Would you like your dog do this?

[traincarbus]

Just interested in opinions really. I have a 2 year old spaniel. She’s not fussed in the slightest by other dogs. She’s not aggressive towards them, but also not interested. She totally ignores them and just wants her ball when we are out.
She gets walked by a dog walker twice a week with 4 other dogs and just does her own thing!
I took her out today and there was an 11 month old Great Dane puppy. So pretty big, all legs, very bouncy.
Anyway it must have knocked my dog flying at least 5 times. Came bounding over, pouncing on her, barging into her, pinning her down,colliding with her when she was chasing her ball. My dog totally ignored the puppy the whole time.
I watched and the Great Dane did the same thing to 2 other dogs afterwards. Owner said “oh he’s just playing, he doesn’t realise his size”
If you owned this dog would you let him play like this?
Also I didn’t have a clue what to do in this situation. I tried throwing my dogs ball in the opposite direction but the puppy chased her, I put my dog on the lead, but the puppy kept pinning her down and rolling on top of her and she couldn’t get away from him as she was on lead.
Short of picking her up what should I have done?!

[traincarbus]

Title should be “would you let your dog do this” not like!

[Smallsteps88]

My dog is exactly like your dog OP. He has zero interest in other dogs. Thankfully most other dogs give up trying to get him to play very quickly.

In your situation I would ask the other owner to take their dog away or leash it.

[MyDucksArentInARow]

Nope. They should have the great Dane under control. The puppy will end up with poor recall and thinking every distraction is better than his owner.

[traincarbus]

Exactly this @Smallsteps88
She never engages with other dogs so usually they don’t bother trying to play. This dog was just so persistent. Felt awful for my poor dog basically getting beaten up.
If I see him again then I’ll ask if he can put his dog on a lead if he’s wiping other dogs out.

[Smallsteps88]

If I see him again then I’ll ask if he can put his dog on a lead if he’s wiping other dogs out.

Definitely do.

Puppies are still learning and normally when they’re being a nuisance other dogs will eventually let them know but I know with my boy that will never happen. He just doesn’t engage at all. Your dog sound so the same so it’s up to you to step in for him and ask the owner to take the pup away.

[vanillandhoney]

They need to have their dog under control. It's not fair on other dogs. What will happen if he approaches a dog that's on-lead because it's injured or dog-aggressive?

They need to recall their dogs away from other dogs, and use a longline if the dog has no recall.

My beagle was on lead for MONTHS because he refused to come away from other dogs. It's only in the past couple of months that he's matured enough to be allowed off lead around other dogs and he's 2.5!

[MsMarvellous]

I've a bouncy Dalmatian and he was horrendous for this from 8months. Unless the other dog was joining in and it was actual Rough and tumble I'd get him back and move on. It's not good behaviour at all of the other dog isn't interested.

He's 14 months now and starting to behave and have manners!

[Floralnomad]

I wouldn’t have allowed it , my dog is disinterested in other dogs , quick sniff then moves on , also ball obsessed however he can turn very quickly and if someone keeps harassing him I always tell the owner to remove their animal as I know it has potential to turn nasty . Your poor dog is being penalised for being too nice . I’ve no qualms about telling people to take their dog away from mine because although mine can get a bit narky if harangued if he’s left alone he wouldn’t go near their dog .

[pigsDOfly]

My dog's the same as yours OP but has on a rare occasion growled at another dog who didn't get the message that she wasn't interested. Usually though, she gives me her 'do something' look.

What I do is to call her and take her right away from the situation, although having said that some dogs, as you've found, can be really persistent and some owners can be really stupid, and we have been followed across a large park and even a large field by a very determined dog.

The problem is that such a large puppy could seriously injure you dog, so I think I'd be telling the Great Dane's owner to control their dog.

We had a Great Dane puppy coming to a park where I used to live.

One evening there was a group of us dog walkers standing around when the GD ran full pelt into the back of one of the women. She was knocked to the ground and was quite badly hurt. Took several weeks before the pain went.

