Walking off leash?
 

In my neighborhood, there are lots of people with lots of different dogs. In NYC, we have leash laws that require dog owners to have their dogs leashed while in public at all times. Most people, including myself obey this rule. There is a lady in my neighborhood who owns the cutest little yorkie girl named Precious and Nikko and I were fortunate enough to meet her while her dog walker was out with her. Precious does not walk on a leash. She is about 4 pounds, and very well trained because even off leash she sticks close to her walker but I was disturbed by this. There are lots of big dogs around our way, pit bulls, rottweilers, labs and pinschers. I would not trust my dog's safety around them. Granted Precious doesn't wander off too far, I still think it is unsafe, unwise (and not to mention illegal) for her to be off leash. I didn't question the dog walker about this but I casually mentioned how well trained she was off leash and the walker said "yeah she hates leashes so she doesn't wander too far because she knows we'll put it on her." Am I wrong to be disturbed by this? I mean in a perfect world, all dogs should roam free but we live in the city and there are many dangers around for tiny dogs. Maybe I should have said something...

that would bother me too. another dog could come out of nowhere and grab her in a split-second! or a person! i am super paranoid about my boys ever getting loose, but for anyone it is your job to protect your dog, and shes not doing a very good job.

You are not wrong to think that because you are right what if a dog or a hawk grabbed her? she's a gonner right?:thumbdown The next time you see the owner you should say something and if she does nothing about it you should report the owner to the police or something! :animal-pa

I agree with you. Regardless of how "well" trained a dog is off the leash there is still a chance that something could distract them and the dog will run. And with all these Rotti attacks that have been happening around here, I would think you'd want quick access to your little one. Thats a very irresponsible dog walker if you ask me, what if something was to happen, how do you explain that to the owner. I wouldn't want that person walking Lady. The only way Lady will be off a leash is in my fenced in backyard. Theres to much danger out there.

If it were me, I think I would say something... perhaps that I've heard of yorkies being attacked by larger dogs and how would she deal with that kind of situation without having a tether to pull the dog to her? Perhaps she never thought of that scenario. I know that if anything ever happened to the dog and I didn't say something, I'd feel bad that I didn't at least try to inform her of the possibility of something happening. If you say something and she doesn't change her ways, then at least you know that you tried.

That's my opinion, anyway. :)

wow i would never i hate walking my boys even with a leash its very scarey with all those huge untrained dogs

I agree, leash in public every time, even though we don't have a law about it - yet. Good romps can be had in private parks or wide-open spaces where the handler can see what potential trouble is on the horizon, but only if the dog is trained to recall immediately. Not easy in a Yorkie, so I understand.:)

Right, Lorrie - it's just good sense to leash your dog, especially a tiny one, whenever it is outside the confines of your own home or enclosed yard. I think any loving dog owner would do so as a rule (I'm not ruling out the possibility that there are occasional, short-term situations where you might need to make an exception).

Where there are leash laws, the people that let their dogs run free have neither the sense to look after the well-being of their pets, the responsibility to care about the well-being of others who might be affected by their free-roaming dog, nor the humility to accept the fact that they are, in fact, part of the general population to whom the law applies. Their actions imply the attitude that their own desires are all that matters.

Do you have any muzzling regulations?
We do/did for pit-bulls and staffs after some horrific attacks on *real* children. But I think that must have been a political expediency because I hardly ever see one of these breeds muzzled now.

I thought so too, that it was just the dog walker. Except when going home yesterday I spotted Precious again, this time walking two feet BEHIND her owner!!!:eek: What is wrong with this lady? She obviously gives the dog walker permission to walk Precious off leash.

I think muzzles are only required when the dogs have vicious propensities or have histories of aggressive behavior. But again, you have people who do as they wish, regardless of the law.

Ah yes. I should have said we do have local muzzling orders for individual dogs "who have sinned". But the blanket laws are/were meant to apply to all members of the breeds. There was a bit of a to-do in the Breed Clubs, I can tell you. Maybe it was the Clubs that lobbied for a change or relaxation in the law.

Maybe you should report her, for the safety of that dog. Hopefully if she get a warning it will scare her and she be more cafeful about things.