Am I the c#%t??

[cantthinkofausername26]

Walking my cavapoo today in a big open and empty field. He trots along happily off the lead, if he comes across another dog he will go and give them a sniff and be on his way.

usually if I see another dog on a lead I will put him on a lead too. I didn’t see this woman soon enough as she appeared from behind a bush. Big gnarly dog on a lead XL bully type dog. My dogs starts trotting in her direction, she goes mental shouting “go away, this is a dangerous dog, get your fucking dig away” etc. I called Doggo over and put him on a lead, no drama. She is still mouthing off at me, to which I replied “all right calm down!” This set the mad woman off shouting that I’m a fucking idiot and her dog would rip mine to bits and I shouldn’t let him off the lead. To which I replied “you’re the one with the aggressive dog you can’t control, who is the real idiot here?” I then got called a butch and a c£&t!

Now is it me that is a c£&t? Or the person with a massive aggressive dog that was literally pulling her along??

You were both wrong.

Your dog wasn’t under your control.

The other woman’s dog isn’t safe if it would rip into pieces any living thing which approached it.

You've still not explained why your dogs haven't been properly trained. An off lead dog should NOT approach another dog or person, until permission is given.

My dogs starts trotting in her direction,

Can someone please create an 'is she a c%£# ? post with a poll 🤣 Although I think we all know the answer!!

I detest it when owners allow their off the lead dogs come up to my dog when he's on the lead - he hates it and if he snaps that's on the dog owner in my opinion.

Same as when he's off the lead but at our heal and other dog owners let their dog walk with us and follow us. I don't care if it's a nice dog have it under control and some respect.

'was growing up you kept your dog on a lead when you were walking along a road, you let them off the lead as soon as you got to the park or beach. You wouldn’t have dreamed of not letting them run free as long as they were trained to return on command. Now people get totally shamed for having their dog off-lead even if it’s completely trained'

Yes as has been said throughout you keep it on the lead when walking then take to off in parks or beaches where you can see well ahead and can recall it if another dog on a lead is visible.

It isn't 'shaming'. It is unfortunate that some dog owners aren't responsible or knowledgeable enough to realise that a leashed dog does not want to be approached by one off the lead.

You’re both twats. She used appalling language, you need to stop letting your dog go up to others without the owner permission.

If you don’t have a clear view of paths and fields in front of you put your dog on a lead. This woman won’t have appeared from “nowhere”. What if it has been a horse rider or a small child appearing?

The OP didnt mention whether there was a sign up on the field asking to leash dogs - so i assumed (perhaps incorrectly) it was a dog exercise area. If it is not, it would make a bit of a difference in terms of whether this woman slightly more justified in going off on her - but even so, i stick to my point. If your dog is dangerous and cannot have other dogs approaching then please stick to the areas where dogs are never off leash. ie not fields.

Not sure I’d fully agree with that. Plenty of us own dogs whose raison d’être is to kill small furry animals. My own breed of choice has several thousand years of being honed to do this. No threat to humans, other dogs etc but if you’re a rabbit, you’re fucked. They have to be kept on a lead in public though due to lack of recall when prey drive is engaged, same as most sighthounds. This doesn’t mean they’re not incredible pets and if a squirrel or a rat gets caught in the garden I can live with that.

This

Dog exercise areas are not that common here, there are some, but appearing from behind a bush led me to think this was either a park, country park or rural field, not a dog enclosure.

I still disagree. I've never had a reactive dog myself, but I think, provided the dog is on a lead, it should not be restricted to only pavement walking and it is fully entitled to use footpaths, bridleways and fields like anybody else.

So that is not the same then, as your dog is not a threat to humans

I have an aggressive dog. Reason i keep her is she's under my control at all times and I love her. Where would she go? What's made her aggressive isn't her fault. I don't want her put down or in the wrong hands where she might cause harm to another dog or worse.
She's lovely with people 99% of the time and isn't allowed in situations where she might not be.

On the plus side, I slept in my garden last night. Absolutely nothing would get past her and it's too damn hot.

I walk home from my local pub knowing I'm safe.

She's great, she's a lot of fun and I adore her. I don't let her near other dogs. It's not ideal of course but it isn't a great hardship.

But i would expect dogs to be leashed anyway on footpaths and (especially) bridleways.

Completely agree, it's like walking around with a sharp knife and warning people it might stab them

Yes, but you also stated "not fields" and I disagree. I think a leashed dog, whether reactive or not, is fully entitled to walk on a field.

Sure, as long as its not dangerous and will likely attack other dogs who get too close.

Exactly my point. Just because you own a dog that will rip another animal to pieces doesn’t make a you a moron.

The pp referred to ripping up humans, not just other animals

Aggressive owner, aggressive dog. Wonder why people make assumptions about bully XL owners? 🤔

Lots of reactive dogs out there who weren’t reactive till they got attacked by another dog coming over “to have a sniff and just be friendly!” then the dog becomes frightened about other strange dogs out on a walk and doesn’t like them coming up to them anymore 🤷‍♀️ MANY dogs that have owners who don’t like dogs coming up to them are like this due to this. Also many owners don’t like random dogs running over to them! Why should you expect us to want to have your dog come running over and jumping up and around us and our dog if you didn’t ask us first if it was ok?

YOU are the rude entitled one!

Exactly !
My dog is often off lead and trained to only approach other off lead dogs. Once he goes near a dog on a lead, I call him.

We live in a busy area and there are children, scooters, bikes, runners, dogs etc all sharing the same space and I think if you have an aggressive dog why would you even walk it here without a muzzle

Except, of course, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest this was a Bully XL in the first place... The average tiny crossbreed owner is not exactly clued up on large dogs.

I wasn’t saying it was a Bully XL, just drawing the link between ‘dangerous dogs’ [as it was labelled by its owner] and the type of owners that chose to have them.

A dog big and aggressive enough to intimidate - what ever breed - is massively anti social

Was it muzzled? If not, and she knows it is aggressive, she is the foolish one endangering others.

Some dogs become aggressive towards other dogs due to other dogs owners allowing their dogs to charge up to unknown dogs knocking them over, biting them, jumping on them and then the owner invariably says ‘oh he’s friendly love’.
My terrier became very reactive around other dogs because so many times people had allowed their bad mannered mutts to run up to her and jump all over her and just stand smiling adoringly, then taking offence when they get told to remove their dog.
it’s not so simple as ‘don’t get an agressive dog’
you can train your dog all you like to be non reactive but it’s all undone the moment someone else lets their bloody dog come charging over.
Im sick of other peoples dogs and their dozy clueless owners who think everyone loves their dog as much as they do.
I also disagree that if a dog is reactive/aggressive to other dogs that it is a given that it is dangerous to kids! Dogs can tell the difference between people and other dogs.
But, while I’m at it, I wish people would keep their kids from sticking their hands in my dogs face uninvited because my dog would be blamed for biting their sticky grabby child, when the responsibility is for the adult to keep their kid/ dog away from my on lead dog which is minding its own business.