Irritated...

[BustopherJones]

We often walk Annie in front of the house to do her "thing" (which we immediately clean up). We are are our own property, so we rarely do so on a leash. Now, you must understand that Annie loves people, and that many people use our seldom-traveled street as a walking path. Those who come by for the most part know Annie, and she greets them with great enthusiasm, sometimes including yipping and playful barking. This morning, a couple that I did not know walked by. Annie started barking at the man in the way that she sometimes does when she wants to play. The guy went ballistic!!! He started shouting at me that the dog should be on a leash (he was right, of course, but it had never been a problem before). I understand that he had the right to ask that the dog be kept on a leash, and I apologized to him and advised him that I would do so in the future. He continued shouting, however, stating that if he saw the dog loose again (even if it was on our property) he would call the police, and that if the dog came near him he was going to "kick the mangy mutt in the head." Out of consideration for the woman that was walking with him (and who seemed to be very embarrassed by his conduct), I restrained my desire to respond accordingly. So, Annie will not have the free run of the front yard anymore; another lesson learned the hard way...

[MrSnappy]

Ummm ... if she was on your property, he has no right to ask you to leash her!! You can do whatever you want with her on your own property - if she didn't leave the yard, he can stick it in his pipe and smoke it. It'd be a different scenario if it were public property, IMO. I can understand being polite to get the guy to just walk away, but I don't agree with indulging jerks who want to tell you what to do with your property on your property. I say you need not leash Annie just because one guy is a headcase. Although, maybe teaching her not to bark at people might be something to think about

 

RDM

[juliepoudrier]

^^What she said!

 

J.

[OurBoys]

I understand your frustration, Bustopher. Even though they would be on their own property, our boys can't spend quality time in their own front yard either. (Our next door neighbor has a dog aggressive dog and he lets her loose often.) I told DH I don't know where/how we are going to come up with the money but one of these days, we are going to get our front yard fenced in with an electric gate so we can drive in & out. By the time that happens, the dog will probably die from old age but I can still dream.

[Lenajo]

Was the guy on your property, or did Annie leave your property to go where he was on the public path?

[OurBoys]

Check with your county in regards to how their leash law is written. In Mecklenburg county, I was told, even if the dog is own your own property, it still needs to be leashed. If the dog isn't leashed or contained in some manner, you don't have control over him/her. (I'll admit this is just hearsay but I never took the chance when I lived there.)

[AKB]

What a freak. I'd be furious- if she just barked, didn't approach him what is his problem?

[silhouettestable]

I agree that if she's on your own property (and doesn't leave it) the guy's got no say it what she does. But if her enthusiasm to visit with people makes her leave your property, what about putting up invisible fence? If that guy's threatening to harm Annie I'd tell him to go ahead and call the police but he'll have to beat you to the phone because you'll be having him charged with animal cruelty.

[AKB]

That or tresspassing. I'd be certain to let him know he'd best not set a toe in your yard after threatening your dog.

[nancy]

Brenda,

 

Granted we moved out in 1989. But when we lived in Charlotte, your dog was fine if you claimed it was "under control" with or without a leash or fence. As in, "He comes back when I call him."

 

We know, because we often got chased on our bikes by dogs that were "under control". We were even told that our riding past the yard enticed the dogs to chase us. So it was all our fault.

 

And Animal Control had to actually see the dog out of the yard to charge the owner. We never could get any of the staff to come ride with us. So the dogs had their way. Often with the owner on the porch laughing.

 

Man, I'll never forget the pair of dobes up by the Charlotte Motor Speedway - I was looking up at them!

[INU]

I let my dogs off-leash on my front yard everyday. My neighbors know that they are under control so most of them have no problem. I do keep my eyes on them every second to make sure they don't go out of their 'boundries' and if I see a person/dog coming our way, I call them and put them in down stay. When Jazzy was little, (and when I was less educated about dog training), she was doing her own thing in our front yard, an eldery woman came towards us. Jazzy being a friendly puppy and me being ignorant, I didn't stop Jazzy from saying hi to the lady. The lady screamed (like how I scream when I see roaches) and froze. Her face was in fear and anger. I told her she's very friendly and quickly got a hold of her. I apologized and she was okay. I saw her walking on my street later time with a big stick in her hand. At that point, I never thought anyone would be so afraid or even hate puppies/dogs just because I like them so much. I like letting them be on my front lawn because it's clearner, more stimula, and have lots of distractions for training etc. I just make sure I watch the surrounding when doing so. It was certainly not necessary for that man to speak to you that way though.

