My negligence or the dog walkers?

[Livnlife]

I was walking my pittie. We saw a lab. I pull my pittie close. Who I assume is the owner loosen lead, say”she’s friendly”. I say “all of them are, but I who knows, with what dogs!” She continues to let her dog close. I hold mine back. Im began calming my dog. Listen for a deep growl, watch hairs, ignore wagging tail. Next thing you know her dog is up on mine. The dog is nervous and scared. My dog tries to stand over her’s, I pull back, say no. (sign of dominance) Let walker know I just got her from the rescue, she has not been socialized. Continue to say Ive had her 3 weeks, Im learning her still. She again loosened her dog lead. My dog bit hers. Then she tells me the dog isnt hesr… She is walking her for her boss. Wft. Then proceeds to tell me she wants to be paid for the bill. Am I obligated to pay? Again my dog was never off lead. And I was at an intersection waiting to cross when I was approached

Other walker was an idiot and sounds clueless but you are at fault too for not muzzling a reactive pitbull.

I don’t quite understand what you said in response to her saying her dog was friendly. Why didn’t you just say “mine isn’t” because it sounds like your dog isn’t? Or perhaps you’re not even sure (so better to assume not). It’s fine to have an unfriendly dog but you need to be clear with other owners so that the dogs don’t get close enough for anything to happen

My dog - a rescue who had a background of being used as a breeding machine and awful abuse - wears a yellow collar bearing the word "nervous" and we instruct people firmly to give her space.

You need to do this with anyone you meet - advocate FOR your dog BEFORE anything happens.

You’re both at fault, she sounds like a mad woman and a pain but your dog should be muzzled, it’s not trained or socialised and it’s a dangerous breed. Could have easily been a child run up to your dog and the same outcome.

What is this all about? Someone responds and you don't like what you're being told, so you decide they are lonely?

Completely her fault. You was being responsible by keeping your dog close. She wasn’t

I have a reactive dog. I always tell people he's not friendly. He's on the lead and if their dog comes over, it's their fault. He's nipped other dogs before to warn them. Honestly don't know why people laugh and send their dogs over to play with mine, when I've clearly said he can bite. Stupid people. It's not your fault. Yours was on a lead. Hers wasn't. If she going to walk other people's dogs, then she needs insurance.

To be fair, the post is written in US English, and I would be doubtful that most Americans would be aware of a change in UK dog laws.

OK sorry OP you need urgent training.

Please find a dog trainer, a proper one, not someone who did a one day course online.

Tell them your dog is a rescue, is nervous but dominant and a biter of other dogs.

You must muzzle your dog at all times out of the house from now on.

If / when people approach or their dogs come running up you say 'call your dog off' to that person. When they say 'oh it's OK she's friendly' you say 'my dog is not friendly, my dog is in training, call your dog off'.

If they don't listen, you yell at the top of your voice 'CALL YOUR DOG OFF MY DOG IS IN TRAINING KEEP YOUR DOG AWAY'.

My dog doesn't like other dogs so I always pull her away if someone tries to come over with theirs. You have to be assertive because dogs are unpredictable

If your dog bites a person or another dog it is your fault. It needs to be PTS muzzled.

Also you need to learn to handle your dog with confidence because when you get nervous or start physically exhibiting anxiety when another dog comes near (pulling the leash tighter, changing the pace you're walking, verbally warning your dog, etc), your dog becomes anxious by default and then thinks it has to protect itself from some form of threat.

God forbid your dog thinks it has to protect you from some form of threat or you've got a lethally dangerous dog.

Being relaxed and calm and totally in control of your dog is the thing to aim for. Think of it like driving a car. You ultimately want to be relaxed and confident and competent behind the wheel, not having a little panic every time you see another car coming towards or a roundabout ahead. Your dog is picking up on all of that. Dogs 'read' us about a thousand times more than we read them.

It is not true dogs are unpredictable. Other people's dogs are unknown quantities but your own dog you can learn to read it like a book. They have behaviours and body language that are completely predictable.

I think it's a typo and they meant "You sound lovely," which absolutely isn't a stock response of posters with unlikely and slightly antagonistic stories.

Muzzle it.

Be very very glad it wasn't a child.

An aside: my iphone relentlessly 'corrects' lovely to lonely same as it would from the F word to 'duck'. WHY!? Have apple got something against the word lovely?

Anyhow this is exceptionally annoying as I wish people to 'have a lonely time' at christmas or 'hope you have a lonely day' when they're off on a trip. Jeez.

Any other breed it would be her fault but as pitties are a controlled breed, you were acting illegally by taking yours out in public with no muzzle. I'd pay it tbh as if they report you, yours will be seized and put down.

I don't think OP is in the UK.

It was primarily her fault. She let the dog she was walking approach your dog and clamber on it when you’d asked her not to and it was clearly antagonising your dog. If she’s that clueless about dog behaviour then she shouldn’t be in charge of one in public.

You should have been firmer to her though, and made more of an effort to move away. I have a dog that is a bit nervous of people, so I have had to ask people to leave him alone before. It’s made me unpopular with some parents, but my first responsibility is to him 🤷🏻‍♀️

Is your dog muzzle trained? That might be something to work on, at least until he’s better socialised.