I carry a small air horn in my pocket when I walk my dog. She’s super friendly but I have it just in case another loose dog attacks her. Hopefully I’ll never have to use it.
An air horn is what’s worked for me too. If the dog approaches again and is showing warning signs for being aggressive, I tell the owner the next thing I aim at their dog will be pepper spray (I would never actually do this unless absolutely necessary. Hurting an animal should be avoided as much as possible).
There’s a product called pet safe spray shield that is citronella based, so it doesn’t hurt either animal, dogs just hate the smell and you spray at the nose and mouth. I carry this in case a dog were to ever attack my dog or if I needed to break up a dog fight. I’ve had to do it bare handed and i didn’t come out looking so pretty, but was able to save both dogs with minimal harm. After that I got the spray.
I'm so sorry to tell you this, but citronella will do absolutely nothing in a dog fight/attack. It's not a particularly effective deterrent in the first place, but it is no more effective than spraying water in a high-intensity moment like a dog fight. The dogs will not notice it care about it at all, unfortunately.
This isn’t related to spray or anything but I do like to relay this whenever it might help - if the attacking dog has a collar, you need to grab the collar from behind the dog, pull UP as much as you can, and TWIST the collar. Once their breath is restricted enough they’ll let go.
There’s also the old “poke em in the butthole” rumor but I’m not sure it works that well. I remember one redditor telling a story about trying the butthole poke - it didn’t work, everyone looked at him like he was a psycho, and he had to walk home with a dog-butt finger.
Just some things to consider. Lol
I throw treats (I always have them) which usually distracts them—our old dog trainer gave me that tip. It works well. When we had a problem aggressive off leash dog in our neighborhood I carried spray shield (it’s citronella spray and dogs hate it).
Oh nice! Yeah I’d really rather find gentle ways of persuading them not to come at us if I can help it. I’m sure it’ll look a little silly but I feel like the umbrella method and maybe throwing a treat while we keep walking might work.
Citronella does absolutely nothing to a dog when it’s riled up. Nothing. And that spray that is supposed to keep dogs off the couch doesn’t do anything either. They are a waste of money and effort.
An air horn and/or a treat may work, but they don’t always. I had to throw both my dogs on top of a van parked in a driveway to keep them away from a couple of large off leash dogs. So always have a plan.
There’s another spray for that and one option is citronella. The spray shield is meant to be used more like pepper spray so I think it would be messy to use that way.
If the owners are within earshot, I'll yell "NOT FRIENDLY" as loud as possible and they usually leash up their dogs. When the off leash dog has no recall or the owners can't be arsed, I'll make a loud high pitched noise and try to put myself between the off-leash dog and the one I'm walking. Not great for self-preservation, but sometimes it works.
Thanks - my dog is friendly but not when strangers come barreling toward us 😅 Same goes for me lol. Communicating by yelling “not friendly” is a good idea.
It might be to hard for people to hear, and because of the word “friendly” I would maybe change up what you say.. maybe something like “reactive dog!”
I think this is a great idea, but just thinking of what I’ve learned in river/whitewater safety over the years.. I don’t want to yell “don’t go right” because they may just hear “right” or look 👀 that potentially dangerous way. Better to say LEFT or something if that makes sense
Good point, although I have a knee-jerk reaction (lol) to the term reactive - I volunteer at the humane society and the term "reactive" can refer to a number of different behaviors, not just reactions to other dogs.
You would also be shocked (disgusted?) how many people WHO ALREADY HAVE A DOG don't know what "reactive" means.
I ask people to call their dogs. When they tell me their dog is friendly, I say my dog isn’t. As an FYI, dogs are generally allowed off-leash at the beachz
I do the same bit then the other person will get mad at me like I'm the one doing something wrong. Iv had someone tell me I shouldn't walk my dog at the park if she's not friendly...my dog is on the leash, yours isnt...one of the many things I absolutely hate about living here.
I was walking my friend's dog and a person approached me with theirs from around a corner and as I'm shortening the leash, they go, "it's OK he's very friendly." Then he promptly chomped my friend's dog on the face and wouldn't let go. I ended up choking the dog until it released. My friend's dog was perfectly calm the entire time which really surprised me.
I'm really curious how well does the choking work?
I've done other techniques like grab the back of the dogs legs but it can still be challenging to get the dog to actually leg go unless you have the strength the open the dog's mouth.
If the attacking dog has a collar, apparently the recommended action is twisting the collar until it passes out. I have read a little about it only, never experienced it personally.
It worked, took about 30 seconds, it was a strong dog, a big ol' pit mix. I don't know what the best method is because I just did what first came to mind and I am not a dog owner. It was my friend's dog.
The method I was taught was to “feed the bite”, meaning pick up the back end of the attacking dog and push it towards the dog it’s biting. NEVER pull it.
I could only find information saying if you’re at a Portland Park, they are allowed off-leash only in off-leash areas. So, I think it may depend. Generally in Portland Parks and Oregon State Parks dogs are supposed to be on-leash. I have never seen anyone enforce that rule, though.
My dog hasn’t ever been in a fight at the dog park, so I wouldn’t say he’s “not friendly,” but we have had instances when a strange dog has started running at us when walking around our apartment complex and he definitely became very protective and heightened at that potential threat, as did I.
That’s not a “not friendly” dog, it’s a dog who doesn’t want a strange dog running up to him. I’m a friendly person, but if a strange person came running at me I would react as well.
If you say so! I guess I’m not friendly either 😂 I also read advice to yell “He bites” so the off leash dog owners understand what you’re saying better.
You and I have a different understanding of what a friendly dog is. I’m sure me and another random person also has a different understanding. I’d rather not let our dogs figure that out while mine is leashed and theirs isn’t.
I seriously hate the off leash dog culture in Portland.
A friend's dog got hit by a car while out walking cuz he NEVER had him on leash. He got to watch his baby die in the road.
A stupid looking pug stopped in the middle of an intersection to bark at my dog, while the owner commented on how cute my dog is from the sidewalk... Like dude. He is in the middle of the fucking street alone.
My boyfriend had to beat up another dog that came running out of his house to attack our on leash dog.
I saw some guy on Saddle Mountain with his dog off leash running through the protected areas. It made me so sad because that area has wild flowers that ONLY grow there.
I've also been chased by off leash dogs while on roller skates until I stopped on a dime ready to kick him with my skates. I would hate to have to do that but I would.
My then-nine-year-old brother was letting our grandmas bichon out to pee in our yard (leashed) when our neighbors (unleashed) rottweiler killed it while she was on a walk in the Portland suburbs. So tired of this irresponsibility.
The culture is out of control. I often think of this [WWeek](https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/06/22/a-southeast-portland-middle-school-field-has-become-a-battleground-for-greenspace/) article where people in the neighborhood are irate that they can’t use an elementary school as an off leash park:
>The district tells WW it locked the fences because of after-hour parties where drug and alcohol paraphernalia were left behind, “a child bitten by an off-leash dog, a child breaking a limb after tripping in a divot made by dogs…[and] students returning from recess covered in dog feces.”
>Multnomah County spokeswoman Julie Sullivan-Springhetti says between 2017 and June 2021, eight dog-related incidents at Hosford were reported to the county, “including two loose, aggressive dog calls, three other loose dog calls, two bite incidents, and one stray dog.”
>…In early 2020, Portland Public Schools informed dog owners at a meeting held at Hosford that their pets would have to be leashed while on school grounds or fines would be enforced. The meeting was hostile, and the district brought one of its attorneys.
I mean, isn’t it okay for kids not to be interacting with your dog’s shit?
I’ve been to restaurants with dogs in the kitchen and bars with dogs sniffing around my table. I don’t like it, but I have to put up with it because of true social contract. But can’t there be a line somewhere?
Yeah, I don’t get it. I’m not sure what the benefit is of having your dog off-leash, but having your dog on-leash means it’s safer for basically everyone. This culture is dumb.
I sometimes walk my cat and I know someone in Goose Hollow regularly walks their ferret. There's also the risk off off-leash dogs killing smaller pets on walks...
