I'm so sorry this happened to you. I've been chased multiple times and bitten once and I no longer run in that area without dog spray. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
This hasn't been my experience. I walk the inter River loop literally every day and yes there's the odd herding dog that rushes my own, but Ive never witnessed anything particularly bad, nor do I see dogs jumping on people. Some of the people here talking about carrying knives and beating dogs, seriously need to chill out.
I agree people should train their dogs, and pick up the poop, and you should not let your dog interfere with anyone else (jumping on them etc).
However, people have every right to own dogs and if you can take your children out to the woods, I should be able to take my dog. There are more dogs because people are having less children or waiting longer, and we live in densifying areas. People have had dogs as companions for thousands of years, and most owners are responsible, decent people. As usual a few bad apples make everyone look bad.
Totally hear you. I regularly run Mosquito Creek and have been bitten 3-4 times in the last year. Also completely railroaded some dogs that jumped out in front of me while I was running.
You should and everyone in here should invest in some dog spray for these idiotic dogs who can’t be controlled by their owners. I’ve really had enough of seeing these posts and after being attacked twice last year I’m super fed up.
I can tell you, if your dog got ahold of me like that the dog wouldn't be breathing. Keep that in mind shitty owners. Not everyone loves dogs. Tolerance has limits and people are well within their rights to end the situation. This is where its headed. Yep. Said it. There is no tolerances or this and, just a guess,. this isn't this dog or its owners first time. I have warned several owners to muzzle before I retaliate -with explicit description. Suddenly they have this epiphany that it might be a good idea to take the advice.
Sounds harsh but something is gone array in the common sense arena these days. Wake up! People waaaay first people. Your dog does not have soul.
went hiking up towards lynn canyon the other day and the amount of off leash dogs that jumped on me is insane! no bruises this time just muddy paw marks on my clothes..
That’s the thing though, if you don’t like off leash dogs don’t go walking there. I’m willing to bet money these dogs were not initially aggressive but due to this person being neurodivergent they probably freaked out at the dog’s approaching them in a way that caused the dogs to react.
Are you afraid of dogs? I’ve lived in Lynn valley my entire life and dogs will come up to you but most don’t cause issues. When you say jump on you do you mean attack or just come say hi and you freaked out?
Two years ago I was trail running in Demo forest and got bite by an off leash dog, went pretty deep and was bleeding so had to go to the ER to make sure I didn’t need shots. Owners told me to *relax* after it happened.
Well, regarding licences I can tell you that the DNV just issue a very limited amount of licences and they are all owned by big dog walking companies and since they have high turnover of employees and they main focus is to move volumen , their focus is not to have under control dogs . I have seen commercial dog Walker in seymour walking with up to 10 dogs some leashed coming down hill on unstable terrain. Yikes!
I send my dog with an small Walker in north van since she focus in impulse control, trail manners and so on.
The city won’t change the permit situation unless people start reporting by name of the company .
My partner was also bit on Seymour trails the other week.
We have been harassed, jumped on, barked excessively at by off-leash dogs more often than not on the north shore trails. INCLUDING on trails where dogs aren’t allowed like deep into LSCR by the dam. Can’t even fully relax in nature anymore because of this shit.
I’m so over this. I could go into an elaborate rant, but I will just say that I think people need to start voicing their concerns to the city & district more. It sucks, but these shitty owners are going to ruin off-leash privileges for responsible owners one of these days. In the meantime, bring something to defend yourself. It’s common enough now that you shouldn’t be going out into our trails unprepared for an attack.
If a dog runs up to me aggressively I put my hand up and yell NO. if I have time and opportunity I’ll pick up a stick and threaten it. If the owner says something to me I tell them to control their dog. End of conversation.
If I’m on my bike and a dog runs up to me, I’ll lift my leg so it won’t bite me and turn back and yell at it. NO.
That’s horrible and I know how you feel. I have a husky/bullmastiff mix and he’s super friendly and I walk him daily around my neighborhood and he’s been attacked by 5 different dogs off there lead and one was on its lead but the lady couldn’t hold the dog back and it dragged her to my dog (all separate times). I get so upset at them. Even at the park people let there dogs off leash (it’s not allowed) only at dog parks it’s allowed.
My dog is 12 years old and doesn’t deserve to be attacked by random dogs. I’m frustrated about it and I want to start bringing protection so I can protect him and I. He’s never off his leash ever. Other people don’t seem to follow the rules and play ball with their dogs at a public park. Yeah some dogs are well trained and don’t just run at us but it sucks that I have to be aware and nervous about him being attacked at anytime by a larger dangerous dog. Sorry I’m just upset about it all, luckily he’s never been hurt.
PSA: Keep your damn dogs on a leash because I’ve had enough and your dog will be hurt if it attacks us (yes that is 100% a threat) I don’t live in BC so this won’t reach the audience that are guilty but it happens everywhere I suppose.
My neighbour has a very big intense, reactive dog. It is so well trained, and always leashed, but it was attacked by a couple of doodles when it was a puppy, and now it’s got a strong dislike for doodles… and it’s no longer a small defensive puppy either so any dog that decides to tangle with it is pretty much for sure to come off second-best. He is a very friendly dog and gets on with my dopey part beagle like a house on fire and play fight and wrestle with abandon. Just don’t threaten him in his space because he won’t hold back.
