Dogs on public trails - Page 3

doofus47 · July 6, 2010, 07:29 AM

Someone earlier drew a comparison to dogs and guns and that poster is probably not too far off. Letting a mis-behaving dog loose in public is akin in my mind to firing a gun in public--the owner is completely in the wrong.
I grew up with a Dobe, so big dogs with big teeth don't frighten me; big dogs with pinned ears and big teeth that are making a bee-line for my legs? That gets my attention.
Years ago, I was out riding my bike with my wife one day in a Midwestern farming state. As we were riding down some quiet country road past a farm house, a dog took off from around the back. That's not unusual. It ran right past it's owner in the front yard. I didn't get worked up. I figured it was going to stop at the end of property and bark. We kept riding steady. Instead, it chased my wife down across the public road and bit her. She stops. Then it blocks her path and procedes to growl. The owner still didn't say anything. So I told my wife (still standing in the middle of the road) to kick the dog. THEN the jerk owner starts hustling over yelling "don't you kick my dog!"
Wanna see me go from 0-60? Threaten my wife. So I chased off the dog off and the guy collects it and I told the guy that the next time that happened, I was going to own his house. Then he shuts up and takes his dog back, probably thinking I was some sort of liberal, law-suit happy communist.
The funny thing about dogs is that they're social animals. Pack animals to be specific. If the Alpha-owner allows aggressive behavior, then the dogs will act accordingly. They don't know it's wrong if the alpha doesn't curtail that behavior. If people take the time to train their dogs correctly, this sort of carp doesn't happen. I'm not angry about dogs, I'm angry about people who don't care enough to train their dogs properly. It's kind of like people who think that the 2nd amendment gives them the right to sweep the firing line at the range. Take responsibility or take the consequences whether that is someone shooting your snarling untethered dog on a public trail or someone pressing charges against you for firing your pistol in public on New Years Eve.

kaylorinhi · July 6, 2010, 08:06 AM

Due to my nonsensical rambling which a twelve year old is, in your opinion, capable of genius, tell me why we have leash laws?

No seriously tell me why we have leash laws!

It is not to keep you from being bitten by my dog? So, Whiz-kid why is it?

Don't tell me how horrible a canine attack can be, I am aware of the destruction.

And because I don't believe like you and I don't believe the same as most of the scared and ignorant community I am twelve and "Wow, just wow"

No, I am not trolling, not trying to ruffle any feather, but you people, Darren and Noyes specific, are scared of dogs and I am tired of my rights being trampled because to many bad dog owners have made people like you scared who then ran to court and since you could not ban dogs altogether you got leash laws! No they are not to protect the dog, my dog is fully capable of protecting himself.

Thanks guys.

And you must remember gentlemen, that to me you are just as unpredictable as any dog on the trail and you guys have GUNS but as you have not seen things from that perspective already you are wholly in-capable of it. At least A dog will not lie about intentions. As I should never try to educate a person who resists continuously...

reloader28 · July 6, 2010, 08:36 AM

I have 2 friendly dogs, but I know not everyone wants to be around them like I do ,so I leave them at home or tied up when we go somewhere.

If someone elses dogs comes over to us when when we're camping or fishing, the dog gets hollared at very loudly so the owner knows I dont like it.
If I have to hollar twice, and its still there, the dog gets a boot in the mouth and hopefully the owner is watching. If the dog growls and turns to face off with me, it eats a bullet on the spot.

I've been tore up by a dog and will not screw around when it comes to my family. If you are stupid enough to let your dogs run around unattended, expect them not to return home.

The same holds true with dogs at home. If you let them loose and they come on my property, you might not see them again. We have kids and livestock. The first time the dog gets yelled at. The second time he gets the shotgun. If they dont learn and come back a third time, they will never return home again.

Either control your dogs, or you will loose them. I've shot a few including my own hunting dog (for growling and snapping), so dont think I would hesitate about someone elses.

Art Eatman · July 6, 2010, 09:05 AM

We've pretty well gone wandering away from the public trails issue, and there's a bit much of the chest-thumping.

What stands out as a summary of opinion about this goes to one word: "Reponsibility". The owner of a dog, same as the parent of a minor child, is responsible for its behavior at all times.

Expanding a bit, a societal problem in today's world is the amount of refusal to accept responsibilities--saith the Olde Phart.

Enough for now; this will undoubtedly come up again...

