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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what you’d think if you saw someone putting their dog on a lead?

145 replies

LionsShare · 29/10/2019 13:59

I always think they don’t want me to go near their dog so stay away or walk further away from them.

When I was walking my dog today I put her on the lead because she can sometimes be reactive to other dogs. Mostly she’s fine but she was attacked and gets scared if dogs approach her sometimes and I could tell she was in one of those moods today so I put her on the lead as the other dog was approaching and started walking a bit away from them. The man kept coming directly towards me, he had a big husky so thought I was putting her on because I was worried his dog would be aggressive. He kept walking towards me saying it’s ok he’ll only want to play, I was like I know but my dog won’t want to Hmm

Am I unreasonable in thinking if you see someone recall their dog and put them on a lead you stay away? Not sure what else I could have done to keep her away? She started showing her teeth, she doesn’t go for the dogs just warns them away because of her fear, but I always worry about the other dog reacting to her and things escalating.

We have been going to training classes and she is getting better but doesn’t like dogs who jump around her still. Walking past dogs etc she’s absolutely fine.

OP posts:
easyandy101 · 29/10/2019 14:21

Not every night but it's not uncommon either, maybe every third visit someone would come to use the park

Zaphodsotherhead · 29/10/2019 14:21

I have a horrific dog, who likes 90% of other dogs and will randomly attack the remaining 10% with no warning. So she is ALWAYS on the lead when other dogs are about.

I hate it when people's dogs come running up to her, because she's even WORSE on the lead and I have to reel her in so short that she's right up against me, and they are saying 'oh, he's fine' and I'm having to shout back over the sound of a dog strangling itself on its collar 'she's not, and she WILL bite.'

Luckily I live in a small village where we all know each other and one another's dogs and it's rarely an issue, until the holiday makers come!

Sexnotgender · 29/10/2019 14:27

I fucking HATE the he only wants to play mentality.

If I see a dog on a lead I give them a wide berth.

I have a super anxious dog who hasn’t been past the end of my drive in about 8 months as he was constantly harassed by off lead dogs when we were out and he hates it.

Thankfully I have a ginormous back garden.

Jaxhog · 29/10/2019 14:28

I think you should put your dog on the lead whenever you see another person, with or without a dog.

This. It's plain courtesy to do so.

easyandy101 · 29/10/2019 14:29

Was out walking her in the day and a puppy Italian greyhound came along from the off lead area and started jumping all over her.

I've got mine basically pinned to the floor while this funny little bugger terrorised her and the owner seemingly couldn't be bothered to walk over from where she was and was just hopefully calling for it, while I'm trying to keep it away from my dogs sharp end. Eventually she twigs that I'm trying to save her dog and comes running over and retrieved her animal. I don't think she was very experienced with dogs

Faez · 29/10/2019 14:29

I thought the general rule was don't let your dog approach one on a lead, I'll call mine away or put a lead on her, usually the lead just to be safe

shearwater · 29/10/2019 14:30

I would put my dog on her lead too. She is generally calm but looks quite big to some dogs which can intimidate them, and she is herself scared of some dogs as well.

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 29/10/2019 14:35

My DM's dog was attacked once, before that he was he was just a happy dog with no care in the world and had no issues and since then he can sometimes go for other dogs if they get too near. Kind of like I'm going to get your first before you get me.We will always put him on a lead if there are other dogs, if there aren't we allow him to run around but if we then spot another dog, he's back on the lead.

The amount of people who let their children run up to stroke him or allow their dogs who are off leads to come up is ridiculous.

Thatsenoughjuststopit · 29/10/2019 14:36

I would hate this op for many reasons:

your dog may be fine, but you dont know about the other dog.

sometimes you just want to walk your dog in peace, I dont always want to stop and socialise with every dog and ower.

they may have a playful lovely dog but if im out running i dont want it accidentally tripping me up or it joining in with my run, ignoring its recall and the owner needing me to stop so they can retrieve their dog (yes these things have happened many times).

Very rarely have I experienced nasty dogs but you just dont always want them imposed on you.

DrBendix · 29/10/2019 14:36

I would assume your dog wasn't great with other dogs and I'd keep my dog away.

My dog has learned too what a dog being put on lead means - she just stands and watches judges them walk past rather than trying to meet them. Most other dogs she wants to be best friends with

Original poster
LionsShare · 29/10/2019 14:37

@missyB1 yes it did end up coming over to us. My dog showing her teeth was in response to that. It was a young dog and bouncy... which is the type she doesn’t like so I’d put her back on the lead to try to avoid that.

She doesn’t ever go over to other dogs herself, happily walks past them, but it’s other dogs coming over to us which is sometimes a problem. She has really good recall and will come back to me, come away from other dogs we see approaching as soon as I call her but when dogs are jumping round in front of her so she can’t get away easily, that’s when she gets scared and can react.

OP posts:
BoomyBooms · 29/10/2019 14:37

It's 100% the secret code of dog walking. If you are near each other and other dog gets put on lead or is already on lead, your dog goes on lead too (unless you have one of those very very good boys/girls that will be perfectly well behaved and walk politely past giving other dog no attention at all)

Tootyfilou · 29/10/2019 14:39

This absolutely infuriates me. I have been a dog owner all my life. Its dog owner rules surely to avoid any dogs you see being leashed. One of my dogs is nervous reactive. He has brilliant re call , and we often put him on the lead if we see another dog, the amount of stupid people that will just let their dog walk up to ours drives me mad. Totally irresponsible.

