# Adventures in dog walking



## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

I'm just relieved this story has a happy ending, at least for everyone except the teenagers.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Liz said:


> I'm just relieved this story has a happy ending, at least for everyone except the teenagers.


Yeah. My neighborhood is quiet, but we're within easy walk of some very busy roads. Even during my dog-free period I always made a point of capturing any strays. Fortunately we don't get many, and the few we do get usually have homes, though I did end up with a bonus cat once.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

That's scary - so lucky the offending dog was friendly. You are a good neighbor to bring that roaming dog home and keep it safe until the teenagers clad in pj's picked him up.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

I keep a spare leash in my car and another on my porch. They come in handy. I'm glad that things turned out well with the runner.


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## Apricot mini momma (Dec 22, 2020)

I’m so glad it was a friendly doggo. Very kind of you to take the time to get him back home. 😊


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## Happy'sDad (Jul 4, 2020)

@cowpony : Good on you for caring enough to take charge of this dog and getting him safely back to his family. In all honesty, this could happen to any of us. Even the best trained and supervised dogs can get out on occasion. A long time ago, a worker left my gate opened and my two JRTs got out. Luckly for us, a good Samaritan scooped them up and returned them before they made it out to the highway. I nominate Cowpony doggy hero of the day.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Good job! Keeping two bouncy dogs that just met is a very challenging task! Thanks for being a wonderful neighbor!


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## The Popster (Feb 23, 2021)

cowpony said:


> This afternoon while I was walking Ritter I heard the jingling of dog tags behind us. I turned around to see a loose dog streaking towards us. Just my luck to have Ritter, my reactive dog, and not Galen. Ritter started yelping. The strange dog, undeterred, ran straight up to us. The two dogs sniffed noses and did a bit of bouncy play posturing. Fortunately, since I normally walk Ritter with a double leash, I had something I could use to restrain the other dog. I unclipped the leash from Ritter's collar and snagged the strange dog. With the two dogs bouncing in circles around me I was unable to read the tags. It wouldn't have mattered anyhow, as I had neglected to bring my phone with me.
> I walked home, dragging Ritter by his Halti and the strange dog by his collar. For the most part I was able to keep a dog on either side of me, so the pups weren't able to box with each other. Ritter chose, instead, to shriek the entire way home. Galen started shrieking inside the house when he heard Ritter shrieking outside, so my husband greeted us at the door to find out what was going on. Upon seeing the little miscreant he joked, "I told you, we don't need a third dog."
> Once my husband took custody of Ritter I was able to read the strange dog's tag to figure out where he belonged. I walked him home, rang the doorbell...and nobody answered. I checked for open doors and found none. Sigh. I walked home with the strange dog again and was greeted with more shrieks of poodle indignation. I locked the strange dog in my breezeway, causing him to join the chorus of canine outrage.
> I herded my dogs into the bedroom, herded the strange dog into our heated porch, found my phone, and texted the number on the dog's tag. It turns out the owner was at work and had left his dog home with a family member. Oops. A few minutes later a couple of flannel pajama clad teenagers showed up (it's 25 degrees right now), humbly asked if they could borrow my leash, and headed off with the dog. SMH. I expect there will be an interesting conversation when dad gets home tonight.


How very decent of you.


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## BBVidya (6 mo ago)

I have run into 2 thankfully friendly loose collarless dogs that pestered us for a longtime. And one obnoxiously playful pit bull puppy, that Aliana fell down trying to avoid his biting and scratching play. I had to smack him smartly with my cane more than once to send him packing. It was kinda enervating for us both. No collar on this rude boy.
now I walk with a 17 inch flashlight baton, made of heavy aircraft aluminum, equipped nicely with a taser on the end that I “test fire” to deter, or failing that, give a shock to some one or some creature bothering me. It is legal in Louisiana, but may require a concealed carry permit in some states. 
I can’t afford to fall and hurt myself, or have Aliana hurt or become reactive to dogs. Some people should not own dogs— too irresponsible!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Cowpony, can you come wrangle our neighbour’s corgi? Peggy’s had just about enough of him rushing and growling at her. Sadly, in this case, the culprit is a full-grown adult rather than bashful teens.


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## BennieJets (Oct 10, 2021)

Ruh roh. Methinks there will be a couple of reluctant adolescents on poop-scoop duty for a while.


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## BBVidya (6 mo ago)

I would speak to the neighbors first to contain their dog, then it is the pepper spray or taser baton that will do the speaking to deter the dog. I test fired it and we both jumped!


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Cowpony, can you come wrangle our neighbour’s corgi? Peggy’s had just about enough of him rushing and growling at her. Sadly, in this case, the culprit is a full-grown adult rather than bashful teens.


My evil recommendation is a water pistol filled with the juice from a can of sardines. Non-toxic (though probably not ideal in the eyes) and oh so smelly.


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## BBVidya (6 mo ago)

A water pistol with old fashioned stinky ammonia is good. If it hits the nose, it is a super deterrent.


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

I’m thankful to live where I do, where loose dogs are quickly scooped into safe backyards, neighbors called, pups returned unharmed and unbeaten. I don’t know most of my human neighbors, but do know most of the dogs, and my neighbors are all the same way.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

BBVidya said:


> A water pistol with old fashioned stinky ammonia is good. If it hits the nose, it is a super deterrent.


I wouldn't use anything caustic on a dog. It's not his fault his owner lets him run loose to be a jerk, and it's quite likely a truly irresponsible owner won't get medical treatment for the dog either. Smelly fish oil that rubs off on the owner's household goods, though...😈


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

cowpony said:


> My evil recommendation is a water pistol filled with the juice from a can of sardines. Non-toxic (though probably not ideal in the eyes) and oh so smelly.


 I can just say, “Oh no! Peggy must have been so frightened by your roaming dog, she expressed her anal glands!”


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

I like the way you think, but have to admit Annie would be way more likely to run at you if you were spraying sardine oil at her to lick. 

But, at least it might make the dog friendlier!


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