Pets- unpopular viewpoint

Pawz4me wrote:

my440 wrote:
My Shitzus stay off the leash while at our RV sites but not till they settle down after arriving. The pouting and playing the victim is overwhelming to me.
The leashes are on though when were inside the motorhome and their not and worn whenever off our pad.
The leashes are always present, usually tied to a picnic table just as a reminder or when a stray dog or cat approaches.
I don't like when a stray dog approaches our rv sites, they disrupt the whole camp, then you need to deal with the dogs owner arriving acting like its the first time.

I have a Shih Tzu and I kind of understand your post. I've had dogs all my life, mostly sporting and working breeds who were all well trained, but the Shih Tzu is the first one I trust to not leave my side. He just won't. He takes his "job" as a companion very, very seriously and couldn't possibly care less about anyone or anything except me. Nevertheless, he's leashed at all times when he's outside at a campground.

Keeping your dogs leashed all the time is about much more than protecting them. People walking around who see your dogs long before they get close deserve the respect of visually being able to see a leash or tie out restraining your dogs. Otherwise they have no way of knowing that the dogs aren't going to rush out at them. To place others who have paid just as much as you to enjoy the campground in a position to have to wonder whether your dogs might run out at them, or whether they need to turn around to avoid an encounter, is just not right. Do unto others and all that jazz.

Thank you! Last week DH and I were walking in a nearby neighborhood and 2 boxers came running at us through their yard. No restraints - no people outside - they were running and barking - seemingly in attack mode. I screamed. Then they stopped abruptly a couple feet from us - apparently an electric fence. How were we to know?

On another note - last weekend we were visiting Niagara Falls on the American side. I'd say 70 to 80 percent of the visitors brought their dogs. Were they showing the Falls to their pets? We were feeling bad for our cats who we did not bring - they missed out.