I don't know of any campground that does not require pets to be leashed. Why then, do people NOT leash their dogs? If you can control your dog with one word, no problem, but I'm not talking about those incidents. Yesterday for the second time this season, we were walking our dogs on the road when a dog rushed out from a site to "visit" with mine. They kept calling Buddy back, but he ignored them. Now I have two Scotties which are very friendly to people. . . not so much other dogs. They were raised on a farm with a pack of 5 Scots and never saw another dog until they came to live with us a year ago at ages 7 and 8. We have worked tirelessly to socialize them with other dogs and in a dog park setting, they have progressed very well. However, when they are leashed and the other dog is not and CHARGING, that presents a problem. If a fight ensues, I can pull back my dog, but I cannot do anything about the loose one. And all the time, the owner keeps saying, "It's okay, he's friendly. He won't hurt you." I called to her, "Yeah, well mine isn't and doesn't like loose dogs who charge them." So she walks up to her dog and says, "Come on Buddy, those dogs aren't friendly and don't like you. . . they don't want to play. . . . etc., etc., etc. That's when my DH said, "They are supposed to be on a leash in this camp." She ignored him. They continued to leave them unleashed.My dogs don't even look at other dogs when they are out for their walks. They ignore them. If they get interested, a "Leave it" will bring their focus back to the business at hand. They don't tug to get at them, they show no dog aggression, etc., but they don't charging dogs. Sorry for the rant. Dale

Campers that do not follow rules of any type, are always irritating in a campground.Did you complain to management also? They are the only ones that can make a change.

Put your foot on the dogs neck and hold the dog to the ground and then yell "help" as loud as you can.

Worries me even more since we now travel with a service dog. I see it often, just on the weekend in fact. The campground owner's comment was, "Oh, that's my neighbor's dog. He comes over here all the time."It's distracting at best, but can be much worse. May sound overly-dramatic, but I know of incidents where not-so-friendly dogs attacked service dogs, no matter how well-behaved their clueless owners trusted them to be while off leash. In one case, a $25,000+ animal was seriously injured while on the job, leaving a disabled person without assistance. Leashing is so simple. But we all know that the world is full of people who think that rules don't apply to them.

I'm super vigilant on walks, looking ahead for loose dogs. If I see a loose dog, I turn immediately and walk the opposite direction, yelling at the top of my lungs, "Please come get your dog - NOW!" Fortunately, I don't remember the last time I've had this problem. If the owner isn't cooperative, I'd have no problem in reporting him/her to management.

When I go for a walk I take a 'walking stick'. If an aggressive dog comes up on me......'bonk'....problem solved.

Pet peeve | Good Sam Community

Billinwoodland
Explorer
Sep 30, 2014
If you think you have problems with loose dogs at camp, come on over to the airport I fly out of (small county airport). I was taxiing to my hangar when a loose lab came straight over to my plane, prop spinning. I had to kill the engine before my avionics were off (not good) to save the dogs life. The prop stopped spinning just as the dog arrived. Owner came over, got his dog, and the dog was loose again the next day. This guy was not stupid, (cant fix stupid), just careless and has that attitude that where ever he is it belongs to him.
xteacher
Explorer
Sep 29, 2014
Goostoff wrote:
We just went through a very bad case of this this weekend. Duck hunting season started this weekend and every damned idiot with a Lab was in the park and not a single one was leashed. At one point I counted 23 dogs running loose within a stones throw of my site. I couldnt even take my dog out to go to the bathroom until it was dark out. We even had one come right up to our picnic table while we were trying to eat. The wife started throwing rocks at it to chase it off. The owners reported us to the rangers. When the rangers came back to ask us what was going on I quickly handed them the slip of paper with the rules on it including the leash length and requirements of one. As I handed it to them I told them to look around and all at the same time I opened the door on the camper and let my rotti stick his head out the door. I then turned and asked if they would like to enforce the rules or can I turn him loose as well. They walked around and infomed everyone of the rules. As soon as they got in the truck and drove off the dogs were all runnig loose again.

I'm afraid I would have left. Too stressful, which is not what I expect when I go camping. I'd rather be home than endure that. How sad for you and your family/dogs!
Dog_Folks
Explorer
Sep 29, 2014
Goostoff wrote:
We just went through a very bad case of this this weekend. Duck hunting season started this weekend and every damned idiot with a Lab was in the park and not a single one was leashed. At one point I counted 23 dogs running loose within a stones throw of my site. I couldnt even take my dog out to go to the bathroom until it was dark out. We even had one come right up to our picnic table while we were trying to eat. The wife started throwing rocks at it to chase it off. The owners reported us to the rangers. When the rangers came back to ask us what was going on I quickly handed them the slip of paper with the rules on it including the leash length and requirements of one. As I handed it to them I told them to look around and all at the same time I opened the door on the camper and let my rotti stick his head out the door. I then turned and asked if they would like to enforce the rules or can I turn him loose as well. They walked around and infomed everyone of the rules. As soon as they got in the truck and drove off the dogs were all runnig loose again.

I don't mean to sound trite, but when this happened, it would be the very last time that campground ever saw me, my dogs or my money.

You did everything right. The rangers refused to work hard enough or smart enough to insure compliance.

