Sick of ‘little dog’ owners.

[Ratdoghater]

Every damn walk! Every sodding walk without bloody fail a little dog attacks or lunges or snarls or chases aggressively my large (retriever) dogs.

I am sick of it. Today’s dog was a cockerpoo. Yesterday it was a JRT. Day before it was a chihuahua.

Every fucking time the useless piece of crap owners say ‘he’s just playing.’ Newsflash, if your dog is snarling, lunging at my dogs, curling their lips or jumping up and snapping it is NOT playing. If my dog is backing away, my dog is not happy. If my dog is screaming, it is not happy

Big dog owners also often suck, but at least they have the decency to say sorry and put their dog on a leash. Or often leash their dogs before we meet. Little dog owners just laugh…and say ‘well he’s little so he won’t do any damage’ and then once I’m past let their dog go again - which 9/10 times means their dog chases mine!!! Honestly, do they not understand that being attacked for most dogs, when it happens near constantly, does affect their confidence and is a prime reason why so many dog do suddenly snap and turn aggressive?? Its basic common sense.

I know this thread will make no difference - little dog owners will continue to be entitled and incompetent. And little dog owners will pop onto this thread and say ‘my dogs not aggressive.’ Great. BUT disproportionately little dogs are the main instigator in most dog fights or dog on dog attacks I’ve seen.

I'm a little dog owner and agree with you. Pisses me off that shit behaviour is allowed by so many owners due to their size.
Not on my watch.

My partner told a woman to put her snarly dog on a lead to be told 'she didn't need a lecture'. Just this week I used my physical presence to protect by dog from 2 dogs, one of whom is known to bite. There are arseholes eveywhere.

I have always had terriers, which can be the worst for this. I currently have two. One is very laid back and wouldn't ever start on another dog. The other is pretty reactive, mainly out of fear of larger or 'playful' out of control dogs. He's not as reactive with dogs his size, he just tends to keep an eye on them. While I know he has an issue, it is not entirely on him (or me). IME some owners let their apparently well behaved dogs run up to him off lead, saying 'it's OK, she's friendly' or 'he just wants to play', to which I respond that mine isn't very friendly and really doesn't want to 'play'.
We've done extensive training classes and I know how to distract him from other dogs, and to respect his need to keep a distance. He has never attacked or bitten another dog, nor has any other dog hurt him because he doesn't get close enough for that to happen.

My advice would be to look out for your own dog. Keep them on lead anywhere you might encounter other dogs, and keep your distance from any that you consider could be an issue. It doesn't absolve other owners of their responsibilities, but it's your responsibility to keep your dog safe. They should not be close enough to be bitten, particularly as you perceive all small dogs as a risk.

Small dog owner here! It is very annoying how reactive small dogs are. I can’t stop my dog from reacting (I’ve tried), all I can do is mitigate it. If I see a big dog approaching, I pick my dog up. She’s a lot calmer in my arms and even if she does still bark, she is safely away from the dog. I don’t think she would ever bite or attack, but can bark quite aggressively and I’d rather not take the risk. I think the majority of dog owners really are trying their best, even if they get it wrong sometimes.

Dog version of short man syndrome.

We live next to a small terrier type dog that’s a nuisance and regularly chases our cats, breaking into our garden to try and get at them. I live in fear that one day the dog will catch them and seriously injure them (and before anyone tells me to keep the cats indoors, no, they are rescues from a feral colony and it would be cruel to make them indoor cats at this point). The neighbour just laughs every time his yappy little shit of a dog runs into our garden.

we also live near a popular walking / dog walking spot. Most dogs are well behaved but there is a small but annoying group of owners who let their dogs off lead with no recall or manners, who cause havoc for everyone else. I don’t like dogs, if I’m being honest, I’m slightly allergic and I really don’t want to be jumped on or barked at by a mis-behaving mutt whose owner just thinks it’s funny or doesn’t give a shit.

i do think there’s been a rise in the number of dog owners with badly behaved dogs who seem to think they are powerless to do anything about the dogs behaviour. That it’s acceptable because ‘what else am I meant to do?’

In my 18 month experience of having a larger dog, I would say that dog owners and wider society in general judge bad behaviour of larger dogs more sternly than the bad behaviour of smaller dogs. People seem to think that a smaller dog cannot / will not do 'much harm'. There is inequality in the judgement there, time and again. I voted YANBU and think there is a tinted cultural lens on the situation with smaller dogs overall. Smaller dogs often bark too much in public, and more often, than bigger dogs, who often have better training or management.

My small dog has been attacked twice - once by an off lead XL bully, who thankfully was muzzled or that would have been the end of this story, and once by a rottweiler that jumped the fence of his house to get to my dog. On that second occasion I discovered that the phrase 'i pissed myself' is something that can actually happen to a person who is frightened.

My dog has never been attacked by a small dog.

It doesn't mean I need to go ranting on the internet about big dogs and their owners. It doesn't mean I hate big dogs and their owners. It's just a bit silly, isn't it?

We've had a giant breed for almost 50 years and while I do think small dogs sometimes get away with murder, medium/large dogs can also be a problem. We rarely let ours off the lead in public these days - they've all been placid and calm but their size is intimidating. Over the years, we've had several unprovoked attacks on them, and a couple of injuries. It's not always the small dogs or the ones you'd expect. We've had issues with Labradors, GSD, Springers and Border collies as well as the assorted terriers and toys.

