Dog Walking - Most Idiotic People You Meet When Walking Your Dog
83Walking with your dog sounds like a really pleasant enterprise.
Dog walking brings to mind images of an obedient, and off-leash, Lassie-like companion, walking next to you, in a field of daisies. The sky is blue, your Lassie is looking up at you with adoring eyes, and the mild wind ever so slightly causes a soothing, rustling sound in the trees around you.
The reality of dog walking is unfortunately very far from this idyllic picture.
First of all, Lassie really likes to pull and will often jump and bite at the leash. Lassie likes barking at passing cars, and will happily tow her owner towards squirrels and cats at high speed.
And as if dealing with Lassie is not enough, you must deal with the difficult neighborhood idiots who are hell-bent upon making your walk with your dog as unpleasant an experience as possible. This article is about those idiots and about how you can reclaim that most pleasant of experiences, of a man walking with his dog.
Yellow Spots
by eddiesmom -
"I just want to add that yellow spots on the lawn are not only caused by animal urine. If the lawn is well watered daily, then animal urine should not damage it. Other problems can also cause yellow spots including
- drought,
- nutrient deficiency,
- chemical burn (too much fertilizer) and
- lawn disease (such as fungus)."
Dog Walking 1 - The Anal Lawn Enthusiast
We see road rage all the time. People get angry, make rude visual gestures, shout verbal abuse, and blare their horns with great zest just because you did not think it appropriate to gun your engine, and zoom out of a green-light like a NASCAR racer.
A more recent, but just as dangerous development in many neighborhoods is the occurrence of pet rage.
In particular, lawn enthusiasts are getting up in arms and going after those four-legged fiends that cause yellow burn spots on their pristine grass and deposit free but pungent fertilizer around their shrubs and trees. This article describes a woman who got arrested because her neighbor objected to having dogs eliminate on her lawn.
I am a dog owner, so I may be a bit biased, but I do not think it is necessary to get verbally abusive over grass. As long as dog owners pick up all the dog poop, I really don't see a problem. In my opinion, it is much worse if dogs eliminated on the sidewalk instead.
However, the law is actually on their side. Dogs, cats, and even squirrels, are not permitted to trespass on private property. Many a squirrel have probably paid the ultimate price for not understanding property law, and daring to tread on that inviting green lawn grass that must be perfect for everyone to see.
The best way to deal with verbally abusive people is to respond in a calm and positive way, or just to walk away.
Dog Walking 2 - The Irresponsible Litter Bug
When walking my Shiba Inu, I often come across pieces of glass, empty wrappers, cigarette butts, plastic bottles, food containers, and much more.
I suspect a fair amount of this garbage comes from the people who actually live in the neighborhood, given that there are no shops nearby, and it is a purely residential area. This often leads me to wonder,
Who in their right minds would trash their own neighborhood?
This will not only decrease the quality of life for everyone, but also cause property prices to fall.
Another thing that always puzzles me is why just tossing a bottle on the sidewalk is insufficient but breaking it is somehow a must. Having shards of glass on the sidewalk is not only dangerous for dogs, but also dangerous for children who may walk or play on the street.
Whenever I see glass or other dangerous litter on the sidewalk, I kick it to the side so that there is less danger of people or dogs stepping on it.
It is best to train your dog to walk on the sidewalk and always be aware of what is on the ground, ahead of you.
Dog Walking 3 - Owners of Free-Roaming Dogs
It is dangerous for dogs to be roaming about freely in the neighborhood.
Every year there are many dogs that get seriously injured or lose their lives in car accidents.
It is important to ensure that your backyard is very secure if you are going to leave your dog there while you are away. Dogs are pack animals, and when in the backyard, they will try and get out to be with the dogs or people that they see or hear outside. Many of them will dig under or jump over the fence.
If your dog is prone to magical escape acts, then it is best to crate him inside the house or put him in a long-term enclosure when you are not home.
Some people also decide to leave their dog off-leash while walking in the neighborhood. That is dangerous for the dog. All it takes is one squirrel for the dog to bolt and possibly get hit by a car. For the safety of other dogs and your own dog, keep him leashed at all times when walking him in the neighborhood.
If you meet free roaming dogs during your walks, try and stay calm. Do not talk to them, try to approach them, or initiate eye-contact. Not giving them eye-contact is especially important because that can be seen as a challenge, and may cause the free-roaming dog to show dog aggression.
It is best to ignore a free-roaming dog and walk away at a regular pace. Do not turn and run because that will trigger the dog's prey instinct which may cause him to give chase, and possibly attack you.
Teach your children how to greet dogs to prevent dog attacks.
Aggressive Dogs
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Dog Walking 4 - Owners of Aggressive Backyard Dogs That Terrorize Passers-by
I do not think that there is anything wrong with leaving your dog to roam in your backyard while you are away.
In fact I have met some dogs with excellent manners that don't even come out of their yard when the door is open. They don't bark, they don't charge the fence, but rather just go about their own business.
On the other hand, there are also dogs in my neighborhood that are aggressive and have extreme barrier frustration. They charge the fence, and are so large that they can get their front paws and head above it.
The poor, flimsy, fence looks like it is about to break open at any moment. The worst part is that there is a school nearby, so children are always passing and the dogs practice their aggressive fence charging very frequently. This is extremely dangerous for the school children, and for all pedestrians.
I take note of all such houses and always cross the street before passing them. It is best not to risk a confrontation with possibly aggressive, really large, dogs.
Dog Walking 5 - The People Who Think Dogs are Walking Soft-Toys
Some people just need to hug or pet all the dogs that they see.
When walking my dog, I generally try to avoid these people. Extreme dog huggers project really excited energy that will be picked up by the dogs and get them a bit crazy as well. Dog huggers will rarely listen to instructions on how to meet a dog. Often, they overwhelm the dog with an overly exuberant greeting.
When greeting people, it is best to tell them not to pet the dog from above. This can be viewed as a challenge by a dog, and many dogs are uncomfortable or stressed by it.
Instead, approach the dog from below the head and scratch him on the chest.
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Thanks Charlotte. Yeah one time a lady tried to pick my Shiba Inu up to hug him. I almost died of fright because my dog doesn't even really like it when *we* pick him up. We quickly stopped her. Now I just say hi and quickly move on. Sadly if any accidents occur during dog-person greetings, the dog is always in the wrong in the eyes of the law.
Thank goodness Sierra isn't a fighting dog. We have walked/run her through the neighborhood quite a bit, her previous owner stated no prior violent actions, in fact Sierra seems to be one of the most submissive dogs I know - but she still loves to play! I'd be more worried about the hapless "dog-toy lover" being licked clean of a layer of skin or three, or slightly scratched as she backs away frightened.
Dogs Suck, they are for lonely losers
lol - I suppose the same thing can be said about a great many things. One man's best friend is another man's sucky annoyance. If your neighbors have really noisy dogs, you can always call up animal control.
The picture you use for this hub are so cute.
For me, dog idiot #5 is my nemesis, especially since my dog is smallish, very cute, and easily aroused. The worst situations happen when people come up to him in that excited "look how cute you are!" type of state, and he in turn gets riled up jumping on the person and doing everything I try to train him not to do. The worst part is when the person is like, "oh it's okay if he jumps on me, it's cute!"
