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Puppy got sworn at and kicked by a jogger today...

304 replies

notimefortv · 21/02/2010 21:17

she is only little and looks like a teddy bear - Bichon and toy poodle cross - can't even reach your knees if she jumps up.

Walking in woods with a friends and her lab x puppy and 5 children under 5 with us (2 in a buggy and 3 running around). Going a long a path and a jogger is running up - he shakes his head as he passes us as the pups have shown some interest in him - they come back to us but go back up to him when he is further away - he then stops and screams at mine to F Off but she sniffs a bit more so he boots her in the stomach. I couldn't believe it - most people at least give me the chance to say I'm sorry and am training her etc.

He was too far away to say antyhing although some other walkers shouted at him but then off he ran.

Please tell me that I will be more traumatised than the dog? Was in a wood with loads of dog walkers so can't believe it doesn't happen to him all the time.

Had just taken her off the trainng line but quickly put it back on - now need to re-gain my faith in mankind.

OP posts:
abride · 21/02/2010 21:25

Foul man.

Bella32 · 21/02/2010 21:26

OMG Is she okay? I'd pop her to the vet tomorrow for a quick check over.

Keep us posted x

releasethehounds · 21/02/2010 21:34

There is no excuse for what he did, short of your dog taking a chunk out of his leg! My dog is very friendly and a real softie but I don't let her go up to strangers unless they instigate it. However, I have noticed over my dog-owning years that some people just don't like dogs - they will give the dog a distasteful look or mutter as they go past, even if the dog hasn't done anything! Weird. The man has issues - don't let it bother you.

Hope your dog's ok.

DrNortherner · 21/02/2010 21:45

Horrid man. Some people are just anti dog, but that is no excuse for what he did.

We have a 2 year old lab, and dh were walking him the other day - he is full of beans when out and runs like a whippet. He was running on a huge expanse of land and dh and I were walkng on the bridle way when an old man was walking towards us, the man started waving his brolly in the direction of our dog shouting 'Too much meat, too much meat. Far too livley' He tutted as he walked past us!

MrsL123 · 21/02/2010 21:46

Grrr how can some people do things like that? Especially to a tiny little pup. It absolutely beggars belief. Ok, she shouldn't have run up to him - but to kick her?! I'm afraid I would have chased after him and kicked him in place slightly south of the stomach. What a snivelling little shite bag

The good thing is, joggers are creatures of habit - I wouldn't be able to help myself, I'd have to go back at the same time next week and give him what for.

Oooh, I'm feeling very violent tonight! I'm normally very placid, honest. But if I saw someone doing this to a dog he'd get the full brunt of the terror known as 'MrsL rage'....

Vallhala · 21/02/2010 21:57

What MrsL said. I'd bet a pound to a penny that the man will run the same route soon too.

I'd make damn sure that jogger never kicked a dog again.

midori1999 · 21/02/2010 21:59

It is disgusting and there is no excuse for what he did. Do get her checked out by a vet.

For her safety, keep her on a lead where you might run into people until she is relaible in her recall, you just never know if people will react like this. Some people are just disgusting.

wildfig · 21/02/2010 22:03

ooh, big man, kicking a bichon-poodle puppy! What did he think she was going to do? Get fluff on his pants?

I'd definitely get her checked out, just to be on the safe side, and if necessary then be there next week as Val & MrsL say - with the invoice and your witness statements. It's maybe a lesson to keep her on a long line until her recall's sorted, but kicking puppies is absolutely uncalled for - and, ironically, a most effective way to teach a dog to snarl and be aggressive towards joggers.

notimefortv · 21/02/2010 22:08

We also had puppy training class tonight (she is just 5 months old) so is hard to tell how she is as she is rather shattered! Will see how she is tomorrow then take her to get checked out at the vets.

releasethehounds - I am trying to train her not to go up to people but obviously that does take a while and is my biggest worry as she loves to go investigate what's going on the other side of the field. I am working hard on recall.

I'm not good at all at confruntation - especially with an angry stranger of a man - especially when I have 2 of my children with me so it makes me really cross that he dare behave like that. MrsL123 you'll have to come with me next time.

I don't blame anyone being cross after getting muddy paws all over them but there are ways of dealing with it!

Grrrr - tempted to stick to my local field where I know a lot of the walkers now.

OP posts:
releasethehounds · 21/02/2010 22:13

notime - my previous post was certainly not a criticism of you. I know puppies aren't easy - mine's only 12 months old and certainly not perfect!

notimefortv · 21/02/2010 22:19

thanks RTH - just that I have lost my nerve a bit walking her as she loves going to investigate so am trying hard to work on recall but can be a bit demoralising when doesn't seem to be working that well! (she does always come back but often only after she's had her chance to go -see). I took her to these woods for the first time this week and thought they were great for dog walking - second time round and this happens which always puts me back a step.

OP posts:
sb6699 · 21/02/2010 22:37

I'd have kicked him back - right in the bollocks

Dont be disheartened most people arent like this.

