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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If your dog doesn't recall 100% reliably keep it on a lead!

135 replies

Nottherealslimshady · 13/10/2020 15:05

Just had someone's dog get in my car!

Saw it coming so got my girl straight in the car and shut the door just as he came up to it. Went round to get in drivers side and it pushes past me to get in. Had to shout three times "will you come get your dog, he's getting in my car!" Ended up piss wet through standing in the rain trying to get his dog out while my dogs making it very clear she doesn't want to meet him.

OP posts:
lazylinguist · 13/10/2020 17:22

My dog does not have 100% recall, in the sense that he always comes back, but not always absolutely on-the-dot immediately that I call him. However, he's not interested in going up to people, completely ignores livestock etc and doesn't go very far away from me. I only let him off in big open spaces and put him on a lead if approaching someone whose dog is on a lead.

I never had a long line and I never ever see dogs on long lines here. I live in a very doggy area and walk in places where most dogs are off-lead. Very few appear to have 100% recall, but I have very very rarely seen any awkward dog incidents.

Janevaljane · 13/10/2020 19:08

During lockdown, a neighbours dog ran into my house and threw up on my dining room carpet.

pigsDOfly · 13/10/2020 19:35

I had to put up with quite a bit of abuse not long ago from a couple of men over this issue.

The first one when I was playing with my dog off lead on a playing field beside a road.

We were in the middle of the field when from, what felt like out of nowhere, this large mastiff type dog shot towards us and started leaping round my 6.5kilo dog.

I called to the owner to call his dog off, which he tried to do, but it was a young dog and was having none of it. It just continued to bounce around while my poor dog was screaming in terror.

Owner standing still, calling his dog from a distance, dog enjoying himself completely ignoring him. Dog eventually goes towards owner at which point I tell him that if he can't control his dog it needs to be on a lead.

After I told him he was being ridiculous when he said my dog went for his dog, which she didn't, he told me to 'shut my fucking mouth up'.

Had a similar thing, oddly enough the next day, in a different park.

Another large dog, retriever this time, ran at me and started leaping on me rather than my dog.

Yet another man who couldn't call his dog back, and had to chase it round me until he eventually managed to grab its collar.

He wasn't quite so rude, just called me a 'miserable old cow' because apparently, he thought that, having a dog, I 'would be used to dogs'.

I appreciate that dogs have their own minds and can't always be relied on 'to do the right thing' but some people just don't get the idea that dogs need training.

Janevaljane · 13/10/2020 19:59

If the big dog wasn't being aggressive then its a bit pathetic of your dog to be 'screaming in terror'.

cantdothisnow1 · 13/10/2020 20:35

I have a golden retriever pup who had excellent recall to start but now she is a teenager (dog years) it's hit and miss. I don't let her off in the park or near livestock etc. But I do let her off on long walks so that she can run, she'd have me over on a training lead due to strength and those retractable leads are dangerous.

However being a Golden Retriever puppy she has always attracted loads of attention which makes training in public places very difficult. I even had strangers asking to take photos of her (the Andrex Puppy).

So no you are not being unreasonable to expect people to be considerate as to where they let their dogs of the lead.

Skyla2005 · 13/10/2020 20:38

It’s worth lightening up a bit and seeing the funny things in life sometimes

SBTLove · 13/10/2020 20:41

I agree if your dog has little recall keep them
on a lead.
I was loading my lot (4 dogs) in once, leaned against car to take boots off, turned back to close boot and double took and there was an extra dog sitting there quite happily 🤣
Extracted him and a few minutes later a large man came puffing up the path looking for him, he’s lucky I hadn’t drove off with his dog 🙄

SBTLove · 13/10/2020 20:44

@pigsDOfly
When things like that happen if dog isn’t aggressive put him on your lead and return to owner with a stern word, I’ve done this, obviously only if your dog will stay by your side.

WinWinnieTheWay · 13/10/2020 20:52

Our dog is a nightmare and will not cone back if she can smell anything other than us and our home. She is super friendly and wants to meet anyone and their dog. However, as a responsible owner I accept that not every man and his dog wants to meet Winnie Dog, so she is always always on the lead. I wish that I could reason with her Beagle nose (and stubbornness) that she would have much more freedoms if she would come to me when summoned.
YANBU op, dogs who don't come back should be on the lead.

