Loose dogs on the beach

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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I suppose this is just a moan as there's not much I can do about it. But went to the beach on Friday, took the dogs (3yo rough collie and 7mo border collie). I cannot remember ever seeing so many off lead dogs. And people using those ball launchers, so there were dogs charging everywhere. One woman had 4 spaniels on the go.
Now having balls flying everywhere is a massive trigger for my bc. He doesn't fixate too much on them at home, he's learning to be a working dog so gets his sheep fix regularly. But put him on a lead, with dogs and balls almost continually shooting across his field of vision and he loses it. Barking, lunging, you get the picture.
I'm a bit stumped for the next move tbh.
We stayed at the beach, walked him lots and rewarded him for calmness. He did make progress but then someone would start playing fetch right in front of us again and set him off so it was challenging to say the least.
I don't want to avoid beaches! We go relatively often and he loves the water. So I'm thinking I just have to bite the bullet and go as much as possible with the hope he gets habituated. It has worked with my rough; she used to get wound up by loose dogs and ball games. But she can sleep through them now. But he's a bc, and there seem to be an awful lot more loose dogs playing ball games than there used to be. I do think it's quite antisocial actually, especially when some of the dogs end up rifling through people's picnics or running up to other dogs uninvited. One family had a huge malinois type thing which charges up to mine, stiff tail, uncertain body language and they do the whole oh, he's just being friendly, who's a good boy. Next thing my bc launches at him and looks like the aggressor. Dog then wanders off and does the exact same thing to a small dog, which then reacts while the family carry on thinking their dog isn't the issue. Aarghh!
Maybe we should avoid the beach...
 
Nudibranch said:
I suppose this is just a moan as there's not much I can do about it. But went to the beach on Friday, took the dogs (3yo rough collie and 7mo border collie). I cannot remember ever seeing so many off lead dogs. And people using those ball launchers, so there were dogs charging everywhere. One woman had 4 spaniels on the go.
Now having balls flying everywhere is a massive trigger for my bc. He doesn't fixate too much on them at home, he's learning to be a working dog so gets his sheep fix regularly. But put him on a lead, with dogs and balls almost continually shooting across his field of vision and he loses it. Barking, lunging, you get the picture.
I'm a bit stumped for the next move tbh.
We stayed at the beach, walked him lots and rewarded him for calmness. He did make progress but then someone would start playing fetch right in front of us again and set him off so it was challenging to say the least.
I don't want to avoid beaches! We go relatively often and he loves the water. So I'm thinking I just have to bite the bullet and go as much as possible with the hope he gets habituated. It has worked with my rough; she used to get wound up by loose dogs and ball games. But she can sleep through them now. But he's a bc, and there seem to be an awful lot more loose dogs playing ball games than there used to be. I do think it's quite antisocial actually, especially when some of the dogs end up rifling through people's picnics or running up to other dogs uninvited. One family had a huge malinois type thing which charges up to mine, stiff tail, uncertain body language and they do the whole oh, he's just being friendly, who's a good boy. Next thing my bc launches at him and looks like the aggressor. Dog then wanders off and does the exact same thing to a small dog, which then reacts while the family carry on thinking their dog isn't the issue. Aarghh!
Maybe we should avoid the beach...
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We avoid places that we expect to be busy at holiday times but we do try to train our dogs to ignore anything but us
 
We also avoid Easter. Got shouted at yesterday by suggesting to someone, walking their very in-season cockapoo at a popular dog walking spot mid morning, that taking a bitch there when it was in season was probably not a great idea. My friend, who has an entire male mini poodle that was very interested in the bitch was told she was being unkind in saying that and that their dog needed to go out for walks too. We unkindly spent the next few minutes hoping to see someone with a couple of cane corsos or similar heading their way to see how that went.

As the other posters have said, just stay away until the holiday madness is over and then it should be safe to go back again.
 
EllenJay said:
The loose dogs on the beach were not causing any problems, owners and dogs were enjoying themselves.
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If you read the OP, some of the loose dogs WERE causing problems 🤷‍♀️. Or is it ok that people are oblivious to the hassle that their dogs cause? Using a ball launcher when there are lots of other dogs around is plain idiotic.

However, taking your dogs to a beach on a Bank Holiday and being surprised at how busy it was with numpties is not really thinking ahead. It has always been like that and always will be.
 
Avoid the popular beaches, especially those that provide nearby car parking, during school holidays, Bank Holidays, weekends when the weather is good and all will be fine. If you want a beach at popular times find a beach that requires a walk to get there preferably including a steep descent/ascent from cliffs and you will have it to yourselves. As we did last Friday.
 
