Irresponsible Owners

[lou246]

Hi, first post here!

I was wondering if anyone else has noticed an increase in irresponsible dog owners? Some of our walks have become a bit stressful recently due to people letting their dogs charge over from quite a distance. My smaller dog can be nervous since he was attacked last year and this of course doesn’t help. My setter is now 12 and has arthritis so a dog charging over and jumping about near her could do some damage.

I have no problem with dogs being off the lead if they come back when called. I also have no problem with dogs saying a quick hello to mine when all are off lead and polite. I call mine and pop them on a lead when I see a dog on a lead and I’d expect others to do the same. What I don’t like is when a dog charges over from quite a distance and it’s owners either can’t or won’t call it back. I understand that accidents happen with younger dogs but there are a few walkers I meet who let their dogs do this every time I see them even though my dogs clearly aren’t interested. I have also noticed livestock attacks have increased which is very sad.

I just don’t seem to remember this happening anywhere near as much as it is now and I wondered if anyone else had noticed too.

 

[CorvusCorax]

It's been a problem for years but even more so now with people getting dogs over lockdown with no to little previous experience.

**This is not an invite for people, including myself, who got dogs during lockdown to tell everyone how perfect they are actually, because most of them, sadly are not, K THX BYE x**

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My friend got so sick of this sort of behaviour that she bought one of these little cans of pressurised air. Quick squirt will see off a lot of dogs without harming them. Just make sure it won't upset your own dogs.

 

[CorvusCorax]

They've just put sheep in the field bordering the very busy footpath I use. Fencing is patchy and loads of people let their dogs run in it when it's empty or when the cows are out (I know). I have to admit I shuddered when I saw them.

 

[lou246]

My friend got so sick of this sort of behaviour that she bought one of these little cans of pressurised air. Quick squirt will see off a lot of dogs without harming them. Just make sure it won't upset your own dogs.

My friend got so sick of this sort of behaviour that she bought one of these little cans of pressurised air. Quick squirt will see off a lot of dogs without harming them. Just make sure it won't upset your own dogs.

That’s a great idea. I will look into it! It’s a shame that it’s had to come to that but if people won’t control their dogs then needs must.

 

[lou246]

They've just put sheep in the field bordering the very busy footpath I use. Fencing is patchy and loads of people let their dogs run in it when it's empty or when the cows are out (I know). I have to admit I shuddered when I saw them.

You can only hope that people will have some common sense and put their dogs on a lead while walking past. There are some sheep in a field next to a footpath where I walk most days. The other day, after just walking past the field, I saw a spaniel running around off the lead. I shouted to the owner that there are sheep in the field and she asked me to grab her dog! It had no recall and very nearly got into the field. I told her that the farmer has put signs up saying your dog could be shot if it worries the sheep and she said “Oh yes, I saw them”. So she had seen the signs but chose to ignore them!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

So she had seen the signs but chose to ignore them!

She probably doesn't believe it would actually happen

 

[Lynnfigaro]

My friend got so sick of this sort of behaviour that she bought one of these little cans of pressurised air. Quick squirt will see off a lot of dogs without harming them. Just make sure it won't upset your own dogs.

I have been using one of those too. They really do work. I had to use it on an out of control staffy who came bounding towards my five month old pup who was on the lead.
A quick squirt and the dog backed off and ran back to its owner.
The one I have has cloves and citronella mixed with water.

 

[Karran]

Was out this morning with my two and a rather over amorous Frenchie was pestering them. Mrs Spaniel suddenly remembered pre-Christmas where the woman had put down bird food and galloped off to see if there was any left. I put Mrs Collie in between my legs and asked her to focus on me which she did quite nicely until Frenchie started trying to hump her face on and rather politely (in my eyes!) she air-snapped at him, which put him off temporarily, he came at her again and she showed her teeth.

"Oooh look at her smiling at him" The woman shrieked with glee. "How lovely, he's made a friend."

 

[AmyMay]

Just turn in to a raging harridan - works for me ?

