You make the call...justifiable violence or not?

[CarnelianButterfly]

My problem is more with homo sapiens than dogs. My answer again is i won't be bullied. I don't know how my "rare" my allergy is but my friends golden retriever once brushed me by and i was miserable for 3 days.

If you do come in contact with dogs, change clothes right away and take a shower. Then take some benadryl.

 

It's the dander that triggers the allergic response, not the hair. So even though the hair can be brushed off, the dander will remain and cause problems.

[15 Storeys High]

An allergic reaction is not "feeling miserable".

[Entropy Smith]

An allergic reaction is not "feeling miserable".

........what?

[Entropy Smith]

If you do come in contact with dogs, change clothes right away and take a shower. Then take some benadryl.

 

It's the dander that triggers the allergic response, not the hair. So even though the hair can be brushed off, the dander will remain and cause problems.

Thanks for the tip. I'll try it next time.

[15 Storeys High]

I don't know how my "rare" my allergy is but my friends golden retriever once brushed me by and i was miserable for 3 days.

 

That isn't an allergic reaction.

[Entropy Smith]

Do i need to describe the symptoms doctor?

[CarnelianButterfly]

Do i need to describe the symptoms doctor?

 

I think "feeling miserable" is about how all the people I've know describe the reactions.

[browneyedgirl36]

Certainly, you had a right to be annoyed that an unleashed dog was running around the park. I like dogs (though I'm definitely a "cat person"), but I admit I get really frustrated when, for example, someone's unleashed dog runs out into the street right in front of my bicycle, almost causing me to fall off and splatter myself all over the pavement OR when someone lets his or her dog just run into my yard and crap all over my lawn (without bothering to pick up after it, either). And, though I have no allergies, I understand that they can be very uncomfortable, and that the idea is to avoid anything that can trigger them.

 

That said, while I'm sympathetic to your plight, I have to say that kicking the dog wasn't justified at all. The ONLY reason to do any kind of violence to a dog, IMO, would be if it was actually attacking someone OR if it was attacking my pet. Otherwise....no. Not just because you might get a few dog hairs on you, no matter how bad your allergies are. When you go out in public places, especially high-traffic ones such as public parks, you're bound to step in something or get something undesirable on you somewhere.

 

My suggestion -- maybe carry a loud air horn or something else that makes a lot of noise, so that if a dog approaches, you can scare it away. As someone else suggested, yelling "NO!" is often effective enough.

[Entropy Smith]

You may be right...thats why i'm asking. I do feel guilty snide comments aside.

[justanotherchick]

well, you totally screwed up, but its not really that horrible. i mean i totally sympathize w/ you ass there are alot of a-holes in ny, nyc especially. i just feel bad for the dog. you should have kicked his owner's head in instead.

[Siriana]

I think you have anger management issues.

[Sirquacksalot]

I totally sympathize with your problems. I'm not a huge fan of dogs, but I'm much moreso not a huge fan of dog owners. What makes them think its acceptable to let their dog loose in the middle of New York in a very public area? If you own a dog, either keep it on a leash, or take it 50 clicks into the woods somewhere isolated and let it run loose if you really must. Better yet, CONTROL THE DOG, and nobody will be forced to push/shout/kick at it. The best idea would be for dog owners to get a kennel in their backyard. If they don't have a back yard for whatever reason, then obviously they shouldn't own a dog since its being cruelly kept in a small environment. (see, non-dog owners can use the C word too!)

 

While I feel vindicated in some ways that perhaps a message was sent to those dog owners that day to keep their dogs under better control, I must admit that it probably was not a smart move, and all it likely did was solidify in their minds 'their god given right to leave * * * * for us to step in'. There may be (assuming that dog survived) one silver lining: you can bet that dog won't be running at anyone anytime soon. The problem: There will be several thousand more furry animals that haven't learned the lesson, and you can't be kicking them in the head all the time, since you'd either get shot or put in jail.

 

Frankly, if you're that concerned about it, the air-horn idea might be best, or even more effective: Mace. I have no idea if they have mace that works on dogs, nor if it is legal in New York to even carry it, but it comes in relatively small containers and can be transported while running and keeping things light-weight. Of course, dog owners will likely crucify you for even daring to shout at their dog, let alone mace it, so take it with a grain of salt. I wish there were more to do with them, but dog owners are usually jerks in my experience. Much like smokers are, and the battles will likely continue for ages to come on both fronts.

 

I'd say, lesson learned, move on from it and try to come up with a more effective and less 'cruelty to animal' way to deal with the issue of dogs off leashes.

[inlove123]

Alright alright lets not go on a rant and really make the guy feel even worse.

 

Your best bet is to just stay away from the park. You dont want to? Then when you get your face kicked in after you kicked someone's dog, dont post here looking for sympathy or advice.

 

Are you really from Sicily BTW?

[avman]

I agree with inlove123 lets not get carried away with this. I think Entropy feels sufficiently guilty about this already and I don't see him justifying his actions against the dog. So lets respect that.

 

Entropy maybe the way to handle this is to try to raise awareness of the leash laws in that park. Maybe a complaint to the Parks and Recreation committee or go to attend their next meeting. Tell them you want signs posted about the leash laws and you want them enforced. And talk about your condition and what happens to you when you come into contact with dogs.

 

Turn your anger into some positive action and take back your park so to speak. I am gathering that you are ok coexisting with dogs and their owners in the park as long as they are following the leash laws. So this would be a way to have a good outcome for everybody.

 

If you are friendly with other people in the park and they are also unhappy with unleashed dogs then have them join your cause. The more of you there are, the more likely the park commission will do something about it.

[Frangipani]

Cruel man. Take it out on the owner. I get really angry when people hurt animals. If he attacked you well yeah, I could see cause then. Dog didn't ASK not be unleashed.

