While out walking my dogs this morning, we were approached by another dog whose owner was about 150m away and making little effort to call back her dog. She called once and when the dog didn't return, she left it and the dog came to play with us.
I was really worried as I knew nothing about this dog, and my older male dog will get defensive if other male dogs sniff unrestrainedly around my female dog. He's never attacked, but he can growl and jump (though I always keep him on the lead), which is hugely aggressive from my generally very placid dog. There have also been a couple of instances of my dogs being attacked, with no major injuries, though seeing your dog being pinned down and bitten is really unpleasant.
Anyway, very thankfully the dog was female and friendly and there was no trouble. I had to shout to the other owner to come and collect her dog, and she wandered over. I explained that my dog can be defensive and I would prefer if she could restrain her dog just in case, and TBH I was quite upset at this point (shaky upset not angry upset) because I had been really scared about what would happen when the other dog approached us. The owner simply said that her dog was friendly and I had no reason to worry.
So the question is, AIBU to want owners to restrain their dogs just in case there's any trouble?
AIBU?
To want other dog owners to restrain their dogs in public
jonsnowssocks · 20/05/2016 11:49
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
I have a fear aggressive Border Terrier.
I would NOT have most of the issues we have if people bothered to RECALL their dogs. And because of that, I now choose walks carefully (where I can see in most directions what is coming).
Not all dogs want to interact, and it is an unhelpful myth that strange dogs should be meeting one another and playing. That often leads to uncontrolled 'playing' which easily spills over into aggression. It is ideal if dogs can go past one another at a sensible distance calmly (just as we don't need to interact with everyone outside, but stroll past without lunging at them!).
I am now starting to walk in more busy places as Scrabble improves, but still cautious. We have a yellow lead with NERVOUS on, but apparently, some people cannot read when they are standing next to you, deciding to announce that their dog is 'friendly'.
The standard response, of course, is: mine isn't!
A large German Shepherd approached her the other day, and we had no way to move in time. I picked her up. The GS owner becomes stroppy and says "She'll never be friendly if you do that". Well, it is not worth the risk. I can tell what dogs she is likely to react to based on their behavior, and the GS was just too full-on.
I occasionally allow very quick greetings if the other dog seems calm, and is not a small terrier (bad combo for her). A second or so is all a dog needs to get information from the other one and move on.
Sometimes, and I NEVER WOULD, I feel like letting Scrabble loose on one of these 'my dog is friendly' idiots to teach them a much needed lesson.
The lack of recall in many dogs baffles me: it is the no.1 thing you can do to ensure their safety. Both of mine have bombproof recall: your dog should turn on a sixpence and come back from distractions. If you regularly find yourself chasing your dog, then you have a problem. Don't blame me if my dog growls at yours for getting in her face. Wouldn't you be annoyed if a stranger did that to you? I would.
Scrabble has never bitten. It is a lot of posturing and hot air, though it does look unpleasant if you're unfamiliar with that behavior. It takes seconds to recall your dog. I am not even asking that you put it on lead: I just don't want it leaping on mine. A quick sniff? That is probably o.k. But if your dog is bouncy, and can seem intimidating to a smaller dog, please use commonsense and keep it away.
If you don't, then it is YOU who is responsible for it being told off by mine. I used to be apologetic, but no more. Have had enough when it is not mine running about out of control.
Also, don't think about it in terms of the on-lead dog being reactive: it might be ill, the owner might be doing training, or might simply want a quiet walk. It does not matter WHY a dog is on-lead. It is just basic consideration for those around you to keep a sensible distance.
Can you tell that owners unable to recall their dogs *** me right off? 
YANBU at all. Just because your dog is friendly, doesn't mean mine is. Also, I actually don't like going to the park and having to spend half my time on the look out for roaming rogue dogs, I just want to concentrate on my dog.
My lovely female staffie can nip when she's extremely scared. She's only done it three times in the four years we've had her and all were very difficult situations, one involving an off-lead dog when me and my friend were walking her with our DDs who are both 8.
A very over friendly 18 month old labrador came bounding over and was jumping and whining all over my dog and us. My dog got very scared and was very scatty but I couldn't get this lab under control. My friend has never had a dog so was trying to control the lab but had no idea what to do.
Then my friend's DD had a wasp near her head so she screeched right by my dog, who'd been backing up into her to get away from this lab. My dog got completely freaked out by this and turned her head and nipped my friend's DD drawing blood.
The man who owned the lab came sauntering over laughing at how playful his little chap was being. I said he was causing my dog so much distress that my dog's just snapped at a child which is completely out of character.
The guy got his lab in a lead and told me that if my dog couldn't handle other dogs when out and about she shouldn't be out. 
. He always said he was reporting me to the police for the girl's bite.
Godstopper You have a border terrier called Scrabble? That has made my day
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I hate this too OP. I have an elderly Staffie who is used to other dogs (we used to have two dogs) and generally friendly but lately she doesn't seem to have any patience with little jumpy dogs so I keep her on her lead unless its an empty field, and recall her and attach lead if I see anyone approaching.
I get really pissed off when other dogs run over and bother her as I'm sure it would be my fault if she snaps at them! Some people ask if she is ok to which I reply not really as she is old and grumpy which they accept and keep their dogs away.
A colleague said she hates dog walkers like me and if my dog isn't friendly I should only walk her on pavements away from other dogs! 
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