I have a dog ~ a slightly overweight, exceptionally needy, very sweet, embarrassingly cowardly, chocolate Lab named Hershey.
Most mornings she joins me on short walks around our block. When she’s out with me, she’s on a leash. Two reasons – one) she is very much like a teenager with selective hearing. She doesn’t mind me AT. ALL. And, two) it’s the law. Our local leash ordinance requires that she be restrained, or under ‘the control of a responsible person and the controlling person’s commands prevent trespass.’
Knowing how she is, Hershey stays on her leash. I have a few neighbors who feel they and their pets don’t have to follow these laws.
The law states that dogs can be unleashed if the owner has ‘voice command controls’ over them. When dogs come running toward Hershey and me, off their property, I think it’s safe to say they aren’t under their owners’ control.
It can be scary. I don’t know these dogs, or their owners. I don’t know if they are trying to be friendly or territorial. To a person, the owners seem to think these encounters are funny.
I ~ with my legs trussed up in Hershey’s leash, fighting a terrified dog who tops out at 86 pounds, yelling at the offending dog and its laughing master ~ am unamused.
My dad suggested I carry a can of pepper spray with me for just such encounters. I don’t necessarily want to harm these other dogs, but simple voice commands from a stranger don’t work either. I do carry a small air horn, one of those loud and obnoxious noise makers sports fans take to games. I haven’t had to use it yet, but hopefully it is persuasive if needed.
All I ask is that other pet owners consider their neighbors. I don’t think your little dog is cute when it’s snarling at me and my dog. I don’t want to chaperone a playmate in the middle of the street with your dog and mine. I don’t know you, but your total disregard for my safety is pissing me off.
Don’t even get me started on how these same pet owners walk through the neighborhood letting their dogs crap in other people’s yards without cleaning it up. Someone once actually left a plastic grocery bag with dog poop in it on my yard.
These same municipal codes require pet owners to clean up after their dogs. It’s gross enough that I have to pick up my own dog’s crap, I certainly don’t want to deal with a strange dog’s crap in my yard.
It’s reasonable, to expect people to be respectful pet owners ~ respectful to their pet, other people’s pets, their neighbors and their neighbors’ property.
*the above sign is posted at a local, pet-friendly park.
Submitted as part of Shell’s “Pour Your Heart Out” writing prompt at Things I Can’t Say. Please stop by to read the other posts, and give a little comment love.
Thin spiral notebook 
It’s owners, not the dogs.
I have a 95 lb almost 6 yr old baby golden retriever. He’s the sweetest thing you’ll ever meet. He deals with teh jerk dogs by the jerk owners every dayy. I know how you feel.
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What a hilarious sign…I love it. Don’t blame you all for being upset. One of my ‘pet’ peeves is people not picking up after their dogs when they’re out walking. I still see it from time to time. It just burns me how people think it’s okay to do that. I even prefer them to drop their little plastic bags of poop in my garbage container off the alley…rather than just leave it to be stepped in…Ugh! ~Joy
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Amen.
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That sign is awesome!
The neighbors behind us have a dog… a fenced in yard, but the dog can jump the fence. And he’s big and scary. I don’t know how many times that dog ends up in our yard. It makes me totally crazy.
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I still can’t understand how some pet owners are so oblivious to how disrespectful they are when they allow their dog to snarl, or to see them do their business on someones property and instead of cleaning it up they hope that nobody has seen them. It’s unfortunate.
Lynn
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Ugh, I hate it when people just let their dogs run around like that. Ours is always either in the house, in a fence or on a leash! I never just let him run. First of all, when other people let their dogs run around, it drives my dog crazy and he barks and barks. Secondly, my kids play outside, how are they to know if other dogs are mean or nice? Third, like you said, I dont want their poop in my yard! Fourth, it’s not safe for the dog either! He could get attacked by another dog, hit by a car, picked up by the dog warden. People are just stupid.
I’m hear from the PYHO hop, btw!
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There is a lonely planet competition for funny road signs on facebook- you should enter this
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Eek! I don’t blame you at all for being miffed. I would be too.
We have rogue dogs in my neighborhood too, their owners let them loose to poop all over the place. I guess it makes their yard easier to maintain. I certainly don’t enjoy picking up their dogs “gifts”.
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If it was me? I’d carry a paintball gun.
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People come in all sizes and soul levels. Many don’t care about the well-being of others.
We have a dog. I carry pepper spray and am licensed to carry a firearm, too. Wouldn’t hesitate to use either one if some jerk-off stood by laughing while his dog decided to maul me or my loved ones.
The pleasure is all mine!
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