Dogs and joggers

[TootsAtOwls]

I'm prepared to be told IABU on this but interested to know what others think...

I have a rescue dog who is mostly fine, always friendly if he meets people in the house etc. However he does sometimes bark at people he doesn't like the look of when we pass them on the street (tall men, people wearing neon colours etc). I am actively working on this with positive reinforcement (I get the treats out before we pass people so he learns that other people are a good thing) and most days pass without incident.

However, I am having trouble with (male) runners. They come out of nowhere, running around corners and hurtling past at full speed. I often don't have time to get the treat into the dog's mouth or he's already too distracted by the runner to take it. So he barks, and lunges (I know he means it in a playful way, but they don't!) They always seem to look back and give me a dirty look as i call out "Sorry!"

But I can't help thinking, if I was running past a dog, I'd either cross the road to avoid them or if that's impossible (say on a canal path) I would bloody well slow down! I get that they don't want to keep interrupting their run with bouts of walking. Bit am I so unreasonable to think that you don't run right past a dog who's looking intently at you (as opposed to a dog showing no interest)? Surely they must see it's going to get them barked at?

Lots of people missing this point. Nobody puts their dogs in positions to make them scared on purpose, but sometimes they get spooked, it's quite normal just as humans do. We then just act accordingly with the training techniques we have.

I'm a runner and a dog lover. However I do not love being barked at or chased by poorly controlled dogs on my runs. I will go to the far side of the path to give you space to pass but I am not going to stop or slow down for your dog. Unless I feel it is a threat and I am doing it for my own protection, which is bloody irritating.

I would genuinely love to get your advice and tips on training dogs against being startled and spooked. Actually I'd like that advice for myself too!

We have a lot of runners and cyclists in our neighborhood and I can’t understand it when they pass a walker (with or without a dog) without giving a warning- saying “ passing on your left/right” is the standard phrase used here.

I have a non-reactive dog who’s always walked on a lead and have had a number of instances when runners nearly run into me, because the dog stops to sniff, or they nearly get tangled in the lead, because we have no idea that someone is right behind us! If they give a warning, we move off to the side to let them pass.

I don’t run but I do cycle and always warn people when I’m coming up behind them on a path- for my own safety as well as theirs!

It’s tricky, I run (not particularly fast though!) and I do cross the road to avoid a dog if I see one, but mainly because I don’t want the dog to approach me, slobber on me, or get tangled in it’s lead.
Its about being considerate really, isn’t it, and giving everyone space.

Your dog your responsibility tbh. If you are concerned about their behaviour around people living their life why not take them out somewhere which doesn’t cause them unnecessary anxiety and where you feel you can control them? I say this as a dog lover and a dog lover who has been attacked by a dog who lunged at me on a lead and bit my leg while I was walking past ‘because I had my hood up’ - it was raining. ‘He never does this! He just gets scared’ well he did and you knew he was nervous and yet you took him to a public park. If you can’t control a dog it’s your responsibility - you train him or take him to places until he is. Onus not on people trying to just get on with their lives.

Yabvvu. Go walk the dog somewhere there is room for it and fgs get it under control. At no point should dogs be lunging at humans!

Then speak to a behaviourist and they’d be very happy to help. You’re not a dog, if you haven’t noticed. It’s not about “not being startled”, it’s about responding to being startled in an appropriate way.

responding to being startled in an appropriate way now i've heard everything!!

That’s an odd u-turn because weren’t you the poster who said that they encourage it?

Another vote for this!

I have 2 female friends who've been knocked off their bikes on shared used paths in recent months by out of control dogs. One has a broken collarbone.

It's the owner's legal responsibility to keep the dog under control.

I'm a runner and I'm also nervous of dogs. I have got better at this as I've recently moved to an area where you're in a minority if you don't have a dog. I've gradually learned to tell when it's a laid back/elderly dog that won't notice when I pass and I will reduce my pace and give as much room as possible. But if I'm not sure I usually stop and walk well before I've reached the dog just to be sure. On a narrow path I might just stop and step aside and wait for them to pass.
I did this recently on a snowy day when there were 2 ladies each with quite a big boisterous dog . The path was narrow and I waited ages for them to pass while they were chatting and the dogs were jumping around. It really pissed me off that they didn't even acknowledge me as they passed! Another time I stopped the dog started running straight towards me and it wasn't until he was jumping up at me until the owner noticed because she had just been walking along looking at her phone!

This isn’t an odd thing to say. Are you ok?

If someone's approaching you from in front, you stand to the side and let them pass.

If they're approaching you from behind, they make themselves known.

To be fair my dog will know someone's approaching us from behind long before I hear them and will make me aware, just by pausing and looking back, allowing me to make a judgment call as to whether we need to stand aside.

@Cymraescwtch I agree,off-lead dogs should be very well-trained.

Equally, cyclists like me should warn walkers/dog walkers when we’re coming up behind them so they have time to move out of the way.

Agreed, plus whenever I've been running and slowed down and a dog's jumped up I've been told by the owner it was because I slowed and I should have just carried on. So people can't win.

Up to the owner to control the dog ESPECIALLY if you know they lunge for people all the time. Maybe only walk in big open spaces until it can be controlled?

You shouldn't be running past someone or hurdling dog leads.

You should slow to a walk and move around people respectfully.

What is disrespectful about running past someone? I'm not a runner, so don't do this, but I've never felt like someone needs to "respectfully" slow down as they pass me.
Obviously runners shouldn't barge people out of the way, but you've said they shouldn't be just running past someone either. I don't see what's wrong with that at all.

Yeah YABU.

who says they don't expect a reaction?!

if it was me I'd slow down (any excuse!!) but I also would care if your on kead dig barked or lunged at me, maybe they don't either.

people are out running, they can run at the speed that suits them, it's probably annoying enough dodging bins/parked cars/people walking 3 abreast/buggies & god knows what else. If they slowed down for every dog as well, they'd need to be training for a walking race.

stop apologising or expecting them to, if everyone just gets on with their own thing without getting annoyed it all works ok with minor frustrations🤷🏻‍♀️

“Disrespectful” Now I’ve heard it all. 🤣

You always warn walkers that you’re passing them, don’t you, @WeWereInParis ? As long as you do that, you’re being respectful enough. 😁

Sorry, just realized you’re not a runner, @WeWereInParis .

I'm not a tall man so maybe your dog would be ok with me but to he honest it has never crossed my mind that a dog looking at me while I'm running or passing them is upset. I so try and give everyone as wide a berth as possible but before reading your post I didn't even realise this is a problem with dogs and I have never crossed the road to avoid a dog or slowed down (but I'm super slow anyway).

From now on I probably will but I do think you are being unreasonable to expect people to think so much. They might not even clock that you've got a dog when they are running but just be aware of your dog in a small obstruction -don't run into it kind of way.

I love dogs but I'm not changing my behaviour because you can't control your dog properly no

They did, they rang their bells well ahead.

Out of control dogs don't listen to bike bells though, do they?

I also cycle, some people get annoyed if I ring the bell.

Can't we all just go past each other without the passee having a fit? Other people exist!

I’d find it more intimidating if someone slowed down to run past me than just kept running.