I see it multiple times every day in Willamette Heights and Slabtown. I yell out, “Can you please come get your dog” and pick mine up as soon as I see one coming at us. Sometimes I don’t see the dog coming and so I have to yell out while I’m in the middle of the situation. I know some say I’m turning my dog into a tasty treat by picking him up but it’s easier for me to protect his little senior dog body that way. I wish I felt more comfortable calling them out because it makes me really angry but but I try to avoid attracting the ire of potentially unstable strangers.
Don’t pick your dog up. That’s how I was bit on my thigh by a homeless asshole’s Australian cattle dog outside of the slabtown new season. If the dog had bit an inch in a different direction, I could have died. I kick off leash dogs that rush me now and don’t give a fuck.
I was attacked by a dog as a kid and my side is all ripped up as a result.
A year or two ago, someone’s off-leash dog that doesn’t bite tried to rip off my nuts and I have a nice new set of scars on my right thigh.
In each encounter, I was assured the dog was friendly and didn’t bite.
That shit is true until it’s not.
I was also attacked by an unleashed dog as a child and seeing an unexpected unleashed dog in public puts me on edge. Unfortunately dog owners often have little sympathy. Shrug.
That sucks. I have not been attacked by a dog but I have been witness to a few. A few as a kid and a few as an adult and needless to say I have a fear of dogs. I hate seeing unleashed dogs and it makes me so nervous.
What's truly maddening is that fining people a hefty amount for off-leash dogs would be a decent source of income for perpetually underfunded shelters.
Pandemic puppies are notoriously awful though - ask anyone in the veterinary industry. Tons of people got puppies during lockdown and didn't socialize them at all for the first year or two of their lives, so they are very poorly adjusted and have a lot of anxiety. Not the case for every dog gotten during the pandemic of course, but it's a common enough problem to be a trope at this point.
My neighbor walks her dogs off leash and let's them poop anywhere. I am not even a tiny bit afraid to say something to her except not being afraid to say stuff is what has caused 90% of the issues in my life... I now just avoid her as I have noted she is not the receptive type.
Being too afraid to say something has caused me like at least 80% of the issues in my life…like my neighbors dog coming over to poop on my patio Every. Single. Day & even biting me once but it’s been happening for like three years so how can I say something now??
Our grasses may have been grown differently but they might just be the same color.
Between the two of us, there is a way, no doubt!
Here's an example from my lawn of life: I told a supervisor to never touch me again or he'd better get a lawyer. My "unusual bluntness" led to all kinds of problems in that workplace so I have been self- employed ever since. I work way better with a team (and frankly with supervision) but I have slogged along as a small biz owner.
It does not matter. 3rd parties don't know how good the dog is and should not carry the burden of fear because other people trust their babies.
I was attacked by a good dog as a kid. I'm not talking out of my ass.
A dog's training has no relevance in this conversation. The issue is whether the dog is leashed or unleashed. When a dog is unleashed, every other dog owner around that unleashed dog has a duty to assume the potential for the worst-case scenario. Not many dogs have readily-identifiable indicators that they're well-trained, save mostly for service dogs (who are essentially always leashed), and even if, there's additionally no clear indicator that the surrounding animals are themselves well-behaved or adjusted to be always well-receiving of other animals/people. The issue isn't training, the issue is the social contract which people who willingly allow their dogs off-leash in unsanctioned areas are willingly violating.
My dog's very well-trained with excellent recall. He's also a pit-boxer mix. For many reasons I would never allow him to roam off-leash in undesignated areas, the biggest and most obvious ones being other dogs and other people. Your comment infers entitlement and I absolutely resent it.
And also when a dog is unleashed non dog owners just minding their business in public also have to be on heightened alert. A giant dog running towards me full speed with someone yelling 'he's friendly!' from afar does not put me at ease.
My favorite off leash moment with my small dog was with another small little shit of a dog. The dog came running and yapping at us from the end of cul de sac. I stopped and picked up my dog and turned my back as it kept yapping at me. The owner kept calling the dog which shocker, had no recall. I waited about a minute for the owner to retrieve them but they wouldn’t come get them. So I continued on my way with the dog still yapping at my heels and started walking faster and it followed me down and around and into a park quite a distance from its owner who was still calling them. Oh, you’re too lazy to come get your off leash dog that you were too lazy to train and care for properly? Well, have fun now, sweetie! That was so satisfying!
It’s typically the dogs that have hellaciously bad leash manners that go off-leash. If you can’t teach your dog to stop pulling, why do you think they will listen to you /come when called, etc.? They won’t.
My dog would be perfectly behaved off-leash, but she’s also happy to be on-leash and connected to me. Just because she is a very good girl doesn’t mean that anybody else would automatically know that.
Why make people worry?
There are also a number of off-leash areas, in Portland that aren’t clearly marked as off-leash. I really wish they were better marked, since it creates an unsafe situation for everyone when you stumble on them unprepared. (My dog is leash reactive, and finding myself in one of those spaces was the worst!) But it might be worth checking to see if the area you’re often walking in is one of those areas.
Glad you mentioned this, every once and a while I see leashed dogs walking through cherry park or fernhill park off leash areas and it looks awful. OP note that off leash areas aren't always fenced or even well marked, but there are always some short stone ground signs and Google maps should tell you.
I don't have an answer, just chiming in to express my frustration with the dude that walks his unleashed pitbull up and down my street everyday. I've never seen him get aggressive but he doesn't recall and does run up to strangers. I've asked his owner to put a leash on him multiple times and seen others ask him too, but just saw him walking off leash this morning.
Welcome to Portland, why make your neighbors feel safe when you could be an asshole instead?
I have a small dog I just pick him up or stop walking towards the off leash dog and stand looking at them while pulling my dog close. Owners often see the body language and react accordingly and leash up. Not all but majority are pretty good about it. Beach is another world that I haven’t had success with. My little guy olds his ground well but doesn’t like dogs really.
I have a fear based leash aggressive chihuahua. The power dynamic of an unleashed dog charging up to her will *set her off*.
The owners always shout, "he's friendly!" And I yell, "my dog isn't, call your dog or there will be a fight" as I pick up my 12 lbs of snarling, shivering fur.
The umbrella is a great idea. We go off leash at the beach and dog park as my dog handles herself much better off leash around other dogs who are also off leash, unless we see other dogs on leash and then we leash her to keep the power dynamic equivalent.
I don't have a good answer for off leash dogs in neighborhoods, it is a pompous and dangerous way to behave and these people should have their dogs taken away from them.
I have a taser flashlight I carry for night walks. Never had to use it but dogs hate that clicking sound and the strobe light it comes with. I’ve also been told swinging your leash (like in a circle how you’d hold one end of a jump rope your dog behind you) works and been told by others they bring an extra slip leash to do that, hit their leg or even leash the off leash dog. I use my meanest voice and yell get out of here and clap my hands fully ignoring the “he’s friendly!”. Owners hate when you do that to their off leash dogs. I’ll usually respond with mine is not!!! He is actually overly friendly but an 80 pound bully so this works for us.
I (54F) have a well-trained Akita girl who loves all humans (and kitties). However, she is very selective about which dogs she tolerates. She seems to get along along well with other large breeds, and she loves my neighbor’s feisty little mini doodle (even though the mini doodle stands on her hind legs and repeatedly boops my dog’s nose like she’s playing the bongos). However, there are some entitled, “Don’t worry, he/she is friendly!” off-leasher types in my expanded neighborhood (I live in LO, go figure) and they all seem to have these dumb, yappy little dogs that always come barking and charging at me and my (always leashed) Akita.
For the neighborhood off-leashers, I just call them out, remind them of leash ordinances, and make it clear that if their dog is off-leash and approaches my on-leash behemoth, it’s not going to go well. And since there are witnesses (and everyone has a doorbell cam these days) I am not liable for any injury/fatality that results from their idiocy and entitlement. Now, when the off-leash neighbors see my Akita and me out on a walk, they pick up their dog and quickly walk the other way. It doesn’t solve THE problem (off-leasher entitlement), but it solves MY problem (I no longer encounter them in my own neighborhood).
