Dog Etiquette on the trails

[Ridgerunner]

Breaking the silence

I have to jump in. Why is it always the dog's right that comes first ? In Sherbrooke, we have had many small children over the years savagely attacked by dogs that were such good dogs. Heck, there was one just last week. We see that on TV too often : huge bite marks in the face, on the arms...We hear of the owners afterwards : "I don't know why he did that. He must have been annoyed by something. - It's the fisrt time he did that...I don't understand..."
I don't own and carry a gun and never will. But if I would have been in that officer's position, enjoying nature with my small children, and I would have felt ANY threat to their safety because of a loose wolf looking dog, I probably would not have waited very long either. Does the owner know what the dog did ? No. The dog was out of sight. Period. Maybe he was acting funny for the first time. The owner cannot say for sure that he wasn't. All I know is that there was a father there that had to make a fast decision, maybe compounded based on what he had seen of dogs or animals attacks on small children. It was his call. Is he trigger happy ? I don't think it is relavant in the circumstances.
And since I am started on the subject, I am going to voice my personal opinion that loose dogs on the trail have no business being there. I don't like them loose and trust none.
Edited PS. On the other hand, I like all hikers. We have to share the land. Stating an opinion on a public forum is an invitation to receive remarks that go against the grain sometimes. I stated mine.

 

[Grumpy]

Time out!

Folks, this has been a pretty civil and dispassionate discussion about "dog etiquette on the trail" until just the last few posts. So let's take the discussion of what happend to 74red's dog off the table here and do it privately, if we must discuss it at all.

My own hat is tipped to 74red who has had the integrity to recommend that this incident makes an excellent case for using a leash, regardless of whether one's primary concern is for human or dog convenience and welfare. That was classy. I'm not at all sure I would have had that much class had my pet been killed the way hers was.

G.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I agree with Audrey and Grumpy - this thread has become mean-spirited. We haven't seen these types of posts on awhile - where are the moderators?

 

[maineguy]

"where are the moderators?"

Target practice??

Ted

 

[Ridgerunner]

To Grumpy, Kevin and Audrey

Grumpy, you took 7 posts, prior to your last one, to state your opinion. Please allow me to state mine, like it or not. And we can't take Red's post off the table because it is still in play. He is the one that brought this up and I think that there is matter for debate here. There is a public hanging going on here of a father of two, probably a husband too, by people who have very little data of what happened. Maybe, maybe, dog owners are taking sides here, a bit too fast...
Kevin, I see no reason to censure what has been said here. afka_bob brings points that are valid. But you can disagree on me about that.
And Audrey, Happy Easter !
Lighten up gang ! and down with censure...

 

[Peakbagr]

When this thread began a few days after the last dog thread, my first thoughts were, "oh no, here we go again". I've been closely watching the thread develop, and up until now, was impressed with the basic civility shown to each other. As the thread got less and less civil, I gave some thought to stepping in, and then thought about all the censorship complaints I'd receive in email and PMs and hoped it would take a turn for the better.
I'm concerned a simple appeal for comity won't work.
There is some good information and discussion in the thread. It might be a good time to lock the thread in lieu of letting it spin out of control.
If a better idea exists, pls send me a PM.