Comment 86730

By hi (anonymous) | Posted February 25, 2013 at 10:53:16

This is an important issue that deserves a respectful dialogue. As Tybalt says, a few bad apples ruin the bunch. The majority of people who take their dogs off leash are respectful of others, find out of the way places to go, and have the best interest of their dogs at heart. Going off leash is the absolute best way to get a dog proper exercise and stimulation. Walking around the block on the leash is about as exciting and stimulating to a dog as it is to the rest of us, and if that is all the exercise they get, they quite rightly go a little bonkers. Leash free parks are little better. Urban, domesticated dogs have a very tough lot in life as there are few options for proper exercise and mental stimulation when the needs and constraints of the community enter the equation.

It is a shame what happened to the author's daughter. As was mentioned previously by Kiely, the incident sounds like typical border collie behaviour. It was by no means an "attack" as the article title states. In dog terms, the collie was herding or disciplining the girl. The dog meant no harm, and if it had there would be more than nip marks on a jacket to show for it. This is not an apology for what took place, nor would I presume to discount the emotional toll that such an incident has on the child and the parent. But the context of the behaviour of the dog is useful for the conversation.

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