GRRRR RANT- walking 'big' dogs...

[LauraBR]

I have a giant dog. He's the softest sweetest muppet ever but I can understand why strangers feel frightened of him when out walking so he never really gets let off the lead (unless totally deserted beach kind of thing). Also, he isn't great with other dogs- if a dog pays no attention to him he's fine, but if bouncy dogs come up to him he gets upset.

So- I uphold my side of the bargain, respect others etc... so WHY do people think it is ok to let their smaller dogs run up to us wildly whilst shouting, "it's ok, he/she is fine with people and dogs!" Well, that may well be the case but a) my dog might NOT be fine with your dog and b) wonder what you would be saying if my 13 stone beast were charging toward you with me shouting "he's fine"?

Anyway, this evening some stupid woman had what looked like a young puppyish whippet- she spotted my big dog (on the lead with a halti) and began hysterically calling her dog back who paid ZERO attention to her. I just calmly walked big dog and my (off the lead) v obediant little dog in the other direction.

Hysterical (unsuccessful) calling continued, little whippet thing following us with woman frantically shouting at it *rolls eyes*.

So, I stopped, asked big dog to sit, called little dog to me who lay down also (thinking- if both my dogs were visibly under control other owner would feel reassured and could get her stupid bloomin dog back)- they ignored us!... perhaps less worried and carried on!

Whippet thing made final dash at me and big dog and my little dog, seeing that big dog was still sat down with me, ran at the whippet thing, gave a warning bark and circled back to me.

These people went MENTAL shouting and swearing and- suddenly launched into action chasing and to kick my little dog! OMG!

Sorry, pointless rant. Just annoys the hell out of me when you try and be responsible when walking your dogs and some people just take the p*ss. If my giant dog had been attacked by that stupid untrained whippet thing even with him on the lead I bet I would have been the one in trouble.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

 

[PapaFrita]

Bl**dy helll that's soooo out of order!! I'd've had quite a few choice words to say!!
People outside our house sometimes like to tease our dobes... so my mum goes out with the keys to the gate and says in a very loud voice "Come on boys! Let's all go outside to play!"
Makes them bl**dy stop!

 

[Onyxia]

Know how you feel,had a similar e[eriance time and time aain with my aunts danes.Once a woman with a silly toy thing ( just for the look- she diddnt have a clue about dogs) screaming at me that she was going to have the dane PTS because her thing had bitten him and the big lad responded with a "sod off" warning snap-WTF!?!?!

Its ALWAYS the fault of big dog and handler, never the fault o muppet who hasnt taught their dog the basics before letting it off lead.

 

[JAK]

Arrgghh.......if I had a pound for every time this has happened to me over the years, I'd be the proud owner of a bl**dy Aston Martin by now I reckon!

It infuriates me the way they gaily call out "Oh, he's fine......!", to which I gave up responding politely to years ago & usually just call back something along the lines of "Well, mine bl**dy well isn't, so you can either call your dog back now, or you'll be taking the bits home in a carrier bag!"

Twerps!

 

[rocco]

hiya
we have a similar problem with our Newfie. He's is a an absolute saint and we have worked hard so that he is well trained. We have visa versa to you little JRT has selective hearing! so is kept on lead plain and simple! Our Newf will never go more than 10 steps ahead and will automatically stop if he sees another dog until we our by his side then walks off lead at heel while we pass. But the amount of people who let there dogs come bounding up to us is amazing! (what if he wasnt a big softie? 110lbs vs 20lbs hmmm not much contest) and then let there little dogs bound round and round at him until they finally catch up then if he dares to even move 8 out 10 times they squeal saying the massive dog is going to squish there ickle dog! some even have the check to tell us to keep our dog under control! ummmm it was your dog that ran up to us and your dog that ran round and round us while both our dogs were by our side sitting quietly! we also get told that we are cruel to keep our little one on a lead a that its dangerous to have our big one off!?! umm no its for her safety and he is well trained! amazing how it will always be turned into the big dogs fault!

 

[PapaFrita]

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"Well, mine bl**dy well isn't, so you can either call your dog back now, or you'll be taking the bits home in a carrier bag!"

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I love it!!

 

[Onyxia]

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"Well, mine bl**dy well isn't, so you can either call your dog back now, or you'll be taking the bits home in a carrier bag!"

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I love it!!

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Me too!
Wish Id thought of something like that *grumble sulk grumble*

 

[JAK]

I wasn't joking either!

My two current collies are soft as butter, (unless a dog gets in the way when they're 'working', then they get really angry! LOL) but my old collie years ago was a total psychopath & my old GSD had a pretty long fusewire but when it ran out, look out!

