Leash your dog PLEASE!

[Namaste]

It's 4:30 a.m. and I can't sleep because I have 4 deep punctures in my left calf thanks to the owner of an unleashed "friendly" dog who charged me on a hiking trail in MT. CHARLESTON, Nv yesterday. After spending 2 beautiful weeks in the wilds of Utah I get bit by a domestic dog in Las Vegas! Please leash your dog!

[Velvet Gooch]

Just passing through lol

[Drybones]

Curious, what breed dog was it?

[doritotex]

I was bitten by a dog on the trail. A couple with their dog threw their packs down on the trail to take a break. As I walked by the dog jumped up and bit me on the hand. When I was 40 or so feet from them I said hello as not to scare them or their dog. There was no way to avoid them they sitting in the trail, and oh...the dog was a large mixed breed, maybe part lab. Does THAT matter?

[kayak karl]

the police reports and hospital trip must of messed up your day too. sorry you were bite, but we have been told over and over about leaches. i think we have a good bunch of responsible dog owners here and you are preaching to the choir, but still sorry you had a bad experience.

[Spirit Walker]

Sorry to hear you got hurt.

It's not unusual for a 'friendly' dog to react badly to backpackers. The shape is different (human plus pack = not human), the smell is odd, sometimes there are long dangling straps that make obvious targets to jump at, sometimes it's just that the dog is in a strange environment and gets super protective of its owners. We've never been bitten, but we've had a lot of dogs growl and lunge as we passed. Our dog tends to leap at dangling straps and water bottles, so we keep him (leashed) well away from passing hikers. I've also learned to be very wary of dogs we meet in the backcountry.

[Namaste]

The breed I don't know for sure....some type of boxer. The owner was totally apologetic and said it was her fault for not leashing. You can never know what's going on in a dogs head.

[Drybones]

I was bitten by a dog on the trail. A couple with their dog threw their packs down on the trail to take a break. As I walked by the dog jumped up and bit me on the hand. When I was 40 or so feet from them I said hello as not to scare them or their dog. There was no way to avoid them they sitting in the trail, and oh...the dog was a large mixed breed, maybe part lab. Does THAT matter?

There is no excuse for what happened, the owner is totally responsible, not the dog...but...there are some things people need to understand about dogs if they will be encountering them, and you will on the trail. You need to know how to "introduce" yourself. Most dogs will be protective of thier owner and if you just walk upon them without them knowing you are friendly you may have a problem with them. I own the largest doberman I've seen and he looks vicious, and probably could be, but he has made friends with every person and dog he has met on the trail.

[lvnv1212]

I can't believe how people seem to ignore the basics about dogs on the trail - I understand how leasing a dog can be a pain; but that is why I leave my dog at home

[turtle fast]

I just had a cousin attacked by a german shepard while mountain biking. I think many times these people don't think of others while on the trail thinking that only THEY are out there and that since nobody is around...let the dog be "free". Unfortunately, now you got the problem with collecting for damages to pay for hospital bills and other expenses related to the injury. And a lot of people are selfish turds who wont pay even with having a judgement against them, until you docket a contempt of court and they are informed that they could face jail for it. (Im talking about turds who have the ability to pay and are just selfish)

[yellowsirocco]

It's 4:30 a.m. and I can't sleep because I have 4 deep punctures in my left calf thanks to the owner of an unleashed "friendly" dog who charged me on a hiking trail in MT. CHARLESTON, Nv yesterday. After spending 2 beautiful weeks in the wilds of Utah I get bit by a domestic dog in Las Vegas! Please leash your dog!

Did you charge back? Probably not. I mean everyone knows for black bear charges to stand and your ground unless it is mom and cubs (then you pray), but when a dog charges everyone suddenly becomes a wimp.

[Rightfoot]

Worked part-time in a vet as a teen and learned when approaching an unknown dog, it is best to approach the dog with your palm facing upward. They see this a less of a threat. For what its worth!

[Pedaling Fool]

I was always told to present a closed fist and the back of the hand, because most people that hit a dog do so with an open hand. Personally I don't think it makes much of a difference as long as you don't do any sudden movements, basically let the dog come to you. They also say don't look a dog in the eyes, but I always do in a way to tell the dog, "Don't ****** with me, mut". Something I've learned, since I've had countless dogs come at me as a cyclist.

They seem to love cyclists; I guess we cyclists taste like chicken

[Wise Old Owl]

This has nothing to do with hiking with a dog.

[Stir Fry]

If a dog dits he needs to be put down. If he does it once he will do it again. The owner has no one to blame but him/her self.

[tdoczi]

Did you charge back? Probably not. I mean everyone knows for black bear charges to stand and your ground unless it is mom and cubs (then you pray), but when a dog charges everyone suddenly becomes a wimp.

nope, you stand your ground even for a black bear mom with the cubs. the cub protection thing is a grizzly bear phenom, and you shouldnt stand your ground on a grizz whether its a mom and cubs or not.

i just missed the main part of the excitement by a few minutes, but i saw the aftermath. in shenandoah when i was there a couple of day hikers walked right up on a mom and 3 cubs. i was about 2 minutes late. when i got there the 3 cubs were up a tree and the mom was hiding in the bushes hundreds of feet away. black bears are universally wimps unless theyve been conditioned out of it somehow.

being the owner of a herding dog i have to wonder how many dog bites occur when someone runs away from or otherwise acts afraid of a dog that isnt actually threatening them. not an excuse for a dog being off leash, but still something to think about it.

[tdoczi]

If a dog dits he needs to be put down. If he does it once he will do it again. The owner has no one to blame but him/her self.

my dog, while leashed (and being walked by someone who was not me and who will never walk my dog again) took a nip at the nose of a young child who was playing with him and drew a bit of blood apparently. if you think this means my dog should be put down you really dont understand dogs.

[Longfan]

I have been charged by a number of dogsas I have walked both with and without my dog. I carry a walking-stick and I will turn toward the charging dog standing as upright as I can and extend the stick toward the dog (usually) and say with loud and authoritarian voice "NO!" This normally stops the dogin its tracks; I have had to repeat it a few times but usually I get past without much issue. I have had the dog approach with proper manner to meet and greet Bear the wonder mutt.

I have also noticed that it is the dog that "does not bite" that takes a chunk out of your leg. I had a lady tellme that right after a dog had lundged (before I started dong the above) and had attempted to bite me in the back of the leg. I knew the dog was way to close and did a high back kick causing it to flip back. It was that at tht point I turned to confront dog and owner I also extended the walking stick to use if there was a second attempt for a blood draw on the dogs part. The conversation ended ith me loudly with me offering to call the police with that offer came the offer to say "vicious dog and leash law." She took he dog and ran home!

[Don H]

Nevada is a "one bite" state in regards to civil liability of dog owners. In other words no owner can be sued for a dog bite if it is the dogs first offense unless there are extenuating circumstances (negligence, intent, violation of other laws such as leash laws etc.).
Did you report it to the police?

[Stir Fry]

idoczi,I like dogs I have hade one most of my life. I event thought of bringing one on my thru-hike in 2014. I have decided not to because it’s not fair to the dog.
If a dog charges me while I'm hiking I will attack him with anything I have at hand. If the owner does not want his dog hurt he needs to keep him on a leash and under control. There is nothing that will p*&^ someone off more then having a dog walk up and start eating out of your pot and the owner starts laughing and telling you how friendly he is. Then when you say something to the owner, he takes offence. I have seen some very well behaved dog while hiking, but they seem to be the exception not the rule.