As an aside, I hate those ball launcher things when people use them in a busy public park. My horses are pretty tolerant of dog-related nonsense, but there is always a chance that a sudden, fast-moving dog or ball could cause a big spook. People are idiots and don't always wait for you to pass before lobbing the ball.
 
When I lived in the Uk, right next to the beach, through the whole summer I used to drive 3 miles further up the coast, walk my 3 BCs and a JRT across 3 fields to get to an otherwise inaccessible beach. and it was unknown to anyone other than very local, locals. Same with riding, a 4'ish mile hack up the coastline, across a very long bridleway and slither down a small cliff path. We didn't bother anyone with either dogs or horses and holiday makers didn't bother us.

In winter, it was just a few hundred yards walk straight onto the beach not a tourist in sight, I just wouldn't even bother in holiday and summer time. It wasn't enjoyable way back then so I can only imagine the beaches there are even busier now.
 
Caol Ila said:
As an aside, I hate those ball launcher things when people use them in a busy public park. My horses are pretty tolerant of dog-related nonsense, but there is always a chance that a sudden, fast-moving dog or ball could cause a big spook. People are idiots and don't always wait for you to pass before lobbing the ball.
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I think most vets and physios advise against using them except for an absolute minimum of throws, but lazy pet owners think it is a great way to tire Fido out, and knacker their joints at the same time.
 
Balls ,It’s the only thing I would worry I might not get mine to instantly recall over .
So I would keep them on the lead .
I grew up right on the sea we walked our dogs before seven at peak times that’s what i would do or keep him on the leader .
 
MurphysMinder said:
I think most vets and physios advise against using them except for an absolute minimum of throws, but lazy pet owners think it is a great way to tire Fido out, and knacker their joints at the same time.
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Why are they worse for their joints than throwing a ball with your arm? Because the dog can run further?
 
I think as much as anything it is the constant repetition, and yes it is further and faster. But generally too much ball throwing isn't ideal because of the twisting dogs often do. I think its recommended that if balls are used it is best to let the ball stop moving before releasing the dog.
 
We do approximately 15 minutes of ball throwing about twice a week.

I dont think its because I'm lazy lol.

My dog also does agility twice a week. I imagine jumping courses at 600mm does little good for the joints long term either but IMO quality of life is more important than quantity.
 
I don't mind people on the beach having fun with their dogs. fair enough they're probably on holiday so why not. The problem is the people who see you coming the other way and continue to throw the ball towards and across you.

I went very late the other day. me and 2 other people on beach. One chap still threw the damn ball right across me and dog. Twice I changed direction to get away. Still he threw it in my direction. No common sense. They had 2 miles of beach to throw the bl***y thing. Honestly.

Plus went on the coastal path the other day. Mine on lead because cliff edge not far away. Not very high but wouldn't be a good idea for dog to disappear over it. Couple come toward me with their dog on a lead too. So far so good. Just as I say "Hello I'm walking straight past because training, I'm not being rude" (they had said hello first and I could see what they were thinking) they let out their extendable lead (!) dog rushes up to mine (the path had narrowed at that point so no room to go anywhere). Dogs say hello. I ask mine to move away because I want him to just walk past other dogs (he gets over excited and playful when they say hello) at which point theirs starts attacking mine. Oh wait! that's not even the best part. The chap says (and I kid you not) "That was entirely predictable wasn't it (dog's name)". So why did you let it say hello twitface!!

People are idiots, stupid, irresponsible insert your own word here------

Did meet a nice lady with a French bulldog who seeing me on the dunes put hers back on the lead and stopped so I could get through a gate. I thanked her and we nattered about poor owner behaviour. She was on the dunes to get away from the oblivious ball throwers on the beach!

and don't get me started on the lady who walks 13 dogs all at once. Or the dog I rescued from the busy beach road as it was running around with not an owner in sight. Then owner appears (from the beach and after 5 minutes). Comes over and doesn't even say thanks.

But yeh avoid busy places. Find little used footpaths and the dunes if walkable are your friend.
 
Goose loves stealing other dogs' balls. Fortunately he recalls and loses interest very quickly.

When I had Zak, I used to get really annoyed when I was obviously doing retrieves (hidden dummies usually) and other owners would chuck balls at him. There was like 2 acres of park, obviously public, but come on, just let me have the metre wide strip I'm clearly training on! God, I'm terrible.
 
I do sprint work once or twice a week with the girls using a ball launcher but the ball goes dead before they're sent to retrieve it but we always stop the game when people are nearby, have dogs on the lead (since they're on the lead for a reason) and we give ourselves as much space as possible but despite Ginny being on a longline we still always fine ourselves retrieving a ball from someone else's dog 🤬
 
Jenko109 said:
We do approximately 15 minutes of ball throwing about twice a week.

