Once again, I had to contend with a lead-less dog in New Farm. But even better*, this was an unattended, lead-less dog, sitting just outside Coles. My assistance dog Dexter and I had to walk past it to get to the shop, and it wasn't until it looked around, saw Dexter, got up and approached that we realised it wasn't on a bloody lead. It had a collar, but no tags of any description. A lady passing by at the same time was equally alarmed that the dog was off lead, and free to approach my dog; she wasn't game to approach the dog itself, though, and I don't really blame her. It was a male Golden Retriever, a breed that enjoys a reputation of
being gentle and friendly, but that's no guarantee that it wouldn't be
aggressive....
Fortunately, Dexter is super-cool about meeting strange dogs, even ones who stand over him like this one did. Dexter always responds by trying to play, and by running round like a lunatic. Not exactly appropriate when he's wearing his assistance dog coat, and we're in the middle of a busy shopping precinct, but I let him do what he needs to do in these situations.
The problem didn't end there. We moved away from the dog, but it kept following Dexter, and ignored any attempts at human intervention. Another passerby tried to help me to get the dog to leave Dexter alone, and to lead it back to where it had been left, but it wasn't even interested in the liver treats I was offering it. It just wanted to keep sniffing Dexter's bum, no matter what.
If I continued into the shop the dog was going to follow, so I took Dexter back to where the other dog started from, and remembered that I had Dexter's extendable lead in my bag. The nice passerby helped me to tether the dog to the bit of railing there (I stopped the lead so that it wouldn't expand or retract, as it's not safe to tether a dog with a retractable lead), and just as I was finally about to go and do my shopping, the owner turns up. Carrying his toddler daughter and a bag of shopping.
I got the opportunity to tell Irresponsible Dog Owner Bloke that not only is it illegal to have an unleashed dog outside of its yard, but it's really annoying for those of us who are trying to go about our business. I also pointed out the dog's lack of tags, and the bloke said he was waiting for them to come from the Council. I told him that the Council is only responsible for the registration tag, not the name and contact info tag, which the Council also requires dogs to wear at all times.
I also told him that he was really bloody lucky that my Dexter is calm and non-reactive to strange dogs who follow him around, sticking their noses up his bum. It could have been a nasty situation. Irresponsible Dog Owner Bloke says that the dog doesn't usually do this sort of thing....
At about this time, the other dog starts trying to hump Dexter - so far it had just had its nose stuck up Dexter's bum - and Dexter, to his great credit, told it off. The other dog did try to keep going, but I shoved it off (the owner did nothing to help). I'm usually not worried about Dexter getting humped, but this dog was big, and getting over-excited, and Dexter had already told it off, so I intervened.
So Irresponsible Dog Owner Bloke tells me he won't leave his dog off lead again, although I won't believe it until I see it, and went off, leaving me with a slightly over-excited Dexter, with slobber on his head, and me feeling really, really annoyed. How hard is it to put your flipping dog on a lead?! ARGH!
*this is sarcasm
Fortunately, Dexter is super-cool about meeting strange dogs, even ones who stand over him like this one did. Dexter always responds by trying to play, and by running round like a lunatic. Not exactly appropriate when he's wearing his assistance dog coat, and we're in the middle of a busy shopping precinct, but I let him do what he needs to do in these situations.
The problem didn't end there. We moved away from the dog, but it kept following Dexter, and ignored any attempts at human intervention. Another passerby tried to help me to get the dog to leave Dexter alone, and to lead it back to where it had been left, but it wasn't even interested in the liver treats I was offering it. It just wanted to keep sniffing Dexter's bum, no matter what.
If I continued into the shop the dog was going to follow, so I took Dexter back to where the other dog started from, and remembered that I had Dexter's extendable lead in my bag. The nice passerby helped me to tether the dog to the bit of railing there (I stopped the lead so that it wouldn't expand or retract, as it's not safe to tether a dog with a retractable lead), and just as I was finally about to go and do my shopping, the owner turns up. Carrying his toddler daughter and a bag of shopping.
I got the opportunity to tell Irresponsible Dog Owner Bloke that not only is it illegal to have an unleashed dog outside of its yard, but it's really annoying for those of us who are trying to go about our business. I also pointed out the dog's lack of tags, and the bloke said he was waiting for them to come from the Council. I told him that the Council is only responsible for the registration tag, not the name and contact info tag, which the Council also requires dogs to wear at all times.
I also told him that he was really bloody lucky that my Dexter is calm and non-reactive to strange dogs who follow him around, sticking their noses up his bum. It could have been a nasty situation. Irresponsible Dog Owner Bloke says that the dog doesn't usually do this sort of thing....
At about this time, the other dog starts trying to hump Dexter - so far it had just had its nose stuck up Dexter's bum - and Dexter, to his great credit, told it off. The other dog did try to keep going, but I shoved it off (the owner did nothing to help). I'm usually not worried about Dexter getting humped, but this dog was big, and getting over-excited, and Dexter had already told it off, so I intervened.
So Irresponsible Dog Owner Bloke tells me he won't leave his dog off lead again, although I won't believe it until I see it, and went off, leaving me with a slightly over-excited Dexter, with slobber on his head, and me feeling really, really annoyed. How hard is it to put your flipping dog on a lead?! ARGH!
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| Dexter, irresistible to all of dogkind. |
*this is sarcasm
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