As regards day-to-day on the lead walking however, it's a different story, and yes, definitely predominantly tiny dogs (on extending leads) that are yapping and snapping at our girl. Cockerpoo's can also be an issue lately. The two worst behaved dogs in our neighbourhood are a dachshund and a pug, but thankfully we haven't encountered either of these particular dogs off the lead.

I don't have a dog, but can see what you mean. It's those dogs that put me off running, because even on a 6km stretch over a farm track there will be at least 4 or 5 of them at any time of the day.

Agreed! I find this post to be bonkers, but also a bit nasty.

As an owner of a bouncy, adolescent big lab, who believes everyone loves her as much as she loves them, I regularly have to keep her on a short lead and make her wait for other dogs to pass. She's not off lead until we can guarantee her recall and/or it's where nobody else is about, and is categorically not allowed to greet other dogs unless I say so. However there has been the very rare occasion that she is too excited and tries to get to another dog to say hello. I've corrected her and then apologised profusely, but every owner has been lovely.

I would be really upset if someone spoke to me with the level of vitriol that some posters are speaking with here.

Yes, some dog owners round by me don't train their dogs, and some have reactive, yappy dogs, but it's no big deal to cross the road when you see those dogs coming, yet still say hello and be pleasant to their owners.

I think a lot of people get little dogs thinking they will be easy and dont train them. The last class I was in, there was a woman with a dachshund which was the most aggressive dog I have met. Even when she had been redirected by the trainer, she would start gossiping with someone next to her, and her dog would be lunging and snapping at the dogs nearby. Everyone with a dog should be required to do a training course with them, or prove equivalent skills. Should be part of a license scheme for dogs. And yes, I have dogs, have always had dogs, have had big and small dogs.

I feel embarrassed for the owners of large/strong breeds eg bullies or Mastiff and they're practically dragged across the pavement. So embarrassing that they need a large mean looking dog to make themselves look tough. But also really scary that they have an animal that they can't control. I've only had issues with large dogs off a lead who lunge for my toddler (and when she was a baby). Sometimes they're on a lead but the owner can't control the dog!

We've had a giant breed for almost 50 years

Blimey, he's done well.

Point taken, my grammar is sadly lacking 😂Unfortunately too late to edit 😳

OP I am an owner of a yappy little maltese terrier and I completely hear you and feel for large dog owners.

Yesterday we were walking and a lovely elderly couple were on the same narrow path as DH and I, DC2 and the pooch. So I promptly told my lot to move out of the way to let them pass with their larger dog, looked to be a collie or similar. The woman said oh don't worry he's harmless - I replied it's not him I'm worried about, it's ours.

She's "my first baby" but Christ she's a gobshite when she wants to be. Especially if the dog is older than her but younger - it's as if she's saying "I might be small but I'm older!!" She promptly gets scooped up or moved out of the way if she starts.

No excuse for blood drawn though, I'd be mortified if ours did that to another dog. Hope your pooch is okay and not too sore 😔

@CoubousAndTourmalet

Thought I would attempt a tiny bit of humour, everyone else is kicking lumps out of each other.

Got to admit it made me laugh! 😂

Ah damn it meant to say bigger than her and younger. Too late to edit.

It's hardly got going yet - wait until the vegans and cynophobes get here...🙄

Thing is, I've been on the other side of this as well - reactive and very barky spaniel. But I would never have let him off the lead except in a secure field. He was muzzled and on a short lead. I specifically walked at awkward times to avoid peak 'dog' hours.

I just don't understand the logic of having an unhappy little dog off the lead because, if it does go wrong, its the little dog that will be hurt. It just seems like terrible ownership from the majority of little dog owners who, whether or not they
care about their dogs terrorising other dogs, don't seem to realise their dog will come off worse if it all goes wrong! Thank you for being responsible! It's so hard when they're small - so I do 100% get it. And, as you've proven, there are responsible 'little dog' owners out there - but the majority just seem clueless.

But DDog is fine! I'm just so frustrated that it's becoming every walk - I do genuinely worry it'll end up with him snapping one day, and then it'll be him that gets in trouble.😫

I have voted YABU because in my experience all dog owners think their dog is harmless and “just playing” and that they don’t need to be mindful of the impact their choice to have a pet has on other people. Just the other day I found out my SIL lets her dog sit on park benches, for example.

Can totally identify with your last paragraph here. When little dogs react to ours we're always holding our breath. If our (admittedly not quite 50 year old 😉) dog reacted in any way whatsoever, they'd be labelled dangerous. It can happen so easily when they're provoked, and the big dog is almost always the one that will end up with a bad reputation.

@Ratdoghater

Oooh i hear you. I m
a golden retriever and i know how they play. What you describe isnt playing i agree. But

my biggest bug bear is those damn flexi leads.

flexi leads exist for lazy dog owners who cant even bother to train their dogs for re call but want them to explore. They should be banned.

or buy a training lead but not a fucking flexi shite. Sheer lazyness

We have two next door to us and they have a dog flap in their utility room door.
Everytime we step outside they hear and run through the flap and start yapping, often bouncing up the fence as they do so.
Even if I go out late at night to the bin or to check the gate is locked they run out and yap.

Lots of inexperienced owners with small dogs seem to think they are like animated soft toys or “ fur babies “ They don’t seem to respect the dog, as you should respect them as an adult member of another species, who is fully equipped to physically defend itself and could cause harm to others. So they don’t bother to research dog behaviour and how to keep a dog - not a fluffy toy or small child - happy. They don’t research or implement training, or if they do it’s a few puppy classes so they can play with others dogs, then they don’t put in the hard work on the boring , life long work to train the dog properly