Irresponsible Owners

some show

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I feel really down about it, I dont feel like I should have to justify everything with my dog being nervous. She's not massively nervous, mostly indifferent, but who would like two huge strange dogs piling on them? I certainly didn't appreciate it for myself regardless of my dog. It's making me dread walks more and more ?

I used to feel a lot like this with Joe as well. Unlike Ivy he was genuinely reactive and also not small-dog-safe, but was always on lead and with a muzzle. I used to let other owners get away with their dogs running up to him when he'd react, saying things like 'oh it's okay, he's nervous' 'he's never seen other breeds of dog before' etc, until it really clicked with me that THEY were to blame, not him. You're doing everything right SP! She'll trust in you to keep her out of harm's way.

I had to do a LOT of positive reinforcement with Joe, following other dogs at a safe distance, taking evasive manoeuvres, and lots of treats for looking/disengaging, and positive interactions. He's not reactive any more, years later (unless he gets bum-rushed or jumped on, which is fair enough) but I still give him treats to this day for good dog interactions, I think it's important to keep these things topped up and also it makes me feel happier on walks/keeps me interesting to him/balances out the bad interactions with stupid people!
 

Clodagh

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Don’t let the bastards get you down. You be Ivy’s champion and make the world a safe one for her. You’ll soon be known as the complete nutter with the black dog and people will avoid you, job done.
Also, don’t tense up yourself. They read signals down the lead. Calm, confident and courageous is what you send to them at all times. If you bluster it often enough it becomes true.
 

blackcob

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You’ll soon be known as the complete nutter with the black dog and people will avoid you, job done.

I have already achieved that title but absolutely there’s plenty of capacity for others to join ?

I don’t mean entirely to make light of the situation, I know exactly how it feels, just adding weight to the idea that it is absolutely fine to advocate for your dog. There are times when other people won’t like it but meh, I care more about preserving my dog’s opinion of me than theirs.
 

SaddlePsych'D

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I really feel for owners with reactive dogs, at least with Ivy I don't have to worry too much about her but I'd like to keep it that way! There are a few dogs we pass regularly where the owners are clearly working on their reactivity and focus etc., we always give them room and I always ask strangers if it's okay to pass if not much space. It must be so frustrating to have all the hard work undone!

Today was the first time I actually felt frightened, usually it's more annoying than anything else, but I tried not to show it. I think it channelled out through the tone of my "I do not care!"
 

paisley

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I feel really down about it, I dont feel like I should have to justify everything with my dog being nervous. She's not massively nervous, mostly indifferent, but who would like two huge strange dogs piling on them? I certainly didn't appreciate it for myself regardless of my dog. It's making me dread walks more and more ?[/QUOTE]

You absolutely dont have to put up with other dogs out of control behaviour. I have even less tolerance now that the mostly whippet is 12 and has some muscle issues so one wrong shove from another dog could really hurt him.

Its not up for other people to decide whats the level of interraction your dog should have. Your dog, your choice and tough titties to everyone else.

The mostly whippet got a gold star the day he walked off lead, by my side on a footpath that went by a garden containing 2 large labradors effing and jeffing at him behind a fence after being told 'not your business' after he'd looked at me.

I was known as 'The Whippet Lady' . Draw your own conclusions ?
 

Pearlsasinger

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Oh well. Spangletwats' missus let it run in my garden twice this evening and ignored me when I said 'excuse me?' so I went for a walk at a surreptitious distance. They know where I live, so I know where they live. Fair's fair.


I hope you let at least 1 GSD run round their garden.
 

CorvusCorax

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I hope you let at least 1 GSD run round their garden.

It's a town house style, opening onto the street, sadly.

Would you believe, she went inside and shut the dog out/left it on the step on a street and pulled the curtains. As I walked past (looking at my phone) it came bombing over to me. WTAF. Who does that?! Anybody could lift it/it could get hit by a car.
 

Parrotperson

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Oh well. Spangletwats' missus let it run in my garden twice this evening and ignored me when I said 'excuse me?' so I went for a walk at a surreptitious distance. They know where I live, so I know where they live. Fair's fair.

have you copyrighted ‘spangletwat’ CC?
Is I’d like to licence it from you please!
 

