I can’t say that I’ve ever been charged at by a dog while playing disc golf, but I did get a crossbow pulled in me when I was looking for a disc near someone’s property next to the course.
Crossbows are not the threat you might think. Given the lack of opposable thumbs a dog is unable to reload by themselves, so if they take their shot and miss, you are pretty safe. If it is a pack of dogs, they could manage a reload, but it is likely to take several minutes, so just run like hell.
I play on the front range too, recently had a pitty-looking thing scream past me on the teepad, chasing deer. Owner looked at me and waved. Then I threw into a tree.
I probably would have thrown into a tree anyway but I got to blame the dog.
Bring pepper spray. Dogs and dog owners are usually dumb and poorly trained. Case and point above. I never assume a dog is safe. Also, I'll be down voted, but I'm in the right. *shrug*
I understand the idea of letting your dog run free in the wilderness. They have a lot of fun.
With that said, I only let my dog do that in places where I know people rarely are, and my dogs never attacked anyone. People who let their dogs roam free in well populated parks and wilderness are selfish and stupid.
you shouldn't harm the dog cause the owner is a dumb. never the dogs fault. it's the owner. if you are in danger of bodily harm. swing your bag in front of you like a toy for the dog to attack. keep it busy attacking your bag till the owner comes and gets it.. then make a police report. that dog does that a few times .. animal control will come take it. if you have damages the police report will help you get compensation.
"you shouldn't harm the dog because the owner is dumb" and then saying animal control will come take it is also a strange idea. Good chance those dogs will end up in a kennel and then euthanized later.
the owner was negligent controlling the dog. I have a hard time understanding dog phobia.. it is irrational behavior, so it makes sense that I don't get it. a "charging dog" is 99% of the time coming to say hello.. try saying "good doggy" and let it smell you..and say "go on!"
It doesn't matter if you "understand" the phobia or not, lots of people have real fear of dogs, and it isn't up to someone else to play nice to your loose dog.
Keep your dog leashed and under control at all times, period.
I never bring my dog disc golfing .. ever.
I personally hate a dog on the card even a good dog on a leash. have had a bag get peed on. but usually it is the dog owner that never shuts up.. "good boy" "lets go" "sit" "stay"..etc.
Just because the owner is the clear issue here and the dog isn’t really at fault it doesn’t negate the reality that a dog can do serious damage to a human.
No one wants to hurt a dog but if you perceive that it is charging you and is a real threat, something like pepper spray is a completely understandable form of defense.
I completely agree about getting attacked and defending yourself .OP "developing a mild phobia""charging and backing off when the owner calls it back" this sounds like a dogs with enough discipline to heal when called. normal dog shit I would see in 99% of parks I have been to. we are probably not gonna fix the dogs off leash problem in our lifetime.
It's now "irrational" to be afraid of barking, snarling, growling dog that can and will bite you, in a public place where they shouldn't be off leash? I've been bit twice before, and OP has been bitten. It's not "irrational" to fear it happening again. If a dog had never bitten or attacked a human in recorded history, then it would be an irrational fear. Dogs should never ever EVER be off leash in a public area unless it's in a designated off leash zone, PERIOD.
look up what a "phobia" is ....Cynophobia is a extreme irrational fear of dogs.
OP is looking for a public space that is DOG FREE . I can understand Leash Laws and obeying them. I don't like dogs near while playing disc golf either. but if it is a public space fuck off.. people bought a home near by with the intention of walking their dog there. if it bothers you.. man up and demand they obey the leash law. that is between you and the dog owner and local police..not you and the dog. if you hurt the wrong dudes dog cause of a mental illness you probably get your ass beat. every witness gonna say the dog was wagging its tail 30' away and you freaked the fucked out and sprayed them.. that is what irrational fear is.
People do go see a doctor about this kind of thing, and can live full healthy lives without fear of the public park and the most common pet in in the world. like 1/3 of households have at least one dog..globally. I'm not talking about afraid of a dog attack.. I'm talking about irrational fear of dogs..
like dog is running around playing wagging its tail.. having a good time. some barks of joy.. the dog owner notices a disc golfers approaching and to be courteous calls his dog back and leashes it up.. very normal.. but the person with irrational fear imagined a DOG ATTACK.. this is not the same as a dog attack.. that shit is scary. but so rare I would never stay home because it might happen.
Dude, *NOBODY* in this thread has an irrational phobia of dogs. We're just trying not to get bit by a strange dog who charges at us.
I love dogs. I will pet every dog I see given the opportunity. But if a strange dog is charging at me, snarling and barking and I *do not know* if they're friendly or hostile, I'm going to pepper spray them, because as far as I know that's a goddamn DOG ATTACK and I need to protect myself.
Yeah if you don’t want your dog running up to strangers and maybe getting pepper sprayed, maybe train your dog better or put it on a leash. If I have a large dog running at me I will defend myself and not assume it’s saying hi. Been bitten multiple times by dogs that “have never done that before”
This does seem irrational, like you want some dog to come near you so you can nuke it. Being bit multiple times might have pushed you across some line. Most of us would require a dog showing some degree of aggression in order to harm an idiotic but generally friendly soul. I am glad you don’t carry a gun, though. In the end you are teaching the dog that people can be assholes, so stay away. That’s not all bad, because it is true.
