To be annoyed about other dogs

[Anewhope]

Every day we go on a walk to some nearby fields. My dog is a small spaniel and is obsessed with her ball. If another dog comes over she doesn't even glance at them, all she's bothered about is us and the ball.

Every day she gets mobbed by other, (usually bigger) dogs. It's not too bad if there's just one of them because she generally runs off and the owner can shout them back but recently there have been groups of 3 or 4 big dogs that come bounding over to us, so the owner isn't close enough to stop them. It happens every time, different owners and dogs.

My dog tries to get away, she isn't interested. But they end up all crowding around and jumping all over her. It's awful. She gets stressed and barks if there isn't any space for her to get away and I worry they might hurt her. I don't know how to stop it, I imagine it would be worse if my dog was on her lead cause she couldn't even get away.

Any advice? Would you say anything? Or do I just suck it up and let it go? Or change dog walk location? It's perfect for us other than that, she's a spaniel so needs that free, off lead time really.

I always go by the general rule of on lead mine on lead, off lead I leave mine off. I do not let them annoy others but if yours was off lead I would probably let mine pass without recalling.

Avocado. It certainly worked for my dog. But as I said before it did take a while.

I think part of the problem is that it's a particularly rewarding behaviour for the dog because they bark at the bike and it 'runs away'.

Good luck with it. We haven't had a lunge for years now.

The number of people on this thread who think that rude dog behaviour is acceptable. Seriously. If you can’t call your dog bag, keep it on the lead. If your dog is up in my dog’s face, that is NOT ok.

Train your dogs ffs.

And you don't own it either @Praisebe.

Have you actually RTFT? There are kids of reasons not to allow your dog to crowd another and your dog is NOT more important than any other dog in existence.

Yes, ThisIsTheFirstStep but they will go on arguing that they are right and any dog who doesn't like their dog's annoying, rude behaviour is somehow deficient in dog social graces.

Dogs need to learn manners in the same way human do but there are a awful lot of people who seem not to understand that.

As someone up thread said, they just won't get it.

pigs annoying. Dog training should be compulsory.

I had three golden retrievers charge at my little spaniel the other day on my own private land. She was on a lead, and I had stood still when I saw them to give the owner time to call her dogs back and put them on leads. She didn’t. But if she can’t respect the rules of private land, I can’t expect her dogs to have great manners either.

The yellow bandana thing does work though, when we got our spaniel from the rescue, she came with a yellow harness (not for nervousness, just happened to be the colour of the harness) and I couldn’t understand why people kept changing direction when they saw us coming if she had her harness on. I thought I’d managed to offend everyone until I read about the yellow nervous thing

Just want to echo what others have said about the reactive dogs UK group, they were superb support when i had my stupidly reactive rommie. Even if your dog isn't reactive in the sense of wanting to kill any dog she sees (like mine was) they have some awesome tips

dog off lead to other dogs and their owners means their ok to play with eachother

See, I really disagree with this. I would certainly agree that it has become commonplace now, but I don't think it was always the way, certainly not in my experience. I have always known most people (in the past, not nowadays) to ask if it is OK for their dog to approach mine/another. It seems that the way now is for it to be a complete free for all and then total disbelief, "he's never done that before", when it all kicks off.

thyme totally agree. I never had these problems growing up. But these days, people seem to think that all dogs need to play and be friends and jump about together. And if your dog isn’t into that, it’s your dog that’s the asshole.

My dog has the right to run freely and play by himself without asshole dogs bothering him.

Just ask ffs. It’s not that hard. And train your dog to come back to you.

@ThymeLord at the same time I've noticed fewer parents teaching kids to ask permission before patting strange dogs, or how to approach them. It seems people are so used to treating dogs like surrogate kids that they have forgotten that dogs are dogs.

Saw an example last week - dog tied up at the supermarket and a girl of about 4 hanging from its neck. The dog was visibly uncomfortable and the parent didn't notice and said nothing.

And when I was a kid the phrase let sleeping dogs lie was taken literally, whereas now...

Oh I hate these types of dogs. Our dog is ageing and other than a quick sniff has no interest or patience in other dogs, unless they keep on in which case she will growl, hasn't bitten another dog but it worries me. We keep her on lead unless an empty field and recall, put her lead back on if we see another dog. To be honest it's the little yappy jumpy dogs which worry me the most - I saw ours kill a rat once and it was very quick!

Last week there were two, one big and one small along with an ineffectual idiot owner running along behind them trying to recall them (not puppies either).

A dog owner friend said people like me should pavement walk only as it's my dog with the problem, hers likes running up to dogs as he's friendly - he is also huge!!

