The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
What’s your opinion on off-leash dogs at local parks (not dog parks)? Do you care if the owner takes them off the leash and lets them run around, or does it bother you when dogs are running around, even if they are well behaved?
Talk about it….
Even well behaved dogs can be irritated into misbehaving.
It’s a bad idea. The other park patrons have no idea as to the temperament of the dog, the temperament of the dog’s owner, or the owner’s ability to control the dog. It’s just not worth the risk.
I ride the trail and every time I see a dog off leash my hand goes to the pepper spray on my belt. Big dog; little dog – it doesn’t matter. I will fight to avoid getting bitten or crashing and hurting myself because some fool thinks they’ve got total control of an off-leash dog. If the owner gets angry when I spray their dog, I’ve got enough for him/her too.
on-leash, please
It ticks me off when people let their dogs off leash at a park or walking on the canal or wherever! I love dogs and have two of my own. However, I have German Shepherds that are huge and they get rowdy if another dog comes up to them, hence why I like other dogs on leashes. Plus … my dad was a mailman and he was bitten by more dogs where the owner said, “Oh he won’t hurt you.” Yeah, right ….
I haven’t seen anyone walk on the canal in a long time; maybe 2040 years or so. (Sorry – I’m. a wise ass.) :}
I do know what you mean and agree.
Where I live they sometimes just let the animal out to do whatever -not curbing them- no I have zero problem with random pee and poop-dispensing animals barking @ 7am why should I?
Sarcasm, I hope. The marking just causes other dogs to mark and soon your fence or bush smells like a SF street. (Yes, dog pee does smell.). The free-range bowel movement in my front yard is also a major nuisance I would rather not have to clean – IT’S NOT MY FREAKING JOB!
Put a security camera pointing to your front yard then post the video online of the culprit using your yard as toilet or your garbage bin to dump that bag of poop. They should take it home. I started putting my bins on pickup day where my street pointing camera could catch anyone putting their dog poop bag in my garbage bin AFTER garbage has been picked up. Seems to be a deterrent.
Dog owners are not responsible at all. My last experience, riding on the trail the guy and his dog wandering around with no leash in site. I asked him, “Where’s your leash?”. He pulled it out of his pocket and showed it to me. I was so taken aback that I could do nothing but let out a hearty laugh. It’s not dogs that I hate, just their owners.
At the nearby park most people keep their dogs on leash for the walk. Funny thing is most the big dogs ignore me but it’s the small dogs that think they have to attack apparently to protect their owner.
Then we have the Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline Park where people walk their dogs on leash but are oblivious to the signs saying no dogs allowed. They risk a $300 fine for doing so. Once asking a Regional Parks police officer why people still walk their dogs there he replied that it seems the more you tell people they can’t do something the more they want to do it. Doesn’t take much brains to realize why dogs might not be allowed in a game preserve.
BTW, it’s an additional $200 if the dog is off leash. I also pointed out to one park attendant that many people don’t know the difference between a paved path and and gravel path so think it’s okay walk their dog on the Regional park’s gravel paths. The paved paths are in the city park area.
Regoinal shore is allowed as it is and East Bay Park Dogs on leash Is only The Parking Lot and the first 100 ft has to be on leash after that your ok ordinance 38 East Bay Regional Park District
dON, read section 801.1 of Ordinance 38. Dogs are banned from the Martinez Shoreline marsh areas (and a few other EB parks) and there are signs up that say so.
No, no, a 1,000 times no. Small fry will always try to play with dogs, and are not yet adept at reading canine signals. Keep them leashed and away from the kids. Think how you would feel if some toddler got bit in the face.
I have 2 dogs and very much disagree with people who let their dogs off leash in an on leash area, including parks and trails. Whether the dog is “nice” or “friendly” has nothing to do with the issue. Running dogs can run into people causing injury. Also some on leash dogs, including one of mine, do not like to be approached by an off leash dog.
Yesterday I saw a man riding a bike on the canal trail cross at Geary in the lit crosswalk. He had 2 pit bulls running along with him, neither on a leash. Crazy.
Frankly there are some people that should not be off their leashes as opposed to the dogs.
Every dog is “well-behaved” until… It isn’t.
I really don’t like it when others think their dogs are perfect and they don’t have to follow the law. But yet again, I walked by Dave Brubeck Park by Concord High, many off leash dogs. There’s that part of me that understands, yes, you want your dog to be able to run around and not at a dog park. I myself would never bring my dog to a dog park. Been grooming and showing dogs for 30 years. No way!!!! But, you need to follow the rules. Many think their dogs act like kids and think like kids. No. it’s still a dog. They don’t think like people do. Stop babying them. As much as you want them to think they understand your baby talk, they go by the tone of your voice and your body language. Treat them and teach them like a dog and you’ll all be happier.
I love dogs and would not be personally bothered by an off-leash dog that is truly well-behaved and under it’s owner’s control. But most of the other comments here show why it’s probably a bad idea.
AS A PROFESSIONAL Dog Walker, for off leash I take my pack of 6 to the East Bay Regional Parks where Im allowed, Local their are just too many hazards to be off leash . Cats Cars squrriels etc. I find That dogs behave better when not on leash and under voice command.
I love dogs, too, but in the recent past, I have been charged by two off-leash, snarling, barking dogs that appeared to be going to attack. Totally unprovoked. I was minding my own business working in my yard. One was a complete surprisea and ran up behind me. When I turned to face the growling, snarling dog, it behaved like it was going to attack. I had a pair of sharp clippers in my hand and the owner must have thought I would defend myself if need be, because she quickly got the dog under control.
The other was wandering around loose on the street while the owner chatted with neighbors and had barked at me I worked in my yard nearby. The owner called it back, but didn’t leash it. She wandered over to talk to me and I first saw the dog approaching with her out of the corner of my eye. It charged at me growling and barking in my yard and she scolded it, but didn’t leash it. I’m just waiting for the day one of them clamps down on my arm to supplement my retirement.
Dog owner of many years, bred and showed Saluki’s for 10 years back in the day – dogs in public places belong ON LEASH!! There are too many possibilities that a dog will SNAP – and not just at another dog, but at adults and children! The consequences can be quite devastating and should be mitigated at all times with a leash!!
Sure…..if they are muzzled.
Far too many think that their dogs are trained….until they bite someone.
On-leash.
I’ve known dogs and seen other owners & dogs who are very well trained and behaved on trails. They are friendly and stay to themselves. For them I have no problem with their enjoying themselves in designated parks. Plenty (too many) others, should be banished.
Well…. when your well behaved dog runs off leash and makes a beeline for my on leash hyper high strung dog there’s going to be a fight no matter how good your dog’s intentions are…. I never should have let him watch “Call of the Wild”.
On leash!
Dogs in public should be on a leash. Also, keep your dogs out of stores! Especially grocery stores. Nobody is really allowed to say so anymore, but everybody is annoyed and disgusted that your dog is inside a grocery cart. Or wandering the clothing racks at target. Or being carried through a store.
I love my own dog very much, but he does not belong in a store or off leash.
I keep my dog on leash for HER safety.
Ditto…..
On Leash! To many incidents of people letting their dogs bit other dogs or humans as noted on Next Door. Additionally, the owners quickly disappear and are not responsible for their pets actions.
Not to introduce another variable but……..Those long retracting leashes are a problem also. When a dog is ten feet out on one of those things, the dog is walking the owner. Further, if the dog charges with slack in the line, the dog has enough leverage to face plant the owner.
The owners of those leashes sometimes release the button so their dog can run over to a properly leashes dog uninvited. No common sense.