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The doghouse

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Original poster

Argh annoying owners!!

38 replies

SquidgyMaltLoaf · 13/04/2014 19:19

I am trying to train my reactive dog to not bark at other dogs (she's very nervous and therefore has taken to preempting another dog scaring her by being aggressive to them first). I have her muzzled and on a lead and will do until she is better. I'm currently working to clicker train her and she's responding really well, and I'm using distraction to prevent the reaction at the moment.

Today I saw another dog running around - mine on a lead as usual and I tried I give them a wide berth, but the dog followed us and was running up behind mine and running around her which made her even more scared and jumpy. I called to the owners to not let their dog near mine as she was on a lead for a reason but they just kept shouting the dog's name which had absolutely no effect. I was trying to avoid them but the flipping thing kept running up to mine and she was getting really stressed.

I REALLY wish people would keep their dog on a lead unless its recall is good! I've never let mine run up to one on a lead as you just don't know why it is. It makes me so mad because I was making such good progress and she ended up really riled up again Angry

OP posts:
Raskova · 13/04/2014 19:41

Can I ask what dog you've got?

Mine used to be like yours and you'll get her perfect I'm sure Grin

I find some dog owners so annoying. It's usually the little breeds or 'family' dog owners that are the worst because their dogs aren't seen as dangerous so they don't feel the need to train them so well etc.

My dogs a rottie but he's a softie. If another dog barks at him, the owner laughs and says some joke about their dog thinking they're 'hard'. My last dog walk, some yappy little terrier tapped at my dog threateningly for approx 100 yard as it walked past us. We were playing on a swing with DD. My dog was certainly interested but as he's well trained he only watched but I know he was on the verge of barking back, nothing more. This owner gave me a dirty look and then just carried on walking. Never once telling her dog to shut up. It would have been my dog at blame had he retaliated.

I feel your pain Hmm

Original poster
SquidgyMaltLoaf · 13/04/2014 22:41

Mine is a rottie too Smile This was a small spaniel. Mine used to not bat an eyelid but has for some reason started going mad over the past few months at other dogs so I'm having to work hard to recondition her. I'd do this whether she were a rottie or a lab or a yorkie - I just think it's good practice to teach your dog to behave, and if you can't trust them to not go up to others then keep them on a lead! I do think there is doggy prejudice Hmm

OP posts:
Owllady · 13/04/2014 22:46

They annoy me too
I don't mind people who make mistakes and apologise, but it's the ppl who just don't give a shit, always experts as well Hmm but there are ppl like this with their children too Wink

Original poster
SquidgyMaltLoaf · 13/04/2014 23:01

Mistakes - fine, I agree, happens to everyone. When I had expressly asked them not to let their dog near mine, though, I was pretty narked when they ignored my request!

OP posts:
Owllady · 13/04/2014 23:10

I am not surprised you are narked, it must be so stressful

withextradinosaurs · 14/04/2014 07:13

What is the best reply to "he only wants to play?"

My dog does not want to play but it doesn't stop one idiot couple letting all four of their puppies and young dogs run up to him and bark in his face.

glenthebattleostrich · 14/04/2014 07:20

Used to have this with our German Shepherd, and get the Oh he only wants to play too, particularly from little dog owners. My response was usually well his idea of playing is eating small dogs so I don't think you or your dog would enjoy that game do you???

Should note, that my dog was always on a lead unless the area was clear, had near perfect recall and was generally a big softie, he just hates small dogs because they tended to nip at him and their stupid owners didn't care.

Owllady · 14/04/2014 09:30

Say mine doesn't
:)

SnakeyMcBadass · 14/04/2014 09:49

I get this all the time. My spaniel is fear reactive towards other dogs. After 2 years of reconditioning, he is now able to ignore other dogs as long as they ignore him. He gives off all the right 'leave me alone' signals but some young dogs still try and bounce on his head. We were chased across a field twice last week by the same young lab. I told the owner mine isn't great with other dogs, and put him on the lead and started to walk away. The lab followed. The owner stood ineffectively calling, but didn't actually, you know, move to recall their dog. It finally left, so we headed into the woods to go home. It then charged up behind us from nowhere and I'm afraid the spaniel told it to fuck off rather vocally. Annoying, but you can forgive the odd mistake. Except the same bloody thing happened the very next day. The dog was out of its owner's sight, running all over the place and trying to hump every dog it came across. The spaniel chased it off at this point and I was really afraid there would be a fight. Luckily, no harm done apart from my dog now being jumpy again. I do let the spaniel off lead where we walk as you rarely meet other walkers, but this dog keeps coming from miles away and now I don't know where to exercise my boy Angry

Raskova · 14/04/2014 13:24

Yay. Rotties are the best Grin

No one ever says they want to play with my doggie Hmm

My mum has a sodding labradoodle. She lets hers off the lead always, though she lives in the middle of nowhere and rarely sees anyone and she is very well behaved but not perfect, and when I'm on the phone I always hear her say 'oh it's ok, she's not dangerous' I always tell her off...

Whoknowswhocares · 14/04/2014 15:21

' Oh he's just friendly' .........the bane of many a dog owner Angry

Usually translates to ' oh I've got no control whatsoever and my dog is rude and pushy'

CQ · 14/04/2014 15:30

Yup, share your pain. My dogs are on lead and we too are working very hard on not reacting to other dogs.

