Irresponsible Owners

[Caol Ila]

A friend fell off in the park today because a big black furry dog materialized out of nowhere, chasing her, and it spooked her mare. The mare halted after losing her rider, fortunately, and the dog ran away. No sign of an owner. They probably had no idea that their dog scared a horse and caused the rider to hit the deck.

Not unlike a thing that happened to me a few weeks ago, which I've whinged about in this thread. Except I stayed on. Fin suddenly shot off in a gallop down the trail, and after I achieved a one-rein stop, I saw a big black furry setter type dog racing after me, flat-out. Dog sharply spun on its heel and ran the other way once I'd stopped the horse and screamed swear words at it. I would put Quentin Tarantino to shame. Never saw an owner. Dog ran some ways back and took off up a different trail.

I am very suspicious that this is the same dog. Physical description, behaviour (of dog and invisible owner), and location are all too similar.

If you can't see your dog and don't know what it's getting up to, maybe keep it on a lead? There's a novel thought.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Me today (or was it?!) Met a lady walking a friend’s black lab plus her own puppy. More on that later. I didn’t like the lab’s body language so called my lot and walked away. Met them again later with more space and the lab got in Bear’s face. Bear had a very minor pop, just a warning and she told me how the lab often has a snarl/snap at other dogs. She put it on the lead because it wouldn’t stay away from Bear who was in a sit by my side. She then let her extendable lead run out so it again came at Bear who properly told it off. I started walking away so my lot all disappeared.

She told me how amazing my lot’s recall is, she frequently sees them with my OH. I asked what type of dog her massive puppy was and she told me an xl bully (4 months and bigger than Bear) and how great he is with her kids. She also has has a French mastiff with zero recall. I remember it from months ago when I was speedwalking to get away from it!

 

[splashgirl45]

Me today (or was it?!) Met a lady walking a friend’s black lab plus her own puppy. More on that later. I didn’t like the lab’s body language so called my lot and walked away. Met them again later with more space and the lab got in Bear’s face. Bear had a very minor pop, just a warning and she told me how the lab often has a snarl/snap at other dogs. She put it on the lead because it wouldn’t stay away from Bear who was in a sit by my side. She then let her extendable lead run out so it again came at Bear who properly told it off. I started walking away so my lot all disappeared.

She told me how amazing my lot’s recall is, she frequently sees them with my OH. I asked what type of dog her massive puppy was and she told me an xl bully (4 months and bigger than Bear) and how great he is with her kids. She also has has a French mastiff with zero recall. I remember it from months ago when I was speedwalking to get away from it!

That is sooo scarey, I hope she never leaves the xl bully alone with the kids , and why allow the lab to approach another dog if it’s known to have a go…

 

[Jenko109]

So one of mine can be reactive.

Weirdly I can take her to an agility competition and she will be surrounded by other dogs and be completely chill, but a lead walk up the road with a dog coming in our direction is a different story

So this morning we are on a quiet lead walk and a woman and her dog are coming our direction on the other side of the road. My dog starts showing concern so I immediately start doing some sits and downs etc to get her focus on me.

So shes doing great and focusing on me but then suddenly blows up and I'm like wtf? Why?

I look up and see this woman and her dog, rather than walking past us on the other side of the road, has instead decided to cross the road directly at us. So she is now literally right next to me.

It could not have been clearer that my dog needed a bit of space and that I was working hard to keep her calm and focused. I was not impressed but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

 

[hellfire]

It’s been an issue for years but I have noticed since Covid it’s got worse.
Recently while riding in my local woodlands a person who had a dog on a long lead allowed their dog to jump up my horses shoulder its paws on Dakotas shoulder!!!!
Very very luckily he’s a rock and loves dogs.
If it had been my other lad I’d be in hospital.
I did ask them what’s the point of a long lead if you don’t even have control with it??! They didn’t reel the dog in quick enough apparently. I’d stopped a distance away to give them more than ample time.
I get dogs running under his legs too as of late. One person finding it funny!
Sadly I can no longer ride my other lad in the woods due to the problems with dogs and cyclist’s too. I’ve had too many accidents due to it with him.

 

[GSD Woman]

I look up and see this woman and her dog, rather than walking past us on the other side of the road, has instead decided to cross the road directly at us. So she is now literally right next to me.

