What do you do to protect your (small breed esp) dog on walks?

msh8970 · ‎02-06-2017

So many dog owners in our neighborhood let their dogs run around their yards unleashed, with no fence.

Needless, to say, a large breed dog (or more than one, as many owners have more than one dog) have come 'charging' at my dog more than once, luckily the owners were able to call them back. Got tired of 'risking my luck' so to speak, and I actually stopped walking our dog (bichon shih tzu mix) because of it and now walk him around our back yard or at a local cemetery. But that gets old for him and I would like to walk him around our neighborhood again. We have a wonderful neighborhood to walk in (except of course the dog owners who let their dogs run loose).

The local police around here do not seem to care. So, what is something to take on walks, that is safe enough for other dogs, yet protects my dog? I've had people suggest some kind of horn thing, etc, but that would horribly scare my dog, as well, and it might not even be effective in the event of an attack.

We do not have any local dog parks, and I have heard drawbacks of those, as well.

I guess I am doomed to walks in the yard or other 'safe' areas like the cemetery. But it sure would be nice to take him for 'normal' walks in the neighborhood, like the other dog owners. Overprotecive doggie momma, for sure!!

MalteseMomma · ‎03-09-2010

Well,you can take a spray of some sort.........a harmless one of course,but not sure it would work..

I know how you feel .I too am afraid. About the only thing I do is pick up my dog and head as fast as I can the other way and do not put my dog down untill I get home. Once I knocked on someones door,explained my situation and asked for a ride home.Which I got ,thank God! I was forever greatful,because that huge dog would not leave us alone.

Dog parks are out for me.I woud never take my dog to a dog park,ever!!!

Luckly the little one I have now will not go any further than my property line.(how he knows it ,I do not know) so it is not much of a problem any more but I keep my eyes WIDE OPEN anyway,for any danger to my precious furbaby <3

P.S.

Careful about that cemetery,many dogs,even packs like to hang out there.

Keeper of the koi · ‎12-14-2015

@msh8970, no need to apologize about being an overprotective dog mommy, i am so there. It is a shame you have to be afraid of injury in your own neighborhood.Careless dog owners have no shame.I Live in the country lots of aceres , my inlaws behind me acres away as well, I am always looking around like a crazy person ,i cant relax.My neighbor way behind us allows his 80 + lb dogs to run,i found one had jumped my fence a few weeks ago, no tags no collar, i take the dog by the scruff realizing who it must belong too towards his house, he is casually calling out the dogs name ,I nicely tell him i dont want your dog here , it's dangerous to have him on a running on a road.His response?oh he wont hurt you, mind you i have a shihtzu.I remind him I leash my dog and even in my yard he is leased inside 2 fences.He says thats terrible dog needs freedom.So i told him if his dog comes near mine i will call dog warden and take what steps i need to to protect my dog. He seemed shocked.I will say this carry pepper spray , be ready to use it if in harm.Protect yourself and your dog. don't be afraid to report loose dogs . you have rights too.I love animals but people are selfish putting others in harms way.We never know what a NICE dog will do in a situation with others and their pets.How many times do you see on the news after attack, it was such a sweet dog played with babys,dont know what happened.I wish i could help you,but you have to be prepared.Terrible....Maryanne

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jaxs mom · ‎04-18-2012

I don't do anything special, I will pick her up ( she's 5 lbs) if I feel I need to. But in my neighborhood the only dogs that might be out off leash are little dogs like her and none of them are aggressive. So they aren't a threat. In fact one time I was walking her I tried to catch up to another chihuahua that I thought was a stray but he kept running away from us. She gets very happy when she sees other little dogs when we're on walks.

Don't Change Your Authenticity for Approval

msh8970 · ‎02-06-2017

@jaxs mom wrote:
I don't do anything special, I will pick her up ( she's 5 lbs) if I feel I need to. But in my neighborhood the only dogs that might be out off leash are little dogs like her and none of them are aggressive. So they aren't a threat. In fact one time I was walking her I tried to catch up to another chihuahua that I thought was a stray but he kept running away from us. She gets very happy when she sees other little dogs when we're on walks.

You are very, very lucky.

