AIBU : Dog recall

[Alicewond]

I walk my dog on a lead, his recall isn’t there yet, and he’s only a pup. I’ve had a few dog owners have issues (not with me, but with their dog) when they’ve refused to come back after playing with my pup, we’ve laughed about it, dogs being over excited. Not much I can do, my dog is on a lead but yes wants to play if approached. Yesterday one got annoyed and said I needed to control him (my dog on a lead?) They were chasing each other none aggressive but his dog refused to return off lead to him. Is this somehow mine or my dogs fault? What else can I do?? He was a bit intimidating and has made walking a bit less enjoyable

It was his fault. There's nothing you can do against twat dog owners than keep doing what you're doing - being a responsible dog owner yourself. That's your best defence. Your confidence to speak out on the matter will grow.

@Nearlythere1 thanks

I'm assuming here OP that you're not a 6 ft 6" tattooed male body builder and your pup is not a snarling hound of the Baskerville-type?
Sadly, as a female dog walker it has been my misfortune to meet a few of the type of chap you describe.
You and I know, he's p*ssed off because he can't control HIS dog as well as you have yours under control so he just has to make this your fault.
He would not say these things to you if you were an intimidating man.
Enjoy your walks, don't let him put you off and just be delighted that you aren't married to him.

PS. The right response for next time is "don't you have a lead?".

@Wingedharpy thank you, I’m not big so maybe this is the reason. My hubby does most of the walks and yes he is tattooed and muscular, and yet old women’s chat to him and there dogs play alongside. Instead I get this :P

I'm in a localish dog owners group.

There's an idiot dog owner with an aggressive dog who walks it both on and off the lead, which everyone is angry about. He walks at one particular location.

This woman is hysterical about his evil dog who ripped her dogs ear off or something. Her dog was off the lead and sounds like it had no recall. His dog was on the lead. Her dog approaches his and bothered it. His dog lashed out.

Having heard the guy and his dog have form and this isn't the first dog his dog has mauled, I have little sympathy for him because he has an attitude problem and shouldn't ever be letting the dog loose.

But this particular occasion, his dog was clearly provoked by a loose dog with no manners or recall.

No brainer - I blame the woman whose dog was loose with no recall

No one should be blamed for their leashed dog reacting when someone else's dog isn't being controlled, unless the uncontrolled dog makes a vicious attack on the leashed dog first.

OP, I think the PPs advice of "don't you have a lead?" is perfect. If you have this problem again, say that. And do beware the idiots like the guy who is localish to me. I won't be visiting the spot they've named. My dog is old and no one will insure him, we can't afford the bills (again) if someone else causes an attack.

YANBU! Really pisses me off when i am walking my dog to heel without a lead (for training) and some idiot let’s their dog come over. Ruins everything

I thought this thread was going to say you bought a puppy but the breeder was recalling it because it was faulty

As you were.

Of course YANBU. Loose dogs should not be allowed to approach on lead dogs in the first place. Dogs may be on lead because they are not dog friendly, but even if they generally get on well with other dogs, the restriction of the lead makes dog interactions problematic. I would stand between your puppy and the loose dog, put your hand out and firmly say ‘Stop’ to the other dog to discourage it from even approaching. Tell the owner to control his dog and repeat until the message gets through.

YANBU at all.

Dogs on lead are deemed under control in law. If your dog is off-lead you're expected to have control over it (so a solid recall in all situations) and for the dog to be well mannered and calm, not jumpy or aggressive.

It's not your fault his dog didn't come back. Mine won't come back around other dogs either - so he doesn't get to go off lead unless it's safe.

Some people are idiots. Some idiots are dog owners. Some people cant get through life without confrontation and seek it out. Most people put their own needs before others and will justify their actions come what may. Walk on.

YANBU. I was told off because other person's dog was going all nuts, snarling and trying to attck my dogs, who were walking perfectly next to me, paying the snarly dog no attention whatsoever. But somehow I was in the wrong. Some people are just bonkers.