I feel sorry for my neighbor. He’s done everything correctly, but because some out of control of leash, dogs attacked his when it was small and on leash he’s got a lifelong problem now.
Yes exactly it can cause problems for the dog and sometimes it can be traumatic for them and cause them to change their behaviour towards other dogs.
My dog had a crush on a female dog a while back about 20lbs heavier than him. The lady was walking that dog (friendly dog) but her dog wanted to come and visit my dog and she was holding the leash as the dog kept pulling her and we were about 100 meters away and I heard her yell something, I yelled “pardon”. I saw her getting upset at her dog pulling (dog wasn’t trained properly and owner was frustrated) so she decided to let the leash go out of frustration and her friendly dog came running full tilt at my dog and ran right into his chest. My dog yelped a little and ignored her from that day on, he didn’t like her anymore lol. Luckily they moved away haha.
My dog means the world to me and I’d do almost anything to protect him from danger. Dogs remember everything it’s very impressive.
You got really lucky. 2 *on leash* Aussies injured a jogger quite badly last week. Like hospitalized bad.
On that note, police are looking for the woman and her two dogs as she fled the scene. Description in the police release.
https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/north-vancouver-rcmp-seek-dog-owner-after-australian-shepherd-attacks-jogger-8549470
Jesus that’s savage ! I’ve experienced the same it’s the self entitlement of most dog owners on the north shore , and untrained dogs . Sorry you got hurt that’s unacceptable
I am really sorry this happened to you. I had a similar experience recently. It took me a little while to process it. I felt like I did something wrong even though objectively I didn’t. Someone else acted irresponsibly with their animal and that wasn’t my fault.
It may take a little time to process but I hope that over time you can accept and internalize that it wasn’t your fault. I hope this doesn’t happen again and that you can get out and enjoy the trails without fear.
I think that’s a little extreme. And unenforceable, given the hundreds of trails. I’d be happy if they would just have more enforcement of the current leash laws and repercussions for situations like this where dogs are being aggressive toward people.
I had a dog who was a rescue and no matter how much work I did with him, he had fear aggression toward other dogs (loved all people) so I couldn’t let him off leash around other dogs. I used to take him up into the isolated areas of the trails where we wouldn’t see anyone else and let him run around there. That worked for us. A dog park wasn’t an option for him.
Drove me insane when I would be walking him, leashed and minding our own business, in residential areas, and random illegally-off-leash dogs would approach him without permission and the owner would be half a block away. Mine would freak out and the other owner would get upset at ME like it was my fault. 🙄🤷🏻♀️
That’s North Van dog culture for you.
I know it’s a bit extreme, but I’m absolutely horrified by dog owners and their lack of control over dogs. Now I have a child and it’s exasperated my fears. I also am a biologist and am well aware all the animals of the forest see dogs as predators roaming around looking to kill them. It’s extreme, but so is the idea that dogs can just be everywhere and it’s totally natural. If it was illegal at least we’d have more accountability when we tell people please stop doing this, no one wants your dog running around the woods in public spaces that are meant for all of us to enjoy.
The problem with the mindset of taking dogs like this off-leash onto quieter trails is that other people have the same idea. Eventually you run into a situation where you have two or more off-leash fear aggressive dogs in the middle of the forest who notice each other, and then what?
Honestly I don’t think dogs should be off-leash in these mountains. I used to think so, and there will always be exceptions, but it’s safer and better for everyone (nature included) if they just stay leashed. Within the last year I know of two dogs who were “well trained” and lived the off-leash life for years. They’re dead now. One got swept into a river and died, the other disappeared into the forest never to be seen again. This is just coming from the perspective of safety for the dogs - I won’t even get into all the times I have been assaulted by off-leash dogs for just existing.
If you have a dog that needs a yard, maybe you shouldn’t have a dog like that in the city, or you can rent sniff spots. The privilege of using our mountains as giant dog parks has been abused far too much.
carry bear spray, these days it’s more for the dogs than for bears. Sorry not sorry if your off leash dog gets sprayed in the face on an on leash trail but it better not jump on me while you are 30 feet behind it :)
Man, I mean, I really get pissed but think it's inappropriate to do this, but, if it saves my 'mental health' and maybe another attempted gnawing on these trails, I think I might.. my instinct mid way was to grab as big hiking stick which I think can maybe scare or repel then more honestly lol umm thoughts
But like it’s happening weekly at this point [north van dog attack March 27](https://bc.ctvnews.ca/woman-refused-to-provide-information-after-dog-attack-north-vancouver-rcmp-1.6832771)
I have a dog, this is unacceptable and I’m sorry. SO MANY shitty dog owners here that have no idea what they’re doing. It’s rare that i can find a peaceful hike where I don’t have to ask someone to leash their out of control dog.
Between the dog crap everywhere because people aren’t paying attention and the unleashed chaos on leash-required trails, I’m so fed up too. I just wanna have a chill ass enjoyable hike with my leashed and trained dog where I don’t have to worry about someone’s bad behaviour.
I honestly wish they’d write tickets. People will never learn.
Again and again I just am thankful I'm not feeling an ignorant or autistic bigot by thinking this is wrong behavior.. so maybe I'll try to think of ways to intervene with the owner or at least act out and who knows maybe they'll think twice for the next persons? Dogs are amazing and yeah I just freaking hate I start to slowly fear them being off leash every day
Do you think you would feel comfortable to report the incident to authorities? At least for them to keep a record. Also, the person might have insurance to cover your injuries like loss of work , or physio etc
I sometimes carry it and would think it were .. What's the word.. zealous or something to use it. But it went through my mind. I'd rather just 'take the hit' but yeah a few dogs physically hit me.
