Who was unreasonable? Dog walking.

[Bearlover16]

Walking my dog up the field. Let him off lead for a run. He approaches another dog to say hello who was on lead. Other dog attacks my dog, bites him quite nasty on the leg. My dog retaliates. Owner rants at me that my dog should be on a lead and she's sick of people like me as her dog gets the blame being a bull terrier. I respond that surely my dog should be allowed to have a run off lead?
Who was being unreasonable? Should her dog be muzzled if it's viscous even on lead?

You.

Don't let your dog approach on-lead dogs. If you can't control him off-lead and stop him approaching other dogs, then don't have him off-lead when there are people around.

My dog is a dream off-lead but the minute we see someone with their dog on the lead, she is called back, put on the lead, and we make sure to give the passing dog and walker plenty of space.

You shouldn't let your dog run up to dogs that are on lead, you don't know why they are on lead, could be nervous, aggressive, recovering from injury. Only dogs with good recall should be off lead and if you can't recall your dog from an on lead dog, then it should be on a lead.

If he's on a lead you should assume he's not friendly and recall your dog. If you can't recall him then he shouldn't be off the lead. My dogs friendly but if other walkers have their dogs on leads I recall her and make her lie down and wait until they walk past us and then continue. It isn't fair on other dog owners who are behaving repaonsibly by having dogs onleads if un friendly

You, I'm afraid. Letting a loose dog run up to a dog on a lead is one of the best ways to get your dog bitten - the dog on the lead knows it's restrained so is more likely to bite as a first resort than it would be off the lead.

My DSis has an aggressive dog that she keeps on lead, she has had to resort to a muzzle due to the amount of people who let their off lead dogs approach, v annoying.

If you can’t trust your dog off a lead, keep it in a lead.

YABU. The other owner was responsible and had her dog on a lead. Your dog should only be allowed to run off the lead if it has perfect recall and won’t approach other dogs.

Your dog bit too, so I don’t think you’re in any position to be talking about muzzles.

Is this a reverse by any chance?

You. If your dog hadn't approached hers, it wouldn't have been bitten. Regardless of whether your dog was 'saying hello' or whatever you believe, her dog was properly restrained on a lead. Your dog went into its personal space, not the other way around.

Ywbu don't let your dog approach another dog on a lead. There could be a reason that dog is kept on a lead, you found that one out the hard way.

Yes sorry I agree with others, you shouldn't allow your off lead dog to approach on lead dogs.

You were being unreasonable. You should never let an off lead dog approach a dog on a lead. The dog on a lead may feel anxious at being unable to escape the interaction and show aggression because of this fear. Also legally, the other dog walker had her dog under control as it was on a lead. In future you should recall your dog away and ideally put your dog on a lead when you see another dog on a lead. I hope both dogs were ok though!

Threads like this always make me so worried for my DM - she has 3 dogs who aren't in the least bit aggressive (pathetic is actually the word I'd use) BUT they're barely even on a lead unless near a road, and their recall is awful. But she wouldn't even think of taking them for a walk on their leads all the time as they wouldn't get enough exercise!

I dread the day something like this happens

You were being unreasonable - I'm sick of uncontrolled dogs running up to my always on a lead dog! She snaps if they sniff her and then there's the risk of a fight with me in the middle!

I always presume there is a reason a dog is on a lead. If my dog is off but i see someone approaching with a dog on the lead we wait until they have passed or go a different way.

My dog was attacked when he was a puppy by a dog on a lead

You are in the wrong.
Your dog should not approach other dogs, either on or off lead.
If you can't recall, you shouldn't let it off.

YABU to let your dog approach a dog on lead, you were at fault here.

MaMaMaMySharona

God, that would really stress me out too. She’s really putting her dogs at risk. Recall can be taught though, even in an older dog. Would she be receptive to you helping her teach them?

YABU for the reasons others stated already.

Yep, you were in the wrong, OP. Lesson learned.

Next time, don't let your dog approach other dogs, and if you feel you can't stop him, then train his recall before letting him run off lead again.

This drives me up the wall as I had an old, deaf dog that I kept on lead for her own safety. The number of people who let their bouncy, young dogs run up to her and jump all over her was appalling, and it's incredibly rude. Even when she had a high-vis jacket on saying 'I am deaf, please give me space' people were unconcerned (and she would be terrified when a dog would run up to her from behind as she couldn't hear them coming). Several times I had to body block and physically push other dogs away from her, just because their owners hadn't bothered to train their dogs or had so little concern for anyone other than themselves. It gives responsible dog owners a bad name.

YABU, there is a reason the other dog was on a lead, never let your dog approach another that is on a lead unless you know they're friendly! My old dog would've done the same, luckily most people know not to approach a dog on a lead

As someone who had reactive dogs - always on the lead - it pees me off situations like this. No, dogs on leads do not have to be muzzled as long as they are under control. You should not be letting your dog approach on lead dogs regardless of how friendly you think your dog is - dogs are on lead for all sorts of reasons.

Yep, you. Sorry. It's difficult but you have to be wary of a dog on a lead, its usually for a reason.