It could not have been clearer that my dog needed a bit of space and that I was working hard to keep her calm and focused. I was not impressed but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

I believe I would have turned the air blue with my language at the other woman. Rudy is over 12 years now and he doesn't want to put up with that stuff. At least where I walk them in cool weather that stuff rarely happens. And then it is the same idiot woman with Golden Retrievers that start fights. I haven't seen them in a year at least fortunately.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

So one of mine can be reactive.

Weirdly I can take her to an agility competition and she will be surrounded by other dogs and be completely chill, but a lead walk up the road with a dog coming in our direction is a different story

So this morning we are on a quiet lead walk and a woman and her dog are coming our direction on the other side of the road. My dog starts showing concern so I immediately start doing some sits and downs etc to get her focus on me.

So shes doing great and focusing on me but then suddenly blows up and I'm like wtf? Why?

I look up and see this woman and her dog, rather than walking past us on the other side of the road, has instead decided to cross the road directly at us. So she is now literally right next to me.

It could not have been clearer that my dog needed a bit of space and that I was working hard to keep her calm and focused. I was not impressed but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

I hope you told her. Was she unable to judge? Some people are remarkably unaware of when you’re clearly trying to distract your dog/get away. The amount of times I’ve had to turn round to get away from other dogs is ridiculous. Bloke with an xl bully with cropped ears had me hauling in Mitch and loudly telling him we were not going to say hello to the other dog.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Me today (or was it?!) Met a lady walking a friend’s black lab plus her own puppy. More on that later. I didn’t like the lab’s body language so called my lot and walked away. Met them again later with more space and the lab got in Bear’s face. Bear had a very minor pop, just a warning and she told me how the lab often has a snarl/snap at other dogs. She put it on the lead because it wouldn’t stay away from Bear who was in a sit by my side. She then let her extendable lead run out so it again came at Bear who properly told it off. I started walking away so my lot all disappeared.

She told me how amazing my lot’s recall is, she frequently sees them with my OH. I asked what type of dog her massive puppy was and she told me an xl bully (4 months and bigger than Bear) and how great he is with her kids. She also has has a French mastiff with zero recall. I remember it from months ago when I was speedwalking to get away from it!

OMG! I think I can foretell the future.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

So one of mine can be reactive.

Weirdly I can take her to an agility competition and she will be surrounded by other dogs and be completely chill, but a lead walk up the road with a dog coming in our direction is a different story

So this morning we are on a quiet lead walk and a woman and her dog are coming our direction on the other side of the road. My dog starts showing concern so I immediately start doing some sits and downs etc to get her focus on me.

So shes doing great and focusing on me but then suddenly blows up and I'm like wtf? Why?

I look up and see this woman and her dog, rather than walking past us on the other side of the road, has instead decided to cross the road directly at us. So she is now literally right next to me.

It could not have been clearer that my dog needed a bit of space and that I was working hard to keep her calm and focused. I was not impressed but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

We had a complete idiot do something very similar to us. When we asked what she was doing, she said 'I thought you wanted to chat'. We had 4 Labs sitting at the side of a single track lane, between a grit bin and a parked car, trying to keep their attention on us, which is how she managed to get close enough for her very rude Lab to get into the face of our youngster.
Stupid, stupid woman. Why the hell would we want to chat to her? We are still working through the fallout from that incident, our poor girl was very upset and now is very wary of strange dogs when she is on her lead.

 

[CorvusCorax]

It's probably on this thread but I had my dog in a down and was standing over her feeding her one bit of kibble at a time dropped between her paws to allow a bulldog to pass on a narrow path and they let the bulldog come right over (on a leash) to her and try and eat the food.

 

[skinnydipper]

I don't know what is floating round inside the skulls of some owners, no brain cells that's for sure.

Shall we spell it out on the off chance some of the thick b*stards are reading this.

If you see a dog on a lead, do not let your dog approach. You don’t know why the dog is on a lead and really, it’s none of your business.

Someone is training or playing with their dog. Do not allow your dog to go barging in.

Forget that, it’s getting too complicated. How about this?

Do not let your rude and pushy dog approach any dog, on or off lead. Simples

 

[Moobli]

Me today (or was it?!) Met a lady walking a friend’s black lab plus her own puppy. More on that later. I didn’t like the lab’s body language so called my lot and walked away. Met them again later with more space and the lab got in Bear’s face. Bear had a very minor pop, just a warning and she told me how the lab often has a snarl/snap at other dogs. She put it on the lead because it wouldn’t stay away from Bear who was in a sit by my side. She then let her extendable lead run out so it again came at Bear who properly told it off. I started walking away so my lot all disappeared.

