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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dog off lead running at DD in park

480 replies

megcleary · 26/10/2011 16:19

AIBU to have roared at man who said oh he won't hurt her.

My comments on his dog owning skills included the fact there is no sign on the dog to say he won't attack DD, the dog should be on a lead, sign as you enter park and the dog did not return/ respond when he called it.

His response was to tell me to shut up.

I hate dogs on the loose in the park.

OP posts:
Kladdkaka · 26/10/2011 22:36

DogsBeastFiend I just spent 2 weeks in the lake district. I took my dogs into all the shops, cafes and restaurants I went into (apart from the gallery with lots of glass sculptures). They all had signs up saying dogs and well behaved owners welcome.

Goldenbrown1981 · 26/10/2011 22:36

As I've said, at least twice earlier in the thread, my dog's recall is awesome, but it is not perfect. One time in 1000 she may not come back, may not hear me, or whatever. I could count on two hands how many times this has happened in the last two years and I ALWAYS take action. But it does happen. It happens to me, it happens to others, it happens to my trainer who shows at crufts, it happens. It is not acceptable, which is why I train her. But it has been known to happen and when it does I rush after her, tell people she is a calm dog, and put her on her lead while apologising. I don't see why that is wrong

TheVampireEmpusa · 26/10/2011 22:36

"Vampire, usually she comes back, but sometimes she takes her time. Susses out whether there is any potential to get touches and cuddles, or get an extra sniff in before returning."

Yeah. That's not great.

Just hope she doesn't take her time moving away if she happens to run up to a non-friendly dog. Hmm

DownbytheRiverside · 26/10/2011 22:37

'Vampire, usually she comes back, but sometimes she takes her time. Susses out whether there is any potential to get touches and cuddles, or get an extra sniff in before returning.'

Angry
Winkyslink · 26/10/2011 22:39

By the way Goldenbrown, my last point was not aimed at you, as i see you are trying to reassure people in such a situation...its to theperson who had a massive dog trampling our picnic blanket when there were 6 babies there, who was blaming OUR food for the fact that the dog wouldnt come back when called (dog was eating our food!)
As this was only a few weeks after the incident in the previous post, we had already picked up babies, so didnt need to find out if the presence of babies would have deterred dog from trampling blankets...

flatbread · 26/10/2011 22:43

Vampire, she has run into non friendly dogs. They usually give a warning growl first and she backs off. I think dogs understand their own doggie hierarchy and if my dog is ever very scared (like the time she met a donkey) she runs and hides behind me.

Overall, I think she is well socialized and is not really traumatized by unfriendly interactions. Water off a ducks back...

DogsBeastFiend · 26/10/2011 22:44

hayle, the people you need to call first are your local council. If there was an order for the owner not to have the dog off lead in a public place it could have just been an unenforcable agreement with the police but the chances are that it was as a result of a Dog Control Order. These are issued and enforced by the council so they would be your first port of call and would... or at least should... offer you advice and assistance as well as follow the matter up.

TheVampireEmpusa · 26/10/2011 22:46

"They usually give a warning growl first"

Mine never did. He just lunged. :( And too many idiots nearly got their dogs killed by having them off lead without decent recall training.

DooinMeCleanin · 26/10/2011 22:50

'They usually give a warning growl first and she backs off' - if mine is startled enough he goes straight in for the kill, no warning. Luckily for you and others like you I am always aware of what is going on around us and whether there are any other dogs close by and I am stronger than my dog. He is getting better with training, but everytime he is forced into a greeting that I cannot control e.g both dogs on leads, then we risk setting his training abck further, hence why it si taking him so long to learn how to behave around other dogs.

Other owners of lead aggressive dogs might not be so vigilant, or might, quite plainly, be that fed up of their walks being spoiled by numptys who refuse to control their dog they've decided just to let their dog attack.

Whippy does not always come straight back. She seems to need to arch away from you in order to come back, She cannot run in a straight line Hmm. For this reason I only ever let her off in suitable exercise areas where people are aware there will be dogs off leash. She would never run upto a leashed dog, but I recall her if I spot any just incase.

DooinMeCleanin · 26/10/2011 22:51

x-post with Vampire. Fucking annoying innit? Not to mention scary. Eejits.

DogsBeastFiend · 26/10/2011 22:52

Kladdkaka, sounds idyllic. Lived near there for a while but never visited (no fan of water!). What a twit, I should have done so and I damn well will now. :)

TheVampireEmpusa · 26/10/2011 22:53

"Fucking annoying innit? Not to mention scary"

Oh yes. Used to ruin some perfectly nice walks :(

Goldenbrown1981 · 26/10/2011 22:55

I have to say Vamp, that is the very reason I watch her so closely. The second I see an on lead dog she goes on hers til we are passed (or we change route). I always assume that there is a reason that dog is on a lead, just cos mine's a softy when out and about doesn't mean they all are

TheVampireEmpusa · 26/10/2011 22:57

"The second I see an on lead dog she goes on hers til we are passed"

I was always hugely grateful when people did that, I could have hugged anyone who was that sensible!

flatbread · 26/10/2011 22:58

Dog, The thing is, we got our dog from a pound in France, when she was just a wee one. Whenever we took her out on a leash, people would say "let her be free, otherwise she will not be properly socialized". So we let her free and if she went to the next table in a restaurant, it was no big deal and we would just call her back or carry her back when she was learning recall. No fuss. Now she just falls asleep under the table in a restaurant, as the older dogs did in France.

