Another dog moan - aibu

[Cocothecat27]

I have a small terrier who is quite reactive to other dogs. He's mostly just very barky but he has been known to have a little snap at other dogs if they come up to him, not that he'd do any damage as he's tiny. He seems particularly reactive when he's on lead and other dogs approach him who aren't.

We are working on this, he's still very young. But for this reason he is always on a lead.

Three times this week we have been approached in public places by dogs off lead. The owners always say the same thing - it's ok he/she is fine. But my dog isn't always fine and if he snaps at yours and a fight happens it'll most likely be my very small, on the lead dog that comes off worse.

We had an incident yesterday where a huge dog came bounding over to us which is pretty scary as it is. My idiot dog started going crazy and I had to pick him up.

I tell people sorry he can be a bit snappy at times, as though it's my fault! but if their dog was on a lead too it wouldn't be a problem would it? I'm working on my dog being less reactive but it doesn't help when these things keeps happening. Aibu to find it really annoying?

But they likely will cause a lot less injury/less severe injury if they can't use their teeth to inflict. And the owner will probably be looked on in a more favourable way

Not necessarily. Most people choose not to muzzle because if an aggressive off lead dog attacks yours he can’t defend himself! Sadly it happens. GS lost half an ear to an unprovoked pitbull attack.

@HikeForward

But they likely will cause a lot less injury/less severe injury if they can't use their teeth to inflict. And the owner will probably be looked on in a more favourable way

Not necessarily. Most people choose not to muzzle because if an aggressive off lead dog attacks yours he can’t defend himself! Sadly it happens. GS lost half an ear to an unprovoked pitbull attack.

Muzzles only solve part of the problem. They reduce the risk of serious injuries to the off lead dog but aren’t foolproof. They also make the on lead dog even more worried and defensive in many cases. Anyway, I don’t see how anyone could think it’s ok to let their off lead dog sniff around/leap on/hassle a dog that is clearly scared and uncomfortable just because it’s muzzled. That’s a disgusting and really unfair way to treat an animal.

So if a dog violently attacks another dog and the other dog owner can't get near to rescue because the attack dog is too dangerous they could be a case. And the Police could be involved even if not to prosecute

This only applies if the attacking dog or both dogs are off lead.
If yours is off lead and gets into a fight with an on-lead dog, you can’t argue that you couldn’t rescue it because you forgot to put the lead on!

Most dogs will back off if an on-lead dog growls or shows defensive body language but a few retaliate with aggression or even keep trying to play. If you can’t call your dog away at this point (or you’re too far away to see it) then yours is out of control!

I have had people laugh at how scared my big dog is by their little dog when they run up into his space and not do anything to get their dog away when Ive asked. My dog lies down and whines/cries. They are essentially laughing because they’ve scared/taunted an animal. It makes me feel sick and wonder why someone with so little empathy for animals has a dog in the first place.

Just know that you run the risk of scaring people and people’s pets if they don’t like dogs and your dog approaches them and you can’t call it back. It’s antisocial. How friendly the dog is isn’t really relevant. Any dog can scare a dog or person and should be under control. And if you’re dog runs up to a person and gets kicked, or runs up to an on lead dog and gets bitten or killed then that is entirely your problem for having an out of control dog. Blame who you like if it makes you feel better but no laws will protect you and at the end of the day

^ This exactly.

Parks are used by lots of people. Parents with babies and toddlers, elderly people or those unstable on their feet, people having picnics, cyclists, runners. If I take my brother’s dogs through a park I leash them; even though they have fantastic recall and don’t bother people or other dogs, they’re still capable of accidentally tripping someone up or knocking a person over if they’re running free.
And they can scare people. Nobody but me knows they’re highly trained, friendly dogs who recall with a single whistle! To the average park user they’re just big lolloping dogs. And people with reactive dogs get nervous too.

I have had people laugh at how scared my big dog is by their little dog when they run up into his space and not do anything to get their dog away when Ive asked

It’s horrible isn’t it. Like they think it’s hilarious your big dog is afraid of their tiny one.

The same owners swiftly change their tune if the big dog retaliates. GS sometimes tolerates small dogs sniffing at him for a few minutes (his body language shows clearly he’s afraid and I’m warning the other owner to recall) then he suddenly loses patience. They stop laughing then!