DuesToTheDirt · 13/10/2020 20:55

I am so fed up of dogs off the lead running up to my horse and barking, while the owner is nowhere to be seen. When they finally appear they'll say, "Oh, she's just friendly, she's not scary." Er, of course she's scary, my horse is a prey animal and your dog is a PREDATOR. Get that thing away from my horse!

Shizzlestix · 13/10/2020 21:00

Drives me nuts. If I see another dog, I walk away with mine on the lead-he’s scared of other dogs. Apparently it was my fault another dog raced across the park to get to my on lead terrified dog (been there, done that with the training to try to make him better before anyone tells me to socialise him, to the tune of £1000s) who defended himself.

pigsDOfly · 13/10/2020 23:25

@Janevaljane

If the big dog wasn't being aggressive then its a bit pathetic of your dog to be 'screaming in terror'.
Whether or not it was pathetic that's what was happening.

My dog is a small breed and weighs 6.5 kilos. The large dog was a very bouncy mastiff type that was jumping around her and banging into her. It was huge compared to her. If it had stamped on her it could have done quite a bit of damage. Quite understandably she was scared.

I don't know, but I'm a slim woman of 5ft 6, if a 7ft 6 muscular bloke started jumping at me and hitting me with his hands or his body, I imagine I'd be pretty freaked out too.

So yeah, I suppose I too would be 'pathetic' under those circumstances.

SBTLove That's a good idea if you can do it. But the other dog was a very excited youngster, it was also big and strong and didn't stand still long enough for anyone to actually grab hold of its collar.

It was all rather frantic tbh. I was trying to prevent the other dog stamping on my dog while at the same time holding her harness so she was close to me, in an attempt to hold her away from him.

I didn't want to go down the route of just picking her up as I don't think that's helpful and felt it could have made the situation worse.

Lovely1a2b3c · 13/10/2020 23:50

It's tricky really because some dogs never really learn recall to that extent but if they're kept on leads all of the time then it can affect their health/level of fitness.

Floralnomad · 14/10/2020 08:53

@Lovely1a2b3c

It's tricky really because some dogs never really learn recall to that extent but if they're kept on leads all of the time then it can affect their health/level of fitness.
There are plenty of private , dog safe fields to hire by the hour all over the place now so people can take their dogs there to practice recall etc
Janevaljane · 14/10/2020 08:54

@Lovely1a2b3c

It's tricky really because some dogs never really learn recall to that extent but if they're kept on leads all of the time then it can affect their health/level of fitness.
I agree. So many fat dogs. No chance to run around.
Whammyyammy · 14/10/2020 09:16

My dog was attacked twice as a pup by off lead dogs, and is very nervous now. He's on a lead 100% when out, unless at an off lead secure dog facility.
I got so fed up with off lead dogs bounding up to him that I wear a body cam for his protection.
About 6 months ago whilst walking along a lane, a guy was putting his bins out at the end of his long drive with his off lead dog.
It ran straight at us growling and attacked my dog, who retaliated, no injuries but a few choice words from me.

2 weeks later I had the police at my door with a warrant for my dog as the guy claimed it my dogs fault, luckily I had saved the footage from camera, showed police and they were happy but I counter complained about this guy.

I heard back that the guys dog was taken and kept in police care for over a month, wasn't put down but had to attend dog classes etc, he now keeps it under control.

Without that body cam my dog could of been put to sleep because an irresponsible owner lies about his uncontrolled dog.

IndieTara · 14/10/2020 09:18

My rescue dog has terrible recall and is aggressive towards most other dogs but great with people.
I still walk him obviously but he is NEVER off the lead. But the number of off lead dogs who run up to him and jump around and bark at him!! It happens easily 3 or 4 times every walk.
I'm left standing there with him on a very short lead, shouting to the other dogs owners 'my dog is aggressive to other dogs, please fetch your dog'
Most of the time they just think it's funny. Infuriating and frustrating

PattyPan · 14/10/2020 09:19

@steppemum

and I could also write it the other way round with cyclists.