There has definitely been a massive shift. When i was younger if a dog growled at you the first question we got was 'what did you do?' Where now the assumption is that the dog is in the wrong. It's very messed up & explains why there has been such an increase in dogs being handed to rescue for being 'aggressive'

I remember reading on the reactive dog group about a woman whose husband got so fed up with people letting their ill mannered dogs run up to their leaded, reactive dog. The phrase 'my dog is friendly, its okay' was thrown out. The husband calmly walked over to the woman & then started dancing around her waving his arms around yelling 'its okay i'm friendly' at her. The woman left telling him he was crazy 😂

Couldn't agree more Fairfax. When I was a child it was absolutely drilled into me that you don't approach a dog without asking the owner if it is OK first. We were even told not to approach dogs out on their own, although this was in the days when people used to open their doors and let the dogs 'play out' with the kids in the street!

I've lost count of the parents who have called me mean, horrible, etc. when I've said please don't let your child come up behind my massive 42kg nervous dog and pull his tail/ears/try to cuddle him!

Exactly @mustbemad17!

How did we get to the point where a dog reaches the end of its tether because it's being teased - either by another dog or a child - is the one in the wrong? It can't have happened all that long ago because it was hammered into me growing up in the late 80s/early 90s.

mustbemad I am in complete agreement with you too! Growling was always a good thing in the past. It meant you had done something the dog didn't like and he was telling you. Now you read and hear about dogs that have growled and instantly been gotten "rid of". We seem to be going backwards in terms of sensible, responsible dog ownership. I think the way we now, as a society, see dogs as accessories that we just go out and buy is to blame in a big way.

Yep not that long ago, i'm 30 & my childhood was 'leave the dog alone' - my 6 year old was taught the same with my folks dogs. One is territorial when eating as the other tries to swipe his food...we know this, we accept this & we leave him to it. The first time DD ignored us she got growled at; it was her who got told off not the dog. Now the dog loves her to death & she can sit with him whilst he's eating.

I once got told off by the HV because i gave DD a smack (on the bum before anybody pearl clutches) for hanging off my dog. I knew he was bomb proof but the principle stood; she got told, then she got told again. Then she got a smack. Apparently i should have removed the dog!!! My answer to that is the next time she thinks about hanging off a dog's face she will remember a harmless smack to the behind rather than a 30kg bull terrier ripping her face to shreds!!!

Yup, must totally agree. My dog is a bit growly at times (if you go near him while eating or if you touch him when he’s asleep.) No big deal, we just don’t do those things, but I know some of our friends think he’s really vicious.

He’s never so much as snapped, at us or at another dog.

I've noted that adversive attitude with HCPs as well @mustbemad17.
My midwife said to get a stair gate to separate DDog from DS as a newborn. I refused because I know my dog and a) I'm not daft enough to leave them alone anyway and b) separating them would make DDog think there was something to fear rather than accept DS.
DDog gave a sniff and then buggered off to get her ball.

To be fair HCPs can't be expected to be knowledgeable about dog behaviour - and a better safe than sorry attitude is bound to prevail as they don't know the individual dog.

I remember getting a snappy rescue dog when I was about 6. I was taught that if she growled it was a warning and that I was to heed it. On one occasion I pushed it a bit too far and the dog snapped a gave a mild bite - no broken skin. No sympathy whatsoever from parents - and I knew it was my own fault.

Kids now do seem to be fairly good at asking before stroking - thankfully mine isn't excessively cute so doesn't attract too much attention, but it's rare a child strokes him without asking.

Look for some new dog walking spots. Fields by housing estates or local parks will always attract loads of dogs.

You could always look for a secure field, you can rent by the hour and will have exclusive use so you won't need to worry about others.

I despair of people who don't think it's their responsibility to control their own dogs. My dog is off lead because he's under control and very much interested in playing games with me. He doesn't mind other dogs approaching us, but it's not always convenient, and it's damned inconvenient if I then have to wait for ten minutes while that dog's owner locates fido, wanders over to retrieve him and can't catch the damn thing.

The assumption that any off lead, under control dog is fair game to entertain someone else's off lead, ill-mannered animal is infuriating.

OP We live in the country so dog walks are usually in the fields or down quiet tracks. Our dog is usually off the lead but has excellent recall so we tend to go by the on-lead/off-lead signals from other dog owners. I haven't come across the yellow-jackets but I would assume it meant something so I would naturally put my dog on the lead, it's common sense to me (but now I know what it actually means!).

Dogs communicate through scent and body language. They normally want to play so the usual thing for them to do it run up to another off-lead dog and perhaps 'crowd' - this is just how they communicate. It's not the same as being bothered by someone at the pub or being groped! If a dog doesn't want to be social then they'll indicate to the other dog to piss off... this is the important bit though... if a dog is well-trained then they'll read the signs and back-off. It is bloody annoying when they don't and I agree that the owners obviously haven't trained well enough. I would do exactly what you have read-up on, get your dog to sit-down and stand in front. I wonder if your dog might also be picking up on your feelings as well? You probably tense up a bit without realising - your dog will pick up on that. Sorry your walk has to be spoiled but thoughtless people!

Sorry @Bluebell878275 reading body language and still crowding an unsure dog is NOT "how they communicate", it's how rude dogs communicate.