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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

t think if your small dogs are scared of big dogs, it doesn't mean the big dog has to go on a lead?

77 replies

Wolfbasher · 03/03/2015 10:51

Once a week, my guide dog and I take my 8yo to her swimming lesson. To get there we walk along a footpath by a river, with some trees etc. It's quite a popular dog walking spot, and we often pass other dogs having an off-lead run around. DD and I walk along the path together and I let my guide dog have an off-harness, off-lead run around for 10 mins. Guide dogs need regular free runs too.

The last two times, we've coincided with an elderly lady with two very yappy, bouncy little dogs (not sure of breed). The lady looks quite frail and seems to have trouble managing the dogs. They jump up at her and pull and wind around her legs and bark continuously, so she looks like she is struggling.

This morning, she got cross with me and shouted that 'a dog like that should be on a lead'. My dog wasn't anywhere near her dogs, she was trotting along sniffing around the trees on the river bank. Admittedly, her dogs were jumping and barking and straining at their leashes. She said they were afraid of big dogs and mine should go on a lead.

Am I wrong to think that isn't my dog's fault? She wasn't bothering them, she was at least 20 yards away all the time. Usually she likes meeting other dogs on free runs, but she steered clear of these two. I did explain that my dog was a guide dog, which I think she took on board and perhaps found reassuring. I don't want to cause her stress or anxiety - but neither do I want to deprive my well-behaved dog of her free run (we are limited in where we can get to for these, for obvious reasons) because these other dogs aren't well controlled.

AIBU?

OP posts:
MsMcWoodle · 03/03/2015 13:01

Can't let her run

ErrolTheDragon · 03/03/2015 13:24

Some guide dogs are totally blind (i.e. absolutely no vision whatsoever), but I believe it's less than 5% of owners.

Now that would be an interesting case of the blind leading the partially sighted! Wink

But no, YANBU. Dogs should be under control. Yours is. It's probably best to try to avoid any pair of dogs getting too close if you're uncertain how they'll react. I've got a dachshund - some dogs (of any size) he's fine with, others he seems nervous of. Some large dogs are allowed by their idiot owners to come up and 'play' - it doesn't matter that they're lovely dogs who wouldn't mean to harm a fly, a misplaced paw can do damage. Our last dachs got trodden on by an over-friendly boxer - with the result that every time thereafter we saw a boxer in the distance we'd have to get ours on a short leash, and when the owner did the usual 'dont worry, he's friendly' call, have to tell them that ours wanted to kill every boxer he saw!

dippymootoo · 03/03/2015 13:34

Dogs could be on a lead for all sorts of reasons so it is considerate (and in some cases safer for your dog) to keep yours away.

YANBU to leave yours off the lead if it is not near them. If hers are that scared she needs to walk them somewhere quiet. Sounds suspiciously like she can't control them. Let yours enjoy the freedom and don't worry.

Original poster
Wolfbasher · 03/03/2015 13:43

Errol - I noticed that typo and hoped no-one else would! Grin

OP posts:
Alisvolatpropiis · 03/03/2015 13:44

Yanbu

MiaowTheCat · 03/03/2015 13:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Teasugarcoffee · 03/03/2015 14:53

I have a terrier who is only let off the lead in very limited circumstances due to a terrible recall response. She would probably never have been too keen on other dogs but following a nasty attack by a collie she is basically terrified of most dogs. She expresses that fear by appearing to be super aggressive if any dog comes near her in an attempt to get them to back away. Her fears are obviously compounded by being trapped on the lead. If I see other dogs, particularly unknown dogs, I try to take simple evasive actions. If that doesn't work, isn't possible etc. I warn the other owner that my dog is not friendly and almost every one keeps their dog away. It has never bothered me whether the other dogs are on or off the lead so long as they are under control. The other owners are generally glad of the warning, although a proportion of owners of big dogs can be offended because they think I am making assumptions about their dog.
It sounds to me as though you did nothing wrong.

Original poster
Wolfbasher · 03/03/2015 15:13

Useful to hear from so many people who keep their dogs on the lead - it's giving me an awareness of the variety of issues that other dog-walkers may be dealing with. It (probably stupidly) hadn't occurred to me before that many dogs are always walked on a lead.

This is a genuine question, from someone who's not had a dog before. But does a dog that's always kept on a lead get enough exercise?

OP posts:
honeyroar · 03/03/2015 15:18

I'm sure a dog that's kept on a lead gets enough exercise, it just means that the owner gets a lot too, I guess!

DecaffTastesWeird · 03/03/2015 15:24

YANBU

IrianofWay · 03/03/2015 15:29

I don't let my dog approach any other dogs on a lead because

a. I assume they are on a lead for a reason (ie maybe unreliable temper with other dogs or people
b. leads can make even the nicest dogs a bit tetchy and insecure.

But assuming that your dog didn't go gallumphing up to them and winding them up, it's not your fault.