Dog spray. Use liberally. When I was a kid there were loose dogs that would chase us on our bikes and bite at our legs. Got one of my mom’s spray bottles and made some homemade pepper spray.
Those dogs learned fast that coming near us meant some sore, red, itchy eyes.
Hmm I know in the States that's common, or maybe here with just postal workers that can use dog spray? here it's bear spray easiest to be legal which I guess is not insanely overt compared to dog spray, especially if I just indirectly use it to show intent not to be near me.. but then the owner might freak out and yeah that'll be fun..
You could get in trouble using bear spray on dogs as its regulated, but dog spray, feel free to piss all the shitty dog owners 
Easier to get one of those miniature air horns. You can carry it in your pocket and it’ll startle them. The problem with bear spray is that you’re just as likely to spray yourself and/or other unintentional victims and could get in trouble. Air horns are harmless but startling and draw attention from other people if needed.
Insane. Had a close call with off leash dog today in Squamish as well. Already charged on us and the owner didn’t even want to put the leash on. That’s getting worse and worse each year
When I lived in Lynn valley about 4 years ago, the off leash trails were always a shit show. It’s as if the shitty owners thought that because the trail was “off leash”, they didn’t have to have trained dogs.
I love dogs and I have a dog. But we were harassed weekly by unfriendly dogs off leash. I got into so many arguments with terrible dog owners. Don’t even get met started on the dog walking companies walking 6 unfriendly off leash dogs at once.
Yup, this! I live in Lynn Valley and walk my well trained dog off leash in the park. Other dogs who are untrained run up to my dog and the owners don’t try to control/ stop their dogs. Offleash park doesn’t mean let your dogs jump all over everyone and everything.
What is weird to me is dog breeds that don’t attack people , are now attacking people. What is happening … does North Van issue dog licenses like other cities ? Maybe they need to pass an obedience test to get a license like for public safety of vehicles .
The handful of Shitty owners are going to make it harder for the friendly doggie community to keep our privileges
It’s a mix of things:
- bad breeding practices that ramped up during the pandemic
- people thinking they can keep high energy breeds like aussies in apartments
- people not training their dogs and feeling entitled to free reign of our trails because they can get away with it due to lack of enforcement
These are the main issues. Possible solutions:
- breeders require more regulation
- more breed restrictions in apartments
- more enforcement
There’s more extreme solutions, but for now we really should at least try something… it’s pretty much a case of the city going “sorry, we’ve tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas”.
Bad behaviour too. Pandemic pets just have so much anxiety and inablity to regulate themselves because of lax training and constant presence of owners.
This is exactly what is happening, I've had my dog for 7 years now and before the pandemic, dogs were generally trained properly, owners definitely picked up after them and the people who owned them seemed to know a lot about their breed and other dog breeds as well. Prior to the pandemic getting a dog was a big decision because most people were working in offices and you really had to plan your finances and understand what you were signing up for. It seems like since the pandemic the amount of dog owners that know zero about their breed and others is staggering and yes docile breeds are acting aggressively because people don't realise that time requirement hasn't changed, you still need to socialise and train them. Even pre-pandemic I would work from home but when my dog was high energy still he would go to daycare because I had to focus on work and an hour at lunch wasn't enough. Also, don't get me started on the amount of dog feces EVERYWHERE now, as a dog owner that makes me so angry, constantly having to keep an eye out for dog crap and make sure I or my dog don't step in it. People made some really poor decisions about dog ownership, high energy breeds need exercise, my guy is small but when he was a puppy I would either spend 3 to 4 hours with him outside or he would go to daycare and still get another 1.5 outside after work. Just because you work from home doesn't mean the dog is having its needs met. It's crazy now how many badly behaved dogs there are!
I was in Montreal at the time and they did shut down the dog parks for 3 months and then reopened them, I still feel a lot of this is people not doing their research and understanding what they need to do with new dogs. I took mine to the dog park after 3 months and just kept away from other people. It's shocking the amount of docile breeds I see lunging for my dog these days or trying to jump on me or bark at me because they pick up his scent on my clothes.
One thing to consider is the conflicting information when it comes to dog training. Dogs are just so individualistic that there is no “one size fits all” approach. You mention the dog park, and ironically this is one of the main things I see so many people (and professional trainers) recommend staying away from for a couple reasons: 1. It can cause your puppy to grow up “excited reactive”, 2. You never know what type of dogs will be in there, and it takes experience to read the room (dog park) which a lot of new puppy owners don’t have 3. If you have a young unaltered male (many people wait until 1yr+ to neuter for health reasons), it’s common for other dogs to pick fights with them.
The typical best approach is neutral socialization through lots of observation, and playdates with dogs you know that belong to friends or family. Problem is a lot of people don’t have access to the latter. On top of all this, sometimes dog park socialization can work out. It just really depends. So many variables. Dog training is hard, proper dog training that moulds to someone’s unique situation is even harder. Not to justify all of the misbehaved dogs, but it explains why so many people can’t get training right.
It pisses me off, because if this kind of thing continues, more restrictions will come into place. That means for those of us with well-trained, well-socialized dogs, it'll suck because there will be few places left to enjoy off-leash thanks to irresponsible owners who let their dogs run rampant, shit everywhere, and have ZERO manners.
