Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Dog Days

Fontana Labs has it exactly right:
Dog owners: please be aware that not everyone else loves dogs. Also be aware that you are not an infallible judge of your dog's future behavior. Other users of public spaces might be upset when you violate leash laws in a way that allows your dog to interfere with running, hiking, and other perfectly legitimate activities. It doesn't really matter that your dog is, in fact, perfectly friendly; what matters is what it's like to be on the business end of a large charging animal.
I hate that! I live near an open space (that happens to have a running track) that I frequently use to get out and get some exercise. Every once in a while, some asswipe willl shows up and unleashes his/her dog, which then comes charging at me.

"Brutus! Brutus! Come here!", yells the owner. The dog never even slows down.

At this point, I have to stop and hope precious Brutus has already eaten and doesn't feel as threatened as I do. Almost always the dog will come up, either plant its nose in my crotch or just keep its distance and bark at me. This is the time where the owner ambles up and assures me Brutus is just a big baby and wouldn't maul a flea. OK, fine but there is no way I can know or trust that.

No big deal? I have already had to stop my workout, go on the defense and hope like hell the situation all works out. Yeah, no big deal for the dog owner but it pisses me off to no end.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

And how ironic that you also allow your dog to roam free in that very same space without a leash. While I do agree that dogs should not be roaming freely without leashes AND I acknolwedge that your dog is tiny (6 pounds) and acts more like a cat, it's still the same principle isn't it?

I mean, we know (believe) the little dog that acts more like a cat wouldn't charge anyone and bite them, but he has tried to bite young children in the past.

Mrs TEH