We love dogs, and our pets are part of our family. They bring us joy, and we love to bring joy to them. We give them toys, buy big bones, and take them for nice long walks, on long leashes. But there’s something that we dog owners need to do for all families, and it’s not picking up poop. Long dog leashes have hidden danger. Not just getting tangled up with another dogs’ leash either, and that can be bad if a fight broke out.
Long leashes can be dangerous, some people are terrified of dogs, and you, could put you, that person, and your pet; in a fight or flight situation. Cynophobia is the fear of dogs, and like our pets we human animals have instincts as well; and self preservation is number one and that triggers number two, fight or flight. When walking our friends we aren’t out to cause harm, and we spend to much on vet bills to see our pets’ harmed. We have to be more aware before it’s too late. If a terrified person lashed out, and hurt our animal because it ran up to their pants’ leg, it could be nothing but bad for everyone.
Some people are allergic to dogs, some peoples’ kids are allergic. When you have a friendly dog that runs up on peoples’ pants’ legs, transferring allergens to their clothes, they take those allergens home to there kids. Lets pray those kids don’t have deadly serious allergies. Most deadly serious pet allergies are from cats, most of the time not always, and you normally need serious interaction with the allergen, like ingesting it. But how hard is it for a hair to get into your food. Some of us keep our dogs in our cars, and homes with us, get right out of the car with our dog walk into a restaurant, or business see that beautiful baby, and just want to hold it, or touch it and kiss it, never knowing the damage that could be done.
Some dogs are friendly, depends on training. There are large and extra large dogs and you probably don’t want a 200-lb Neapolitan mastiff running up to you sniffing, and licking, that’s a lot of drool, especially if your on your way out, job interview, date, etc.. Lots of dogs are cute but be cautious, don’t pet peoples animals they might not be friendly. I like to own, raise, and train extra large breeds for guard dog purposes. I walk my dogs, and I only allow a certain amount of friendliness to prevent unwanted bites. There have been many occasions when my head is turned, and people have stroked my animals at their own risk, but I never let my dogs run up to strangers and I make sure they know how to heel.
If you walk your dog in public you should teach your dog to heel. It’s one major command that I think all dogs should know. Heel basically means, walk next to me, and it comforts people to see your dog hug your hip instead of running at theirs.
When out walking your dog on a long leash, think about everyone else. Where I live people are care free, and since I became a father, and a protector that bothers me. I don’t like when people allow their dogs who could have just walked through who knows what, to jump on me or my kids.