Feeling a little irritated

[Buttholelane]

At something that happened yesterday, it's been annoying me on and off all last night and wondering what everyone else would have done?

This is probably going to be long..

I took my dog for a really really long walk/hike in the woodlands and across the farmland.
It was lovely and calm and quiet with no people really around.
My dog had her first experience of sheep (strictly on lead and far enough away so as not to stress the sheep) then we started home.

Although she had behaved fairly well, in hindsight I think the sight of the sheep was a bit much for her as on the way back she got a bit hyperactive, jumping up, pulling etc.
When I was confident that she wouldn't be able to reach the sheep easily I let her off lead where I saw a woman with a dog off lead.

She was calling and calling this dog with zero response, when we got closer my dog crouched down (purely out of nerves, not trying to herd it) and this dog stood yapping and barking.

Usually my dog would then approach entirely politely but where she was a bit wired this time she flew towards the dog at speed (entirely friendly - just over exuberant) but I thought the little dog seemed nervous so I called her off immediately.

The little dog was extremely 'in your face' barking and yapping at my dog, getting under her legs and trying to get behind her.
Since some bad experiences with other dogs she can be a bit nervous with strange dogs getting behind her and isn't as tolerant with 'in your face' dogs anymore.
She let out a little, deep ruff type noise which was ignored, as she looked uncomfortable and the little dog wasn't listening I thought it best to move on before my dog gave the little one a more forceful warning.

Well, this little dog was relentless constantly running next to my dog barking and yapping, getting in front of her and behind her.
Every time she got behind her my dog whipped round giving that little, deep ruff noise.
I kept saying go, go on trying to get away while the owner was behind calling and calling and calling.....

Eventually the woman caught up with me so the dogs were close, took out a bag of cheap, wagg treats and said (to my dog) you can have one as your good

I don't let my dog interact with other dog owners because sometimes when the other dog approaches she lip curls, I'm not sure if it's resource guarding, anxiety because the dog is at her behind or a bit of both but it's a behaviour I don't like so I don't let her interact and as she's raw fed with a sensitive tummy and wagg and the like make her hyper I don't feed that stuff to her.

I had to get my dog to sit and wait (at very close range to this irritating little dog who ignores all her warning) while she clipped a flexi onto hers then gave my dog another treat

I was feeling annoyed the whole way home, why have a dog that clearly doesn't listen to you off lead?
Why allow a dog that clearly has zero social skills to pester other dogs?
Why would you feed things to a dog that wasn't yours???

I don't know whether I did the right thing?
Should I have immediately put her in a sit do she could get the dog...?
But then my dog was visibly annoyed with it, maybe at close range unable to get away a fight would have broke out?

[sooperdooper]

I don't think you can blame the other owner entirely - it was your dog that approached the little one first, the other other was trying to call her dog back and one little treat won't hurt in the long run.

You should've put your dog back on the lead when she first crouched down, then you would've had more control and been able to move off

[Buttholelane]

Not quite.
I called my dog off and the little dog ran at her barking, getting in her face.

I don't see why I should put her on lead for crouching personally?
She does it since a group of dogs ambushed and tried to attack her, it's purely anxiety.
I interrupt her and she then approaches dogs entirely normally and calmly.

I wasn't expecting her to rush at this dog (as she never does that) and when she did I called her off

[Floralnomad]

Your dog started the problem and you should have just put your dog on a lead or made it sit next to you and waited for the woman to catch you up - quite honestly it's as much your fault as hers ( from what you have written here) . Also if your dog was close to you all you needed to say was please don't give her a treat and frankly you sound very judgey about the woman's choice of treat .

[sooperdooper]

Oh, you said your dog would normally approach in a friendly way but 'flew towards the other dog as speed' because she was stressed?

My point is that whether or not you know she's friendly when she approaches other dogs, you were closer to her than the other owner was to her dog, so to save not knowing how this other dog was going to react you could've put yours back on the lead so you were more in control - no matter how friendly you think your dogs going to be you don't know the other one so better to be safe than sorry and take control of a situation

[Buttholelane]

I disagree but fine, we're all entitled to our opinion.

I didn't want to have her still because this dog was very insistent jumping all over her and my dog was giving warnings that were ignored.
I was concerned that my dog might give the other one a more forceful warning and then I'd either have a fight to deal with or the owner bleating about how vicious my dog is.