I walk along a shared cycle/walkers path. It has loads of dog waklers on it, most dogs off leads. It is long and straght, so visibility is good.

Some cyclists see you and dog a little way ahead, and ring their bell. I call dog, he waits at my feet, cyclist goes past without having to slow down, even says thank you. That is repeated down the path with other walkers. Most of the dog walkers either have dog on lead and stand to one side, or their dog has recall and stand to one side.

But some cyclists come up behind you, so you can't hear them coming, and don't know they are there, and then slam on the breaks when you and dog are in the way. Just ring you bell. It is a legal requirement to have a bell on a bike. If you ring your bell, everyone moves out of the way. If you don't, then slow down and don't be surprised if a dog walks in front of you.

There are 10x as many dogs as bikes. It isn't rocket science, cycling past up to someone at speed, with or without a dog is not exactly a great idea, when they have their back to you and your bike is silent.

I was surprised to read this because I’ve never heard of a requirement to have a bell - I live in England. It turns out it’s only a legal requirement to have a bell in Northern Ireland and IoM. It’s not required in the rest of the UK.
SurreyHillsGirl · 14/10/2020 09:21

YABU for starting yet another tedious anti dog thread Hmm have you really got nothing more interesting to post about

SBTLove · 14/10/2020 09:22

@IndieTara
It’s incredibly annoying, I work with rescue dogs and have had numerous fosters usually with issues to overcome, I’ve had a dog muzzled, wearing a ‘I need space’ vest and still morons let their ‘oh he’s friendly’ dog run over.
Im not shy about saying something and usually ask if they’d like me to run over and jump on their back slapping their face.
There is a lot of secure fields that you can hire by the hour (£10 roughly) which are ideal for dogs like your boy and they get a good run too.

Missfelipe · 14/10/2020 09:26

Our dog does not have perfect recall, far from it but we have to let her off in order to practice but we pick our moments...for example, no small kids around (she’s disinterested but would knock one over on her way to a squirrel) and if the dogs around are ones we know and she plays with. She is very dog friendly so can be a pest and wanting to play. If another dog nearby is unknown or on lead then she goes back on. We couldn’t simply keep her forever on lead...she needs a lot of exercise due to her breed and in my opinion a dog who doesn’t get sufficiently exercised both mentally and physically is potentially more dangerous. The upshot is people just need to be sensible about it.

Brefugee · 14/10/2020 09:27

I don't think it's the dog so much as the owner needing to be shouted at 3 times to pay attention.

SBTLove · 14/10/2020 09:29

@Missfelipe
If I was you I’d be looking for a secure dog field, lots of dogs never get off lead. You can train recall at home it doesn’t need to be across a field. The fact you call her a pest to other dogs think how other dog owners feel.
Also she could run up to a nervous dog who would have a go and that would be your fault for having her off lead.

unicornpower · 14/10/2020 09:34

Our Labrador has excellent recall (most of the time). I always make sure i put him on a lead if there's another dog on a lead, to me that's just manners. But if a dog is walking towards us off a lead then I assume its friendly. Ours is only a young boy so loves playing with other dogs but if they growl he'll run back to us as he's a big wuss. Quite a few off lead dogs we've encountered have shown aggression with him and their owners seem completely unfazed by this? surely if your dog is reactive or not dog friendly then keep it on a lead so we know to put ours on one? That's the rule I've always lived by!

We took ours to the beach and the little bollocks wouldn't come out of the sea, he just stood there with his ball as he was having way too much fun haha it was so embarrassing!

SBTLove · 14/10/2020 09:39

@unicornpower
If by aggressive they’ve gave him a growl that’s their dog way of saying fuck off leave me alone, it’s not aggression, not every dog wants to play and is perfectly happy to plod along. One of mine has perfect recall and could easily never need a lead but has no interest in other dogs, just our other dogs, she would give a grumble if a dog gets in her face not the least aggressive just a warning to leave her alone.