Dealing with the dog is one thing, dealing with a random person is too much. The other day as I was walking the dog I heard some lady making kissy sounds with her mouth (I'm pretty sure it wasn't at me) and I did everything to ignore her. If I came across as rude, so be it. That's called using negative punishment on humans!
Of course the best case scenario would be if I trained my dog so well that he doesn't respond to idiots.
Hello Nicco.
Yeah I definitely agree with you. People are often much more difficult to deal with than dogs.
"The other day as I was walking the dog I heard some lady making kissy sounds with her mouth (I'm pretty sure it wasn't at me)"
lol - are you sure you weren't unconsciously making the kissy sounds?
That has also happened to me - especially with my Siberian Husky since she is so striking looking. The worst are the people who want to meet but then are kind of afraid to, so they stand a certain distance away and make googly eyes and cooing noises at her :D
I just say a quick "have a nice day" to them and move on :)
Oh Geez.
You just hit on all my pet (pun intended) peeves with people in this regard.
I don't know which is worst - they all get on my nerves. Doesn't help to have a fearful dog either that will either say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH (as in the case of the fence dogs, Wally will go over and bark right back at them and you'd think its a drag out fight going on if I were to let him), or if he steps on something and it hurts him, he might get wary of that spot again.
Hey KB - How goes it with you? Haven't seen you in a few days and was getting worried about you. Thought maybe Wally locked you up ;)
Yeah actually I really hate the litter bug thing - especially glass on the ground. I am especially stressed about my Siberian because she likes going ahead and is not very careful where she steps.
And while the other things are really annoying - mostly to me - the glass on the ground can really cause hurt to my dogs. When I think about it - litter bug has got to be one of the worst - well maybe second only to stray aggressive dogs. The ones that charge scare the shit out of me :-/
Hey shiba - I'm doing okay. Took a break from hubpages, getting discouraged about my (lack of) stats and I wonder about if it's a sign that I'm going wrong somewhere. So I took a break from writing and contemplating whether or not I want/should continue.
You were worried? Wow, I'm blushing :)
Yeah, aggressive strays are horrible. The few times I've been hit by them have been highly stressful for us both. Always seems to be females that attack me too. I don't know if that's a good sign or bad. LOL
I still remember the time Wally was saved by his long hair from a bite. The dog snuck around my right leg (I was "holding" Wally between my legs while holding our position) and managed to bite at him. It ended up being only a nasty hair pull (and a yelp that made it seem way worse), but that was only because the hair makes him look fatter than he is and that fooled the dog too.
I agree with the glass - it's by far the worse litter imo. Everything else I can direct him off of because he just wants to eat it or lick it, and I can give a "leave it" or a tug on the leash, but glass - can't stop it unless you happen to see it ahead of time.
I also worry about it getting on his fur and when he self-grooms after every walk, I worry about him licking small shards or something.
Hey Kb -
I hope you decided to continue :) It really takes a while to get going. It took me about 3-4 months before I even got any traffic and that is just HubPages traffic. Pet topics are harder to make a splash on - The HubPages population is really more into humorous/entertainment type articles I think. Dogs are just not as sexy as pretty much anything else, except maybe insurance - lol. But the nice thing with pet topics is that it is evergreen and you can get decent search engine traffic.
I have tested with sexier topics - and they can get really good HubPages traffic, but are harder to make it in the search engine world because of the high degree of competition. Still, it is fun to play around with.
In the beginning I also tested out other writing sites as well as social bookmarking sites (e.g. Digg). I have since stopped doing most of these activities but they can be fun while waiting for things to pick up on HubPages. I also had a lot of fun with Yahoo! Answers - I still go back there from time to time to get topic ideas.
Let me know if I can help :)
I own a dog and love dogs. However, we just bought a house with an expansive front lawn that all the neighborhood dogs use as a toilet. This is NOT OK. Our neighbor has two huge dogs and walks them straight out from her front door to our lawn that is now lime and yellow green. Her lawn is pristine, not even a trace of yellow patch or bald spot. Also, it is not ok to let your dog walk three to four feet onto someone"s property. I think you are severely deranged to think people need to get over other people's dogs using their front lawns as toilets. USE YOUR OWN!
I understand that you are irritated with your neighbors but there is no need to take it out on me.
I am curious, when you walk your dog do you not let him pee at all?
I walk my dogs every day for at least over 1 hour. We travel pretty far around our neighborhood. If you have a solution for portable peeing I would very much like to hear it. It could be a big money maker.
The other day some crazy man ran out shouting at me and my three legged dog because she was resting on the pavement. Now who is deranged? One has to be pretty heartless to run out shouting at a three legged dog who is simply resting on the pavement during a hot day.
If you want to protect your pristine lawn, just build a low fence around it. There is never any need to run out shouting at people and their dogs.
To address peeing on lawns, try the following (it works for me):
- Get the dog's leash in your hand (don't put it on him; just carry it, so he knows a walk is imminent), then let him into the backyard and instruct him to go potty. If he doesn't go potty, say cheerfully, "Oh, well, too bad", and put his leash away. Try again in 5 minutes. It takes a few training sessions, but most dogs catch on quickly. Pee becomes a currency - when he goes potty, good things happen (walks, extra play, a nice treat, car ride).
It often seems that owners have an "We must walk now" mentality...I did, and for the first few times, it was hard to not be bothered that I couldn't walk my dog until he pottied.
- I also carry a squirt bottle of water. If the dog potties on a lawn, dilute it with the water. I hope it appeases the folks that detest dogs using their lawn.
I have a big dog and we've trained him to potty in one area because we also don't like the big, yellow burn spots on our grass, so I assume no one else would like it. Carrying the water bottle hopefully appeases these folks, if an en-route potty break happens.
I feel dogs don't get any fair breaks in today's society, so it's up to us owners to be the best representatives we can be...
There are lots of great comments here: I also hate having to watch for broken glass - it's so disrespectful of other folks in the neighbourhood - it's harmful to everyone and everything (animals, children, walkers, car tires...endless list). If I must walk the dog at night, I wear a headlamp to light up our immediate path (it also helps me be seen). It might seem like overkill, but if it saves me a trip to the vet, it's worth every penny.
Also, re: the dogs-as-soft-toys folks: Argh, these people make me nuts. They have unrealistic expectations that all dogs are friendly and must love everyone who brashly invades their space. As the owner of a reactive dog, I'm sure my neighbourhood has labelled my guy as "dangerous". He's not, he's just wary and isn't fond of strangers. For the few people that approach us "appropriately", I explain that it takes a few minutes for my dog to warm up to strangers, and if they're willing to walk with me or chat for a moment or two, or throw a treat or toy to him gently, then they can "meet" my guy. Otherwise, forget it, go and hug another unsuspecting dog...
I've learned a *lot* from Dr. Patricia McConnell's writings; www.theotherendoftheleash.com is a wonderful blog. Her books (and Ian Dunbar's) should be mandatory reading for everyone, not just dog owners!