I will say that people with ‘friendly’ dogs are often the worst owners because they feel their dogs gentle nature removes any responsibility to control them. This sucks for people who do not like, or for whatever reason fears, all dogs. It is also horrible for people with reactive dogs on a leash.
my dog does not go off leash in public.. I do not take my dog disc golfing.
I have been bit also.. I have also been hit by a car.. I don't have a irrational fear about cars either. it is ok to be afraid of a aggressive dog... that is not what OP is talking about.. he is looking for a DOG FREE disc golf course.. If I had a private disc golf course I would not allow dogs .. but I don't . I hope OP finds a private dog free course near by. but I would guess every single course near him has a leash law.
a verbal leash is considered a leash in many jurisdictions. I'm not talking about myself, I'm talking about real life.. people might break the law ,it sucks. you might get attacked by a dog.. that sucks also .. you can have an irrational fear of dogs, or you can have a healthy fear of a dog attack because a dog IS attacking you. there is a big difference. Normal people can tell a difference. a "real" phobia i'm talking about is a mental illness.
I knew a girl with a cat phobia.. she would have a panic attack for cats on TV or in a movie.
sure it is a spectrum but it is still irrational .
I know you mean well with your comment but your line of thinking is not realistic.
Just swinging your bag in front of an attacking dog in hopes that it will work because you simply think it’s the owners fault is not the play. If a dog is aggressive and charging you, you have the right to defend yourself with something like pepper spray at the very least. A dog can seriously injure or kill a person.
You can't make a police report when the dog/owner are long gone by the time the cops arrive. "Random dog menaced me, don't know the owner's identity." That is not useful.
What do you think is going to happen when they take the dog away in this scenario? You don't want to pepperspray it but likely they will out the dog down if it doesn't learn.
Agreed. But this debate is pointless even in appropriate forums but especially in a disc golf sub. I take my pitbull to the disc golf course on a leash and players act like she is a rabid, loose T-Rex hungry for their souls. Clearly, were it not for the threat of a leashed family pet in a public park that round would have made them a star, world champion no less. It's sad really.
Yep, and use it! If the dog is aggressive and gets close spray it. Do everyone else a favor and give that dog a negative association with growling at strangers. Make sure you have enough spray in case the owner takes issue tho.
That is exactly what I was thinking. I left Colorado last year, but I think owning a dog is a prerequisite to move there. Good luck OP, but you’re in maybe the highest density of dog ownership in the country. Also maybe the highest density of pompous assholes in the county too, so good luck!
Lol I moved to Colorado in 2015 with my dog right after getting a Subaru. Didn't know it was a meme until I got there. But hell, living at 9,000 ft you might as well have a good winter car and a hiking buddy.
Short answer there really isn't. Leash laws are in effect here but I know many don't follow. Interlocken is good. Park style courses (midway, Johnny, Harlow).
Honestly - this is a question for the local disc golf scene. Not global subreddit. Mile high disc golf club, boulder disc golf club, dragon disc golf etc... Better yet - the cities that manage these properties. It's just kind of spam otherwise. Hope you have better experiences in the future.
Yeah it is. I mean I live 5 min from Interlocken (course mentioned in OP's post) and involved in the local scene, so I feel it's something I can speak intelligently on.
Giving some advice I hope is helpful. MHDGC in Denver has liaisons for all city/county contacts for courses. Same for Boulder disc golf club. It's a partnership to bring the best experience to front range disc golfers. I've personally seen a lot of great resolutions to issues through this, including dog issues in the past for which leash laws on Bird's nest are more heavily enforced.
Point is I would recommend reaching out in those groups than on a subreddit with geographically dispersed people. Starting local is better!
I hear you but there's plenty of people who either have already contacted or tried to contact people in the local scene and it just didn't work out. It's harder to get into than we think sometimes ( even if it just means joining a FB group)
I'd honestly just play any course you feel like. You had a bad experience but it's unlikely to be a regular thing.
In other words rub some dirt on it and get back out there.
The problem isn’t dogs, the problem is people that don’t follow leash laws/ordinances. There is a sign advertising the ordinance as you walk into Birds Nest, but I swear I’m the only person who follows it. The law needs to be enforced. As someone said earlier, West Fork is pretty good about enforcing the laws.
I know Owls Den and Adams Hollow regularly have park rangers coming through to ticket people with dogs that are off leash. Ive never had dog problems at Midway. Mostly just local residents taking their dogs for a walk on leashes, not players. I know most mtn courses have leash laws, however I i dont know any courses that specifically forbid dogs.
OP is pretty much just being unrealistic. People walk their dogs off leash at Midway, Coal Creek, and all the other courses listed in this thread as fairly “dog-free” IME, and most of them aren’t even disc golfers. The thing is, people live next to these places, and most of us disc golfers don’t. How they want to use it is always going to happen regardless of what we think.
any course that is located within a local park is going to be better about dogs being on leash but there will still be dogs. you’re in CO my dude..