 

A few months ago, I read a cop citing a lady for letting her dog off-leash in her front yard. On top of that, the cop gave her citation for not registering the dog with the city!

[Laurae]

A few months ago, I read a cop citing a lady for letting her dog off-leash in her front yard. On top of that, the cop gave her citation for not registering the dog with the city!

 

I kind of wish that cop lived in my neighborhood. On my street, a huge (like 130-pound) rottie, 100-pound-or-so GSD, and three labs of various colors run loose at will. They belong to four different families. None has any recall whatsoever. They sh*t on my front lawn every day and are menaces. The rottie and GSD and two of the labs are friendly, though pushy, and the other lab is not and will run up to me aggressively and bark. It is a giant PITA when I have my three (leashed) dogs coming to and from my truck parked in front of my house (no driveway, not that that would make a difference since they come right up to my front door). We have been trapped in my truck before. Sophie is reactive, and so far it's just been luck that we haven't been caught off guard by the aggressive lab.

 

I have spoken with the owners (they are often calling at their dogs ineffectively when they see that their dogs are preventing me from leaving my truck or leaving the house with my dogs). They are clueless. They no longer meet my eyes when we see each other. We don't have animal control in my town; it's only the cops. I called them once when two of the friendly labs were baby puppies (I think they're littermates) and I found them running up and down the middle of the street. They came and we were putting the pups in the squad car when the owner ran out of her house and said they were her dogs. The cop didn't even lecture her. I am sure the cops would come if I called now, but the neighbors would know it was me who called and I'd fear repercussions. Loose dogs just seem to be accepted here. I hate it--it's the only thing I do not like about my neighborhood.

 

Of course, this has nothing to do with your situation, Bustopher (except maybe to illustrate the difference between you and actual irresponsible owners and their outta control dogs). You're completely in the right, imo, and I agree with everything RDM said. I guess I am mostly just venting--sorry!

[AKB]

That's an irritating situation. We have a lot of loose dogs in our neighborhood too, it's frustrating. Before we got most of the fence up we would have at least one vagrant a day- some of them pretty nasty. For about a week when we first moved in Ingrid's potty breaks typically ended with me scooping her up and running into the house from some snarling dog in my yard. She thought that was a pretty fun game, actually. We have animal control but they are completely ineffective. I called once at nine in the morning (and I am not at all anti pit bull, but this was not a good one) because I was walking the then fifteen pound Ingrid and a very large, very angry male pit bull emerged from behind the garage and chased us all the way to the back porch. I called right when I got in the house, I was shaking, I was terrified. Animal control shows up at two in the afternoon. This was a vicious dog call. Apparently the dispatcher told the officer- if that's what they are called- I had a question about pit bulls. I was so angry. Just so this doesn't spark anything about pit bulls I have also had to call about a livid, snarling, labrador that was guarding my car from me (they never showed up for that one, I just had to wait), and an angry husky.

[BustopherJones]

To clarify: Annie was in the yard and the couple was in the street. She ran to the edge of the yard barking, then ventured into the street while barking; so it was in fact my fault for not restraining her. I do not fault the man for indicating that she should have been on a leash when she left the yard; as I indicated in the byline, the situation was my fault, and I will accept any deserved criticism for that fact. What I did find offensive was the way he responded so antagonistically, rather than simply graciously accepting my sincere apology and assurances that it would not happen again; he was never in any danger, and I think his wife knew this. And what I find most offensive is having my beloved Annie referred to as a "mangy mutt"; I don't care what you say about me, but don't insult my wife or my dog...

[Joe Anne]

Bustopher, I agree with what you said about insulting my dogs and/or my other family members. You have done and or said everything right...your sincere apology and assurance it won't happen again would suffice for the mentally/emotionally healthy individual. It is obvious this man has some serious "issues" going on. That being said, whether he or others who are so angry and threaten you or your loved ones, would ever carry out their threats or not, it is sooo not worth finding out. You just never know when people like him will decided to take out their lifes frustrations on whomever happens to be in the wrong place at that moment.

[Liz P]

I can understand both sides. I've been rushed by barking dogs and on 2 occasions my own dogs were attacked. One time the neighbor's Akita ran onto my property from his un fenced front yard, resulting in an expensive vet bill (he ripped my BC's shoulder open). I had a woman at the park FLIP OUT on me when one of my LEASHED dogs LOOKED at her. He didn't move toward her, lift his lip, growl or threaten her in any way. When he turned his head she just yelled at me, saying she was terrified of dogs and ran off screaming (a great way to get chased and bit). My dog looked up and me with an expression of total confusion on his face as if to say, "What the heck was wrong with her?"