Hello Jennifer,
Those are some great suggestions! Even if the water bottle doesn't appease everyone, at least we are doing our best for our dogs by making the neighborhood as dog friendly as we can.
I have also read McConnell and Dunbar and like what they have to say. Bite inhibition training from Dunbar, I think, is especially important.
Have you read Suzanne Clothier's Bones Would Rain from the Sky? It is my favorite dog book. It changed my view on a lot of things wrt. dog training.
I own 3 dogs, a Boxer, and 2 GSDs. Now i also train/compete with my dogs as they are working breeds. They are walked on a regular basis, and i never allow my dogs to use other people's property as their personal toilets. They go before they are walked, or after never during. The world is not their bathroom, and no marking (all are males) as that just makes them feel territorial about the area.
I find it to be incredibly rude,of people to assume my front yard is free for their dog's personal use. Why on earth would anyone feel it was alright or that they are entitled to use private property? I pay the taxes on the ground/grass not them. My yard is not "free range" they can use their own lawn!
Sadly, cats, squirrels, and other animals have not been educated about the ins and outs of our taxation system.
I have husky her name is skyray is is adoreable so my sister is tourtuering her and it breaks my heart what can I do?
Hello Silverpelt,
What a beautiful and original name - SkyRay.
What in particular is your sister doing to SkyRay?
Is this something that you can talk to your parents about? Let them know your concerns, and perhaps they will be able to discuss it with your sister.
I think some people are not treating their dogs very well, it is also kind o scary when they can't make their dogs behave around other people
The worst in my neighborhood is number 2 and 4. Theres tons of glass everywhere that cut my little dog's paw once. And people have these big agressive dogs that growl and snarl as I pass with my friend and our 4 dogs. People need to learn to control their dogs or keep them inside when school lets out.
No one, not even a dog owner has any business on anyones property. It is private. Would you walk across, the same, private front lawns every day with out a dog? Of course not. Your choise to own a dog is only responsible if you follow the prevailing laws and respect those that own private property
Often, I will walk across lawns to talk to my neighbors. Sometimes, they will come out and chat with us while we are resting on the sidewalk.
It is nice when people work together to build a friendly community.
Oh my!! I can relate to this on sooooo many levels!
1. Who are these people that litter??? Seriously! I almost lost a hand trying to pry a chicken bone out of my female dog's mouth one day..and the broken glass?? Come on people!!
2. I don't know who these idiots are that think it is not OK for a dog to pee on their lawn. Excuse me! My dogs go for very long walks every day and although they both potty usually before we leave.....if they have to pee on your lawn I'm not going to stop them! that is dangerous for the dog and it is just a lawn! They grow wild whether you upkeep them or not. Stop being so overly obsessive and insane you lunatics!
3. shibashake...let me tell you...I seriously panic when I see a stray dog. Not because I'm scared of what will happen to me or my dog but I mean Malachi weighs 143 lbs and Shiloh weighs 78 lbs...I am not holding my dog off of someone elses dog that should be in the yard. This is so frustrating. Both of my dogs are well socialized and friendly and of course there has been occasions of small dogs coming and yippy barking and Malachi will just pin it and not hurt it at all just to calm it down but the couple of times I've seen a big dog I am lucky enough that the owner came out right away because seriously I feel a blood bath coming on and if my dog gets hurt because of someone elses carelessness there will certainly be hell to pay!
4. Why do dogs feel the need to bark like insane violent creatures when we walk by? Is it because these people never walk their dogs or socialize them? My dogs don't bark at anyone...even with a dog. They can't be bothered..there is something far more interesting in the back yard.
5. I don't mind that people want to pet my dogs when we are walking but don't get mad when they jump on you. Seriously...I warn people if it is at the beginning of our walk and they are hyper they will jump.
Such a wonderful hub and you covered all of my rants!! P.S. Malachi went through the leash/jump/bite phase for a couple months when he was younger. Have you tried bitter apple spray? I finally sprayed it on the leash before we walked everyday and of course he did not like the taste so he stopped biting at in and never did it again. :)
Great minds think alike ;)
The broken glass is the worst because it appears in unexpected places so you must always be on the look-out for it.
At least with the others, you can just avoid them or walk quickly past them. Much of the Keep Out mentality is strange to me, but I guess it takes all kinds :)
"Malachi went through the leash/jump/bite phase for a couple months when he was younger. Have you tried bitter apple spray?"
Yeah - it didn't seem to have much of an effect on my foxy terror. I even soaked the entire leash in bitter apple.
Trainers suggested that I start using a metal leash. Luckily though, holding the leash close to his collar and getting him on a brisk walk home did the trick.
I have the problem of people not being able to control their dogs on walks - ie their dog sees my dog, gets out of their leash somehow and begins trying to attack me and my dog. THis has happened to me twice in my neighborhood. My dog is a 70lb schnoodle and still not full grown, so he's tough, but we've been accosted by both a chihuahua and a 180lb rotweiller while their owners watched not knowing what to do. The rottie was SCARY but the chihuahua was more vicious and lunged for my achilles at one point (I kept trying to just walk away calmly, my dog luckily intercepted). And broken glass sucks too. I live in the young partying part of town, so there are always broken beer bottles from drunk drivers tossing out the evidence and homeless men.
Strange - I have been accosted by both chihuahua and rottie as well.
The guy who owned the chihuahua tried to blame it on my dog when I asked him to please get his dog under control. Erm - my dog may be bigger but he was on leash minding his own business until this little off-leash dog comes in and starts yapping. DOH!
As you say though, the little uncontrolled dogs are annoying but the large uncontrolled dogs are downright scary. I was hiking on a trail once when this off-leash Rottie came over and started acting aggressive and blocking our path. The owner came running after and just stood there stressing out and shouting. Didn't even dare to lay hands on her own dog - but apparently was ok with leaving him off-leash.
Luckily I was able to get off the trail and around the aggressive dog. Guess he was distracted enough by his owner's crazy yelling. Afterwards she was busy yelling at her hubby because he didn't do more. But hubby was busy controlling her other aggressive dog.
Dogs like that just shouldn't be left off-leash. Just because the park is off-leash doesn't mean that all dogs can be off. This 'owner' wins the major DOH! award.
Ok, so my children and I were walking down the road with our dog on a leash when one of my crazy neighbors yelled at us because another neighbor's dogs were following us. She told us to stay home and that our dogs were antagonizing her dogs (our dog is a 15 lb. daschund-very intimidating). She was swinging a baseball bat and yelling so I do understand about this yard rage thing. I don't exactly enjoy it that these neighbor dogs follow me but I am not going to sit at home because of it. I told crazy lady that it is a free country and we can walk down the road. She said, "We'll see about that." How am I supposed to keep other dogs from following us?
Yeah - I have learned that some people are just unhappy about a great many things and will often take it out on people, dogs, and whatever else that may be nearby.
