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Original poster

Dog walking etiquette - very small dogs walked in large open spaces

80 replies

Avantia · 27/02/2011 17:50

If you had a very small lap type dog i.e dashchound and you walked off lead in very large open spaces where lots of people walk dogs mainly off lead would you get a bit miffed when a larger dog came up and wanted to sniff and play with yours ?

OP posts:
Original poster
Avantia · 27/02/2011 20:21

Problem is an 8 month old lab looks virtually fully grown to some people ,

My dog is precious to me but I think there is a big difference between that and a 'precious dog owner '

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MmeLindt · 27/02/2011 20:23

YANBU about the other owner being rude and shouting at you. That is uncalled for.

Perhaps he got a fright too, since it all happened so fast.

Original poster
Avantia · 27/02/2011 20:26

oh yeah I did say that he should put it on a lead Blush sorry about that - he has pissed me off by then.

He didn't have fright ! he was walking along watching them run about - he was a burly bloke with a foul mouth !

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3cutedarlings · 27/02/2011 20:43

off topic, but how have you got her to sit and watch the guinea pigs, i have to keep my boy indoors when i let our rabbit out, as im quite sure he would chase her Hmm. The rabbit is actually very playful, and would try and get our dear old lab to play, so im sure she would be fine so long as he didnt corner her.

Original poster
Avantia · 27/02/2011 20:47

The GPs are currently inside for the winter . The pen is right on the floor , she lies down and just watches them , will sometimes have a sniff of one when it comes up to her and they are nose to nose. GPs and dog are very tolerant of each other. Puppy likes a chew of their hay when its sticking out of the side.

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Original poster
Avantia · 27/02/2011 20:49

I wouldn't leave GPs out of pen and run lose when she was about . - can you imagine the thread on that Wink

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MothershipG · 27/02/2011 20:52

Common sense and manners! And then what would we have to post about??? Wink

I think that maybe in a perfect world no dogs would greet without permission but in the real one I agree it is completely unreasonable to expect this. The idiot you met was being completely unreasonable, even apart from rude!

As for an 8 month old lab looking fully grown, to my boys he would look huge! Shock I really, really love labs but I have to admit that adolescent labs are absolutely stereotypical of too much joie de vivre built like the proverbial brick shit house! and when you have little dogs this is just an accident waiting to happen, so while you shouldn't have to put up with rude idiots please just keep an eye out for the little guys while your boy is still so bouncy. Smile

saintlyjimjams · 27/02/2011 20:53

My biggish dog (still a puppy but a golden) is always being told off by little dogs - especially westies for some reason, but they come over to him and tell him off. I was a bit worried about a chihuahua we met one day but he seemed to think he was an alsation and soon put my dog in his place!

TBH I only really let him off lead on the beach (we go 4 or 5 times a week so he gets plenty of off lead time). I find the dog owners there fairly chilled and it seems pretty accepted that the dogs will play. I was a bit Hmm when meeting a couple of dog aggressive dogs off lead last week, but in one case the owner did grab him before and made it clear that I needed to keep my dog away (so fair enough I guess - he read the signs anyway) in the other case the owner really didn't. Eventually I'll let him off lead on the moors, as people seem fairly laid back there as well, but he needs a 100% recall there because of the ponies (and sheep I guess although it's the ponies he wants to play with). He's pretty good, but only just approaching 6 months so I don't trust him.

I would have been a bit stunned in your situation as well. And agree about socialisation problems if the poor dog keeps getting whisked away from others. We have met some tiny puppies and we keep an eye, grab them both if it starts to get too boisterous but on the whole I have found the owners of small puppies keen to meet other dogs.

rainbowinthesky · 27/02/2011 20:54

I never call my dog away when going to say hello to other dogs off the lead but always do for those on leads. I have never had anyone object to this.
When I had a very large dog, people with small dogs would often irritate me as they thought it was funny that their dogs barked, snapped etc at mine.

chickchickchicken · 27/02/2011 21:07

same for me.

if a dog was on a lead i would keep mine away or if owner made it clear they didnt want dogs to meet. otherwise i have always thought dogs off lead will play with each other.

i have two small dogs and one small/medium dog so we have been on the receiving end of boisterous large dogs but i dont mind that. my smallest dog - think rat size - best dog friend is a black lab and its wonderful to watch them play.

i would have a problem with agressive off lead dogs but OP's dog wasnt agressive

man was very wrong to be rude and to pick dog up is sooo wrong

MmeLindt · 27/02/2011 21:07

Our dog's sister trotted down the stairs with the family guinea pig in his mouth. They are not sure if the GP died of fright or if the dog killed it.