July 6, 2010, 08:06 AM	#52
kaylorinhi Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2010 Location: The brown eye of america Posts: 463	Due to my nonsensical rambling which a twelve year old is, in your opinion, capable of genius, tell me why we have leash laws? No seriously tell me why we have leash laws! It is not to keep you from being bitten by my dog? So, Whiz-kid why is it? Don't tell me how horrible a canine attack can be, I am aware of the destruction. And because I don't believe like you and I don't believe the same as most of the scared and ignorant community I am twelve and "Wow, just wow" No, I am not trolling, not trying to ruffle any feather, but you people, Darren and Noyes specific, are scared of dogs and I am tired of my rights being trampled because to many bad dog owners have made people like you scared who then ran to court and since you could not ban dogs altogether you got leash laws! No they are not to protect the dog, my dog is fully capable of protecting himself. Thanks guys. And you must remember gentlemen, that to me you are just as unpredictable as any dog on the trail and you guys have GUNS but as you have not seen things from that perspective already you are wholly in-capable of it. At least A dog will not lie about intentions. As I should never try to educate a person who resists continuously... __________________ Buy your guns by Yardline, Not Looks.

July 6, 2010, 08:36 AM	#53
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	I have 2 friendly dogs, but I know not everyone wants to be around them like I do ,so I leave them at home or tied up when we go somewhere. If someone elses dogs comes over to us when when we're camping or fishing, the dog gets hollared at very loudly so the owner knows I dont like it. If I have to hollar twice, and its still there, the dog gets a boot in the mouth and hopefully the owner is watching. If the dog growls and turns to face off with me, it eats a bullet on the spot. I've been tore up by a dog and will not screw around when it comes to my family. If you are stupid enough to let your dogs run around unattended, expect them not to return home. The same holds true with dogs at home. If you let them loose and they come on my property, you might not see them again. We have kids and livestock. The first time the dog gets yelled at. The second time he gets the shotgun. If they dont learn and come back a third time, they will never return home again. Either control your dogs, or you will loose them. I've shot a few including my own hunting dog (for growling and snapping), so dont think I would hesitate about someone elses. Last edited by reloader28; July 6, 2010 at 08:45 AM.

July 6, 2010, 07:29 AM	#51
doofus47 Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: live in a in a house when i'm not in a tent Posts: 2,483	Someone earlier drew a comparison to dogs and guns and that poster is probably not too far off. Letting a mis-behaving dog loose in public is akin in my mind to firing a gun in public--the owner is completely in the wrong. I grew up with a Dobe, so big dogs with big teeth don't frighten me; big dogs with pinned ears and big teeth that are making a bee-line for my legs? That gets my attention. Years ago, I was out riding my bike with my wife one day in a Midwestern farming state. As we were riding down some quiet country road past a farm house, a dog took off from around the back. That's not unusual. It ran right past it's owner in the front yard. I didn't get worked up. I figured it was going to stop at the end of property and bark. We kept riding steady. Instead, it chased my wife down across the public road and bit her. She stops. Then it blocks her path and procedes to growl. The owner still didn't say anything. So I told my wife (still standing in the middle of the road) to kick the dog. THEN the jerk owner starts hustling over yelling "don't you kick my dog!" Wanna see me go from 0-60? Threaten my wife. So I chased off the dog off and the guy collects it and I told the guy that the next time that happened, I was going to own his house. Then he shuts up and takes his dog back, probably thinking I was some sort of liberal, law-suit happy communist. The funny thing about dogs is that they're social animals. Pack animals to be specific. If the Alpha-owner allows aggressive behavior, then the dogs will act accordingly. They don't know it's wrong if the alpha doesn't curtail that behavior. If people take the time to train their dogs correctly, this sort of carp doesn't happen. I'm not angry about dogs, I'm angry about people who don't care enough to train their dogs properly. It's kind of like people who think that the 2nd amendment gives them the right to sweep the firing line at the range. Take responsibility or take the consequences whether that is someone shooting your snarling untethered dog on a public trail or someone pressing charges against you for firing your pistol in public on New Years Eve.

July 6, 2010, 09:05 AM	#54
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	We've pretty well gone wandering away from the public trails issue, and there's a bit much of the chest-thumping. What stands out as a summary of opinion about this goes to one word: "Reponsibility". The owner of a dog, same as the parent of a minor child, is responsible for its behavior at all times. Expanding a bit, a societal problem in today's world is the amount of refusal to accept responsibilities--saith the Olde Phart. Enough for now; this will undoubtedly come up again...