She told me how amazing my lot’s recall is, she frequently sees them with my OH. I asked what type of dog her massive puppy was and she told me an xl bully (4 months and bigger than Bear) and how great he is with her kids. She also has has a French mastiff with zero recall. I remember it from months ago when I was speedwalking to get away from it!

One to swiftly avoid in future!

 

[P3LH]

More idiot than irresponsible I guess. Owner of four working type Lakeland’s - one more patterdale type. All under the age of three. All intact males. Now surprised they are trying to murder each other. Owner determined they will get through it with extra walking and some very novice, imo, ideas about managing them.

They were genuinely shocked when I said many terriers, not all but many, struggle with same sex issues but particularly dogs. And from my experience the working Lakeland/patterdale types more so. Asked about breed research etc - none. They were looking for a dog, there was a nearby litter on pets4homes. Liked him so went back and got three others over the 18 months which followed (not even going to comment re number of litters from one place). Now routinely getting bitten and the dogs are tearing each other apart - but it will all settle as they are vying for pack leader role and it’s sibling rivalry. Apparently.

1 of these has now lost an ear I see through word of mouth/social media. It’s ok though….the behaviourist they’ve gotten in is really good…and believes only in rewarding good and ignoring the bad…even in four intact working Lakeland/patterdale types.

It’s not just the owners sometimes.

 

[P3LH]

I don't know what is floating round inside the skulls of some owners, no brain cells that's for sure.

Shall we spell it out on the off chance some of the thick b*stards are reading this.

If you see a dog on a lead, do not let your dog approach. You don’t know why the dog is on a lead and really, it’s none of your business.

Someone is training or playing with their dog. Do not allow your dog to go barging in.

Forget that, it’s getting too complicated. How about this?

Do not let your rude and pushy dog approach any dog, on or off lead. Simples

We’ve had this a lot lately. Our bitch is generally sociable to walk with other dogs and in terms of strange dogs completely ignores their existence as is more interested in finding poo to roll in or eat. This is all on one condition - they stay out of her face and don’t come at her/pester her. She is like a school mistress and demands manners even with our other dogs and dogs she knows well.

She is always on a long line if in large spaces as recall is something she fundamentally doesn’t believe in, normal lead where there’s lots of traffic/on paths etc.

There isn’t one walk she doesn’t at least show her teeth as is harassed by several off lead, impolite, strange dogs with about as much recall as she has.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Do not let your rude and pushy dog approach any dog, on or off lead. Simples

And if you see someone obviously concentrating on their dog, let them get on with it!
Unlike the unfamiliar woman who we met very close to home. Now reactive brown youngster is with YorksG and black dog, sitting between 2 parked cars. I have the 2 yellow dogs sitting in front (between
YorksG and the road). Strange, in all senses of the word, woman with spaniel, other woman and other dog, instead of moving past at a decent speed and getting on with her walk, stops next to me, allows spaniel to approach our dogs and asks "What is he called?" Repeated several times over the increasing volume of our now reactive brown youngster.

 

[splashgirl45]

PAS , that is unbelievable, do they not have a brain between them? Did you say please go away (F . . . OFF). I don’t think I could have stopped myself shouting at them

 

[Morwenna]

I’m trying really hard to teach my over-exuberant lab that we don’t get to launch ourselves at every person and dog we see. There’s a narrow path into the local park with a wide gravel private road next to it. If people are coming out of the park towards us I pull onto the gravel and do some simple training / focus exerciseS. Often with the addition of a loud “we don’t get to say hello to everyone” loosely aimed at the dog. Most people are fine with it but a doodle bowled over to us today on an extendable lead attached to a head collar and bounced around mine trying to get to the treats I had. I moved mine to sit between my legs and kept her focused on my and then the other owner told me how unfair I was and how it’s good for dogs to play and people like me are the reason we have so many unsociable dogs. Time to set the alarm clock half an hour earlier to miss all the idiots.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

And if you see someone obviously concentrating on their dog, let them get on with it!
Unlike the unfamiliar woman who we met very close to home. Now reactive brown youngster is with YorksG and black dog, sitting between 2 parked cars. I have the 2 yellow dogs sitting in front (between
YorksG and the road). Strange, in all senses of the word, woman with spaniel, other woman and other dog, instead of moving past at a decent speed and getting on with her walk, stops next to me, allows spaniel to approach our dogs and asks "What is he called?" Repeated several times over the increasing volume of our now reactive brown youngster.

