Dog owner angry because i walked away from his dog

[Mooo111]

I admit I'm a little nervous of certain dogs, I just think 'never say never'.
Anyway just before I was walking in the street and a pitbull type dog was off its lead walking past me. I moved to the other side of the pavement to let them past.
The owner (a young man) took great offence at this snapping, 'He's friendly, he wouldn't be off the lead if he wasn't, Jesus Christ!" Then walked off muttering obscenities.

I didn't respond just carried on walking. Has anyone else met this sort of situation? I'm within my rights to move out of the way of the dog if I want to. Of course owners will always say he/she is friendly but it can be intimidating when a dog you don't know runs up to you.

i absoultely love dogs , havent got one , but i love other peoples and im the first to be up to owners asking if i can have a fuss , but if i did see a large rather feirce one off its lead and approaching me i would avoid it if i felt nervous if it . so its not unreasonable to have avoided no

Most councils have bylaws re dogs being on leads on roads, I had this discussion on another forum last week. Call me paranoid, but I absolutely wouldn’t have mine off lead on the street. I can imagine the carnage if they saw a squirrel.

He’s an absolute bellend. It’s not your job to make him feel comfortable walking his dog off lead. He obviously has impulse control issues on top of everything else. Wanker.

@Dontcallmebabylalala

I’ll celebrate the day when dogs of this and similar breeds are finally banned. I know it’s not an easy and/or very defined process, but there is NO safety to anyone when the dogs like this are around. A child lost life recently and it’s one too many deaths that are totally preventable. There is no reason to have a pet designed to kill.

"dogs like this and similar breeds" - exactly what breeds are you talking about here? The OP didn't know what breed the dog was, she said "Pit Bull type" but clearly it couldn't have been as those are banned, probably a Staffy.

If you are talking about allregognised bully breeds, you're including Bull Terriers, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Great Danes, French Bulldogs, Bull Mastifs, Pugs etc as well as Staffys. So where do you draw the line - ban Bull Terriers, but keep Frenchies & pugs etc? Ban Boston Terriers but keep Great Danes?

You are talking about some of the smallest and largest breeds of dog in this country, just about all of which are now "pet" breeds rather than "working" breeds.

Then again if you were talking about any breed that has a reputation of being "dangerous", outside of those named in the Dangerous Dogs Act, the vast majority of those only behave the way they have been trained to behave. A good example of this is the Doberman, a breed that has been trained and used as a guard dog for a long time but at the same time makes a fabulous gentle family pet IF TRAINED THAT WAY.

On the other side of the coin you have some of the smaller terrier breeds e.g. Yorkie, Jack Russell, who can be vicious little beasties and the only reason they don't cause deaths is their size - again, all down to how they are brought up & trained (or not trained, in many cases). The majority of these breeds are fine, but there are a few examples I wouldn't leave a child with!

I don't have any dogs, my lifestyle wouldn't be fair on one.

@StrawberryPot

People who walk their dogs off lead in the street are total twats. It's usually macho bravado. They're effectively saying that they are in total control of their dog and it wouldn't dare step out of line (always makes me wonder about their training methods 🤔).

If I'm walking one of my dogs in the street (always on a lead) and I see someone coming towards me looking a bit uncomfortable, I would always step out of their way and give them a friendly smile.

Having a well trained dog isn’t macho or bravado, its a sign of responsible owners. Our dog is rarely on a lead, he is well trained, doesn’t walk/run off and is trained to walk a close heel when asked.

Dogs are fairly easily trained if they have good engagement with their owners, which is easily achieved with things like hand feeding, daily enriching games and consistency.

He would loose his shit at me because I actively cross over the road when I see any dog.
I have a dog phobia and would be pretty much in a mess seeing a dog off the lead on a residential street.

YANBU, I'd have done the same OP. That young fella is a clown and the dog should have been on a lead. I pray to God it doesn't harm anyone, especially not a child.

I suspect he feels defensive because he's got a dog notoriously known as aggressive: but that's his problem, not anyone else's. It's really ludicrous to expect total strangers to know that his dog is friendly, and equally ludicrous of him not to understand that people may have other reasons for avoiding his dog, such as allergies. But ultimately it really is none of his business where people choose to walk, and if he doesn't like people showing any concern about his dog he can very easily keep it on a lead.

Better safe than sorry OP

You did the right thing, dog owner is a dickhead

I accidentally ended up with a “status” breed, I will trot out the “softest dog you’ve ever met” and he was. It used to make me so sad people would judge it and cross the road after one look at him.
Fair enough if you don’t like dogs, he wasn’t going to jump up at you anyway. But the immediate judgement made me sad. He had a soft coloured harness to look friendlier. I have to admit I go out of my way with status breeds now to say hello, as I know the judgement they get.

Other people can't know if he's going to jump up though. Many people will avoid going very near any big or powerful-looking dogs (or indeed any dogs at all), not just so-called 'status' breeds. Your being sad about the reputation of 'status' dogs really isn't their problem. And I say that as the owner of a large dog. If someone gives my dog a wide berth, I just think 'He's a big animal, and they don't want to interact with him. Totally fair enough.' Tbh I'm much more bothered by people who come and get in his face, especially without asking if he's friendly.

I use a walking stick, dogs don't like them, hence I often step off the pavement or cross over. I get some strange looks, however, I've heard it all before: it's your stick, she didn't know you was there, you frightened him, it's the colour of your coat, she wont bite, it's your sunglasses, and so on.

@Simonjt - I'm not talking about never walking your dog off lead. I'm talking about in a street where there are presumably cars driving past. You do know it's against the law (Road Traffic Act) to walk your dog off lead on a designated road?

