Running into a dog off leash in a public place where leash laws are in effect is one of the things that irks me the most. When I decided to finally write this post, I know Im going to have to take some breaks, breath deeply and just keep my cool. For those of you who allow your dog off leash in public places that have leash laws (Im not talking about zoned off leash dog parks & dog beaches), shame on you! You heard me. I am so disappointed that you think you & your dog is above the law & put your needs above others. Here are a few things to consider before unsnapping your dogs leash in public.
· Not all humans feel comfortable with all breeds.
· Not all dogs enjoy unfamiliar dogs invading their space.
· Dogs with an injury, seniors, dogs healing from surgery or illness can be sensitive about their space.
· Dog parents may be working on behavior skills for their dogs such as ignoring other dogs.
· Service dogs are not to say hello to dogs while working. Not all service dogs are identified by vests.
· Not all dogs are friendly with all dogs.
· If you are in a public space, likely you have a leash law. That leash law is probably a 5 or 6 leash.
Personally I have been in more than one of the above scenarios and know dogs and their humans for the other. The sad truth is a lot can go wrong in a blink of an eye. I know many people who have been the victims of off-leash dog fights. Their dogs being the ones leashed and injured, some severely. I too have come across my share of off leash dogs in public settings & luckily to this day have avoided fights with a few tools I will address in this post. Hopefully, these tools will help you if you too find yourself in this unfortunate situation.
First, I want to just confirm I love dogs. I adore them & have made a career working with them & rescuing them. However, my family, which includes my dog comes first. I have the right & an obligation to protect my family. Period. End of story.
Second, Im proactive. In this situation that would mean Im not going to wait and see if a dog is going to cause injury, scare, or in any other way make contact with my dog. My current dog Dexter is very appropriate, friendly and social. But he does not like to be jumped on or wrestled with and can easily be injured.
As I start to list some ideas to keep your dog safe, it is important to know that nothing is 100%. Not every idea will work for every dog in every situation. These are not listed in any particular order, it truly depends on your personal situation, where you are, how fast the approaching dog is coming etc. Sometimes you can make things worse. Unfortunately, thats just the nature of the beast. The only 100% solution is for pet parents to keep their dog leashed, prevent them from escaping their yards, homes & not to release dogs into the wild to become strays & have puppies!
- If the approaching dogs human is nearby, holler, "my dog is contagious and aggressive!" While you are saying that, continue to swiftly move in the opposite direction with your dog.
Sit/Stay - Teach a very reliable Sit/Stay. Work with your dog over the course of his life to teaching a Sit/Stay in various distractions & environments. With an approaching off leash dog, ask your dog to "Sit/Stay" behind you, calmly walk towards the approaching dog & throw a fist full of treats at the dogs head. Yes, you want them to land on the dogs head so it startles him a second. Then hopefully he will start to eat those treats & as he does, toss another handful over his head towards the direction he was coming from. Retreat calmly, but swiftly with your dog. Hopefully, the irresponsible owner will be able to collect his dog as you make your escape.
- Play traffic cop. As soon as the approaching dog comes towards you, face off with the dog & hold your dogs leash behind you so you are in the middle of the approaching dog & your dog. As you do this raise your hand out
like a traffic cop stopping traffic, straight out. Yell, "Stop! Go Home!" Repeat if the dog startles & seems to be listening. At this same time, you are walking backward with your dog, still holding your cop hand out. Keep telling him to go home. If the loose dog is sort of listening, but still lingering a bit, I get a bit louder.
Traffic cop - Air horn. This has been one of my favorites over the past few years. Now its extremely important to condition your dog that this noise is a good thing & not scary. If your dog is easily startled or unsure of certain noises, do not do this. Very similar to the traffic cop in #3, present your body the same, but this time adding the horn.
- Umbrella. This like the air horn in #4, you want to make sure your dog is comfortable with the umbrella. As the dog is approaching face, the umbrella towards him & quickly & loudly pop it open. If needed, you can shake the popped up umbrella towards the dog as you yell or tell him to go home. The unopened umbrella can double as a stick if you end up in a fight & you actually need to hit the other dog to have him release your dog.
- Direct Stop, Spray Shield, Pepper Spray and Bear Spray. These tools are probably the ones that can be iffy in situations. One of the biggest downsides is that your dog & you are likely to also have its wrath if sprayed. Bear spray does seem to have a better aim. However, if the approaching dog does start to attack your dog it may be your only option.
- Picking your dog up. If you have a smaller dog this can be a good option if your other attempts at
backing off the loose dog is failing. But it is important to note, that a dog being held in the air can be more arousing to the other dog & the other dog can jump on you & knock you both down. This could be a very scary & possibly life threatening situation. So exercise extreme caution if attempting this move. If at all possible, place your dog INSIDE of something the oncoming dog cannot get at such as a pickup truck, roof of a car, garbage can or throwing them over a fenced yard.
Pick up your dog - The unthinkable. When nothing works & you or your dog are being attacked you will need to try to defend yourself. My hope is that you will have some kind of tool on you (umbrella, stick, or spray). You are going to want to cause as much injury as you can to the other dog. Try hard to be able to get the back legs & swing low & hard away from you. If you cannot reach the back legs try to hit the dog as hard as you can on his head, eyes, or mouth. The unthinkable is truly a scary situation & I hope you never have to be in that position. If you are able to break them apart, it is important to try to secure the other dog to something or he will likely come back for another attack.
I know this sounds so scary & unfortunately things like this do happen. Please be careful when you are out walking your dog. Stay in populated locations so that if the unthinkable happens you will not be alone. If you have a neighborhood dog who is off leash, dont be shy about your concerns. Contact your homeowners association, local police & animal control. Take photos of the dog off leash for evidence & keep a log book. It is your right to have a carefree walk with your dog. So stay safe, be proactive & be confident. You got this.
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