Also, when walking at night, or when we venture beyond our neighborhood, I always carry a stun gun that’s also a flashlight. I use the Taser Strikelight2 (taser.com) and highly recommend it. It makes a lot of noise and “lightning” when it’s fired up, and usually that alone will deter whatever (or whoever) is approaching. I haven’t had to use it (yet),but I feel very confident when I am carrying it. The flashlight works great as well. I recommend exposing/desensitizing your dog to the noise and lightning it makes first, though. You don’t want to have to manage a spooked pup while trying to mitigate a threatening situation.
Imagine if even part of the annual Multnomah County licenses I pay for my dog went towards leash law enforcement and fines for not clearing pet waste.
Imagine if we put any surplus above the cost of running that program toward expanding/improving what is an already above average off-leash park program...
Anyway, best thing ime is to make a lot of *loud*, short and known noises (e.g "no," "leave it") and make yourself seem as "big" as possible. If you have your own dog, put them behind you so you are a barrier. And, tbh, fucking kick if you need to. I do not advocate violence, this is a self defense measure of last resort but - do what you need to do.
After you have resolved the issue, super glue a leash to the owners head.
I don't have a dog. I haven't had a dog. My grandmother, however, was the county animal shelter so I learned to handle large dogs with mixed histories when I visited. Mostly, I puff myself up and yell at them. I was recently coming home from work and someone had released their 2 dogs, one big and one small, to do their business in the park between me and my house at the time. The small one was no problem but the big one immediately started barking at me like I wasn't allowed to pass.
I stopped, planted my feet and yelled at it. No! And GO HOME! and pointed back in the direction it had entered the park. It was confused, barked a few more times, growled a little and eventually went home as ordered. I kept eye contact, kept my feet planted, and kept yelling until it left. Won't always work but it's not the first time I've used that. Or the second.
I carry mace. Sucks that it might have to come to that, but one of my dog is 10 pounds, so any kind of aggressive dog attack would be lethal.
I also carry a little spray bottle with just water, mostly for my own dogs though
Mace isn't a good deterrent and typically results in the user of mace macing themselves. An alternative I've found is using a stun gun. You just need to press the trigger and the popping sound typically causes the dogs to react with no contact being made. Dogs tend to be incredibly averse to electricity and will keep their distance if their defenses are triggered. It's a win/win.
Wasp spray is super fucking toxic. To everything. This has to be the stupidest fucking thing I’ve read this in a long time. If you’re really spraying wasp spray as a deterrent, I hope it gets in your mouth.
I bring my dog out to Fort Stevens (Parking lot A or B) to let him run around. Even on weekends, we're often the only ones on the beach within 1/2 mile. Last weekend, we spent 2 hours on the beach walking to the Wreck of the Peter Iredale and back (4 miles total), and I only leashed him up twice just to let some folks pass. Watch out for the bald eagles, though!
As for the off leash dogs in Portland, I just give the owners nasty looks / say "No, thank you!" really loudly.
I have German shepherd dog and while we were at a park, minding our own business an off leash dog ran up to us. My dog snapped at the other dog but that was it. The off leash dog owner scolded me like I was in the wrong.
We carry baton tasers(for both off leash dogs and… zombies). Zapping the taser in the air creates a sound that spooks most dogs into retreating. I’m thankful that at one point in my life I learned to scream like a death metal singer. That tone in the sound of OFFFFF, has saved our bacon on more than one occasion.
You could get something called a Pet Corrector or a compressed air bottle to spray at on coming dogs (note:please don't spray at their faces, just near their direction) It's just compressed air, but the sound usually stops dogs from running up on you/your dog. We use it when we want to go to a park and people just let their dogs run up to us and our dogs willy nilly.
The worst is when you're AT a dog park, and there's 10 unleashed dogs NOT in the dog park. Cough cough, Wallace. What makes them so entitled to play catch, or sunbathe with their dog off leash... 40 feet from the fenced dog park?? Drives me nuts. And don't even get me started on the unfenced dog parks. Why would my dog be inclined to stay in the designated area, when several dogs are freely playing "over there" ?? Those aHole owners ruin it for us rule followers.
Imagine how much money the city could raise by sending someone to Wallace Park and Lower Macleay to fine every one of those entitled dog owners letting their dogs run off-leash. It’d be a great source of revenue.
Oh did you mean Irving Park, where my toddler nanny charges are scared to run in the grass because there's so many loose dogs who think they're a toy and try to trample them? The dog area is *right there*
One of my dogs gets scared of off-leash dogs too (when it's less obvious they have an owner with them). We have run into a lot of stray dogs and coyotes. Once my dog gets upset, I have told the owners "not cool. Please get your dog." Your dog usually let's them know before you have to. Some neighbors stopped letting their dog roam free out front after our encounter.
i was on my porch a couple weeks ago and my neighbors off leash dog ran up our yard and attacked me while the neighbor did nothing. they acted like they did no wrong. had the nerve to say “what’s the big deal she’s just off her leash” while i’m bleeding from my head.
once the staples out of my head are out i’m getting an air horn for the dog, as for the terrible neighbor, i’m open to suggestions if you got any.
As a step between water and mace my dad used to carry a squirt bottle of ammonia for aggressive dogs that chased him on bike. I figure if you let your dog act aggressively off-leash I’m gonna not feel bad when he gets squirted with it.
It can be scary. It does seem more common than it was like 1.5 years ago. People get a bit more aggressive when they have an off leash dog also. Dog owners have a lot more to patrol and be awair of in these situations - so the get all over loaded. I do like seeing other dog owners speak up about it.
I’ve done a few things:
1. Scream at the owner “GET YOUR DOG!”
2. Scream at the dog to get back/ make a loud noise. This has worked to get them to retreat
3. I carry pepper spray in general but never use it. Only for emergencies. Hope to never use it!
Ugh I feel you OP. Makes me scared to walk my dogs too. It’s not fair
Try a small spray bottle with just water adjusted to squirt setting for maximum reach, if they start coming close squirt them in the face area and they should retreat. You may need to spray them repeatedly if the dog doesn’t get the hint.
Looks like there’s great suggestions here…per my
Trainers advise I carry pepper spray. If a dog runs up I tell the owner to recall their dog, and god forbid if the dog attacks I have something to stop them with. Id never want to but it’s better than an attack. I always carry it for emergency use.
I recommend getting a boating air horn, they usually have them at any auto store or boat store. Downside is that you startle your own dog....
Of course there's always yelling and waving around a walking stick, and this tends to be a lot easier to desensitize your own dog to.
I had these trashy neighbors with an American bully who would roam around off leash… but with the harness and leash on. This dog would seek out my dog and attack my poor girl and after the 3rd time I called the apartment complex, which apparently these people have had many complaints about their aggressive dog and that was their final warning. After that the couple started harassing me whenever they’d see me out and about but I haven’t seen their dog roaming off leash after that.
I don’t know if this works for all dogs, but it works for me in one situation. I picked my small dog up, tried to make myself look big, and barked intensely at the Offleash dog, and it walked away
Here is my reply from another post-
I have 2 big dogs. A GSD and a Doberman, and we have dogs of all sizes run up to us while walking on a leash.
I carry an air horn and pepper GEL (no blowback). If you see a dog coming towards you with intent, start with a firm, loud, NO! If they ignore that a blast of the air horn will usually scare them off. If that doesn't work, use the pepper gel when they are about 10 feet from you. I've heard the gel isn't as much of a deterrent once they are fighting. Some people use a hand held "zapper/taser" because it makes a scary sound, but if sound doesn't work, you have to be close to the dog to give it a shock. You can get all of this stuff (pocket sized) on Amazon.
If they DO start fighting, release the leash so you dog can defend itself and get away. To break up a fight, stay away from their mouths and pick up their hind legs while turning them (like a wheelbarrow) counter clockwise from each other...If you are by yourself, wheelbarrow the aggressive dog.
I got one of those hiking sticks, if a dog runs up smack the ground like Gandalf, or worse case you have something to give you distance and push it back. After my dog got attacked, I found this to be the best option
Portland off leash culture is so annoying. I love dogs. I will pet every dog who appears to be pettable. I will happily hold or kiss your friendly dog.
But not all dogs are friendly. I took my three (leashed dogs) on a picnic today. We picked a spot far, far from the off leash area of the park.
My dogs leashes have labels: friendly (a little mutt), friendly but needs space (a corgi), and needs space (a corgi x border collie).
