Puppy is about 4 months old rescue lurcher (probably X with GSD). I have been doing recall training with her and she is pretty reliable so I now let her off in my local park when it is quiet. Each time someone comes, I call her back and have always been successful so far. She loves other dogs but jumps at them and gets wildly excited so I don't think it fair to let her off around other dogs atm, though most local owners encourage their dogs to 'say hello', which is nice.
Today I let her off while the park was empty but didn't notice someone coming while I was picking up her poo. I was distracted for less than a minute and then heard someone yelling, "Get this dog away!" and generally shouting. They were all behind trees so I started calling her and she came on my third or fourth shout.
The other owners were a couple with a staffy on a lead. The man started shouting at me that I was stupid, was lucky my dog was not dead, his dog would rip it to shreds in seconds, my dog was out of control etc etc. I apologised and the woman said, "It's not that but he's been had four times in this park!" which seems to imply my pup is dangerous, which is ridiculous as she is about half the size of that dog and clearly not aggressive. She then said I should keep pup on a lead 'at all times' and they left, the man still shouting 'stupid bitch' and 'lucky to have a dog left' etc etc.
It has really shaken me up and I feel unsure what I should be doing. You can't practise recall without letting them off and she did come back to me on this occasion, though not first time. Part of me thinks they shouldn't have a dog they believe capable of 'ripping' puppies to shreds - surely dogs can tell if an annoying dog is a puppy and act accordingly? Though I do admit they did have their dog on a lead and I did lose concentration for a few seconds.
I have been a dog owner for the last ten years (as well as growing up with a dog) but never had my own puppy before. It's making me feel like a real novice dog owner and that I'm not sure what I should be doing 
.
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
Bad experience letting puppy off the lead- did I deserve the ear-bashing?
lecce · 16/08/2013 17:36
As I have 'that dog' has anyone got any ideas for a dog that isn't food or toy motivated.
I did the 'whats this' move too (born out of desperation 
) we have tried squeezy cheese and liver cake, balls, toys, me bouncing around squealing like a demented Mr Tumble. We did the Total Recall book until the point you whistle them for their dinner and he looked at me like I was mental and never paid the whistle another care. I have never met a dog so unmotivated by food. It seems his two big motivations are new people to jump at and dogs to leap on...which are thr exact things I want to avoid .
People keep saying he will chill eventually but I am starting to wonder if we are destined to walk in the deepest darkest of places only off lead.
Floral - I always joke I need to pull a puppy out of my pocket . But even walking with dogs we know is no fail safe that the new dog over the field will not be tempting so I will resist a house full of dogs. I could not afford to keep two in the manner that pfd has become accustomed!
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