To have picked my puppy up?

[MonkeyLeg]

I have a four month old puppy. My last dog was extremely reactive and I’m determined not to allow this one to go the same way.

Anyway I was walking him around park yesterday as I have done since he was allowed to go out. I’m socialising him walking him past gangs of geese, other dogs, screeching kids, lamas, donkeys etc etc

Well we were walking around the lake in a quieter part of the park and up ahead I saw two young blokes with 3 dogs off lead. The biggest one was trying to get into the lake to go after the birds and the bloke kept dragging it out. As we got closer I realised the dogs were pitbull/xl bully whatever you want to call them. About twice the size of a staffy, built like brick shithouses. I’ll try and attach a photo of a dog that looks identical to the ones in park.

I picked my puppy up and turned in the opposite direction. The bloke shouted at me “My dogs aren’t vicious you daft cow”. So clearly owner was a dickhead also.

was I wrong to do this?? I’ve happily walked him past Dobermanns, German shepherds, Rottweilers etc but I draw the line at these dogs which imo should be illegal.

Image is off google but appears to be the same type of dog.

Well, it would really inspire confidence to have him shout at you.

He sounds like a dickhead and you need to put your puppy first. Nothing here to overthink at all.

He was rude. You sound like you've made the right call.

Yesterday there was two of this kind of breed alone in their garden going mental and we needed to pass it. They were jumping up and barking and growling. I picked up my little puppy and swiftly crossed the road - she was terrified.

I’m on the fence. I can see why he was offended as you clearly avoided them based purely on their breed, and for all you know they are soft as shit. That said, I probably would have done the same thing. And I’m not sure if that’s right or wrong.

I was hoping you would put up a picture of your puppy (please)

I would have done the same in that particular circumstances.

At that age, I’d just say ‘my puppy has walked enough he’s tired’. At 4 months they should only be walking for 20 mins anyway so more than reasonable.
but I tend to find aggressive, rude people tend to have aggressive dogs. So you probably did the right thing.
i also find with my nice happy dog, people with horrible dogs want theirs to meet mine in some bizarre attempt to ‘socialise’ their dogs.

It was none of his business why you picked up your dog. His behaviour wouldn’t suggest he or his dog will be pleasant

I'm afraid I'm reactive myself and would have shouted back "but you're the only one that knows that and their owners is clearly aggressive!"

He was an idiot OP you did the right thing x

I would have shouted back ‘Maybe not, but you sound like a dick’.

With the breed combined with the fact he had to keep grabbing it out of the lake, I think what you did was reasonable. I perhaps would have walked past rather than back.

A similar scenario happened to me when mine was a wee pup out walking in a wood and I saw a huge brute of a dog off the lead running about with no sign of it's owner. It wasn't too dissimilar to the photo you've posted (which is terrifying btw) - I started walking in the opposite direction and to my horror could hear the dog "galloping" up behind us, so I instinctively picked up my pup and carried on slowly walking - the dog came right up to us and I could feel its breath on my elbow as it gave my pup's leg a sniff, at this point I was scared but I remembered at dog class hearing if you encounter a strange dog to turn and walk away and not engage with it at all so I did that, and after a moment it ran off again (I think the owner had caught up and called it back). I was shaking coming out of that wood but my pup was safe and unconcerned.

I read a week or so later about a dog matching the description of the one I'd met that had been attacking and killing cats. I still think about that encounter when I walk in the woods now but would do 100% the same again. If a huge dog like that attacked your dog you'd have no chance of helping it. It doesn't bare thinking about.

He was wrong to shout at you but you were overreacting.

Dogs don't judge each other on size or shape. Some adult dogs generally don't like puppies regardless of the breed but it seems that you let your perception of the breed influence you.

Puppies will associate your behaviour as though there is something to be frightened of if you pick them up each time there is a situation you don't like.
I'm not saying that if you are unhappy you shouldn't walk away - of course you should but don't think picking the puppy up was tge right call.

It was a bit daft imo, you also make a puppy in the air much more interesting.
My off lead dog walks quite a way off the path to the side of me all the long grass and trees etc and ignores everything except the sniffs on the ground. Hadn’t even looked at this other dog who the owner made a huge song and dance about picking up. My dog then saw and thought oooo interesting a flying dog perhaps I might check that out. Obviously recalled her but if they’d just carried on walking my dog wouldn’t have even glanced their way.

I was told when my dog was a puppy not to pick them up (unless they are in real danger of course) because it makes them associate other dogs with something to be scared of, and can lead to behavioural problems. That might be complete bollocks though, no doubt someone who knows more about dog training will be along shortly to tell me I am wrong. But on anecdotal evidence, my dog grew up to be very social with other dogs, while my neighbour's dog, same breed, who was picked up all the time, grew up to be aggressive.

If you were turning round and walking back in the direction you came there was no need to pick your puppy up.

Generally you shouldn't pick your puppy up but those dogs are utterly terrifying and I agree they should be banned.

Just looking at the picture was scary

I’d have said
I don’t give a shit what you think tbh.

you were justified in doing with your puppy whatever the fuck you want. He was rude. Really rude.

Young puppies do need to know you have got their backs, so what you did wasn't unreasonable. I think I would have shouted back that if that was the case, would he put his dogs on leads so the puppy could meet them in a controlled way. If he refused, I am afraid your judgement was right about him being a knob.

Just to add, obviously it's not good to always pick your puppy up to avoid interaction with another dog but in a particular situation like the one you've described, which isn't likely to be a common encounter, ultimately you have to make a call and decide to do whatever is necessary to keep your pup safe and avoid them having a negative (or dangerous) experience. It only takes one bad experience to change them forever.

Also from how you've described the other dog's behaviour and its owner's reaction I believe you did make the right decision.

Well he proved your theory was correct didn’t he?If he has no control over his own facilities he sure as hell won’t have invested any training into his dogs.

Why would you care if you offended some rando in the park? Anyone taking offense at you being frightened by a dog is absolutely an arse, and should be ignored. You are a grown adult, you saw a potential danger and decided to avoid it. Well done you. No harm resulted to you and dpup.

I wouldn’t have picked him up. Assuming he was on lead I’d have just walked past.

YABU for not posting a puppy photo! That's the rules.

You absolutely made the right call! And the fact that he called you a daft cow really cements this. If they were lovely gentle examples of their breed and he a responsible dog owner, he would have just maybe been quietly disappointed.

As long as you’re not never letting your dog socialise with bigger dogs (eg a woman who would whip up her puppy away from my spaniel who was gently sniffing it) then it’s absolutely fine to make a call on things like this.

When my dog was a puppy we had a similar experience with a puppy version of the breed you describe, I had let them play but he was being VV aggressive and literally going for her soft throat in play, mine was about 7 months and I picked her up once it was clear she had had enough and his owner told me off as well!

We have had 2/3 attacks in our city area and only from that breed. One poodle had to have stitches and the owner of the attacking dog still lets theirs play off lead in the same parks. Obviously I turn around and leave as soon as we see them there.

Those dogs are absolutely terrifying. I live in central London and they are increasingly around. I also get really scared pushing the pushchair next to one. They’ve become something of a status symbol amongst young people.