Owners that pick up their dogs.

[MarcoPoloCX]

Why do people do it?
Inevitably it's small dog owners.
They see another dog approaching, their dogs are also off lead. They quickly recall and pick them up even when the other dog shows no aggression.
It just encourages them to fear the other dogs.

I have a Staffie mix that likes to play with other dogs. He doesn't go up to on lead dogs and is very gentle.
There are a few in the park that would recall and pick them up when they see him.
Today I saw one of them so I decided to turn the table round.
I shouted to my dog to come back, picked him up (all 20kg of him) and ran while screaming killer dog as the little one started yapping.

If I'm close to another off lead dog I generally put mine on his lead or hold his harness until they pass , if they're further away but I can see it's a dog he won't like heading in my direction I call to them that he doesn't like being pestered and can they call the dog back , if that doesn't work I hold onto mine until they come to collect theirs - it's these occasions that I may have to pick him up if the other dog starts to pester him . From my POV I should then be able to let my dog off the lead again because my dog won't go chasing after them and if they cannot guarantee their dog won't come back the onus is on them to put theirs on a lead and keep it away .

I tend not to walk where there are many other dogs, however I sometime pick my JRT up if a cyclist or jogger comes past so as he doesn't trip them up. It's just quicker than sticking him on the lead.

However, this week I've been picking him up a bit more as he has spring fever and is trying to shag anything that moves.....

My dog was killed by a staffie and another was badly attacked by another (both my dogs were on leads). We have had multiple run in with this breed. I know not all of them are bad but I have had too many bad experiences not to pick up my 9lb dogs or move away swiftly when one bounds over. It's not a risk I can take and I am really sorry if it hurts the owners feelings but I would rather that than have another dog ripped into two in front of my eyes.

Goosey, I'm sorry to say that you are quite right. I have known some lovely staffies and have nothing against the breed itself but I am more wary if Dog and I meet one. My husband was walking him in the park and a Staffie came racing over and attacked him trying to bite his neck. Thankfully DH reports that Dog has never moved so fast and rolled the attacker onto his back, pinning him down.

You don't know what people's previous experience has been.

Mind you I have no chance of picking up Dog he is a Labrador!

But when I do put her on the lead owners don't keep their dog away even then. Dog still comes running over and my dog is more scared because she's on her lead.

So what's your opinion on that?

My dog is minding her own business. It's victim blaming to blame the scared dog when it's the poorly trained dog/owner causing the problem. . Just keep your dog away from others unless invited. It's not complicated.

I had a tiny yorkie that was attacked by a lurcher. Lurcher saw a small furry and that was it, no stopping it. She survived, but only just. Vet said she was mm away from a snapped neck where she'd been shaken.

So yes, i did pick my dog up when a bigger one approached. Especially an enthusiastic or bouncy dog- i knew the chances of anything happening were slim, but when a dog rushes up fast you don't have time to judge body language and intent. Plus with a panicking wee dog backing away desperately it was easier to pick up until both dogs could have a slower introduction. I'd usually bend down holding my dog so they could sniff first.

I pick my dog up but not usually if another is approaching, unless I was worried about the body language from the approaching dog. But my dog is pretty good at making himself a polite welcoming playmate so I rarely worry about him. Lots of socialisation as a puppy has given him good manners. On the whole ;-)

Around here it's a general rule among dog owners that if a dog is off lead it's okay. If a dog is on lead then yours goes on a lead as well. It's not rocket science. Obviously you get people who ignore this but they are probably thoughtless idiots dogs or not. I generally have no problems as we walk where we barely see another dog or Dog is swimming the stream next to the route and people think I have an unusual attachment to an empty lead.

I'd pick mine up if I could, it'd make my life so much easier if he was portable while he kicked off because a dog looked at him...

I have to say I like it if someone picks up their dog, as well as being hugely reactive, mine is a bit thick and he goes where'd it go? And carries on walking instead of turning into a basket case, rofl

I love a staffy!

I am a dachshund owner and I do pick him up if a dog off lead comes approaching - it's not that I don't trust your dog, it's that I am not confident how mine would react and how I would cope in an altercation. Mine is in the main a lovely dog but he does have short dog syndrome and barks - his tail is wagging and once he gets a sniff it stops, big dogs generally ignore his barking tbh.

I've been told to take care with greyhounds mostly - they can sometimes confuse the excuse of a dog that a miniature dachshund
Is for a rabbit.

A friend of mine has a chihuahua and she was attacked by a little dog off lead on the street. The dog is scarred and also now a very anxious dog. On balance, I'm more worried about that than being frowned upon as a precious small dog owner.

But it really isn't a reflection on anyone's dog. Nature is what it is.