Another 'acknowledge my skill and masculinity in exposing my dog to danger by having it off the lead at all times' wanker. I once got followed, shouted at and called an ignorant bitch for walking away from similar - this being a dog which had previously run across a road to come and have a go at my dog.

YANBU

There is an overwhelming prevalence of humanising animals, dogs especially. I like dogs, I’m not afraid of dogs but I don’t want to pat every dog I meet and nor should I. But there is this general expectation that we should pat friendly dogs akin to saying hi to a friendly human because to do otherwise would be considered rude. It’s not rude to ignore a dog. In fact we should be making less fuss of strangers dogs because it only encourages them to jump up for a response. A dog may be in training but so many folk think it’s ok to approach it and fuss over it with baby talk without asking the owners permission.

Let dog owners’ lives be enhanced by their dog without needing everyone else to be as invested in their life choice as they are. And let the rest of us go about our business in peace.

The dog probably was friendly, but it's fine to avoid it if you feel uncomfortable. The owner is the twat! I love dogs but would do exactly the same as you did.

@StrawberryPot

People who walk their dogs off lead in the street are total twats. It's usually macho bravado. They're effectively saying that they are in total control of their dog and it wouldn't dare step out of line (always makes me wonder about their training methods 🤔).

If I'm walking one of my dogs in the street (always on a lead) and I see someone coming towards me looking a bit uncomfortable, I would always step out of their way and give them a friendly smile.

I agree that dogs should be on-lead on roads but as a dog walker, I walk several dogs who will just walk perfectly to heel next to me - my own dog included when he's off the lead and asked to walk at heel.

I certainly don't use questionable training methods and neither do their owners. It's just a lot of positive association (normally via food or toys), consistency and persistence. Some breeds are more inclined to do it than others, but it's achievable for any dog if you put your mind to it.

There are plenty of owners here whose dogs walk perfectly to heel, off-lead at all times. Mostly older owners (who are in no way trying to be macho ) with sighthounds or older dogs, but they're all excellently trained and very well socialised.

A well behaved dog who walks at heel is the sign of a well-trained dog and is something all owners should aspire to IMO. As an aside, my dog is often better at walking to heel off the lead than he is on, though I'd never have him off lead by a road.

Dogs are a British obsession ... no-one dare complain about them, and if you do not love them there is something wrong with you apparently. Makes me sick.

@Mooo111

I admit I'm a little nervous of certain dogs, I just think 'never say never'. Anyway just before I was walking in the street and a pitbull type dog was off its lead walking past me. I moved to the other side of the pavement to let them past. The owner (a young man) took great offence at this snapping, 'He's friendly, he wouldn't be off the lead if he wasn't, Jesus Christ!" Then walked off muttering obscenities.

I didn't respond just carried on walking. Has anyone else met this sort of situation? I'm within my rights to move out of the way of the dog if I want to. Of course owners will always say he/she is friendly but it can be intimidating when a dog you don't know runs up to you.

Pit bulls are mostly OK. But a certain type of arsehole seems to own them. A good owner would have it on a lead.

He was a dick if you just stepped aside. I'm sorry e perfectly reasonable to just let anyone by, dogs/kids on bikes etc.

I'm a dog lover and love a trip to our local park because there are loads of lovely dogs and we're there so often I've got to know a few owners and their dogs. Me and the dc will stop to chat and fuss the familiar ones (my favourites are a St. Bernard and a Samoyed!) but DDs friend is absolutely terrified and makes a huge fuss if a dog comes near her, even then no owners have taken offence- they generally just move over and sit the dog down until she's passed.
Same way my mum who has a large dog sits him down out of the way to let other people/dogs by- he's friendly but very vocal so she appreciates his excited barking doesn't get the friendly reaction a small dog does and has trained him well so he'll sit/stay/quiet. The only time she's reacted was when some dick walked up and kicked her on lead dog because his dog was off lead and tried to attack my mums dog. Some owners are just knobs.

*I agree that dogs should be on-lead on roads but as a dog walker, I walk several dogs who will just walk perfectly to heel next to me - my own dog included when he's off the lead and asked to walk at heel.

I certainly don't use questionable training methods and neither do their owners. It's just a lot of positive association (normally via food or toys), consistency and persistence. Some breeds are more inclined to do it than others, but it's achievable for any dog if you put your mind to it.*

Same here. But I wouldn't walk them off lead in the street.

The owner was unreasonable, you have every right to avoid a dog if you wish too. He was maybe feeling a bit sensitive. People who own certain breeds sometimes find themselves on the receiving end of unnecessary, nasty comments and rants from members of the public. This is fair enough if they are being irresponsible but if they are good dog owners with a friendly pet, out for a stroll and minding their own business, it must get annoying. Either way, it doesn't excuse the way that he spoke to you.

His fog should be on a lead, it's the law. It won't have been a pitbull as they are banned. He should have kept his mouth shut, everyone is entitled to their own space.
I have 2 dogs , one very large, people either love her and want to pet her, or other are nervous, I totally respect that.

Same here. But I wouldn't walk them off lead in the street.

And that's great.

But you implied that dogs who walk nicely off the lead on streets are only that way because their owners use questionable training methods, which really isn't fair IMO.

YANBU, I hate this. So many dog owners think it’s fine to let their dogs approach other people because “he’s friendly”. I’m trying to teach my young son to be careful around dogs and not to approach dogs he doesn’t know, I wish dog owners would do the same or use a lead.

Dog, not fog.....