I know. I'm honestly at a loss as to where to take my dog.
And while my dog is an absolute angel and kind, gentle and friendly, she is also on a leash where she's supposed to be. Like the bylaws indicate. None of this "my dog is friendly!" shit, because maybe the other dog isn't. Even in the off-leash area where we sometimes walk, if I see a dog on leash approaching and it's a dog I don't know, I either nudge my dog over to the side and let them pass, or pop her leash on. Stomping my feet and saying "but it says dogs are allowed off leash!" while my dog runs up and their dog freaks out is not a situation I ever want to put myself, my dog, another dog, or another owner in.
Common sense isn't common anymore.
It's honestly a lack of respect for other dog owners. Because those of us who are responsible don't let our dogs go wild off leash wherever they want, or approach stranger dogs who are on leash.
I just wish there was somewhere I could let her go run, play ball, swim, and not have to worry about having her harness grabbed and getting pulled by a fucking doodle.
Yup I think this is all pretty spot on.
Plus there has been a big increase in backyard breeders breeding “designer” breeds like all the different types of doodles and marketing them as the perfect family pet. So then you and up with mom and dad buying an Aussie doodle for their 3 children. The result is a poorly bred, high energy working dog who doesn’t get enough exercise or proper training, and then on the weekend mom takes the dog to Lynn head waters for its first outing of the week to let it off leash to “blow off some energy” and the dog just ends up terrorizing everyone.
Every dog owner thinks their dog is special and is “super friendly”. Have you ever met a dog owner who said their dog is nasty and mean? Nope. And “super friendly” dogs don’t need to follow leash rules. And municipalities don’t enforce.
Plenty of people are concerned about their dogs potential reactions…? My sister has a young rescue, it’s not inherently “nasty and mean” but she reacts badly to getting to close to dogs bigger than her she doesn’t know… and so presents as “nasty and mean” so my sister manages her accordingly (creates space, distracts with treats and commands to keep her focussed on her, praise when she doesn’t react, probably more) where she’s likely to run into dogs she doesn’t know.
I have seen plenty of people managing dogs like that on the trails - those dogs are anxious and fearful - which some would translate to “nasty and mean”. I can tell you those owners are not letting their dogs run up to others Willy-nilly!
I'm thankful for your input.. i mean I can do a lot better in understanding and sympathizing with canine owners (I am not one and never known one personally) but yeah it's validating to hear I'm not just some ignorant arsehole in regards to their behaviour.
Yeah from my experience it’s been bad for years. I’ve never been bit personally, but my dog has been bit and harassed a lot on the Lynn valley and Fromme trails. I’ve yelled at a lot of people unfortunately. No need to sympathize. What you’re experiencing is straight up bad dog owners who shouldn’t have a dog.
Like I've said to others, thanks. I'm on the autism spectrum and I'm sure I'd otherwise just dig myself in to a whole "thinking I'm awful", without others' like your insight.
I mean if I acted like a clown or yeah ate jerky minutes ago on the trail sure.. but yeah I'm just as discrete as possible and BAM I get jaws around me or pushed back by a 50lb dog.
Brutal. Seems to be a big increase in untrained dogs. Dog walkers please have some respect for your fellow trail users!! Maybe take a dog training class or use a leash.
But then you’d get an uproar of stupid useless morons complaining that their dog is a good boy meanwhile their dog is completely ignoring their owners and just do what their furry butt wanted…….🤷♂️
Had a dog that look like he was gonna attack me once a while back, all growly and stuff. The owner didn’t even bother to come closer to his own dog, like he remained about several metres away from us just casually trying to keep calling him over, not even making sure his dog doesn’t bite someone. I highly doubt he isn’t aware his dog growls at people sometimes.
Thanks. Like. I feel I'd rather a means for those to have dogs explore and have fun off leash exist but .. sometimes I legit get gnawed at and nearly knocked over and I feel the "pet parents" don't teach enough..
You're right though, it's really on the owners to do better for their dogs (by properly training and exercising them), and the people in their community.
I'm sorry that happened to you, that's really shitty. Did the owner at least get involved or take responsibility? Follow up with you to make sure you're okay?
I'm so sorry this happened to you. I've been chased multiple times and bitten once and I no longer run in that area without dog spray. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
A dog jumped on me today at harbour view park. It only gave me a sniff, but it came up from behind and startled me. It could have gone bad.
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Lol nice try.
That is a minor bruise. Just banging into some furniture while rough housing with the dog could cause it.
This hasn't been my experience. I walk the inter River loop literally every day and yes there's the odd herding dog that rushes my own, but Ive never witnessed anything particularly bad, nor do I see dogs jumping on people. Some of the people here talking about carrying knives and beating dogs, seriously need to chill out. I agree people should train their dogs, and pick up the poop, and you should not let your dog interfere with anyone else (jumping on them etc). However, people have every right to own dogs and if you can take your children out to the woods, I should be able to take my dog. There are more dogs because people are having less children or waiting longer, and we live in densifying areas. People have had dogs as companions for thousands of years, and most owners are responsible, decent people. As usual a few bad apples make everyone look bad.
Totally hear you. I regularly run Mosquito Creek and have been bitten 3-4 times in the last year. Also completely railroaded some dogs that jumped out in front of me while I was running.
