Dog incident at pub

Absolutely this. My dog is at start of his journey. It's a LOT of work, but that's fine. I'm not putting him in a situation that he's not ready for. Obviously I have to walk him, but at moment , we choose our times, and if we encounter another dog, we move him quickly away and ignore the barbed comments of other " helpful" owners.
We use a yellow vest and lead. And play focus games, when he's calmer.
My behaviorist actually commented on what a sweet boy he is. Loves everyone, except other dogs....🙈

ESH!

The other people shouldn't have behaved as they did, but equally, don't take a reactive dog to a pub, cafe or crowded place where there will be other dogs

I often take my dog to the pub/cafe when traveling away on holiday/weekend break or when doing a day hike. He is well behaved and doesn't take a blind bit of notice of other dogs, so it's perfectly fine to have a pub full of dogs like this because they don't disturb anyone else or each other.

Pretty sure going to the pub is nit a necessity, you'd leave the dog home if going to the doctor, what's the difference?

Leave your dog at home, since covid dogs seem to be everywhere, nobody can go anywhere without them. Poor thing is obviously scared else it wouldn't be reactive.

Really ignorant comment. My old dog was reactive because he had a historical fracture and was often in pain. He was warning other dogs to stay away. In 14 years he never hurt another dog or even came close. Its not normal for dogs to be crowded in together and not show reactions, they are not bloody robot dogs!

Your dog doesn't want to go to the pub.

Wow! No reactive describes a dog that struggles to manage their emotional response to a given situation due to fear, pain , frustration....which comes out in their behaviour.

Understanding of dog behaviour has moved on ALOT in the past 10 years. A truly aggressive dog is a rare thing, and that is usually down to a neurological problem.

And they arent 'reactive' all the time, just in a given situation. My boy is 99% perfect until a dog gets in his space.

Most dogs that struggle with reactivity can be helped considerably - if the owmers are willing to be put in the work.

I have a dog that is fear reactive when other dogs get in his space. We go to a pub garden occasionally - he loves it, as long as no dogs invade his space.

The problem as always is other people, and you were doing the best you could at the time. but personally if I cant find a quiet spot where we aren't in a thoroughfare for other dogs passing we don't stay. Setting your dog up for success is the aim of the day and unfortunately that also means taking into account other clueless dog owmers who have no idea what they are putting their dog through or other dogs through their ignorance.

The dogs may not be badly behaved they may just have additional needs….

Neither party should have had their dog/s out in this situation. The other dogs shouldn’t have been out if they can’t walk past another dog without losing their shit.
My dog will happily saunter past any dog or person, minding her own business but if a dog gets in her face snarling and growling it’s hardly weird that she’ll bark back - even though she’s a soppy shite and assumes they’re just having fun.
We were in a similar kind of situation a year or so back, we were sat in a pub garden, she was on a lead sleeping under the table, when 2 off lead tiny dogs came over snapping & barking at her. She barked back maybe twice, the owner of the others came over shouting at us about having an aggressive dog. Meanwhile ours had gone back to sleep, clearly mostly unbothered by the whole thing but naturally had reacted when other dogs had got right in her face and woken her up. I know you can’t compare people to animals but if I was chilling and someone came over and yelled at me within an inch of my face id probably have yelled in reaction too.
Sadly you just can’t predict what others will do, so if your dog is reactive, for their own sake, don’t take them out unless it’s for exercise.

The prolonged heat is not bringing out the best of everyone. If you have a reactive dog I suggest avoiding places with a lot of people and possibly other dogs, maybe rent a field for an hour is popular around here. The other man got wired but then he is do any annoyed with your dog, his dogs also might want to not go to places like this either as they sound a pest. The poor people who have just gone for a quiet drink and ended up in a dog creche…

No it isn't. Many dogs are reactive due to fear, often because they were attacked. I am working with a dog behaviorist at moment because of that reason. My dog is not aggressive. He is the softest sweetest boy ever. However he barks and lunges at other dogs because he wants the scary thing to go away. He loves humans, why would I need to have him pts?
Thankfully we have moved on from archaic practices and understand a lot more about dog behaviour.

I haven't read any of the other comments but you absolutely can train the reactivity out of your dog. I have absolutely been there with my dog reacting especially when on lead and not being able to take him to pubs or cafes, or whatever, and now I can take him anywhere. It's not a quick or easy win, but it absolutely is doable

Maybe a lot of people like to walk their dog and stop for a drink mid walk …

They should have their dog under proper control, but taking a reactive dog to a busy pub probably isn’t the best idea … and certainly not sitting by the entrance, at least find a seat out the way somewhere! You are both to blame by the sounds of it.

The man was an areshole and U but I think you were also U for taking a reactive dog to a pub.

I was in a small pub garden last week and there was a couple with two dogs. The dogs were right in the middle where everyone had to walk past and one of the dogs kept snapping at people walking past their table.

My dad always takes his dog out with us for pub meals and rhe poor thing just looks bired and uncomfortable. He'd be much happier pottering about or stretched out asleep at home.

This kind of situation is exactly why dogs are banned from Wetherspoon pubs. There are so many arsey owners when they get told no dogs though and people writing whining and complaining about it 🙄

He was an arse but equally we are sitting in a very dog friendly pub but our dog is nervous of other dogs and you never know what other owners are like so our dog has been left at home. It most likely would have been absolutely fine but we have had so many dick head owners who have let their dogs wander round off the lead and just shout he is fine every dog loves him etc so it’s safer if he stays at home.

Of course it's possible to leave your dog at home and not take them to the pub!

I would say train yours better a reactive animal is dangerous. No i wouldn't take a dog to.a pub unless it was complacent.

Not always possible.

Reactive or really dog aggressive like one of mine was? I spent years avoiding other dogs public places, I wouldn’t dream of taking him to a pub, he’d have been far too stressed with the people/dogs. We spent stupid amounts on trainers/trying to help him, but nothing helped so we kept him secure/unstressed/out of tense situations.

It’s unfortunate but you have stressed out your dog and now yourselves. I’m extremely lucky that I can now go anywhere with my current two who are very relaxed/love other dogs and just lie quietly under the table.

Where do you live? I live in the countryside and pretty much every pub is set up for and actively encourages dogs. The pub is certainly a place for a dog round here. Not mine though because she’s batshit 😂

My younger dog is horribly nervous and on a low dose of medication from the Vets. I'd never take her out to the pub as she'd be so stressed on high alert that it would take hours afterwards for her to decompress. She's not remotely aggressive but she'll bark and appear like she is.

I would honestly review putting your dog into a high stress situation for them. But the people sound horrendous. I've got a yellow nervous/don't approach harness and lead for mine but people still let their dogs come right into her space and it drives me insane.

My dog is not reactive but she barks..a lot. He greeting for people is barks and tail wags. She’s also deaf so it’s harder to get her to stop barking. Because of this we don’t take her to pubs and places like that because it wouldn’t be fair on the other patrons.

I agree with the other posters, you need to not take your reactive dogs to places that could trigger her.

The bloke sounds like a dickhead though.

I certainly have to disagree with that last place. Nobody takes their dog to a motorway service station for a day out. People drive solo. You can’t leave the dog in the car especially in current temperatures. I wouldn’t leave my dog even in winter as they could be stolen. If I need the toilet on a long journey dog comes too (they’re allowed).