OK, I have a question. I think I may have over-reacted this evening, and if I did, I am truly sorry.
Earlier this evening I was walking my dog, Isis, around 5 PM. This is just the time that some little creatures (I think they’re field mice) start getting active in the woods and bushes along the path in the park. One of Isis’ favorite things to do is to chase after them. I think she can actually hear them when they run through their tunnels underground. Because she will stick her nose in the weeds when she catches sight or scent of one and then all of a sudden she will follow a path along the ground until it stops somewhere (I presume it’s where the critter stopped to hide).
Isis, The Mighty Mouse Huntress
This evening was no different than any other. She was SO excited and on the trail of something. She apparently had one cornered and proceeded to dig a hole so big that she was able to fit a third of her body into it.
While she was up to her in shoulders in dirt, I looked up and noticed a beautiful German Shepherd mix watching her with fascination and, to my chagrin, unleashed! Now, I love to let Isis run as much as possible and would love it if we loved in a place where she could run free in the countryside. But, we don’t – we live in a large metropolitan area and there are leash laws.
It really irritates me when people let their dogs run off-leash in the park. The main reason I hate it so much is because how Isis reacts when she sees these “free-birds”. She starts out acting like she wants to befriend then and then before you know it, the teeth are bared and she is lunging at them!
Today, I was in no mood to mess with this, so I took it out on the owner of the dog.
I said to her, “That dog needs to be on a leash. Do you know what a leash is?”
She very timidly replied, “yes.”
“Did you know it is against the law to let your dog loose?”, I asked.
“yes,”, she replied, “but, he’s just a puppy.” Never mind that he was twice the size of Isis.
“Did you ever think that just because your dog may me nice, other people’s dogs may not be? Like mine,” I continued as Isis began lungeing for the nice puppy.
“I should let her attack just so you get the message!”
“It was just for a minute. I’m sorry.”, the girl replied meekly.
I actually felt pretty bad that I took my frustration out on her. But, honestly, is it too hard to take your dog to the dog park to let it run loose? They all get along there because NONE of them are on leashes. When a dog is leashed and is approached by a dog that is not leashed, the leashed dog becomes defensive.
This is how it was explained to me by a trainer. I would love my “dog” readers to comment – was I out of line? Maybe I was a bit too harsh, but certainly not out of line!
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it had been 6 minutes and “really worried” if it had been 10 minutes. He also sent her blood to the state lab for a toxicology screening. In the meantime he put her on Vitamin K, which amazingly is the antidote. 
Daring To Be Me! 