Our dogs recall isnt perfect but we have taught him not to jump up so if he does run over to anyone he is just wagging his tail rather than knocking them over (he is pretty big).

If I was you I would try to work on this as well as the recall as its easier to teach in the short term.

My lab is 13 mo and his recall still isnt great if there are other people/dogs around.

beautifulgirls · 21/02/2010 22:42

Report him to the RSPCA and police - totally unacceptable behaviour from him.

exexpat · 21/02/2010 22:47

Are you in Bristol, notimefortv? This sounds just like a jogger I have encountered a couple of times on the absolutely main dog-walking route (straight line between two dog-poo bins) on the Downs. He runs along and starts swearing and kicking out and shouting that he fucking hates dogs if a dog comes anywhere near him. You'd think someone who hated dogs might choose to go running somewhere else in the acres of green space available - but I presume he must in some way enjoy venting... Haven't seen him recently, though. Maybe someone took issue with him for kicking their puppy.

daisydotandgertie · 21/02/2010 22:48

Report the incident to the police. I know someone who had their lab pup kicked by a jogger in much the same circumstance and the jogger was tracked down and prosecuted.

notimefortv · 21/02/2010 22:51

thanks for all your kind words.

my DH said I should have called the police straight away as well - so I still may do as they may have another record of him or something.

I couldn't do anything myself really as we were halfway down a hill and he ran to the top and round the corner.

sb6699 - I will definitely look up about training not to jump up - don't think I've worked on that one as yet.

OP posts:
RoseWater · 21/02/2010 22:52

Horrid man - do report - he may have done it to others.

notimefortv · 21/02/2010 22:54

exexpat - am in Hertfordshire so I guess not the same guy - he sounds like a mare!

Daisy - I will report tomorrow defo now as I was thinking along the lines of what you have just said.

OP posts:
exexpat · 21/02/2010 23:32

Oh, so aggressive dog-hating idiots aren't a local phenomenon then. I just hope there aren't too many of them around.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 22/02/2010 04:19

What a horrible man, I hope she is OK. I totally get that some people don'T like dogs and want to jog in peace but kicking a puppy is dreadful.

Don't get down hearted about her recall, it takes time. After an incident very early on when ddog thought a jogger was playing chase and wouldn't stop running after her until she stopped (luckily a dog owner) I am very wary around joggers. I've been making her sit and wait whilst they go past then clicking and treating after saying OK which is her release word. I sometimes keep walking past them with her on lead and tell her to leave then click and treat once they are past, the idea being she looks to me as to how to behave .It is working quite well now after 4 months of doing it and she will sometimes automatically sit for them whereas before she'd be sitting and trying to jump around like a demented mad dog with me hanging onto her harness trying to keep her feet on the floor for dear life. Hang in there, it gets easier.

junglistwaspoorendof · 22/02/2010 08:04

What an arsehole. Unfortunately where I am this sort of thing happens all the time. One guy had just bought a puppy and he was on the phone complaining to the person he bought it from "the dogs shit mate blah blah blah". I felt sick but didn't have anything to confront him for.
I hope all dog abusers get their heads kicked in TBH.

racmac · 22/02/2010 08:21

He was well out of order to kick a dog but i am a jogger and i hate it when dogs come pounding up to you - you dont know whether they are just coming to be friendly or whether they are going to bite you - dogs can see joggers as a threat - they think you are running towards their owners.

I like dogs and have one myself but Im always apprehensive when running.

BariatricObama · 22/02/2010 08:26

he is a nob. i run through some woods on a regular basis and am constantly having to stop to prevent myself standing on various dogs, or being play chased by bigger dogs. its not a big deal.

Romanarama · 22/02/2010 08:32

I bet he's a horrible man full stop. People who are cruel to animals are cruel people in other circs too.

daisydotandgertie · 22/02/2010 09:12

Glad you're going to ring the police notime. And for what it's worth, with the benefit of hindsight, it would have been better to ring there and then.

Had, for example, the kick done some serious damage to your pup (and I'd be at the vet pretty sharpish checking that out too) there could be some very hefty vets bills to shoulder.

I know that as dog owners we must expect to pay most of our income to the vet , but on this occasion, it would have been the jogger who would be liable.

Hope your puppy is OK - and don't give up on the recall. She's still tiny. My advice is to start perfecting her recall at home - using a house line if necessary. Then move onto somewhere quiet and contained outside - a field, a fenced area of any sort really and do the same thing again.

Find out what really pushes her buttons (cheese, sausage, liver, anything!) and give her a tiny piece of it each time she comes straight back to you.

Then up the ante and add distractions - and keep on rewarding and using a line if necessary to remind her what you want her to do. Take her on a walk with another dog in the contained area for example - and keep on recalling and treating.

Also, try not to teach her that the recall is the end of her walk. Recall her half a dozen times on every walk - treat, praise and give her a command to 'go play' when you're ready. Too often, the only recall is the one which means the end of all fun .

As you move on with the training, reduce treating to just when she gets it spot on.

Hope that helps!

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