How do the dogs chase each other if your dog is on the lead? When this happens with my puppy I just keep her on a short lead next to my side so the other owner can grab their dog. Otherwise they just keep going round in circles.

Either way it's not your fault their dog isnt under their control and has approached yours. Just a courtesy, if they are trying to get their dog back, try and stop yours from playing to make it a little easier.

The etiquette is that if the other walker sees you have your pup on a lead then they should reciprocate

This drives me nuts!! I have 4 month old pup, recall not good yet so she is on lead, I use, normal/ extending/ long leash depending on where and what we are doing...the number of people who think its acceptable for their dog to run up to mine..and go for her...is mind boggling...and they always say 'it's because yours is on a lead' my reply usually is, 'no it's not...its because yours isn't!'

I had foster dogs who were often nervous and it'd be a right pain having bouncy dogs run up to them, be in their face, under no control at all, while the owner then had a go at me when my worried dogs growled/snapped to say they weren't having it!

THEIR dog might be fine but they don't seem to give a shit another dog may not want their ball of energy in their face.

The amount of owners that let their dogs off lead with NO recall is ridiculous.

Dogs, if off-lead, should be properly trained never to approach another dog.

I've got a very very timid sprocker puppy, and we put often put her on a lead when other dogs approach as she seems happier. But the amount of times I have to do this drives me insane.

One lady with a known aggressive dog came bounding up to her last week - the dog had its heckles up and was growling but apparently it was my fault for having my puppy on a lead

There's only one dog not under control in that scenario and it's not yours OP.
I've used a variation of the 'Haven't you got a lead?'
"Instead of shouting at your dog this wonderful invention here (points to lead) is called a LEAD. It works by stopping the dog getting away from you in the first place, and bothering other dogs and people when it totally ignores you"

Wasn't my finest moment but the message went in. One of mine is old and ignorant going deaf, and the other fights - thanks to an idiot with an off lead staffy (not blaming the breed btw, just the owner) that attacked her on lead, when she was a pup, and bit and scratched me when I managed to get her out from under it and pick her up. Cost a fortune at the vets and undid every piece of socialisation I'd done and turned a friendly dog into a defensive nightmare. She's still not 100% trustworthy around other dogs except the one she lives with. That's why she's on a lead unless I can see way ahead is clear. Doesn't bother people at all, but although she's better than she was, I don't think she'll ever be trustworthy around dogs she doesn't know.
I have a yellow lead, and still people just let their dogs run up "Don't worry he's friendly!"
"Well mine's not! That's why she's on a lead"
Taken to walking ridiculously early or in the dark if it's a nice day, it's not worth the hassle!

Some dog walkers are idiots.

If your dog is on the lead (and held by someone strong enough to control him/her) then it is under control, an off lead dog is not.

We walk our dog off lead locally. I always carry her lead. If I see a dog on lead she is called to heel, and put on her lead...more to reassure the other owner as I am confident that she will not approach without permission when called to heel.

There is a dog walker with a gram shepherd that's reactive round here. He does have it on the lead, but not under control, and tries to insist that I walk my dog past while he stands still on the path, I did it once and it launched itself at me/my dog. Never again. Especially not now I have a toddler, I either turn around and give my dog an extended walk (which annoys him as he has to follow us and with a toddler we don't tend to go very fast) or he takes the dog well off the path so I can pass.

I am not the only dog walker locally who has had issues with him, however he regularly bellows at me that if I can't control my dog I shouldn't have one 🤔😒

My dog is a breed well known for having little or no recall (he's a sighthound). He gets to play off-lead in the garden and the dog park but is always walked on a lead. I cant bear dog parents who walk their dogs off-lead but cant actually control them when needed.

There's a lot of blaming going on on this thread.

Can't you all appreciate, as dog owners, that there is a long training period before it becomes second nature.

I walk my dog off lead (in enclosed spaces), and he has a fantastic recall. But he'd still approach other dogs, whether they are on or off the lead. He just wants to say Hello.

