It's All In The Name

As an urban cat walker, this is welcome. Our answer to the 'he's friendly!' defence is 'my cat isn't'. It's a lie but it usually works...

Voëlvry

that was TERRIBLE!

Indeed! It's the leash you could do.

prettydragoon

I was terrified of dogs when I was a kid, to the level of climbing on a park table more than once, and the owner telling me they are not dangerous was suuuuper not helpful

Tachpmg

YES BRUN! My pupper is afraid of a lot of other dogs after getting attacked by a much bigger dog (that, and he's also generally a big baby). His fear response toward other dogs is usually aggression. That coupled with the fact that he is protective over me, if an unleashed dog came running at us, it would not end well. With that in mind, my dog of course is always on a leash and I don't take him places where there might be other dogs, but some of the people in my neighborhood take their dogs for walks without leashes, and it's super frustrating.

Common occurrence when I lived in San Francisco: dog owner would be walking their dog off-leash, dog would suddenly dart into traffic, car would screech to a halt to not hit the dog, dog owner would yell at the driver for almost hitting their dog, without a shred of awareness for how the owner might have taken better responsibility for this situation. Also when I was growing up I was scared of dogs, and owners would always say "Don't worry, he's friendly! He's only attacking you because they think you're afraid!" and that was just like... what the hell kind of circular reasoning is that? Meanwhile I, the human child, am being traumatized by your dog. It wasn't until my 20s that I finally met some dog owners who recognized that they could teach me some basic dog body language skills that I started to not be afraid of dogs.

fluffy

Brun's rules are good rules. And Rupert is a good boi.

Hugh Eckert

Rupert IS a friendly name. My dog was Saxophone. Fairly friendly, but also whimsical. I don't give my pets People names, but maybe that's just me.

Churchill (formerly TeaBear)

Glad you're changing your behavior by following the rules from now on. Thanks for being a good human!

Trigon Manthree

LEASH YER DANG DOGS! Yes yes YES!

Yes Brun!

Emily

Rupert deserves all the pets

Fart Captor

Ah, Farscape <3

Lars Gottlieb

At least, without a harpoon in hand.

Brun is enforcer of the rules. All of them.

Sleepy John

It's surprising to see Brun speak with this level of authority!

emmavoid

My dog is not friendly to other dogs. LEASH YOUR DOGS <3

My wife is the same. I’m not, but I still agree.

Jeremy

I am terrified of dogs. “Oh, but he’s friendly!” I don’t care how nice your dog is. It doesn’t negate or ease my fear. So Brun is honestly speaking up for me here. Thank you!

Lay that law DOWN, Brun! :)

Joseph Bonnar

Oh Rupert Rupert the Bear Everyone sing his name Everyone come and join in all of his games

darklion

Yeah, if your dog hunts children, it's definitely NOT friendly!

Grace Kieser

That's right! Preach, Brun!

Bagge

he's a non leasher, he doesn't *deserve* Elliot

LH

Preach!

Robin Kuehn

Possibly? How many dog parks would there be in Northampton?

Michael Boettger

Is this a different park from where Emily showed Clinton all those dogs?

Captain Button

I’m pretty sure Jeph has a wide enough perspective on the world to consider this by himself, while also being a respectful dog owner.

Daniel Rydberg

That is a way to put human feelings upon a dog. Give the dog the attention it deserves while in the leash instead!

Daniel Rydberg

Not always. I see several of them in our neighborhood that have the same affliction and all of them are not dudes nor bros. One time one of them nipped my hand as I was jogging on my own street and the owner didn't even really apologize, just said that he was 'being friendly'.

Chuck Dee

Nailed it Jeph! ❤️

Daniel Rydberg

I'll never forget being six years old and facing down an off leash German Shepherd who charged out from the woods at me as I walked to the school bus stop. "Don't worry, he's friendly!" the owner yelled from far away, just before his dog knocked me down and sank his teeth into my leg. Leash your dang dogs.

Charlotte Grubbs

Lay down that law Brun!!

Shawn K. Younkin

Riding my bike once in Newport RI, big dog comes out to attack, hop off the bike (opposite side from dog) pick it up and smack it with the front gear ring, and off he ran back to his yard. It came out to look at me as I rode off, but didn't give chase, figured he learnt a lesson? Hope so.

allanfranta

It does my heart good to see a dog lover present this. Thank you.

Edward Clayton Andrews

Now, what is this guy's name, and when does he make out with Elliot?

Milayna

Dude's just lucky Brun doesn't have her harpoon with her. Although she's doing a good job of ripping him a new hole without it.

awgiedawgie

Harsh but fair.

Cley Faye

Probably a 'do the thing' type. Unable to bring themselves to do something, but as soon as someone else has a need they 'do the thing' by reflex.

Devin Gates

I mean, if it's prone to running free...

Matt

Jeph, i thought your comment said "leash your dang dongs" and I was like "Whoa, whoa! This is a dog park not a dong park!" I need to change my contact lenses

Dylan T

I never let my dog off unless the park is deserted lol he's a terror.

xamaryllix

It's always the dudebros with big dogs who think the leash law doesn't apply to them. Really sucks when you're walking a yapper the size of a shoebox.

Panic Blitz

Seriously though, people, LEASH YOUR FRELLING DOGGOS!

Ian Wolfe

A friend complained to me only this morning about all the unleashed dogs he keeps meeting on his run. It's the lockdown thing, I think -- people have this unconscious desire to give their dogs some of the physical freedom they can't have themselves. But my friend was hospitalised by a dog attack when he was 5, so he doesn't find it super-easy to be understanding on this point.

Leaflemming

Gol durnit!

Alacrity Fitzhugh

And Brun has no problem with being assertive, does she?

Michael Boettger

Did Jeph read the comment at the top of last night? Because Brun is pretty much repeating the points one by one.

Michael Boettger

I'm loving this plotline so much!

rupert.........

Tamara Macadam