Leashes on trail

[saimyoji]

Once again a few have to beat the drum of leashes on the trail to posting death. Please read the sticky if you are illiterate or you have a fear of cute cuddly dogs. Please stop posting, in future all non dog owners will have to pass a Rorschach test before posting before embarrassing themselves.

you should go back and read the sticky, before you embarass yourself....oops, too late....

[High Life]

i was bit by some jerks dog during my thru hike while in the 100 mile wilderness .. i wasnt doing anything to the dog and had my back turned to it ..
the guy didnt even say sorry ..had a nice puncture would in my calf

[Gaiter]

I keep my FEMALE dog on a PINK leash. I get irritated when people come up and want to know HIS name. Don't they see the PINK leash?

thats because people tend to call a animals sex baised on what their animal's sex is, i've got a girl dog and cat, i tend to refer dogs and cats as shes, i try to just say 'it' (hopefully the animal is an 'it' anyways)

[Lemni Skate]

My 73 year old father had some guy's pit bull attack him on a hiking trail near Petersburg last year. My Dad was walking as part of his rehabilitation after triple bypass surgery.

I do 90% of my hiking in Shenandoah where dogs are required to be on a leash at all times or even banned on some trails. The percent of dogs that are actually on a leash is under 50%.

My nine-year old son was bitten by some guys dog only two months ago (we were hiking near Old Rag) and it was on a leash. Luckily it didn't draw blood.

In April a dog came running up to my son who eating some Ramen Noodles at a shelter(in Georgia) and knocked the scalding noodles all over my son and himself. The dog yelped and his owner (master definitely wouldn't describe the relationship) came up to the shelter about three minutes later all angry like somebody had done something to his dog. Never apologized, but he tied the dog up and we got to listen to the Beagle howl and bark half the night.

I've got more about dogs, but I thought I stick to the worst three of the past year.

There may be reasons some people don't like dogs on the trail.

[Rouen]

My nine-year old son was bitten by some guys dog only two months ago (we were hiking near Old Rag) and it was on a leash. Luckily it didn't draw blood...

Maybe you should keep your son on a leash then...

[Pak-Man]

I know this thread started in Jan... but I would just like to say a few things... I have never been attacked or bitten on the trail by a stray dog. My wife and I do however hike with our dog on a leash at all times, and when we are in camp he is on a leash as well. We do this for our protection and our dogs. I cannot count the number of times that we have been approached by a dog not on a leash and the dog is aggressive to ours. Then the owner comes plodding down the path completely oblivious to the events that his dog instigated. When we hike I make our dog get off the trail and sit whenever anyone comes down the trail.. I feel like it is courteous because not everyone like dogs, and some are downright afraid of big dogs.. And ours is a 90 lbs Lab-Dobermnan mix..

Thanks everyone...

We don't need less dogs, just more responsible and courteous dog owners... Period

DBD

[snowhoe]

Maybe you should keep your son on a leash then...

I can tell you if my kid gets bitten by some ones dog I will do every thing I can to hurt that dog. A dog that bites a person or kids should NOT be out in public.

[HIKERJEN]

I agree w/ snowhoe - NO dog should bite a person, unless it is being hit, provoked,or abused in some way by another person! There are way too many irresponsibe dog owners who know nothing about dog training or behavior, and have no business owning a dog. Last summer I was walking on a park trail w/ my leashed dog, when a German Shepard came around a corner, unleashed, and started growling and charged at me & my dog. I calmly held my dogs collar in one hand, and sprayed the Shepard w/ pepper spray when it got close enough! The dog stopped in it's tracks, turned around and walked back to it's owners who were coming around the corner at that time. I chewed out the owners for not having their "unfriendly " dog on a leash. I never take my dog on a walk anywhere w/o that pepper spray!! I also carry it when I'm by myself, too.

[Rouen]

I can tell you if my kid gets bitten by some ones dog I will do every thing I can to hurt that dog. A dog that bites a person or kids should NOT be out in public.

if your kid is stupid enough to walk up to someone elses dog and get close enough to get bitten then your kid should not be in public either, there are social rules that apply when approaching a dog and it's not the dog owners responsibility to make sure your kid knows them. if the dog is on a leash it's restrained and has no option to flee. leashes can also provoke an attack by making the dog feel it has no choice but to defend its self, this is especially true when the leashed dog is being approached by another dog. and just because the leashed dog isn't making noise doesn't mean it's not giving signals that it's going to attack or bite.