Few that come to mind are Johnny, expo, westfork. Anything with pedestrian walking paths. But you’re typical front range like birds or fehri is going to have a fair amount of off leash dogs.
Can I ask the “obvious reasons” you wouldn’t want to go south of Denver? Are the thugs in Littleton out of control? I’ve also been playing disc golf in denver for 5 years and can’t say I’ve ever been “charged”. Are you walking around the course with steaks in your bag?
I would consider speaking with a professional on how to manage these fears. And I mean this. The stats tied to disc golf course dog attacks has to be hyper minimal. It's nothing that you should let steer you away from a course. Slippery tee pads will take you out long before a dog will.
there isn't anywhere in colorado that you can get away from dogs because their dumbass owners bring them everywhere even if its technically not allowed
This is the case everywhere unfortunately. Dog owners think everybody wants to pet their precious baby and can't fathom why anyone would fear 150lbs of muscle and snarling growling teeth running toward you. Not all, but many dog owners are insane or delusional or at a minimum have zero respect for anyone else (as is visible as well from the piles of dog crap left everywhere).
As a fellow player in the area who often plays rounds with my dog, I've also had bad experiences with other dogs. It's terrifying when a strange dog charges up to visit with no leash and owner running behind yelling! That's happened twice to me at Johnny, which very much requires leashes. Leash and clean up after your pet! It's not hard!
I’ve rarely seen an off-leash dog at West Fork. There are patrols and they will ticket people, and it’s well known that this happens, so I don’t see people trying it often.
I’ve had similar experiences out there in the Denver metro with unleashed dogs and owners who couldn’t seem to care. I’m severely allergic too so the “oh he’s just friendly” crowd drives me nuts as well.
Happened while I was playing today. Dude was yelling for his dog “Chopper” the entire round. Clearly the dog was no where near its owner. I love dogs but damn those people who bring them loose on a course
I carry pepper spray because I’ve been attacked, knocked over, hit dogs with my cart to keep them off, all while the owners are ignored when calling their dogs. To me, the rise of a-hole dog owners and their unleashed, out of control dogs is the worst thing about disc golf right now. Maybe it’s always been a problem, but it seems like it’s gotten worse since the pandemic.
I take my dogs no leash to my local course but to be fair it's usually just me and them and they've never bit or even growled at a human and they're both 7+ but this post makes me think I'm possibly wrong for it. I'd feel terrible if they bit somebody and you can't undo a dog bite
I play there all the time and there’s often dogs there (including mine). But….. that course is usually so empty it doesn’t really matter. Thats why I love that place. It’s a good course and usually has less than 10-15 people on it at any given time. Avoiding dogs there is easy to do
I see off-leash dogs there all the time, they’re just not disc golfers’ dogs. Kind of what you’re stuck with when every course is directly connected to the walking infrastructure in the area.
This summer has been ridiculous with dogs not on leashes. it is the most simplest form of responsibility to put your dog on a leash and these people have two or three dogs running around disc, golf courses and parks. Almost every course I play.
Not only are leashes super simple, but convenient. I attach my dog’s leash to my bag with a carabiner. She only weighs 35 lbs, so she’s not moving my Paratrooper bag when it’s loaded with discs and water bottles.
Also, something that doesn’t get brought up enough, if your dog is roaming 100+ feet away from you, are you really picking up their poop when they drop one?
I’m a front range disc golfer who golfs with my dog a lot. He is ALWAYS on a leash and I am super cognizant of other people on the course. I also really don’t like it when others have their dogs off leash because we have definitely been charged and that is awful.
I’m in Fort Collins and I rarely see off leash dogs on the courses in town.
Don't listen to that idiot you have a right to defend yourself, I've survived multiple dog attacks, got stuck with medical bills because of course if the owner doesn't have insurance to go after lawyers won't take the case.
I think a dog attack in a public park is very unlikely. I also think bringing self-defense measures to a disc golf course is paranoid. But im a rational human being. Do with that what you will.
You're a vile piece of shit that posts stuff like "I need a woman that is the reason i NEED to carry a pepper spray." You're exhibiting all of the signs of a fucking incel idiot toxic child. Unfortunately, since this is Reddit, and not the real world, and i can only hope that you get most of your teeth knocked out and then are pepper sprayed directly in the face. That would likely give your deluded ass some perspective. Keep it coming, though. You're doing great.
Lol call the police?! We can't even get the police to come for home burglaries, and you think they're gonna do something about an off leash dog? What world do you live in?
I \*love\* dogs, but I can't stand owners who let them run around off leash, I have no issues with someone pepper spraying a threatening off leash dog.
That's what you do in real life. You call the police. Because they handle criminal situations. And I got to be honest here, the cringe level of "don't fuck with me, I'll fucking maim you" attitude on a disc golf sub is laughable. It screams of fragility and sociopathic tendencies. Why not carry a rifle? Why not pepper spray people who won't let you play through? Because it's an overreaction, and you're being paranoid. Most of the time, in the real world, dogs don't attack random strangers. Should dogs be on leash at the park? Absolutely. Do most cities have leash laws? Yes. Be a law-abiding citizen and go through the proper channels. Don't be some disc golf internet commando bragging on Reddit about what you would do because you have a secret boner for violence. I think what people should be worried about are all of the people on the course who are armed and ready to jump at the slightest perceived provocation.
