone this behavior from any dog regardless of size...if you see someone training their dogs, is it not the courteous thing to do is wait until the training has concluded before you intrude????"

1. I don't "condone" this behaviour.

2. On "courtesy" : it is unrealistic to expect people to understand any particular variant of the unwritten etiquette of handling a dog in public.

3. Small-medium-large: the issue is not the correctness, but the consequence of a bite, a jump, or whatever behaviour will get a dog into trouble.

4. IMO: training 3 GSDs in a public space, off lead, from 100' away, is just plain risky. It is not a controlled situation. It is not smart.
punto.

by the way, I may as well say that nothing I've said makes the good behaviour of Angela's dogs and her success with 3 dogs at down any less impressive. rgds, andrew

"small-medium-large"

Yes, this is what I said. It's not SIZE; it's the fact that the little dog could be killed in one "snap." Otherwise, who cares if it was a St.Bernard? The owner is a moron.

Re: training off-lead- I do very little on-leash training at this point, and I think many on this board do the same. You have to weigh the risks, assess and re-assess the situation CONSTANTLY, be aware of what's around you (b/c after all is said and done, no matter how well-trained, they're not divine; they're animals), and IMO, this is what Angelique did. And clearly, her dogs were ok, 100 feet away. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> My guess is she was confident they would be, or she wouldn't have done it. Nothing in life is guaranteed.

 Quote:

I also would note Ms. Cadogan doesn't seem to be aware of the possibility that the Pomeranian owner didn't approach for fear of his own safety or that of his dog.

Counselor, is this your strongest argument? The gentleman was incapable of speech from the moment he entered the park to the moment his dog was returned to him? Highly unlikely. Anyone who brings their dog into a public arena off leash has likely done this before and, as likely, has encountered a fellow human being w/dog(s) in tow. I would guess the combative pomeranian did not just wake up that day and become combative (and stupid) and decide today's the day I'm going to act a fool and chase the biggest dogs I can find! Again. Highly unlikely. I would bet the farm he's done it before and the owner has witnessed it time and again, thereby giving the owner false confidence in his dog's ability to take care of himself.

It is far more probable that the speechless owner was such simply by choice.

EEK, Judy. I was gonna leave out "Counselor." <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

But, I have an issue with the idea that he didn't approach for his own safety. A person truly concerned for their dog (a dog-lover) is not thinking about their own safety when their tiny dog is aggressing toward 3 large dogs. I would horrify Mr.May with some of the situations I've gotten myself into in the interest of saving my dog. Smart? No. But yep, it's true. I dove right in.

I am fully aware that my Chi causes trouble if allowed, and while I've had to rescue him a time or two, I try to focus on not letting him get into trouble in the first place. Off-leash in a park is preposterous.

It sounds like a weak argument that only could stand up against a weak jury. Cop-out. The guy just had a nonchalant attitude, and he's lucky he didn't get his poor Pom killed.

This is good discussion...made me think of things from directions I never have before!!!! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

 Quote:

This morning I was sitting on the tailgate of my truck and the dogs were romping in the soccer/baseball fields. A cop pulled up, got out of his car and came over to me, sat on the tailgate and asked me if I knew the park was off-limits to dogs. I said that I did, and offered him a cup of coffee from my thermos. He accepted. We watched the dogs. Every now and again I bellowed some random command. We chatted about stuff. He finished his coffee, said that he wished his dog was that well trained, wished me a good day, and left.

What a fabulous way to start the day <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> ! I'm sooooo jealous of you guys w/2 and 3 GSDs. By the way Mike, you mentioned "hopp" in an earlier post. Assuming this was not a typo for "hop", did you mean huepfen?