[CarnelianButterfly]

Another suggestion, carry a squirt bottle with water. Spray the dog in the face if it gets near you. Its a pretty clear message to the dog.

 

ONLY water, mace, pepper spray and such will hurt the dog, which is not needed. Water will wake it up to the fact its not wanted. Mace could make a friendly dog into a mean dog that will lash out because it was hurt.

[JadedStar]

Well, I was actually surprised my kick did that much damage. Like i said i feel bad for the dog. I mean its not like i'm Michael Vick or something. Yikes guilt is creeping in...

 

Actually i am very glad guilt is kicking in. Hopefully that guilt will keep this from ever happening again and it shows you have some compassion and realize this was a really bad mistake.

 

I am going to restrain myself from my full feelings on this, as it seems you are remorseful, but I will just say that your life was not in danger, the dog was not displaying signs of attack - which would have been obivous, and the dog was not responsible for being off leash. The dog was wounded - obviously seriously as a shepherd is a tough dog, so this must have been one heck of a blow - and all for probably coming up being friendly which is what most dogs do. They have brains like little babies and he was kicked so brutally and had no idea what it had done wrong.

 

I know irresponsible dog owners are a pain. I LOVE animals but am very respectful of others in regards to my animals.

 

Can you not find another place to train ? Maybe you feel that isn't fair but it is obvious this place has for quite sometime become established as a very dog friendly place. if you are allergic to dogs a place where they frequent is probably a bad bet to work out.

[15 Storeys High]

Do i need to describe the symptoms doctor?

 

Yeah. Go on then.

[manny_07]

And I doubt that the dog will "never run up to anyone again" because he got slammed in the head... dogs have short term memory loss, they dont know what happened 6 minutes earlier.

 

Not true. Dogs have the ability to connect their actions with the consequences for a period that has been measured to be about a minute or so. For example, if the dog craps on the carpet, you need to react with that minute to punish him, because after that the dog won't make the association. That's why when the dog owner comes home from work and lays into the poor dog because he's pissed at the crap on the rug, the poor dog has no clue.

 

If dogs had no short term memory and can't remember events from 6 minutes earlier, they would be impossible to train. No doubt this dog will be much more cautious about people and might be reluctant to run up to a stranger. And that's the only good thing that may come out of this.

[inlove123]

Oaken, seriously, for the last 4 pages of this thread most of it has been negativity toward Entropy Smith. I think he gets the point. He did show remorse. You sound like the president of the SPCA but even as a crazy dog/owner myself, you have to come to terms that not everyone loves animals as much as others. He showed remorse, what more do you want from him?

[manny_07]

throat:

 

Right, however, the statement that a dog has no short term memory is still not correct. The dog DOES remember pissing on the carpet but he does not associate the punishment he is receiving for it if the punishment does not follow within about 1 minute of the behavior.

 

This dog WILL remember being kicked and probably will be shy of people, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

By the way I think the OP is taking too much heat on this thread. Someone is bitten by a dog every 5 minutes, or something like that. People are mauled and maimed and killed by trusted family dogs on a daily basis it seems.

 

He probably reacted out of instinct, fear, and he has really good reflexes. Yes, I feel badly for the dog, but the responsibility for the entire incident falls squarely on the shoulders of the OWNER not the OP.

 

That dog could have easily been on the attack, and if it was me I would have reacted the same way and asked questions later.

 

My health and well being takes high priority over a dog. Any day.

[inlove123]

Lets really not turn this into a dog discussion but 6 minutes is completely off and 1 minute is a bit off as well. In a young pup, the attention span is probably about 6 seconds depending on the distraction. As the dog matures more, about a minute sounds about right but depending on what the dog was distracted with as well and the dogs intelligence. Most dogs know they've disobeyed you

 

Something that happened once a dog will not remember. Unless the situation was incredibly severe and even then, it will need to put put in a similar situation such as the same location for it to act even remotely differently. We train dogs through continuous praise or continue correction. Eventually, it goes into there long term memory and is recognized. Its the basically exactly like a human, except on a MUCH smaller level.

 

To try to put Entropy Smith and relieve him of some guilt that hes received, that dog does not remember what happened. Just let it go and dont do it again.

 

This thread should be closed.

[manny_07]

I certainly don't commend him for having "quick reactions" (HA HA!! Hysterical!) as obviously the dog was not a threat.

 

The original post doesn't say much about how the dog "approached". Did it simply wander up to the guy with it's tail wagging? Or was it running towards the guy? It makes a big difference.

[JadedStar]

To try to put Entropy Smith and relieve him of some guilt that hes received, that dog does not remember what happened. Just let it go and dont do it again.

 

This thread should be closed.

 

I agree he has been sufficiently beaten up on this thread which is why I kept most of my feelings to myself, but guilt is not always a bad thing so I don't think that anyone should necessarily try to relieve him of it. Guilt may prevent another violent outburst like this, because the next time he may not get off without a warning.

 

I also had tears in my eyes when i read the original post thinking about that dog lying there wimpering.

 

It is a good thing that he has some guilt and remorse tho. If he didn't i'd really be wondering...

[Entropy Smith]

Honestly, the "e-beating" is really not going to do anything to me, nor is flaming.

 

I feel sorry for the dog but thats it...I've forgiven myself. Like I've said before if the Karma police wish to make me pay so be it.

 

I was in the park today and the precint where its located had a squad car in the parking lot and there were about 4-6 park cops, and every dog was on a leash. Teh dog people were pointing at me like they were from that movie "invasion of the body snatchers." Apparently alots been made of this incident since it happened. I did my windsprints and some upperbody work on the monkeybars and went home. I've put it behind me. If someone else hasn't thats there problem now.