I need to vent. I'm a walker. I've lost over 100 lbs. with walking as my main exercise. Now that the weather has broken I've been able to get off the treadmill and back outside. I walk over 10 miles a day around my neighborhood. Last summer while walking around a school close to my house 2 pit bulls charged me from about 200 yards away. Their owner, a large woman, took what seemed like hours to get to her animals and put the leash that SHE WAS CARRYING on them. To add insult to injury she then called me a dumb and said if I would have just stopped the dogs would have left me alone. All I did was back away from them and yell at her to get them off of me.

 

Last Wednesday morning on a sidewalk in my neighborhood a dog charged me from across the street. It startled me so badly that I fell on my backside. Luckily it stopped when the owner called it. He didn't say anything to me. Glad I wasn't badly hurt.

 

Yesterday, again on a sidewalk in my neighborhood yet another dog charged at me. It's owner, an older lady who couldn't have physically stopped this animal had it come to that, called the animal and got it to stop. She did apologize but told me the dog was gentle (the growling and barking kind of hid that fact from me) and that had I been WALKING MORE SLOWLY the dog wouldn't have bothered me. After my first two incidents I started carrying a can of pepper spray. I didn't zap the last dog with it but I have a feeling that if I had it's owner would have felt I over reacted.

 

Here's the venting. I'm scared of large dogs. Have been since 3 of them basically tackled me and I got bit a couple of times as a kid. If I see a large dog come at me growling and barking I won't assume that if I stop it will leave me alone. I'm not a dog hater nor am I a dog lover. If you own a dog and live in a suburban neighborhood then you have a responsibility to keep that dog completely under control at all times. If your dog charges someone, unless it's being taunted or teased it's not the fault of the person who's being charged.

 

End of vent. Thanks

Sounds like you need to put that pepper spray to use on the dog and the dog owners is there a leash law in your down?

On the important part (at least for me) 100+ lbs just by walking? How long did this take you? And it that 10 miles everyday or do you take days off? That is a great job!

I love dogs. Dearly.

 

 

But if their owners can't control them, those dogs should, at best, suffer. If I'm in your situation, those dogs die.

I too am afraid of dogs and have been attacked by two. I know how you feel. Check and see if you have a leash law and if so contact your neighborhood association. Also keep carrying that pepper spray and use it if you need to.

I'm a dog owner, have had a dog since I've lived in my house. I have never allowed my dog to roam around unleashed unless it's in the backyard where I know no one will be bothered by her. People that don't obey leash laws or take others personal safely into consideration have zero business owning a dog. I say you should just spray the next dog that charges you, I know I would.

I've been a dog owner my entire life. Most dog owners are responsible people and courteous of others. It is an annoying fact that a certain percentage of people feel that their dog is special, that everyone should like their dog, and their dog shouldn't have to be leashed. In the future please reinforce the fact that their dog should be leashed by using your pepper spray.

On the important part (at least for me) 100+ lbs just by walking? How long did this take you? And it that 10 miles everyday or do you take days off? That is a great job!

 

It took about a year and a half. I also made drastic adjustments to my diet. I do at least 10 miles a day. I wear a pedometer so the mileage also takes into account walking I do while doing regular activities. I don't take days completely off but I cut back on weekends.

For all the replies thanks.

 

I live in Louisville and there is a leash law. Luckily all 3 incidents occurred at different houses. I will definitely call and complain if there's a repeat episode at any of the places.

I had to call the dog catcher on my neighbor's dog yesterday. Got under her fence for about the 10th time and attacked my dog.

I'm a dog owner, have had a dog since I've lived in my house. I have never allowed my dog to roam around unleashed unless it's in the backyard where I know no one will be bothered by her. People that don't obey leash laws or take others personal safely into consideration have zero business owning a dog. I say you should just spray the next dog that charges you, I know I would.

Well said. I encounter many dogs out running and biking and it is a wonder I have not been bitten yet. About a month ago I had two dogs (from the same owner) chase me down the road while I was on my bike. The dog kept nipping at my legs but could not keep up. Eventually they both gave up after a couple of minutes.

 

There is another friendly dog that likes to run with us when we are out. It is cute the first mile or so, but then he just gets in the way and end up miles from the dog's house. He has gone over 15 miles with us before and it is wonder he has not keeled over dead before. Luckily we pack water out on the route and can spare him some. This dog ends up running out in front of traffic all the time.

All Tell, first of congratulations on your weight loss. Amazing!!!!

 

To dog owners out there who may read this and may be guilty of some of these same problems.

 

Invest in the PetSafe WIRELESS fencing. They are amazing. There is no installation required for underground wires etc. The whole system can be set up in 5 minutes. It has a boundry control that can be set from 30 feet radius up to 180 feet radius from the base unit.

Cost is about $300. The other benefit to this system versus the in ground is when your dog gets out of the boundry the shock is delivered until he gets back in the boundry. It has worked great on my dog. He is certainly not viscous by no means, but it works great to keep him home!!!

Dog owners love their pets like parents love their kids. I get that. Just as a parent does not like it when a stranger says to them that "Johnny is mis-behaving," dog owners also get very defensive about their dear pets. Before admitting that their dog was chasing-charging-barking (acting like a dog), many dog owners will say that it is your fault and you provoked them, just by walking, jogging on the sidewalk in front of their house.

"Fido is gentle, he will never hurt anyone, he is an excited pup!" Yeah, well, Fido is also a DOG, capable of any/all typical dog behavior!

I also live in Louisville but have never ran into this problem where I run. However when I go to Jefferson Memorial or Bernheim to hike there is always some idiot who has their dog hiking out of sight and unleashed in front of them.

My family has two dogs. The smaller one is always on a leash outside because, if she gets a chance, she bolts from the house. The bigger dog, we have no problem letting him run around the yard because he is literally scared of everything. If a person walks by, he runs for the door. If a dog (big or small) walks by, he runs for the door. If a car passes by, he runs for the door. If the neighbor's ball goes rolling down the street, he runs for the door. If a squirrel shakes the branches of a tree? You can probably see where this is going. It's really amusing to watch since he's such a BIG dog. He wouldn't leave the yard if his life depended on it.