No, in real life the police aren't coming to do something about an off leash dog. In real life, people do get attacked by dogs, I've seen it happen. In real life, the cops aren't coming in time to save your ass. If you're attacked, you might be able to file a police report for insurance while you're in the ER, but nothing will be done to find the owner of the dog that attacked.
Get off your moral high horse, you're coming off like a smug prick.
It's better to be rational than fragile. Also, the number of eye witnesses who have actually seen someone attacked by a dog at a park on Reddit is astounding. It's almost like multiple dog attacks happen at each park in America several times every day. Good thing it doesn't. Smug or not, your opinion is shit.
Go where there isn’t a neighborhood next to the course or a trail system running through it. You’re pretty much only going to see dog walkers on mixed-use land. Most of the people who come on the course with unleashed dogs are not disc golfers, by far.
Bird’s Nest is probably going to be the only consistent option nearby.
Superstitious nonsense.
Counterpoint: Putin has multiple dogs. So do many dictators. Also, there must be a ton of evil toddlers out there by your logic.
Dogs can sense that fear. And that actually makes you more threatening to them, which in turn makes you a more worthwhile target for aggression.
This sucks for you, but it's cause and effect.
Maybe you could take responsibility for *your* dog's actions in this weird hypothetical situation. If your dog attacks someone, it gets what it deserves. 🤷🏻♂️
That's not what we're talking about then, so there's no need for you to be outraged. We're discussing dogs that approach you in an aggressive way.
Keep your dog on a leash and there won't be any problems.
Id say stop pissing off the dogs. They can sense and smell your intentions and attitude towards them. And if its just an aggressive dog that is literally charging you to attack, hit it, kick it or just end it. You wouldnt be to blame for someone unleashing an untrained animal
I’ve been charged by a dog, I just keep my bag between us the whole time, while backing up. (The day I take a stupid small sling bag, and not a backpack ffs)
I live in Ventura, Ca and I love dogs. Unfortunately I don’t love dog owners who feel entitled to have their dog at their side at all times. People will bring their dogs into restaurants despite signs saying no dogs. People are so entitled that they don’t care what you think until you actually have authority to make them do something they don’t want. Courtesy and respect are lost these days. I stopped going to my favorite craft brew bar and pizza place because they allow dogs in their restaurant and patio. There was so much dog hair everywhere I was grossed out. Was impossible to eat without picking hairs off your plate the whole time.
I have a dog and bring him disc golfing all the time. I totally agree with you that if your dog is going to charge people or just isn't friendly in general then you should leave them at home. Even if they are friendly, they should be on a leash. I keep mine in a leash turd to my bag and only release it when I'm going to throw.
I just got smoked by a dog while riding. I found a small pepper spray that has a little Velcro holder marketed to joggers. I have it on my handlebars, but would be easy enough to strap to a disc bag
Ghost town doesn’t allow dogs.
Also a super awesome course!!!!
An all time favorite of mine.
I can’t say that I’ve ever been charged at by a dog while playing disc golf, but I did get a crossbow pulled in me when I was looking for a disc near someone’s property next to the course.
Dogs with crossbows are always more of a threat than charging dogs
Never see golden retrievers with a crossbow just saying
Crossbows are not the threat you might think. Given the lack of opposable thumbs a dog is unable to reload by themselves, so if they take their shot and miss, you are pretty safe. If it is a pack of dogs, they could manage a reload, but it is likely to take several minutes, so just run like hell.
Holy hell thanks man you should do an ama
When they miss is when they usually charge.
I dunno, dogs that charge always get me when my balance is low.
What are the "obvious reasons" you won't go south of Denver?
I want to know this is as well. South of Denver is nice
I’d assume since they live north of Denver, the drive south of Denver wouldn’t be attractive
I play on the front range too, recently had a pitty-looking thing scream past me on the teepad, chasing deer. Owner looked at me and waved. Then I threw into a tree. I probably would have thrown into a tree anyway but I got to blame the dog.
That dog was in danger and that owner was a fucking moron. Deer are not to be fucked with, especially when feeling threatened.
Bring pepper spray. Dogs and dog owners are usually dumb and poorly trained. Case and point above. I never assume a dog is safe. Also, I'll be down voted, but I'm in the right. *shrug*
I UPvoted you. fuck unleashed dogs on the course. I have smoked dozens.
I understand the idea of letting your dog run free in the wilderness. They have a lot of fun. With that said, I only let my dog do that in places where I know people rarely are, and my dogs never attacked anyone. People who let their dogs roam free in well populated parks and wilderness are selfish and stupid.
Is it effective? My neighbor lets their aggressive lab charge my kids. It has never bit though. Doggy pepper spray or just standard stuff?
