Mean dog (Read 1337 times)

    MTA: Oops - repeated advice! Would you consider running a half mile with a handful of treats? Cut up a chicken breast or turkey lunch meat. When the dog comes charging at you, throw the treats towards the dog and behind you. As you pass by, the dog will be distracted and will hopefully stop to enjoy this unexpected treat! Of course, he might then look forward to you coming by, so you may have to bring treats with you for several runs. You might make a new friend. I agree, though, if there are leash laws, then you should contact animal control and report this dog. We've proclaimed this the summer of off-leash dogs here in my neighborhood. I have a dog who doesn't get along well with dogs that she doesn't know and we are constantly dodging unleashed dogs. The treat throwing strategy works for us in this situation as well.
    ~ Mary ~

    "Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don't think about them, I just do them. The decision has already been made." - Patti Sue Plumer
      ** LOVE ** (What a gorgeous group of dogs! I love dobes with natural ears!) My friend's pup:
      ~ Mary ~

      "Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don't think about them, I just do them. The decision has already been made." - Patti Sue Plumer
      Purdey


      Self anointed title

        Would you consider running a half mile with a handful of treats? Cut up a chicken breast or turkey lunch meat. When the dog comes charging at you, throw the treats towards the dog and behind you. As you pass by the dog will be distracted and will hopefully stop to enjoy this unexpected treat! Of course, he might then look forward to you coming by, so you may have to bring treats with you for several runs. You might make a new friend.
        Why should I have to run (potentially) 18 - 20 miles carrying poultry? Next time I will kick them in the throat and then stamp on their heads if they get close to my baby.

         

         

          Why should I have to run (potentially) 18 - 20 miles carrying poultry? Next time I will kick them in the throat and then stamp on their heads if they get close to my baby.
          Ah, you misunderstand. I was replying to the original poster who indicated that his encounter with the dog was only a half mile away from his house. Funny, you highlighted that exact part of my statement. I was in no way trying to justify the actions of aggressive, off leash dogs, just trying to offer an option that might help in the specific situation that was originally described.
          ~ Mary ~

          "Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don't think about them, I just do them. The decision has already been made." - Patti Sue Plumer
          Purdey


          Self anointed title

            http://runningahead.com/forums/post/31975ccd0c174ffea62582fed0b22435#focus http://runningahead.com/forums/post/29cad2629f87490e995f4714cb2690b6#focus
            Thanks Trent. Useful stuff there. I'll stick with kicking their throats and then stamping on their heads. This is what I wished I had done whilst I was getting my bites stitched in hospital.

             

             

            Trent


            Good Bad & The Monkey

              I'll stick with kicking their throats and then stamping on their heads.
              The dogs' or the owner's? It is owners like this that get folks like the OP to hate all dog owners.


              Feeling the growl again

                Covering 3000+ miles per year for the majority of the past decade, you can imagine I have run into more than a few mean dogs or at least ones that chase me. Now I like dogs, I have had one since I was 10. But mine were always trained that they would be severely punished if they ever went into the road after anyone. My current dog will bark and run out to the inside edge of the ditch, but has NEVER gone into the road after anyone, even if they stop and taunt him...he knows better, it wasn't all that hard to train him like that, and I have no fence. I have ZERO sympathy for dogs and dog owners when they chase me. Maybe it's not the sog's fault he was never trained properly, but it's not my fault either and when it's me or the dog I win. I first will stop and yell at them, even turn and walk/jog back at them. This intimidates 95% and they leave me alone. 5% still come on, and another 10% try it again as soon as I turn my back to exit the area. If they get within kicking distance, they get kicked. HARD. If their owner will not train them by teaching them a lesson, I WILL. About a month ago I had a dog come at me very aggressively. I'd been mildly chased by this one before but this time his 70-something owner was in the yard so I think that was the difference. She watched him go, and said nothing. I yelled at her to control her dog...nothing. I yelled at the dog, and he paused. I turned to leave and he came in for my calf, so I spun and kicked him in the head. The woman started screaming, and even got her husband to chase me down in their truck and lay into me about how their dog doesn't bite. I pointed out that A) he cannot PROMISE me that his dog will NEVER bite -- there is always a first (he did stay mute when I challenged him to promise that), B) the law does not care if his dog does not bite, it is illegal for his dog to chase me on a public road and I am within my rights to file a loose dog complaint against him, C) if he fails to do his legal duty to control his dog, I am within my rights to kick it, and D) it is not my responsibility to have to try and determine whether every dog I encounter is a biter -- I have to assume every dog may and I don't give a sh!t if he claims his dog never bites because I have had people tell me that as I pry their dog's jaw off my leg. I said if he is so stupid as to chase me down because I was forced to kick his dog in self defense due to his negligence, in the future there would be no more freebies and each time the dog sets foot on the road I will file a loose dog report. I used to get chased by that dog about 1 of 3 times past that house, and I haven't seen it since. I will NOT change my routes because someone refuses to take responsibility for their pet. #1 this would exclude too many roads, and #2 it just isn't right.

