A Rant About A Local Issue- Get A Load Of This.

00:00 — Kati opens with a trigger warning and introduces a local Facebook-group dispute involving hiking…

Welcome to Off Leash and Unfiltered Trigger Warning. I'm Kati Peppe delivering the Truth in Dog Training.

So I don't know if any of you are gonna be familiar with this or not. Some of you might know what I'm referring to here, but there is a Facebook group and I can't remember, uh, the name of the exec Facebook group, and I probably shouldn't share that anyway. Uh, but there is a Facebook group that I am apparently a part of, and, uh, there was this gentleman who, um, is also a member of this group, and he performs maintenance on some particular area of hiking trails. So, and I use hiking trails. I appreciate the work that is done on these hiking trails.

In fact, I just hiked, um, a good section of the at, uh, with my husband that he used to maintain when he was younger. Um, and I mean, just a phenomenal amount of work and volunteer work, you know, that goes into these things, um, for our use and enjoyment.

And I'm so appreciative of it, and that's not what this is about. But this man <laugh>, this man does work on these trails. Um, but here's the thing. He likes to bring his dogs with him. This sounds akay, right? What could be wrong with that? And I think if I remember correctly, they're like Labrador retrievers or some breed that is generally considered to be usually a more friendly social breed. Um, but his are not <laugh>, his are not. Um, and people have actually been, I don't wanna say attacked because I don't think they've made contact.

I could be wrong about that, but I don't think they have. Um, but even so, people have been viciously charged by these dogs when they're on the trails. Um, a apparently these dogs run up to people and they're sort of probably protecting the space or what have you. But regardless, you know, hackles are up, growling, snarling, like a scary approach.

Okay? So not okay dude, totally not okay. And apparently this really upset somebody. Geez, who would've thought, right? I can't imagine being upset. Um, when I'm out for a little stroll, a little enjoyable hike, and I'm trying to enjoy the environment and I'm just in my own little world, and suddenly I'm just attacked by a vicious Labrador retriever. I can't imagine why that would be so upsetting. Um, <laugh>. But so this upset somebody, and apparently people wanted him to contain his dogs. No shit, Sherlock. So that was fine. But since then, he's been making posts trying to communicate with the community about this issue because apparently he really enjoys doing work on these trails.

03:12 — After complaints, the dog owner was asked to contain his dogs.

Again, like thumbs up. Like that's awesome. Uh, but he wants to bring his dogs and he insists that they're off leash. And so they're all kind of coming together in this little Facebook group trying to establish like, what is a good way that he can continue to work on these trails and have his dogs off leash.

And I have to tell you, this just blows my effing mind, like blows my mind guys. I, I do not understand it. This is so not okay, so not okay. Um, again, appreciate the work, but if it comes with your vicious off leash dogs, keep it we'll live, okay? The hiking trails will go on without you, even if they deteriorate. I'm okay with that. I do not understand the obsession with having your dogs off leash, even when you know that they're a threat. They are a danger to the public. What's gonna happen when someone gets hurt?

What if it's a child?

Oh, Willow wanted to do some work on the trails. Nobody cares. Keep your dogs at home or put 'em on a leash. I don't understand why this is difficult. I do not understand why this is even a question. And you look at this group and you look at the comments that people make on his posts, and they're all going right along with it. They're all applauding and he does such good work, and he should be able to come up with a solution. Yeah, I'll give you the fricking solution. Leave your goddamn vicious dogs at home, right?

Or, you know, I'm a big proponent, like everybody should be able to bring their dogs out if they're under control. These dogs are not under control. This is not under control. Put 'em on a leash. What is so difficult about this? And people are going along with this and oh, you know, we love the work you do on the trails, and I don't know why everyone has such a big problem, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Well, I have an idea why everyone has such a big problem. Because, you know, if you ask the people that have encountered these dogs by surprise on the trail, they have a different opinion. <laugh>, they've got a pretty different opinion. Um, but anyways, this just blew my mind to the point that I, I had to have a little rant about this. I had to get it off my chest because it's incredible to me, and I don't, I don't get it. I don't know why anybody would think this was okay. Because here's the thing, even if his dogs are friendly and social friendly and air quotes, right?

06:24 — She says the local dispute compelled her to deliver a rant about off-leash conduct.

Even if his friends were very, his dogs were very accepting of like people coming down the trail and they just ran up because they wanted to say hello. I'm not even okay with that. That's not okay in my world. I don't wanna say hello to your dog. I don't wanna touch your dog. I don't want your dog near me because I don't know your dog. I don't know your dog. I don't wanna know your dog. Keep your dog over there with you, okay? That goes for friendly dogs. If you've got a dog that's gonna charge me with hackles and growling and threaten me, dude, you have got to be kidding.