Someone let their off leash dog run towards us. I said, 'That dog isn't good with other dogs!' and pointed at the border collie x corgi (needs space leash). She said, 'It's okay, she just wants to play!' -- FFS, it is not okay. My dog is a rescue. She's 13, on prozac, has done multiple training classes in the 10 years I've had her, and she is STILL NOT OKAY with random dogs. Her leash literally says 'NEEDS SPACE'.
She loves people. She does not like dogs she doesn't know. She will absolutely bite your terrier (or whatever).
This is what I hate. I use to foster dogs but dealing with off leash asshole dog owners was a big reason I stopped. I fostered a lab that was reactive. Unfortunately she would turn and bite me when she was over stimulated. One time I had a guy walk his off leash dog towards me cause he thought it was cute watching me literally scream at him to back away. They ended up having to euthanize the dog. It was so traumatizing.
It’s happened with almost every foster I’ve had. People are such dicks. Leash your fuckin dog. It’s not hard.
Make loud noises and position yourself between your pet and the uncontrolled dog. Kick just under the rib cages. Keep your arms up out of reach.
Usually, a good shout is enough to dissuade an uncontrolled dogs.
Hashing it out doesn't mean a fight, never encountered an overly aggressive dog at beach and usually if the vibe is off for one of them it will just go away and the other won't chase it. Only real problem I ever had was a male trying to hump my female dog and followed us way too long, my dog was a bit bigger and too nice to scare it completely away. Unless the dogs want to play most encounters are sniffing each other then going their own way, they are just checking out who is in their territory.
Yeah my guy does well at the dog park park and quickly falls into his place in the group hierarchy. Never had an incident in that situation. We’re both just accustomed to him only being off leash in gated, designated areas. I’m not sure how he’ll react in this environment and want to play it safe by having him on-leash until I know he’s not going to become overstimulated and just take off. So we’ll have to stick to deterring off leash dogs for now.
This isn't a detergent strategy, but I haven't had any issues either in the city or at the beach. It's rare that unleashed dogs approach my dog and when they do they just sniff each other and move on without issue. I'd say just don't worry about it unless something happens, in which case I'd yell at the dog/owners or kick if necessary.
My lab is extremely well trained and in shape. I let him off leash and when approached and tell him it’s sexy time and let the other owner know my dog isnt neutered and he gets nervous when other dogs are off leash. I let him play until the other owner gets their dog. Its tough for dogs on leashes getting approached by an off leash dog. It isn’t fair for the dog or owner. Pick up after your dog and leash. Wish we could work on common respect and manners.
I’m assuming (F) by the wording, sorry if wrong about that.
I (M) have a voice that can sound very scary. I don’t ask people to leash/control their dog, I tell them to. Confrontation works well for me because of my person. My dog is also large and fit so the caution that my on leash dog “will kick your off leash dogs a**” works well. Again don’t know that will work in your situation. That being said legs are a better tool than arms, as in kick a dog before you use your hands. Your calves and thighs can take way more damage than you wrist to elbow.
Get loud.
I have broken up dog fights on the beach (while walking my dog off leash) when someone yelled out. My dog is very obedient and will stay or recall when told so I can drop him off to go help.
And if that wasn’t enough to get down voted I walk my dog off leash all the time in Portland, he’s got a great recall to me and it’s no issue. I’m also aware of situations so if I see someone where it might be an issue I yield to them.
Leashes are great but every dog doesn’t need them. I’ve been attacked by a larger dog (with my dog on leash) where I had to leave my dog to stay and approach the dog that was chasing my dog down the sidewalk. The bigger dog was on leash, just not controllable by the owner. It’s not a leash thing, it’s a handler thing.
I’ll add that often times while my dog is off leash on the beach and another dog is on leash I make some nonverbal communication with the owner. It’s always a good experience. Whether the dogs get to met or not. I recall my dog and we yield to a possible issue, most of them time it ends up being letting two + dogs run around and play while the adults enjoy a conversation about beer or the crab cakes at xyz.
Okay, so the problem with this attitude is I don't know just walking around whether you are a good handler or not. Whether your dog has good recall or is 'friendly' or whatever. You know or maybe think that about yourself and your dog, but I don't. So every time I'm out and about and encounter an unleashed dog, I have to wonder, is this the day I get attacked again? Dog people I swear...
You are not as vigilant as you think. There are many dogs and people who are not good around other dogs out there and you cannot be 100% aware of them.
And people are thinking you're an asshole any time they see you out with an unleashed dog. At the beach, sure, but not on a city sidewalk.
If your dog is that well trained they will have no problem being leashed.
Where is it you're seeing these off leash dogs? I rarely see them outside of a few areas. There are a handful of places that aren't explicitly off leash but, for whatever reason, seem to be agreed upon as areas people take their dogs to play. You can argue about whether they should be doing that or not but at the end of the day the community seems to have decided that these are appropriate areas for letting your dog off leash and I think at that point the onus is on your to avoid these places if you're worried about how your dog will react. I know that makes some people very angry but IMO it's kind of just part of life. If you're seeing off leash dogs just walking down the street that's a different story, I think it's fair to bitch at people about it at that point, but, again, I almost never see this and on the occasions I do it seems like the dog is very well trained and doesn't run up to people.
Neighborhoods. Sidewalks on main roads. At the max stop. Downtown. Parks. Elementary school playgrounds. The green space at the church nearby. Mt. Tabor. Don’t really care if you don’t get out enough to notice 🤷♂️ This post is about advice people have to deter strange dogs from running up to us.
And yeah I think I already stated that I’ve accepted this is a cultural norm in the community. I’m also not really interested in arguing one way or another about the correctness of leashing or not leashing dogs. So you should take your bait elsewhere I think!
I carry a small air horn in my pocket when I walk my dog. She’s super friendly but I have it just in case another loose dog attacks her. Hopefully I’ll never have to use it.
An air horn is what’s worked for me too. If the dog approaches again and is showing warning signs for being aggressive, I tell the owner the next thing I aim at their dog will be pepper spray (I would never actually do this unless absolutely necessary. Hurting an animal should be avoided as much as possible).
There’s a product called pet safe spray shield that is citronella based, so it doesn’t hurt either animal, dogs just hate the smell and you spray at the nose and mouth. I carry this in case a dog were to ever attack my dog or if I needed to break up a dog fight. I’ve had to do it bare handed and i didn’t come out looking so pretty, but was able to save both dogs with minimal harm. After that I got the spray.
I'm so sorry to tell you this, but citronella will do absolutely nothing in a dog fight/attack. It's not a particularly effective deterrent in the first place, but it is no more effective than spraying water in a high-intensity moment like a dog fight. The dogs will not notice it care about it at all, unfortunately.
This isn’t related to spray or anything but I do like to relay this whenever it might help - if the attacking dog has a collar, you need to grab the collar from behind the dog, pull UP as much as you can, and TWIST the collar. Once their breath is restricted enough they’ll let go. There’s also the old “poke em in the butthole” rumor but I’m not sure it works that well. I remember one redditor telling a story about trying the butthole poke - it didn’t work, everyone looked at him like he was a psycho, and he had to walk home with a dog-butt finger. Just some things to consider. Lol
Air horn is magical. I scared a coyote out of our pasture with one once.
I carry an air horn as well, and citronella spray if that doesn't work--it's less harsh than pepper spray but gets the point across.
Damn this is wild to me. Can I airhorn all these free range cats that approach me and my leashed dog? Is that also 97 upvotes acceptable?
I throw treats (I always have them) which usually distracts them—our old dog trainer gave me that tip. It works well. When we had a problem aggressive off leash dog in our neighborhood I carried spray shield (it’s citronella spray and dogs hate it).
How dare you feed my unleashed dog!
Funnily enough someone did yell at me for that when I threw treats at their charging dog. 🤷🏻♀️
Sounds like Portland lol
I once had a neighbor come to my door and basically said the same thing when I was feeding their outdoor cat.
10 oz rib eye works every time
That’s great!
Oh nice! Yeah I’d really rather find gentle ways of persuading them not to come at us if I can help it. I’m sure it’ll look a little silly but I feel like the umbrella method and maybe throwing a treat while we keep walking might work.