I didnt really have time to say anything, she shoved it straight into her gob!

And I am judgy.
It's shit 'food'
That brand in fact is what my dog was fed on when I got her and she was not in a good way at all.

[Buttholelane]

She crouches out of anxiety.
The flying I am pretty sure is because she was overstimulated by the sheep and overexcited.
I honestly wasn't expecting at all because she always approaches other dogs perfectly politely.

I suppose I could, but then I do generally like to let her play with off lead dogs because they enjoy it and I assume the dog is likely friendly if it's off lead.
I don't let her approach leashed dogs and I do watch all off lead interactions closely, I call her off and move on if either dog appears unhappy.

[ender]

I had to get my dog to sit and wait (at very close range to this irritating little dog who ignores all her warning) while she clipped a flexi onto hers then gave my dog another treat

Why didn't you tell her not to give your dog a treat?

[Floralnomad]

Judge away but IIRC a couple of weeks ago you had switched your dog from raw to Chappie dry food for budgetry reasons ( I know you have switched back) and perhaps the owner you encountered also has a tight budget - to me that smacks a bit of double standards particularly as you would probably still be feeding the Chappie if it had agreed with your dog .

[Buttholelane]

Because everyone was at extremely close range and both times she gave it straight to my dog.
I didn't really have any time and in any case, as my dog was unhappy about the way this dog was behaving and it was completely ignoring all her telling offs I was occupied trying to ensure a fight didn't break out.

[Buttholelane]

Chappie is meant to be really good good for sensitive dogs which I why I tried it. Wagg is not.

And in any case, I wouldn't give a strange dog my dogs food?
No matter what it was?

[sooperdooper]

It doesn't matter why she crouches, it just gave you an opportunity to put her lead on and move her away from the other dog since the other owner wasn't close enough to be able to do anything

[basildonbond]

Not really sure why you're asking for advice - you seem to think you're an expert about everyone else's dogs

[tomatodizzymum]

Why didn't you catch hold of the other dog until the owner arrived?

[Floralnomad]

Sorry to push the point but on the 'all about dog food' site Chappie dry gets 1.1 /5 and the 2 Wagg varieties get 1.3/5 and 1.9/5 - so both apparently better quality than Chappie .

[Buttholelane]

basil I thought I was being helpful?
I don't really know what to say actually.
What a horrible thing to say.
I thought I was offering good advice to people that would be appreciated.
I'll be sure not to bother from now on as it seems I'm thought of as a know it all and a fool.
Lovely.

And I don't know tomato.
Maybe I thought the other owner would be cross at me restraining her dog.

[tabulahrasa]

The thing is, if her dog is not great with other dogs, yes she should have put it on the lead...but, that's clearly what she was trying to do as you approached.

I wouldn't let a dog I was walking approach another one while their owner was trying to recall it tbh.

[tomatodizzymum]

Just thought it would be best because the dog was irritating your dog and your dog may have become aggressive. My dog irritates other dogs, he seems not to get the warning signs. So if he was off ahead and being a pain I would be ok with someone catching hold of him. I see your point though. Still it's not really a big deal, one treat isn't going to do much harm in the long run, better than eating some god awful trash (which is what my pain in the arse did yesterday!) and managed to get two gulps before I called him off.
Basildon ease off, that was harsh. Everyone who has a dog knows something to offer others.

[basildonbond]

Apologies butt - I didn't mean to be quite so grumpy, however maybe you should make it clear when giving advice that this is what worked for you rather than always being the definitive truth

[Letsgoforawalk]

No comments on this situation, more a message for buttholelane
You are helpful, you do have good advice, you can come across as a bit "strident".

Forums like this are odd in that there are only words (and peculiar emoticons) meaning it is easy to come across not in the way you intended.

i just thought I'd let you know that, having recently adopted a border collie cross, some of the things you have talked about on here have been really helpful to me. particularly the messages about 'don't overstimulate', 'teach them to settle' and 'time out'.
I've been meaning to let you know this, and this thread seemed an appropriate place.
So, thank you

Hope you are feeling more chilled now.

[WeAllHaveWings]

I don't understand why people treat other people's dogs, it just encourages them to look for food from strangers. I never treat other dogs and tell other owners not to treat mine with their biscuits that make him fart all night

I don't think you did anything wrong. The two dogs were off lead, yours very nicely recalled even after getting excited and hers was being difficult. Wish mine recalled that well when stimulated.