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Original poster

Do you think it is cruel not to let the dog of the lead?

83 replies

luckylady · 28/08/2005 17:07

I have an American Akita and as a rule all breeders etc say not to let them of the lead when out. I don't but my Aunty thinks I am being cruel to the dog by not letting her of the lead.

I personally think that as long as she gets plenty of excersise then what is the problem. Due tot he heat out here she is only walked once a day at night for 40mins, just before bed. Once the sun has gone down and it cools we play with her in the garden playfighting and throwing her toys around.

Am I being cruel?

OP posts:
Carla · 28/08/2005 17:10

No. Ignore her. It's safer sometimes to keep them on the lead - I know that to my cost - a border collie that bit someone's ankle, and we had to have him put down because of it.

Gobbledigook · 28/08/2005 17:10

I've read both your posts on this and I have to say, it doesn't sound like a dog I'd want to come into contact with.

Keep it on a lead if that's the advice - don't want it attacking any people, especially toddlers and babies

Sorry if I've got the wrong end of the stick but I'm getting a bad vibe about it

giraffeski · 28/08/2005 17:12

Message withdrawn

expatinscotland · 28/08/2005 17:17

No. I think it's the responsible thing to do. Imagine how cruel it would be for some child or person to be mauled to the point of death or disfigurement?

Original poster
luckylady · 28/08/2005 17:27

Gobbledigook- I understand that some people shudder whent hey hear about the breed etc espeacially as they are alarge dog and what they were originally breed for.. and after the events this weekend I yuppose I am not painting a very good picture.
However they are a loving dog. Storm even hangs over the fence when other people go by walking there dog for her cuddles.

It is so hard to explain something like this in writting.

OP posts:
hercules · 28/08/2005 17:28

I've also just read your other thread and I dont see how you have a choice.

Tortington · 28/08/2005 17:32

no its responsible to keep them on the lead.

triceratops · 28/08/2005 17:36

Could you could use an extendable lead? This seems to be a good compromise.

I would recommend that you stop the playfighting, all the dog behaviour books I have ever read say that this encourages dominant behaviour in the dog. You do not want to get a dominant akita.

Pinotmum · 28/08/2005 17:39

Keep it on a lead and if there is any chance it could slip it's lead muzzle it. My ex partners father had grey hounds - it slipped it's lead and killed a jack russell at 7 am in the park one morning. The dog was a racing dog in training and should have been muzzled. A heavy fine was paid but the poor owner of the other dog was traumatised.

Pinotmum · 28/08/2005 17:42

What made you choose this breed of dog out of interest?

Original poster
luckylady · 28/08/2005 17:43

triceratops- I know what you are syaing with thew pklayfighting, but you just have to make sure you win every fight with the dog. This to be honest is easy with Storm we just start to ticke her belly when we want to stop fighting and she stops. TBH I don't play fight with her my DH does as he is the alpha mle in the family and Storm knows this. She knows that the children and I play with the toys with her throwing her ball etc but only DH play fights.

I don't really like the idea of the lead extensions as I dont think you can maintain the same control as you can with the shorter leash. When we walk her on the night if DH takes her he runs her, but as I am no good a running we do a speed walk maintaining vontrol of the lead at all times, she is not allowed to pull etc. If she does the choker comes into play and she stops and carries on walking by your side.

OP posts:
Mytwopenceworth · 28/08/2005 17:44

Considering 2 minutes before starting this thread, you started one saying the same dog had killed one cat and mained another then the dog has obviously demonstrated what it is capable of, so I would say keeping it on a lead and muzzled would be a no-brainer!

Branster · 28/08/2005 17:44

having read the other thread i would say DO NOT let the dog wonder off without a lead. and seriouslly consider using a muzzle when out of the house.

how is the dog behaving towards visitors (adults & children)?

Branster · 28/08/2005 17:45

and you are right about extendable leads, not very good idea, especially for a large dog.

Mytwopenceworth · 28/08/2005 17:45

meant maimed!

Original poster
luckylady · 28/08/2005 17:49

Pintomum- I have always loved the Akita breed. I have know a few over the past 10-12years. All the ones I have know have all been around children etc.

As I said in the other post I think, we did a lot more research on the breed, spoke to breeders in the Uk and our breeder out here in Cyprus before settling on one. It was a desicion that took us 3 years to make so it wasn't done light hearted as some people do with the breed. Alot of people see them as puppies and think aaawww, and buy them . They then end up getting dumped as they become big quickly and people are not prepared for it and can't handle the breed.

I think the events of this wekend bough home some things about her that we knew were possible.. but she had never been in contact with another cat.

Every other week we take her to the breeder and she plays with there house dog(can't rememeber what dog it is it is hairless!! apart from a tuft on its crown) she has played with Gizmo from being very young and is happy to play with him now.

She is getting ready for her first show in October.

OP posts:
charleypops · 28/08/2005 17:58

Personally, I think dogs need at least an hour of off lead exercise and socialisation everyday in an appropriate area. I think it's sad that some domestic dogs can't be trusted off lead, but that's just the way it is for some dogs and their owners. Not necessarily any fault of the owners I know. I certainly wouldn't let Storm off the lead. Don't know if I could control an Akita even on a short lead if it suddenly decided to go for a cat or something.

