Not to want to be yelled at by ignorant pig when i am out with my DD and DP and Ddog!

[LucyEllensmummy]

We have just had a lovely walk along our beach - just the right weather, DD and DP on scooter and me there behind them (quite a long way).

Dog off the lead (small jr type) not bothering anyone with children (he used to do this and was kept on lead but doesn't bother now). Lots of other dogs off lead - loads, hundreds possibly, all happily meeting greeting and generally having fun. Its lovely to watch - my dog is a friendly little character.

So, my dog approaches some dogs on the lead - one of the dogs starts snarling (NOT mine!!) as is quite common with dogs on leads - my dog is a bit dim and thinks it a game so is bouncing around. The owner then starts bellowing at me to put my dog on the lead (by this time my dog had walked off anyway) that i was breaking the law by having him off lead on the beach. Which i know is not true as dogs are banned from that beach between may and september only. Its perfectly legal any other time. My dog wasn't bothering anyone else. Comes when called etc. So the guy gives it all "well we'll see about that" Gets his phone and calls who? The council, the police??? I just go and sit on the wall and say, call who you want, we'll wait!! WANKER!!!!!!! Its not my fault his dog is aggresive to other dogs and his wife goes into a panic. I think he might have an interesting walk today - thousands of dogs on the beach off the lead, with people with and without dogs/children enjoying watching them play.

I would have had my dog on the lead if he were a)bigger (i used to have rotties and only ever walked them off lead in the depths of winter as they are a bit intimidating. b) aggresive c)likely to approach children (i don't like this myself) or liable to be a pain and not come away from other dogs - he is none of these.

What a thoroughly unpleasant man!

Waits to be flammed, just ranting really - i know I ANBU

Do you ever wish you never started a thread??

Some people have made some good points on this thread about nervous dogs and i take that on board wholeheartedly. I enjoy watching my dogs play with other dogs, but i will in future restrict him when other dogs are on the lead.

I have to say that yesterday was the first negative comment i have recieved as everyone else seems to be oblivious to him or happy for their dogs to say hello. Ive never come across a nervous dog when walking bob - perhaps he can sense it and just move on - he doesn't say hello to all dogs, in fact he blanked quite a lot yesterday which i was surprised by really. But honestly, there were THOUSANDS!! Of them .

Im quite happy to stand corrected. Although i don't think the guy was right to stand effing and blinding at me and being aggresive.

I do object to people assuming i let bob charge up to people and children, he just doesn't do it - he used to, as a puppy (people don't mind then!!) but we trained him out of it.

I think ive said all i have to say - i'll leave the rest of you to argue it out among yourselves, otherwise im not going to get any workd done!

Ooh a beach with thousands of dogs on it. There is a hell after all.

LEM, the bloke was wrong of course to be in the least bit aggressive and rude to you. Completely wrong. I know you've already said that you stand corrected re allowing your friendly dog to approach other dogs on lead ,but I still want to chuck in my twopenceworth.

I will usually put my JR on lead if there is a dog he doesn't know about the place. Often he is brilliant with other dogs, but just sometimes he will snap at them , and he can do damage.

Once he is on the lead of course he is much more likely to snap (which is why I hate putting him on lead, but I can't take a risk of an off-lead bust-up) so I HATE it if another person allows their dog to approach. I really do think it is bad manners to allow an off-lead dog to approach an on-lead dog.

I had the mirror-image bad experience to your one: a dog approached my on-lead dog, my dog took a quick snap immediately; the other dog was slightly hurt; the owner swore at me, hit my dog, and threatened to hit me.

Perhaps that bloke was irate because he anticipated some situation like that.

I live near a lovely park and I often watch people out with their dogs.

Many times it is a lovely sight - well cared for and well behaved dogs having a fantastic time chasing a ball. Sometimes there are older dogs walking along (not on a lead) just plodding on and minding their own business.

But of course there are some dogs that bark and bark and bark, or run up to other dogs, and people, and children, when they are clearly not welcomed. The dogs are not necessarily out of control or untrained, but often their owners are just not paying attention to what their dogs are up to. It is such a shame because these irresponsible owners spoil it for the others, and there is now a campaign in our park to have all dogs on a leash.

