Responsible dog ownership

Hi, if you are one of my neighbours who allows their rude, pushy, or aggressive dog to walk in the neighbourhood park off leash, wander off leash while you shovel your driveway, or don't have your dog on leash in your front yard in spite of the fact that she charges across the street at us... please put your dog on a leash and work on his/her issues before I call Animal Control.

Now that I've got that off my chest. I don't understand how people can not realize their dog is missing and cruising the streets looking for innocent girls and greyhounds to harass. Or how people don't think to put their dog on a leash and hang on to the dog better after the dog charges across the street snarling and barking like Cujo on more than one occasion. You'd think a light bulb would go on, but apparently it doesn't.

Now here's the shocker. Summit can be dog aggressive! Though I prefer not to call him "aggressive". Based on experience he only displays "aggressive" behaviour in 2 situations. The first is when large, male dogs (that he likes and gets along with typically) attempt to play rough with him. I think he feels threatened. Even watching other dogs play rough he gets anxious... I think he thinks they're actually fighting, he doesn't seem to understand play fighting. And the second is pushy, rude, large male dogs. You know the type. They don't run up to your dog snarling and showing their teeth with their hackles raised and attempt to take a chunk out of him/her. This is the dog that comes over, posturing, holding his head and tail high, walking stiffly and is rude... doesn't sniff noses, just goes right to the tail. If there's one thing Summit seems to hate, it's dog with no manners. Cujo dog who charges us from across the street he barely looks at. It's like he knows she's bluffing and if he pays her no mind she'll bugger off. But a rude dog needs to be put in its place apparently.

So here I am being responsible, dog on a leash, controlling his interaction on walks with other dogs and praising him for good behaviour. And along comes some unleashed dog with no doggie manners. And people think "Oh, so-and-so? He's not aggressive! He's such a quiet dog". Well, let me tell you, quiet doesn't always equate with polite.

We've had a couple of run ins the last week or two which is why I'm all in a huff about it. But seriously. It's called a leash. Use it. You may think your dog is friendly, and even if he is, how do you know MY dog is?