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  1. TopTop #1
    ChristineL
     

    Responsible Dog Ownership

    After a neighborhood family moved away abandoning fifteen un-neutered cats which I ended up taking to the shelter a few at a time, (I'm happy to report that with one exception, they were all adopted), I became so incensed with so many pet owners' irresponsible behavior I began writing letters to the editor of the Russian River Times. I now write a pet column for them (not for pay, it's my own personal crusade).

    My topic for December is the number of loose dogs attacking people and leashed dogs. In my neighborhood alone, there has been three leashed dogs walking with their humans which have been attacked. One was attacked once, one was attacked twice and the third was attacked three times. Connor, a young Guerneville child with muscular dystrophy is often seen in town with his mother and his aid dog Noodle. Noodle was once attacked; Connor was knocked over, wheel chair and all, onto his face. His mother managed to pick up her son, put him back in his wheel chair and no one was seriously hurt. Again, in my immediate neighborhood, three large dogs who were continuously escaping their yard tore a woman's cat to pieces in front of her. Two large dogs who roamed my neighborhood almost every week-end threatened my mother on our own property. One night, getting home from work around 2:00AM, I was unable to give my own dog his last quick outing due to the same two dogs hanging out in front of my property and threatening me every time I would begin opening my front door. This is how I found out there is Animal Control Personnel that will come out in the middle of the night and search for potentially dangerous dogs. I reported this pair to Animal Control several times. Nobody knew where they lived and they weren't caught until they attacked a person. He wound up crawling across River Road kicking at the male dog's face. The dog was trying to grab on to his feet.

    I told the owners of the three dogs who killed the cat they needed to better secure their yard. I also told them one of their dogs was starting to become agressive. The response: "Oh no, she's a sweetheart." She was once, as were the other two. There was a time I could put leashes on them and take them back to their yard when I saw them roaming the road. Too many months of yard confinement 24/7 with little human interaction beyond being given food and water turned them into a pack I could no longer approach without being growled at.

    If you do not have the time, or willingness, to work with a dog and train and socialize him, don't have a dog. If you have two or more dogs and leave them in a yard 24/7 without spending time with them, they will likely become a pack, and will become dangerous. If you have a dog that tends to be aggressive with other dogs, it is your responsibility to make sure your dog is confined and/or leashed at all times.

    It is our responsibility as community minded people to report aggressive dogs to Animal Control and make sure the complaints are followed through. My 80 year old mother should be able to walk my dog without risking being injured by someone's loose dog. The young girl who lives around the bottom of the hill should be able to walk those three little dogs every day without being at risk of seeing one of them maimed or killed or being at risk herself. Connor should be able to go everywhere with Noodle without being at risk of injury. The neighbor whose dog was attacked three times now carries pepper spray, I'm considering it myself. I, myself have decided to report all loose aggressive dogs, even if the owner is with them but has chosen to walk them off leash. If one dog I did not report kills or maims someone's beloved pet or injures a person, I would consider myself to be partly responsible.

    Next thing, good dogs sometimes just get away...please make sure your friendly dog has tags. I've rescued many a lost dog who just wandered off through a hole in the fence or went off chasing something before his owner could stop him, I love it when all I need to do is read a tag and make a phone call or take a walk to a nearby house.

    What I've written here is not the actual column. If anyone is interested in the column itself, I will be happy to post it once it has actually been published.
    Last edited by ChristineL; 11-15-2007 at 09:46 PM.
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  2. TopTop #2
    ladydi
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Christine, just wanted to warn you about pepper spray and dogs. When I took a pepper spray training many years ago I was trained that pepper spray is NOT effective against dogs. It does not affect their eyes like it does humans. I just don't want you to believe you have protection with pepper spray when you may not. Please check out whether or not the spray formula has been changed to be effective against dogs particularly.

    Sincerely,
    Ladydi

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Christine: View Post
    After a neighborhood family moved away abandoning fifteen un-neutered cats ...
    Last edited by Barry; 11-19-2007 at 11:53 AM.
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  3. TopTop #3
    ChristineL
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by ladydi: View Post
    Christine, just wanted to warn you about pepper spray and dogs. When I took a pepper spray training many years ago I was trained that pepper spray is NOT effective against dogs. It does not affect their eyes like it does humans. I just don't want you to believe you have protection with pepper spray when you may not. Please check out whether or not the spray formula has been changed to be effective against dogs particularly.

