Randomly insulted in village about my dog's 'behaviour'

I told the cocker lady yesterday "she's just an overgrown puppy" and she snarled back "it's the overgrown bit that bothers me" , so I would say that yes, it is purely a size issue. My girl didn't make a sound and I kept her at least 10 feet away from the other dog.

You only have to read some of the replies here to see that people judge big dogs more harshly. And that they have no understanding of adolescent behaviour which is the same in all dogs, regardless of size.

OP I completely sympathise - no advice but the couple sound a bit unhinged - I wonder if other people/dog owners have the same problem with them.

We have a working cocker spaniel puppy (she’s 10 months now - a rescue who spent much of her life caged before us) and she’s very excited but barky when she sees other dogs. I know it’s not aggression due to her body behaviour and she is getting better (slightly) - she just wants to play

Thankfully, there are now lots of people who have seen her regularly and I often pipe up when I’m running or walking with her that “I’m sorry - she’s just excited but barky!” And I’d say 9 out of 10 people are fine, smile and wave at us having seen or encountered us before and also seeing that she is indeed just a bit of a bonkers puppy - but we have had the odd person look at both her and me with utter disgust - even some who have had their own dogs barking and aggressively snarling at mine - and it does get to me, probably how you are feeling

You can’t win them all!

It doesn’t really matter what your dog is doing as long as it isn’t barking incessantly in the same place, and as long as he is being restrained enough so they can pass by on the pavement without your dog coming anywhere near them. I do hope he is always on a short lead in public? Your dog does sound totally untrained.

Depends on what your dog is actually doing. What do you mean by 'boisterous'?

That's it then - giant dog, still "boisterous" - my idea of a nightmare to meet when I am out on a walk. So many dog owners seem unable to understand other people's concerns, How do you deal with the giant boisterous dog when you encounter a child, OP? i am sure you love him but do you understand how intimidating this would be for almost anyone else?

There are a few possibilities:

They are mean spirited people

They have had bad experiences with other dogs in the past so are over reacting

Your dog is more out of control than you realise because you are accustomed to her behaviour

There is another dog that’s out of control who they are confusing her with (is this possible?)

Others who your dog normally greets find her a nuisance, but they are too polite / shy to say so to your face, so they have complained about her behind your back to others in the village and this couple have made it their mission to tell you in an obnoxious manner

If you live in a small village, you will keep bumping into these people unfortunately, so you will probably need to get to the bottom of it somehow. I don’t envy you that, but good luck. You’ve had some reasonable suggestions.

They are big and just the size can be intimidating, especially when they pull on the lead. They do become a real handful during adolescence; at this stage they aren't exactly the gentle giants that they become later. As pups they have no concept of their size.

Your dog is a very large breed and I can see how at 14 months and still boisterous, he may make them anxious. Perhaps that is the issue.

All you can do is continue to keep your dog under control. Remain polite, ignore their rudeness which may be based in fear, and eventually they will realise your dog does not pose a threat.

Just wave and wish them a good morning/afternoon.

They are clearly dickheads.
Your dog is none of their business

"Fuck off and mind your own business" would be my response here.

Maybe they're sisters...? Yes, very boisterous at this age but they do calm down!

Pyrenean's are BIG dogs which unfortunately means that what's tolerated in smaller dogs just isn't tolerated with them.

It's hard to know - if she's leaping around like a crazy thing at the end of the lead barking her head off then you really need to sort out some proper training IMO. She won't just magically become much better behaved because she gets older. I'm sure she's absolutely gorgeous but i don't think you're doing her any favours.

It doesn't suggest that at all.

OP's made it clear her dog was restrained, on the other side of the road, and that no other dog owners in the village have an issue with her dog's behaviour.

Nor has she described her dog's behaviour anywhere as 'cute'.

What's definitely not 'cute', and is far beyond 'boisterous', is fully mature human beings yelling insults at a stranger from one side of the road at the other.

Mine is a Pyrenean!!!

I think I would be inclined to calmly say, “she is on a lead and under my control, please can you tell me why you are so offended by her?” Let them try and justify their behaviour as I certainly don’t see anything wrong in yours.

Oh my gosh, this is weird. I could have written this, except that I'm in a village in the north west. I have a 14 month old giant breed dog, obviously in adolescence so of course she is quite boisterous. Yesterday she was being lead walked and I was on the receiving end of a nasty comment from a woman walking a Cocker Spaniel. My girl was on a lead, she was nowhere near the other dog.

I'm so sorry that you've been through this experience too. It is very weird to receive abuse for walking a dog on a lead. Like you, I am respectful, always give people space. I understand that my girl is intimidating, but I'm really shocked that others have experienced similar.

I have no idea what to suggest you do or how we ought to react if the situation arises again.

If they keep doing it I'd make a note of every time it happens, and film them and report them to the police for harassment.

It sounds much more like badly behaved humans/random nutters to me. Who shouts at a dog that isn't bothering anyone?

Has someone else in the village got an identical dog that is allowed to run loose?

A normal, bouncy puppy wouldn't attract those kinds of comments though - so either these people are just odd (which is very possible!) or she's more out of control than you realise.