Dog Beach at OB. All photos by Jen Wilbur.
by Karma Patrol
We had our first experience of what I would like to call “Dog Rage” on a recent weekend.
I have seen “Dog Rage” at Balboa Dog Park, but this was my first time experiencing it firsthand here in OB.
On this particular past weekend we were out enjoying the late afternoon sun with the dogs at Dog Beach. An un-neutered male dog approached our blanket and attempted to mount my spayed female dog.
My boyfriend “shoo’d” the dog away from the blanket. At no time did either of us touch the dog.
The owner approached my boyfriend verbally threatening violence. He was looking to fight. He stood less then two inches off my boyfriends face, spit flying as he hurled insults and obsenities over us “touching” his dog.
My boyfriend told him, “I didn’t touch your dog, bro.”
This guy had not been watching his dog (had been talking to his friend with his back to the dog as it made its way several yards back down the beach towards our blanket). This guy only saw us waving our arms at his dog and ASSUMED we had touched his dog.
He came seconds away from hitting my boyfriend and at one point, invited him to a fist fight in the parking lot. I am a very small, normally peaceful person, but I had to intervene by shouting over the wind to get him to go away. This kid was pumped up, looking to prove something.
The whole thing left me shaken. For two years we have brought our dogs to Dog Beach on the weekends. Never in a million years would I have thought there would come a day when we would be physically threatened by a fellow dog owner in such a beautiful and serene location.
Dog Beach is for ALL of us to enjoy. To the guy who threatened us, I ask that you remember what we all love about OB–it’s sense of community, sharing and peaceful coexistence.
If the dogs can do it, can’t we?
…….
See http://www.sandiegodogbeach.com.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
So what if you would have touched it? That could happen just by holding your dog and trying to shield it. You had every right to protect your dog. It sure seems like that dog owner could use some training.
The problem is some dogs are smarter than their owners .
“If the dogs can do it, can’t we?”
As you indicated the animals came close to “doing the nasty” and you and your b/f were on a blanket at the beach… isn’t thatkind of what was going on?
(LOL)
The guy was being a deek for sure. He needs a bit of perspective, dogs have been seriously hurt and even purportedly killed there. OTOH you weren’t freaking out about his dog wanting to follow his natural instincts on yours, were you?
at least the guy accosting your boyfriend wasn’t an undercover cop. he would’ve shot your dog and maybe you too, if he had any rounds left.
Wow that’s pretty intense for that guy to want to get in a fight so quickly. I hate it when people overreact! The whole point of a dog park is to interact with other owners and things like that!
Couldn’t agree with you more George G and GJ!
John–The blanket was for the dogs, but I definitely need to put their blanket to better use next time! LOL
Jason–The question is, if it were an undercover cop accosting my boyfriend, would the dog AND the boyfriend have risked the possibility of being shot?
Yesterday’s affair at the Farmer’s Market, was case-in-point that we all need a game plan on how to prevent escalation of violence when forced into a confrontation. We don’t want OB to turn into other beaches in San Diego where cops and community have a bone to pick or something to prove. Most of us who call OB home are more then capable of finding peaceful, rational ways to accept difference, or mediate situations without having to threaten others or use excessive force. Why can’t we hold those who come into our community to those same expectations, whether they wear a badge or not?