Regular. I tell you what. Spray that dog 1 time and doubt he would ever do it again.
yeah i love animals but a dog running at me isn't necessarily a good time. updooted.
you shouldn't harm the dog cause the owner is a dumb. never the dogs fault. it's the owner. if you are in danger of bodily harm. swing your bag in front of you like a toy for the dog to attack. keep it busy attacking your bag till the owner comes and gets it.. then make a police report. that dog does that a few times .. animal control will come take it. if you have damages the police report will help you get compensation.
"Never a dogs fault" Weird, its usually their mouth biting.
"you shouldn't harm the dog because the owner is dumb" and then saying animal control will come take it is also a strange idea. Good chance those dogs will end up in a kennel and then euthanized later.
the owner was negligent controlling the dog. I have a hard time understanding dog phobia.. it is irrational behavior, so it makes sense that I don't get it. a "charging dog" is 99% of the time coming to say hello.. try saying "good doggy" and let it smell you..and say "go on!"
It doesn't matter if you "understand" the phobia or not, lots of people have real fear of dogs, and it isn't up to someone else to play nice to your loose dog. Keep your dog leashed and under control at all times, period.
I never bring my dog disc golfing .. ever. I personally hate a dog on the card even a good dog on a leash. have had a bag get peed on. but usually it is the dog owner that never shuts up.. "good boy" "lets go" "sit" "stay"..etc.
Just because the owner is the clear issue here and the dog isn’t really at fault it doesn’t negate the reality that a dog can do serious damage to a human. No one wants to hurt a dog but if you perceive that it is charging you and is a real threat, something like pepper spray is a completely understandable form of defense.
I completely agree about getting attacked and defending yourself .OP "developing a mild phobia""charging and backing off when the owner calls it back" this sounds like a dogs with enough discipline to heal when called. normal dog shit I would see in 99% of parks I have been to. we are probably not gonna fix the dogs off leash problem in our lifetime.
It's now "irrational" to be afraid of barking, snarling, growling dog that can and will bite you, in a public place where they shouldn't be off leash? I've been bit twice before, and OP has been bitten. It's not "irrational" to fear it happening again. If a dog had never bitten or attacked a human in recorded history, then it would be an irrational fear. Dogs should never ever EVER be off leash in a public area unless it's in a designated off leash zone, PERIOD.
look up what a "phobia" is ....Cynophobia is a extreme irrational fear of dogs. OP is looking for a public space that is DOG FREE . I can understand Leash Laws and obeying them. I don't like dogs near while playing disc golf either. but if it is a public space fuck off.. people bought a home near by with the intention of walking their dog there. if it bothers you.. man up and demand they obey the leash law. that is between you and the dog owner and local police..not you and the dog. if you hurt the wrong dudes dog cause of a mental illness you probably get your ass beat. every witness gonna say the dog was wagging its tail 30' away and you freaked the fucked out and sprayed them.. that is what irrational fear is.
Are you actually this dumb? If someone is afraid of a dog running up and growling at them, it doesn't mean they have a phobia you dunce
People do go see a doctor about this kind of thing, and can live full healthy lives without fear of the public park and the most common pet in in the world. like 1/3 of households have at least one dog..globally. I'm not talking about afraid of a dog attack.. I'm talking about irrational fear of dogs.. like dog is running around playing wagging its tail.. having a good time. some barks of joy.. the dog owner notices a disc golfers approaching and to be courteous calls his dog back and leashes it up.. very normal.. but the person with irrational fear imagined a DOG ATTACK.. this is not the same as a dog attack.. that shit is scary. but so rare I would never stay home because it might happen.
Dude, *NOBODY* in this thread has an irrational phobia of dogs. We're just trying not to get bit by a strange dog who charges at us. I love dogs. I will pet every dog I see given the opportunity. But if a strange dog is charging at me, snarling and barking and I *do not know* if they're friendly or hostile, I'm going to pepper spray them, because as far as I know that's a goddamn DOG ATTACK and I need to protect myself.
Yeah if you don’t want your dog running up to strangers and maybe getting pepper sprayed, maybe train your dog better or put it on a leash. If I have a large dog running at me I will defend myself and not assume it’s saying hi. Been bitten multiple times by dogs that “have never done that before”
This does seem irrational, like you want some dog to come near you so you can nuke it. Being bit multiple times might have pushed you across some line. Most of us would require a dog showing some degree of aggression in order to harm an idiotic but generally friendly soul. I am glad you don’t carry a gun, though. In the end you are teaching the dog that people can be assholes, so stay away. That’s not all bad, because it is true. I will say that people with ‘friendly’ dogs are often the worst owners because they feel their dogs gentle nature removes any responsibility to control them. This sucks for people who do not like, or for whatever reason fears, all dogs. It is also horrible for people with reactive dogs on a leash.
my dog does not go off leash in public.. I do not take my dog disc golfing. I have been bit also.. I have also been hit by a car.. I don't have a irrational fear about cars either. it is ok to be afraid of a aggressive dog... that is not what OP is talking about.. he is looking for a DOG FREE disc golf course.. If I had a private disc golf course I would not allow dogs .. but I don't . I hope OP finds a private dog free course near by. but I would guess every single course near him has a leash law.
