Irresponsible Owners

[AmyMay]

Hence the lead.

 

[blackcob]

After whole months without real issues I suppose I was due one. A spaniel crossed the length of a field this morning to get to us and would just not bloody leave. Bloke was in absolutely no hurry to come and fetch it, despite large scary dog going absolutely nuclear and me telling him to call it off, no really, NOW. No apology and not worth my breath saying anything (you know the sort).

 

[GSD Woman]

Bloke was in absolutely no hurry to come and fetch it, despite large scary dog going absolutely nuclear and me telling him to call it off, no really, NOW. No apology and not worth my breath saying anything (you know the sort).

You have such great restraint. I would probably use my great knowledge of profanity with him. And that includes many uses of the F bomb.

 

[blackcob]

Oh I was raging, certainly, but to what end. If your dog is very obviously causing someone a problem, to the point they are shouting at you to come and retrieve it, and you a.) don't bother your arse to do so and b.) don't offer even a token 'sorry' then you don't think you've done anything wrong, and some mad wet mud covered woman swearing at you isn't going to change that. And will probably land her in trouble if you decide to make an issue of it. He had one of those smirks on that told me so.

Small things I suppose, the second the spaniel finally effed off she simmered down immediately and was able to re-engage with me straight away, a few months ago she would have spiralled for the rest of the walk.

 

[ycbm]

Here we go again. On an RUPP through Forestry Commission land. Happily passed by numerous on and off lead dogs.

Cockerpoo comes towards us and owner doesn't call it back so I stop. CP then sniffs around my husband's feet. I look at the owner, she does nothing. CP then moves to sniff round my feet. I can feel it moving my trousers.

I say to the owner "I can't see your dog when he's sniffing round my feet, can you call him off please"

She says "Well don't walk here then", by which time the dog is now climbing up with its front paws on my jacket, as she continues to give me grief for complaining about her dog climbing on me and asking her to control it.

I'm sick of these owners, it's practically every week I get this grief.
.

 

[ycbm]

Well this takes the biscuit.

I've just had a dog walker tell me that if I'm partially sighted I should be wearing a notice so she knows not to allow her dog to sniff my jeans. I'm not apologising that she isn't going to forget me in a hurry, I'm stressed enough at the moment without my stress reliever walk on a country path being disturbed by tw*ts like her. I'm pretty sure she got the message just how angry I was.
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An update to this experience from 4 months ago, what a clever dog!

I came across this woman again today on the same path for the first time. The dog was loose about 30 metres in front of her, coming in the other direction. He started running towards me and she didn't recall him. He got to about 5 metres away and you could see him take a check, divert and give me a wide birth. The only thing I can think of to explain that behaviour is that the dog remembered me as that shouty woman who got cross with his owner last year.

That dog has infinitely more brains than his owner.
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[SkylarkAscending]

Also, 6 probably isn't old for a JRT but it's a long time if you want to fix ingrained behaviours that have been tolerated for a long time and there needs to be an element of fairness/slow transition rather than a sudden change to everything a dog has previously known.

Absolutely this - sorting George’s little quirks out took a fair time (probably longer than I’d expected after years of well behaved greyhounds) - mind you he was 11 when I got him!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Bigging me up for keeping my dogs in leads on their own garden after yet another near miss with someone else's cat this morning.
For those who say 'they soon learn', sorry, been here nearly ten years and no they absolutely do not learn, as we go into summer this will be a daily occurrence and I'm not going to risk losing my dog away chasing after a cat and ending up goodness knows where, or injuring or killing someone else's pet. Cat owners, I'm responsible, but there are plenty of people who would let your pet take their chances.

 

[GSD Woman]

Blackcob, You have way better self control than I.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Was at the market yesterday where small dog was fine with loads of other dogs. I took my attention off her for literally two seconds and some twonk with a massive Akita on a harness let it get right in her face and all of a sudden I hear an exploding dog, oops it's mine, teeth stripped and sounding like a demented hellbeast. Not sure who was the most irresponsible one, but I sure as hell wouldn't let my dog get in a strange dogs face without asking.

 

[oldandgold]

Was at the market yesterday where small dog was fine with loads of other dogs. I took my attention off her for literally two seconds and some twonk with a massive Akita on a harness let it get right in her face and all of a sudden I hear an exploding dog, oops it's mine, teeth stripped and sounding like a demented hellbeast. Not sure who was the most irresponsible one, but I sure as hell wouldn't let my dog get in a strange dogs face without asking.

The nit on the other end of the Akita harness - they shouldn't let their dog approach other dogs like that.

 

[Maddie Moo]

Just why?!

 

[Jeni the dragon]

I was just coming to share that! What is wrong with people?

