Just had a row with another dog walker!

[mollichop]

In a big field and bloke with a young setter is coming towards me - it's off lead as are my two.

As we pass they have a sniff and he grabs his dog by the scruff and literally drags it past with front legs off the floor and hind legs dragging. Proceeds to drag it 20 or so yards so I shout "excuse me!" he ignores so I
walk after him and shout it again.

I said "that's a bit of an extreme reaction" to which he shouts "I've only just got the ****ing thing back!" so I shout "I'm not surprised if that's the reception it gets!"

He's still dragging the poor thing so I shouted "PUT IT DOWN!"

He told me to **** off and I said not to bother having a dog if it was that
un-enjoyable for him.

Argh - I am livid and shaking - I know I did the wrong thing and now worry that he'll take it out on the dog :-(

How should I have handled it or should I have bitten my tongue - what would you have done?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Hindsight is 20:20 so here goes: I'd have put my dogs into a sit, heel, on the lead, told them to walk on, whatever, or made a big fuss of the setter til the owner came over. If it was right by you, he couldn't have been stupid about it. Ridiculous bloke to do that to his dog.

The problem is that everyone is immediately defensive/hostile/aggressive about everything these days and unless another dog walker makes it obvious they're happy for their dog to meet mine, I'll scarper.

Alternatively, tuck the dog under your arm next time you see it and sprint off! He clearly doesn't deserve it!

 

[ladyt25]

If he'd only just got it back then why didn't he have it on a lead? I think you probably did the right thing - sometimes these things need saying. He may actually give it some thoght afterwards and consider what he did. he may not. Still, you have let your feelings about it known there's not a lot more you can do.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Sounds like a total ******

Having had a setter i can understand the frustration of them bogging off across the fields but the answer is to keep them on a lead until you can cope with them and work on their recall - poor dog

 

[mollichop]

That's the thing, it was off lead so I didn't put mine on and they were only just infront of me.

I realise he was pissed off with the dog but it wad only a youngster and the only thing he taught it was not to come back to him again - moron!

 

[YasandCrystal]

Frankly the chap is a total to**** A setter is probably the loveliest but daftest breed he could have chosen if he wanted an obedient dog. It never ceases to amaze me how many angry people own animals and then take out their anger on them, horses included. I would have commented as you did - hard to stay quiet when you see owners behaving that badly.

 

[lexiedhb]

Class A eejit

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

I would've reacted like you too. What a knobber. He'll soon get a reputation in the area and the poor dog will suffer due to his owner being a thickshit. Don't worry, I can guarantee that this will not be the last time he crosses swords with another dog owner.

 

[mollichop]

Thanks guys, I should've kept quiet I know but seeing the poor little thing being hauled off like that made me see red :-(

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I'd find it almost impossible to keep my mouth shut. In the heat of the moment, it's only natural to say something.