Dog Walking - Most Idiotic People You Meet When Walking Your Dog

Walking with your dog sounds like a really pleasant enterprise.

Dog walking brings to mind images of an obedient, and off-leash, Lassie-like companion, walking next to you, in a field of daisies. The sky is blue, your Lassie is looking up at you with adoring eyes, and the mild wind ever so slightly causes a soothing, rustling sound in the trees around you.

The reality of dog walking is unfortunately very far from this idyllic picture.

First of all, Lassie really likes to pull and will often jump and bite at the leash. Lassie likes barking at passing cars, and will happily tow her owner towards squirrels and cats at high speed.

And as if dealing with Lassie is not enough, you must deal with the difficult neighborhood idiots who are hell-bent upon making your walk with your dog as unpleasant an experience as possible. This article is about those idiots and about how you can reclaim that most pleasant of experiences, of a man walking with his dog.

We see road rage all the time. People get angry, make rude visual gestures, shout verbal abuse, and blare their horns with great zest just because you did not think it appropriate to gun your engine, and zoom out of a green-light like a NASCAR racer.

A more recent, but just as dangerous development in many neighborhoods is the occurrence of pet rage.

In particular, lawn enthusiasts are getting up in arms and going after those four-legged fiends that cause yellow burn spots on their pristine grass and deposit free but pungent fertilizer around their shrubs and trees. This article describes a woman who got arrested because her neighbor objected to having dogs eliminate on her lawn.

I am a dog owner, so I may be a bit biased, but I think it is just a tad bit deranged to get so anal retentive over grass. As long as dog owners pick up all the dog poop, I really don't see a problem. Would those individuals seriously prefer it if dogs eliminated on the sidewalk instead?

Although the urge may be great to engage such people in a dialogue about their stupidity, and obsessive mental issues, it is actually best to ignore them and walk away.

Sadly for us, the law is actually on their side, and dogs, cats, and even squirrels, are not permitted to trespass on private property. Many a squirrel have probably paid the ultimate price for daring to tread on that inviting green lawn grass that must be perfect for everyone to see.

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When walking my Shiba Inu, I often come across pieces of glass, empty wrappers, cigarette butts, plastic bottles, food containers, and much more.

I suspect a fair amount of this garbage comes from the people who actually live in the neighborhood, given that there are no shops nearby, and it is a purely residential area. This often leads me to wonder,

Who in their right minds would trash their own neighborhood?

This will not only decrease the quality of life for everyone, but also cause property prices to fall.

Another thing that always puzzles me is why just tossing a bottle on the sidewalk is insufficient but breaking it is somehow a must. Having shards of glass on the sidewalk is not only dangerous for dogs, but also dangerous for children who may walk or play on the street.

Whenever I see glass or other dangerous litter on the sidewalk, I kick it to the side so that there is less danger of people or dogs stepping on it.

It is best to train your dog to walk on the sidewalk and always be aware of what is on the ground, ahead of you.

It is dangerous for dogs to be roaming about freely in the neighborhood.

Every year there are many dogs that get seriously injured or lose their lives in car accidents.

It is important to ensure that your backyard is very secure if you are going to leave your dog there while you are away. Dogs are pack animals, and when in the backyard, they will try and get out to be with the dogs or people that they see or hear outside. Many of them will dig under or jump over the fence.

If your dog is prone to magical escape acts, then it is best to crate him inside the house or put him in a long-term enclosure when you are not home.

Some people also decide to leave their dog off-leash while walking in the neighborhood. That is dangerous for the dog. All it takes is one squirrel for the dog to bolt and possibly get hit by a car. For the safety of other dogs and your own dog, keep him leashed at all times when walking him in the neighborhood.

If you meet free roaming dogs during your walks, try and stay calm. Do not talk to them, try to approach them, or initiate eye-contact. Not giving them eye-contact is especially important because that can be seen as a challenge, and may cause the free-roaming dog to show dog aggression.

It is best to ignore a free-roaming dog and walk away at a regular pace. Do not turn and run because that will trigger the dog's prey instinct which may cause him to give chase, and possibly attack you.

Teach your children how to greet dogs to prevent dog attacks.

I do not think that there is anything wrong with leaving your dog to roam in your backyard while you are away.

In fact I have met some dogs with excellent manners that don't even come out of their yard when the door is open. They don't bark, they don't charge the fence, but rather just go about their own business.

On the other hand, there are also dogs in my neighborhood that are aggressive and have extreme barrier frustration. They charge the fence, and are so large that they can get their front paws and head above it.

The poor, flimsy, fence looks like it is about to break open at any moment. The worst part is that there is a school nearby, so children are always passing and the dogs practice their aggressive fence charging very frequently. This is extremely dangerous for the school children, and for all pedestrians.

I take note of all such houses and always cross the street before passing them. It is best not to risk a confrontation with possibly aggressive, really large, dogs.

Some people just need to hug or pet all the dogs that they see.

When walking my dog, I generally try to avoid these people. Extreme dog huggers project really excited energy that will be picked up by the dogs and get them a bit crazy as well. Dog huggers will rarely listen to instructions on how to meet a dog. Often, they overwhelm the dog with an overly exuberant greeting.

When greeting people, it is best to tell them not to pet the dog from above. This can be viewed as a challenge by a dog, and many dogs are uncomfortable or stressed by it.

Instead, approach the dog from below the head and scratch him on the chest.

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