Unfortunately, some owners are clueless; the owner of the GD in your park sound as if she's going to be one of the 'he's friendly' brigade and she needs to understand allowing her dog to bash into other dogs, regardless how 'friendly' her dog is being, is completely unacceptable.

Your dog won't 'say' anything from the sound of it, so you've got to be the one to do it.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Nope. My very dog-social bitch was put on the lead when she tried those games. I get peed off with owners who let their dogs rollick up and annoy my dogs.

[applegate79]

I’d also be asking the other owner to put their dog on a lead. My spaniel is quite nervous with other dogs and very obviously cringes (he’s never growled but just shrinks into himself) when they want to play with him, he just wants to be left alone with his ball and has no interest in other dogs. I find it really irritating when other owners say ‘oh he just wants to play’ as mine blatantly doesn’t and I feel that, although some of his aloofness is just being a spaniel and wanting to do his own thing, he definitely becomes more anxious the more he is harassed. Added to the fact he’s not well at the moment and hasn’t got much time left which means we just want to enjoy our walks (sorry I’m writing this feeling highly irritated after he was accosted by a very enthusiastic lab this morning who kept telling me her dog was just friendly!!!)

[Scattyhattie]

With a Dane there's a big risk that will injure or even kill a smaller dog with that type of playing & as PP people getting knocked over can also easily land with big damages bill or dangerous dogs act given they don't have to bite. Can also get council orders to keep your dog on lead in an area if its causing a nuisance to the community.

Recall is never 100% assured as dogs aren't robots, but shouldn't be setting up a situation to fail where know dog will practice the behaviours you don't want long-term.
Its better to find known suitable play mates to socialise with and not use strangers dogs at the park. Plus the last thing want is a reactive adult Dane either through fear or greeting frustration.

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

My dog would have managed the first two times, after that he would have rather firmly told the puppy where to go. Which would probably have meant the other owner would mark my dog down as aggressive, but c'est la vie. If I've said 'he's not very playful with puppies' once, I've said it a hundred times. I normally leash mine and move on of course, but sometimes it's worth letting it play out (obvs he wouldn't bite and once he's told the other dog off we would move away).

I hate this behaviour, can't you tell?

[traincarbus]

Well I’m glad I wasn’t overreacting. It really spoilt our walk today and she’s such a good girl who never tells other dogs off.
It was the first time we’ve seen this dog so hopefully won’t be a regular occurrence. It jumped up at me at one point and it was really strong so god knows how my dog felt.

[Witchgonebad]

I have an over friendly giant breed pup and have to be very selective which dogs I let him interact with off lead.

I’ve also been on the receiving end of over boisterous dogs being a nuisance when I’m trying to keep control of him!

In your situation I would certainly tell the owner to call their dog. If they object simply tell them your dog is recovering from an injury and could be hurt.
Not that you should have to give excuses.

[frostedviolets]

In theory I would have stepped in front of it and walked into the dog hopefully blocking it from mine.

In practise, my dog would have almost certainly reacted very aggressively, probably all show but quite possibly bitten before I would have had a chance to even try and separate them.

The ‘owner’ is a complete and utter twat and one day the pup will bounce into the wrong dog who will give it the fright of its life

[Soubriquet]

Nope

I always remember when I had my old dog Eevee.

We had gone round my nans who had a friend visiting with a very spoiled poodle.

The poodle was trying to stop Eevee from going indoors.

First two times she ignored it.
Third time, she flipped the poodle on its back, growled in its face and backed off.

The owner panicked screaming “my poor baby!!”

Personally I think Eevee was quite restrained

[Sitdowncupoftea]

Personally the owner of the great dane needs to be told to control his dog. It's not the fogs fault but its idiot owner.

[Yokohamajojo]

Happened to us as well with a Doberman puppy, I tried to get away as I saw mine was getting bothered and the Dobie owner was 100s of meters away so couldn't even ask them to take their dog away! My dog now hates Dobermans unfortunately.