 

[scats]

My old (nearly 13) Great Dane x was knocked off her back feet the other day by a huge boisterous dog who was absolutely tearing round and leaping over my dogs. It ran into my hand and really hurt me and then tried to jump over my dog but misjudged the height and took her back end out. Owners just merrily walked on. My old dog got to her feet and saw it off then, but she was stiff for a couple of days after that.

 

[scats]

Oh, and my friend and her horse were chased by the same Shar Pei that hassled me back in November. Dog was on our private land and chased friends horse who took off. Friend pulled horse up after about 200 yards, with dog still at it’s heels. She confronted owner, who just walked the other way, muttering.

 

[AmyMay]

My old (nearly 13) Great Dane x was knocked off her back feet the other day by a huge boisterous dog who was absolutely tearing round and leaping over my dogs. It ran into my hand and really hurt me and then tried to jump over my dog but misjudged the height and took her back end out. Owners just merrily walked on. My old dog got to her feet and saw it off then, but she was stiff for a couple of days after that.

Hopefully you gave them an absolute mouthfull, and your friend reported her incident to the dog warden.

 

[teddy_]

This is a big bug bear of mine.

I have two small rescue dogs (Chihuahua mixes). I walk them on a lead at all times and they are muzzled. Regardless, there is a lady who walks her young Pointer in the same area and she cannot control the dog. It always bounds up to me and my dogs (who are dreadfully aggressive towards other dogs), and I just feel like telling her, if she has no recall with her dog - she should not let it off the lead. Especially given the area in question has a lot of livestock.

Grr!

 

[AmyMay]

This is a big bug bear of mine.

I have two small rescue dogs (Chihuahua mixes). I walk them on a lead at all times and they are muzzled. Regardless, there is a lady who walks her young Pointer in the same area and she cannot control the dog. It always bounds up to me and my dogs (who are dreadfully aggressive towards other dogs), and I just feel like telling her, if she has no recall with her dog - she should not let it off the lead. Especially given the area in question has a lot of livestock.

Grr!

So tell her? You are the advocate for your dog. Why stand for that sort of behaviour and rudeness?? ??‍

 

[teddy_]

So tell her? You are the advocate for your dog. Why stand for that sort of behaviour and rudeness?? ??‍

I shall!

 

[Escapade]

Yes. I had a few dogless years before I got my current lurcher at the end of 2020, I’ve never had so many issues. The sense of entitlement people hold is absolutely staggering.
Between larger dogs we don’t know jumping down on my on lead dog without even a “hello” (it’s okay, he’s friendly!), and parents silently watching their children try to hit my ankles with their scooters I’m done with being polite. I try to avoid trouble before it brews but the space is mine to enjoy too. Unfortunately I’m in an urban area with no shortage of muppets at all hours of the day. They seem to spawn out of thin air!

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'm a big fan of yelling CALL YOUR DOG NOW! when the other dog is en route or other associated roaring. I did carry a schooling whip for a while for a particular repeat offender, it got to the stage that a workman had to help me by chasing it away one day while I ran in the other direction, it was a huge Rottie cross and I wouldn't have had a chance if he and my dog got into a proper fight while the owner was miles away, drinking coffee and texting. And it's not like I have a tiny, physically vulnerable dog.
I don't really care if people think I am rude any more, I've had weeks and months of training/conditioning undone by other people on more than one dog. And it's always the same excuses, they're just being friendly, they're a rescue, they need off the lead to have a good run (IE they pull and I can't be arsed training them not to), let them 'sort it out', etc etc, OK chum, you pay the vet bill then....I also whip my camera out and pretend to video if I have the time/enough hands. Certainly sharpens people's focus.

