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AIBU?

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Original poster

To have assumed it was common courtesy among dog walkers

309 replies

SomewhereInbetween1 · 05/03/2017 17:41

To put your dog on a lead if you see another owner do so to their dog once they've spotted you? Especially if your dog's recall is a little sketchy? I've seen a lot of owners put their dogs on the lead at the sight of other dogs because they may, for instance, not get along with other dogs. But if the other dogs are off the lead and so still able to approach the one on the lead, it entirely defeats the effort. Anyone had any experience with this?

OP posts:
MrsTwix · 05/03/2017 17:44

Many years with a rescue dog that didn't like other dogs.

"It's fine he is friendly".

It was a complete pain.

Thattimeofyearagain · 05/03/2017 17:45

Most do, in my experience. Unfortunately you get dickheads in every walk of life.

MiaowTheCat · 05/03/2017 17:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TotalPineapple · 05/03/2017 17:50

If my dog getting close to their dog is inevitable I do, but normally I leave the path, make my dog sit at my feet and let them go by if there is space, or in a field I'll leave the path and call my dog close and do like a half circle around them. If my dog is in a particularly stupid mood and I think she's likely to ignore me and try to go bounding over I'll put her on the lead.

BiteyShark · 05/03/2017 17:54

Unfortunately I have encounted this on many occasions. They don't even get the hint when I push their dog away from my dog as I put mine on a lead and try and get him to sit and stay put.

Trooperslane · 05/03/2017 17:56

Yeah - good idea owner of giant chocolate lab which has given DD, then 2.5 a massive fear of dogs. Raging.

MadisonAvenue · 05/03/2017 17:58

This is a huge annoyance of mine when walking my dog. He's quite wary having been attacked on several occasions so I always stop and put him on his lead when we see another dog approaching (unless it's one of his 'friends') and so many times I get the response of "it's okay, he/she is friendly!"

The biggest problem we have is a dogwalker who has two rather bouncy large breed dogs, he never puts them on their leads when other dogs are around and he seems to find it rather amusing that they run around winding other dogs up, he stands there grinning and laughing. My boy can't stand them, and speaking to other dog owners it appears that we're not alone as other dogs and owners find them a nuisance.

NetflixandBill · 05/03/2017 17:59

Mine is not great around other dogs and is always on a retractable lead which is shorten so he is close when we pass other dogs, and people for that matter. I had a comment from a woman once about how cruel I was to not let him run around off lead like her dog Hmm

NetflixandBill · 05/03/2017 17:59

*I shorten

StealingYourWiFi · 05/03/2017 18:00

My dog is always on the lead (Beagle) occasionally she will be let off. She does not approach other dogs and is completely disinterested. Other dogs sometimes try and play with her but she runs off. Their owners can see she is disinterested and usually call their dogs back. No harm done.

Godstopper · 05/03/2017 18:01

You would think.

My Border Terrier now has fear aggression in no small part due to the "mine is friendly" brigade. Not all dogs are robust, and it's very bad dog manners to launch at another dog. Too many owners see their dog literally leaping on another and call it 'socialisation.'

My dog is fine left to her own devices. The problem is that there is often one idiot who let's their dog harass (and that is the right word) mine. Said idiot then has a go at me if mine growls (normal reaction to another dog in face who won't stop).

We've now got a yellow 'nervous' lead which sometimes works. Now have to think about walks v carefully, which is a shame. She continues to improve, but I wish some would get out of this mindset of their dog needing to meet all and sundry. It really doesn't, and only sets dogs like mine back.

SofiaAmes · 05/03/2017 18:02

Here in USA it's pretty much the law everywhere that dogs have to be on a lead when being walked. It seems pretty sensible to me.

BiteyShark · 05/03/2017 18:06

Try having a spaniel, I think they just look at him think he is harmless and thus let their dogs run up to mine and harass him and me whilst I am training him. I have even heard people say to their dog oh come on she clearly doesn't like dogs whilst I am pushing them away from getting in the face of my dog grrrrrrr

I am so happy when I run into responsible owners who see I have put mine on a lead and reciprocate with theirs.

tabulahrasa · 05/03/2017 18:06

My dog is always on lead and muzzled and I call over that he is not ok with other dogs...but I still get dogs coming over because they're "friendly".

No, no, they're fucking not mate...if your dog was friendly it'd take one look at my dog glaring at it with murder in his eyes and avoid him.