It is also not surprising that the owners who are too busy (on their mobile, or attending to their dc, or whatever) to notice the dog's behaviour, are also the ones who are too busy with other things to notice when the dog craps on the grass.

I love dogs and have 2 of my own, but a few well-meaning but lazy owners can easily spoil it for everyone (dog owners and dog-haters alike).

LEM - late to this as usual. Have read a few of the inevitable anti-dog rants. Just wanted to say man was an arse. If he's that oversensitive about his bloody overbred hound he should keep it wrapped in cotton wool out of the way of others.

My parents have a dog that is more aggressive to other dogs on a lead than not. It's not uncommon. But he'd never shout at the owner of another dog because they approached. Usually the snarling and barking does the trick

Disclaimer: I have no dog, don't want a dog but I don't object to them.

Mitchy when I was about 14 I took my dads Akita out for walks, he walked to heel, but was always put on a leash if I saw other people approach as I understood how unnerving his size/appearance was to people who didn't know him.

Some ratty little poodle/terrier x dog came bounding upto us and attacked him I told my dog to sit which he did as we couldn't walk due to the ratty dog snapping at our ankles, the owner, who at the time of attack, was out of sight, eventually caught up to his dog and laughed at how my 'big dog' was scared of his 'cute fluffy little thing'

LEM my JR was scared of other dogs and would snarl in fear if they approached her. For her own sake I would walk her v early on a morning and late at night so she didn't have to encounter other dogs approaching her. If we did see any other dogs who came upto her, I'd just shorten her lead and wait for the owner to call their dog away, which they always did once they realised my dog was nervous.

I'd never have a go at them. It wasn't their fault my dog was nervous. Sounds like this man was an arse.

nynbu, we also live by the sea, took our old dog out for a run on the beach, again in march so we knew he was allowed on the beach and off the lead, (not only are there signs with the dates on, it is painted on the path way every 100 odd yards)but still this older couple came after us having a go at us for allowing our dog on the beach, letting him foul every where (we dont we have poo bags)he had his shout then walked off again before we could register what had happened. some people are just really anti-dogs and total arses i think, we hadnt even been near the bloke he came to us, so unless he thougth we were some one else i dont know what his problem was?

I agree, Cory. I do not trust any dog 100% not even my own, but of course you have to trust them 99% or you wouldn't, in good faith, be able to own one! I have only been a dog owner for three and a half years. Before that I really disliked them and was certainly very mistrustful of them. I can hardly believe how much my opinions on dogs have changed, but I have a deeper understanding of them now, and most importantly I have learnt what is fearful or dominant or potentially aggressive body language and what is just plain, harmless high spirits, and I never had that knowledge and awareness before. But because I do remember very clearly how I felt as an anti-dog person I am extremely sensitive to non-dog owners feelings and needs, and I don't walk them anywhere they may bother non-doggie people, or children. Nothing used to annoy me more than people saying 'Don't worry love, he's harmless' as some 7 stone rabid-looking beast came galloping towards me or my children in the park. The owner may know that, but I don't and it's terrifying! The thing is I now realise the owner was probably right 99.9% of the time, but it doesn't change the fact it was still terrifying! I do think dogs really need to let rip and have a good run, though - it would be such a shame to keep them within 6 feet of me at all times. Just common sense and courtesy and a heightened sense of awareness is all that's required.

I agree about little dogs. My dane often has to suffer little dogs trying to bite him and the owners mostly find it hilarious. I often have to remind them that if he defended himself or did the same they wouldnt be laughing and think it quite so cute. Fortunately he has been socialised with different size dogs which sadly many little dogs arent with big dogs.

ho whas this turned into a dog hitting and people eating Rotty thread ?

LEM, who did the bloke phone? did I miss that bit?

YANBU, the guy with the aggressive dog is - but people like that are best ignored anyway!

