Jumping dogs

[WynkenBlynkenandNod]

DH took Plog to the woods earlier and came back with mud over his arm. He'd bumped into someone we know with her dog who had jumped all over him and wouldn't get off when told. To be fair Plog tried to jump on her owner which she doesn't usually do any more but DH had her back on a lead by then so nothing much happened.

DH has a fairly thick pair of trousers on and the dog has scratched both his legs through them to the extent that it nearly drew blood, DH is pretty sore and very cross.

History of dog is was bought at a difficult time fir the family and they didn't train her. She's two now and still leaping all over the place. Owner has no common sense, took her up to school, stood in middle of pavement with the dog jumping up at children, some of them visibly frightened and forced to walk in road to get passed.

She's not a small dog and had been clouted over the head by a woman and her handbag. I am worried that at some point she is going to hurt and scare a child at the rate she is going. DH still sore now and incident was 3 hours ago.

I feel I should say something but her owner really has been through a bad time and I've had a bad year as a result and only just regained some distance from her. She's transferred her attention to a close friend who is really upset at the moment as feeling stalked and the whole thing makes me very wary. The dog is good natured, unlikely to hurt on purpose but DH and I feel she is an accident waiting to happen and a child will get hurt at some point . Sorry it is long, any thoughts please?

Clout her on the head with a handbag?

Sorry, not helpful. Erm, you need to explain your concerns with her. Perhaps offer to go to the local dog training classes with her?

Yes she jumped at an old lady who clouted dog over the head with her handbag apparently as she was frightened, nearly fell over and the dog scratched her.

I have warned her several times in the past and said what she was doing up at school was going to lead to trouble. But I really really don't want any more contact with her than the occasional hello when we see her in the woods, she's a very difficult person and I've just got some distance and on civilised terms. Am I worrying over nothing with this ?

Ha ha Shiney, didn't quite get what you meant in my angst, am digging out handbag now

Do please explain your concerns. One of my closest friends is currently terminally ill with bowel cancer and she now has to wear a bag . She has had several very painful and difficult encounters with other people's badly trained dogs "that are just being friendly"...GRRRR and jumping up, and quite understandably does not particularly want to discuss her medical situation with complete strangers. This is not just about children. I had fairly major abdominal surgery for my own cancer and am still very wary about any animal getting close to my belly, even though it was over five years ago.

And for heavens sake, if this dog is nearly knocking over old ladies, your friend really should be on top of things. Elderly people often are fragile (osteoporosis, diabetes) - an accident like that could be the difference between an independent lifestyle and going into a home. Injuries that a fit younger person could cope with could lead to hospitalisation in someone who is older and frail. Please, although this is not your dog, please do appeal to her to get this sorted out.

You could gently explain that under the Dangerous Dogs Act a dog doesn't have to bite to be deemed dangerous - if it simply frightens someone and isn't seen as being under control then it's at risk to being taken and destroyed. Perhaps that might get through to her.

If they haven't trained the dog by now though you might be fighting a losing battle .

Thank you both, Scuttle, so sorry about your friend. I have said about the DDA, have encoraged her to go to classes which she fleetingly did. But nothing ever changes apart from the dog getting heavier with longer claws (did tell her she needed to keep claws trimmed). She just doesn't do anything about it. I'm going to have to give up I think as I can't see what I can do to make her listen and actually act.