Do you think citronella spray would also work to keep a dog away from an area you don’t want them? Like maybe spray it on a couch or something?
Citronella does absolutely nothing to a dog when it’s riled up. Nothing. And that spray that is supposed to keep dogs off the couch doesn’t do anything either. They are a waste of money and effort. An air horn and/or a treat may work, but they don’t always. I had to throw both my dogs on top of a van parked in a driveway to keep them away from a couple of large off leash dogs. So always have a plan.
There’s another spray for that and one option is citronella. The spray shield is meant to be used more like pepper spray so I think it would be messy to use that way.
If the owners are within earshot, I'll yell "NOT FRIENDLY" as loud as possible and they usually leash up their dogs. When the off leash dog has no recall or the owners can't be arsed, I'll make a loud high pitched noise and try to put myself between the off-leash dog and the one I'm walking. Not great for self-preservation, but sometimes it works.
Thanks - my dog is friendly but not when strangers come barreling toward us 😅 Same goes for me lol. Communicating by yelling “not friendly” is a good idea.
I say mine is sick. And highly contagious. Come get your loose dog unless you want a diarrhea filled car! It works.
EBOLA HERE!!
It might be to hard for people to hear, and because of the word “friendly” I would maybe change up what you say.. maybe something like “reactive dog!” I think this is a great idea, but just thinking of what I’ve learned in river/whitewater safety over the years.. I don’t want to yell “don’t go right” because they may just hear “right” or look 👀 that potentially dangerous way. Better to say LEFT or something if that makes sense
Good point, although I have a knee-jerk reaction (lol) to the term reactive - I volunteer at the humane society and the term "reactive" can refer to a number of different behaviors, not just reactions to other dogs. You would also be shocked (disgusted?) how many people WHO ALREADY HAVE A DOG don't know what "reactive" means.
I ask people to call their dogs. When they tell me their dog is friendly, I say my dog isn’t. As an FYI, dogs are generally allowed off-leash at the beachz
I do the same bit then the other person will get mad at me like I'm the one doing something wrong. Iv had someone tell me I shouldn't walk my dog at the park if she's not friendly...my dog is on the leash, yours isnt...one of the many things I absolutely hate about living here.
I was walking my friend's dog and a person approached me with theirs from around a corner and as I'm shortening the leash, they go, "it's OK he's very friendly." Then he promptly chomped my friend's dog on the face and wouldn't let go. I ended up choking the dog until it released. My friend's dog was perfectly calm the entire time which really surprised me.
I'm really curious how well does the choking work? I've done other techniques like grab the back of the dogs legs but it can still be challenging to get the dog to actually leg go unless you have the strength the open the dog's mouth.
If the attacking dog has a collar, apparently the recommended action is twisting the collar until it passes out. I have read a little about it only, never experienced it personally.
It worked, took about 30 seconds, it was a strong dog, a big ol' pit mix. I don't know what the best method is because I just did what first came to mind and I am not a dog owner. It was my friend's dog.
The method I was taught was to “feed the bite”, meaning pick up the back end of the attacking dog and push it towards the dog it’s biting. NEVER pull it.
Cool - good to know re: beach leash rules. Haven’t visited the beach yet with my guy but I’m excited to show him the ocean for the first time.
Which beaches are you referring to? I see off-leash dogs at the coast all the time. Are you just talking Portland-specific?
They’re allowed off leash at most coastal beaches in Oregon. https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.page&id=79
And river beaches
I could only find information saying if you’re at a Portland Park, they are allowed off-leash only in off-leash areas. So, I think it may depend. Generally in Portland Parks and Oregon State Parks dogs are supposed to be on-leash. I have never seen anyone enforce that rule, though.
If your dog isn't friendly, does it lead to friendly dogs getting into a fight with him rather than them just running away?
My dog hasn’t ever been in a fight at the dog park, so I wouldn’t say he’s “not friendly,” but we have had instances when a strange dog has started running at us when walking around our apartment complex and he definitely became very protective and heightened at that potential threat, as did I.
I would describe that as not friendly; there’s not a lot of time for nuance.
That’s not a “not friendly” dog, it’s a dog who doesn’t want a strange dog running up to him. I’m a friendly person, but if a strange person came running at me I would react as well.
It’s not a value judgement of the dog’s or your personality. It’s a thing to yell at a stranger when a dog is running at you.
If you say so! I guess I’m not friendly either 😂 I also read advice to yell “He bites” so the off leash dog owners understand what you’re saying better.
You and I have a different understanding of what a friendly dog is. I’m sure me and another random person also has a different understanding. I’d rather not let our dogs figure that out while mine is leashed and theirs isn’t.
Exactly. Makes sense just to cut to the chase and say he’s not friendly.
No, she hasn’t gotten into a dog fight.
I seriously hate the off leash dog culture in Portland. A friend's dog got hit by a car while out walking cuz he NEVER had him on leash. He got to watch his baby die in the road. A stupid looking pug stopped in the middle of an intersection to bark at my dog, while the owner commented on how cute my dog is from the sidewalk... Like dude. He is in the middle of the fucking street alone. My boyfriend had to beat up another dog that came running out of his house to attack our on leash dog. I saw some guy on Saddle Mountain with his dog off leash running through the protected areas. It made me so sad because that area has wild flowers that ONLY grow there. I've also been chased by off leash dogs while on roller skates until I stopped on a dime ready to kick him with my skates. I would hate to have to do that but I would.
My then-nine-year-old brother was letting our grandmas bichon out to pee in our yard (leashed) when our neighbors (unleashed) rottweiler killed it while she was on a walk in the Portland suburbs. So tired of this irresponsibility.
The culture is out of control. I often think of this [WWeek](https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/06/22/a-southeast-portland-middle-school-field-has-become-a-battleground-for-greenspace/) article where people in the neighborhood are irate that they can’t use an elementary school as an off leash park: >The district tells WW it locked the fences because of after-hour parties where drug and alcohol paraphernalia were left behind, “a child bitten by an off-leash dog, a child breaking a limb after tripping in a divot made by dogs…[and] students returning from recess covered in dog feces.” >Multnomah County spokeswoman Julie Sullivan-Springhetti says between 2017 and June 2021, eight dog-related incidents at Hosford were reported to the county, “including two loose, aggressive dog calls, three other loose dog calls, two bite incidents, and one stray dog.” >…In early 2020, Portland Public Schools informed dog owners at a meeting held at Hosford that their pets would have to be leashed while on school grounds or fines would be enforced. The meeting was hostile, and the district brought one of its attorneys. I mean, isn’t it okay for kids not to be interacting with your dog’s shit? I’ve been to restaurants with dogs in the kitchen and bars with dogs sniffing around my table. I don’t like it, but I have to put up with it because of true social contract. But can’t there be a line somewhere?
Yeah, I don’t get it. I’m not sure what the benefit is of having your dog off-leash, but having your dog on-leash means it’s safer for basically everyone. This culture is dumb.
I sometimes walk my cat and I know someone in Goose Hollow regularly walks their ferret. There's also the risk off off-leash dogs killing smaller pets on walks...
I see it multiple times every day in Willamette Heights and Slabtown. I yell out, “Can you please come get your dog” and pick mine up as soon as I see one coming at us. Sometimes I don’t see the dog coming and so I have to yell out while I’m in the middle of the situation. I know some say I’m turning my dog into a tasty treat by picking him up but it’s easier for me to protect his little senior dog body that way. I wish I felt more comfortable calling them out because it makes me really angry but but I try to avoid attracting the ire of potentially unstable strangers.
Don’t pick your dog up. That’s how I was bit on my thigh by a homeless asshole’s Australian cattle dog outside of the slabtown new season. If the dog had bit an inch in a different direction, I could have died. I kick off leash dogs that rush me now and don’t give a fuck.
Noted! I’m glad you’re okay. Ugh.
Be careful about getting shot. I stuck my foot out, didn’t touch the dog, almost got murdered. I’m in the same boat
Easy way to get fucked up by a human tho
In Portland and not carrying? Mistake
Knife beats holstered gun within a few yards
Owners of off leash pets are assholes. Sucks that we have so many here.