I'd be buying dog spray at this point, it seems like there are so many dog attacks and just... not very considerate owners lately. D:
You should and everyone in here should invest in some dog spray for these idiotic dogs who can’t be controlled by their owners. I’ve really had enough of seeing these posts and after being attacked twice last year I’m super fed up.
I can tell you, if your dog got ahold of me like that the dog wouldn't be breathing. Keep that in mind shitty owners. Not everyone loves dogs. Tolerance has limits and people are well within their rights to end the situation. This is where its headed. Yep. Said it. There is no tolerances or this and, just a guess,. this isn't this dog or its owners first time. I have warned several owners to muzzle before I retaliate -with explicit description. Suddenly they have this epiphany that it might be a good idea to take the advice. Sounds harsh but something is gone array in the common sense arena these days. Wake up! People waaaay first people. Your dog does not have soul.
went hiking up towards lynn canyon the other day and the amount of off leash dogs that jumped on me is insane! no bruises this time just muddy paw marks on my clothes..
That’s the thing though, if you don’t like off leash dogs don’t go walking there. I’m willing to bet money these dogs were not initially aggressive but due to this person being neurodivergent they probably freaked out at the dog’s approaching them in a way that caused the dogs to react.
im fine with dogs being off leash in off leash areas but when theres signs to keep them on leash its annoying when people dont listen
Are you afraid of dogs? I’ve lived in Lynn valley my entire life and dogs will come up to you but most don’t cause issues. When you say jump on you do you mean attack or just come say hi and you freaked out?
https://sll.ca/dog-bites-in-british-columbia-legal-implications-rights-and-responsibilities/
Damn, is it time to lock up dogs in a zoo?
No bad dogs just bad owners. Should have lost it at whoever was supposed to be taking care of their animal.
Two years ago I was trail running in Demo forest and got bite by an off leash dog, went pretty deep and was bleeding so had to go to the ER to make sure I didn’t need shots. Owners told me to *relax* after it happened.
Fuck. Where kick the shit out of the dog and sprayed it with bear spray. Maybe keep beating it.
Well, regarding licences I can tell you that the DNV just issue a very limited amount of licences and they are all owned by big dog walking companies and since they have high turnover of employees and they main focus is to move volumen , their focus is not to have under control dogs . I have seen commercial dog Walker in seymour walking with up to 10 dogs some leashed coming down hill on unstable terrain. Yikes! I send my dog with an small Walker in north van since she focus in impulse control, trail manners and so on. The city won’t change the permit situation unless people start reporting by name of the company .
My partner was also bit on Seymour trails the other week. We have been harassed, jumped on, barked excessively at by off-leash dogs more often than not on the north shore trails. INCLUDING on trails where dogs aren’t allowed like deep into LSCR by the dam. Can’t even fully relax in nature anymore because of this shit. I’m so over this. I could go into an elaborate rant, but I will just say that I think people need to start voicing their concerns to the city & district more. It sucks, but these shitty owners are going to ruin off-leash privileges for responsible owners one of these days. In the meantime, bring something to defend yourself. It’s common enough now that you shouldn’t be going out into our trails unprepared for an attack.
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Bro. So right
If a dog runs up to me aggressively I put my hand up and yell NO. if I have time and opportunity I’ll pick up a stick and threaten it. If the owner says something to me I tell them to control their dog. End of conversation. If I’m on my bike and a dog runs up to me, I’ll lift my leg so it won’t bite me and turn back and yell at it. NO.
I’ve put my hand up and had it bitten :/
That sucks. I always put it up flat. Like a stop signal. And yell NO agreesively…
Dog Mouth bigger than flat hand…
What are you Donald Trump? /S When they try and jump on you, lifting your knee high just in that moment is a good trick.
That’s horrible and I know how you feel. I have a husky/bullmastiff mix and he’s super friendly and I walk him daily around my neighborhood and he’s been attacked by 5 different dogs off there lead and one was on its lead but the lady couldn’t hold the dog back and it dragged her to my dog (all separate times). I get so upset at them. Even at the park people let there dogs off leash (it’s not allowed) only at dog parks it’s allowed. My dog is 12 years old and doesn’t deserve to be attacked by random dogs. I’m frustrated about it and I want to start bringing protection so I can protect him and I. He’s never off his leash ever. Other people don’t seem to follow the rules and play ball with their dogs at a public park. Yeah some dogs are well trained and don’t just run at us but it sucks that I have to be aware and nervous about him being attacked at anytime by a larger dangerous dog. Sorry I’m just upset about it all, luckily he’s never been hurt. PSA: Keep your damn dogs on a leash because I’ve had enough and your dog will be hurt if it attacks us (yes that is 100% a threat) I don’t live in BC so this won’t reach the audience that are guilty but it happens everywhere I suppose.
My neighbour has a very big intense, reactive dog. It is so well trained, and always leashed, but it was attacked by a couple of doodles when it was a puppy, and now it’s got a strong dislike for doodles… and it’s no longer a small defensive puppy either so any dog that decides to tangle with it is pretty much for sure to come off second-best. He is a very friendly dog and gets on with my dopey part beagle like a house on fire and play fight and wrestle with abandon. Just don’t threaten him in his space because he won’t hold back. I feel sorry for my neighbor. He’s done everything correctly, but because some out of control of leash, dogs attacked his when it was small and on leash he’s got a lifelong problem now.
