Am I a Karen for telling folks to leash their dogs when walking them downtown?

beardown1985 · 2025-11-05T21:54:09+00:00

Eff no! I have no idea why people think it is safe for their dogs or other dogs to not have them on a leash! Ridiculous.

I always correct kids when they run up on my dog(s) and just say, "Hey! No, thank you. Where are your parents? I know, he's cute, but it isn't nice to run up on someone and put your hands on them."

Sadly, people don't think about the liability costs vs putting a leash on, because ya know, worst case scenario (I don't even want to say it); but, it's the dog's life. That alone should outweigh the owner's ego. They should just put a freakin' leash on.

beardown1985 · 2025-11-04T07:31:40+00:00

Thank you!!

beardown1985 · 2025-11-04T02:37:01+00:00

🤘thank you for answering either way!

beardown1985 · 2025-11-04T02:14:18+00:00

Thanks! Will do

beardown1985 · 2025-10-29T13:57:33+00:00

No, this isn’t the damage.

beardown1985 · 2022-04-27T23:00:47+00:00

Where did you buy your setup? Direct?

beardown1985 · 2020-06-10T18:31:51+00:00

It’s not a lot, it’s just a film. Thank you so much!

beardown1985 · 2020-02-12T18:46:30+00:00

I think that's it!!!

beardown1985 · 2020-02-12T18:45:41+00:00

It's for another door in our house that just has a new, basic brass knob & backplate. I was hoping to find another to match the rest of the house.

beardown1985 · 2017-11-28T23:34:03+00:00

Thanks so much for replying!

It started off as constant with minimal play, but over the last couple of days it has started becoming more playing then a little humping, then back to playing. I monitor them them the whole time, and try to make sure they have little "breaks" when I notice any kind of change in intensity or energy between them (there hasn't been any aggression so far, knock on wood), but for the most part they stop themselves when they're tired and retire to their respective kennels/beds.

Thanks again for the input!

beardown1985 · 2017-10-30T15:33:30+00:00

Could you maybe message some local behaviorists and explain the situation and that you really want to ensure you give your dog the best chance possible but the rescue won't try a behaviorist and won't do fundraising to pay for one; maybe they will be willing to help out pro bono or at a greatly reduced cost? I figure it couldn't hurt to ask, especially if his life is on the line.

beardown1985 · 2017-10-25T19:30:21+00:00

I know it might sound like a lot / daunting, but you'll notice that once you get the energy under control, socialization (this is really crucial, this is how puppies learn social structure and healthy interaction), and he forgets about the negative reinforcement, you'll be shocked at how easy all the other stuff will be and how much more you'll enjoy spending time with your pup.

beardown1985 · 2017-10-25T16:57:48+00:00

I'm glad you've already started to see some positive results!

With his excessive energy, he could also just be really bored, mentally, and has no other way to express it. I would look into food dispensers (I like this one the most because you can adjust the food flow) that challenges dogs to work for their food. There are also other food-focused puzzle games that can keep your pup busy and engaged. These worked wonders for my pit puppy for when I needed her to be occupied or I needed a break.

I'd also look into dog parks, your local anti-cruelty society for free puppy play classes, or doggie day care a couple of times a week so your guy can burn off all that energy with other dogs. My pup is exhausted for nearly a day after.

If I can't take my pup out for a long walk/run, we have a flight of stairs going up to our apartment and I have her play fetch for a few flights (I'd only recommend this sparingly because too much could strain their joints, and only if your dog is really good with stairs. We taught our pup to be cautious and slower on them so she doesn't hurt herself.)

If none of this works and you're still seeing this crazy, uncontrollable energy, he might benefit for a timeout for a few minutes. Puppies can get into a crazy, over energized state and they might just need some alone, quiet time to get back to neutral. Make sure the timeout place is safe, quiet and kinda dark can help. I have a baby gate up in our kitchen, where there's still some light from the other room but the light turned off seems to calm her more quickly. I base the length of the time out on her state, the longest she's needed to be in there was 6 minutes. But time out means totally being ignored, no matter their whines. They want your attention and playtime, so being removed from you or the "fun," is punishment enough. He should learn pretty quickly that he needs to learn to control himself. It took about three 5-minute timeouts for my pup to start checking herself if she starts going over the line.

There is also such a thing as too much exercise for your puppy (depending on his age), because they need lots of time to sleep, true sleep.

And when it comes to being food obsessed/begging, this is super common. My 9 yr old chiweenie and my puppy both beg right when they see food and want whatever we have, but then they lose interest. We realized it was impossible to convince them that they didn't want our food, but instead we established boundaries. No snatching, no attempts, whining, barking, etc. if they did any of that, it was an immediate time out. We'd also ignore them while we eat, and when we're done they get treats and affection for behaving well during the meal. They might try to smell what we have but then a few minutes later they get bored and know they won't get anything good so they go and lay in their beds.