For my own peace of mind I avoid the nasty people and go where people are pleasant. If I must pass their house I will quickly walk past. If they are around I will just ignore them - no talk, no touch, no eye-contact ;)
As for other neighborhood stray dogs - I have seen a few around in my travels. I must admit that my heart jumps whenever I see them crossing streets on their own. If I know which of my neighbors they belong to, I try to give them a call. I also carry an extra leash with me. If I know the dog and know him to be friendly, I try to leash him up to prevent any accidents.
Another very interesting topic this brings up is public-sidewalks - are they public or can the adjacent home owners tell you what you can and cannot do. Based on several articles I have read on the subject, it seems like public sidewalks are *public*.
Here is a very interesting article about taking photographs from public sidewalks -
http://wbrianwhite.newsvine.com/_news/2007/05/02/6
Since walking a dog on a sidewalk does not even come close to that, I would have to say that bat lady does not have a leg to stand on with her empty threat. Just make sure to keep away from her property.
Still - best to avoid the nasties and leave them to stew in their own sad solitude.
Dog Idiot 5 is who annoy me. I've got 4 dogs, and usually walk 3 at a time; American Bulldog (85 pound), and 2 Siberians. People LOVE them, and I can't blame them but they get so excited, and its just too hard for me to control them on leashes when I have all 3. So I try to not engage.
Oh wait! I forgot idiot 2. The cooked chicken bone throwers are THE WORST. It pisses me off. My dogs are fed raw, so they really lurve their chicken, and cooked bones are so bad. And try to pry any of their jaws open. right.
"The cooked chicken bone throwers are THE WORST."
Yeah I agree. Idiot 2 is the worst because while the other ones are annoying, Idiot 2 is ultimately the most dangerous to dogs. Chicken bones, or broken glass on the sidewalk can cause serious physical harm.
Also, very impressive that you walk an American Bulldog (85 pound), and 2 Siberians at the same time. Do your Sibes go after squirrels and such? Mine goes totally rear brained when she sees a running squirrel. I walk her by herself because I need both hands *and* arms when that happens. :D
I have idiots #1, 3 and 4 in my neighborhood. Once I had stopped at the curb to check my bleeding/painful knee (I had tripped over a piece of the sidewalk that was sticking up a few blocks earlier). This idiot starts yelling at me in a really abusive tone to clean that $*#* up, blah blah... I should have just walked away but he really pissed me off (I still don't know where the voice came from lol) and I told him to go do with himself. My dog was just standing next to me.
With #3. There are a few people that let their dogs roam.. one small dog and one VERY large. The large one scared me to death the first time I ran into her. lol She kept trying to sniff my chihuahua.
#4 The house on one of the corners of my street has 4 or 5 dogs in their backyard that literally attacks the fence when you pass. There's even a hole big enough to fit one of their noses. When someone walks past they charge the fence (which is leaning over enough that you can see a large dogs head popping up when it jumps).
"With #3. There are a few people that let their dogs roam.. one small dog and one VERY large. "
Last few weeks I have been charged by several off-leash and under-socialized dogs. Their owners were around, but had no off-leash control over their dog.
One of them was even an unfriendly Pit-Bull! His owner left the gate open while mowing his backyard. He didn't even hear me when I shouted at him. Finally a neighbor came out and got the dog back into the yard.
I am so pissed with irresponsible dog owners.
I did some research and some suggestions include -
1. Dog pepper spray.
2. Riding crop.
3. Air horn.
I am going to get these things and carry them with me. At the very least, I can get someone's attention with the air horn.
I don't really mind so much if a small dog charges me - but a Pit Bull should not be left to roam about without any supervision $#@%#@$#$!!!
These are good points and things we all run into from time to time when we're out walking our dogs. I like your tips above especially the air horn!!! But that's alot to take along. I want people to be more responsible. Until then I will hope for the best. I like this.
Interesting that you whine about people tossing their trash all over the ground but can't understand why someone wouldn't want your dog pissing all over their lawn. Idiot.
1. Dog pee gets absorbed and becomes fertilizer. Broken glass can cut the paws of dogs, cats, and children.
2. Dogs need to drink and pee when out for multi-hour walks, especially on hot days.
3. There is little point in alienating our neighbors over a little pee. A little dog pee is actually good for grass. And yes I have no problems when dogs pee on my front lawn. In fact, I also have no problems when they poop as long as the owners pick up after their dogs.
Luckily, most of my neighbors also have dog friendly lawns. Everybody just avoids the one or two well-known houses who think that grass is too sacred to walk on.
If i'm walking down the street and pass someone walking a dog, if the dog comes up to me i'll pet it as I walk by; if not then I just keep on moving. Some dogs run after me and expect pats, while the owner runs back and appologizes because they had no leash. I'd say 75% of the dogs approach me.
I've had my puppy for less than 2 months and I've already run into all of this. The one that kills me is the trash. Why do we drop garbage in our own neighborhood?????
"Why do we drop garbage in our own neighborhood?????"
LOL, yeah that one is always very strange to me.
Another one I should add is people who leave dog poop on the sidewalk. Why??? It makes walking unpleasant, and makes everyone in the neighborhood angry at people with dogs. :(
omg i was walken my chihuahuas and this kid comes up and tries to pick up my dogs! At first I tried to tell him thats not a good idea because my dogs are timid (not agressive, though). But he continued to try to pet and pick up my dogs. I pulled them away and tried to keep walking. Then the kids mom comes out and starts screaming at me for "exposing my dangrouse animals to a helpless child." WOW.
My dogs were on a leash,
The kid ran up from his door, and
My dogs only tried to scramble away and mabey barked twice.
COME ON PEOPLE!!
Hi Shibakshake! Marcus is still quite a hand full, but he is slowly improving... or maybe I'm just telling myself that, haha. Anyway, definitely had a direct encounter with this sort of thing recently. I was happily walking Marcus, but then I see his poop dance (quick shuffling of back feet), so I brought him off the sidewalk to the nearest grass next to a dumpster. As I was in the process of cleaning it, a woman hollers out a window about how she doesn't want dogs to poop near the dumpster because she has to walk past it to throw out her trash. Umm.... Did she not see me pick it up!? Then someone else jumped in about how she doesn't even think dogs should be walked in the area. Our neighborhood has some rule about dogs can only poop in the outer perimeter, which is fine, but I live in the middle, I need to either walk left or right to get to the perimeter, how should I do that? Fly? Plus dogs only have so much bowl movement, so their reactions are just unfair to me. Of course, there are all the garbage near the dumpsters that really should be INSIDE so my dog won't eat it and require a costly emergency visit to the vet. Of course no complaint heard about that. Sighhhhh.
"Another one I should add is people who leave dog poop on the sidewalk. Why??? It makes walking unpleasant, and makes everyone in the neighborhood angry at people with dogs. :("
Lots of people do this in my neighborhood. I feel like I was the victim of much misdirected and over-generalized anger. Quite unfair to generalize to all dog owners.
This is turning into such a multi-post semi-rank, haha. But, when you saw those unfriendly lawn-obsessed neighbors again, what did you do? I would like to maintain good neighborly relations (this is actually the first time I've met them too, so much for a good start), but they were so hostile about me even WALKING by with a dog, I'm not sure how I would interact without lashing back at them. I suppose I can just straight up ignore them. Meeeeh.