I agree that very big dogs (esp. certain breeds) are at a distinct disadvantage no matter how well behaved they are - if they are unduly provoked and they 'turn' the outcome is unthinkable, and yet many owners of little dogs don't take their own dogs' aggression seriously on account of their size and relative lack of ability to do real harm. It's understandable, but a bit of a bummer for the big dogs! It's like thinking that every guy who is built like Geoff capes must automatically want to beat you up. My dogs love to play with others and last week they went running up to a an EEEE-normous, absolutely beautiful, very sweet natured Ridgeback/Great Dane cross. As soon as she saw them coming she started running towards them, and once she was close and they realised how huge she was they both panicked and started running in the opposite direction! It was hilarious - like something from Tom and Jerry! They had a lovely play eventually and she was a gentle angel but I wonder how many people would give her a wide berth? I know I do, if I see certain types of dog, (I try to overcome my prejudices but it's hard!) but usually if it is off-lead it is usually because the owner is confident that it is friendly, and that he/she has good control over it. That said, I do walk my dogs in nice areas where responsible owners go, and there is a distinct lack of anti-social feral idiots with anti-social feral dogs. I also try to steer my dogs away from dogs on leads, as there is usually a reason (rightly or wrongly) why they or their owners won't be pleased to see you.

I must admit that I mutter to myself when my dogs are on a lead and someone else's dog gallops up to them and they say cheerily it's ok, he won't harm a fly - not quite sure why I do, but there you go. I ride and occasionally people let their dogs come rushing up to my horse and seem to be surprised when I ask them to get them away from me as I can't guarantee the horse won't kick - you should hear some of the responses I get to that! You know your dog is harmless but they don't and that can make people afraid (not necessarily this bloke by the sound of it tho').

However, I would never be outwardly grumpy about it (too cowardly anyway), life's too short if no harm is done and your dog has moved away. Rise above it,and I promise I won't mutter under my breath next time it happens to me!

But did worley really mean...

"allowing our dog on the beach, letting him foul every where (we dont we have poo bags)"

If she did, then how can any of be surprised at the anti-dog reaction.

TiggyR is right when she talks about the need for common sense, courtesy and a heightened sense of awareness. It's about collective responsibility as well as individual responsibility.

I think Worley meant someoen accused her of letting the dog foul everywhere but she's saying she doesn't, as she always uses dog poo bags to pick up poo.

dizzy, im pretty sure he didn't phone anyone - what i should have done was given him my name and address as he was all on his high horse that it was against the law for my dog to be off lead on the beach. So i was quite happy to sit and wait for him to be proven wrong.

I do concede that i maybe should have put my dog on the lead, but to be honest, there were so many dogs out yesterday because of the weather, both on lead or off that well........ive said what i have to say.

Kerry, i think you are being deliberately antaognistic and ignorant. You know nothing about my dog, he is not a ratty little runt so i would appreciate it if you wouldn't imply that he is. Most normal people think my dog is lovely and im constantly being stopped on the street for people to make a fuss of him. I'm sorry that your child is allergic, but you don't have to vent your bitterness in my direction. You clearly don't like dogs so your opinion is misplaced on this thread. How would you like it if i called your child a snotty little brat?

I have valuded and respected everyone else's thoughts and acknowledged that for some people with nervous dogs an approaching dog is a problem. I think i have been perfectly reasonable in this thread, as i don't have a problem admitting to being unreasonable, whereas you seem to have a problem knowing when to shut your trap

at first glance I thought that said 'yappy little cunts'

And kerry you are oblivious or ignorant to the fact i have conceded that maybe i was in the wrong. But of course, then you wouldnt be able to have a little rant and a dig would you. I absoulutely equate my dog to my child - why wouldn't i? Ive said more times than i care to remember that i dont let my dog run up to other children, but you seem to overlook that - you seem to be running true to form

"You are also completely oblivious to any but your own selfish vision here. People have pointed out to you that dogs on leads are there for a reason and maybe you should keep your dog away and you generally fob them off and say well, it's not my problem. "

READ the thread kerry - i absolutely did not say that - ah, can't be arsed with you anyway - yappy irritant bint