Ladybirdman · 29/10/2019 14:40

I appreciate it and would think they are a responsible dog owner. My dog is always on a lead and I hate when other dogs approach not on lead.

ErrolTheDragon · 29/10/2019 14:41

If I see someone putting their dog on a lead as we approach, I assume either it's because their dog is reactive in some way, or that it's too big or boisterous to interact safely with mine, an elderly dachshund. So I say thank you and we walk on by.

My previous dachshund used to have an issue with boxers after a young one accidentally hurt his eye. Boxer owners seeing us get him on a short leash would nearly always say 'don't worry, he's friendly' ....

HowlinProwlin · 29/10/2019 14:44

Other dog on lead or in a close heel = gimme space/respect my space.

Similarly other dog actively working with owner even at a distance = gimme space/respect my space.

It does not matter why the other owner has their dog close or on a lead, give them space.

If everyone respected everyone elses personal space, we'd have far fewer problems!

CynthiaRothrock · 29/10/2019 14:46

Yanbu i have a over friendly teenage knob head border collie. He is a first class arse. He will not recall at the best of times let alone if he sees another dog, we mainly (sadly) have to keep him on lead. Unless we go to the field behind us. But even then he looks agressive when he is charging towards you and he generally pisses other dogs off because he has no bloody boundrys and he is so bouncy, so they end up snapping at each other.
we Will not let him off lead if someone else is already on the field and we.put his lead straight back on if some one comes on. But if the field is empty we Will let him run. What annoys me is alot of people get to the gate and let their dog off straight away Regardless of how many dogs are there or weather they are on or off lead. Their dogs usually make a bee line for other dogs, then they get upset when the other dog doesnt want to play nicely!
Imo they should always check first.

EpcotForever · 29/10/2019 14:47

If I'd seen you put your dog on a lead, I would also put my dog on a lead.
You just don't know why the lead is being used the dog could be boisterous or nervous. Plus I hate when other dogs jump up at me when I can manage to control mine.

pigsDOfly · 29/10/2019 14:50

Your reasons for putting your dog on a lead aren't the point in this scenario imo and in that situation there could possibly be any number of reasons.

If someone sees my dog being put on a lead it will never be because she's aggressive or nervous, it'll usually mean we're leaving the park, anywhere else she tends to be on the lead anyway.

The man with the husky sounds like an idiot. I hate all this 'he's friendly' rubbish.

My dog won't savage another dog and will cope with other dogs around her but she most definitely doesn't like being leaped all over by a 'friendly' dog with no manners who 'just wants to play'. In fact she'd really rather just be left alone. She doesn't want to 'play'.

You need to be more vocal and insistent OP in the way you tell people to keep their dogs away.

It doesn't always work, and I've had people become quite rude and nasty when I've told them to call their dogs away - one stupid woman actually telling her large bad mannered, untrained puppy that I was a miserable woman and didn't want to be nice to it when I told her to call it off after it had almost knocked me over and ran at my dog.
Meanwhile it ran off and did the same thing to everyone else on the beach.

Unfortunately, some people are just stupid and you need to be very insistent to get through to them.

RedRec · 29/10/2019 14:55

I always put my dog on a lead when I see another dog coming. It is general politeness and good form.
Do it when cyclists are passing too (on canal towpath) as my daft dog might just aimlessly wander across the path just in front of them.

goodwinter · 29/10/2019 15:02

My local area is full of absolute pricks who will let their off-lead dog run up to mine while I'm shouting "my dog is nervous, please call yours away!" - or worse, a dog running off-lead with no bloody owner to be found because they don't feel the need to keep an eye on their dogs at all and they're off walking halfway up the field with their back to me and the dogs. 😤

YANBU - some people don't understand or care about dog-walking etiquette!

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 29/10/2019 15:03

I have a small bouncy dog who other dogs find quite annoying. He's always on a lead if other people/dogs are about because he doesn't bloody listen

LolaSmiles · 29/10/2019 15:04

He was out of order for the "oh he'll want to play" response.

However, I'd not read too much into someone putting their dog on a lead.

On my normal weekend walk there was a section where I knew my dog had picked up a scent before so they went back on the lead until we had gone past. Other times if we're deviating from the norm I'll put them on. Sometimes I want them back on because I think they've drank too much muddy water and are liable to throw up when we get in so I want to make sure they're away from it. Sometimes it's because I've seen a dog that I know has an irresponsible owner.

I'd not expect other dog owners to make any assumptions about why I've put one of my dogs on a lead. Equally I wouldn't make assumptions about why they do.

I'd not expect them to change their walk because I've put my dog on a lead. I would expect strangers to prevent their dog approaching mine because generally you don't allow a dog to approach an on lead dog.

Mishfit0819 · 29/10/2019 15:19

YANBU - all dog owners should know this. He's just playful is usually code for untrained, hyper and I can't be arsed in my experience.

Also, If you can't recall your dog, they shouldn't be off lead. End of.

Glitterb · 29/10/2019 15:20

I mainly keep my dog on a lead around other dogs as she has a habit of legging it back home at a million miles an hour (cavalier King Charles spaniel)
I don’t have a problem with other people not doing the same, in fact I usually say it’s fine not too as she needs to chat with other dogs

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