 

[teddy_]

I'm a big fan of yelling CALL YOUR DOG NOW! when the other dog is en route or other associated roaring. I did carry a schooling whip for a while for a particular repeat offender, it got to the stage that a workman had to help me chase it away one day while I ran in the other direction, it was a huge Rottie cross and I wouldn't have had a chance if he and my dog got into a proper fight while the owner was miles away, drinking coffee and texting.
I don't really care if people think I am rude any more, I've had weeks and months of training/conditioning undone by other people on more than one dog. And it's always the same excuses, they're just being friendly, they're a rescue, they need off the lead to have a good run (IE they pull and I can't be arsed training them not to), let them 'sort it out', etc etc, OK chum, you pay the vet bill then....I also whip my camera out and pretend to video if I have the time/enough hands. Certainly sharpens people's focus.

I think I'll take my piaffe whip for this bloody Pointer ? (joking). That is a good idea nonetheless.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'm not for one moment advocating hitting a dog that hasn't actually connected with yours, but it makes a really good swooshy noise. And the other owner could see it, it was more for them.

 

[teddy_]

I'm not for one moment advocating hitting a dog, but it makes a really good swooshy noise. And the other owner could see it, it was more for them.

Quite, just a deterrent!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

My absolute bugbear after years of owning a reactive dog. He wouldn't dream of approaching other dogs but the amount of idiots I've had allowing their untrained mutts to run up drove me crazy. It's especially difficult when I can't move very fast to avoid them. Yet when I ask them to recall, they become all entitled and tell me I shouldn't be walking my very well trained focused dog in public. ? Then teach a fricking recall, idiot!

 

[lou246]

Was out this morning with my two and a rather over amorous Frenchie was pestering them. Mrs Spaniel suddenly remembered pre-Christmas where the woman had put down bird food and galloped off to see if there was any left. I put Mrs Collie in between my legs and asked her to focus on me which she did quite nicely until Frenchie started trying to hump her face on and rather politely (in my eyes!) she air-snapped at him, which put him off temporarily, he came at her again and she showed her teeth.

"Oooh look at her smiling at him" The woman shrieked with glee. "How lovely, he's made a friend."

Some peoples lack of understanding when it comes to dogs body language shocks me! If that owner thinks teeth showing means smiling then one day her dog will be bitten when she fails to see that another dog is about to snap ? Sounds like your dog gave an appropriate correction. It’s when corrections are ignored that attacks can happen. My youngest dog would appreciate being pestered even less than usual if it was a french bulldog, the only breed he dislikes after he was attacked by one!

 

[Karran]

I'm actually very proud of her reaction. She used to be the sort of dog that other (sensible) owners took a wide berth to avoid. I'd muzzle her and walk her on two leads while she turned herself inside out with hysterics at another dog daring to even look at her. Its taken a long time for her to learn how to focus on me first and then give appropriate warnings rather than just leaping in all guns blazing.
I warned the woman that she would hurt her Frenchie but its SO tiring always being the owner in the wrong who "shouldn't take dangerous dogs to the park around others." and it has without 100% doubt got so, so much worse since pandemic pups became a thing!

 

[lou246]

My old (nearly 13) Great Dane x was knocked off her back feet the other day by a huge boisterous dog who was absolutely tearing round and leaping over my dogs. It ran into my hand and really hurt me and then tried to jump over my dog but misjudged the height and took her back end out. Owners just merrily walked on. My old dog got to her feet and saw it off then, but she was stiff for a couple of days after that.

I hope you and your dog are ok now. What an irresponsible owner. Some people think just because their dog is ‘friendly’ that it can’t do damage, which isn’t true at all. My friends 14 year old staffy was bowled over by a ‘friendly’ young Labrador last year and unfortunately because of her arthritis it did a lot of damage. She passed away a month later and her owner is sure it was down to that incident as she just couldn’t walk properly afterwards and shut down. For a 14 year old dog, she had been doing very well up until then. The Labradors owners just said “Oops, he’s just trying to play!” and walked off, leaving her to pick up her elderly dog and carry her back to the car.

 

[lou246]

My absolute bugbear after years of owning a reactive dog. He wouldn't dream of approaching other dogs but the amount of idiots I've had allowing their untrained mutts to run up drove me crazy. It's especially difficult when I can't move very fast to avoid them. Yet when I ask them to recall, they become all entitled and tell me I shouldn't be walking my very well trained focused dog in public. ? Then teach a fricking recall, idiot!