                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                 

                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                 

                Purdey


                Self anointed title

                  "Hey! I thought you said your dog didn't bite?!" "That.... is not my dog."

                   

                   

                  Purdey


                  Self anointed title

                    The dogs' or the owner's? It is owners like this that get folks like the OP to hate all dog owners.
                    Word.

                     

                     

                    JakeKnight


                      E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
                      -----------------------------

                      JakeKnight


                        "Hey! I thought you said your dog didn't bite?!" "That.... is not my dog."
                        Classic punchline. Oh - and I'm calling horse-puckey on your story up there, by the way. If two bullmastiffs attacked you with intent to harm, you wouldn't be here. They were toying with you before eating you. HTFU. Or run faster.

                        E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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                          In response to the original post...... I don't think old Comet was going to do much more than pee on his leg. No need to run the other direction.
                            Well I have a slightly different perspective to add, which is probably going to get me lots of flak but here goes: I live in rural (actually RURAL) Vermont. I live about a mile from the end of a dead-end road. Since there are only two houses beyond ours, we don't get a whole heck of a lot of traffic, car or foot. My dog is a very sweet, very friendly boxer/lab mix who had the unfortunate combination of genes to wind up looking like a pit bull. I'll admit-she's a tough looking dog, though she has never shown any sign of aggression to anyone or anything. There have been a few times that people have jogged or walked past our house and Nikita will run to greet them and cover them in sloppy dog kisses. I recognize that not everyone wants to be covered in dog slobber. When this happens, I run down to grab my dog as soon as I can, and I introduce the jogger/walker to her so they can see she isn't mean. I then ask them if they normally run at a certain time of day so I can make sure she isn't outside off-leash at that time. In short, I try to accomodate their needs (to use the road). Keep in mind that this was your first time trying out a new route....if the owner had no reasonable expectation that anyone would be running by, they probably thought it was OK for the dog to be outside off-leash. Getting back to the original post, I recommend that you stop and talk to the owner and ask that she introduce you to the dog so that the dog is familiar with you--that alone might stop it from chasing you. At the very least, it won't perceive you as a threat so it probably won't bite you. I wouldn't jump to calling the animal control people unless it's a continuing problem. And I would NOT recommend taking treats with you unless you want the dog to follow you home too. Again, my perspective is somewhat different because I come from a place where it's commonplace to have dogs off-leash, both in their yards and out walking them too. We even have a couple of dogs that sleep in the middle of Main Street. But don't hate all of us dog-owners, when you're running or any other time.
                            2009 Goals:
                            PR 5K (Ha, current 43:10)
                            Run a 10K
                            Meet Seasonal Weight Loss Challenges
                            Complete my first Sprint Tri
                              because I come from a place where it's commonplace to have dogs off-leash, both in their yards and out walking them too.
                              Jenn - that's totally me out here in Missouri! I love being able to run on traffic-free roads (other than the occasional tractor...the farmer's face when I go running by is priceless.) Most dogs are farm dogs, and people expect them to just run around anywhere. My Sibe can't be trusted off-leash...he's more of a nomad and would never return home, but my shep mix just roams the backyard leash-free. She's scared of what's past the driveway - won't even chase rabbits past the edge of the yard. It makes me laugh so hard! I bet our dogs would get along great. Smile I like your profile on here - ROCK ON!!
                              "If you run 100 miles a week, you can eat anything you want - Why? Because (a) you'll burn all the calories you consume, (b) you deserve it, and (c) you'll be injured soon and back on a restricted diet anyway." ~ Don Kardong