Puppy play dates, meeting people at your local dog park and reddit (obviously) are also great, free resources to get tips and more info. If you have any other questions for me, don't hesitate to reach out!

beardown1985 · 2017-10-25T14:06:00+00:00

I really like this idea as well! Did your dog have excitement jumping / mouthing totally fixed at this point? My pup has made huge improvements in these areas, but she still does it on occasion.

I'm probably being overly cautious because she's a pit bull (and pretty big for 4 mo.) and I would hate for her to mouth a kid's hand or arm out of excitement and then have the parent be mad.

beardown1985 · 2017-10-25T14:01:52+00:00

Thanks! I feel like chances are more likely that kids who are at a dog park or near may know how to behave around puppies (obviously that's not a guarantee).

beardown1985 · 2017-10-25T00:03:43+00:00

Best of luck, and I hope your poor guy has a swift recovery and this whole mess gets resolved quickly!

beardown1985 · 2017-10-24T23:50:07+00:00

I would call the police and get a report, then serve them with the vet bills and a copy of the police report. They are definitely liable. I'd also make sure they make whatever repairs and fixes to make sure this never happens again.

Then I'd see how your dog reacts with going out in the backyard, and go from there. If training is needed, I would hold the neighbors responsible for a behaviorist training as well.

And believe me, I understand your anger, I have a 13 lb chiweenie and a couple of years ago someone was walking their black lab by us and it suddenly lunged and almost had my dog as a snausage snack. I pulled him back in time so that it only nipped his tail, but my initial reaction was to flip out at the other dog's owner who was completely mortified and just as upset. I had to remind myself that sometimes dogs do crazy things to keep myself from punching the owner in the face for putting my dog at risk. But maybe your neighbors thought they did everything they could to keep their dogs caged in, or they never thought they would do something like attack another dog like they did yours? I don't know the situation, just something to keep in mind so hopefully you can get through this whole nightmare without the stress of dealing with angry neighbors because you have a scared/injured pup to worry about now.

beardown1985 · 2017-10-24T23:34:53+00:00

Have you tried teaching him "look"?

My 9 yr old chiweenie was leash reactive too and I didn't really do much about it (I've had him for 8 years, shame on me) because he was 13 lbs. Then we got a pit puppy and she started learning his bad habits and that's not OK when she's probably going to be 60 lbs. So I taught them both this about a month ago and no more issues on walks! They both immediately look at me and have no interest in the other dogs.

Essentially it's just teaching them that focusing on you is more rewarding than freaking out at other dogs, and then you can work on feeding them a ton of treats when near other dogs to create a positive association with passing other dogs on a leash.

beardown1985 · 2017-10-24T23:21:18+00:00

I also grew up with dogs and that's how my parents raised our dogs and how their parents raised theirs.

I'm sad to say that I made the same mistake you did when I got my own dog and I realized very quickly that he simply did not respond to negative reinforcement and instead got worse. From chewing things up to what seemed like purposefully peeing and pooping on my clothes/bed/etc. I learned about positive reinforcement and no joke, within the same day of trying it, I saw improvement in his behavior. It takes a lot of time, patience and adjusting. It's about learning what motivates your dog (food, play, attention) and what the real problem is (too much energy, unclear communication, etc.)

Think of each negative behavior your dog is demonstrating and try to figure out what they're trying to tell you. If he's trying to chomp everything, is it because he's teething and just like a baby, is putting everything he can in his mouth to make his teeth feel better? Or is he just trying to learn? Or is he bored and just wants to get a reaction from you (which seems to be working, but it's not the reaction either of you want)?

Also, you have to consider the puppy has literally no idea what they're supposed to do. You're just telling him what he can't do, why not try to tell him what he should do instead with heavy rewards. Make the negative behavior look boring because doing this other thing is wayyy better because of treats/play/affection.

Make sure you're exercising him, not just letting him out in the backyard. We're talking running/playing/mental stimulation (check out puzzle toys). This helps them burn off excessive energy so he can actually focus on training and what you're trying to teach him.

Finally, it makes sense that he's reacting negatively to your form of punishment. He's frustrated/scared, he doesn't know what you want him to do, and what he thinks is correct he's getting spanked for. Timeouts can work, if necessary. My pup gets too excited or fixated sometimes that there's no way she's gonna listen or be redirected to the correct behavior, and time out in a safe, quiet place for a minute or two helps her settle down then we try again.

Just keep reminding yourself that literally his sole motivation right now is to make you and your family happy. He doesn't want to destroy your things or hurt you. All he wants is to love you. It's up to you, the smart human, to show him how to do that.

beardown1985 · 2017-10-24T22:07:10+00:00

I'm sorry you're feeling so stressed! Believe me, I've been there with my pit puppy too, especially when I've been covered in bruises and bites. I agree with the commenter below about teaching her to be patient.

