Your dog needs to be on a leash!

The other day this old guy says to another guy "your dog needs to be on a leash." The other guy is just walking across the parking lot and his dog seems happy, but is off leash prancing about the guy as he makes his way from his car to his apartment. The old guy has a little Yorkie, which is on a leash. "Prancer" is curious and and playfully begins to make his way toward the Yorkie, which is when the old guy picks up the Yorkie and says "your dog needs to be on a leash." Prancer's owner replies, "oh he's okay." But the old guy says "no he's not, because now I have to pick up my dog so they don't get into it." Prancer's dad quickly realizes either he is not going to win this argument or that it is just not worth it and says "okay" as he goes into his apartment, Prancer happily following close on his heals. The old guy puts his Yorkie back down on the ground a continues their walk.

Same old guy out walking his Yorkie on a different day and a woman walking her two small dogs (both may be Chihuahua mixes), one on and the other off leash. The off leash dog begins to approach the Yorkie and the old guy picking up his dog says "your dog needs to be on a leash." Lady Chihuahua replies "other people do it." This begins to aggravate the old guy who says, "that doesn't matter, your dog needs to be on a leash," to which she says again "other people do it." The old guy can't believe that an adult would make that argument. So the old guy responds, emotions escalating, "when your dog is not on a leash I have to pick my dog up so they don't start fighting." To this the woman replies, you guessed it, "other people do it" and she continues walking on past never looking at the old guy. The old guy carries his Yorkie out of the area and then continues their walk.

Finally, the old guy is carrying his Yorkie down the long flight of stairs from his front door to begin their walk and is confronted at the foot of the stairs by a guy walking his two small dogs, one leashed the other not. Two-dog guy looks up and conscientiously says to the old guy "which way are you going and I'll go the other way." To this the old guy says, you guessed it, "your dog needs to be on a leash." Two-dog guy doesn't respond, but stands there looking at the old guy as he carries his Yorkie around the corner and out of sight. Later in the walk, the old guy sees two-dog guy come out of his apartment with both of his dogs leashed. From about 20 yards away two-dog guy notices the old guy and shouts "They're on a leash now!"  The old guy responds with genuine gratitude, "thank you!" Two-dog guy then the shouts "are you happy now?" The old guy says, "yes, thank you!" They all then go their separate ways.

If it isn't clear by now, I am the old guy. After each of the above encounters, I walked away a bit agitated, but more disappointed in myself. I don't want to be that old guy that shouts at people who are just out walking their dogs. Sure, I am justified because the rules are clear about dogs being leashed at all times. Also, even if other dogs are not aggressive but just curious, my dog is unpredictable and when the two are sniffing each other my dog often lashes out. This can provoke a larger dog to react and defend itself, a battle which my 5.5 lbs. Yorkie would be sure to lose. Unfortunately, other dogwalkers don't seem to consider this potentiality and these situations don't lend themselves to an extended explanation as to why their easy-going dog needs to be on a leash because my dog is unpredictable. Once confronted, people understandably get defensive and are not open to civil discourse at that moment.

I guess if I don't want to be that old guy, I could just pick up my little Yorkie when other dogs are off leash until the coast is clear again. Maybe by doing this, without repeating my mantra, there will be more room for civil discourse or just casual chit chat among neighbors, which is what I would really like to see happen. I want to be the friendly old guy with a cute little dog.