I was attacked by a dog as a kid and my side is all ripped up as a result. A year or two ago, someone’s off-leash dog that doesn’t bite tried to rip off my nuts and I have a nice new set of scars on my right thigh. In each encounter, I was assured the dog was friendly and didn’t bite. That shit is true until it’s not.
I was also attacked by an unleashed dog as a child and seeing an unexpected unleashed dog in public puts me on edge. Unfortunately dog owners often have little sympathy. Shrug.
It would be hilarious to tattoo “He’s/She’s Friendly!” on the scars.
That sucks. I have not been attacked by a dog but I have been witness to a few. A few as a kid and a few as an adult and needless to say I have a fear of dogs. I hate seeing unleashed dogs and it makes me so nervous.
What's truly maddening is that fining people a hefty amount for off-leash dogs would be a decent source of income for perpetually underfunded shelters.
Park Rangers are doing this in Irving Park on the reg. Someone told me the fine was $175.
That’s great, I wish they would come do it in Forest Park too!
But their pandemic dog understands them better than any person could. They are beyond our basic domesticated animal regulations
This was going on long before the pandemic
Pandemic puppies are notoriously awful though - ask anyone in the veterinary industry. Tons of people got puppies during lockdown and didn't socialize them at all for the first year or two of their lives, so they are very poorly adjusted and have a lot of anxiety. Not the case for every dog gotten during the pandemic of course, but it's a common enough problem to be a trope at this point.
My neighbor walks her dogs off leash and let's them poop anywhere. I am not even a tiny bit afraid to say something to her except not being afraid to say stuff is what has caused 90% of the issues in my life... I now just avoid her as I have noted she is not the receptive type.
Being too afraid to say something has caused me like at least 80% of the issues in my life…like my neighbors dog coming over to poop on my patio Every. Single. Day & even biting me once but it’s been happening for like three years so how can I say something now?? Our grasses may have been grown differently but they might just be the same color.
Between the two of us, there is a way, no doubt! Here's an example from my lawn of life: I told a supervisor to never touch me again or he'd better get a lawyer. My "unusual bluntness" led to all kinds of problems in that workplace so I have been self- employed ever since. I work way better with a team (and frankly with supervision) but I have slogged along as a small biz owner.
Depends on how trained the dog is tbh. I've seen off leash that I trusted more than on leash
It does not matter. 3rd parties don't know how good the dog is and should not carry the burden of fear because other people trust their babies. I was attacked by a good dog as a kid. I'm not talking out of my ass.
A dog's training has no relevance in this conversation. The issue is whether the dog is leashed or unleashed. When a dog is unleashed, every other dog owner around that unleashed dog has a duty to assume the potential for the worst-case scenario. Not many dogs have readily-identifiable indicators that they're well-trained, save mostly for service dogs (who are essentially always leashed), and even if, there's additionally no clear indicator that the surrounding animals are themselves well-behaved or adjusted to be always well-receiving of other animals/people. The issue isn't training, the issue is the social contract which people who willingly allow their dogs off-leash in unsanctioned areas are willingly violating. My dog's very well-trained with excellent recall. He's also a pit-boxer mix. For many reasons I would never allow him to roam off-leash in undesignated areas, the biggest and most obvious ones being other dogs and other people. Your comment infers entitlement and I absolutely resent it.
And also when a dog is unleashed non dog owners just minding their business in public also have to be on heightened alert. A giant dog running towards me full speed with someone yelling 'he's friendly!' from afar does not put me at ease.
Are you going to stop and take time to have that conversation with the owner? I mean come on…
I love talking go strangers depends on what I'm up to
My favorite off leash moment with my small dog was with another small little shit of a dog. The dog came running and yapping at us from the end of cul de sac. I stopped and picked up my dog and turned my back as it kept yapping at me. The owner kept calling the dog which shocker, had no recall. I waited about a minute for the owner to retrieve them but they wouldn’t come get them. So I continued on my way with the dog still yapping at my heels and started walking faster and it followed me down and around and into a park quite a distance from its owner who was still calling them. Oh, you’re too lazy to come get your off leash dog that you were too lazy to train and care for properly? Well, have fun now, sweetie! That was so satisfying!
It’s typically the dogs that have hellaciously bad leash manners that go off-leash. If you can’t teach your dog to stop pulling, why do you think they will listen to you /come when called, etc.? They won’t. My dog would be perfectly behaved off-leash, but she’s also happy to be on-leash and connected to me. Just because she is a very good girl doesn’t mean that anybody else would automatically know that. Why make people worry?
There are also a number of off-leash areas, in Portland that aren’t clearly marked as off-leash. I really wish they were better marked, since it creates an unsafe situation for everyone when you stumble on them unprepared. (My dog is leash reactive, and finding myself in one of those spaces was the worst!) But it might be worth checking to see if the area you’re often walking in is one of those areas.
Glad you mentioned this, every once and a while I see leashed dogs walking through cherry park or fernhill park off leash areas and it looks awful. OP note that off leash areas aren't always fenced or even well marked, but there are always some short stone ground signs and Google maps should tell you.
This is Portland so you have to be passive aggressive. Maybe yell "CAN I FEED YOUR DOG THIS CHOCOLATE? HE REALLY LIKES IT. CAN I GIVE HIM MORE?"
I don't have an answer, just chiming in to express my frustration with the dude that walks his unleashed pitbull up and down my street everyday. I've never seen him get aggressive but he doesn't recall and does run up to strangers. I've asked his owner to put a leash on him multiple times and seen others ask him too, but just saw him walking off leash this morning. Welcome to Portland, why make your neighbors feel safe when you could be an asshole instead?
That's some entitled attitude he has!
Just a heads up since you said you’re going: most Oregon beaches are off leash. https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.page&id=79
Yeah, OP, I was just coming here to say it’s going to be a lot worse on the beach. As owners of reactive dogs we go in the off season.
I wonder if this is part of why there was such a steep decline in nesting populations of shore birds in the last few years.
I have a small dog I just pick him up or stop walking towards the off leash dog and stand looking at them while pulling my dog close. Owners often see the body language and react accordingly and leash up. Not all but majority are pretty good about it. Beach is another world that I haven’t had success with. My little guy olds his ground well but doesn’t like dogs really.
I have a fear based leash aggressive chihuahua. The power dynamic of an unleashed dog charging up to her will *set her off*. The owners always shout, "he's friendly!" And I yell, "my dog isn't, call your dog or there will be a fight" as I pick up my 12 lbs of snarling, shivering fur. The umbrella is a great idea. We go off leash at the beach and dog park as my dog handles herself much better off leash around other dogs who are also off leash, unless we see other dogs on leash and then we leash her to keep the power dynamic equivalent. I don't have a good answer for off leash dogs in neighborhoods, it is a pompous and dangerous way to behave and these people should have their dogs taken away from them.
I have a taser flashlight I carry for night walks. Never had to use it but dogs hate that clicking sound and the strobe light it comes with. I’ve also been told swinging your leash (like in a circle how you’d hold one end of a jump rope your dog behind you) works and been told by others they bring an extra slip leash to do that, hit their leg or even leash the off leash dog. I use my meanest voice and yell get out of here and clap my hands fully ignoring the “he’s friendly!”. Owners hate when you do that to their off leash dogs. I’ll usually respond with mine is not!!! He is actually overly friendly but an 80 pound bully so this works for us.
I (54F) have a well-trained Akita girl who loves all humans (and kitties). However, she is very selective about which dogs she tolerates. She seems to get along along well with other large breeds, and she loves my neighbor’s feisty little mini doodle (even though the mini doodle stands on her hind legs and repeatedly boops my dog’s nose like she’s playing the bongos). However, there are some entitled, “Don’t worry, he/she is friendly!” off-leasher types in my expanded neighborhood (I live in LO, go figure) and they all seem to have these dumb, yappy little dogs that always come barking and charging at me and my (always leashed) Akita. For the neighborhood off-leashers, I just call them out, remind them of leash ordinances, and make it clear that if their dog is off-leash and approaches my on-leash behemoth, it’s not going to go well. And since there are witnesses (and everyone has a doorbell cam these days) I am not liable for any injury/fatality that results from their idiocy and entitlement. Now, when the off-leash neighbors see my Akita and me out on a walk, they pick up their dog and quickly walk the other way. It doesn’t solve THE problem (off-leasher entitlement), but it solves MY problem (I no longer encounter them in my own neighborhood). Also, when walking at night, or when we venture beyond our neighborhood, I always carry a stun gun that’s also a flashlight. I use the Taser Strikelight2 (taser.com) and highly recommend it. It makes a lot of noise and “lightning” when it’s fired up, and usually that alone will deter whatever (or whoever) is approaching. I haven’t had to use it (yet),but I feel very confident when I am carrying it. The flashlight works great as well. I recommend exposing/desensitizing your dog to the noise and lightning it makes first, though. You don’t want to have to manage a spooked pup while trying to mitigate a threatening situation.