I dont think its because I'm lazy lol.

My dog also does agility twice a week. I imagine jumping courses at 600mm does little good for the joints long term either but IMO quality of life is more important than quantity.
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Jenko109 said:
We do approximately 15 minutes of ball throwing about twice a week.

I dont think its because I'm lazy lol.

My dog also does agility twice a week. I imagine jumping courses at 600mm does little good for the joints long term either but IMO quality of life is more important than quantity.
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I did say constant repetition. I throw a ball on a rope a few times a week for my heelers, not the young shepherd she mainly just plays tuggy. My little ones also do agility, the younger one trains once , maybe twice a week plus competitions generally once a month, that will increase through the summer. The older one who is 12 next month now just does one run in veteran at shows, plus a few jumps at home during the week. They also both have physio sessions just to make sure they haven't tweaked anything. I agree actually about the strain on joints, particularly for dogs jumping large (mine are both smalls), but think most handlers are aware of this and do suitable fitness work , warm ups etc.
 
Avoid busy times. I'm often the person with 4 (or more) Springers running free. The beach is their downtime so no balls or retrieves. They all have excellent recall, stop whistles and off lead heel when needed though. I usually go walk right down by the water at low tide to avoid the other walkers sticking to the dry sand
 
MurphysMinder said:
I did say constant repetition. I throw a ball on a rope a few times a week for my heelers, not the young shepherd she mainly just plays tuggy. My little ones also do agility, the younger one trains once , maybe twice a week plus competitions generally once a month, that will increase through the summer. The older one who is 12 next month now just does one run in veteran at shows, plus a few jumps at home during the week. They also both have physio sessions just to make sure they haven't tweaked anything. I agree actually about the strain on joints, particularly for dogs jumping large (mine are both smalls), but think most handlers are aware of this and do suitable fitness work , warm ups etc.
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Yes. I think it needs a shake up tbh.

We don't compete much because I wont compete her at 600. I will take her to more relaxed local shows who will allow her to enter as a large dog jumping as an intermediate.

She predominantly trains at 500 and will occasionally do a bit of simple work at 600 but this is rare.

The KC say she should be jumping 600. I think it's too big for her unless it's a simple jump on a straight line. I've never asked her to backside jump over 600 and doubt I ever will.
 
I live 500 yards from the beach and avoid it like the plague from easter weekend until september as full of numpties...I tend to walk in the fields and woods too far from the car parks for people to bother with.

On the subject of ball throwers it's very staisfying when someone lobs the ball in our direction that my springer stops on the whistle and doesn't touch the ball - certainley gets some puzzled looks from other owners!!
 
Slightly off topic but all my BCs were great retrievers of balls, any balls not just ones thrown by us as it turned out. Probably my most awful and embarrassing and shameful dog owner fail was walking 3 of them off lead along a footpath that bordered the golf course, I had rarely walked it before but was using it as a short cut to the previously mentioned beach. All had impeccable training, recall and manners....or so I thought.

To my horror as we neared one of those round (Mowed extra short 🤷‍♀️ ) spots with a hole in the middle, a golfer took a swing and his golf ball sailed gracefully through the air heading straight towards what I assumed was the intended target, the little hole in the middle of the round short grass bit. Youngest dog from a good 30 yards away took off and flew through the air- grabbed the little white missile in full flight and took it straight back to the golfer and dropped it politely at his feet. His friends with him thought it was hilarious, him not so much. 😳

I did apologise profusely, called all dogs to heel and grabbed the ball from in front of him, wiped it with a grubby tissue and handed it back to him. His friend spluttering with laughter said "I'm not sure he wants it now!"

We never used that short cut again.:oops:😅
 
Jenko109 said:
Yes. I think it needs a shake up tbh.

We don't compete much because I wont compete her at 600. I will take her to more relaxed local shows who will allow her to enter as a large dog jumping as an intermediate.

She predominantly trains at 500 and will occasionally do a bit of simple work at 600 but this is rare.

The KC say she should be jumping 600. I think it's too big for her unless it's a simple jump on a straight line. I've never asked her to backside jump over 600 and doubt I ever will.
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Do you have any UKA shows local to you? They have just started running a few round here and they are a game changer. My younger heeler measure 275 mm, at KC he has to jump 300, at UKA it is 250. The older boy is 305 mm, he has jumped 300 without a problem but now at nearly 12 I was going to retire him. However he can jump 200 select at UKA and is loving it. I know quite a few people whose dogs would have to jump 600 at KC but are jumping 500s at UKA shows.
 
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