 

[skinnydipper]

This is message to the irresponsible owners who let their dogs entertain themselves by kicking off at other dogs passing their house. It is not clever.

How much fun do you think it is for the dogs passing your home? Unfortunately you are not the only idiot who allows their dog to do it, which turns what should be a quiet sniff round the streets into a rather unpleasant experience.

Either shut the door and don't let your dog into the room where it practises this behaviour or apply window film, it's not rocket science.

 

[Smitty]

Was at the market yesterday where small dog was fine with loads of other dogs. I took my attention off her for literally two seconds and some twonk with a massive Akita on a harness let it get right in her face and all of a sudden I hear an exploding dog, oops it's mine, teeth stripped and sounding like a demented hellbeast. Not sure who was the most irresponsible one, but I sure as hell wouldn't let my dog get in a strange dogs face without asking.

Same thing! No butcher in town so nipped up to the special food market in the centre with no idea that it was going to be so busy. I had been there a few minutes trying to find an organic meat stall, with an increasingly grumpy terrier, when a dozy woman told her Shitzzu to say hello and be nice. Mine sadly didn't want to do either and made that very clear! I was ready for the next one, a spaniel, and shoved my shopping bag in front of terrier. Spaniel's owner was a bit indignant and said it was OK, his dog wouldn't hurt mine! Errrr....

I then tried to get the heck out of Dodge, but he sat down outside Millets and wouldn't move because he wanted to go in

 

[Tiddlypom]

This is message to the irresponsible owners who let their dogs entertain themselves by kicking off at other dogs passing their house. It is not clever.

How much fun do you think it is for the dogs passing your home? Unfortunately you are not the only idiot who allows their dog to do it, which turns what should be a quiet sniff round the streets into a very unpleasant experience.

Either shut the door and don't let your dog into the room where it practises this behaviour or apply window film, it's not rocket science.

You are objecting to dogs that are shut inside their own house barking at your passing dog? Not even dogs running up to their fence or gate?

That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it? At least the dogs are inside. Ideally the indoor dogs wouldn’t bark at passers by, but in my view as a walker it is my job to reassure my dog that they are safe and to continue their walk.

There’s a few dogs that do that locally. We just deal with it, my dog is in no danger as the other dogs are shut in.

 

[skinnydipper]

You are objecting to dogs that are shut inside their own house barking at your passing dog? Not even dogs running up to their fence or gate?

That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it? At least the dogs are inside. Ideally the indoor dogs wouldn’t bark at passers by, but in my view as a walker it is my job to reassure my dog that they are safe and to continue their walk.

You don't live in town?

I can only imagine how thrilled you would be if you were taking your dog for a walk round the streets, where in each street there were several houses where dogs were kicking off at your dog, barking aggressively and in some cases throwing themselves at the window.

Not only is it not very nice for the dog it is directed to but also not good for the stress levels of the dog who is allowed to perform the behaviour.

When my dog decided to put herself in charge of the area in front of our house, out of consideration for my neighbour who would have to listen to her barking and also consideration for the people with dogs passing our house, I applied window film. Job done.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Deleted . Wrong thread

 

[skinnydipper]

Oh, forget it - deleted.

 

[I'm Dun]

An update to this experience from 4 months ago, what a clever dog!

I came across this woman again today on the same path for the first time. The dog was loose about 30 metres in front of her, coming in the other direction. He started running towards me and she didn't recall him. He got to about 5 metres away and you could see him take a check, divert and give me a wide birth. The only thing I can think of to explain that behaviour is that the dog remembered me as that shouty woman who got cross with his owner last year.

That dog has infinitely more brains than his owner.
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Of course the dog recognised you. Due to the nature of where I'm moored at the minute we meet a lot of people, both when walking and at home, some people love the dogs, most are neutral and some are scared. Mine only go up to the people who are their friends, ignore the rest and if anyone had ever shouted or been scared they would have actively avoided them.

Both of mine still remember that two years ago a fisherman gave them both spam. They look at every fisherman we pass in the hope its him again .

So far this bank holiday weekend hasn't been too bad. I normally dread them as people drag their unruly dogs out for their biannual walk. But so far only one nutter of a boxer launching itself at my boat windows, the bloke was nice about it and trying to keep control so I'm not going to moan too much.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

You don't live in town?

I can only imagine how thrilled you would be if you were taking your dog for a walk round the streets, where in each street there were several houses where dogs were kicking off at your dog, barking aggressively and in some cases throwing themselves at the window.

Not only is it not very nice for the dog it is directed to but also not good for the stress levels of the dog who is allowed to perform the behaviour.