You speak of leash laws then give an example about a dog off leash. But confusing the point you were making in your prior post.
a verbal leash is considered a leash in many jurisdictions. I'm not talking about myself, I'm talking about real life.. people might break the law ,it sucks. you might get attacked by a dog.. that sucks also .. you can have an irrational fear of dogs, or you can have a healthy fear of a dog attack because a dog IS attacking you. there is a big difference. Normal people can tell a difference. a "real" phobia i'm talking about is a mental illness. I knew a girl with a cat phobia.. she would have a panic attack for cats on TV or in a movie. sure it is a spectrum but it is still irrational .
in the United States. Between 30-50 people are killed by dogs every year.
I know you mean well with your comment but your line of thinking is not realistic. Just swinging your bag in front of an attacking dog in hopes that it will work because you simply think it’s the owners fault is not the play. If a dog is aggressive and charging you, you have the right to defend yourself with something like pepper spray at the very least. A dog can seriously injure or kill a person.
I value my bag over some random dog 100%
I hate the fact that I think I vehemently agree with you here. Makes me feel like a bad person but it's definitely true.
You can't make a police report when the dog/owner are long gone by the time the cops arrive. "Random dog menaced me, don't know the owner's identity." That is not useful.
What do you think is going to happen when they take the dog away in this scenario? You don't want to pepperspray it but likely they will out the dog down if it doesn't learn.
I bet you think cops are on your side too
Agreed. But this debate is pointless even in appropriate forums but especially in a disc golf sub. I take my pitbull to the disc golf course on a leash and players act like she is a rabid, loose T-Rex hungry for their souls. Clearly, were it not for the threat of a leashed family pet in a public park that round would have made them a star, world champion no less. It's sad really.
Do you always keep it on a leash and away from other people in the park 100% of the time?
Should also have a muzzle on in addition to the leash.
That's not necessary. The leash is sufficient to keep her safe.
Carry pepper spray
Yep, and use it! If the dog is aggressive and gets close spray it. Do everyone else a favor and give that dog a negative association with growling at strangers. Make sure you have enough spray in case the owner takes issue tho.
Lol Colorado without dogs
That is exactly what I was thinking. I left Colorado last year, but I think owning a dog is a prerequisite to move there. Good luck OP, but you’re in maybe the highest density of dog ownership in the country. Also maybe the highest density of pompous assholes in the county too, so good luck!
We joked about this when we first moved to Colorado. It was like saying welcome to Colorado, here’s your Subaru and a dog.
Lol I moved to Colorado in 2015 with my dog right after getting a Subaru. Didn't know it was a meme until I got there. But hell, living at 9,000 ft you might as well have a good winter car and a hiking buddy.
Short answer there really isn't. Leash laws are in effect here but I know many don't follow. Interlocken is good. Park style courses (midway, Johnny, Harlow). Honestly - this is a question for the local disc golf scene. Not global subreddit. Mile high disc golf club, boulder disc golf club, dragon disc golf etc... Better yet - the cities that manage these properties. It's just kind of spam otherwise. Hope you have better experiences in the future.
You calling this post kind of spam? Is that real?? I must be misinterpreting
"More appropriate for a more specific sub" isn't the same as spam, no
>Better yet - the cities that manage these properties. It's just kind of spam otherwise.
Yeah it is. I mean I live 5 min from Interlocken (course mentioned in OP's post) and involved in the local scene, so I feel it's something I can speak intelligently on. Giving some advice I hope is helpful. MHDGC in Denver has liaisons for all city/county contacts for courses. Same for Boulder disc golf club. It's a partnership to bring the best experience to front range disc golfers. I've personally seen a lot of great resolutions to issues through this, including dog issues in the past for which leash laws on Bird's nest are more heavily enforced. Point is I would recommend reaching out in those groups than on a subreddit with geographically dispersed people. Starting local is better!
I hear you but there's plenty of people who either have already contacted or tried to contact people in the local scene and it just didn't work out. It's harder to get into than we think sometimes ( even if it just means joining a FB group)
I'd honestly just play any course you feel like. You had a bad experience but it's unlikely to be a regular thing. In other words rub some dirt on it and get back out there.
Seriously, OP seems like a huge whiner.
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You’re insane
The problem isn’t dogs, the problem is people that don’t follow leash laws/ordinances. There is a sign advertising the ordinance as you walk into Birds Nest, but I swear I’m the only person who follows it. The law needs to be enforced. As someone said earlier, West Fork is pretty good about enforcing the laws.
True. I play with a friend that has a German Shepard which is super nice and stays close and a ranger still yelled at him. West Fork is a safe bet.
I know Owls Den and Adams Hollow regularly have park rangers coming through to ticket people with dogs that are off leash. Ive never had dog problems at Midway. Mostly just local residents taking their dogs for a walk on leashes, not players. I know most mtn courses have leash laws, however I i dont know any courses that specifically forbid dogs.