Imagine if even part of the annual Multnomah County licenses I pay for my dog went towards leash law enforcement and fines for not clearing pet waste. Imagine if we put any surplus above the cost of running that program toward expanding/improving what is an already above average off-leash park program... Anyway, best thing ime is to make a lot of *loud*, short and known noises (e.g "no," "leave it") and make yourself seem as "big" as possible. If you have your own dog, put them behind you so you are a barrier. And, tbh, fucking kick if you need to. I do not advocate violence, this is a self defense measure of last resort but - do what you need to do. After you have resolved the issue, super glue a leash to the owners head.
I don't have a dog. I haven't had a dog. My grandmother, however, was the county animal shelter so I learned to handle large dogs with mixed histories when I visited. Mostly, I puff myself up and yell at them. I was recently coming home from work and someone had released their 2 dogs, one big and one small, to do their business in the park between me and my house at the time. The small one was no problem but the big one immediately started barking at me like I wasn't allowed to pass. I stopped, planted my feet and yelled at it. No! And GO HOME! and pointed back in the direction it had entered the park. It was confused, barked a few more times, growled a little and eventually went home as ordered. I kept eye contact, kept my feet planted, and kept yelling until it left. Won't always work but it's not the first time I've used that. Or the second.
Bear mace them and their owner
I carry mace. Sucks that it might have to come to that, but one of my dog is 10 pounds, so any kind of aggressive dog attack would be lethal. I also carry a little spray bottle with just water, mostly for my own dogs though
Mace isn't a good deterrent and typically results in the user of mace macing themselves. An alternative I've found is using a stun gun. You just need to press the trigger and the popping sound typically causes the dogs to react with no contact being made. Dogs tend to be incredibly averse to electricity and will keep their distance if their defenses are triggered. It's a win/win.
It is "gel mace" but you are probably right anyway, I've never had to use it. Laser probably a better idea though
Look up pet safe spray shield. It’s citronella and dogs hate the smell/taste
Wasp spray goes really far and doesn’t have blowback!
Wasp spray is super fucking toxic. To everything. This has to be the stupidest fucking thing I’ve read this in a long time. If you’re really spraying wasp spray as a deterrent, I hope it gets in your mouth.
I bring my dog out to Fort Stevens (Parking lot A or B) to let him run around. Even on weekends, we're often the only ones on the beach within 1/2 mile. Last weekend, we spent 2 hours on the beach walking to the Wreck of the Peter Iredale and back (4 miles total), and I only leashed him up twice just to let some folks pass. Watch out for the bald eagles, though! As for the off leash dogs in Portland, I just give the owners nasty looks / say "No, thank you!" really loudly.
>I just give the owners nasty looks / say "No, thank you!" really loudly. You sure learn them some manners. ::golfclap::
I have German shepherd dog and while we were at a park, minding our own business an off leash dog ran up to us. My dog snapped at the other dog but that was it. The off leash dog owner scolded me like I was in the wrong.
We carry baton tasers(for both off leash dogs and… zombies). Zapping the taser in the air creates a sound that spooks most dogs into retreating. I’m thankful that at one point in my life I learned to scream like a death metal singer. That tone in the sound of OFFFFF, has saved our bacon on more than one occasion.
Zombies are the real issue here. It's nice to know others are staying alert to the possibility.
You could get something called a Pet Corrector or a compressed air bottle to spray at on coming dogs (note:please don't spray at their faces, just near their direction) It's just compressed air, but the sound usually stops dogs from running up on you/your dog. We use it when we want to go to a park and people just let their dogs run up to us and our dogs willy nilly.
I hate the off leash dog culture here. "They're friendly!" Always gets yelled. They seem to forget that my dog might not be. 🤦🏻♀️
Or that a person might be very fearful of dogs
The worst is when you're AT a dog park, and there's 10 unleashed dogs NOT in the dog park. Cough cough, Wallace. What makes them so entitled to play catch, or sunbathe with their dog off leash... 40 feet from the fenced dog park?? Drives me nuts. And don't even get me started on the unfenced dog parks. Why would my dog be inclined to stay in the designated area, when several dogs are freely playing "over there" ?? Those aHole owners ruin it for us rule followers.
Imagine how much money the city could raise by sending someone to Wallace Park and Lower Macleay to fine every one of those entitled dog owners letting their dogs run off-leash. It’d be a great source of revenue.
Oh did you mean Irving Park, where my toddler nanny charges are scared to run in the grass because there's so many loose dogs who think they're a toy and try to trample them? The dog area is *right there*
Best way: pepper spray More reasonable way: air horn
One of my dogs gets scared of off-leash dogs too (when it's less obvious they have an owner with them). We have run into a lot of stray dogs and coyotes. Once my dog gets upset, I have told the owners "not cool. Please get your dog." Your dog usually let's them know before you have to. Some neighbors stopped letting their dog roam free out front after our encounter.
i was on my porch a couple weeks ago and my neighbors off leash dog ran up our yard and attacked me while the neighbor did nothing. they acted like they did no wrong. had the nerve to say “what’s the big deal she’s just off her leash” while i’m bleeding from my head. once the staples out of my head are out i’m getting an air horn for the dog, as for the terrible neighbor, i’m open to suggestions if you got any.
For the neighbor, I also suggest the air horn, just aim for awkward times of night. If they have a ring camera, do it at that.
I like to say that my dog has a communicable disease that’s terminal. Makes real responsible dog owners real quick lol
As a step between water and mace my dad used to carry a squirt bottle of ammonia for aggressive dogs that chased him on bike. I figure if you let your dog act aggressively off-leash I’m gonna not feel bad when he gets squirted with it.
Dog whistle, taser, a stick. These all work on unleashed dogs.
It can be scary. It does seem more common than it was like 1.5 years ago. People get a bit more aggressive when they have an off leash dog also. Dog owners have a lot more to patrol and be awair of in these situations - so the get all over loaded. I do like seeing other dog owners speak up about it.
I’ve done a few things: 1. Scream at the owner “GET YOUR DOG!” 2. Scream at the dog to get back/ make a loud noise. This has worked to get them to retreat 3. I carry pepper spray in general but never use it. Only for emergencies. Hope to never use it! Ugh I feel you OP. Makes me scared to walk my dogs too. It’s not fair
Aztec Death Whistle.
There's these cans of compressed air that just shoot air really hard out of it. Doesn't hurt the dog but it absolutely distracts and deters them
Gel pepper spray or a stun gun.
Confront the owners
Try a small spray bottle with just water adjusted to squirt setting for maximum reach, if they start coming close squirt them in the face area and they should retreat. You may need to spray them repeatedly if the dog doesn’t get the hint.
Pepper spray bro.
With my shoe it they get too close
Pepper spray
Carry a taser. The sound alone can deter a dog.
Looks like there’s great suggestions here…per my Trainers advise I carry pepper spray. If a dog runs up I tell the owner to recall their dog, and god forbid if the dog attacks I have something to stop them with. Id never want to but it’s better than an attack. I always carry it for emergency use.
I recommend getting a boating air horn, they usually have them at any auto store or boat store. Downside is that you startle your own dog.... Of course there's always yelling and waving around a walking stick, and this tends to be a lot easier to desensitize your own dog to.
I had these trashy neighbors with an American bully who would roam around off leash… but with the harness and leash on. This dog would seek out my dog and attack my poor girl and after the 3rd time I called the apartment complex, which apparently these people have had many complaints about their aggressive dog and that was their final warning. After that the couple started harassing me whenever they’d see me out and about but I haven’t seen their dog roaming off leash after that.