Brainless!

 

[Maddie Moo]

I have no words

 

[P3LH]

I’m trying really hard to teach my over-exuberant lab that we don’t get to launch ourselves at every person and dog we see. There’s a narrow path into the local park with a wide gravel private road next to it. If people are coming out of the park towards us I pull onto the gravel and do some simple training / focus exerciseS. Often with the addition of a loud “we don’t get to say hello to everyone” loosely aimed at the dog. Most people are fine with it but a doodle bowled over to us today on an extendable lead attached to a head collar and bounced around mine trying to get to the treats I had. I moved mine to sit between my legs and kept her focused on my and then the other owner told me how unfair I was and how it’s good for dogs to play and people like me are the reason we have so many unsociable dogs. Time to set the alarm clock half an hour earlier to miss all the idiots.

I’m told this several times a week so you’re at least in good company. What the people who say this fail to see is the fact my dogs are happily playing with each other/generally going about their lives and have absolutely zero interest in their dogs.

 

[blackcob]

the other owner told me how unfair I was and how it’s good for dogs to play and people like me are the reason we have so many unsociable dogs.

IME these people often rely on other dogs to hare-arse about and tire out their rude and unsocialised dog for them, which is why they get all butthurt when you don't want to participate. And yes, they fail to see the part where my dogs have plenty of 'friends' to socialise with, of known temperaments, but apparently the need to take rude crap off some random doodle is prized above all else.

Giant Moose Pup is having a not unexpected intense barky phase right now and I could really do without the 'slow unreeling of the flexi lead to say hello even though I've moved away and you can see I'm working on stuff right now' brigade.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I was away for the weekend and stopped at a parkland on the way home on Sunday. I went to a very quiet corner away from everyone else to do some food circuits with my young dog.

A woman with three small fluffy things on leash and a very large black lurcher came around the corner into the car park and was already being shouted at by a woman with a whippet who was trying to put her dog away.

The black lurcher was on a long line and bounded over to us. I let out a very loud 'NO!' and scooped up my dog/made her feel protected. Woman shouted 'sorry' but did not come any closer. I then shouted 'YOUR DOG IS GOING TO GET BIT' and she eventually ambled over, lots of 'sorries', collected dog, and then took around fifteen minutes to sort them all out into her car, while I worked on settling my dog again. In fairness she did not spark up until the other dog started going away again, and she was in no position to bite anything except muggins, here.

 

[maisie06]

I’m told this several times a week so you’re at least in good company. What the people who say this fail to see is the fact my dogs are happily playing with each other/generally going about their lives and have absolutely zero interest in their dogs.

Can I join the club too!! I get told this by brainless morons that my dogs are missing out on playtime amd I'm cruel etc etc.Sometimes I ask them if they play with every human they see - often met with a blank look!! My 3 sometimes play around together and I have a couple of friends with dogs and we sometimes let them have a run together as they all get on well, but strange dosg - nope, not even going there.

We did get a lovely thankyou this morning though, coming along a track I noticed a lady ahead focusing her dog on her, lovely animal, a large collie cross of some sort, as the track is quite narrow ahead I put mine on leads and stepped to the side where it's wider and gave her a shout to come through, she thanked me and said she wished more dog owners were more considerate as hers has been attacked twice in one week, and is getting reative, such a shame and makes me so angry

 

[Parrotperson]

Me today (or was it?!) Met a lady walking a friend’s black lab plus her own puppy. More on that later. I didn’t like the lab’s body language so called my lot and walked away. Met them again later with more space and the lab got in Bear’s face. Bear had a very minor pop, just a warning and she told me how the lab often has a snarl/snap at other dogs. She put it on the lead because it wouldn’t stay away from Bear who was in a sit by my side. She then let her extendable lead run out so it again came at Bear who properly told it off. I started walking away so my lot all disappeared.

She told me how amazing my lot’s recall is, she frequently sees them with my OH. I asked what type of dog her massive puppy was and she told me an xl bully (4 months and bigger than Bear) and how great he is with her kids. She also has has a French mastiff with zero recall. I remember it from months ago when I was speedwalking to get away from it!

Jesus wept. Accidents waiting to happen.

 

[Tiddlypom]

We've renewed our membership of the local stately pile which opens its gardens and grounds three days a week from March - Oct. £90 for OH and me. Dogs welcome, but strictly on leads, hurray.