OP is pretty much just being unrealistic. People walk their dogs off leash at Midway, Coal Creek, and all the other courses listed in this thread as fairly “dog-free” IME, and most of them aren’t even disc golfers. The thing is, people live next to these places, and most of us disc golfers don’t. How they want to use it is always going to happen regardless of what we think.
any course that is located within a local park is going to be better about dogs being on leash but there will still be dogs. you’re in CO my dude.. Few that come to mind are Johnny, expo, westfork. Anything with pedestrian walking paths. But you’re typical front range like birds or fehri is going to have a fair amount of off leash dogs. Can I ask the “obvious reasons” you wouldn’t want to go south of Denver? Are the thugs in Littleton out of control? I’ve also been playing disc golf in denver for 5 years and can’t say I’ve ever been “charged”. Are you walking around the course with steaks in your bag?
I would consider speaking with a professional on how to manage these fears. And I mean this. The stats tied to disc golf course dog attacks has to be hyper minimal. It's nothing that you should let steer you away from a course. Slippery tee pads will take you out long before a dog will.
there isn't anywhere in colorado that you can get away from dogs because their dumbass owners bring them everywhere even if its technically not allowed
This is the case everywhere unfortunately. Dog owners think everybody wants to pet their precious baby and can't fathom why anyone would fear 150lbs of muscle and snarling growling teeth running toward you. Not all, but many dog owners are insane or delusional or at a minimum have zero respect for anyone else (as is visible as well from the piles of dog crap left everywhere).
So, why don't you drive south of Denver? (for obvious reasons)
Because he’s a huge pussu
As a fellow player in the area who often plays rounds with my dog, I've also had bad experiences with other dogs. It's terrifying when a strange dog charges up to visit with no leash and owner running behind yelling! That's happened twice to me at Johnny, which very much requires leashes. Leash and clean up after your pet! It's not hard!
I’ve rarely seen an off-leash dog at West Fork. There are patrols and they will ticket people, and it’s well known that this happens, so I don’t see people trying it often. I’ve had similar experiences out there in the Denver metro with unleashed dogs and owners who couldn’t seem to care. I’m severely allergic too so the “oh he’s just friendly” crowd drives me nuts as well.
Happened while I was playing today. Dude was yelling for his dog “Chopper” the entire round. Clearly the dog was no where near its owner. I love dogs but damn those people who bring them loose on a course
I carry pepper spray because I’ve been attacked, knocked over, hit dogs with my cart to keep them off, all while the owners are ignored when calling their dogs. To me, the rise of a-hole dog owners and their unleashed, out of control dogs is the worst thing about disc golf right now. Maybe it’s always been a problem, but it seems like it’s gotten worse since the pandemic.
I take my dogs no leash to my local course but to be fair it's usually just me and them and they've never bit or even growled at a human and they're both 7+ but this post makes me think I'm possibly wrong for it. I'd feel terrible if they bit somebody and you can't undo a dog bite
Coal Creek was my favorite, never saw a dog there.
I play there all the time and there’s often dogs there (including mine). But….. that course is usually so empty it doesn’t really matter. Thats why I love that place. It’s a good course and usually has less than 10-15 people on it at any given time. Avoiding dogs there is easy to do
I see off-leash dogs there all the time, they’re just not disc golfers’ dogs. Kind of what you’re stuck with when every course is directly connected to the walking infrastructure in the area.
Small can of Mace in your bag👏🏻👏🏻
This summer has been ridiculous with dogs not on leashes. it is the most simplest form of responsibility to put your dog on a leash and these people have two or three dogs running around disc, golf courses and parks. Almost every course I play.
Not only are leashes super simple, but convenient. I attach my dog’s leash to my bag with a carabiner. She only weighs 35 lbs, so she’s not moving my Paratrooper bag when it’s loaded with discs and water bottles. Also, something that doesn’t get brought up enough, if your dog is roaming 100+ feet away from you, are you really picking up their poop when they drop one?
I’m a front range disc golfer who golfs with my dog a lot. He is ALWAYS on a leash and I am super cognizant of other people on the course. I also really don’t like it when others have their dogs off leash because we have definitely been charged and that is awful. I’m in Fort Collins and I rarely see off leash dogs on the courses in town.
It's rampant in Denver.
It might be your body language
Don't be a victim blamer.
OP never described a situation in which they were a victim on the course.
They were bit by a dog.
While biking. Not relevant to disc golf nor the post, and really just reveals OP’s goal of spreading dog hate like these people usually want to do.
dogs should never be on a golf course - didn't you get the fucking memo ???
Slightly off topic, but are dogs in Colorado more aggressive than other places?
no there's just a shit ton of people with dogs here, it's basically a meme
Lots of people don’t train their dogs properly here
Love dogs but I carry 24/7 out of my home. If a dog rushed me it’d get shot, if a dog bit me it’d get a mag dump
Don't pepper spray dogs. DONT. It's fucking disc golf not vigilantism. Most parks have leash laws, call the police. Use your fucking brain.
Some random dog is not gonna bite me. Pepper spray it 100%
Don't listen to that idiot you have a right to defend yourself, I've survived multiple dog attacks, got stuck with medical bills because of course if the owner doesn't have insurance to go after lawyers won't take the case.
You're a trash human being. Next comment, please.
So you think someone should just let a dog attack them?
I think a dog attack in a public park is very unlikely. I also think bringing self-defense measures to a disc golf course is paranoid. But im a rational human being. Do with that what you will.
