Why are so many dog owners so rude/inconsiderate?

[kitkat321]

Sorry for the rant but I'm fuming.

I have a rescue sighthound - she was passed about a lot as a youngster - and this was after being picked up as a stray :(

She's alway been reactive to other dogs - not all dogs - she has plenty of doggy pals she plays with and has never gone beyond the barking. She was attacked by another dog last year and needed surgery which has made her worse.

I've now hired a trainer to help with it and I do lots of work to socialise her.

The trainer has given us some good exercises to focus on but the amount of dog owners who let their dogs run off lead when they have no recall - they seem oblivious to my dogs reaction and when you ask them to call their dog back they either look at you blankly, tell you "but oh my dogs friendly" or get quite nasty as if what I'm asking is out of order.

I know my dog is the one with the issues and I'm working on them but it would be bloody helpful if other people could control their own dogs when out in public.

As much as I'd love to avoid these situations I live in a village full of dogs/dog walkers so it's not avoidable plus avoiding other dogs won't fix the problem.

I hate feeling like the pariah of the local dog world when I'm one of the few trying to train/help my dog :(

Hear hear, I have a similar experience with my dog (also a sighthound) recently He was making real,progress until someone with a puppy let her dog come bounding up to mine. My dog was on the lead and wearing a muzzle, but hers 'is just a puppy' so she couldn't see why I was cross that her dog had no recall. It should be a page one rule that unless you can guarantee that your dog won't approach others it should be on the lead when crossing paths with another on lead dog.

I totally agree - I just had words tonight with a couple if teens walking their dogs - one off lead and circling mine who was going mad as she couldn't get away - I asked her to call her dog away to be asked why and told that she can do what she wants as her dog won't do anything.

My new tact as recommended by our agility trainer is to say my dog has kennel cough as people will be quicker react!

I think ive had more stress walking my sight hound than going to soft play :(

At least your one has recall, mine reacts to anything of catlike size or with bollocks. Its getting better, slowly, with many early starts and chicken breast - im definately a pariah, but the regulars know im trying and before 6.45 the large breed walkers tend to be out. You have my whole hearted sympathy.

My enormous puppy is on a longline or in a secure field. Because she would race up and jump all over your dog. We are working on it but for now I won't let her off. Someone or someone's dog could get injured. It's just not on.
These are the same people who don't step in when their kids behave unacceptably. It's lazy. And wrong.

The worse part is that they let their dogs approach kids too - I was out with said dog and my 2 year old the other day when this labradoodle type dog came bounding up to us from a fair distance - owner in no rush to recall or collect it - cue my dog going nuts while I tried to scoop up my daughter.

Woman eventually appeared and was all "my dog loves kids" sorry but how do I know that?

It seems to be much more normal now to have dogs off lead - I don't recall it as much when I had my last dog when I was younger!

I'm working on mine standing and waiting whilst people and dogs and runner and cyclists pass.
I'm rather ott as she is going to be mahoosive!

At the moment I'm just rewarding the presence of other dogs - asking her to look at it then click and treat. It's definitely helping but some situations are still too overwhelming for her and we just need to get away.

It's very worrying, I met 2 little dogs (off lead) with my 4 sighthounds (on leads), I asked for them to keep there dogs under control, (they were barking and dashing about around my dogs legs).

"Why? Will yours attack?","only if your get within striking distance". They probably wouldn't but we're getting agitated.

They don't need to attack though do they?! Weird question. Four dogs on leads could cause injury by standing on a dog or even pulling you over. Their dogs should be under control.

My SIL has a little dog who she is convinced is the best most gentle and well behaved dog in all the world. But he has no recall. Thinks it's ok to jump up at people to say hello, barks at any delivery man and also jumps at them, and has no recall even though constantly off the lead and always running up to other dogs.

One owner had a go at her a while back for approaching her 2 large dogs who she said we're skittish and SIL said it was her fault for having dogs she can't control.

Smaller dogs seem to get away with it even more but can cause just as much of a problem.

Bookworm- your SIL is just the type of person to make my blood boil. She'd have got an earful from me if she'd said that to me! It upsets me a bit as my do is actually friendly but she's fearful - she has decent manners and generally very good recall - no dog gets it right all the time but owners need to invest some time in training basic obedience.

Gah this drives me mad too! I have a eactive rescue dog whose reactions range from abject terror to snapping and lunging when other dogs get too close. Can't go off lead as too new to us and can't get her to recall yet.