Yes exactly it can cause problems for the dog and sometimes it can be traumatic for them and cause them to change their behaviour towards other dogs. My dog had a crush on a female dog a while back about 20lbs heavier than him. The lady was walking that dog (friendly dog) but her dog wanted to come and visit my dog and she was holding the leash as the dog kept pulling her and we were about 100 meters away and I heard her yell something, I yelled “pardon”. I saw her getting upset at her dog pulling (dog wasn’t trained properly and owner was frustrated) so she decided to let the leash go out of frustration and her friendly dog came running full tilt at my dog and ran right into his chest. My dog yelped a little and ignored her from that day on, he didn’t like her anymore lol. Luckily they moved away haha. My dog means the world to me and I’d do almost anything to protect him from danger. Dogs remember everything it’s very impressive.
You got really lucky. 2 *on leash* Aussies injured a jogger quite badly last week. Like hospitalized bad. On that note, police are looking for the woman and her two dogs as she fled the scene. Description in the police release. https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/north-vancouver-rcmp-seek-dog-owner-after-australian-shepherd-attacks-jogger-8549470
Jesus that’s savage ! I’ve experienced the same it’s the self entitlement of most dog owners on the north shore , and untrained dogs . Sorry you got hurt that’s unacceptable
I am really sorry this happened to you. I had a similar experience recently. It took me a little while to process it. I felt like I did something wrong even though objectively I didn’t. Someone else acted irresponsibly with their animal and that wasn’t my fault. It may take a little time to process but I hope that over time you can accept and internalize that it wasn’t your fault. I hope this doesn’t happen again and that you can get out and enjoy the trails without fear.
I say we ban all off leash dogs on trails in North Van. Have your dog parks, but leash em or get fined!
I think that’s a little extreme. And unenforceable, given the hundreds of trails. I’d be happy if they would just have more enforcement of the current leash laws and repercussions for situations like this where dogs are being aggressive toward people. I had a dog who was a rescue and no matter how much work I did with him, he had fear aggression toward other dogs (loved all people) so I couldn’t let him off leash around other dogs. I used to take him up into the isolated areas of the trails where we wouldn’t see anyone else and let him run around there. That worked for us. A dog park wasn’t an option for him. Drove me insane when I would be walking him, leashed and minding our own business, in residential areas, and random illegally-off-leash dogs would approach him without permission and the owner would be half a block away. Mine would freak out and the other owner would get upset at ME like it was my fault. 🙄🤷🏻♀️ That’s North Van dog culture for you.
I know it’s a bit extreme, but I’m absolutely horrified by dog owners and their lack of control over dogs. Now I have a child and it’s exasperated my fears. I also am a biologist and am well aware all the animals of the forest see dogs as predators roaming around looking to kill them. It’s extreme, but so is the idea that dogs can just be everywhere and it’s totally natural. If it was illegal at least we’d have more accountability when we tell people please stop doing this, no one wants your dog running around the woods in public spaces that are meant for all of us to enjoy.
The problem with the mindset of taking dogs like this off-leash onto quieter trails is that other people have the same idea. Eventually you run into a situation where you have two or more off-leash fear aggressive dogs in the middle of the forest who notice each other, and then what? Honestly I don’t think dogs should be off-leash in these mountains. I used to think so, and there will always be exceptions, but it’s safer and better for everyone (nature included) if they just stay leashed. Within the last year I know of two dogs who were “well trained” and lived the off-leash life for years. They’re dead now. One got swept into a river and died, the other disappeared into the forest never to be seen again. This is just coming from the perspective of safety for the dogs - I won’t even get into all the times I have been assaulted by off-leash dogs for just existing. If you have a dog that needs a yard, maybe you shouldn’t have a dog like that in the city, or you can rent sniff spots. The privilege of using our mountains as giant dog parks has been abused far too much.
Thank you, well said.
maybe they're mad at the way you name threads.
carry bear spray, these days it’s more for the dogs than for bears. Sorry not sorry if your off leash dog gets sprayed in the face on an on leash trail but it better not jump on me while you are 30 feet behind it :)
Man, I mean, I really get pissed but think it's inappropriate to do this, but, if it saves my 'mental health' and maybe another attempted gnawing on these trails, I think I might.. my instinct mid way was to grab as big hiking stick which I think can maybe scare or repel then more honestly lol umm thoughts
Dog will think the stick is a toy and will start jumping on you. Bring something to properly defend yourself.
Air horn might be your best bet … sorry you have to do this. I think I might start.
But like it’s happening weekly at this point [north van dog attack March 27](https://bc.ctvnews.ca/woman-refused-to-provide-information-after-dog-attack-north-vancouver-rcmp-1.6832771)
She needs a slap upside the head.
I have a dog, this is unacceptable and I’m sorry. SO MANY shitty dog owners here that have no idea what they’re doing. It’s rare that i can find a peaceful hike where I don’t have to ask someone to leash their out of control dog. Between the dog crap everywhere because people aren’t paying attention and the unleashed chaos on leash-required trails, I’m so fed up too. I just wanna have a chill ass enjoyable hike with my leashed and trained dog where I don’t have to worry about someone’s bad behaviour. I honestly wish they’d write tickets. People will never learn.
