Hot take: letting your dog off leash in the park isn't a right, it's a gamble

I was at Riverside Park last Saturday and a guy's golden retriever bolted straight at my dog over a tennis ball. He just stood there calling its name like it was going to listen. I had to step in front of my dog and yell at the other dog to stop it from starting a fight. The owner got mad at me for yelling at his dog, but my dog had a torn ear from a similar incident six months ago. Has anyone else just started carrying a whistle or something to break up these situations before they escalate?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam_patel1mo ago

Read something online about group walks teaching dogs better recall over time. Sounds like that golden retriever needed way more training before being let loose. I'm honestly thinking about getting a whistle myself since yelling seems to just annoy the owners more than their dogs.

susan_wright341mo ago

Cannot believe someone would let their golden retriever run loose without proper recall training first. Those dogs are big and strong, they can really cause trouble if they don't listen. I saw a golden once chase a squirrel right into a busy street, scared me half to death. The owner just stood there yelling, dog didn't even turn around. A whistle is a smart idea, way better than shouting yourself hoarse. Just make sure you train your own dog with it before expecting magic results.

the_lee1mo ago

Yeah I totally agree with @susan_wright34 on this one. I tried using a whistle once and my dog just stared at me like I was some kinda broken squeaky toy, lol. Turns out I had to actually train her to associate the whistle with treats first, which means I basically just turned into a human vending machine for a week. Whistle's way better than yelling though, for sure.