To have shouted at dog?

[RubiMurray]

I went for a walk along the riverbank yesterday. It’s quite isolated and peaceful, just farms etc - rarely see anyone. Suddenly a Dobermann comes running out of nowhere, no owner in sight. It spots me and stops dead just staring at me. I stop in my tracks hoping an owner is around. Then it bolts towards me barking. I shit myself and start move backwards knowing full well I’m not going to be able to outrun the bloody thing. It reaches me and stands in front of me barking and growling at which point I start shouting “help!” The dog gets more hyped and and is jumping around all heckles raised barking and air snapping. Finally a woman comes running shouting at me to stop shouting (!!??), she’s calling the dog who isn’t taking a blind bit of notice. She finally reaches us, puts a lead on the dog and starts to drag it away (it’s still barking at me) and as she turns to walk off she says “shouting at a dog will only wind it up!” I reply “well I’m sorry but having a big fuck off Dobermann barking and growling at you is rather frightening! Why isn’t it on a lead??” She replied “did he bite you? No so what’s your problem? Stop being dramatic” !!!

WIBU to panic and shout??

How terrifying, OP. I hope you have reported to your local police or dog warden.

I love dogs, I have a huge soft spot for Dobermans and Rottweilers in particular, having never met a nasty one, but they’ve always been well trained soppy buggers. But they only get well trained through good, responsible, intelligent owners who understand that a poorly trained dog of these breeds is an absolute danger.

As PPs said - if a barking dog approaches turn away/to the side, don’t make eye contact, keep very still - definitely don’t run away. But I you can’t be unreasonable for panicking in that situation.

@Deathraystare

What is it with these stupid fucking dog owners? If it is like this with people it doesn't know it should be on a lead. Some people are really scared of dogs, mainly because of their twattish owners.

This! And I am a dog lover and owner. People like this that give us all a bad name

Have taught my dc to turn their backs, heads down, stay quiet & still & tuck their fingers / hands in.

Am glad they know what to do but find it incredibly frustrating that I should have to teach them this - if dogs don’t have perfect recall they shouldn’t be off lead, full stop.

As a dog owner I hate these fucking morons. I’m sure had the dog encountered a small child who ran away in fright screaming , or went towards it to pat it ( heavens above!) that she would still have had the same attitude. Some people deserve to be eaten by their own dogs while they sleep.

The type of owner that lets their dog run around barking at people always says shit like that ime. Like, you wouldn't have been shouting if the dog wasn't out of control. But they don't see it that way because they don't like taking responsibility. For anything, probably.

You acted in justified fear in this instance. She should have apologised not berated you.

This terrifies me as a reactive dog owner. If he would have approached us while out walking my dog albeit muzzled would have gone for the kill. And ultimately one or both would have had to be put down

If an off lead dog attacks your on-lead one, your dog is acting in self defence even if he kills the other dog.

I keep mine leashed but not muzzled as he can’t defend himself muzzled. He’s fine with humans, even kids scooting into him or trying to climb on his back unnoticed!

But if a large dog came at him aggressively he’d also go for the kill. I’d have to drop the lead, but ultimately the lead would still be attached and is proof yours was under control and the other wasn’t.

There are twatish dogowners,twatish non dogowners,twatish children,twatish parents,twatish catowners etc etc. The dog owner in your case has an anxious,nervous Doberman and is not aware of the potential danger and thinks in shouting at you will make HER problem go away.It is true though,shouting at an aggitated dog is a very bad reaction.Try,if you can to ignore the dog and simply walk on without any shouting or any attention to the dog.I know,this is difficult to do when you are frightened,but belief me, you are much safer in this way to pass the dog.Of course it should not be your job to have to do this,but the reality is,there will always be twatish dogowners,as well as non twatish dogowners.you were unfortunate to meet a twat.I have to extremely well behaved and friendly Border Collies and belief me,I have come across some very twatish children and parents.Luckily 97%of people and dogs are friendly,albeit not very well trained!

What a twat.. her not you.

If that happens again though - stand still, back up if you must but DON'T RUN... fold your arms up, tuck hands away under armpits and try to turn sideways on to the dog rather than staring directly at it...

And if you have to shout, telling the dog to FUCK OFF or SIT! or DON'T YOU DARE is likely to be better, using your absolute best voice of doom.

Shouting or screaming in a high pitched way IS likely to make matters worse, yes - which is still NOT your fault, its still the owners fault, because her dog absolutely was 'dangerously out of control in a public place' and exhibited behaviour that gave you 'reasonable apprehension of injury'.

If you have any way of reporting it to the police or dog warden, id do so , but it isn't easy if you don't know where the dog lives.

We only have one side of the story here..

@CatOfTheLand

So what are you supposed to do then if you genuinely think you're going to be attacked by a dog? I'm not talking about a dog coming over to you, but if you're in OP's situation and the dog is at the point of attack

I wouldn't say that this dog was at the point of attack.

Most dogs are aggressive because they are scared, so the best thing to do is replicate dog body language to show that you are not a threat, i.e. calming signals. My go-to body language when I'm in this situation is to look away from the dog, remain still but relaxed and do big slow yawns (without covering my mouth). Without looking directly at the dog, I observe it for signs that it is relaxing in response to my calming signals, i.e., offering calming signals of it's own. E.g., the last time I was threatened by an off lead dog, the dog stopped barking and moved towards me in a zig-zag whilst sniffing the ground, clearly indicating that he was coming in peace. I continued my calming signals until he had finished sniffing me and continued on his way.

Wield arrgh c**ty auto correct

@Deathraystare

What is it with these stupid fucking dog owners? If it is like this with people it doesn't know it should be on a lead. Some people are really scared of dogs, mainly because of their twattish owners.

Yes. Exactly it in a nutshell.