Poor thing.

chickchickchicken · 27/02/2011 21:14

one of my small dogs is 14 and does not tolerate bouncy dogs any more. she is on a lead when other dogs around and i will shout to the other owners that she is elderly and doesnt like dogs (she does but only calm ones and i dont want to risk injury to her at her age).

some people will control their dogs and keep them away from her. for those that cant and approach us my dog will tell them off. the owners are always fine with this and will say it is their dogs fault. i do wish they had better control of their dogs but its no big deal.

if i picked my dog up in this scenario then i would think that most dogs would jump up. they shouldnt but i would know this was a risk.

Scuttlebutter · 27/02/2011 23:12

Avantia, I have to say bouncy Labs are one of the most dreaded dogs for us to meet. One of our elderly dogs has arthritis - we are heartily bloody SICK of the "He's only a puppy/being friendly" while some hyperactive Lab is trampolining over us or our dogs.

There is no excuse for this man to be swearing to be you but he may be cheesed off. Another issue is that he himself may not be in the best of health. If you have recently had surgery or wear a colostomy bag (as a very close friend does) you do not appreciate a great big happy Labrador jumping all over you. Why should he put up with that?

And yes, we do have ours on the lead, they are even muzzled and it still doesn't stop the problem.

Please continue to work on the recall, but until it's right keep your dog on the lead, and if it does bother people or other dogs, then apologise with good grace. Most dog owners are very sympathetic as few of us get it right 100% but please understand why people get annoyed.

BeerTricksPotter · 27/02/2011 23:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Esian · 27/02/2011 23:31

I had a similar situation with my big muddy dog and a lady wearing all white! She picked her little dog up and everything seemed to happen in slow motion as I shouted 'Noooooooo' Sad

BeerTricksPotter · 27/02/2011 23:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DooinMeCleanin · 27/02/2011 23:43

I once walked Devil Dog through the park in my new white summer dress (in my defence it was not strictly a dog walk, I was taking the dc for a picnic, Devil Dog was just a tag along) Blush

I thought it would be okay, it hadn't rained for ages. It wasn't okay. He found The Bog of Doom. Dc thought it was very amusing.

Scuttlebutter · 27/02/2011 23:54

Grin at the Bog of Doom. I think wearing white clothes would ensure you'd be inevitably plastered in mud/grass/dog paws/bird poo/tree pollen. If I did that I'd probably sit on something unmentionable or somehow get grass stains all over me, without even factoring in other dogs. Every summer, I have this wistful vision of floating around in a gorgeous pair of white linen trousers or some beautiful pale dress then DH reminds me of what i am like (a stain magnet) and the dream falters and dies... but it's nice for that brief shining moment.

BeerTricksPotter · 28/02/2011 00:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Labradorlover · 28/02/2011 12:51

For perfect lab puppy recall I would reccommend having a tennis ball in your pocket for emergencies.
Although, if mine ever knew I had a tennis ball on me there was never any recall needed Smile

Original poster
Avantia · 28/02/2011 14:10

You what labradorlover - I use a ball for distraction however I got told off the other week by another lab owner for throwing a ball for such a young dog = seems you can't win in this doggy world .

I would probably throw it and hit a small dog anyway ! Wink

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Labradorlover · 01/03/2011 10:26

Not throw, just have in hand.....

emptyshell · 01/03/2011 11:12

Mine stands still and very very patiently lets the little guys try to reach up to his butt for a sniff... it's disgustingly cute!

The white thing does remind me of the Christmas Jumbone advert with the white bed sheets though... love that ad.

saintlyjimjams · 01/03/2011 15:22

why can't you throw a ball for a young dog? hips? I use ball distraction with my retriever puppy as well if I think he's going to be a pain.

Original poster
Avantia · 02/03/2011 14:48

yes hips , the turning on the ball apparently . I dont use it all the time on walks just when a distaction is needed.

I must say that after this incident and some of your feedback I have not looked forward to my dog walks Sad, dreading coming upon any other dogs off lead that she may spot before I get her on the lead in the knowledge that not all dog owners are give and take.

Perhaps smaller dog owners could make their smaller dogs not so yappy and bark when they meet my bouncy , big , soft , quiet lab Grin

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