Unicorn

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Can I nominate the one I met in the park this afternoon? The one with the baby dachshund that had no lead or collar? The one who made no effort to stop it running up to my on lead gsd x, despite me asking?

I pointed out that my dog wasn't friendly - apparently my dog grumbling and our hasty detour off the path wasn't enough of a clue - and got sworn at in return.
It's left me feeling like I'm somehow the bad guy. Could/should I have done something else?
 

SAujla

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Had an incident with dog walker this morning, small compared to some stories on here. She had 3 GSD on leash and what looked like a Bull Mastiff off leash, who promptly came over and started intimidating Clover.

I began blocking him off and gesturing to the woman, she was calling him and being ignored so I shouted he's becoming too much now, still just calling his name but not coming any closer (will give her some benefit of the doubt in that she maybe didn't want to come closer with 3 on lead dogs who might react) and eventually he moved off. No apology from the woman and after 10 minutes in the field she put the dogs back into the van and drove off. I can't imagine that is enough time for them, have seen her occasionally and it's always a few minutes then gone
 

CanteringCarrot

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Can I nominate the one I met in the park this afternoon? The one with the baby dachshund that had no lead or collar? The one who made no effort to stop it running up to my on lead gsd x, despite me asking?

I pointed out that my dog wasn't friendly - apparently my dog grumbling and our hasty detour off the path wasn't enough of a clue - and got sworn at in return.
It's left me feeling like I'm somehow the bad guy. Could/should I have done something else?

You're definitely not the bad guy. You acted appropriately in my opinion. I cannot believe you got sworn at as a response ?‍♀️ ridiculous and rude.
 

Archangel

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Walking the dog in the dark the other night, I could see a human shape with small dog shape approaching.

I really thought small dog was on a lead plus we were getting near the road so put mine on. Small dog (not on lead as it turns out) comes charging over, starts humping my dog (without so much as a hello, how very rude), my dog just shrugs him off in a good natured way and the dog really went for her. She shook him off and he came back 3 times.

Woman comes up whacks her small dog really hard with a torch and tells me it is my fault as seeing a dog on a lead makes her dog aggressive.
What? Why didn't she put her ruddy dog on a lead then if he is known to be a shagger and a snapper? We could have just passed like ships in the night.

As I got back to the car I could see the light from her torch and she was coming back across the field that isn't a footpath and has a huge sign NO DOGS. Ignorant baggage.
 

SAujla

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Walking the dog in the dark the other night, I could see a human shape with small dog shape approaching.

I really thought small dog was on a lead plus we were getting near the road so put mine on. Small dog (not on lead as it turns out) comes charging over, starts humping my dog (without so much as a hello, how very rude), my dog just shrugs him off in a good natured way and the dog really went for her. She shook him off and he came back 3 times.

Woman comes up whacks her small dog really hard with a torch and tells me it is my fault as seeing a dog on a lead makes her dog aggressive.
What? Why didn't she put her ruddy dog on a lead then if he is known to be a shagger and a snapper? We could have just passed like ships in the night.

As I got back to the car I could see the light from her torch and she was coming back across the field that isn't a footpath and has a huge sign NO DOGS. Ignorant baggage.
Seeing a dog on lead makes him aggressive????? That is a new one and one of the most outrageous things I've heard describing off leash dogs. Unbelievable
 

SAujla

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Yep, I've had this one too. Apparently I should let her off and then it will all be fine. The mind boggles.
I'm not sure what I would say to that, I'm just baffled by it. Also do these people expect you to know this? The woman above wasn't apologetic did she think Archangel should know this, with that logic she could soon find herself up for being a government advisor to the current PM
 

Arzada

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Devastating. Dawlish: one of the resident black swans taking his turn sitting on 7 eggs murdered by an owner unable to control their on lead dog https://www.dawlishbeach.com/2022/02/dad-swan-killed-by-dog-in-dawlish/ There are just too many attacks on swans and it's time that dogs were totally banned from areas like this. That way there's no 'my dog is only playing' opportunity.
 

