do people that do dog fighting set their dogs on random apssing dogs to train them?

[ditavonteesed]

just had a rather frightening experience in the woods, 3 young lads were pinning down a very big dog and looked like they were trying to wind it up as I was approaching, I cant really explain but I saw them in the distance and was suddenly very frightened, I felt like they were planning to set their dog on mine. Obviously having seen them (thank god for my super long sightedness) I got both my dogs on the lead turned round and walked as quickly as humanly possible away. Could this actually have been what was going to happen or am I being overly dramatic?

God Dita, whatever was happening it sounds pretty unpleasant. Poor dog. Glad to hear you got out of there quickly and your dogs are all right.

People who are involved in dog fighting are pretty foul and they're not above using small dogs and cats as bait apparently so, no it wouldn't surprise me.

Is this a place you usually walk your dogs? In your place I'm not sure I'd want to go there again.

Oh dita. I'd have bricked it. I think you did the right thing to trust your instincts. I wonder if it's worth dropping a mail to your local dog warden to see if they could patrol the area? Poor bloody dog :(

my friend witnessed a dog attack on a little old lady's dog a few months ago, she found out that someone had injected their dog with heroin and waited for a dog to come by. this was only a couple of miles away, it is where I normally walk but I normally go there at 9am, I felt very on edge from the minute I got out of the car tbh I wont go there in the evening again. it is quite a rough woods as in loads of flytipping and stuff.

Sounds more like they were trying Cesar Millan type "techniques" to me.

poor dog.

There has been reports of dogs being taken for bait around my way. It is dreadful.

I've heard in Glasgow (where I lived for 3 years) where the 'closes' are (blocks of flats, usually 6 flats in a block. Heavy doors , some buzzer door entry)

They would release a cat (which would tear up the steps) then a dog..with predictable results.

dita are there any low hanging chewed branches. They use them to train the dogs to grip

I've seen boys set their dogs on trees before, so like what 79isalimitnotatarget said, chewed up trunks and low branches are an indicator of people training in the area.

I had quite a similar experience when my dog was 6 months old. I could hear the boys saying, "now, now! Do it! Let him go now!" And the dog and the boys were all staring at my little puppy, really fired up. I picked him up and ran! I was so unbelievably angry but just got him to a safe place as son as possible.

The police took their description and said of they see them in the area again they will talk to them. I thought if it kills a dog in the future at least they have the descriptions I have to help find the boys and dog. I never walked my dog there again.