Thoughts?

[AmyMay]

Friend has just been in touch regarding a recent incident with her dog. This is the situation.

Dog is a border collie, nice dog, friendly. However it doesn’t appreciate being ‘hassled’ by other dogs. It will take it to a certain point, but will nip if the other dog is persistent. It’s very well trained, focused on the owner and is always under control.

This morning my friend was approached by a woman who’s dog had been nipped by her dog a few weeks ago. The nip was a little more serious than first appeared and required veterinary treatment (it was on the muzzle). There was no confrontation, just passed the info on with no ill will (her dog is young, very friendly and doesn’t really at this point have great recall).

My friend is now in a bit of a flap, worrying that her dog could be classed as dangerous.

Thoughts?

 

[CorvusCorax]

If it is the case that your friend's dog is under complete control and the other dog is allowed to approach and crowd hers, and her dog makes contact, while she could have perhaps been a bit quicker at intervening, it's not actually her problem IMO and hopefully the other owner has learned the importance of good recall. It sounds like this is the case.
Her dog is not dangerous, he is just protecting his space.

I've had to behave punitively towards my own dog, as he would see it (blocking or holding him in such a way as to prevent him from retaliating/defending himself when other dogs have run up to him barking or snapping or trying to hump him) in order to avoid a bigger situation developing and it really grinds my gears. I've saved everyone a lot of grief and a potential vet bill, upset my own dog, taught theirs that it is OK to dick off and bother a dog who is minding their own business and never get so much as a 'sorry' or a 'thanks'.

He's not dangerous. If a stranger came up to you in the park while you were minding your own business and having a nice walk and started play fighting and slapping you and sniffing your arse you'd probably tell them to eff off as well!!

 

[PapaverFollis]

I don't think it is your friend's dog that is necessarily at fault. If I allowed daft spaniel to approach a collie and he got a nip that would not surprise me and it would be me and daft spaniel at fault. Me for allowing it, him for being a blundering, collie-annoying fool.

However it might be wise for your friend to be more assertive of protecting her dog's space rather than the dog having to protect his own. Basically yelling at people to recall their dogs! It might not work every time but reducing stressful encounters will help overall.

 

[AmyMay]

That’s reassuring CC, as those were my initial thoughts too, but was second guessing myself. I walk the dog every day and hand on heart he’s always 100% under control (he never leaves your side, and if he does it’s to retrieve his ball and then he’s straight back to you). He is absolutely not interested in other dogs and never seeks them out.

PF, I always yell out to others who’s dogs are bounding over as a warning.

 

[Clodagh]

PF, I always yell out to others who’s dogs are bounding over as a warning.

Have you really perfected the Middle Aged Bitch Witch Swear Scream? Work on it. People end up thinking you are so insane they keep their dog away in case it is catching.

 

[Clodagh]

Of course, I am rudely assuming you are middle aged. How offensive.

 

[CorvusCorax]

CALL YOUR DOG! at the top of my lungs is my go-to lol

And a big fat YOU'RE WELCOME for those who express no contrition whatsoever.

 

[Rowreach]

Have you really perfected the Middle Aged Bitch Witch Swear Scream? Work on it. People end up thinking you are so insane they keep their dog away in case it is catching.

I have.

 

[{97702}]

Ha ha the number of times people have shouted ‘don’t worry he is friendly’ as their idiot out of control dog runs up to my lot - to which they get an extremely terse ‘well mine aren’t!’ in return

Weirdly since I’ve had George this is never necessary, because George is inevitably screaming his head off in terrier outrage if another dog comes within 1/2 a mile of him.... which sets off Millie the reactive lurcher who loves a good bark for any reason.... and then the greyhound boys would join in even though they didn’t really know why ? I always noticed I had to hold 8kg George in one hand but could hold 85kg of combined sighthound in the other hand.....?

ETA - your friends dog is not a problem at all AmyMay, the other owner should have controlled her dog better

 

[FestiveG]

We used to get the issue with idiots allowing their off lead spaniels or other ott creatures come and jump all over the on lead rotters! The phrase "get your expletive dog" could be heard two villages away!

 

[skinnydipper]

I think the collie has done nothing wrong and agree with CC.

I am not keen on dogs rushing at my dog uninvited. I gently explained to a brainless idiot who lets his bull terrier jump on other dogs, growling as she does so, that not all dogs are as tolerant as my dog. That another dog could take exception to this rude canine behaviour.

But hey, its his first dog and he told me he has watched youtube videos. He said the problem is that the owners of other dogs do not recognise that his dog just wants to play and get uptight and this travels down the lead and the recipient of his dog's attention reacts. He told me it has resulted in disagreements with other owners.

