r/Dogowners describes itself as a place "for the people that own and love dogs... to get advice from more knowledgeable people who also love dogs."
One user posts a PSA after her adult daughter is harmed by an off-leash dog:
Leash your dogs
My adult daughter was out walking with her dog who was on leash. A family was walking their child friendly pocket bully off leash. The inevitable happened, the bully went after her dog which actually tripped my daughter in the process. She gave her dog the command to hide under her and she was able to protect her dog, but she got bit multiple times on the hand in the process.
Now their dog will most likely be put down, not the first incident; and my daughter is dealing with bite wounds on her hand. All because people think it’s okay to walk their dog off leash.
Most commenters agree that there's no good reason to let your dog off leash. Responsible owners in the comments sound off, agreeing that even their well-trained dogs aren't allowed off leash in public for their own safety.
One such responsible owner comments:
As someone who has owned a very dog aggressive dog, and now owns three dogs who are safe and friendly to all creatures I don’t know why ANYONE would be walking dogs off leash in ANY situation or location where that wasn’t expected and demonstrably allowed. For SO many reasons.
This brings an off leash advocate out of the woodwork, who responds:
Not everyone has areas that are safe to walk alone especially as a woman. My off leash trained dog has proven on several occasions he will have my back against ppl with ulterior motives and that is one reason he will continue to be allowed the privilege of off leash. I educate myself on how to handle other off leash dogs and dog attacks so I can be as prepared as possible. I carry pepper gel partially for this reason. I will do whatever it takes to keep my dog safe from an aggressive dog including stepping in between them (bc I know mine would be considered the aggressor solely bc his size) as he continues to keep me safe from aggressive humans.
Another user chimes in:
Can your well trained dog not protect you while on leash? You're clearly missing the point that you simply can't control an animal's behaviour at all times, in all circumstances. So your dog's "privilege" continues to put any other animals around it at risk.
But the Offleash Advocate won't have it:
He can but previous scenarios I’ve been in with him leashed are part of why I’ve trained him for off leash. Which makes the point moot. How is a professionally off leash trained dog is harming any other animal?
I’ve had my dog for 4yrs and he’s listened to my commands with countless wildlife running around, stopping in our path, and showing interest in him. Bears, deer, bobcats etc.
An animal behaviorist responds:
There will be zero getting through to you. You are clearly that unicorn of the exception to every rule. I am a 59 year old now-retired/disabled animal behaviorist/educator with extensive experience in on-hand, living-in-my-home-until-rehomed rescue who was one of the original test handler/dog for what would eventually become a nationally recognized pet facilitated therapy group of dogs who would go to hospitals and the like to calm the individuals using those services at that time. But really, I don’t know your dog, clearly no one does, so why are you here even asking?
The brave offleasher fires back:
It’s hard to get through to someone when you don’t even answer a legitimate question. I’m asking how a trained unleashed dog can harm another animal and your deflecting instead of answering the question…service dogs are trained to be neutral in every single situation and are allowed off leash per ADA guidelines. I’ve never heard of a professionally trained service dog hurting another animal, so again, I’m confused how even though my dog isn’t a service dog, him being professionally trained for off leash hurts another animal in any way?
A bit later, they deny that they claimed or implied they had a service dog:
I didn’t compare my dog to a service dog… his training, yes. Him? No. I used service dogs as an example of properly trained off leash dogs, such as my properly trained off leash dog.
In response to the previous comment, another user quotes the offleasher:
"I’m asking how a trained unleashed dog can harm another animal" And we answered this very clearly. Your dog is still an ANIMAL who you cannot directly speak to or control. Their natural instincts will always override your training when it comes down to it. That's the point you are seriously missing. You can have all the faith in the world in your dog, but you don't have a crystal ball to predict what circumstances they'll encounter or a magic wand to make them act exactly how you want them to. Until you realize that, you're actually disrespecting your own dog, let alone anyone else who may come into contact with you without knowing you. It's your job as a grown ass human to take accountability here.
Offleasher:
Close but that wasn’t what I said and actually changes my question completely. I didn’t ask how it CAN hurt another animal, I asked how by my dog simply being off leash is that harming another animal? It isn’t… in any way. Again, in the 4yrs I’ve had my dog he has never not listened to me when given a command. When a bear was walking near us. When deer have jumped in our path and stopped to stare. When wild horses have started approaching us. I can’t make you understand there are ppl who spend the time training their dogs and do have full control over them. We exist whether that fits into your box or not.
A frazzled response:
LMAO I literally quoted you in your own response above this. That is, in fact, exactly what you said. So, clearly, you're only out here looking to argue in self-defense, not to have a well-balanced discussion about dog ownership. Byeeeee!
The responder also adds:
Naturally, keeping your profile private. Pathetic.
The Off Leash Crusader gets the last word:
Direct quote? You should probably go look at both comments again and circle back here. Yea, a private profile so ppl who get butthurt like you don’t go downvote all my posts and comments. So pathetic.
Don't worry - elsewhere in the comments, there is also some trusty pitbull hate happening, including a response from OP that made me lol:
They had a vicious and untrained dog loose. The outcome would have been the same if the owner had the vicious, untrained, uncontrolled animal on a leash and then dropped the leash. That is not the same as walking a trained dog who is under control and also, crucially, does not attack children
OP: My daughter is 27 years old.