Expensive Dog Walk

[Jer]

Wrong. Most dogs run, hide or go crazy when they hear gun shots. But hunting dogs don't. Why you ask? Glad you asked that...because they have been trained not too.

Yeah, talk to me like I've never been around hunting dogs. Take that same dog that's trained to not flinch around gun fire and walk them off leash next to a busy road (Prospect & Shields in Fort Collins in this case) and then pass someone riding a skate board going the same way in the cross walk. Suddenly, that super smart dog that's fearless of gun fire is now inexplicably afraid of the sound the skate board wheels make on the rough concrete. The dog then panics and goes out into traffic to avoid the sound that neither you nor I would think twice about it being afraid about. I was at that intersection waiting to turn left at the front so I saw the entire event unfold clearly. Had the teenager swerved to miss the dog it would have likely meant the loss of human life so the right decision was made, the dog died a horrific painful and slow death in front of everyone all while the dog's owner had the leash draped around his neck the entire time. Turns out that dog was also a hunting dog (I asked when I saw his RealTree camo collar & leash) and trained to not fear gun fire which is a very focused and specific type of training. To say that that dog now is afraid of nothing and will never react adversely to conditions neither you or I can predict proves your level of intelligence.

I think everyone here will agree or has agreed that the law is the law. If the law says you must leash, then you must leash or pay a fine. But your generalizations about dogs off leash are absurd.

Love the way you call real life experiences generalizations because even if I hadn't witnessed these first-hand they would be any less relevant. The bottom line is I'm a dog lover and have watched too many dogs die a horrible death due to the owner's stupidity and ignorance to what's possible. You seem to fit this nicely since you seem to think nothing I have said is possible and there's no good reason for leash laws within city limits. I suppose you also think it's not possible to be mugged or attacked so why carry a firearm, right? The odds are good you won't get in an accident and your driving record is clean so why wear your seat belt, right? How is this different?

[StagLefty]

Dang to wrap this up:

In my very first post I said I was in the wrong.
Am I pissed I got a ticket - yes. But my own fault.
As for 'Saying your dog is better trained (go to a K9 selection & training course sometime and then come back to this statement) and that it's for the 'donut fund' is doing nothing to help your cause.'
Training - she's Schutzhund Level 3! Check it out, she's trained.
Donuts - cops and donuts need I say more. IT WAS A JOKE.

You posted this on a public internet forum. What did you expect ?

[Byte Stryke]

The OP agreed to being wrong in his very first post guys.

All I am saying is some of this "keep your dogs on leash or PEOPLE WILL DIE" nonsense seems a little excessive. It's not the end of the world if a dog is let off leash. The working dogs I mentioned are fine examples that dogs off leash don't guarantee a threat...

I Disagree
dogs, like people, are always a variable.

[hollohas]

Jer, As for what you have seen happen to dogs, I never questioned your real life examples nor did I call them generalizations. Each event sounds horrible. However, your generalized statement was that training can't keep a dog from getting spooked. I gave ONE example that it can. Of course a gun trained dog won't necessarily be steady on a busy street. But if a dog can be trained to be gun steady, why can't he be trained not to get spooked on the street? Or anything else for that matter? It can and that is my point. Service dogs are trained not to spoke on busy streets.

You are flat out wrong when you say no amount of training can get the spook out of a dog.

Final note, I have nothing against leash laws. Never argued that. I do however think some posts here come from leash Nazis (no reference to Hitler...think soup Nazi instead).

[Atrain1]

so I was doing 80MPH down this side street.. yeah it was a 35mph zone, but there was no one around but this cop....

You beat me to it Byte I was thinking the same exact thing. It is legal if there is no Police around.

[Jer]

Jer, As for what you have seen happen to dogs, I never questioned your real life examples nor did I call them generalizations. Each event sounds horrible. However, your generalized statement was that training can't keep a dog from getting spooked. I gave ONE example that it can. Of course a gun trained dog won't necessarily be steady on a busy street. But if a dog can be trained to be gun steady, why can't he be trained not to get spooked on the street? Or anything else for that matter? It can and that is my point. Service dogs are trained not to spoke on busy streets.

You are flat out wrong when you say no amount of training can get the spook out of a dog.

Final note, I have nothing against leash laws. Never argued that. I do however think some posts here come from leash Nazis (no reference to Hitler...think soup Nazi instead).

Sure, just like a select few amount of people are trained to handle higher speeds than the average public. Doesn't mean they should be allowed to speed because all the other variables are still out there. Now, by your statements, I should expect LEOs to judge if the dog has special anti-spooking training before issuing citations? This is just stupid. You need to stop. You can NOT expect a dog to react in a predictable manner to unknown situations when you can't even expect a human to react properly in similar circumstances. Maybe you had some crazy dog once that had millions of dollars in training and wouldn't react adversely to ANYTHING EVER but in the real world this just doesn't happen. Why do you think service dogs are also not exempt from leash laws? Herp derp. I'm a leash nazi.

[hollohas]

I Disagree
dogs, like people, are always a variable.

So we're averaging about 30 deaths per year give or take...the vast majority from family dogs or at least dogs in their own home.

What I learned...? Dogs should be on leash in our own homes too.

[Ed_S]

You posted this on a public internet forum. What did you expect ?

You have a point.

Nearly time to drive home, woo hoo 80mph in the 35mph zone.

[hollohas]

Now, by your statements, I should expect LEOs to judge if the dog has special anti-spooking training before issuing citations? This is just stupid.

Not what I said. I said the law is the law and I have nothing wrong with it. I'm not questioning the law or how it is enforced. I was questioning your very general statement that dogs can't be trained not to spook. You're obviously very worked up so I think I'll let it rest rather than ruin your evening.

[rockhound]

Reading the many paranoid replies on this subject. Is the fear of loose dogs causing problems with hunters using dogs while bird hunting?

My thought is people are getting conditioned to fear dogs due to the media reporting of bites and lack of long term relationships, transit life styles effecting dog ownership and training.
Fearful people get dogs excited.

actually my son who is now 12 has been attacked twice in his life by those nice dogs who were just off the leash cause they feel better that way. my sister in law has a torn ACL due to being run over by a friendly dog that was off his leash.

far as I am concerned, you deserve the ticket. and your dog's urge to run free is not worth the kid or adult that they bite. just because he is normally friendly doesn't mean he always will be