My dog is on a lead for a reason

[lifeisabowlofcherries]

Occasional poster, just needed somewhere to vent..

Out having a lovely walk this morning, ddog is a manchester terrier with some fear issues, always on a lead.

Whilst a pup he had numerous incidences on separate occasions of bounding black labs and spaniels "coming over to say hello" off lead and totally in the face of him. Hence the fear issues :-o

So normally, if I see one of these breeds heading my way I very often detour as otherwise he whips himself into a frenzy, only this morning there was no escape. Narrow path by side of field, neighbours black lab off lead heading towards me. I have mine on short lead by my side. Mine seems just about ok and then the lab takes a sniff of me (the foot path was only 18inches wide) and my terrier then totally loses it. Neighbour tuts at me and says "Well that was nasty"

We live a few doors apart. When I see him next do I say something or do I just let it go? What else could I have done? (Neighbour knows that my dog has issues).

I get so frustrated with off lead dogs (or rather their owners) - it happens so often, isn't it etiquette to put a dog on a lead if the one coming the other way is on one or am i being unrealistic?

[EdYouKateShaun]

I have 2 dogs who I let off lead in parks and spare ground. If I see a dog on a lead or a child then one off then immediately goes back on the lead. This is because he is ridiculously friendly and adores all dogs and children. This does not mean that they adore him though. The other dog is not interested in meeting anyone so wouldn't approach anyway.

[MuttonCadet]

We have to walk one of my rescue greys with a muzzle on due to him being scared aggressive of other dogs running up to him.

The only time I take the muzzle off is if I see the neighbours incredibly aggressive lab (bitten countless people and killed small furries), I think he deserves a chance in that situation.

All my dogs are always walked on the lead because they don't have great recall and I can't trust them not to chase squirrels and rabbits. Luckily we have some land that they can run on without issue - they really do love to run.

[Notstayingup]

I also have a fear aggressive dog who ALWAYS walks/runs on a short lead. The amount of times people let their dogs bother him when he is minding his own business is astonishing.

Less of a problem when we are running as I just keep going and usually the dog gets bored and trundles off but last week one followed us for around half a km, well out of sight of its owner who flapped and called while we just carried on. Saw her on the lap back and she had the cheek to try to stop me and tell me off for not waiting for her to catch her dog. If you can't recall, they shouldn't be off their lead - end of!

Don't get me started on the extendable lead brigade and breathe....

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

My old spaniel could be a bit snappy at rude dogs. If people told me their off lead dog was friendly I would just say well mine isn't so recall your dog please. Was quite funny sometimes watching people, that obviously had no control over their dog, trying to call it back. You don't often need to point out the mistake to people like that, it becomes embarrassingly obvious.

[WalkingBlind]

I think some people should be on a lead. I had husky pup on leash and the amount of humans who shoved their hands in his face to "pet" him shouting "Aww he's gorgeous, like a Wolf, etc". He's now human aggressive if any stranger reaches out. It got to the point where I would shove my hands in peoples faces and talk loudly. They would recoil in fear only to be told "that's how he feels. Dickhead."

Other DDog is very friendly but has rubbish recall when excited by a playmate so he's on halti all the time. I find it extremely rude if any off lead dogs approach and will vocalise it now coz I'm fed up.

When volunteering at the kennels with abused dogs (on lead, harness and muzzle!) people would still shout "it's ok they're friendly" and "that dog should be under control if it's dangerous" It is under control you blind idiot, you're the one with the loose dog! Even if you clearly say "please put your dog on a leash, this is a shelter dog and he's terrified", some idiot will tell you (with their obvious expert knowledge) "it's ok, they're just playing"

[minesapintofwine]

This all rings so true to me. My dog hates other dogs in her face (who wouldn't) but the amount of people who just let it happen...

The worst was a man who's (admittedly friendly) dog had us in a corner. He just would not call his dog off so I ended up pushing my dog into the river as she was terrified and it was the only way she could escape! I was pissed off that day.

I also hate it when I do ask people to call their dogs away or say my dog is nervous they are like 'oh isn't she socialised/trained/nice' and go all cats but face. Just fuck off judgypants! (them not you op, I had to write it down to feel better)

[PetraStrorm]

This exact thing happened to me yesterday, OP, when my on-lead, very gentle greyhound, who is still a bit nervous and getting used to interacting with other dogs, was basically mugged by an off-lead, utterly out of control lab - a big, powerful one. The owner did the whole 'oh, he's just playing' crap, while wrestling her sodding dog off mine.

I said, really very mildly because I am rubbish at any form of confrontation, 'you need to control your dog'. As we finally got away, she yelled back at me "he's a fucking puppy!".

He was a fucking BIG puppy - I suspect they've been using that excuse for quite a while now.

Meanwhile here I am, hoping my dog hasn't been set back by the encounter.

[babyblackbird]

My dog does go off lead but after having been bitten twice he is quite timid around dogs particularly those that bowl over.

Just this morning a dog came charging over even though mine was doing his best to ignore it and started growling and barging him- admittedly he had a ball in his mouth but it was still very aggressive. Mine eventually had enough and retaliated air snapping and growling. Hers backed off eventually but then came back for more ! I tried to shoo him away at which point I got the "he's only playing" line.

Do people genuinely think that ?? Or did I misinterpret the situation ? I have seen plenty of dogs play and it never looks like it did this morning !