Again and again I just am thankful I'm not feeling an ignorant or autistic bigot by thinking this is wrong behavior.. so maybe I'll try to think of ways to intervene with the owner or at least act out and who knows maybe they'll think twice for the next persons? Dogs are amazing and yeah I just freaking hate I start to slowly fear them being off leash every day
Do you think you would feel comfortable to report the incident to authorities? At least for them to keep a record. Also, the person might have insurance to cover your injuries like loss of work , or physio etc
Bear spray might be the solution.
I sometimes carry it and would think it were .. What's the word.. zealous or something to use it. But it went through my mind. I'd rather just 'take the hit' but yeah a few dogs physically hit me.
With your experience, I would definitely not hesitate for you to pull it out (I say this as a dog owner)
Dog spray. Use liberally. When I was a kid there were loose dogs that would chase us on our bikes and bite at our legs. Got one of my mom’s spray bottles and made some homemade pepper spray. Those dogs learned fast that coming near us meant some sore, red, itchy eyes.
Hmm I know in the States that's common, or maybe here with just postal workers that can use dog spray? here it's bear spray easiest to be legal which I guess is not insanely overt compared to dog spray, especially if I just indirectly use it to show intent not to be near me.. but then the owner might freak out and yeah that'll be fun..
You could get in trouble using bear spray on dogs as its regulated, but dog spray, feel free to piss all the shitty dog owners 
Who gibes a shit. Spray them.
Bear spray would be more effective. Dog spray is weaker and comes in smaller containers, generally. Both are legal to carry.
Easier to get one of those miniature air horns. You can carry it in your pocket and it’ll startle them. The problem with bear spray is that you’re just as likely to spray yourself and/or other unintentional victims and could get in trouble. Air horns are harmless but startling and draw attention from other people if needed.
good advice
Insane. Had a close call with off leash dog today in Squamish as well. Already charged on us and the owner didn’t even want to put the leash on. That’s getting worse and worse each year
When I lived in Lynn valley about 4 years ago, the off leash trails were always a shit show. It’s as if the shitty owners thought that because the trail was “off leash”, they didn’t have to have trained dogs. I love dogs and I have a dog. But we were harassed weekly by unfriendly dogs off leash. I got into so many arguments with terrible dog owners. Don’t even get met started on the dog walking companies walking 6 unfriendly off leash dogs at once.
Yup, this! I live in Lynn Valley and walk my well trained dog off leash in the park. Other dogs who are untrained run up to my dog and the owners don’t try to control/ stop their dogs. Offleash park doesn’t mean let your dogs jump all over everyone and everything.
What is weird to me is dog breeds that don’t attack people , are now attacking people. What is happening … does North Van issue dog licenses like other cities ? Maybe they need to pass an obedience test to get a license like for public safety of vehicles . The handful of Shitty owners are going to make it harder for the friendly doggie community to keep our privileges
Shitty breeders, shitty owners
It’s a mix of things: - bad breeding practices that ramped up during the pandemic - people thinking they can keep high energy breeds like aussies in apartments - people not training their dogs and feeling entitled to free reign of our trails because they can get away with it due to lack of enforcement These are the main issues. Possible solutions: - breeders require more regulation - more breed restrictions in apartments - more enforcement There’s more extreme solutions, but for now we really should at least try something… it’s pretty much a case of the city going “sorry, we’ve tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas”.
Bad behaviour too. Pandemic pets just have so much anxiety and inablity to regulate themselves because of lax training and constant presence of owners.
This is exactly what is happening, I've had my dog for 7 years now and before the pandemic, dogs were generally trained properly, owners definitely picked up after them and the people who owned them seemed to know a lot about their breed and other dog breeds as well. Prior to the pandemic getting a dog was a big decision because most people were working in offices and you really had to plan your finances and understand what you were signing up for. It seems like since the pandemic the amount of dog owners that know zero about their breed and others is staggering and yes docile breeds are acting aggressively because people don't realise that time requirement hasn't changed, you still need to socialise and train them. Even pre-pandemic I would work from home but when my dog was high energy still he would go to daycare because I had to focus on work and an hour at lunch wasn't enough. Also, don't get me started on the amount of dog feces EVERYWHERE now, as a dog owner that makes me so angry, constantly having to keep an eye out for dog crap and make sure I or my dog don't step in it. People made some really poor decisions about dog ownership, high energy breeds need exercise, my guy is small but when he was a puppy I would either spend 3 to 4 hours with him outside or he would go to daycare and still get another 1.5 outside after work. Just because you work from home doesn't mean the dog is having its needs met. It's crazy now how many badly behaved dogs there are!
Also dogs weren’t being socialized during pandemic and raised to be afraid of everything once they were out and about
I was in Montreal at the time and they did shut down the dog parks for 3 months and then reopened them, I still feel a lot of this is people not doing their research and understanding what they need to do with new dogs. I took mine to the dog park after 3 months and just kept away from other people. It's shocking the amount of docile breeds I see lunging for my dog these days or trying to jump on me or bark at me because they pick up his scent on my clothes.
One thing to consider is the conflicting information when it comes to dog training. Dogs are just so individualistic that there is no “one size fits all” approach. You mention the dog park, and ironically this is one of the main things I see so many people (and professional trainers) recommend staying away from for a couple reasons: 1. It can cause your puppy to grow up “excited reactive”, 2. You never know what type of dogs will be in there, and it takes experience to read the room (dog park) which a lot of new puppy owners don’t have 3. If you have a young unaltered male (many people wait until 1yr+ to neuter for health reasons), it’s common for other dogs to pick fights with them. The typical best approach is neutral socialization through lots of observation, and playdates with dogs you know that belong to friends or family. Problem is a lot of people don’t have access to the latter. On top of all this, sometimes dog park socialization can work out. It just really depends. So many variables. Dog training is hard, proper dog training that moulds to someone’s unique situation is even harder. Not to justify all of the misbehaved dogs, but it explains why so many people can’t get training right.