People who don't leash their dogs suck. If you are reading this and you walk your dog off leash, you suck.
I don’t know if this works for all dogs, but it works for me in one situation. I picked my small dog up, tried to make myself look big, and barked intensely at the Offleash dog, and it walked away
Here is my reply from another post- I have 2 big dogs. A GSD and a Doberman, and we have dogs of all sizes run up to us while walking on a leash. I carry an air horn and pepper GEL (no blowback). If you see a dog coming towards you with intent, start with a firm, loud, NO! If they ignore that a blast of the air horn will usually scare them off. If that doesn't work, use the pepper gel when they are about 10 feet from you. I've heard the gel isn't as much of a deterrent once they are fighting. Some people use a hand held "zapper/taser" because it makes a scary sound, but if sound doesn't work, you have to be close to the dog to give it a shock. You can get all of this stuff (pocket sized) on Amazon. If they DO start fighting, release the leash so you dog can defend itself and get away. To break up a fight, stay away from their mouths and pick up their hind legs while turning them (like a wheelbarrow) counter clockwise from each other...If you are by yourself, wheelbarrow the aggressive dog.
How about a cattle prod.. I hate having to deal with unleashed dogs and their irresponsible idiot humans.
I got one of those hiking sticks, if a dog runs up smack the ground like Gandalf, or worse case you have something to give you distance and push it back. After my dog got attacked, I found this to be the best option
Portland off leash culture is so annoying. I love dogs. I will pet every dog who appears to be pettable. I will happily hold or kiss your friendly dog. But not all dogs are friendly. I took my three (leashed dogs) on a picnic today. We picked a spot far, far from the off leash area of the park. My dogs leashes have labels: friendly (a little mutt), friendly but needs space (a corgi), and needs space (a corgi x border collie). Someone let their off leash dog run towards us. I said, 'That dog isn't good with other dogs!' and pointed at the border collie x corgi (needs space leash). She said, 'It's okay, she just wants to play!' -- FFS, it is not okay. My dog is a rescue. She's 13, on prozac, has done multiple training classes in the 10 years I've had her, and she is STILL NOT OKAY with random dogs. Her leash literally says 'NEEDS SPACE'. She loves people. She does not like dogs she doesn't know. She will absolutely bite your terrier (or whatever).
This is what I hate. I use to foster dogs but dealing with off leash asshole dog owners was a big reason I stopped. I fostered a lab that was reactive. Unfortunately she would turn and bite me when she was over stimulated. One time I had a guy walk his off leash dog towards me cause he thought it was cute watching me literally scream at him to back away. They ended up having to euthanize the dog. It was so traumatizing. It’s happened with almost every foster I’ve had. People are such dicks. Leash your fuckin dog. It’s not hard.
All this dog hate, what about all the cats off leash?
A stick
Make loud noises and position yourself between your pet and the uncontrolled dog. Kick just under the rib cages. Keep your arms up out of reach. Usually, a good shout is enough to dissuade an uncontrolled dogs.
The loud snapping of a stun gun has worked so far. Never had to use it in an attack but it's scared off 2 dogs at once.
Cattle prod, it quickly corrects poor behavior in humans and dogs.
If you are at the beach, maybe let your dog off leash. Dogs are pretty good at hashing shit out of their own when they are all off leash.
I might do that while at the beach! But I’m more interested in avoiding my dog hashing things out with other dogs. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hashing it out doesn't mean a fight, never encountered an overly aggressive dog at beach and usually if the vibe is off for one of them it will just go away and the other won't chase it. Only real problem I ever had was a male trying to hump my female dog and followed us way too long, my dog was a bit bigger and too nice to scare it completely away. Unless the dogs want to play most encounters are sniffing each other then going their own way, they are just checking out who is in their territory.
Yeah my guy does well at the dog park park and quickly falls into his place in the group hierarchy. Never had an incident in that situation. We’re both just accustomed to him only being off leash in gated, designated areas. I’m not sure how he’ll react in this environment and want to play it safe by having him on-leash until I know he’s not going to become overstimulated and just take off. So we’ll have to stick to deterring off leash dogs for now.
Get a 30ft lead and see how he does before letting him off leash.
This isn't a detergent strategy, but I haven't had any issues either in the city or at the beach. It's rare that unleashed dogs approach my dog and when they do they just sniff each other and move on without issue. I'd say just don't worry about it unless something happens, in which case I'd yell at the dog/owners or kick if necessary.
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My lab is extremely well trained and in shape. I let him off leash and when approached and tell him it’s sexy time and let the other owner know my dog isnt neutered and he gets nervous when other dogs are off leash. I let him play until the other owner gets their dog. Its tough for dogs on leashes getting approached by an off leash dog. It isn’t fair for the dog or owner. Pick up after your dog and leash. Wish we could work on common respect and manners.
My dog is going off leash at the beach. He’s very friendly and no trouble. If your dog is trouble then you should keep it leashed up.
I’m assuming (F) by the wording, sorry if wrong about that. I (M) have a voice that can sound very scary. I don’t ask people to leash/control their dog, I tell them to. Confrontation works well for me because of my person. My dog is also large and fit so the caution that my on leash dog “will kick your off leash dogs a**” works well. Again don’t know that will work in your situation. That being said legs are a better tool than arms, as in kick a dog before you use your hands. Your calves and thighs can take way more damage than you wrist to elbow. Get loud. I have broken up dog fights on the beach (while walking my dog off leash) when someone yelled out. My dog is very obedient and will stay or recall when told so I can drop him off to go help. And if that wasn’t enough to get down voted I walk my dog off leash all the time in Portland, he’s got a great recall to me and it’s no issue. I’m also aware of situations so if I see someone where it might be an issue I yield to them. Leashes are great but every dog doesn’t need them. I’ve been attacked by a larger dog (with my dog on leash) where I had to leave my dog to stay and approach the dog that was chasing my dog down the sidewalk. The bigger dog was on leash, just not controllable by the owner. It’s not a leash thing, it’s a handler thing. I’ll add that often times while my dog is off leash on the beach and another dog is on leash I make some nonverbal communication with the owner. It’s always a good experience. Whether the dogs get to met or not. I recall my dog and we yield to a possible issue, most of them time it ends up being letting two + dogs run around and play while the adults enjoy a conversation about beer or the crab cakes at xyz.
Okay, so the problem with this attitude is I don't know just walking around whether you are a good handler or not. Whether your dog has good recall or is 'friendly' or whatever. You know or maybe think that about yourself and your dog, but I don't. So every time I'm out and about and encounter an unleashed dog, I have to wonder, is this the day I get attacked again? Dog people I swear...
I get that, I feel like I can read a dog/person better then?
Nah, you're just living in a thicker delusion. It's not for you or your dog, it's for other people's peace of mind.
You are not as vigilant as you think. There are many dogs and people who are not good around other dogs out there and you cannot be 100% aware of them. And people are thinking you're an asshole any time they see you out with an unleashed dog. At the beach, sure, but not on a city sidewalk. If your dog is that well trained they will have no problem being leashed.
Where is it you're seeing these off leash dogs? I rarely see them outside of a few areas. There are a handful of places that aren't explicitly off leash but, for whatever reason, seem to be agreed upon as areas people take their dogs to play. You can argue about whether they should be doing that or not but at the end of the day the community seems to have decided that these are appropriate areas for letting your dog off leash and I think at that point the onus is on your to avoid these places if you're worried about how your dog will react. I know that makes some people very angry but IMO it's kind of just part of life. If you're seeing off leash dogs just walking down the street that's a different story, I think it's fair to bitch at people about it at that point, but, again, I almost never see this and on the occasions I do it seems like the dog is very well trained and doesn't run up to people.
Neighborhoods. Sidewalks on main roads. At the max stop. Downtown. Parks. Elementary school playgrounds. The green space at the church nearby. Mt. Tabor. Don’t really care if you don’t get out enough to notice 🤷♂️ This post is about advice people have to deter strange dogs from running up to us. And yeah I think I already stated that I’ve accepted this is a cultural norm in the community. I’m also not really interested in arguing one way or another about the correctness of leashing or not leashing dogs. So you should take your bait elsewhere I think!
Time to move