[Blue Jay]

if your kid is stupid enough to walk up to someone elses dog and get close enough to get bitten then your kid should not be in public either, there are social rules that apply when approaching a dog and it's not the dog owners responsibility to make sure your kid knows them. if the dog is on a leash it's restrained and has no option to flee. leashes can also provoke an attack by making the dog feel it has no choice but to defend its self, this is especially true when the leashed dog is being approached by another dog. and just because the leashed dog isn't making noise doesn't mean it's not giving signals that it's going to attack or bite.

Also, leashed or not, not every dog gives any signals at all that it's going to attack. Highly trained dog handlers sometimes get bitten, sometimes due to misreading but sometimes not. Yes there are social rules and a big one is keep your leashed dog from biting children even if it means holding the dog by the collar and getting between the dog and the child. I believe you know this in your heart but like most dog people claim to be heartless. Believe me I like most children less than most dogs, but it is clearly your responsibility to keep your dogs teeth out of them. You are correct about leashes, they clearly make a dog more likely to bite. Hell, they'd make me want to bite. A leashed dog is at the complete mercy of all the dog people who do not leash, how horrible. A dog on the trail is wrong for both the dog and the people and other dogs who are attacked by them. Dog people want them because they cannot be alone and I can understand that. Also believe me I am well aware dog people will not go away, laws or not.

[Rouen]

Also, leashed or not, not every dog gives any signals at all that it's going to attack. Highly trained dog handlers sometimes get bitten, sometimes due to misreading but sometimes not. Yes there are social rules and a big one is keep your leashed dog from biting children even if it means holding the dog by the collar and getting between the dog and the child. I believe you know this in your heart but like most dog people claim to be heartless. Believe me I like most children less than most dogs, but it is clearly your responsibility to keep your dogs teeth out of them. You are correct about leashes, they clearly make a dog more likely to bite. Hell, they'd make me want to bite. A leashed dog is at the complete mercy of all the dog people who do not leash, how horrible.

I make my dogs sit just off the trail while people pass, if someones kid is going to walk up to them and they get bit it's their own fault, if someone touches my dog without asking, as far as I am concerned my dogs and myself have the right to defend our pack. I'd like to see one of those kids walk up to a trained police dog on duty, ever walk by a parked k-9 unit?

[HIKERJEN]

A trained police dog isn't going to bite a child- it's only going to bite someone who is threatening it's handler, or if the handler gives it a command to attack someone. Lots of police dogs live in their handler's home, many times w/ children. It's the dog owners who haven't done any obedience trainingw/ their dogs that you have to watch out for- those dogs think they they are in charge, and will do whatever they feel like!

[Rouen]

A trained police dog isn't going to bite a child- it's only going to bite someone who is threatening it's handler, or if the handler gives it a command to attack someone. Lots of police dogs live in their handler's home, many times w/ children. It's the dog owners who haven't done any obedience trainingw/ their dogs that you have to watch out for- those dogs think they they are in charge, and will do whatever they feel like!

really, k-9 units wont bite kids.. really? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUHJ-Wq4PuY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkiMQ7josXg

if they couldn't use k-9's on juveniles the police would have a major set back in apprehending minors.
unlike most house dogs, police k-9's are trained to think that biting humans is fun and part of a game, their handlers have to be taught for at leats a week on how to handle the dog. and a good number of those dogs that do live in home with their handler are either sent to sanctuaries or put down once retired, if the handler does not want to take it, because they are not predictable in a normal house hold.

[The Mechanical Man]

Does everyone keep their dogs on a leash at all times when hiking and camping?

Thanks for your question about leashes, .................

NO, everyone does not keep their dog on a leash while camping and hiking, AT ALL TIMES.

There is a very good chance you may see unleashed dogs along the AT, unless you are in the Great Smoky Mountains, or Baxter State Park.

[HIKERJEN]

really, k-9 units wont bite kids.. really? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUHJ-Wq4PuY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkiMQ7josXg

if they couldn't use k-9's on juveniles the police would have a major set back in apprehending minors.
unlike most house dogs, police k-9's are trained to think that biting humans is fun and part of a game, their handlers have to be taught for at leats a week on how to handle the dog. and a good number of those dogs that do live in home with their handler are either sent to sanctuaries or put down once retired, if the handler does not want to take it, because they are not predictable in a normal house hold.