It's beyond me why people want potentially lethal dogs in the first place. "Normal" dogs like border collies, labradors and jack russels can be bad enough let alone ones capable of killing bears. Every year there are incidents of dogs killing children that have previously been "absolutely brilliant" with kids.

Having said that, each to their own, you obviously love Storm, which is great.

Extendable leads are very difficult to control a dog with. I'd use a lunging reign (for a horse) with a dog such as an Akita if you wanted to give her a bit more leeway. Still not as easy to control as a regular strong lead though.

Hairless dog is probably a Chinese Crested.

hercules · 28/08/2005 18:00

My sister's much loved ideal family lab bit their 2 year old. They had her rehoused through a special lab rescue place.

Original poster
luckylady · 28/08/2005 18:02

I don't want to muzzel her and as I said earlier she has never gone for a cat or anything whilst we have been out and she has seen other cats and dogs whilst on the lead. We say leave and she leaves. (Most of there hunting is done from pinning things down anyway they use there mouuths to play with the prey so to say. So Muzzeling if she was a dangerous dog wouldnt do much good.)

I would never take her out with out her lead just wanted to see if other people thought this was cruel of me regardless of the situsation with the two cats over the weekend.

Most dogs will attack cats given the chance, unfortunately STorm had two chances this weekend and she took both opportunities. It is very .

Tbh I am beginning to wish i hadnt posted as I am nearly crying now defending my puppy to the hilt. I am starting to feel that you all think I am putting my children etc at risk...( I would never compremise my children with anything) I suppose typing things like thisa is hard as the full story never gets across properly.

If she had been a boxer or a mongrel would everyone be saying the same thing?

If ever Storm did start to go for things whilst we were out on the lead etc, then I would take her back to the breeders and giver her up as I am not prepared to have a dog that we cannot walk.

As far as people coming to the house, she licks everyone to death when they come in, she will then sit at my feet or theres and lick them until she has had enough. if anyone tells her to go outside she will get up and walk outside and knows not to come back until told.

OP posts:
Pinotmum · 28/08/2005 18:05

I was on a ferry a couple of weeks back and there was a man sitting outside the softplay room (presume his children were in there playing) with a large dog (don't know the breed) Dh patted it on the head and dd did a little girly wave and it went for her - thank christ it was on a lead. It took the guy by surprise and it took all his weight to pull it back - dd is 4 yo and it would have gone straight for the face!! Big hunting dogs are to be avoided imho.

hercules · 28/08/2005 18:06

I guess it's because your dog has already shown this aggressive side and like any animal is unpredictable and that stretches to small children.

Pinotmum · 28/08/2005 18:09

Sorry you're upset LL but you asked for opinions and have stated your dog showed aggression. As for muzzling not doing any good it would stop it ripping my child's face off surely given a similar situation to the one I described.

Twiglett · 28/08/2005 18:12

I actually think, and again no offence, that ownership of hunting dogs should be banned

Original poster
luckylady · 28/08/2005 18:13

I can controll her really well with the lead we have as can DH. We do not allow our dd (9yearsold ) to hold the lead as Ima not prepared to take the risk.. i agree with you she is a very strong dog
However not sure how well the breed would do know against bears as evolution surely must work in the reverse as if they haven't had a fighting humting dog in generations then they become more domesticated.

It is a small majority od dogs (pedogree and mongrels that attack) and unforunatley that gives the breed the bad names. If they were that bad then they wouldn't have Cruft champions with in given breeds.etc.

I think I maybe taking things to heart but am just trying to get across that she is generally a very loving good dog, who unfortunatley this weekend was left with friends and attacked there cat, then got hold of a stray cat on camp.

I am very very with what has happened, and we will take even more care watching her whilst out on the lead etc. But as i said she has never growled at another person or even attempted to go for anything/one wholst ewe have bneen out on the lead. She will even stand next to other dogs whilst we chat, they will sniff each other etc. As long as both dogs are ont he lead everything in fine. If the other dog is not on the lead then i lift her head and front paws up so that they are cradled in me arms and I make a fuss of her and get her to give me kisses tec until the dog has passed.

OP posts:
Mytwopenceworth · 28/08/2005 18:17

I'm personally not a fan of dogs (too much like hard work!), but I'm sad that you feel people are having a go at you. But I don't see how because your original post clearly stated that it is your auntie who thinks the dog shouldn't be on a lead at all times, whereas you said you do, everyone is saying you are right, it does need to be on a lead. I know I agreed with you that it did - I said it was a no-brainer! I think that any dog can turn unexpectedly - that is just a dog being a dog - they have that potential. It doesn't mean the dog is a 'nasty' personality, because that's putting a human interpritation on an animal just doing what comes naturally. The issue is, knowing the potential, what does the responsible owner do? Minimise the risk - which, from what you have said, you are concerned with doing.

Your dog is not nasty, your dog is a dog. And its your job to make sure its not a danger, which you are doing by keeping it on the lead and by warning people who have contact with it.