The amount of people who let their bloody boundy spaniels (always spaniels for some reason) dance all around us even though we're wearing a yellow lead / bandana and I shout over she's nervous..."oh but it's ok mine is friendly". Yes but mine is bloody terrified!!! Like you OP we try to walk at quiet times, and she's training, most people are really understanding but some people just don't get it!

Wheres the basic etiquette gone of if a dogs on a lead or put on a lead when the owner sees another dog, respectfully put yours on lead too!! Basic doggy manners, or dont blame me if my on lead dog growls because yours has run straight into its face

I have two dogs one that is well trained and basically will do anything for a biscuit. The other lives to run off so Is walked on a lead.
He is still very sociable so I'm glad dogs come over to say hi.
Round here people often put a tabard on their dog that is bright yellow to warn other dog owners that they are unpredictable. That way people know whether it's ok to let their dog approach or not.
It would be awful if my dog never got to socialise because he was on a lead.

Carry a stick and/or use your feet to keep out of control dogs away from your dog. The only time I got respect from the idiot 'but my dogs friendly' twats, was when I kicked their dog or swung a stick at it.
That fairly improves their recall! I have had the whole 'I'm calling the police/dog warden/my dad' spiel. Fine, you tell the police whose dog was on a leash according to the law and whose wasnt. Its against the law to allow your dog to place another person in a state of fear and alarm.
I'm not a fan of hitting any animal, but if the other dog started on my rescue collie-on a leash, I defended her.
I found that clicker training, click and treat while other dogs are walking past, worked brilliantly!

They aren't mutually exclusive silver dream - by all means let your dog off lead when appropriate to do so but that's clearly not the right thing to do if your dog has no recall.

The give me space jackets are useless- if the owners are too oblivious to spot that my dog is unhappy (and she makes it very clear when she is) a wee yellow jacket isn't going to make a damn bit of difference as licketysplits post demonstrates.

Evilstepmum- I think I might have to resort to that extreme :(

We're using the clicker now but sometimes if she gets really stressed she loses focus/connection with me and even holding the treat under her nose won't distract her - still early days yet so hopefully we'll get better.

I've got a reactive rescue collie too. I get him behind my legs and show the hand to the rude dogs, stand square on and say 'No!' Very firmly. If they try to go around me I keep turning and doing it until they leave. So far they always have. Gave up asking owners a long time ago.

Isn't there a thing where you can put something yellow on th collar of a dog who is reactive or nervous around other dogs, so other dog owners know not to let their dog approach yours?

Obviously this would only work if the other dog owners were clued in, but it might help a bit.

SDTG my dog wears one and a lot of people take no bloody notice!

Kitkat I had to do it a few times. If folk dont listen, what else can you do?
Keep at it with the clicker training, my old collie loved working for her treats and she made great progress in time! Best thing tho is walking with confidence and using your body language to stand tall!
If you can find a steady dog she likes to walk with, thats really helpful!
Good luck!

It's very annoying. There are other threads on here about the same thing and I think it's getting worse as so many people regard their dogs as their babies!
Hardly anyone around here puts their dog on the lead if they see you approaching with yours on the lead. Telling them my dog doesn't like others jumping about her has no effect. They don't read the body language, then when mine barks she's considered the bad one. (She never snaps, but barks to chase them off).
I had to stop walking with a neighbour who let his long-haired German shepherd run up to toddlers and couldn't understand why the parents were anxious. 'She's very good with children,' he would say. Yes she was, but who would take the risk with a stranger's dog?

Oh this drives me nuts. I had this the other day with a puppy - owner had just walked off the other way (out of sight) and it was making my dog very stressed and grumpy (on a lead and with a muzzle). My hand got tangled up in the lead and it twanged a nerve which really hurt and it was a good 5 mins before they finally came and called their puppy. It may not have been my finest hour as I gave them an earful..

However, yesterday I was walking along the path and there was a jogger coming towards me with 2 big dogs. She clocked me, stood to the side and called her dogs who sat in front of her and politely waited for us to go past. I swear I nearly hugged her, just wish more people were that considerate.

Just remember that you are the one being responsible and you are the one whose dog is under control - but I do understand and it's really frustrating!

Having had a young, OTT, but not at all aggressive young dog kicked by an arsehole with a reactive dog, I would NEVER kick someone else's dog, because I am fairly sure that kick set up the reactivity I now have to deal with in my formerly entirely friendly puppy.

After all, it's not the dog's fault. I was the idiot in the situation where my dog was kicked (I know it now, I was less alert to such things back then) but it's the dog who gets the worst of it.

OP, I do sympathise: I have to deal with similar issues. But other kicking people's dogs? No way.