Monday, September 19, 2011

Run Free...actually, please don't

I fail to understand why people let their dogs run loose.  We are the only people in our "neighborhood" with a fence and it's getting really old.  I simply don't understand the point of having a dog you allow to run loose 24/7.  If you don't care that at any given time your dog could be hit by a car, stolen, kicked by livestock or attacked by other dogs then how much can you really care about the dog?  It's probably littered with parasites and get no vet care either.  All the more reasons why I don't want it IN MY YARD!

Seriously why do people think it's ok to let their dog wander on someone else's property, harass that person's pets or livestock, pee on their plants and poop in the yard.  I mean the owners don't come in our yard and hang out, they don't let their kids in our yard, why let the dogs and all the associated feces in our yard? 

A few weeks ago a neighbor stopped by while I was mowing to ask if the long haired black and white dog running loose in the neighborhood was ours or did I know who it belonged too.  I have never seen this dog but I have seen her large black lab in our yard on a regular basis.  I pointed out that any dog belonging to us would be INSIDE THE FENCE.  She sheepishly admitted that although they try to keep their dog home they are not very successful.  I guess by try they mean they holler "stay" as they pull out of the driveway because they clearly don't have a fence and the dog is outside all the time. 

I wonder how all the irresponsible owners would feel if I start flinging poop back into their yards?  Ok, end of rant.

But speaking of running I have kept up with my goal of running more and training harder for the next 5k.  I'm excited to see how much I can improve my time this weekend and then again in October.  That will probably be all the races until spring-I don't like to run outside in the cold.  But next year sometime we plan to try a 10k!

Also about running, Eva is getting pretty quick on 3 legs.  Before long she will be as fast as the average cat!

10 comments:

Sue said...

Make room for me on that soapbox. We keep our dogs behind a fence or gated on the deck or on leash, but the neighbors don't seem to notice that as they let theirs out in the morning.

A pet peeve is a dog that comes into my yard and has the nerve to bark at me when I come outside. I bought a giant super soaker and fire a stream of water at neighboring dogs in my yard. It convinces many of them to go elsewhere. I'd like to soak the neighbors, too.

Kiyi Kiyi said...

I agree 100%!! I hate it when I'm walking my dog ON A LEASH in a public park and the dogs from the neighboring houses are running free and barking at my dog/following us without any supervision.
I live in town and there is a family that lets their Lab out in the morning to run free and then at night they (hopefully) let him back in. There are 5 dogs on my street and I have the only house with a fence. My neighbors, "like the open look" (their comment when I put up a fence). I hope they like all the neighborhood dogs peeing in their yard too.

Diana said...

LOl, well I have flung dog poop back into poeples yards. People make me so mad!!

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

Boy that is my pet peeve too. Around here I can not walk in my own neighborhood because of loose mean dogs. There are a few chihuahuas who sleep in the street???? Like how ridiculous is that??? There is one lady that puts her chihuahua out in the front yard, she has a back yard and a house, but she lets the dog out front every night. We have coyotes and big mean dogs, and cars, not to mention that I take my walk about that time and that dog is MEAN and chases and tries to bite, the lady will hear the commotion and come out and watch, but then leaves the dog and goes back to bed, like REALLY? Why have a dog and what will any of these people do when the dog gets hit or bites, you know the dog will just have to deal or be on their way to the pound, it is really aggrevating-and do these people not think they should protect their dogs,....and the public!

Chris and Ricky said...

I totally agree!

tervnmal said...

Amen, sister! Same thing happens around our place. We live in the middle of nowhere and I swear we are the ONLY people in the township who don't let their dogs run loose.

I have chased the neighbor's dog down the lane, flinging gravel at it and screaming at the top of my lungs. Probably only confirmed A) the dog is terrified of me and B) the neighbors think I am mental.

Marsha K. said...

You have just hit on my pet peeve of the week. It seems like every walk I have taken in the last two weeks has been interrupted by loose dogs. Luckily I only walk one 25 pound dog and he is easy to boost up in my arms. The Beagle that came tearing after us got "the boot". I am seriously considering carrying some protection in the form of spray (worry about wind and my own dog) or something else - open to suggestions. Don't even get me started on the neighbor's dog that came walking up while I was packing my van for a dog show and then proceeded to growl at me when I said hi to him in a friendly voice (while NOT making eye contact - I do believe him to be a bite risk). Ugh...

Nicki said...

Oh yeah-love when a neighbor dog comes in my yard and barks at me!

Border Collie Mom said...

While I have to say that today I cannot imagine allowing my dogs to run loose, as a kid, all of our dogs ran loose, and to my knowledge, never left our property. We lived in the country and had many acres for them to roam; though there was a road nearby, they never went that direction. Now looking back, I can't believe that we did this... we would even leave for several days and leave them loose, counting on a neighbor to stop by and feed them (the cheapest Purina chow, I might add). (I'm not recommending this, I'm just saying that we can change!)

Elizabeth said...

Maybe it's cause I'm a city girl, but I can't even imagine this.