ErrolTheDragon · 03/03/2015 15:32

But does a dog that's always kept on a lead get enough exercise?

depends on the size and activity level of the breed and owner! And also whether it has room (relative to its size) to exercise at home.

lertgush · 03/03/2015 15:32

I had a dog who could only be walked on lead. I got a lot of exercise.

He also got to run off lead in the garden...

Koalafications · 03/03/2015 15:34

YANBU at all, OP.

Sunny67 · 03/03/2015 18:11

I've got two small dogs and they are only ever walked on the lead. While your dog Op is fully trained and well behaved many are not. I've had an Akita go for my dogs while I was out walking with my OH. It took no notice of the owner shouting and yelling and I picked my little one up. This bloody dog was then jumping at me trying to get at him. I love dogs but think they should all be in leads in public places. Ive had a great Dane jump up at me,it nearly knocked me flat, and i didn't have mine with me! I there are quite a lot of people that don't like dogs but should that mean they gave to avoid walking it certain areas because dogs are off their leads? know some people would complain that big dogs wouldn't get enough exercise but that's not the case. It means that the owner would have to spend more time walking them so isn't as convenient

Charlotte3333 · 03/03/2015 18:31

Not your fault at all. We have a welsh springer spaniel who has brilliant recall, so whenever we're away from the road she's off-lead. She never instigates contact with another dog, instead she'll return to my side and wait for me to walk alongside her (not something I've taught her, she's a rescue and it's pretty much the only skill she has, alongside peeing on my kitchen floor twice nightly).

If another dog comes near she'll have a little skip and a play, but we've had a couple of moments where other folks dogs have been off-lead, then their owners have announced "they're not good with other dogs". Well then, learn to socialise them or keep them on their lead. It's a simple choice; you control the dog you own or you keep it on a lead rather than berate the other owner.

SweetValentine · 03/03/2015 18:35

Mot read the whole thread but i believe the right dog etiquette is if you see a dog on lead put your dog on lead - unless he is sufficiently far away he wont bother them or will ignore as you walk past quickly.

SukieTuesday · 03/03/2015 18:35

I know this is a generalisation but I've found a lot of small dogs are allowed to get away with being out of their owner's control because of their size.

ErrolTheDragon · 03/03/2015 18:39

sukie - yes, I think you're right. I don't think I've ever seen a really big dog, rotties, dobies etc out of control.

SidewalkSerferGirl · 03/03/2015 18:41

OP -If I came across with you when out with my dog, I would put my Jack Russell on her lead out of courtesy to you and your dog, because she is a yappy little mare and in my experience of the 8 years we have had her, lots of big dogs are so much better behaved than her, she is a nightmare......

SukieTuesday · 03/03/2015 18:44

I've seen a couple but I think that if you had lots of out of control Great Danes and rots around there would be a mangled owners found stuck in hedgerows all over the British countryside.

CaTsMaMmA · 03/03/2015 18:45

I actually own a visually impaired ex guide dog!! ...we puppy walk and mid way through their training they go for a vet assessment and they found he has optic discs one quarter of the size they should be.

they believe he has severe tunnel vision and is very likely to have extremely poor night vision, which all ties in with his habit of turning his whole body and facing where he wants to look and he's not at all confident out on a walk if the light starts to fade.

He lives with us and is now seven!

I'd generally put mine on the lead if I see another on the lead, and let them meet if owners approve.

Cos our two failures are both big giant GSDs we often have dogs racing up to meet them and as they get closer you see the realisation cross their puppy faces that these dogs are now very near AND very big! Sort of puppy equivalent of Father Dougal and the cows!

SukieTuesday · 03/03/2015 18:48

I have seen an arsey (off lead) small dog harass and bully a young, medium sized dog earlier today. It then tried the same with mine and quickly found it was a Bad Idea. Its ears are probably still ringing.

cathpip · 03/03/2015 18:49

When I'm walking my dogs they are off lead unless we see a dog that is on a lead or being recalled to be put on a lead. Then I will recall mine and put on a lead till we have passed or for times when I have forgotten the lead I recall and make them sit and stay till the other dog has passed. (Unless my dogs are nowhere near an on lead dog and ignoring it)Some dogs are on lead as they are aggressive others because they won't recall, I always assume the first!

tabulahrasa · 03/03/2015 21:56

"This is a genuine question, from someone who's not had a dog before. But does a dog that's always kept on a lead get enough exercise?"

It can do, easily, you walk further, you find somewhere secure or really isolated to let them have offlead time, you can use long lines or flexis...and there are things like bikejoring or even just running.

"sukie - yes, I think you're right. I don't think I've ever seen a really big dog, rotties, dobies etc out of control."

Mine is a Rottie...I'd have the police round if I let him behave how some dogs do, and it's not for his want of trying that he doesn't manage it.

Because he's a Rottie I have to make sure he's under control despite his best efforts as even though he's always onlead, muzzled and I move him very far away from passing dogs ( I'll cross the road on pavements and that's at least the distance I take him to anywhere else, further if I can) and always warn owners that he isn't ok with dogs if it looks like their dog might come over...I still get abuse about 'dogs like that' if a dog runs over barking at him and he retaliates.

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