 

Cheap, easy to install fencing can be purchased at most large hardware and home improvement stores. It's called "green welded wire lawn fencing." The posts take seconds to pound in with a simple metal post driver (don't use a sledge hammer, it takes forever). It took me 2 hours to do my yard, including a "gate" across the double wide driveway. I just extended the fence across the driveway, left about an extra 3 ft of length, cut it, then started over on the other side. The extra long flap can be clipped or secured with bungy cords to close it. Total cost, including post driver and wire cutters, was under $200. I may try to take and upload a pic of my yard when I get home tonight if I am not too tired.

 

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...&lpage=none

[Lenajo]

Liz gave you some great suggestions. Even if the fence is short, it makes a clear boundary between your yard and the public street. Please don't underestimate how frightened people can be of dogs, and yes, they act innappropriately but fighting with them won't help. You might try to address the guy later, without Annie in tow, in a non argumentative fashion. Apologize again, and ask how you can make sure he feels safe when he walks by again. It's not fun, but hey...this is one for the team (dog owners everywhere). The answers may surprise you, and if it works you can offer to let him meet Annie later on leash if it helps. He may not want too, but he won't forget that you attempted.

 

I've had a large dog run out into the street and do his best to kill the pony I was riding. I've also had dogs attacked and a lot of mental damage done to them that too me a long time to fix. I wouldn't walk alone in my neighborhood without a stout stick in hand, much less bring out my dogs. There are a *lot* of bad owners who make it bad for us all.

 

If the dog is barking and charging, I'm not going to wait for explanations. I'm going to kick or hit first and hard. I'm going to call it a lot of names, including some things way worse than mangy mutt. It won't be pretty, but I'm not going to stand there like a victim and wait for myself or my dogs to be bitten. Then I'm going to reem out the owner like he left an loaded pistol in the street. It's past the point of "she's friendly!" being yelled behind her at that point.

 

You have to see both sides, take a deep breath, and never, ever, never allow this to happen again. Having a dog charge at you is *scary*, even to big tough grown ups.

[Liz P]

Here is my fence. It ain't pretty and it's too short for me to leave the dogs outside but it is a barrier.

 

driveway

 

side gate

[nancy]

Keep in mind that some neighborhoods - even some municipalities - have rules as to what kind of fence you can have. I'll bet that one is never legal anywhere with covenants. Heck, they even dictate what color you can paint your house.

 

I see nothing wrong with it, by the way. I've just learned to look out for rules. I had to be sure I could hang laundry before I bought this house. In some neighborhoods we were shown, we could not have grown corn - tomatoes only if we trimmed them to a "proper" height. AARGH!

[Liz P]

Keep in mind that some neighborhoods - even some municipalities - have rules as to what kind of fence you can have. I'll bet that one is never legal anywhere with covenants. Heck, they even dictate what color you can paint your house.

 

I see nothing wrong with it, by the way. I've just learned to look out for rules. I had to be sure I could hang laundry before I bought this house. In some neighborhoods we were shown, we could not have grown corn - tomatoes only if we trimmed them to a "proper" height. AARGH!

 

That is why I would NEVER move to a place with silly rules like that! This is a farming town with the old laws still on the books. Legally I could keep sheep in my yard if I wanted to and I am on less than 1/8 acre.

[OurBoys]

Nancy,

 

Thanks for replying. You got my curiosity going so I looked it up. I can only assume the person I heard was 'filling in between the lines' (if you don't have 100% recall the dog must be leashed even on it's own property). Below is how it's worded.

 

 

Leash Laws

The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have strict leash laws that apply to all animals except cats (see the nuisance animal section for laws pertaining to cats). Animals must be on a leash, contained within a fence or an operable and marked invisible fence. An animal may be loose in its own yard if there is an adult (18 years or older) present with the animal and the animal responds to direct verbal commands of the person.

 

All regulations aim to protect the health and safety of our citizens. Please be a responsible pet owner and abide by the law. Violations will be investigated and stiff fines may be applied. Fines range from a $50.00 citation for the first violation and up to a $500.00 citation and permanent seizure of the animal for a fifth violation.

 

To report an animal at large, please call 311.