Last week a rather shirty owner (whose dog was completely ignoring her attempts to recall it) said 'They'd be much better if they were all OFF-lead, you know'. As my two were sitting beautifully, watching me and waiting for their treat that comes when the other dogs have been successfully ignored Angry

I do try and be understanding. Those owners with big soft friendly laid back dogs probably have no idea what we go through with our problem dogs. They just can't see it from our point of view. But it does make it harder and harder to find somewhere to walk our dogs without these muppets charging right up to us.

maisiechain · 14/04/2014 15:55

Oh dear, I'm afraid I'm one of those owners with a muppet dog:( This is my first dog, he's a golden retriever and I had very good control of him until a few weeks ago. He is 10 months old & I feel I've completely lost control of him.

To all you dog owners with reactive dogs on leads, I'm so sorry! I have bought the book Total Recall and am working hard on the problem. Until then, he will be on a long lead & I will be letting him off to play with dogs he knows well.

We are not all ignorant, some of us are cringing at our dogs behaviour & are also trying to fix the problem:)

SnakeyMcBadass · 14/04/2014 16:04

That's fine, maisie, because it sounds like you're apologetic if your dog embarrasses you. The owners that cause the most annoyance are the ones who don't care. No dog is perfect, we've all been shown up by the little beasts :)

CQ · 14/04/2014 16:10

Oh Maisie - I'v just read your other thread! At least you recognise the issues and are working hard on them. That's all any of us can do!

My next dog will be a laid back softie who will be content to trot along happily at my heel, with the odd gambol around for joy, and who will ignore all other dogs/people/pheasants/sheep . Sigh. I can but dream Grin

Original poster
SquidgyMaltLoaf · 14/04/2014 16:11

Yep Maisie, it sounds like you'd have at least made an effort to get your dog to leave mine alone instead of I effectively calling it while continuing to stroll along!

OP posts:
maisiechain · 14/04/2014 16:12

:)

Whoknowswhocares · 14/04/2014 16:25

I share your pain Maisie.
Sometimes friendly dogs can be a bit of a curse, eh?
Polite but aloof is what I dream of.......but daft retrievers like mine are very rarely aloof!
She has got LOADS better though, and will now after much training will wait for permission before approaching dogs/people, so keep at it!

I find it unbelievably hard to understand why owners of friendly dogs don't think it necessary to use caution. It can take just one incident with an aggressive reactive dog to turn a friendly, happy go lucky dog into a nervous, reactive wreck Sad

Owllady · 14/04/2014 16:33

My last dog was sensible and aloof. It was a dream to walk her tbh but I always felt sad she didn't want to play chase etc. She would with little dog at home but outside, no way Jose
But I agree, why wouldn't you err caution? I remember someone random kicking my childhood dog REALLY hard once when out on a walk :( so it's not just other dogs, men too can cause fear and upset (I do realise now that I sound sexist, but I do think some men are aggressive 27th their dogs, not in this house, but I hear my neighbour with his dog and it makes me sad. Someone was calling it the other day, on the third or fourth shout I heard 'x you bastard, come back you bastard x, sigh, and its not like we are particularly close, housewise)

Raskova · 14/04/2014 17:37

CQ, what dog do you have?

NurseyWursey · 14/04/2014 17:43

I have big dogs and one i only like walking on his own. So I will purposely go directly away from any dog walkers and go to where the long grass is. Then the other dog walker will suddenly decide to follow. Why?! You have just seen me blatantly walk away from you and now you follow.

withextradinosaurs · 14/04/2014 18:57

Another one this morning! Jack Russell belted the length of a big field to harass play with my dog.

Owner actually out of sight.

SHUT UP AND GO AWAY I shout at the barking pest.

After about 5 minutes he runs off. We pass him again later and I catch up with the owner.

"Was he OK, I heard him barking?"

Well no, not really, my dog likes to be left alone, that's why we were in the other field. It would be good if you called yours back.

"Oh, he doesn't come when I call him. It works best if I keep quiet and walk away, then he panics and comes to look for me."

This is my face:Shock

Raskova · 14/04/2014 19:09

Oh for duck sake! How pathetic. But I bet there'd be he'll to pay if he ran back with no head! Classic case of a little dog they don't feel needs training...

Pufflemum · 14/04/2014 20:11

I might be setting myself to receive a huge telling off, but, I would love to hear your advice. I have a five month old spaniel, my first ever dog ( so I'm certainly one of the muppets). We've been advised by our trainer to leave dog off lead from day 1. We do this at the local golf course and other dog walking areas but not a play park or anywhere we do not know. We've had and continue to have, lots of socialisation and I can see that whereas initially pup would run up to any passing dog now she looks and seems to sense whether the dog wants to play before approaching. She often goes and sniffs or licks another dog, she rolls over and submits to bigger or curly haired dogs. She never chases unhappy dogs. Is this ok or should I be doing something else?

In busy areas or if I see a dog on a lead or pushchair I have been using a treat as a distraction.

Would welcome your views as I would hate to be offending every other dog walker we have been passing!

Raskova · 14/04/2014 20:53

That wouldn't offend me. It only offends me if the dog makes my dog uncomfortable AND the owners a dick about it or the owner sees no problem with their dog being a dick.

If your dogs a dick and you don't blame my dog and are nice about it, I'd probably give you a hug as I'm so used to being ostracised for having such a 'dangerous' dog