I have a 5 month only Lab x puppy who is over 20kg now. I had to pick him up the other day as 2 big dogs charged up to us completely ignoring their owner. My pup is really friendly, but jumps on other dogs due to excitement so I put him on his lead when we meet other dogs as not all dogs appreciate having his feet on their head.

I suspected these were the same dogs that had tried to have a go at my pup when DP was walking him a couple of weeks before.
The owner made no attempt to get near to us and stood 200 feet away calling her dogs. They only went back as I shouted at them and had to kick the one jumping up at me. She then turned round and went in the opposite direction without saying a word.
I have no problem with my dog meeting other dogs, as long as I can check that the other dog is friendly and the other owner is near enough to intervene if there is a problem.
Recently in my area there have been too many dogs attacked by off lead dogs, not all of them survived, so I''m not taking chances.

I pick mine up if I see a staffie. Don't get me wrong I love them with people but not with other dogs my 3kG dogs been attacked twice by staffies so I panic when I see one, rightly or wrongly my tiny dog doesn't stand much of a chance against one. If she were a similar size I wouldn't bother but damage limitation.

I have a reactive terrier. God love the shouty little git, I am trying to make him less reactive. If I see another dog approaching, I keep him on his lead and do all the distracting things I'm supposed to but so many owners round here let their dog amble up to him, glaring if I ask them to call theirs back so it doesn't lose its nose. Sometimes, it's just easiest all round to grab him. It's not because I'm scared of the other big dog, I'm just not confident about mine.

I've had big, off-lead dogs in the past, and I always, ALWAYS put them on lead if i saw an unfamiliar dog approach, because you just don't know. And I love a Staffie!

I wish mine weren't 40kg each or I would pick them up.

I hate dogs approaching mine. Mine don't want to 'socialise' and I don't want them too either.
My trainer has told me that it's better to have dogs focused on owners and not running off to play and I agree.
I also am sick of them being harassed by rude, pushy or aggressive off lead dogs.
I do allow them to play with other dogs that are vetted and that I know the temprament of but I don't trust that strangers have a clue any more.

I sympathise with the pick up brigade as if I could I would!

I pick up my scottie around really big dogs (sheepdogs, great danes, german shephards, rottweilers etc) not because I think they'll attack her. Rather that I know she wants to play, and even if the other dog plays/playfights (as they like rough and tumble play) due the size difference mine could get hurt, albeit accidently. Also having had a bad experience when a pup, if a big dog approaches lil without her initiating it, you can see she is threatened. And dogs (and people!) can turn when threatened. Plus not all dogs like having bums sniffed/paws on head by lan excited littlr monster, and a gentle swipe/push could hurt. Really though shes likely to want to play but the size difference does make me wary - she could be accidently hurt. To me its not judging big dogs (the ones I kbow are soft as butter). Its just like not letting your just turned one, dwti (small) child play with a group of boistrous 8 year olds at soft play, its common sense.

I am one of these small dog owners who picks up her dog and honestly it has sweet FA to do with your dog and everything to do with the fact that my girl is a rescue dog who was badly beaten and is terrified to the point of wetting herself of men she doesn't know. I pick her up because she is frightened and her little heart is about to explode out of her chest. Being in my arms reassures her and helps to calm her down.

It's so detrimental when small dog owners do this.

I had a particularly small jack Russell (she's still alive and well, with my ex husband) and we deliberately resisted the urge to pick up the tiny puppy she was when bigger dogs approached. As a result she is the least jack Russel like jack Russel you could imagine. She is fully aware she is a small dog, doesn't yap and panic when around bigger dogs and is just generally much calmer than people expect.

There were a few moments which made me and my ex think "oooh god!" which resulted in nothing at all worrying.

Small dog owners need to allow their small dogs to interact like actual dogs, not handbag hamsters.

My dog is small and fluffy so of course I get a lot of stupid comments and judgmental sneery looks from a surprising number of people when they see me carrying her. All a bit tiresome tbh and it's absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with them if I chose to carry my dog really.

Am I obliged to explain to each and everyone of them that she's been quite ill recently and while she likes to go out and run around she can't keep going for long so I have to break up the walk by carrying her some of the way home?

I don't need to pick her up around bigger dogs, she's fully socialized and pretty confident, but if she was like wheresthel1ght's little dog I'd be picking her up every time something frightened her, and to hell with other people's judgey opinions.

@pigsdofly hope your little one is better soon! My girl is fully socialised and special day hours chasing our other dog or tearing around the park after my friends collies but she goes into utter meltdown around anyone she doesnt know but if it is a bloke she will wet/mess herself. It is heartbreaki good to see. I wont apologise for picking her up and comforting her. She had an awful life before we got her 5 years ago. She is utter neurotic but so loving and loyal.

Anyone making snidey comments will get told quite frankly!

Thanks wheresthel1ght. Yes she's very much better, but it's been a long haul.

Just annoys me how so many people make such odd assumptions about small dogs and their owners.