I stayed very calm and explained that in the first place he should not be allowing his dog to run up to dogs on a lead, ran through the reasons why a dog might be on a lead and why they would not appreciate his boisterous and rude dog jumping all over them. I then told him that he was very lucky that his dog remains unscathed, that she would one day do it to the "wrong" dog. I then told him of the dog who lived locally who had to be PTS for mauling dogs, resulting in prolonged inpatient care costing thousands of pounds. I hope the penny dropped.

 

[AmyMay]

I had a similar conversation with someone in the summer SD. Yelled at her to call her dogs. She eventually wandered over not understanding what the problem was. Her response to me telling her my dog was not keen on others was to tell me to put it on a lead. ‘How does that solve the problem?’ I asked. My dog would still be under control, yours would not be... ??

Clodagh, I shall work on my Middle Aged Bitch Witch Swear Scream (as I am, sadly, most definitely middle aged ?? xx

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I have.

I think there is a rather large contingent of us on here

 

[skinnydipper]

I had a similar conversation with someone in the summer SD. Yelled at her to call her dogs. She eventually wandered over not understanding what the problem was. Her response to me telling her my dog was not keen on others was to tell me to put it on a lead. ‘How does that solve the problem?’ I asked. My dog would still be under control, yours would not be... ??

Clodagh, I shall work on my Middle Aged Bitch Witch Swear Scream (as I am, sadly, most definitely middle aged ?? xx

I can also, when necessary, be very forthright.

There is a terrier who has already tried to have a go at my dog and who I sent packing. The second time I saw them I shouted ahead to the owner to put his dog on a lead because it had gone for my dog on a previous occasion. He put the dog on its lead and I took the big girl off the path and got her to give me her attention. What did he do? He stopped behind me with his dog lunging and barking, telling me that it was she was because she was a rescue.

I don't see that my dog should have to tolerate that. I'm afraid I was short on patience that day. I could tell you exactly what I said, believe me when I say it was not very ladylike.

What bothers me is that if she did react, she could do some damage and I know who would get the blame. It would be the big dog.

 

[SusieT]

What was the scenario that her dog nipped it?

 

[CorvusCorax]

While it is true that a lot of people telegraph tension down the lead, my dog has been walking along with a ball in his mouth on a loose line and still been jumped on from nowhere.

 

[{97702}]

I can also, when necessary, be very forthright.

There is a terrier who has already tried to have a go at my dog and who I sent packing. The second time I saw them I shouted ahead to the owner to put his dog on a lead because it had gone for my dog on a previous occasion. He put the dog on its lead and I took the big girl off the path and got her to give me her attention. What did he do? He stopped behind me with his dog lunging and barking, telling me that it was she was because she was a rescue.

I don't see that my dog should have to tolerate that. I'm afraid I was short on patience that day. I could tell you exactly what I said, believe me when I say it was not very ladylike.

What bothers me is that if she did react, she could do some damage and I know who would get the blame. It would be the big dog.

Well in my very humble opinion as someone who is new to terriers but who has had a fair amount of rescues, it is nothing to do with the latter and everything to do with the former!

None of my other rescues have wanted to launch unprovoked attacks on dogs who were sitting there behind their owner at heel minding their own business - I was absolutely horrified, I genuinely thought I’d have to have him PTS until it was explained to me that not all breeds are like greyhounds! Now he is never EVER off the lead unless I can guarantee solitude, I couldn’t possibly put anyone else’s dogs at risk! I love George to bits and would protect him with my life, but I am aware of his shortcomings ?

 

[skinnydipper]

Well in my very humble opinion as someone who is new to terriers but who has had a fair amount of rescues, it is nothing to do with the latter and everything to do with the former!

None of my other rescues have wanted to launch unprovoked attacks on dogs who were sitting there behind their owner at heel minding their own business - I was absolutely horrified, I genuinely thought I’d have to have him PTS until it was explained to me that not all breeds are like greyhounds! Now he is never EVER off the lead unless I can guarantee solitude, I couldn’t possibly put anyone else’s dogs at risk! I love George to bits and would protect him with my life, but I am aware of his shortcomings ?

I think its down to the temperament of the dog rather than the breed. George sounds like a fiesty little chap but you've got him sussed and under control .

I've had 3 terriers, 2 were dog (and people) neutral and one was everybody's friend. I can't take any credit for that, it was just how they were.

 

[{97702}]

I think its down to the temperament of the dog rather than the breed. George sounds like a fiesty little chap but you've got him sussed and under control .

I've had 3 terriers, 2 were dog (and people) neutral and one was everybody's friend. I can't take any credit for that, it was just how they were.

Actually that is a fair comment SD - I know Colin is only 5 months old, which will account for quite a lot of it, but his default behaviour is apologetically upside-down on his back waving his paws in the air!

Sorry terriers for tarring you all with the George brush ?