So cross. Dog walkers!

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poiuytrewq

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Remember my collie and her recall issues? Well we have mostly cracked it. I realise I need to be more aware of her body language and call her back before she reacts to anything (rabbits or others dogs etc) it's working well and she's been very good :)

Yesterday I was out jogging and she was up ahead in a open field. I saw a man and woman entering the field on the opposite side with 6 dogs between them. Some on leads some off. Knowing this would be a real issue for me if she went (and that she will snap and snarl at other dogs) I instantly called her back and put her lead on. I took her slightly off the path and sat her down for them to pass.
However they let two dogs tear up to us going mad round us barking and jumping. My dog was obviously not happy about it and rightly so. She was on a lead and was unable to do anything. I shouted and nicely asked them to please call the dogs back.
The woman laughed and said "well I have tried" The dog in her hand on the lead was big and on its back legs choaking to get at us so she couldn't come and get the loose ones.
I admit I got a bit scared I was going to get bitten myself at this point but was trying to shield by poor old dog from these two.
The man she was with who had 3 on leads shouted "just keep walking, they will chase a bit but won't go far before coming back to us!"
What really p'd me off is that they were laughing at me!!!
I guess they thought I was nervous and over reacting but my dog really dislikes Unknown dogs that run at her and I'm sure they would be quick enough to complain if she bit them.
So so angry! - on the plus side very proud of the improvement in my dog and have had a few comments out and about on how well trained she is 😳 (Obviously they saw us at a good time ;). )
 
poiuytrewq said:
Remember my collie and her recall issues? Well we have mostly cracked it. I realise I need to be more aware of her body language and call her back before she reacts to anything (rabbits or others dogs etc) it's working well and she's been very good :)

Yesterday I was out jogging and she was up ahead in a open field. I saw a man and woman entering the field on the opposite side with 6 dogs between them. Some on leads some off. Knowing this would be a real issue for me if she went (and that she will snap and snarl at other dogs) I instantly called her back and put her lead on. I took her slightly off the path and sat her down for them to pass.
However they let two dogs tear up to us going mad round us barking and jumping. My dog was obviously not happy about it and rightly so. She was on a lead and was unable to do anything. I shouted and nicely asked them to please call the dogs back.
The woman laughed and said "well I have tried" The dog in her hand on the lead was big and on its back legs choaking to get at us so she couldn't come and get the loose ones.
I admit I got a bit scared I was going to get bitten myself at this point but was trying to shield by poor old dog from these two.
The man she was with who had 3 on leads shouted "just keep walking, they will chase a bit but won't go far before coming back to us!"
What really p'd me off is that they were laughing at me!!!
I guess they thought I was nervous and over reacting but my dog really dislikes Unknown dogs that run at her and I'm sure they would be quick enough to complain if she bit them.
So so angry! - on the plus side very proud of the improvement in my dog and have had a few comments out and about on how well trained she is �� (Obviously they saw us at a good time ;). )
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We had a phase like this with our Parsons during his socialisation. He'd be fine with quiet well behaved dogs but react badly when other, larger dogs came charging at him - he probably thought he was defending himself. I'd call out 'he reacts really badly to big dogs running at him' as a warning to the other dog's owner but it never seemed to make much difference - pretty much as you describe! He did get better in the end (it just took time) and I'm sure yours will.
 
you have every right to be cross.
you were being a responsible owner and the others were idiots with out of control dogs.
 
You have every right to be cross - they shouldn't be walking so many dogs if they can't control them all.

Something I think worth mentioning: while your reaction in this case is completely understandable, it is important to visibly and audibly remain calm in front of your dog. My dog can occasionally be a bit snappy with strange dogs so I always put him on a lead when I see other dogs approaching- it is very easy for me to tense up and worry that he will snap when they run at him. I have to make a big effort to be very relaxed and nonchalant so my dog can take his cue from me and not worry as he can do. If you react to these incidences, you are confirming to your dog that she should be scared when what you want is to train her to relax and take it in her stride.

This genuinely isn't a criticism - it's very difficult to get right, particularly when the other owner is so infuriatingly incompetent. I often don't manage to be as calm and therefore reassuring to my dog as I could.
 
I find that the phrase "Don't worry, mine's almost over that bout of sarcoptic mange now anyhow!" results in a sudden improvement regarding ability to recall and leash, with the added bonus of them avoiding us completely in future.

*Disclaimer: Dog has never had mange ;)
 
Kaimar said:
I find that the phrase "Don't worry, mine's almost over that bout of sarcoptic mange now anyhow!" results in a sudden improvement regarding ability to recall and leash, with the added bonus of them avoiding us completely in future.

*Disclaimer: Dog has never had mange ;)
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heehee we might as well have fun with it!
 
I'm so going to pull out the Mange line if I meet them again! Love that!

Apercrumbie I know, and I knew at the time. I tried really hard to remain cool but it went on for so long (or felt like a long time)
I was just so mad and aware that her progress could be undone so easily by someone else.

She is getting a lot more tolerant of other dogs. I walked a unknown pug with her recently and although not keen at first they did trot oblong side by side on the way home which was pretty major!
I also regularly pass a guy with the most impeccably mannered lab and I've started letting her approach and say hi and although she's growled a bit her tail was wagging and there was no snapping.
 
