Dear Abby: Petite trail walker wants a snappy comeback for off-leash dog owners

[petrea_mitchell]

First letter here.

DEAR ABBY: I live in an area with a large number of dog owners who frequent the same walking trails I do. On several occasions, I have encountered dogs that are off-leash and running ahead of their owners. Sometimes the owner isn’t even in sight.

On several occasions, dogs have jumped up on me, almost knocking me to the ground. I’m in my late 60s, under 5 feet and weigh 105 pounds. I could easily be injured. I was once attacked and bitten.

My question is this: What’s the best thing to say to these dog owners when they finally appear? The last time it happened, the owner happily said to her DOG, “I know you’re excited, but ...” The rest I couldn’t hear because she had already passed me on the trail.

Abby, she saw her dog jump up on me and never even acknowledged me. I don’t want to respond angrily or sarcastically, but in a friendly yet firm manner. -- WALKER IN WASHINGTON

DEAR WALKER: You are far too nice, lady. Start carrying pepper spray or bear spray when you walk on the trail. If an off-leash dog starts to jump on you, use it. When the owner shows up, say their dog charged you and take their picture. If they give you any trouble, file a police report. When you were bitten, you should have involved the authorities and your attorney.

Comments

[petrea_mitchell]

Willing to cosign calling the law when you are bitten, but bear spray is potentially fatal to any creature smaller than a bear, do not come armed with that unless you expect to encounter actual bears.

[jadelennox]

yeah, like, these people are dangerous assholes at worst, oblivious everyone-loves-doggie-jumps dog owners at the absolute best, but if you bear spray someone's dog prepare to go to court. And also make damn sure you know how not to get yourself (ouch) or any other humans on the path (assault).

[ioplokon]

Is there a good option if you want to not be bit? (I'm not thinking of excitable dogs but like full on mean ones, which I do encounter sometimes & idk what to do...)

[minoanmiss]

I second your questiion !

[cimorene]

That's what I was thinking. Maybe there's a pepper spray that's milder? I wouldn't want anything that is gonna be fatal. Maybe one of those things that makes a really really loud noise - is it an air horn?

[laurajv]

This...isn't quite what you asked, but it's probably good info: if you are confronted by a dangerous dog, you should keep an eye on it (not stare into its face, but don't turn your back, either), and you should be prepared in case it jumps at your face/throat -- be ready to bring up your NON-DOMINANT arm, bony-side out, across your throat. This is the body part you want to sacrifice to a bite.

If your balance is good enough and you weigh enough/are strong enough, you can bang a dog off you with a sharp knee to the chest, but get that arm up regardless. It can save your life. You do not want a dangerous dog getting to your face or throat.

[ioplokon]

Thanks. ooooh the knee seems risky - either you get the dog off or you're probably knocked to the ground 😬

[laurajv]

Yes -- that's part of why you need to weigh enough; you need to have the mass to keep from being bowled over.

[minoanmiss]

Ugh I prefer to avoid the police. They will side with the Whiter and or wealthier person. Not necessarily the bite victim.

And pepper spraying the dog if someone willing to let it knock one over is calling for being assaulted by the human too. One would be in the right but that won’t pay the hospital bills.

So I find this advice useless and share the LW’s need for a useful answer.

[cimorene]

+1 on police. Attorney if you are going to need it for medical bills, maybe.

[cora]

I hate this answer, but I think it's a "making the best of a bad situation" scenario: Pick a different walking trail/walk your dog elsewhere. It sucks because LW isn't the problem, but the only thing in life we can control is ourselves. Choosing not to put ourselves in such dangerous situations is the wise choice here, even if it's a shitty one.

[minoanmiss]

In personal practice, this is one reason why I don't go hiking and rarely go to parks, yeah. But there's a tiny part of me that doesn't want to recommend to LW that if all the local trails have this issue that she just stay home. (which is moot because she can't read this discussion anyway. ahahaha.)

[cora]

Yeah if all of the local trails have this problem, it may be time to look around at local parks and go there to walk in circles instead (super boring). I imagine people are more inclined to leash dogs around kids.

Locally we have a dog park. It specifically states dogs must be on a leash. I have no idea how common dog parks are, though.