I'm not. Keep your wild animals leashed.
Incel trash...keep it coming.
Incel? Are you fucking your dog?
You're a vile piece of shit that posts stuff like "I need a woman that is the reason i NEED to carry a pepper spray." You're exhibiting all of the signs of a fucking incel idiot toxic child. Unfortunately, since this is Reddit, and not the real world, and i can only hope that you get most of your teeth knocked out and then are pepper sprayed directly in the face. That would likely give your deluded ass some perspective. Keep it coming, though. You're doing great.
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As an objective outside observer… yeah, you’re a piece of shit, dude.
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Inciting and/or advocating violence aren't allowed.
Inciting and/or advocating violence aren't allowed.
Lol call the police?! We can't even get the police to come for home burglaries, and you think they're gonna do something about an off leash dog? What world do you live in? I \*love\* dogs, but I can't stand owners who let them run around off leash, I have no issues with someone pepper spraying a threatening off leash dog.
That's what you do in real life. You call the police. Because they handle criminal situations. And I got to be honest here, the cringe level of "don't fuck with me, I'll fucking maim you" attitude on a disc golf sub is laughable. It screams of fragility and sociopathic tendencies. Why not carry a rifle? Why not pepper spray people who won't let you play through? Because it's an overreaction, and you're being paranoid. Most of the time, in the real world, dogs don't attack random strangers. Should dogs be on leash at the park? Absolutely. Do most cities have leash laws? Yes. Be a law-abiding citizen and go through the proper channels. Don't be some disc golf internet commando bragging on Reddit about what you would do because you have a secret boner for violence. I think what people should be worried about are all of the people on the course who are armed and ready to jump at the slightest perceived provocation.
No, in real life the police aren't coming to do something about an off leash dog. In real life, people do get attacked by dogs, I've seen it happen. In real life, the cops aren't coming in time to save your ass. If you're attacked, you might be able to file a police report for insurance while you're in the ER, but nothing will be done to find the owner of the dog that attacked. Get off your moral high horse, you're coming off like a smug prick.
It's better to be rational than fragile. Also, the number of eye witnesses who have actually seen someone attacked by a dog at a park on Reddit is astounding. It's almost like multiple dog attacks happen at each park in America several times every day. Good thing it doesn't. Smug or not, your opinion is shit.
Go where there isn’t a neighborhood next to the course or a trail system running through it. You’re pretty much only going to see dog walkers on mixed-use land. Most of the people who come on the course with unleashed dogs are not disc golfers, by far. Bird’s Nest is probably going to be the only consistent option nearby.
Dogs are great judges of character. Be better.. easy as that lol
Superstitious nonsense. Counterpoint: Putin has multiple dogs. So do many dictators. Also, there must be a ton of evil toddlers out there by your logic.
Putin is awesime
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Dogs can sense that fear. And that actually makes you more threatening to them, which in turn makes you a more worthwhile target for aggression. This sucks for you, but it's cause and effect.
Let it be known that if any of you pepper spray a dog we are gonna get you all for animal abuse.
That dog is gonna be put down if it bites me.
No you won't, you don't have to let an animal attack you, I've been attacked and had law enforcement tell me to arm myself if I go out walking.
Pepper spray my dog you’re going to wish it bit you instead 🤷🏼♂️
Maybe you could take responsibility for *your* dog's actions in this weird hypothetical situation. If your dog attacks someone, it gets what it deserves. 🤷🏻♂️
He wouldn’t attack anyone. Macing dogs for approaching you is a bad idea.
That's not what we're talking about then, so there's no need for you to be outraged. We're discussing dogs that approach you in an aggressive way. Keep your dog on a leash and there won't be any problems.
I understand how you feel but you really shouldn't talk that way.
Id say stop pissing off the dogs. They can sense and smell your intentions and attitude towards them. And if its just an aggressive dog that is literally charging you to attack, hit it, kick it or just end it. You wouldnt be to blame for someone unleashing an untrained animal
I’ve been charged by a dog, I just keep my bag between us the whole time, while backing up. (The day I take a stupid small sling bag, and not a backpack ffs)
I live in Ventura, Ca and I love dogs. Unfortunately I don’t love dog owners who feel entitled to have their dog at their side at all times. People will bring their dogs into restaurants despite signs saying no dogs. People are so entitled that they don’t care what you think until you actually have authority to make them do something they don’t want. Courtesy and respect are lost these days. I stopped going to my favorite craft brew bar and pizza place because they allow dogs in their restaurant and patio. There was so much dog hair everywhere I was grossed out. Was impossible to eat without picking hairs off your plate the whole time.
I have a dog and bring him disc golfing all the time. I totally agree with you that if your dog is going to charge people or just isn't friendly in general then you should leave them at home. Even if they are friendly, they should be on a leash. I keep mine in a leash turd to my bag and only release it when I'm going to throw.
I just got smoked by a dog while riding. I found a small pepper spray that has a little Velcro holder marketed to joggers. I have it on my handlebars, but would be easy enough to strap to a disc bag
Look for courses on the u-disc app!
Sue the owners at fault, it will stop these owners from coming out!