I've just come back from a wet and windswept but lovely 4.5 mile meander in the grounds. Just one idiot - I've never seen an off lead dog there before, but today this chap had his off lead spaniel about 20 yards away from him heading straight towards where the estate workers were about to loose herd a very lively group of rare breed cattle from one side of the estate road to the other . They didn't hold back telling him to get his dog back under control. Do people have a brain?

Some lovely pics from today - not bad considering all the weather warnings. So much more relaxed knowing that you are very unlikely to get hassled by an off lead dog. The JRT loves it there.

 

[MurphysMinder]

We've renewed our membership of the local stately pile which opens its gardens and grounds three days a week from March - Oct. £90 for OH and me. Dogs welcome, but strictly on leads, hurray.

I've just come back from a wet and windswept but lovely 4.5 mile meander in the grounds. Just one idiot - I've never seen an off lead dog there before, but today this chap had his off lead spaniel about 20 yards away from him heading straight towards where the estate workers were about to loose herd a very lively group of rare breed cattle from one side of the estate road to the other . They didn't hold back telling him to get his dog back under control. Do people have a brain?

Some lovely pics from today - not bad considering all the weather warnings. So much more relaxed knowing that you are very unlikely to get hassled by an off lead dog. The JRT loves it there.

View attachment 111297

View attachment 111298

I don’t realise you could have a walk of that length in the grounds . Must add to my list.

 

[Shutterbug]

If I had a quid for every time I have come across an idiot dog owner, I could retire

I have two dogs, a very large black lab and a Belgian Malinois x GSD who is a rescue. Lab is a big goofy lad, very friendly on his own. Rescue is is reactive to other dogs that get in her face - I had neither of these dogs in puppy stage and both are 2 years old. I often walk them around a large pathed park area at the back of my house. A few months ago, I came across a woman who was walking an off leash Labradoodle puppy. It came bounding over to my two at which point I asked her to recall her dog, got off the path by 10' and asked both my dogs to sit, which they both did (the power of cocktail sausages). We have worked hard for a year to get to this stage. Puppy kept coming, and I again said to her "get your dog mine aren't friendly if he gets too close". At which point my lab stood up, barked once and the pup scurried back to her. I asked her if she was aware that she should put her dog on the leash when approaching other on leash dogs and she said she had never heard of this and wasn't aware. I told her that her she was risking her dog getting hurt by allowing it to run up to other dogs and have no control over it. She then said to me "well that will be your fault for having out of control dogs". I had been very polite up until this point! I looked down at my two, very well behaved dogs who were still sat at my feet and wondered what she though out of control looked like. I realised it was useless so walked away, mumbling "idiot" under my breath. My dogs are only ever off leash in either a run free dog park or a local forest first thing in the morning where we practice our recall. Neither can be trusted not to just take off for the sheer hell of it. As their human, its my job to keep them safe.

Don't even get me started on the amount of loose dogs I have come across when out riding. One time I asked a couple to leash their puppy as I was unsure if the horse I was riding was ok with dogs, they didnt even have a leash for it!!! They then accused me of thinking I owned the park. So I told them next time i wouldn't bother and if their dog was booted in the head and killed, it would be on them.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I don’t realise you could have a walk of that length in the grounds . Must add to my list.

It's a slightly convoluted route, but it takes in the lake, the temple and folly gardens, tower hill, the chapel and the daffodil walk (and the café!).

£9 per adult per day vs £45 per adult for a year's membership.

 

[GSD Woman]

Maddie Moo,

There isn't an appropriate emoji for that poor freak of nature. What are these money grubbers thinking? Oh, that's right, the money.

It's probably on this thread but I had my dog in a down and was standing over her feeding her one bit of kibble at a time dropped between her paws to allow a bulldog to pass on a narrow path and they let the bulldog come right over (on a leash) to her and try and eat the food.

CC,

Did you kick the bulldog in the mouth?

One thing about having hurt my back so badly is that my dogs aren't getting walked on the trails right now so I don't have to deal with idiots. We play tennis ball in the back garden or go to my neighbor's nice open space for tennis ball in the appropriate weather. And 83 F is not appropriate, even though it won't be humid. In another month or so I'll be getting up at first light to take the dogs on short walks before it gets too yuck. Those of you who have been to the mid-Atlantic area of the USA in the summer know what I'm talking about.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Nah, I just gave the people walking it a bollocking, there may have been swearing.