I've had dogs all my life and I've found that they are much more aggressive when they are cornered on a lead. The fella telling you to walk on was probably right they would of lost intrest in you. Scooping up, hugging and restraining makes your dog far more interesting to a pack than if you'd just put your head down and trotted on. In this day and age with less open spaces to walk your dog alone they really need to be street wise as you will meet others, the fact you think it's a disgrace that other people are not concerned as you are, won't matter a jot. I'm afraid it will always happen.
 
I agree with Elsbells, my mother can make any dogs fight anywhere but having a panic. On the other hand it is very difficult if your dog is under threat. I was out walking with the labs yesterday and we sat to one side to let a young man and his lab past and it launched right in at my two, proper aggression. I clouted it with my stick, crude but effective.
 
why arnt any of you who are feeling threatened by loose or aggressive dogs reporting these owners to your local authorities?? ive reported 2 people already for having out of control dogs in a public place and one has been tacken to court.alot of these people are breaking the amended 2014 dangerous dogs act.its all on the internet and everyone should know about it.i have an antisocial dangerous dog has to be muzzled in public and in my communal garden.also has to be crated whenever someone comes into the house because if i get reported if they feel threatened he will be seized and ill end up in court.ive learned my lesson with untrained dogs going up to people in public and them been afraid they will attack or jump on them.my view is keep all your dogs on a lead and keep moving when you meet other people with dogs or train it so recall is impeccable before letting it off lead.people are just not taking this law seriously.also there
are idiots who walk their dogs off lead on public highways wtf totally illegal.
 
Elsbells said:
I've had dogs all my life and I've found that they are much more aggressive when they are cornered on a lead. The fella telling you to walk on was probably right they would of lost intrest in you. Scooping up, hugging and restraining makes your dog far more interesting to a pack than if you'd just put your head down and trotted on. In this day and age with less open spaces to walk your dog alone they really need to be street wise as you will meet others, the fact you think it's a disgrace that other people are not concerned as you are, won't matter a jot. I'm afraid it will always happen.
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Its easy to say but when she then flies at someone elses dog and is aggressive with them its me that they get annoyed at and rightly so. She does snap and will bite if a unknown dog approaches us. This wasn't initially caused by me as when i first took her on a year ago i had assumed she was fine with other dogs and let her approach them (as long as they were loose aswell) I was wrong and soon got a few enemies for being the lady with a horrible dog.
I let her get on with it at home with our other dogs and my parents and she is now fine with them but other people dont like it.
I've always had dogs and they have always been good with other dogs because they were socialized as youngsters. This dog is 10 and has not been with other dogs.

How can i report someone I don't know? I cant phone the local authority up and say a fat man and woman walking 6 dogs. Think they would need a little more to go on!
 
She's making progress, it will get better (honest!). I think with ours this was the longest phase of his socialisation, the OK-with-all-but-the-big-bouncy-ones-charging-at-him phase. He was worse in more enclosed spaces, where he didn't have anywhere to escape from them to, and better in wider open spaces.
 
I find people react far better to the 'Mine isn't friendly' rather than silence or 'Please reall your dog'. Walk away as quickly as possible if the other owner is reluctant to recall or can't recall.
 
cinnamontoast said:
I find people react far better to the 'Mine isn't friendly' rather than silence or 'Please reall your dog'. Walk away as quickly as possible if the other owner is reluctant to recall or can't recall.
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Yes I think this is where I went wrong. I think they figured I was nervous about their dogs tearing round me.
 
Carry on walking next time. I don't like the palaver of seeing a dog, standing out the way, getting the dog to sit, letting other people pass, praising the dog etc. etc.

Just keep walking and don't stop for anything. If your dog's pulling to get to the others pull it and ignore. If it snaps at others who are off lead and pestering and yours is on lead that's not your problem.

Anything other than ignoring and you're reinforcing that there's something to be interested in/afraid of/excited about.
 
I have an ASBO collie - she is not good at all with other dogs. Some she will barely tolerate others she just snarls and generally behaves like a raving lunatic.

She has got a lot better but I do not trust her with other dogs - she is unpredictable and will attack if she feels threatened (or if the wind is blowing the wrong way sometimes) she is also very very protective of me - she isn't anywhere near as snarly when hubby takes her out.

I try to avoid walking her at busy times so that she can have a bit of time off lead but there are times when I know there will be other dogs around - at those times she is always on the lead and if we meet people/dogs/both then I pull her to the side, sit her down and ask her to focus on me. Sometimes, if there is enough room, we will carry on walking but it's easier to get her to be still than have her pulling on the lead.

I have had occasions where off lead dogs have come bounding over to her - she will then start barking, invariably I will be told by the owner of the loose dog 'Oh don't worry he/she is really friendly' my response is always that mine isn't and that is why she is on a lead.

Most have been fine, one chap who got a bit stroppy because by this time she was snarling at his precious that was up in her face, was told that if he didn't get his dog away I'd either boot it out of the way or let mine off the lead to sort things out for herself, I've also made friends with a few people who have been extremely understanding and have offered to walk with me for a while with their dogs on lead and at a distance to try to help Jess with her 'issues'. I have no qualms at all about advising people that she is not friendly and will bite if she feels threatened.
 
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