This is to the woman who thought it was in everyone's best interest to allow her large standard poodle enough lead so that he could cross the street, lunge nearly knocking me down, and bite me on the arm, Friday night. The woman only began reeling him in after I yelled at her to get her dog off me. It's also to the guy whose Dachshund was outside in the yard near the sidewalk on Beach Boulevard without a leash, a couple of weeks back. As I was coming down the walk toward 28th, the owner said, "stay back from him, he might bite you." Okay, I'm a dog lover. I LOVE all animals but REALLY, no leash or control on a dog that you knew would potentially bite a passer-by. That doesn't sound like true love or responsible parenting, to me. My arm still hurts. Bruises only, but what if I had been a child that the dog had gone after, tonight. It could have ended up much more seriously than it did.
I know you love your dogs but you are putting them and everyone else at risk everytime you allow them out without a leash and the proper knowledge of how to manage their behavior.
How many times have I heard people say, "He/she is a good dog." "He or she didn't mean anything by it." or "He/she would never do that." Right. I would agree that the dog is a good dog because there are no bad dogs. There are just untrained and irresponsible owners, which is why I would never agree with the second two statements.
Find out what's happening in Gulfportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
We all want to think our dogs are fabulous, and while I am absolutely certain they are, getting bit by them sucks as does being put to sleep, I would imagine. So, do the community a favor and go to the library to see if they have any Cesar Millan, Dog Whisperer tapes or go to a training class for dog parents. The life you save may be your own dog's, or a child's, or mine.