I Am Drifting to Dog Hate, Unfortunately

Running has not been good this week, but not because I’m tired or because I’m slowly but surely reaching my breaking point.  Barring an injury, I should be fine through the end of training and the half-marathon.

No, what’s ruining my runs lately are the damn dogs.  I am gradually beginning to dislike every single dog I see on my run.  Little ones, big ones charge me without hesitation, and I am sick of it.  I am so sick of irresponsible owners and their whole "Oh, Fluffy won’t bite!  Besides, it’s the country" attitude.  There are reasons why leash laws are in place–so your dog won’t get hit by a car, so your dog won’t bite me.  A dog that followed me today for a fucking half mile (and ruined my time, thank you, you bitch) nearly got hit by a bus because it insisted on following me after a nasty charge that left me shaking.  Fuck everyone who lives in this area of Washtenaw County and owns a dog and refuses to leash the damn things.  I need a solution, and short of bogging down the Animal Control officer, there’s not much I can do.  Except buy the Dog Dazer.

Various bloggers are testifying to the fact that this thing works.  It’ll stop dogs, it’ll let you run in peace.  I plan to test it out on my neighbor’s nasty dog as soon as it gets here.  I will go on a test jog and point it at the furry mutt who barks at me from its yard (good, at least those owners taught it something), I will point it at any dog that dares approach me.  It’s supposed to be humane, but I really wouldn’t care if it hurt the fuckers a little.  There’s no reason for me to have to buy this device save for irresponsible dog owners who have refused to train their dogs or take the law seriously.

Note to dog owners who don’t keep their dogs leashed or who think that everyone loves their dogs:  Get a clue.  Anyone who likes to spend time outside, be it a runner, walker, biker or a child simply playing hopscotch, does not appreciate it when Fluffy approaches with teeth bared and a good charge propelling it.  You never know when your dog will decide to bite, so please don’t tell us that Fluffy does not bite at all.  You don’t know.  You have to push aside love for your dog and consider what could happen to you if the dog hurts us in any way, shape or form.  If Fluffy bites me, guess what?  I’m suing you, Irresponsible Dog Owner!  I’m suing your ass and taking you for all I possibly can because you ignored the law and thought that your cute dog was above it.  Well, it’s not above the law, and any injury that happens to me because your dog is biting me on public property is going to affect your pocketbook, your livelihood, your future.  You can beg, plead, tell me that your dog is a good dog–anything happens, and your dog belongs to a sued owner and, if it was particularly aggressive, it’s going to be put down immediately if I have any say in it.  I wouldn’t want the dog to get off and have it bite a kid two months down the road.

I like dogs.  I just hate the owners who make the dogs more dangerous than they have to be.  Be responsible goddamnit!  Get off your lazy ass and get your dog some obedience training!  Leash it or build a fence if the law says the dog has to be confined to your property.  Don’t put me in danger just because you’re cheap, lazy and feel like your dog has every right to own the neighborhood.  It doesn’t.

Just like some people shouldn’t have kids because they neglect them, some people shouldn’t have dogs because they neglect them and the laws meant to keep people and dogs safe.  There will always be stupid dogs because there are stupid dog owners, but I’ll do what I can to make my run safer.  And if it means using the Dazer and maybe calling Animal Control a couple of times and getting fees levied on people, so be it.