Don't get me wrong, he doesn't go bounding over and jump on them. Most of the time he'll slowly and cautiously approach them then lie on the ground, showing them he is submissive and friendly.

I don't really get all the comments "No dog should be off the lead until they are trained not to approach other dogs!!!" It's going to take a lot of time, practice and patient before an off-lead dog is perfectly trained not to greet another dog. How would you train them to this level without letting them off the lead?

Dogs are sociable animals, and most want to greet (and sniff) and interact with each other. NB: my dog is 1 year old. So not a puppy-puppy but still playful and inquisitive.

Luckily, no one has ever seemed offended when my little dog has approached theirs to say Hello. Sometimes they'll say "oh, he is old and grumpy" in which case I'll say "no problem" and call mine away. What's the big deal??

I would hate for someone to have a go at me (like it seems many of you would if we encountered each other on a walk) because my dog wants to say Hello to yours.

Luckily, no one has ever seemed offended when my little dog has approached theirs to say Hello. Sometimes they'll say "oh, he is old and grumpy" in which case I'll say "no problem" and call mine away. What's the big deal??

And if the dog has a yellow lead? Do you still allow your dog to approach? And do you check with the owner before allowing your dog to approach? That's what the problem is with me, because my dogs are small it's assumed they're cute and friendly, one is, one isn't and I'm doing everything I can to stop something happening, dogs on a lead as soon as we see another (old one doesn't go off lead now) dog that needs space has a yellow lead, I stop and shout to the owner my dog isn't good with others, but to be honest, they're usually too far away to catch what I'm saying anyway. I end up having to pick her up until the owner finally arrives to get their dog.
It's irresponsible to allow your dog to approach another without checking with the owner it's safe to do so.

Mine both have great recall now so don't approach other dogs unless I tell them to, but when the little one was training we had a couple of moments where he'd have to go back onto his lead to remain under total control because his puppy impulses just took over. Both times it was entirely my fault and I apologised to the owners and explained that we're still training him, fortunately both owners smiled and accepted my apology, but if either had had a dig at me I think I'd have accepted it with good grace because my dog is always my problem.

If your dog is off lead it needs to remain under your control. If it's not, you can't blame others for your dog's lack of training or manners. All these "oh he's just playing" people who allow their dogs to bounce over to anyone are setting their dogs up for an attack because you have no idea which dog is around the next corner.

There's idiot dog walkers like in all aspects of life. The best was when a woman told me I should not have a ball in the park because it wasn't fair on her dog, what the ... my dog has near perfect recall and even comes to hand gestures from afar so I don't understand why people don't teach their dogs as young pups, it's not hard - my vet said let them off straight away as they are too scared to go far (and you can catch them) reinforcing with food as needed, it works

And if the dog has a yellow lead? Do you still allow your dog to approach? And do you check with the owner before allowing your dog to approach? No, a yellow lead, a 'Nervous dog' lead or a dog with a muzzle is obviously a completely different situation. Would have thought they went without saying

It's irresponsible to allow your dog to approach another without checking with the owner it's safe to do so. Nice idea, hardly practical though is it? Isn't there an argument that if your dog isn't comfortable around other dogs you shouldn't be walking it in an area where there are many dogs off the lead? If my dog was scared of other dogs I'd walk in very remote places, or pick times of day where there are least likely to be other dogs around.

Again, going back to my point... how are you supposed to train a dog not to approach other dogs? There is going to be a significant period of the dog doing it, and being corrected by the owner. It's not a click-of-the-finger change.

I walk my dog off lead (in enclosed spaces), and he has a fantastic recall. But he'd still approach other dogs, whether they are on or off the lead. He just wants to say Hello.

Then you need to recall him before it gets to that point. Some dogs are on leads because they're aggressive or scared or anxious, or injured - letting your off-lead dog approach an on-lead dog isn't fair, unless you have permission from the owner first.