Abusive Jogger

[FragileTitanium]

Just got back from taking my puppy for an early morning walk. We met a very nasty male jogger who started abusing me because my tiny puppy started to jump up on him while he was jogging. I agree that this is unacceptable behaviour for my puppy - who is still learning. It didn't help that he was prancing about the place as though he was playing with her.

I'm a really responsible dog owner and I work really hard at it. I follow Gwen Bailey's perfect puppy advice (which is hard work), etc, etc.

However, so many people (joggers included) stop and pet the puppy and play with it that it undoes my training to ignore joggers. So it makes it so difficult when you get the odd jogger who really reacts badly.
We were walking in the country at the crack of dawn (literally), which is the only place my puppy is off lead.

It also didn't help that at 6 months old, her recall has suddenly gone to pot and when I call her, she runs away. I'm told this is typical teenager behaviour but it didn't look good in front of the abusive jogger when I couldn't catch my doggy to put it on the lead.

No point to this post, just letting off steam really.

Oh....re teenage thing. Should I start walking her on the lead in the country while her recall is unreliable? What are other people doing? Not much in Gwen Bailey on the teenage thing.

[TunipTheVegedude]

for both of you.

The jogger has a right to go jogging without someone else's dog jumping up on him.
'People who don't like dogs are weird' - prejudiced much?

[AllDirections]

I agree Tunip

[Buttercup4]

Fragile, probably wasn't the best thing. When my dog was a puppy I kept her on a lead ( a really long extendable one though) for walks where I thought we might bump into people.

The guy could have been nicer about it, but some people just don't like dogs.

I have a shih tzu and when she was about 4 months old (and tiny!) I had a grown man jump on someone's garden wall screaming to "get her away from him" even though she was 6ft away from him and was on her lead. Some people have very strong reactions. It does seen bizarre to us, because we like dogs but there are people who don't...

[thegriffon]

You need to keep going to places where there are loads of joggers so pup can learn to ignore them. Keep on lead if you can't see far enough ahead to give you time to get dog back to you. Every time a jogger appears say "heel" and get dog in position looking at you, use toy/treat to keep her fixated on you, then when jogger is well past praise and treat. Let off lead if no one else around but try to keep one step ahead and spot joggers before dog does.

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

I think you have to suck it up, tbh. Your dog shouldn't be approaching people who don't want to be approached. I sympathise, because my older dog has never done this (just not in his nature) where as my puppy makes a bee line for anyone in view clearly expecting a fuss or biscuits. He still recalls atm, but that will change shortly

[Whoknowswhocares]

For her own safety, if her recall has gone to pot, then she should not be off lead!
Get a long line and retrain the recall whilst maintaining some control over the situation.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Mmm, if my dog did this I'd kind of expect to get shouted at.

As a cyclist if a dog does it I will shout, not loads of abuse, but I have shouted at people to get their bloody dog under control, etc. and you can't say I don't like dogs because I do.

I used to jog and dogs were very annoying when they did this, remember this could be the fifth dog that morning that's done it. He may also have had a bad experience. Dh runs and says any dog that does this to him gets a hard kick so be grateful it wasn't my dh.

[Buttercup4]

Viva... I think your DH's reaction is very extreme. A hard kick?! For goodness sakes, I hope he realises that is illegal. Although, if someone kicked my dog, I can guarantee my response would not be within the law.

[Chopstheduck]

Hmmm I go running 3-4 times a week. I have had quite a lot of dogs run after me, some friendly, some not. When you are trying to run, you don't necessarily want to stop and pet or fend off dogs. I like dogs, but I don't appreciate having to stop midrun when owners can't control their dogs. I think you should have your dog on a lead until you've trained her to stop running after people again, sorry!

I wouldn't have shouted at you, but I would have been irritated and asked you to get your dog. Your dog might also get kicked, I worry that I am going to kick a dog one of these days indadvertedly, when they run round and round my feet and I am running.


' I can't help thinking that people who don't like dogs are weird'

• I think people who don't accept that not everyone loves being jumped over by their pets are weird.

[giddywithglee]

I think the jogger was over-reacting a bit! I regularly run along the canal early morning and early evening and come across dogs every time. Sometimes they jump up, sometimes they follow me, sometimes they ignore me.

It is annoying when they jump up (especially if they are big) but I wouldn't say it warrants shouting and certainly not a kick. But then I'm not afraid of dogs, and I can imagine that if you are it could be quite upsetting if a dog jumps up or follows you.

[giddywithglee]

Actually, I often give the dog a little pat or stroke if they come to see me, but then I do like dogs.

[giddywithglee]

Viva if I saw your DH kicking a dog I would probably kick him. Or call the RSPCA and get him prosecuted.

[fishie]

I think small dogs often get away with things that the owners of big dogs would be arrested for. A six month puppy shouldn't be jumping up at people. Also it is quite hard to stop dead or dodge a dog when you are running, one can have quite a bit of momentum going and don't want to trip over dog.

[TunipTheVegedude]

I doubt a prosecution would get very far when it is basically someone fending off a dog that jumps up on him, even if the amount of force used was totally disproportionate.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Believe me I have told him he shouldn't kick dogs as for no other reason it could make them more likely to bite him!

He says its defence and he's protecting himself as he has no idea if the dog's going to bite him or not.

I think dog owners have to accept that there are people who are so scared of dogs that they may react like this. Not because they're nasty dog hating bastards but that they would do it out of fear.

[RussiansOnTheSpree]

Fragile If your dog won't come when you call it keep it on the bloody lead. If your dog attacks runners keep it on the bloody lead. I ws badly injured by a dog that jumped up at me when I was running - I fell, hit my head on a rock, broke my glasses and now can no longer run outside because I'm too nervous. All because of a stupid idiot dog owner, like you, who let their dog off the lead in a running area when their dog isn't properly trained.

[JaxTellerIsAllMine]

you need to get a long line and enforce recall. I love dogs, but if one came bounding up at me I wouldnt be amused either.

Keep going to places where there are lots of distractions, people, runners, joggers, cyclists etc and tell everyone NOT to pet your dog, it is in training.

To kick a dog deliberately isnt good, but if someone is running/jogging it may inadvertently get kicked.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Giddy, like Turnips said the RSPCA or the police wouldn't be interested as he would perfectly legally be able to say self defence. On the other hand if you kicked dh you might get prosecuted.....dunno guess you could say you were fefending your dog.

To be honest I doubt you'd catch him, he's very fast.

[Chopstheduck]

mm, cycling I see them too. Had one the other day chasing us all, not even a puppy and clearly no recall whatsoever. I really don't understand why owners don't train their dogs properly for their own safety at least! A dog vs a bike isn't going to come off too well!