Pegasus5531

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There has absolutely been an increase in this due to lockdown dogs and more first time owners impulsively getting dogs and not socialising or training them correctly during the pandemic. I also think there is an increase in people getting high energy dogs but not knowing how to train/work them. There seems to have been a huge rise in the amount of spaniels I see out and about now and although I have always known horse and farm type people to have them they seem to be very popular now with families and people who aren't very dog savvy. Dogs like that need more exercise, stimulation and training but when they don't get it they become a nightmare. Many times I've had them pestering my on lead reactive dog or chasing my off lead, friendly dog who is trying to walk away from them.
 

some show

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Devastating. Dawlish: one of the resident black swans taking his turn sitting on 7 eggs murdered by an owner unable to control their on lead dog https://www.dawlishbeach.com/2022/02/dad-swan-killed-by-dog-in-dawlish/

That's terrible. And the dog was on lead, so either someone was seriously not paying attention or not strong enough to control it. It's really time muzzles were de-stigmatised, I've had so many people over the years say 'what a shame' it is that my greyhound wears one and that they would 'never be able to do that'. Okay, well then you'd have several dead cats on your hands, is that worse? Not saying that muzzles save the day in all cases but they certainly help/give you a bit of time to react.
 

CorvusCorax

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There are people in my town who let their dogs run at the ducks/swans/geese at the marina and think it's funny. Several have been attacked/bitten.
And a man that lives across the river from me frequently lets his spaniel charge at the ducks on the bank...
 

CanteringCarrot

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I don't know what's wrong with a properly fitted muzzle. It isn't a "shame" nor does it necessarily mean the dog wearing it is super aggressive in all respects.

I do not let my Lab go after wildlife. Since she's very interested in ducks it's imperative that she follow commands when swimming because inevitably some ducks wander over or land in the water nearby while she's swimming. If the swans come (2 that live at one lake we go to) I often stop or move. I'm super cautious about giving wildlife space and most are very serious about this here.

Blows my mind.
 

Annette4

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I muzzle 2 our of 3 of mine on walks and I'm muzzle training the little ginger terror (not a typo ?). I would rather every dog had to be muzzled but I appreciate much like needing to wear collars with tags it wouldn't be enforced.

I was told recently while out with Dobby who was on lead, on the pavement when we were charged at with teeth by a lab that it was my fault for muzzling him because their dog hates them ?‍♀️
 

Cinnamontoast

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I was told recently while out with Dobby who was on lead, on the pavement when we were charged at with teeth by a lab that it was my fault for muzzling him because their dog hates them ?‍♀️


That's just ridiculous!

Zak wore a muzzle in the woods cos if he escaped, I would imagine he'd bite something so on went the muzzle if we were somewhere he wasn't retrieving. Fortunately, he never approached other dogs.

I just read in my local Neighbourhood group that a lady had her dog jumped on by a bunch of dog walker's dogs in our local woods, I'm too scared to go there now! I don't want the pups to have a bad experience but it seems almost inevitable from what I read on here and elsewhere. (Plus mine are nowhere near ready for off lead shenanigans yet!)
 

P3LH

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I gave in with nice offlead walks a long time ago. I recently did let them off, and kept the corgis leads trailing behind them as we don’t do much recall outside as none of the dogs are ever off anymore. It was the middle of nowhere. We were then accosted by a pair of Weims who ‘just wanted to play’ but then quickly escalated into a full on brawl.

Barring then, I can’t remember the last time I really even thought about it. Mine are all dog neutral and quite enjoy a good romp around with others - I find it too stressful having to watch not just my own dogs but every other dog in the vicinity to decipher who’s going to kick off, who’s generally got no manners and who’s under no control. I began to HATE dog walks at one point - so just stopped letting them off. We still get hassled on average every walk, no matter where we go - by something but at least I can just keep on walking as mine are taught from little if on lead, we ignore.

A few years ago I’d never have imagined walking dogs in lead 99% of the time as mine were never on really, but it genuinely isn’t worth the stress anymore or feeling like you no longer enjoy one of your favourite things.
 

Clodagh

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I’ve got an amazing bruise and cut (through thick jeans) given to me by a chocolate Labrador in some remote woods last week. He just ran at me and launched, I honestly thought he’d broken my leg, it definitely did something to my hip. He then did another go round and went to do it again and I held my hand up like a policeman and yelled ‘stop’. He was so surprised he did, at least long enough for me to get organised. He calmed down then and played nicely with my lot.
The owner said ‘gosh you are so lucky, he normally launches at faces’. I mean FFS! My mum walks our dogs near those woods, it would have put her in hospital.
 
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