[PetraStrorm]

I think people often choose to 'believe' it's playing, babyblackbird, rather than them have to take responsibility for their dogs and train them properly.

[babyblackbird]

Absolutely Petra , afterwards when I replayed the exchange a hundred times in my head, I actually wished I had said "take some responsibility for your aggressive dog".

She had the cheek to say "he's got a ball in his mouth for God sake" , as if the fact he couldn't do any physical damage meant it didn't count ! She ignored the fact that when he tried to come back, he'd dropped the ball !

[tabulahrasa]

In fairness some dogs do play by banging into dogs and growling...but that's not ok if the other dog isn't also playing like that.

[babyblackbird]

Fair point tab but I've also seen that style of play which my dog has also joined in on....... and this still wasn't that either.

[Collaborate]

There is nothing aggressive about a dog approaching another to say hello.

While that may upset the fearful dog, labelling the dog with a ball in its mouth aggressive is misleading. It is simply not being controlled properly by its owner.

There also needs to be some communication between the owners. The owner of the fearful dog on the lead needs to communicate to the other owner that their dog may get aggressive when approached. No one can mind read, and very few owners will keep their dogs away from all other dogs on a lead.

My lab exceeds the definition of submissive. She will often approach other dogs on a lead and I make a point of making eye contact with the other owner - ready to recall her if necessary. She bows down so low her head is usually on the floor, then will roll over to her tummy for inspection. I have never had a problem yet with her either causing anxiety in another dog or not returning to me if I need to recall her.

[babyblackbird]

It wasn't the fact that the dog approached mine that made me label it aggressive, it was the growling and barging as my dog clearly tried to get away and looked extremely uncomfortable and gave every calming signal he could give which were all ignored that made me label it aggressive.

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

I met a bloody great husky type yesterday. I could see he was on a lead so I put my boy on his lead. Turned out that the husky was on an extendable lead and he came charging at us with his lead extending out behind him and his owner only just managed to wind it back in time. Bit pointless, I thought.

[Squirrelsmum]

I have a big dog, he's a bull breed so basically just a big chunk of muscle. I keep him on the lead when I take him out and I'm astounded at the number of people who are happy to let their dogs come up to him when it's clear we are trying to avoid their dog. We have 3 other dogs at home that he gets on well with but doesn't like strange dogs.
I constantly talk to him to keep him focussed on me instead of the other dog, in a smoochy "whose a good boy" tone, usually I just say something along the lines of "ooh look a little snack for you, you'd like to eat that little thing wouldn't you." He's totally absorbed in my voice, but the owner usually gets the hint. Idiots.

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

if i spot people I always put one of mine on the lead, and make him sit and wait he's a giant donkey of a GSD ...having a bear like creature padding up disconcerts people. Especially as he is a bit Tim-nice-but-dim and convinced of his own beauty and social skills.

The other one is just not that interested in making friends, is much much smarter and feels that people will come to adore him as required. He only goes back on the lead if we encounter children, he believes it is his duty to be in charge of all children not in direct contact with an adult. and again seven stone of creature with amber eyes focussed on your pfb freaks the parents out somewhat.

[Collaborate]

Squirrelsmum Why can't you just speak to the owner and let them know? They're not the idiots here.

If you insist on taking the canine equivalent of Hannibal Lecter out on a lead and unmuzzled you at least need to alert others to the fact that anything coming within a leads radius of you may well be attacked. I sometimes walk a Hungarian Vizla - a big softie but nervous on-lead as her primary defence mechanism - running away - is denied her. I always tell other dog owners to, you know, give them a chance.

[Squirrelsmum]

You must have missed the part where I said it's clear we are trying to avoid the other dog. We will often change direction midstep to avoid other dogs, if someone with a dog coming the other way doesn't get it when we suddenly veer off to not go near them and they let their dog run up to us then yes they are idiots, my dog has never attacked and never tried to attack another dog, he doesn't like them. There is a difference, and being a braccy breather there is no way I'm putting a muzzle on him.

[Collaborate]

Why use verbal communication when telepathy will do, eh?

[babyblackbird]

Wow and Collaborate you thought I was labelling dogs - " canine equivalent of Hannibal Lecter ".?!?Nice. I assume you are just being deliberately antagonistic in order to start a row.

[tabulahrasa]

Meh, makes not a lot of difference anyway...

Mine wears a rather fetching baby blue muzzle so it stands out nice and clearly from his coat, he's on lead, I go to rather extreme lengths to avoid dogs like literally dragging him into bushes, I shout over that he's not friendly and he turns into some sort of frenzied noisy blur that I have to wrestle with to hold still...

I still get dogs coming over

[pigsDOfly]

If your dog is reactive it is helpful if you let people know by telling them, really.

I was in the park with my dog, a while ago now, she was off lead and we were playing ball so fairly busy, when a woman with a small dog on the lead came into sight. Can't remember what breed it was but it was a small hairy, harmless looking type.

Unusually, my dog, who normally ignores other dogs, started running in their direction - they were quite some distance away and my dog is small so no immediate danger - when she called out 'he's not friendly'. Fair enough, I'd been warned, I immediately called my dog back took her over to the other side of the park and continued our game.

Dog being on the lead is not an automatic indication that a dog needs to be avoided. I walk my dog in fields where there are large bodies of water down steep banks, some people let their dogs off the lead there, I never do. We still stop and say hello to the friendly dogs.