EatingMyWords · 05/03/2017 18:10

I only do it on narrow paths because my dog never goes up to other dogs. She's only interested in her ball/stick.

Original poster
SomewhereInbetween1 · 05/03/2017 18:12

Ours is a working cocker and she's just 5 months at the moment, great off the lead and recall trained to her whistle all the time she can't see another dog, if she sees another dog she can be unpredictable, so the minute I see another dog she's back on. She's far too jumpy and friendly which can easily and unfairly piss off other dogs. There's a huge red setter puppy where we live who's recall is bloody awful and we always get the "he's just playing!" Line once he's sprinted over, but he easily knocks mine down and could just as easily hurt her accidentally just by being playful. It's just such a shame more people aren't as considerate as they could be.

OP posts:
Olympiathequeen · 05/03/2017 18:15

I never used to put my springer bitch on the lead at the sight of other dogs because I knew she wasn't in the slightest bit interested in other dogs. Many times another dog would swoop on her and even bowl her over, but she'd just move away or I would call her in and put the lead in then, for her safety.

Certain breeds can be a nuisance but others are just fine.

rumblingDMexploitingbstds · 05/03/2017 18:15

YANBU. Its certainly an unwritten rule among the many regulars on our local dog walking route, or else someone will call their dog and then shout across to you if you want them to put their dog on lead. Likewise if you see someone take a quick step off the path with their on lead dog at the sight of you with your dog you know their dog doesn't cope well with others and get past quickly and quietly keeping your dog well away.

My previous dog didn't always do well with big, bouncy dogs she didn't know so I'd manage her to avoid them, and a couple of times when the owner didn't pick up on the cue I've called across to please call their dog away. Apart from one single prize idiot who let his large gang of completely untrained dogs mob mine while he looked on fondly - I nearly throttled him - that's always worked.

SlothMama · 05/03/2017 18:17

I had a dog aggressive Golden Retriever people would look at him who I would put on his lead and say their dog was friendly. They would then be angry at me when my dog would go for theirs when they were in his face!

It happened all the time, I'd also have owners tell me that I'm just making my dog worse by putting him on his lead. Nope I'd rather my dog not cause another one to be aggressive like him, it was stupid owners allowing their aggressive dog off lead around other dogs that made him bad in the first place!

fannydaggerz · 05/03/2017 18:20

I put mine on a lead incase the other dog takes a dislike to mine. It can turn nasty so quickly.

PlayOnWurtz · 05/03/2017 18:21

You would like to think so wouldn't you. My dog is dog reactive so is walked on lead at all times, the number of "don't worry he/she is friendly" twats I've encountered beggars belief. If I'm in a large open space with a dog on a lead please assume they're not ok with other dogs and act accordingly. Don't let your dog bound over then get snappy when mine gets defensive.

TotalPineapple · 05/03/2017 18:23

OP, I get you, but please unclench a tiny bit. Our working cocker has been bowled over plenty of times by bigger dogs and never got hurt, they aren't made of glass. If they're in a safe place let them play a little. Maybe go over and chat to the puppy's owner and ask if you can practice sitting calmly and greeting with them, could be good for both dogs, and you can practice distracted recall maybe?

Screwinthetuna · 05/03/2017 18:23

I would just hold mine by the collar until we were passed

SusieOwl4 · 05/03/2017 18:23

I normally only let my dogs off lead in an enclosed field. If I am walking them on the lead I try and treat them for waiting and sitting and ignoring the other dogs. Sometimes it works🙂

SoupDragon · 05/03/2017 18:23

My spaniel was recently attacked by a terrier - by some miracle he wasnt badly hurt, but both he and I are a little nervous when other dogs approach. I do not want to be in the middle of another dog fight just yet, it was terrifying.

Some tosser with another spaniel wouldn't come get his dog the other day despite me shrieking across the field for him to do so. They were starting to snarl at each other and all he did was give an ineffectual whistle and carry on walking. Eventually he ambled over and made rude "mouthy" gestures with his hand and said "they're animals". I picked up my spaniel, channeled my inner fishwife and told him that if he couldn't get his dog to come back to him he should keep the fucking thing on a fucking lead and walked off. Wanker. I bet he wouldn't have fetched his dog if it was a child it was scaring either.

I don't mind people not putting their dog on a lead even though mine is always on one and mine is usually OK. I do expect them to be able to recall their dog though.