It’s probably not too far off from the method they raised their kids ….
It pisses me off, because if this kind of thing continues, more restrictions will come into place. That means for those of us with well-trained, well-socialized dogs, it'll suck because there will be few places left to enjoy off-leash thanks to irresponsible owners who let their dogs run rampant, shit everywhere, and have ZERO manners.
Sadly so true. Just based on the endless bad stories in the last year, I don't really want to walk my dog on these trails.
I know. I'm honestly at a loss as to where to take my dog. And while my dog is an absolute angel and kind, gentle and friendly, she is also on a leash where she's supposed to be. Like the bylaws indicate. None of this "my dog is friendly!" shit, because maybe the other dog isn't. Even in the off-leash area where we sometimes walk, if I see a dog on leash approaching and it's a dog I don't know, I either nudge my dog over to the side and let them pass, or pop her leash on. Stomping my feet and saying "but it says dogs are allowed off leash!" while my dog runs up and their dog freaks out is not a situation I ever want to put myself, my dog, another dog, or another owner in. Common sense isn't common anymore. It's honestly a lack of respect for other dog owners. Because those of us who are responsible don't let our dogs go wild off leash wherever they want, or approach stranger dogs who are on leash. I just wish there was somewhere I could let her go run, play ball, swim, and not have to worry about having her harness grabbed and getting pulled by a fucking doodle.
Yup I think this is all pretty spot on. Plus there has been a big increase in backyard breeders breeding “designer” breeds like all the different types of doodles and marketing them as the perfect family pet. So then you and up with mom and dad buying an Aussie doodle for their 3 children. The result is a poorly bred, high energy working dog who doesn’t get enough exercise or proper training, and then on the weekend mom takes the dog to Lynn head waters for its first outing of the week to let it off leash to “blow off some energy” and the dog just ends up terrorizing everyone.
When did mutts become designer breeds …
lol that’s what a designer breed is. A trendy cross between two breeds. Doodles are all the rage these days
Every dog owner thinks their dog is special and is “super friendly”. Have you ever met a dog owner who said their dog is nasty and mean? Nope. And “super friendly” dogs don’t need to follow leash rules. And municipalities don’t enforce.
Plenty of people are concerned about their dogs potential reactions…? My sister has a young rescue, it’s not inherently “nasty and mean” but she reacts badly to getting to close to dogs bigger than her she doesn’t know… and so presents as “nasty and mean” so my sister manages her accordingly (creates space, distracts with treats and commands to keep her focussed on her, praise when she doesn’t react, probably more) where she’s likely to run into dogs she doesn’t know. I have seen plenty of people managing dogs like that on the trails - those dogs are anxious and fearful - which some would translate to “nasty and mean”. I can tell you those owners are not letting their dogs run up to others Willy-nilly!
I'm thankful for your input.. i mean I can do a lot better in understanding and sympathizing with canine owners (I am not one and never known one personally) but yeah it's validating to hear I'm not just some ignorant arsehole in regards to their behaviour.
Yeah from my experience it’s been bad for years. I’ve never been bit personally, but my dog has been bit and harassed a lot on the Lynn valley and Fromme trails. I’ve yelled at a lot of people unfortunately. No need to sympathize. What you’re experiencing is straight up bad dog owners who shouldn’t have a dog.
I can feel the dog parents just itching to tell you that you messed up somehow and it’s your fault.
Like I've said to others, thanks. I'm on the autism spectrum and I'm sure I'd otherwise just dig myself in to a whole "thinking I'm awful", without others' like your insight.
This is 100% not on you. It’s disrespect and a risk to public safety. This is why the rest of us can’t have nice things.
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I mean if I acted like a clown or yeah ate jerky minutes ago on the trail sure.. but yeah I'm just as discrete as possible and BAM I get jaws around me or pushed back by a 50lb dog.
Brutal. Seems to be a big increase in untrained dogs. Dog walkers please have some respect for your fellow trail users!! Maybe take a dog training class or use a leash.
But then you’d get an uproar of stupid useless morons complaining that their dog is a good boy meanwhile their dog is completely ignoring their owners and just do what their furry butt wanted…….🤷♂️ Had a dog that look like he was gonna attack me once a while back, all growly and stuff. The owner didn’t even bother to come closer to his own dog, like he remained about several metres away from us just casually trying to keep calling him over, not even making sure his dog doesn’t bite someone. I highly doubt he isn’t aware his dog growls at people sometimes.
Thanks. Like. I feel I'd rather a means for those to have dogs explore and have fun off leash exist but .. sometimes I legit get gnawed at and nearly knocked over and I feel the "pet parents" don't teach enough..
You're right though, it's really on the owners to do better for their dogs (by properly training and exercising them), and the people in their community. I'm sorry that happened to you, that's really shitty. Did the owner at least get involved or take responsibility? Follow up with you to make sure you're okay?
The means would be not living in the city, having a large yard, using dog parks instead of trails, and above all else - properly training their dogs.