    Sincerely,
    Ladydi
    I appreciate your sharing this information. Do you, or anyone else, have knowledge as to what works on dogs much as pepper spray works on humans? The gentleman that carries it to protect his dog against other dogs is not a young man, he needs something not requiring a great deal of strength and agility.

    Thank you,
    Christine
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  4. TopTop #4
    amalia's Avatar
    amalia
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Thank you, Christine for your comments about Responsible Dog Ownership. I hope that your message is conveyed to as many people as possible in and out of Sonoma County.

    Amalia


    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Christine: View Post
    After a neighborhood family moved away abandoning fifteen un-neutered cats ...
    Last edited by Barry; 11-19-2007 at 11:53 AM.
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  5. TopTop #5
    ChristineL
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by amalia: View Post
    Thank you, Christine for your comments about Responsible Dog Ownership. I hope that your message is conveyed to as many people as possible in and out of Sonoma County.

    Amalia
    I'm trying...I'm tired of walking my large, but super-friendly dog who hides behind whoever is walking him when he encounters an aggressive dog always being somewhat afraid. I hate that so many of my neighbors have to be afraid and super-alert when walking their dogs. Yes...this is a problem that goes way beyond my community. People need to stop being afraid to antagonize neighbors by reporting their dangerous dogs and see the bigger picture of the possible consequences if these dogs are not taken away from irresponsible people.

    Christine
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  6. TopTop #6
    caretaker
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Christine: View Post
    I'm trying...I'm tired of walking my large, but super-friendly dog who hides behind whoever is walking him when he encounters an aggressive dog always being somewhat afraid. I hate that so many of my neighbors have to be afraid and super-alert when walking their dogs. Yes...this is a problem that goes way beyond my community. People need to stop being afraid to antagonize neighbors by reporting their dangerous dogs and see the bigger picture of the possible consequences if these dogs are not taken away from irresponsible people.

    Christine
    This is the Caretaker, I am also AllAboard Animal Search and Rescue,, I fully agree with Christine, I am glad she has joined some of the member of this county to make a difference, dogs running loose is a big problem, when they become 2 or 3 or more, they become a pack. And at times behave like out of control teenagers, and very unruly, no interaction and rules with humans, makes it even worse, they run amok, and make up there own rules as they go, I had a Pit Bull nothing against the breed I love them, but this dog attacked my horse, my poor horse took along time to recover, then down the street two boxers whipped out entire herd of sheep, the common dominator here is they were off leash, running free, it doesn't really matter the breed, even the little dogs will behave the same way, being a responsible pet owner, with loving discipline, and manners, and socializing them and making them a member of the family is the key here, your job is to protect them and protect others, that is your responsibility as a pet owner, I hate walking my dogs anymore, my smallest dog is 30 lbs, she was attacked 3 times, I cannot hardly take her out although I am trying to introduce her again to lots of dogs nice ones, she has learned to jump up on my shoulders or dig herself in my skin and climb up when she sees other dogs, very stressed out, it troubles me much, she was at the dog park the park greeter they called her, but someone thought they would bring there unsocialized, and then unleashed there dog to learn on his own without containment, this happens allot in dog parks, its going to be a slow introduction for her again, it was one of the most violent attacks a nurse that had been going there with her dog for years, it was a boxer that attacked her, it isn't one certain breed that will do this, but a unattended dog let to run free, left in back yards on chains, never hardly mixing in the human world, is indeed dangerous.

    I have checked into pepper spray, I have the understanding it doesn't work that well. then I was at martin ranch supply the other day, and they have a cattle prong, its electric, I think this is what I am going to try, I would hate to electrocute a dog, but I would if I saw a dog attack my dog again.. Looking myself for better answers being so vulnerable to dogs running loose.

    The Caretaker
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  7. TopTop #7
    ChristineL
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by caretaker: View Post

    ... I was at martin ranch supply the other day, and they have a cattle prong, its electric, I think this is what I am going to try, I would hate to electrocute a dog, but I would if I saw a dog attack my dog again.. Looking myself for better answers being so vulnerable to dogs running loose.

