Loose Pit Bull on the Sidewalk

From one of your correspondents:

Can you imagine doing something as dumb as allowing a pit bull to run off leash on a Brooklyn sidewalk? Me neither.

I have owned a pit bull for over ten years, and I have never allowed it to run loose on the sidewalk in front of my building or anywhere else for that matter.

The other night at around 10 pm, while I was walking my dog, I saw this female coming out of the building next door to me with a pit bull off the leash.

I stopped, annoyed that I would have to wait for her and her loose dog to go away before I could enter my apartment building. That's the thing about unleashed dogs. You always have to wait on them and watch them before you can proceed with what you were doing. They are an imposition.

I'd previously seen this numpty, a neighbourhood newcomer, with her unleashed dog, but they'd been across the street and not really affecting me or my dog. So I didn't say anything. You have to choose your off leash dog battles.

Prior to this I'd seen this lightweight female being literally dragged down the street by this big, strong dog. I'd suggested, in passing, Cesar Millan or dog training. She responded snottily that it was none of my business. Well, if me and my dog have to take refuge inside an iron fenced garbage area to avoid the dog dragging you down the street, I'd say it was my business.

Evidently she'd solved the poor leash training by allowing her powerful animal to roam free. Brilliant!

Anyway, as I was watching this woman walk off down the street with her loose pitbull, the dog suddenly looked back and saw me and my dog in front of their building.

He charged!

Imagine the sight of this huge thing barrelling down the sidewalk coming right at ya. There was nothing I could do. I knew I was in for a dog fight. Talk about fear factor!

My dog rose to meet the other pit bull. They stood up on their hind legs and faced each other. She bared her teeth and went for his throat!

He staggered back and fled towards his foolish owner. Lucky for me this overgrown pup turned out to be a punk. I then blessed the owner with every bad word in the book, that dog had frightened me so.

Later on, I was informed that this ignorant character likes to let her pit bull loose in order to "improve the image of the breed". Like they say on the internet, UR DOIN IT WRONG. Frightening random people by letting a boisterous playful dog run up to them is not the way to improve the image of the breed, no matter how friendly you believe it to be.

My informant also let me know that she likes to let the dog off leash in Prospect Park. Since she is so careless of the leash laws in the city streets, I can only imagine that she is just as inconsiderate while letting her dog off leash in Prospect Park.

This pit bull owner is ignorant and thoughtless and will probably not learn until something happens, and by then, it will be too late. Another pit bull in the news for all the wrong reasons. Being irresponsible is not how you improve the image of the breed, lady.

A dog man (pit bull fighter) once told me that seemingly puppyish pit bulls can get "turned on" and from that day forward they want to fight every dog they meet. My young 4 yr old pit bull had been attacked and bested by a street cat, and suddenly she was growling at other dogs while we went on walks. Only training, management, and responsible dog ownership can mitigate that unwelcome behaviour. I put my dog in a downstay if she shows dog aggression, but untrained pits can and will get into trouble.

Your dog may be a friendly puppy now, lady, but it only takes one incident to "turn him on". Please trade him in for a yorkie before it's too late!

* * *
8:50 A.M. in Prospect Park, large black dog accompanied by young white owner heading down path from Terrace Bridge to rink.