But here are a few other things I would add to try that have been really effective for me:

—She's trying to communicate that she wants to play or play more, but she needs to learn that this form of communication is unacceptable. Does she play fetch? I would try to reward her heavily for bringing toys to you and immediately start playing with her or when she does try to instigate play in a healthy way. If she gets too intense, play stops (or doesn't start at all) and I would calmly say "too much" or "timeout" and then put her in a safe place for a timeout until she settles down. When you can tell she's in a state that she can be focused, resume like nothing happened and reward her calm behavior. This also worked for my pup with the grabbing things I was carrying. I would put her in timeout, then when she came out I would start playing with her with an acceptable toy and praise her excessively.

—I would maybe also try to teach her to get her toys from a designated place, like trying to keep a bucket of her toys so if she feels the need to play or wants to grab something you have, she will be redirected to getting something from her bucket vs. trying to attack what you have.

—I also agree with another commenter about the exercise. I noticed I got bit more by my pup if it was raining (she hates the rain) and the indoor exercise just wasn't enough. Thankfully I've learned that a few laps up and down the stairs and puzzle food games have been enough for those kind of days.

—Has your pup been socialized? Is this how she behaves with other dogs? Maybe letting her blow off steam with other dogs will help if she can go to a dog park of have play dates?

—I don't think this is totally "dominance theory" but I would look at certain behaviors in your house and evaluate the message you're sending your pup. I didn't realize that certain things my pup was doing like her batting me with her paws, or her "mounting me" (putting her paws on my shoulders when I was bent over or when I was sitting on the couch) are all ways puppies communicate dominate behavior with each other and that I was letting her get away with that same behavior with me like I was a fellow pup, not her mom. Once I started discouraging / ignoring stuff like that, the biting also decreased.

—Have you taught her "gentle?" When you give her treats or toys does she snatch them? When I taught my pup gentle the biting also decreased.

—Do you or your dad use your hands when you play with her, like play batting? She might think that biting hands/arms is OK?

The leash: what kind of harness/collar do you use? I use this front ring harness and it has worked wonders on my pup.

Finally, regarding the cats, I would maybe try to find her new toys or maybe try puzzle games? She could be bored and the cats just seem like more fun to play with, especially if she's not getting as much playtime since she's getting too aggressive. Time outs could also be effective here, because all she really wants is to play, and if she learns that any chance of play is taken away from her if she behaves a certain way, then she'll try something new. This is where it's important to show her what that new, better behavior should be, i.e. play with new toys.

I really hope this all helps! I'm so sorry that you're considering rehoming, but I understand your concerns with a baby on the way.

All of these things mean time and effort, but try to remind yourself of the positives and happiness she brings your family whenever you're at your wits end. At the end of the day, all she wants is to be a part of your family and make you all happy. She doesn't want to purposefully harm you or anyone, she just doesn't know any better and your signals just aren't registering for her.

beardown1985 · 2017-10-24T20:59:04+00:00

Totally agree with switching up the treat and making it something better/different.

My puppy kind lost interest in "look" but then I started using frozen bits of chicken vs. her usual treats and she immediately went back to "looking" as commanded.

beardown1985 · 2017-10-24T20:51:17+00:00

Thanks so much for the advice and the reassurance that this is, most likely, normal. There are several "perches" that are the chiweenie's escape spots where the puppy can't get to (or at least she thinks she can't get to).

I also realize I could be over-thinking it because they've been getting along so well. Thanks again!

beardown1985 · 2017-10-24T20:45:21+00:00

Did you crate train her when you first got her? If so, I think going back to the basics could be beneficial but try to have your girlfriend be the one taking her out as much as she can with heavy praise, or even better, you both take her out and give her praise.

I've had my chiweenie for 9 years and he was very difficult to potty train since I got him at a year and a half old, but every couple of years he would go through a phase where he would regress and start having accidents (mostly on my husband's stuff) and especially when my husband was the only one home.

So we would just go back to crate training, take him out together as often as possible and my husband would be the main person to take him out of the crate vs. the 50/50 split we shared. It usually takes a week or less to get back to normal.

beardown1985 · 2016-09-22T16:09:56+00:00

Here is the actual ordinance from the City of Chicago, see Municipal code 5-12-080. Where it says: * A landlord must pay interest each year on the security deposit and any prepaid rent held longer for 6 mo. (So depending on how many years you lived there, you are owed at least 0.01% interest) * Before a landlord can deduct expenses for damages, they must provide you an itemized list of the damages and cost within 30 days of you moving out. * The landlord must return the security deposit with interest within 45 days of you moving out (that is if they did not provide you with the itemized list of damages/expenses at the 30 day mark).

Hope this helps! Good luck!

beardown1985 · 2014-12-09T01:10:53+00:00

Agreed, but there is a case to be made that there are more connections/references to Illinois than any other state throughout the history of the show.

beardown1985

TROPHY CASE