    The Caretaker
    Can you tell me the price of the cattle prod? I ask again, anyone have suggestions as to what would work to repel aggressive dogs. It needs to be portable, easy to use and legal.

    Thanks for your support Caretaker.

    Christine
    Last edited by Barry; 11-18-2007 at 06:37 PM.
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  8. TopTop #8
    Kunnskaping's Avatar
    Kunnskaping
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Christine: View Post
    Can you tell me the price of the cattle prod? I ask again, anyone have suggestions as to what would work to repel aggressive dogs. It needs to be portable, easy to use and legal.
    I should think a small Super Soaker full of ammonia would be quite effective and cheap if you can spray it anywhere near the dog's muzzle. Save the mace for the aggressive owner who seems to think that both s/he and the off-leash dog have a right to attack others without risking any blow back from those who merely wish to be left in peace and safety in public spaces.
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  9. TopTop #9
    janna24
    Guest

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Kunnskaping: View Post
    I should think a small Super Soaker full of ammonia would be quite effective and cheap if you can spray it anywhere near the dog's muzzle. Save the mace for the aggressive owner who seems to think that both s/he and the off-leash dog have a right to attack others without risking any blow back from those who merely wish to be left in peace and safety in public spaces.
    I have 4 dogs myself (a pack some might say) and have been attacked by an "aggressive Jack Russell Terrier." I was walking mine on a leash and the terrier attacked us. It is important to know that the dogs on a leash have no way of getting away and often feel threatened thus responding with aggressive behavior. In order to understand dog behavior, sometimes it is necessary to let them figure it out by themselves.

    After an intensely scary scuffle, the terrier ran away and one of mine chased it until it stopped threatening us. But it is important to note that not all dog on dog encounters are going to end tragically. Sometimes they just need to establish who is "big dog" and the owners need to relax and wait it out.

    Most dog owners realize that, but some feel threatened just like the dog on a leash. Put yourself in their position. Bark less, wag more.
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  10. TopTop #10
    ChristineL
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by janna24: View Post
    I have 4 dogs myself (a pack some might say) and have been attacked by an "aggressive Jack Russell Terrier." I was walking mine on a leash and the terrier attacked us. It is important to know that the dogs on a leash have no way of getting away and often feel threatened thus responding with aggressive behavior. In order to understand dog behavior, sometimes it is necessary to let them figure it out by themselves.

    After an intensely scary scuffle, the terrier ran away and one of mine chased it until it stopped threatening us. But it is important to note that not all dog on dog encounters are going to end tragically. Sometimes they just need to establish who is "big dog" and the owners need to relax and wait it out.

    Most dog owners realize that, but some feel threatened just like the dog on a leash. Put yourself in their position. Bark less, wag more.

    Let me clarify, all the incidents I was talking about, with the exception of the aid dog, resulted in the leashed dog being wounded. These attacks were done by dogs who were going straight for the throat. All the attacking dogs were somewhat large (60 or more pounds). A Jack Russel can be aggressive, but I can kick him away easily if it gets out of hand. Even if the off-leash dog isn't dangerous per say, but only aggressive, he should still be on leash. There is also the fact that if I am a responsible dog owner whose dog is aggressive with other dogs and I'm keeping my dog on a short leash and in control, I don't need someone else's off leash dog running up to him.

    I do know the difference between what is "show" and what is genuine aggression...I do thank you for pointing this out. I agree, don't immediately panic.
    Last edited by ChristineL; 11-20-2007 at 12:43 AM.
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  11. TopTop #11
    wildflower's Avatar
    wildflower
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    I carry a spray bottle filled with water and adjusted to a fine, hard stream. It works on my chihuahuas as a reminder to not provoke aggression from other dogs by acting aggressive.
    Lately I've also been using it on other dogs that get aggressive with my tiny dogs. It always surprises them and it stops them in their tracks!

    My walks on the trail are much easier with my spray bottle.

    Of course with their small size, I just pick them up if I feel there's any real danger.

    wildflower in graton
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  12. TopTop #12
    MikeMondeau
     

    Re: Responsible Dog Ownership

    Citronella has been used as an effective and safe way to modify dog behavior for years. Though, primarily used in bark control, a company has developed a deterant spray I found here https://www.zootoo.com/dogs_training...panimaldeterre. If you do use this please provide me an update on how it preforms.

    Thanks, Mike
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