Dog owners: Some of the most inconsiderate people around?

[thistlechaser]

Not all dog owners are bad people. If you are a good dog owner or if you know one? YAY! Thank you! This is about all the bad ones.

My apartment is on the ground floor. Our windows are nearly floor to ceiling. The bottom of the window is about knee-high. My cat's favorite place is sitting in the window.

Unfortunately, being knee-high to the ground, every damned dog sees her. In the two weeks I've been here:

1) A dog tried to climb through my window to attack her. The owner watched. Laughing. He didn't call the dog off until I went to the window and asked him to.

2) Countless owners use Ellie to test the sit/stay of their dogs. Bringing them closer and closer, making them sit and stay (or trying to). This usually ends up with them lunging at her.

3) So many dogs off-leash (all dogs are supposed to be leashed), who run right up to the window, barking at her.

Bonus #4: Parents who bring their toddlers right to the window to see the "kitty". Hello, I'm sitting RIGHT HERE. I don't exactly like you and your kids looking right in at me.

I've never seen Ellie puffed up and hissing until we moved here. Poor girl is going to have a heart attack. I feel like putting a big sign in my window: "My cat is not entertainment for your dog." I suppose that might be unfriendly of me though...

Comments

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

100% agreed. People will ignore the sign, or not even notice it until their dog is clawing at the window. Just have the spray parallel to the window so it wont spray people that walk by - just things right by the window. You'll get complaints from people about you interacting with their dog at all, but fuck 'em.

As for kids? You're screwed there.

As a cat person who married a dog person, I had to learn the responsible dog ownership thing. As a natural but relaxed dominant, it was easy. Dog looks to me for guidance on how to behave. When we walk (which is generally 2 of the 3 walks per day), I use one of the long stretchy leashes. The dog knows she is only allowed to leave my side at one point - running into the tall grass in abandoned lots where she poops. The rest of the time, the leash is slack. She walks next to me, mostly without pulling (squirrels are still a problem, but I lock the leash the moment she gets a foot in front of me). She is curious about cats, but knows not to approach unless I say OK (remember - she has a cat at home).

Most dog owners in our neighborhood are good...there's 1 that isn't. 70 lbs boxer, gorgeous all white dog. The owners told us he's a rescue, so he's aggressive. So of course they walk him without a leash. My wife and I complained, and for a couple months they started carrying a leash with them, but not hooked to the dog. The boxer has attacked multiple people in the neighborhood, with minimal injuries. Still, if I have to walk my dog around the same time they walk theirs, I take my handgun with me. Mostly as a loud noise to scare it, more if I absolutely have to. I'd prefer nonlethal but I've seen that dog rush people and I'm not willing to risk my or my pets' lives because of some irresponsible asshole.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

The owners told us he's a rescue, so he's aggressive. So of course they walk him without a leash.

Wow. So they know, but they don't care. That's just so unacceptable.

You're probably right that the sign won't work, and that people will get pissed if I spray their dogs. Blah!