It seems like 90% of the dogs in our neighborhood (and it is a large neighborhood, when I walk our entire neighborhood, it is 2.5 miles) are large breed dogs. They very few small breed dog owners, live on the other end of the neighborhood or do not walk their dog. And pretty much all the dog owners I know have large breed dogs. I know most dogs are friendly, but we had a 'friendly' large breed dog (a service dog, no less) snap at our dog and had we both not had our dogs on leashes, it could have been ugly. I know I am overprotective, but I figure better safe than sorry.

jaxs mom · ‎04-18-2012

My chihuahua lives with a German Shepherd which we already owned when I found the chi when she was abandoned in my neighborhood. My GSD is very protective and intimidating to people that don't know her or understand her breed, but she loves little dogs and cats and would never harm them. She doesn't even mind the neighborhood outdoor cats when they come in our yard. I don't tend to assume that large dogs are aggressive although I would pick my chi up if we encountered any dog thatt was alone and off leash approached us in an obvious threatening manner.

Don't Change Your Authenticity for Approval

msh8970 · ‎02-06-2017

@Keeper of the koi wrote:
@msh8970, no need to apologize about being an overprotective dog mommy, i am so there. It is a shame you have to be afraid of injury in your own neighborhood.Careless dog owners have no shame.I Live in the country lots of aceres , my inlaws behind me acres away as well, I am always looking around like a crazy person ,i cant relax.My neighbor way behind us allows his 80 + lb dogs to run,i found one had jumped my fence a few weeks ago, no tags no collar, i take the dog by the scruff realizing who it must belong too towards his house, he is casually calling out the dogs name ,I nicely tell him i dont want your dog here , it's dangerous to have him on a running on a road.His response?oh he wont hurt you, mind you i have a shihtzu.I remind him I leash my dog and even in my yard he is leased inside 2 fences.He says thats terrible dog needs freedom.So i told him if his dog comes near mine i will call dog warden and take what steps i need to to protect my dog. He seemed shocked.I will say this carry pepper spray , be ready to use it if in harm.Protect yourself and your dog. don't be afraid to report loose dogs . you have rights too.I love animals but people are selfish putting others in harms way.We never know what a NICE dog will do in a situation with others and their pets.How many times do you see on the news after attack, it was such a sweet dog played with babys,dont know what happened.I wish i could help you,but you have to be prepared.Terrible....Maryanne
.

YES!!! oh my goodness, this is us, to a "T"!!

And we have a neighbor who lives behind us with 2 large breed dogs (and looking to add more) and we had the very same thing happen!! We asked him twice to please keep his dogs restrained, (we were tired of his dog crapping in our yard, etc.) and he gave the same song and dance you got. So I told him if it happens again I will report to the dog warden. He just shrugged his shoulders. We ended up installing a security camera in the window..crazy, it seems, but you have to do what you have to do!! It has been going on with this neighbor for YEARS, and when we got the security camera last year, (knock on wood), he has been much better about keeping his dogs in his yard (although still unleashed).

It is awful.

msh8970 · ‎02-06-2017

@jaxs mom wrote:
My chihuahua lives with a German Shepherd which we already owned when I found the chi when she was abandoned in my neighborhood. My GSD is very protective and intimidating to people that don't know her or understand her breed, but she loves little dogs and cats and would never harm them. She doesn't even mind the neighborhood outdoor cats when they come in our yard. I don't tend to assume that large dogs are aggressive although I would pick my chi up if we encountered any dog thatt was alone and off leash approached us in an obvious threatening manner.

I would love nothing more than to get a large breed dog, but the hubby says no, just the one dog. Plus our house and yard is small so a large breed dog would probably not be happy.

CrazyDaisy · ‎03-20-2010

As long as the owner has control, either verbal or physical, of their dog there is not much you can do. I have citronella spray should a dog get to close. Would not want to use pepper spray since there is a chance of hitting my dog or if windy me. Look for a park that allow leashed dogs on the trails, leash laws are usually enforced in those areas.

Someday, when scientists discover the center of the Universe....some people will be disappointed it is not them.

msh8970 · ‎02-06-2017

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
As long as the owner has control, either verbal or physical, of their dog there is not much you can do. I have citronella spray should a dog get to close. Would not want to use pepper spray since there is a chance of hitting my dog or if windy me. Look for a park that allow leashed dogs on the trails, leash laws are usually enforced in those areas.

Excellent advice. We do have a local park (not a dog park) that allows dogs, but they must be leashed. The trouble with that is other (wildlife) animals. And ticks. Took the dog there a couple times and the dog came home with a tick. I do like the citronella spray suggestion, nobody has ever suggested that. A possibly somewhat quirky suggestion I read one time was to carry an umbrella and pop the umbrella open if a dog comes charging at us.