Sounds just like my last dog, who was a lab cross and did not like other dogs (with the exception of a few ones he knew and trusted). He would stay well away from other dogs if he could. There was only a problem if someone let their dog charge over. I have heard the “why are you walking here with an aggressive dog” excuse a few times, even when we were in the middle of nowhere! They failed to see how the problem was their off lead dog with no recall and not my dog who was minding his own business.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Thankfully we've not had any 'incidents' with Ivy but I think this is largely down to her being so unfussed by other dogs which is just as well when we've had them running up to her barking, sniffing round her etc. We're careful because she's timid and would hate for her to one day be overwhelmed or to lose her confidence. I think she might have a slight 'scary dog' look when her ears have gone full batman because people do seem to put their dogs on leads a lot of the time as well. She's probably quite good for people we see out training young pups because she ignores them no matter how interested in her they are!

I'm really shocked by some things I've seen on FB in terms of attitudes around on/off lead dogs. One person thinking of giving up their sighthound after it had killed two sheep, got lost on an estuary (or similar), and nearly got itself and it's owner injured from chasing a horse (no mention of the poor horse or rider) but they just 'didn't like the idea' of the dog being kept on lead. I thought 'surely better than an injured or dead dog', turns out not necessarily when I saw on another post a comment that someone would rather risk their dog being hit by a car than 'take away it's freedom' to be off lead - they even mentioned having lost a dog in exactly this manner. Of course there was no mention or thought of the livestock, pets, car drivers, horse riders and other third parties impacted by these various attitudes.

I realise I'm speaking from the privileged position of having a dog who can be satisfied by all on-lead walks, but still even if we needed to do more with Ivy we'd find a way through training, play, secure field hire, long line etc. There seems to be a lot of options so not wanting to 'spoil their fun' seems like a poor excuse to take such big risks.

 

[Alwaysmoretoknow]

And how many times have you heard 'Oh - it's because yours is on a lead!' excuse when their rude off-lead dog(s) start barking and lunging at your on-lead dog.

Well, shall I let her off then and we can watch her kill it?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

They failed to see how the problem was their off lead dog with no recall and not my dog who was minding his own business.

Exactly. I’m quite happy to ask people to recall, but I always get the ‘Oh, he’s friendly’ or ‘He’s just a puppy’. So? Don’t let him approach mine, you don’t know him or how he’ll react, so you’re endangering your dog and possibly setting him up for being fearful as mine was once attacked. Stupid, stupid.

I’m being ultra careful with the puppies so they only have positive experiences with dogs I've watched for months. However, there are several new dogs in the past 2 days, also youngsters but who appear to have zero recall/manners, so we’re now keeping well away from others.

 

[Lynnfigaro]

Exactly. I’m quite happy to ask people to recall, but I always get the ‘Oh, he’s friendly’ or ‘He’s just a puppy’. So? Don’t let him approach mine, you don’t know him or how he’ll react, so you’re endangering your dog and possibly setting him up for being fearful as mine was once attacked. Stupid, stupid.

I’m being ultra careful with the puppies so they only have positive experiences with dogs I've watched for months. However, there are several new dogs in the past 2 days, also youngsters but who appear to have zero recall/manners, so we’re now keeping well away from others.

This is what I am now doing with my pup. On his second ever walk after he was allowed out ( 10 weeks old) we were in the park next to my house. I had his ball and he was playing with that and getting used to being out on the lead and seeing all the new sights.
Another dog off the lead came running up to him very aggressively and ignoring the owner. The owner shouted the usual he is friendly rubbish. Aye right!.
It was trying to get my puppy so I picked him up. The dog was then jumping up at me trying to get him. I screamed at the owner to get his f****ng dog and he eventually got it.
He then told me it was my own fault as I had picked up my pup.
I told him that if his dog ever attacked me or my pup again I would boot it into orbit.
He took the huff at that. I really despair of some owners. Every walk is a challenge.
Fortunately it did not affect the pup. He still loves going out.