Oops, I meant "dogs only have so much bowel movement control" earlier.
Hi Alice,
"Another one I should add is people who leave dog poop on the sidewalk. Why???"
Yeah, I have often wondered the same thing. It is strange why anybody would leave any poop all around their own neighborhood and not pick it up. As you say, it not only makes walking unpleasant but it also pisses people off about dogs.
I wonder - do they actually like it when other people leave poop on their lawn? If not, then why do it to other people?
"But, when you saw those unfriendly lawn-obsessed neighbors again, what did you do?"
I just ignore them and avoid their lawn. It makes for a much more pleasant walk. In general, I think people are reasonable so there aren't too many people who will just shout and act like the whole world is out to get them.
There are some people who come out and ask me if I pick up my dog's poop. It was a bit annoying at first, but now I talk to them calmly, show them that I have lots and lots of poop bags in my pockets, and let them meet Shania. She is awesome because she usually wins them over in a few seconds. The next time I meet these people, they even smile and wave at us.
You bring up some really great topics -
1. Who are the people that don't pick up after their dogs?
2. How do we create a dog friendly neighborhood.
I must make each of them into a blog post! Big hugs! :D
I run into neighbor idot everyday iam so tired of taking their abuse insult even if my dog just smelling the grass so i prepare myself when i walk her now with a taser and i not nobody door mat anymore if you insult me be prepared to get your come uping back. dog lover
Iam soo tired of people who hate PitBull its not the breed I have own two of them they are so kid friendly they just love them. we had a beautiful pitbull named SAdie for 12 years we try to walk her everyday but last FEbuary in all that snow my husband took her out and out of no where came two viscous pitts who mauled her and wounded her well all bloody from her battle and my husband doing everything he could he brought her to neighbor house where they had a little boy who she gave a big kiss to and colaspe on the floor .
I never forgive the person who own them dogs and made them like that. I dont blame the dog i blame the irresponesable dog owners they took my heart that day. I adopted another PIT who iam growing to love i make sure she get well socialize with children and people and her own kindthat my job to do for herso if anybody tells you they hate pitts it owner fault not the poor dogs
Hello Valerie,
Thanks for sharing Sadie's story with us. There are also a fair number of loose dogs in my neighborhood, and it is sad how their owners can be so irresponsible.
It is awesome that you are helping out another Pit in need. Given their current public image, it is always difficult to adopt out Pit Bulls , so the responsible owners who step up to the plate are truly angels.
Big hugs to your Pit!
In terms of most the idiotic people who you meet when walking your dog, how about the self-righteous non dog owner who witnesses your female dog urinating, automatically presumes it is defecating then orders you to pick it up.
I for one am fed up of having to justify myself to these people, show them my poop bags etc and convince them that what they have seen is a female dog urinating.
There is an element of insult and arrogance in their assumption and that you are incapable of acting as a responsible dog owner and of making the same civilized decisions that they would were they the owner of dogs.
This has happened many times to me now and the politeness of my response is being tested to the limit. There is one common element to all this though - the accuser never apologizes!
Unfortunately, the 10% of irresponsible dog owners have made the 90% fair game.
"Unfortunately, the 10% of irresponsible dog owners have made the 90% fair game."
So very well said.
"There is an element of insult and arrogance in their assumption and that you are incapable of acting as a responsible dog owner and of making the same civilized decisions that they would were they the owner of dogs."
Yes, I very much agree with you. In can be very unpleasant and ruin an otherwise pleasant outing with our dogs.
I don't always succeed but nowadays I try to shield myself from the negative energy of these people. I usually ignore the really nasty ones. When it is somebody new, I will try explaining to them.
I find that if I am negative back to them, I end up feeling even worse afterwards. They are really not worth it. :D
Why do 90% of the dog owners feel the need to carry their dogs to everyone elses house keep your dogs at your own house or carry them to a dog park . If I wanted you or your dog in front of my house u would've been invited and yes I am a dog owner .
We rescued a hound w/o knowing about her fence charging and barking. We have a lady two streets down that walks down the street behind our house and has gotten all up in our face about how our dog is a nuisance. We recently learned that she was inappropriatly trained using shock she has thus decided in her mind that the people outside the fence can cause her harm and shock her. So she attacks first. once outside the fence she is everyones friend. In order to retrain her we have enlisted the help of those walking behind the house to give her a correction and then praise her letting her know that they are not the enemy. Instead of yelling from the house (which makes a dog think you are barking too) we command her firmly to be quiet and then call her to come and give her praise and treats for leaving them and coming. It's working. It will take time but just be aware that sometimes you have to rewire the dog and then everyones happy.Sometimes you have to walk a different road too.
Hello cjackson,
It is wonderful that you adopted a dog in need, especially one who has been abused.
That is one of the key problems with shock collars and other pain based aversive training techniques. Not only do they increase stress in the dog, but when training mistakes are made, they actually encourage more aggression.
It is awesome that you are retraining her and giving her a better life. Four paws up! :D
I walk my dog off-leash, but she heels beautifully and only stares wistfully when we pass a squirrel, wishing I would give her the release cue, which I do when we get to a dog park or open field where no one else will be bothered by her running free.
When I started heel-training her, it was during a summer when the city I was living in had a garbage strike. So the garbage everywhere is my pet peeve, especially since puppies feel the need to put EVERYTHING in their mouths.
I haven't really come across too many anal lawn people, but my dog waits for permission to pee, so I generally only allow it on school or church lawns or in parks.
Backyard dogs are pretty bad, but most of the ones in my neighborhood are pretty small, so I just ignore them and move on. (to be honest, sometimes I encourage them by talking sweetly to them about how I won't invade their property, which makes them bark louder for some reason, and follows with their owners barking even louder).
As for the enthusiasts, while I find them extremely irritating, there's a great solution: go get a halti-collar for your dog, or some other nose-lead.
Not only are they the most humane way to walk your dog, since pulling can't cause damage to their trachea, but is just mildly annoying, and not only are they great for heel-training because you eliminate the pulling you at great speed toward squirrels and cats...
But dog lovers who don't actually know anything about dogs think they're muzzles, and leave you alone.
Thanks for your great suggestions Michelle.
"I haven't really come across too many anal lawn people"
Yeah, in all my neighborhood travels I have only met 3 anal lawn people. Glad they are a small minority but then, they also shout the loudest. :D
Your dog sounds wonderful! What breed is she and what is her name?
Today I came across a neighbor who is both an anal lawn enthusiast and an Owner of Aggressive Backyard Dogs that Terrorize Passers-by. He yelled and cursed about my small, calm, well-behaved beagle peeing in the corner of his yard. All the while, his large german shepherd barked and charged the fence.
Yeah I have experienced the same thing. It is a sad thing - especially for the dog that is under-socialized and under-walked.
I just avoid these houses, but one time, this guy shouted to me from his crappy truck. I was nowhere near his property, and in fact, never even walk on his sidewalk.
The sad thing is, there are always going to be people like that who take their own frustrations and unhappiness out on others.
Next time I think I will just wave and smile to him when his crappy truck passes. No point letting someone like that ruin our nice walk with our dog. :D
Great website...Love it! I have two dogs and the neighbors love them!