If we are on a walk, she will go to say hello to other dogs. I think it is fine, after all, she also needs some free interaction to learn her place in her own dog world. But really, most of her attention is either on catching the ball we throw for her or chasing rabbits.

DooinMeCleanin · 26/10/2011 23:03

I will repeat again.... If she went to say hello to my dog and spooked him or he was already agitated from a previous encounter he would be liable to try to eat her.

Is that simple enough for you? It's not something I like. It scares the crap out of me. I always worry the other dog will retaliate to his attempted cannibalism. It also annoys me, sets our training back and spoils our walks.

Off leash dogs should never be allowed to approach leashed dogs. Leashed dogs should not be allowed to approach other leashed dogs unless both owners agree it is safe to allow a greeting. It's not rocket science, fgs, just simple common sense.

flatbread · 26/10/2011 23:12

Honestly, vampire, I think dogs sense which dog to go up to and which ones to avoid. She obviously is alert and looks at body language before going up to say hello.

I remember when mine was a pup, she was playing with another dog and wrestling over a toy. There was an older sheepdog sitting with her owner near us. The sheepdog gave a growl, and both pups immediately stopped playing and came back and gave the toy to the older dog. They just knew what to do, even though they were just little and had never met the sheepdog before.

On an other occasion, my dog went to join another dog on the beach. The owner was throwing pebbles for his dog to bring back. Now usually our dog is very competitive and will run after anything that is thrown. But in this instance, she let the other dog get the pebble every time and just followed him. She knew that it would not be wise to ire the big fella.

I honestly think that we make too much out of very few instances of bites and aggression. I think if we all could chill a bit and not get our knickers in a bunch about crying children and muddy dogs and nicked picnic food we would all enjoy the outdoors so much more.

DownbytheRiverside · 26/10/2011 23:19

'we all could chill a bit and not get our knickers in a bunch about crying children and muddy dogs and nicked picnic food we would all enjoy the outdoors so much more.'

We're just never going to find common ground here. I want to eat my picnic and enjoy my walk without other people's animals interfering. Why is that so hard to understand?
Perhaps if your dog is eaten by an irate bull mastiff, either with or without knickers, you may reconsider your opinion.

DooinMeCleanin · 26/10/2011 23:25

'I think dogs sense which dog to go up to and which ones to avoid' as the owner of a lead aggessive dog, you are either wrong or, a lot of the dogs in our vicinity are below average canine intelligence. We are always pestered by off lead dogs. Happens at least every other walk. Some walks he will cope with it, other walks he won't.

Crying children - fine if they're your own. Muddy dogs - fine, so long as they don't transfer that mud to an unsuspecting passer-by.

As much as I love dogs, I do agree with other posters on here that not everyone does and they also have a right to enjoy the outdoors, without having to worry about untrained dogs eating their picnics and jumping on their allergic or phobic children.

TheVampireEmpusa · 26/10/2011 23:29

"Honestly, vampire, I think dogs sense which dog to go up to and which ones to avoid."

Absolute bollocks. If that was the case my dog would have never got to get near any other dogs, and they did.

flatbread · 26/10/2011 23:33

Downbytheriver, I undestand. I don't like other people's dogs or kids or frisbees...but so what? I can either let it spoil my day or just get on with it and make the best of the situation. Why fuss over it...I just don't get the OP's response and her being so upset about it.

If my dog gets eaten by a larger dog, I will obviously be majorly upset. But I think the probability is very low, so why worry and ruin our outings?

bruffin · 26/10/2011 23:36

Having heard of two very bad dog bites in the last month, no dog should be off a lead.

BIL was delivering leaflets, he came across a garden with a dog in it, chose not to go in, but the owner was there and asked for one of the leaflets, so he passed one over the fence. The dog jumped up and bit BIL's arm. He spent 3 days in hospital, a two hour operation and 20 stitches and antibiotic drip.

Then a few days later a friend was out for morning ride on his bike, came across a man with two dogs loose, he gave them a wide birth, slowed down so as not to spook the dogs, the man called the dogs to him, one came but the other suddenly turned and chased the bike and bit him on the leg. Again badly bitten and required stitches.

Both of these totally unprovoked attacks

thetasigmamum · 26/10/2011 23:38

Lucky old rabbits. I bet they love being chased by your dog. Angry

I frequently see off leash dogs murdering rabbits when I'm running. And their lazy fecker owners doing nothing to stop them. I just hope that the lords of karma see it too.

StewieGriffinsMom · 26/10/2011 23:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DogsBeastFiend · 26/10/2011 23:42

Having heard of rapes over the past month no man should be allowed out in public...

Having heard of child abuse in the past month, no parent should be unsupervised when with their child...

Having heard of car crashes in the past month, no car should be allowed to be driven...