Please Keep Your Dog Leashed: Just Because Your Dog Is Friendly Doesn’t Mean Mine Is

I feel like all I have been talking about these past few days is the beach and animals.

Ya know....wildlife etiquette, being barefoot on the boardwalk, the possible beach umbrella ban....ya know, normal Jersey Shore stuff.

But THINGS KEEP HAPPENING....so onto the story.

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So a friend of mine named Paige went to my apartment yesterday afternoon for her virtual class.

She had a COVID-19 Vaccine appointment nearby and the location of my apartment would only force her to miss 20 minutes of the class versus an hour coming from Brick.

As a thank you, she took Carolina on a walk for me. (My little nugget muffin) Near my place, there is a fenced-in dog park where pups can run around off leash.

However, there are grassy areas around the perimeter of the fenced-in area for dogs to use on walks if they don't do well socializing with other dogs.

So as Paige was walking, Carolina was strutting her stuff when another dog owner pulled up. She let two of her extremely small dogs out of her car off leash.

Paige looked at the woman because the rule is to not let dogs off leash until they are inside the park.

Woman: "Oh my dogs are friendly."

Paige: "Well this dog is not."

(I've mentioned how Carolina has her triggers....and dogs she does not know is one of them)

Immediately following this exchange, the woman's two dogs walked over to Carolina and lone behold....a little fight broke out.

No one was hurt and it didn't last for more than a few seconds.

But the woman looked at Paige horrified....and that's the joke.

This entire situation could have been avoided if she leashed her dogs until she was inside the park.

So let this story be a lesson: Just because your dog is friendly does not mean other dogs are. Please, please, PLEASE keep your dogs on a leash until inside these areas.

Don't let them approach random dogs because that is how scuffles like the one described above happen.

I know I am not the only dog owner who feels this way.

Even with my parent's dog....there was a time when we were taking him on a walk in the park when three dogs randomly came running over. My heart was pounding because Atticus is not meant to socialize with other dogs.

To you...this sounds small.

But to other dog owner's with sensitive and high-anxiety dogs, this rule means everything because it is in place for a reason.

Thank you to all of my fellow dog owners.

Now go give your dog a treat.