I have to tell you all I have had it with my neighbor and his loud dog and he just let's the dog out side about 5am and the dog just barks and wakes up my baby today it was him and his doge who woke her up and this time she could not get back to sleep ... I do love dogs but am not an owner at the moment but when I was I always let my dogs play in our yard and bark Also but at decent time of the day...like not to late or to early... And if they had to go out early I stayed out with them to keep them from barking and waking my neighbors.... So I'm now contemplating when ever this dog is out I'll just go out side my home and give him a reason to bark and bark and bark... I'll just mess with him from my own yard .... Seems fair don't you think....
One thing I find in my neighbourhood is other dog walkers tend to think its a ok idea to head straight for me and my dog, it always ends in my dog and theirs pulling at the lead nearly pulling arms out of sockets etc, when the best idea is to wait a minute for the path to be clear or walk around each other. A good reason for doing this is once my mother was taking the dogo for a walk and an idiot came towards her and my dog ended up in the vets with a gaping hole in his wind pipe. the my dog is ok talk does not ring true when the other dog feels threatened or scared or is in a bad mood
"my dog is ok talk does not ring true when the other dog feels threatened or scared or is in a bad mood"
That is so true.
"My dog is friendly", can mean very many things. As you say, it is much better to just move along. I usually tell dog walkers that my dog is *not* friendly when they head for me.
I live out in the country and I am annoyed with people who let their dogs run in the street. Most of the dogs are nice, but there are some dogs who are aggressive towards other dogs. I always have to be ready to be a human barrier on certian streets. There is also an old couple who have a Yorkie, they let the dog run up to my dog on leash and it tried to bite my dog(who is much bigger). Then they denied it and blamed all the problems on my dog, because she's easily excitable and whines.
Oh please, please, please dog owners - keep your dog on lead when you're going for a walk. If she is off lead and heels nicely, then please hold her collar when I walk by with my adopted terrier. And don't play fetch in an un-fenced park that I have to cross to get home if you don't have recall.
My dog and I have been working so hard on the "ignore" other dogs command - she is an adult rescue dog that was forcibly bred and doesn't want friends/doesn't play with other dogs.
Dogs have raced across parks, parking lots, streets, and trails to "meet us." We have been bitten and given dirty looks and lectures about how "their dog has perfect recall" and my dog is only nervous because she is on lead or has a bad owner, etc.
If my dog (on lead and in training, under my control) was walking by yours and whining or if she had her hackles up and was very nervous, would your dog be able to resist coming over and "meeting" her in a "friendly way?"
And medium/large dog owners -- PLEASE UNDERSTAND that many little dogs are afraid of your dog and often bark because they want to appear tough - don't encourage a meeting with a strange dog. Lab owners are notorious for this -- they come speeding at us off leash all happy and I have to pick up my shaking, snarling 20lb terrier who thinks we are being attacked by an enemy army. Leash laws are not meant as dog punishment - they are for everyone's safety! Thank you for this post!
I hate litterers! Our border collie recently sliced open her pae on some glass and ended up needing an operation and stitches for two weeks....not easy keeping a collie in for two weeks! Have to say though that I completely understand people not wanting dog pee marks on their lawn, its completely avoidable and unnecessary!
great hub though, lot of truths to relate too!
I dont think dogs barking on the other side of the fence is that bad at all. Of course if the fence is broken or flimsy then it could be scary, but its natural for dogs to bark and warn that people are approaching their territory. If you are walking your dog in the right state of mind you should just keep walking and ignore the barking dog. I agree with the rest of you statements though. Also in my experience kids yell, run, kick the fence, throw rocks, spit, and otherwise taunt dogs to get a reaction. If the kids put their hands over onto the property and get bit its their fault learn from your mistakes.
at my mothers house and yes she lives in the country one of her neighbors has 2 pitbulls that charge people. He lets them roam off leash. this past week 2 of my moms neighbors dogs were found gutted and thrown on the road. everyone thinks that he killed the dogs and fed the insides to his dogs. talking to him isnt an option as how he thinks he is always right and everyone is always wrong. im worried because my boxers who are trained go up there from time to time as do my kids. i also am worried about my moms safety cause if she gets attacked and cant get up it would be awhile before anyone was to find her. cops have been called and no help? what is a legal option to do for my mom and kids and my dogs to be safe in there own yard.
Hello Boxerlover,
Sorry to hear about the irresponsible neighbors.
I would give a call to Animal Care and Control and see what they have to say. If the pitbulls have attacked other dogs, then AC&C can usually take action. What did the cops say when they were called?
The idea of owning a dog and not picking up the dogs' feces is a
disgrace. It is time to confront these arrogant people who believe they
are above picking up their own dog's feces.
Please share ideas, stories, and thoughts with us.
?Poovenge? The act of peacefully seeking revenge against lazy, careless,
arrogant, self loving, selfish, dog owners, who are not responsible
enough to pick up their dogs feces.
P.S Having someone responsible enough to put their dog poop in your garbage is better than them just leaving it lying around. I would much rather have their poop in my garbage than on my shoe!
Kids cant even play in parks without fear of dog poop!
So, you admit that you think it is OK for your dog to shit or piss in a somebody else's yard and leave yellow spots and "you really don't see a problem."
But you criticize the same homeowners if you see litter
because you "suspect a fair amount of this garbage comes from the people who actually live in the neighborhood."
It is OK for you to let your dog shit and piss up their neighborhood, but if there is some litter around you "wonder what kind of people" they are?
For some people, like my Dad, taking care of the yard is their relaxation and escape. It is probably a lot like when you walk your dogs. They take pride in it and spend time and money on it and doesn't want yellow spots in the yard or "free fertilizer" on their shoes because of some idiot dog owner.
If I came to your neighborhood and pissed and shit on your lawn, but cleaned up afterward, would that be OK?
I like dogs, but I still don't understand why so many seem to think owning owning a dog makes them a superior person for whom the rules don't apply.
At least you sort of redeem yourself with #3.
My pick for the survey is idiot dog owners who think it is OK for their dog to shit and piss up somebody else's property.
"But you criticize the same homeowners if you see litter"
It is mostly glass bottles and broken glass bottles that I have problems with because they are dangerous and can cut up children's feet and a dog's pads.
There is a big difference between pee and glass. One just gets absorbed, the other is sharp, dangerous, and stays around forever.
"If I came to your neighborhood and pissed and shit on your lawn, but cleaned up afterward, would that be OK?"
I don't mind dogs stopping on my lawn. I hope that dog owners would pick up the poop. However, if they don't, I prefer it if they did their business on my lawn than on the sidewalk. The sidewalk is much more difficult to clean.
There are some people in the neighborhood who do not like dogs on their lawn. Some of them politely make their wishes known, and others feel the need to shout and rage at others, just because they see someone enjoying a walk with a dog.
Your reply quite nicely confirms what I said.
You don't mind dogs stopping on your lawn and that is fine. But you also say some people don't like dogs stopping on theirs. The key word is "theirs." It is their lawn, and you feel you have a right to do whatever you want with it. Why can't you let YOUR dog shit on YOUR lawn? Why are they wrong for not wanting YOUR dog to shit on THEIR lawn?
