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

[adrian_turtle]

This might actually be a good place for women's tears. Maybe a good loud scream of terror or pain when the dog jumps on her. (Though I don't know if an untrained dog [or one trained to jump on people in excited greeting] is likely to react violently to screaming.) I understand the shocked impulse to freeze and try to act like you're in control of the situation. To think in terms of "I might have been attacked" rather than "I was just attacked." But that illusion of control makes it easier for other people to ignore what just happened, to not take it seriously.

[mrissa]

Right, I was going to say: screaming may agitate a previously annoying-but-nonviolent dog into a violent dog if it has been trained badly. It is extremely difficult to actually stay as safe as possible and convey to the other person that their actions endangered you in this situation.

This winter when he was in California, my partner was attacked by three dogs who were loose and ran 100 yards to attack him (that is: he was not close up and did not, could not have done anything to antagonize them). He is a large man and was not knocked down by being hit by three dogs running at top speed, and he was able to keep his head and shout, "NO NO NO," in a large commanding voice, so I am able to tell you this as "was attacked" rather than "required major surgery" or "was killed." Meanwhile here where we live, a man was killed by four dogs that same week. I love dogs. I am about the biggest dog lover you will find. That's why I want them well-trained and leashed in public areas, and I agree that getting through to the owners is a good long-term goal--but immediate safety has to come first.