You're definitely right about leashes not fixing aggressive behavior. I got first-hand proof this morning.Ptglhs wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:04 pm Maybe just leave dogs alone if you don't like them. They typcially do the same. Leashes don't fix aggressive behavior, they just allow an owner to use their physical strength to restrain a dog. Any dog big enough to actually do damage -viciously assualted by a dachshund? I call BS- is going to be too big for the owner to restrain anyway.
I just got back from a quick pre-work hike on segment 14 of the CT. Coming down the steep slope leading to the Angel of Shavano TH, I saw 3 local women coming up the narrow trail. They all had dogs. The first two were leashed and under control. I pulled off to the side and thanked them, since it's so rare to see leashed dogs out here. The third woman quickly grabbed her unleashed dog by the collar, turned him around and started back down the trail, evidently looking for a place to pull over. But we had to pass each other somehow, and the slope was too steep to get very far away from the trail.
The dog was some sort of bull terrier or pitbull mix. As I passed by it was snarling at me like I killed its mother, eyes rolling around in it's head. For some reason it really wanted to hurt me. It was big and strong, and it was one of those dogs that don't let go.
That's usually the time dog owners say "don't worry, he's friendly." But she never got the chance. Mad as a hornet, the dog physically threw her to the ground. ("Bad dog," she wheezed.) But thankfully she managed to hang on long enough for me to move off down the trail. I really believe that's the only reason I'm here at the keyboard right now instead getting patched up at the Heart of the Rockies Hospital.
There's absolutely no excuse for this. She obviously knew that this dog was antisocial and dangerous, given the way she frantically try to divert him. I'm guessing the reason the dog wasn't leashed in the first place was because she would have been physically drug down the trail, or the leash would have been ripped from her hands. I wonder how many close calls she had with other hikers, or even dogs.
What if she had lost her grip on the dog? What if I had had kids with me? What makes her think public lands exist to serve her and her dog only? I guess this is just another example of the tragedy of the commons. We can do better.