Incidentally, when my dog decided to put herself in charge of the area in front of our house, out of consideration for my neighbour who would have to listen to her barking and also consideration for the people with dogs passing our house, I applied window film. Job done.

I sympathise. My friend has taken on a young collie who gets on well with other quiet dogs she meets but explodes when dogs kick off at her whether in or out of the house. She redirects her aggression at my friend who has been bitten several times now. Since she is in a built up area she has to load her up and take her somewhere quieter to walk. This is making her life difficult to put it mildly. She has been bringing her up to my field to let her run with mine as a way of burning off some energy. Lovely dog apart from the reactivity.

 

[Jenko109]

I saw a post on a local ish facebook page a week or two ago.

Basically there was a public footpath running alongside a property with sizeable fields. Just mesh stock type fencing in place.

The footpath was very narrow. Enough to walk along but you wouldnt get two walkers comfortably side by side.

The owner of the fields allows their JRT and mastiff type to charge the fence at walkers on the footpath.

If baffled me the amount of comments that did not see why this was a problem. Yes its their property, but surely if you have a footpath adjoining your fields then you still have a duty of care to those using it? It would turn a reactive dog inside out, would be very frightening to young children or even adults who are scared of dogs and of course must be a constant stress for the dogs living there who feel they have to charge the fence line all the time.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'm kinda conflicted on the 'dogs walking past thing'. My dogs aren't allowed in the front-facing rooms, but they are aware of when other dogs are passing, they're not stupid. I've just heard my young dog going mental and looked outside, there are three people with around five dogs having a big conflab outside my front gate so I have just had to go and roar at her, which they must have heard, unless they are deaf, and they blithely continued their wee chat. Yeah, sure, walk past, but if you can hear that you are upsetting a dog that actually lives here, just move on, it's not a playground.
I wouldn't deliberately go and hang around outside their houses, if I could hear I was causing a dog discomfort, I would keep moving.

 

[skinnydipper]

There were too many houses we had to avoid walking past, crossing the road didn't help they still kicked off, so I gave up and stopped taking her for what should have been a pleasant walk round the neighbourhood.

There is a lane popular with dog walkers at the top of our road so we get dogs walking past our house all day and of course also passing houses with dogs kicking off in the window. That's a lot of triggers stacking up for the dogs getting themselves wound up when someone passes their house and not a great experience for the dogs who have to walk past.

 

[CorvusCorax]

To be fair though, it's your 'pleasant walk', but it is their home. That's how I feel about my gaff, anyway. Sure, people can have have a nice walk, but I'd like it if they would just keep walking

 

[skinnydipper]

To be fair though, it's your 'pleasant walk', but it is their home. That's how I feel about my gaff, anyway. Sure, people can have have a nice walk, but I'd like it if they would just keep walking

I don't think you have understood my posts. I tried to avoid walking past people's houses with barking dogs and certainly didn't hang around outside them, not only for my dog's benefit but also out of consideration for the resident dogs.

I posted today in response to posts on another thread where people seemed to find it amusing that their dogs were kicking off at people passing the house. There is nothing funny about it.

It isn't up to my dog to police the area in front of my house so that responsibility was taken from her.

 

[GSD Woman]

Shrug. I live on a dead end street, 1 house from the dead end. My dog(s) mostly bark at delivery trucks that come to the end to turn around since there is a bit of a circle, giving extra room. But, very often she (they) don't bark at deliveries at my own door.
I suppose they would bark at dogs being walked but they don't see many.
On the subject of irresponsible owners, I saw a woman walking an off lead pit bull on Saturday. Lovely dog, wanted lots of pets. I believe the woman owner had been drinking. We had a lovely chat. She's basically been living with my neighbor since her daughter, husband, and baby were living in her house. Scarlet the dog went back to Sam's house at some point. I'm glad that no one was driving like an idiot.
And then, I didn't even get invited to the barbeque.

 

[Smitty]

Not sure, but wow

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Walking by dogs going ballistic is annoying, but it's in their house so not much I could do about it. Good distraction training for my dogs I guess.

I don't let my dogs go ballistic in the house. Once in awhile if someone unfamiliar is at the door, one of them let's out some noise, but not full on barking. That would drive me nuts.

My Lab prefers to bark at inanimate objects outside in the dark vs people

 

[AmyMay]

A positive if I may, and I know how we all feel about the subject.

Family out for an afternoon walk with their dog. An XL. Huge. Short lead, but loose walking, muzzled, wagging tail. It was wearing a yellow jacket (but owners said that it was only to deter others from allowing their dogs to get in its face as they didn’t want any issues from other owners if their dog kicked off (not the XL)). It was incredibly well behaved and showed no interest in any other dog.

Rather piously (I agree), I thanked them for being so responsible and setting such a good example.