 

[polaris]

Amen to all you say!!!! Are you sure you arn't me???? We have a Wolfhound and snap to everything you say!! He has been attacked, bounced on etc constantly since the age of 4 months ...He is now 4 and quite frankly he has had enough...I have been told 'oh the size of him he could kill my dog' 'oh dogs will be dogs' 'It's his fault as he is on the lead' 'he smells funny because he is neutered' 'oh it just wants to play'!!!
All these attacks on my dog have happened when my dog is on a lead. I tell people please don't let your dog 'bounce ' mine as he hates it...'Oh they are just playing!' Well I have HAD IT!!!! I let my dog off and he saw the 'playful' dog off a treat! Here's a clue manure for brains...It's a wolfhound...bred to kill wolves...He is as gentle as they come and has never retaliated yet and will do all he can to avoid conflict but if your damn jumpy little mutt persists he WILL EAT IT! and then I shall sue you and have the shirt off your back for a potential choking hazard to MY DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Izt...thank you so much for allowing me to have my own personal rant on your thread....Our dogs sound like they would get on famously as both hate bouncing!
Infact last summer I got so sick of it I had a 'T' shirt made saying....MY DOG DOESN'T BITE....BUT THIS BITCH DOES!!!!!!!!!!!!(didn't wear it but it was a form of therapy!)

 

[Laafet]

I know exactly what you mean. Although I don't have a big dog I am fed up of people with badly trained usually small dogs that feel it necessary to attack my springer who is usually walking to heel whether I on foot, bike or horse as he trots past ignoring them. Why do people not train their dogs, Woody is not perfect but his recall is v. good and he ignores other dogs anyway so it seems so unfair when he gets attacked and the other person says to me well your dog ran away from him thats why mine attacked. Well if I had some yappy monster running up to me growling I would run away too.

 

[LauraBR]

lol at all the ranting... glad I'm not the only one!!!!!

 

[Fizz06]

Know exactly how you feel about large dogs and others - we used to have a great dane, a big softie.
Now we have a border/lakeland terrier cross. She is a rescue and sometimes can get on fine with other dogs, and there are some that she will not tolerate - in particualr black labs (we know she was attacked by a group of dogs before she came to us). When walking her, if we see other dogs, we immediately call her back and put her on the lead...this still doesn't stop people letting their dogs come up to her, small kids (which fortunately she is great with) bending down to pet her. Just because she looks small and sweet, doesn't necessarily mean she is friendly. She will growl and lip curl at other dogs if she isn't happy, but people seem to think this funny and that they are just playing...they seem unable to call their dogs off or understand that our dog might feel threatened by theirs. We have her on the lead so that if anything did happen, we would be the ones in control of our dog, rather than letting it run around and jump on ours.

 

[Onyxia]

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Just because she looks small and sweet, doesn't necessarily mean she is friendly.

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I had GSDs fro years, after our old bitch went my mother decided she wanted something small and got a Yorkie.Have to admit that he is by far the most vile tempered little sh1t I have ever come across!!
It really makes me mad that parents would scream to keep children away from daft as a brush GSD but are happy to let them come bounding up to the Yorkie- looks are deceptive!

What the hell happend to good mannors? I would have had a VERY sore bum if I hadnt asked owners permission to touch a strange dog or had let one of ours run riot!

 

[_jetset_]

I have the same problem, although Tia is not a giant, she's only an English Pointer but she is quite big if you are not used to that size of dog.

I walk Tia in the morning usually, but a few weeks ago I ended up walking her in the afternoon. Now Tia is usually quite good but sometimes she has a mad five minutes and runs round a field which just makes me laugh. She is not particularly interested in other dogs she doesn't know (she ran away from my sister-in-law's 11 week old cocker spaniel puppy). There was a woman dressed up to the nines (I was in riding scruffs) with her little yappy dog. I called Tia to heel and she came back as instructed and stayed at heel. Then this woman's little yappy thing started yapping at Tia and she just moved closer to me.

The woman started having a complete strop at me about Tia being off the lead and she had hers on the lead... Yes, but my dog off the lead was not bothered with hers, but hers was on a lead at snapping at my dog who was by my heel.

Grrr... they make me so mad these tourists in my area!

 

[GinaB]

I don't have a big dog (I have a wee miniature schnauzer) but I can understand were you're all coming from! I also walk my uncles 2 labs (which most people know labs, in general, are the friendliest dogs you can get) and I get dirty looks cos I have the pair of them off the lead. They are boisterous as any dog would be out on walks but come back to call when told to if there are people about. Windsor is put on the lead, but Tina doesn't need it as she is perfectly trained. And yet still people look as if they're gonig to savage their yappy little brat dog.
I walk my own dog on the lead as even though she is cute and fluffy (pics in pic gallery under 'the beast') she is also quite protective. But she has her reasons as when she was a pup I was out walking her and got attacked by a group of boys and this has made her very protective. She is normally very well behaved but I don't like it when people let their kids try and get at her. You can see it's distressing her and I either need to pick her up (which is a major task as she's a wee fatty) or explain that she only likes people she is familiar with. I was always taught as a child never pet a dog you don't know and ALWAYS check with the owners how their dog would react to a stranger before petting the dog, regardless or it's size or breeding.