But I don't think you will be convinced because as a dog owner you are superior and the idea of respecting someones's property doesn't apply to you.
Dear 3 time bitten,
You yell and rage at me, on my page. Does that mean you feel you are superior and that respecting others does not apply to you?
I don't think so. I think you are just frustrated with what you feel is disrespectful and irresponsible behavior. But then, shouting at others really does not really solve anything. All it does is create even more frustration.
Indeed, someone's property is theirs and they have the right to tell others to get off. But then they can do it civilly or by yelling and shouting.
I will also admit that some of the sentences in the article above may be inflammatory, which is really unnecessary. I have removed those.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
More confirmation. You don't have answers, so you attempt to change the subject.
"Your" page is invites comments. Why does posting one mean that I feel superior?
I am indeed frustrated by "disrespectful and irresponsible" behavior from dog owners. However, I did not realize that capitalizing four words in a 100+ word post was the same as yelling, raging, and shouting. Thanks for setting me straight.
I'll close this last post (I promise) by asking my questions again without the capitalization.
Why don't you let your dog shit in your yard? Why are they wrong for not wanting your dog to shit in their yard?
Happy New Year to all. Idiots, dog owners, non-dog owners, or any combination thereof.
Too classic! I'm not even sure where to start. You should have quit while you were behind.
Again, no answers to my very simple questions, just more redirection.
"THEIR property, THEIR rules, and only what THEY think matters. What everybody else thinks does not matter. Isn't that your point?"
Um, no . . . I think you should re-read my earlier posts again, carefully this time.
And, who's shouting now? ;-)
It sound like your telling me to stay out of "your" comments section, and not so nicely either. Is that better, worse, or the same as telling someone you don't want their dog shit in your yard?
Get a clue. What is the title of your page? You were the first to use the word "idiotic" to describe those who disagree with you or act in ways you don't like.
Oops, I promised my third post was my last . . . didn't even make it a full day in 2012. Dang resolutions . . .
I wholeheartedly agree with one part of your post: "Happy New Year and peace to all."
Dear 3 time bitten,
As I understand it your point is the following -
THEIR property, THEIR rules, and only what THEY think matters. What everybody else thinks does not matter.
Isn't this your point?
Comments are enabled on my page. This does not mean that you should be disrespectful to me or to others on this page. Comments are enabled on my online property but it does not mean you should be rude and shit all over my property. Isn't this exactly your point?
I am not trying to change the subject, but simply pointing out that I have done nothing to you personally, yet you come to my property and shit all over the place, call me names, and that seems to be ok, but it is not ok when a dog who really needs to pee goes on your property? In my mind verbal abuse and rudeness is a worse type of behavior and does not resolve anything.
Everybody has their own opinion and their own ideas of what they consider to be disrespectful behavior. The best way to deal with these differences is to be civil, listen to each others' concerns, and come up with a friendly and peaceful resolution.
"Why don't you let your dog shit in your yard? Why are they wrong for not wanting your dog to shit in their yard?"
Contrary to what some may believe, people who own dogs are not out to destroy lawns. Their goal is not to yell at others, be generally rude and disrespectful just so they can get rid of their own frustrations.
The goal of most dog owners is to give a good walking experience to their dog. I go on long walks, and dogs need to drink during long walks and they need to pee. Exercise also sometimes gives dogs the need to poop.
I am happy to share my lawn with the dogs in the neighborhood. Most of my neighbors love dogs and are also happy to share their lawns as well. There are only a small number of people who do not want to share - that is fine. As you point out, it is their property. However, most people assume that it is ok for their dog to pee on a lawn because the majority of people in the neighborhood own dogs, love dogs, and are willing to share.
For those people who do not want to participate, some people put up a sign to let others know that dogs are not welcome. Some build a short fence around their property. One or two yell, shout, and are generally rude and disrespectful to their neighbors.
Yelling, shouting, rudeness, and calling people names only creates more frustration and only makes matters worse. If you feel that that is the better way to go, be my guest. However, please do it somewhere else. One only needs to make a civil request. No shouting or disrespect is intended or needed.
Happy New Year and peace to all.
Priceless! No answers, and now censorship!
Sweet! Censorship removed. Thanks!
But you reposted my fourth and your last comment on the topic out of their original order, which is pretty clear to anyone who actually reads them.
Was this intentional? Are you really trying to make this whole thing sound like a rant from me rather than back and forth comments between us?
If so, this whole thing has gotten pretty comical (and also a little sad). If not you should correct the order of things.
LOL! Wow - why do you want to fight so much?
"And, who's shouting now? ;-)"
I am sorry if I hurt your feelings. It was not my intent to shout. I only tried capitalizing some words in your style in the hopes that you will actually attempt to read my words. But that has clearly failed.
Let me try using lots of line-breaks instead. Maybe that will make a difference. Here goes ...
I said all these things in my previous comments -
~~~~~ Please read carefully ~~~~~~~~~~~~
"There are some people in the neighborhood who do not like dogs on their lawn. Some of them politely make their wishes known, and others feel the need to shout and rage at others, just because they see someone enjoying a walk with a dog."
~~~~~ Repeated again in my next comment - Please read carefully ~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Indeed, someone's property is theirs and they have the right to tell others to get off. But then they can do it civilly or by yelling and shouting."
~~~~~ Repeated again in my next comment - Please read carefully ~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yelling, shouting, rudeness, and calling people names only creates more frustration and only makes matters worse. If you feel that that is the better way to go, be my guest. However, please do it somewhere else. One only needs to make a civil request. No shouting or disrespect is intended or needed."
~~~~~ For the last time - Please read carefully ~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is the verbal abuse, shouting, and disrespect that I find to be unfortunate. As I said in *all* of my previous comments, if one has a request, it is more effective to be civil.
"It sound like your telling me to stay out of "your" comments section, and not so nicely either. Is that better, worse, or the same as telling someone you don't want their dog shit in your yard?"
~~~~~ For the last-last time - Please read carefully ~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is not the request that I find unfortunate but the uncivil, raging, disrespectful tongue that goes with it.
As for being not-nice - perhaps you would prefer it if I mimicked your style of communication? Here goes -
~~~~~ Warning - this is a not-nice style. Only briefly used here as an example ~~~~~~~~~~
"Get a clue. What is the title of your page? You were the first to use the word "idiotic" to describe those who disagree with you or act in ways you don't like."
Get a clue. I did not realize that using the word "idiotic" three times in a 1300+ word general post that is on my property, and that is not directed at you, is the same as coming on my property, personally attacking me, and then having the audacity to yell censorship when I try to clean up all the shit that you left behind. Thanks for setting me straight.
~~~~~~~ End of not-nice style ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The issue is a really simple one -
1. I think it is unnecessary to be rude and disrespectful when asking someone to leave our lawns. Being polite will usually bring better results.
2. As I have said over and over again, if it is your property, you *can* tell someone to get off. Clearly - that is even the law. But then, there is no upside to being rude about it.
