How to deal with runners who 'hold their line' and run directly at you / dog

[Twitterqueen]

Any advice? My small dog was not moving - neither was I - on a path. A 6ft+ tall heavy male runner came directly at us. Dog didn't see him (she was sniffing) and I was on the phone. I assumed he would run round us. he didn't.

He ran straight into my still stationery small dog, kicked her in the head and then ran on. I yelled at him and got the usual "Keep your dog under control." response. Regardless of the fact that he was moving and we weren't, and that he was unable to stop in time to prevent injury so he was the one out of control.

He was an utter shit to kick your dog but I am very surprised you expect runners to go around your dog and you have your head in your phone. When you're walking dogs it's your responsibility to keep them close when others are passing. I always put mine into a heal or a sit at the side of the path when runners or cyclists go past. I also keep an eye (and ear) out for the arsehole minority of cyclists who zoom past within an inch of us and look for broken glass or dead birds and animals yummy dog snacks that might be on the ground.

Heel. I've been spending too long browsing for a new light shade

He shouldn't have kicked your dog but as a general point you should make sure a dog (i.e. animal) gives way to an actual human!!

No reason why you yourself should yield to another person but I am sure I don't appreciate running onto mud, grass or the road so that a DOG can use the path!

I am a runner and a dog owner BTW. And always keep my wits about me when dogwalking so I can put them in and let other path users have enough room.

from reading all this its sounds like anything walking is a nuisance to anything going at speed, and anything going at speed isn't always detected by something walking at normal pace. Dogs on walks are not often at their owners sides! surprising to know for some i don't know, but they aren't, they are off sniffing and running about themselves. I don't think ddogs and cyclists/runners mix at all well. .. and there is a minority of cyclists/runners who consider anyone else in their path to be an absolute nuisance. Therre are more and more cyclists commuting extremely fast along tracks that were only ever used by dog walkers, and they pose a huge risk to all.

If ddogs are allowed off-lead in an area so running about themselves completely legitimately, and their owners strolling along, what a nuisance they are!

and regardless of the injury caused to the ddog, I think people have taken against the runner because he showed absolutely no remorse having hurt the ddog.

I have a fairly steady lab, but if I saw a runner/scooter/bike/another dog/anyone really coming who would be passing us at close quarters I'd bring my dog close to me, with me between their path and my dog, just in case he attempted to drool on sniff or play with them.

So its unlikely they'd get near my dog without taking me down first.