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Goostoff
Explorer
Sep 29, 2014
We just went through a very bad case of this this weekend. Duck hunting season started this weekend and every damned idiot with a Lab was in the park and not a single one was leashed. At one point I counted 23 dogs running loose within a stones throw of my site. I couldnt even take my dog out to go to the bathroom until it was dark out. We even had one come right up to our picnic table while we were trying to eat. The wife started throwing rocks at it to chase it off. The owners reported us to the rangers. When the rangers came back to ask us what was going on I quickly handed them the slip of paper with the rules on it including the leash length and requirements of one. As I handed it to them I told them to look around and all at the same time I opened the door on the camper and let my rotti stick his head out the door. I then turned and asked if they would like to enforce the rules or can I turn him loose as well. They walked around and infomed everyone of the rules. As soon as they got in the truck and drove off the dogs were all runnig loose again.
down_home
Explorer II
Sep 27, 2014
It's too much trouble for most of these Folks. That simple.
A store near us has a dog. He's been around for night unto twenty years now. They had another one with him but he died over ten years ago.
I know of several places that have a store dog, if that is the proper term. It takes a right personality of dog and owner to maintain one of them. Most People have a dog, that thinks he is master or protector, of his family and turf. It's natural. Any other dogs and maybe people are seen as some level, of threat. You can't have him run free with other dogs and people there. Usually it's jsut other dogs being the problem. Our dog is typical. Well behaved and friendly but any new person coming into his home or on the property gets a greeting that will frighten some to death, except little kids.He thinks all little kids are his kids. Perhaps there is some school that will train our dogs to be sociable under all circumstances but everyone's dogs would have to be a graduate and neutered or spayed, for that to work. Until them leashes or keep in the coach, has to be the rule of the day.
Scottiemom
Nomad
Sep 27, 2014
Thanks for all your responses. Knowing that most any situation involving strange dogs is unpredictable, I don't understand people who allow their dogs to charge toward other dogs. Even if they are friendly, there is the potential for danger if the dogs don't like each other, etc. I try to protect my dogs by keeping them leashed. They aren't the least bit interested in other dogs. They don't bark at them, don't really even pay attention to them. But if one runs up and gets in their face, it's probably not going to end pretty. Dog owners need to be responsible.

And I did take offense to the remarks she made about my dogs being unfriendly and not wanting to play. That's when DH told her she needed to leash her dogs.

Dale
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
Sep 26, 2014
Think of it from a dog's perspective:

"Great. There's a dog running towards us. My human insists on tying herself to me, even though she's far from able to keep up with me, so running away is out. I've never seen her bite anything other than food. And she tends to talk to other dogs in that squeaky oh-aren't-you-cute voice, so she'll never convince this idiot to leave us alone. I guess I'm going to have to defend both of us. Maybe if I act really scary - the stupid mutt will leave us alone"
Gunner45
Explorer
Sep 26, 2014
Scottiemom wrote:
However, when they are leashed and the other dog is not and CHARGING, that presents a problem. If a fight ensues, I can pull back my dog, but I cannot do anything about the loose one. And all the time, the owner keeps saying, "It's okay, he's friendly. He won't hurt you." I called to her, "Yeah, well mine isn't and doesn't like loose dogs who charge them." So she walks up to her dog and says, "Come on Buddy, those dogs aren't friendly and don't like you. . . they don't want to play. . . . etc., etc., etc. That's when my DH said, "They are supposed to be on a leash in this camp." She ignored him. They continued to leave them unleashed.

My dogs don't even look at other dogs when they are out for their walks. They ignore them. If they get interested, a "Leave it" will bring their focus back to the business at hand. They don't tug to get at them, they show no dog aggression, etc., but they don't charging dogs.

Dale

We have this problem too. Our GSD has been attacked 3 or 4 times by unleashed dogs when she is on her leash. She has developed dog fear aggression. Because of her breed it is usually assumed that she is the aggressor. She is not the aggressor, she is tired of being attacked and now defends herself when they come running up to her.

Because different breeds act differently she is very leery of labs. Most of the ones she has met do not respect her space bubble and come bounding into it. It's really hard to tell people that don't understand it doesn't matter how friendly their dog is, they are not on a leash and my dog feels threatened and at a disadvantage.
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
Sep 26, 2014
Dog Folks wrote:

And when the rule breaking is pointed out to them, no matter how gently, as a host where it is my duty to do so, I am the bad guy. :h

How did I become the bad guy? Did I miss a shift of responsibility?

Nah - you missed the fact that they wear Teflon rainsuits so nothing (like responsibility, civility, "sense of duty", etc) ever sticks to them. And as a host, you're supposed to be nice :-)

Me? I figure folks like that (the rules-breakers) are responsible for dogs not being allowed in some campgrounds, and that makes me mad. Give ME the Bad Guy Hat - I'll go talk to 'em ;-)
Dog_Folks
Explorer
Sep 26, 2014
Deb and Ed M wrote:
I love the way the non-rule-compliers somehow make the problem into YOU with your "non-friendly" dogs (smack forehead).

And when the rule breaking is pointed out to them, no matter how gently, as a host where it is my duty to do so, I am the bad guy. :h

How did I become the bad guy? Did I miss a shift of responsibility?

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