3. Being civil does not always work. For example, I have asked you civilly to leave but you are still here. At this point there are two avenues open to me -
A) I can put all the stuff in a poop bag and put it in the thrash, or
B) I can get into a pointless shouting match and create more poop on my property, and more unpleasantness for everyone.
I choose (A). I do the same for the people who leave poop on my lawn because shouting, rudeness, and insults do not help and only makes things worse.
It does not seem to me that you are enjoying this much either, so I am not sure why you choose to continue with it.
I am sorry if any of this has created frustration for you. It was my original intent to have a friendly discussion but that does not seem possible at this juncture. It is best to stop now. I hope you will enjoy the first day of the new year by engaging in more positive and productive pursuits.
Re: As for the order of things that was not my intent. I was fixing some things in my post and re-posted it before I saw your comment.
I cannot reorder the posts because the page is shared between me and HubPages and that is not something they allow.
But I do think it is time to say Goodbye, Cheers, Cheerio.
When someone complains to me about my dogs such as peeing on there grass I just simply say. Well at least my grass isn't dying or retrieving and leaving bald spots but littering gets to me to especially the whole leaving chicken bones, candy and also but hthings only my dogs would eat and I mean my pit bull bugz eats everything. And well kodia my German shepherd mix has to much class to eat anything and he has this thing to do w
i agree this teenager one day ran up to eddie and just wrapped his arms around eddies neck and eddie hates that and he growled and the kid jumped up and looks at me and says damn your dog is vicious no you just cant throw your arms around his neck when he doesnt know you let him smell you first. geez.dont get me started on litter last spring i took eddie to the park and the hubby and i let him run free after we look around and see no other dogs no other dogs were there so we let him run free well big mistake we saw him try to pick up something so we ran over and told him no so he stepped back when we saw what it was i almost died a syringe can you believe it who the hell would do that for crist sake it was at a park what if a child poked themselves, it justed pisses me off so bad. the grass thing pisses my mom off but you know what my mom came up to me in the summertime and said you know something i think eddies poop is magical lol because my flowers are growing so beautifully yes mom its fertilizing your flowers =). lol. oh and lets not forget the over protective dog owners that think that their dogs are saints lol we were at a park and a little dog runs over to eddie (eddie by the way was on the leash) and proceeds to bite his ear instead of the owner apoligizing to us he runs over while his dog is still attached to eddies furry ear lol and screams at us and then tries to hit eddie with a stick he had so the hubby took the stick and snapped it over his knee and threw it on the ground thankfully alot of eddies fury friends masters were there and ran over and told the guy what had really happened and that eddie was a good boy and his dog well not so much lol.
i just want to add that yellow spots on the lawn are not only caused by animal urine (if the lawn is well watered daily than animal urnine should not damage it. but these other problems can cause yellow spots as well. drought, nutrient deficiency, chemical burn (too much fertilizer)and lawn disease (such as fungus).
Great points eddiesmom. I will include the yellow spots information in the article. Many thanks! :D
I like dogs, as long as they are reasonably well-trained, and not vicious. Owners need to be responsible. Too many are not. When my children were small, our neighbors had a husky mix who was untrained, unrestrained, and would come charging at them. I think he was basically friendly, but way to rough for toddlers, and I was forever fending him off and begging them to keep him in check. And they NEVER cleaned up after him. Their yard was a puppy manure field, and ours became so as well. The stench and swarms of flies were awful. No matter how we tried, whenever I took my kids outside to play ( I had to stay at their side), the little treads in their sneakers picked up poop, which had to be scraped out and washed every night. And you have NO IDEA how repugnant that stuff smells to a non-dog owner.Other neighbors complained as well, and when they finally moved away, we celebrated. Seriously, would dog-owners be ok with parents letting their toddlers pee and poo on your lawns, flower beds and walkways every stinking day,and just accept that you should chill?
Nobody likes having poop left on their lawn, or on the sidewalk. Responsible dog owners pick up after their dog.
However, there are some people who will shout and get verbally abusive to whomever they see with a dog. This only makes the situation worse.
I'm sorry..but wtf. I'm not going to restrict my dog from peeing while on a walk. That is like telling me I can't pee while at the store, or out to dinner. If she needs to go, she goes on a public area. Generally your lawn doesn't extend all the way to the pavement (FYI).
Also, I can't stand the overly excited "dog hugers". I'm a fellow Sibe owner, and understand the annoyance. People just get too excited to see a pretty dog, and especially the blue eyes. I once had a child, IN PETCO (Mother standing a foot away, paying no attention) reach for my dog very quickly. I literally almost had a heart attack. I saw her teeth show, and 2 seconds later I had my hand around her mouth. I felt so guilty..like I was punishing her because of the kids actions... =/
Great article.
Oh, my gosh, I'm sorry you have to deal with psychotics like 3 time bitten.
I have to agree with people who say, pee and poo? Deal with it. Don't sweat the small stuff. And yes, your grass is small stuff, I'm sorry. (And yes, I pick up my dog's poo, but I don't despise people who don't, I'm just mildly annoyed by them.)
The worst, though, I think, is the aggressive dog behind the fence who redirects his aggression and attacks his yard-mate! I always feel horrible when that happens.
Thanks sammeewolf.
"The worst, though, I think, is the aggressive dog behind the fence who redirects his aggression and attacks his yard-mate! I always feel horrible when that happens."
Yeah that is a very good point. There is a house like that in my neighborhood with two Labs. I have never ever seen them get walked. It is not a good situation.
My biggest hinderance with working with my dog is the judgement cast on by on-lookers, or miserable people who have nothing better to do than harrass a good intentioned dog owner. I try to take the time to address my dogs aggression problem on walks, but I find more often than not people look with distain or yell at me for making THEIR dog bark! So I would say the problem is with the mindset of communities as a whole, who do not know how or have not educated themselves to live in a world where k9s are every present. It doesnt help that the law sides with whoever can make the biggest scene or play the best victim.
Yeah, I know what you mean. My first dog, a Shiba Inu, was a very difficult dog and we would get a lot of 'looks'. I also have a three legged dog, so I sometimes get 'looks' while walking her as well.
Now, I try my best to focus on my dog and ignore the judgmental people. They really are not worth the effort or thought cycles. There are some really nice people too, so I try to think about that and not focus on the negativity. Sometimes, I blow off steam by writing about the nasty people. :D
Ugh, I hate #5. Today, I was walking my Black Labrador, and a teenager started calling him from across the road while whistling and talking in a high pitched voice. My dog started running at him to go to him, while I was still holding the leash. Keep in mind that this dog is 30 inches tall and weighs 85 pounds. He apparently thought that it was funny, because he was laughing when my dog dragged me across the ground. I went home with bleeding fingers.
And that's why I hate people who think all dogs dogs are cuddly little things that can be called without their owners being injured, even if it's 30 inches tall at the withers.
gamergirl Level 1 Commenter 3 years ago
Beautiful huskies! I think the "dogs are walking soft-toys" explains it best! Please, if you walk up to me on the street, don't pet my dog and THEN ask permission to pet her. She may not like it.
Charlotte- proud companion of a Husky