Sure, a handler could command a dog to attack a juvenile- but a k-9 isn't going to attack a kid just for the heck of it, w/o a command. The dogs are also taught how to attack a person- usually going for the arm, not the neck, for instance! There are many retired k-9's that continue living in the handler's home after retirement- they're way less unpredictable than an untrained dog! Why would a k-9 that has been living in it's handlers house for years all of a sudden become unpredictable, just because it is now retired? That doesn't make sense. All I was getting at, is that your 1st post about police dogs sounded like you thought police k-9's will indiscriminately attack people, including children, for no reason, which is untrue. Many k-9 handlers take their dogs to schools for career day, etc., and let the kids pet the dog. I don't remember ever hearing a news story about a k-9 that attacked someone w/o provocation, or w/o being commanded to. It may have happened, but I hear ALOT of news stories about regular citizens who own dogs that attack people for no reason!

[HIKERJEN]

By the way, I watched the 1st youtube you posted- The kid was 12 yrs. old, and PUNCHED the cop-reason enough for the dog to go after him- it wasn't some harmless little 6 yr. old that walked up to the k-9 because he wanted to pet the doggie !

[Wise Old Owl]

Sure, a handler could command a dog to attack a juvenile- but a k-9 isn't going to attack a kid just for the heck of it, w/o a command. The dogs are also taught how to attack a person- usually going for the arm, not the neck, for instance! There are many retired k-9's that continue living in the handler's home after retirement- they're way less unpredictable than an untrained dog! Why would a k-9 that has been living in it's handlers house for years all of a sudden become unpredictable, just because it is now retired? That doesn't make sense. All I was getting at, is that your 1st post about police dogs sounded like you thought police k-9's will indiscriminately attack people, including children, for no reason, which is untrue. Many k-9 handlers take their dogs to schools for career day, etc., and let the kids pet the dog. I don't remember ever hearing a news story about a k-9 that attacked someone w/o provocation, or w/o being commanded to. It may have happened, but I hear ALOT of news stories about regular citizens who own dogs that attack people for no reason!

Sorry - from personal experience as a newspaper delivery boy at 15 - I was mauled/bitten repeatedly on the hip by an unprovoked retired police dog. / the folks were not home and he burst through a metal fly screen door to get to me as I was delivering. He stopped when I got off the property.




Here is a clear vote to let the thread be locked and dumped to the bottom. Leashes have been done to death folks get a grip and find some other bandwagon - OMG

[saimyoji]

no, don't dump the thread. People who are going to take their dogs on the trail need to know that it is important to KEEP THEIR DOGS ON A LEASH. Especially in places where the posted law is to.....KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEASH.

[Plodderman]

None that I have seen.

[Rouen]

Sure, a handler could command a dog to attack a juvenile- but a k-9 isn't going to attack a kid just for the heck of it, w/o a command. The dogs are also taught how to attack a person- usually going for the arm, not the neck, for instance! There are many retired k-9's that continue living in the handler's home after retirement- they're way less unpredictable than an untrained dog! Why would a k-9 that has been living in it's handlers house for years all of a sudden become unpredictable, just because it is now retired?

It's called frustration caused by boredom from not having a job to do.

That doesn't make sense. All I was getting at, is that your 1st post about police dogs sounded like you thought police k-9's will indiscriminately attack people, including children, for no reason, which is untrue. Many k-9 handlers take their dogs to schools for career day, etc., and let the kids pet the dog. I don't remember ever hearing a news story about a k-9 that attacked someone w/o provocation, or w/o being commanded to. It may have happened, but I hear ALOT of news stories about regular citizens who own dogs that attack people for no reason!

Ever think that perhaps most these stories are kept quiet, much like the friendly lab vs pit or wolf hybrid. you will hear of a pit or wolf dog attack, but a lab attack? virtually unheard of in the mainstream news, mainly because lab attacks happen so frequently in comparison, why would reporters waste time on an everyday occurence.

By the way, I watched the 1st youtube you posted- The kid was 12 yrs. old, and PUNCHED the cop-reason enough for the dog to go after him- it wasn't some harmless little 6 yr. old that walked up to the k-9 because he wanted to pet the doggie !

but the officer that the kid hit was not the dogs handler so, to the dog, it was not overly important until given the command. yes most dogs are initially trained to go for the arm, but advanced bite work is usually done with a full suit and depending on the breed the take down varies.

again, I assume you've never walked by a parked police cruiser with a k-9 inside. I dont understand how anyone could possibly think that a dog trained to think that biting, taking down or otherwise using their mouth on a human is fun, is a safe dog.

http://wbztv.com/local/boston.police.dog.2.1096523.html
http://www.geocities.com/ericsquire/articles/dogs.htm