Why do other owners get so offended if you pick your dog up?

[Isthismummy]

Pondering this question after an unpleasant run in with another dog walker in park yesterday.

Woman was walking her terrier and wiemeraner and I was with my 11 week old, still very small shih tzu. Both her dogs were off lead (she walks them round the streets off lead as well, but that's another story) They both see my puppy and start galloping full speed towards her. Woman is about 20 yards away and makes no effort to recall them. I pick puppy up as a preventive measure. Woman shouts over to me "it's OK, my dogs are friendly" I politely call back that whilst Im sure they are, my pup is very young and small and I don't want her potentially frightened. Woman shouts back that I'm "storing up a lot of trouble for myself with that attitude"

I won't repeat my response. I used to have the same problem when I had my papillion. Surely any sane person can see that it's only sensible to be cautious when their dog is huge and yours is tiny? I have no issue with sensible introductions when both animals are under control, but I won't risk my pets safety just so some idiot owner isn't offended.

Have any other small dog owners had this problem? I'd forgotten how annoying I used to find it, but Ive been sharply reminded now I have another dog!

I don't have a dog but I have small children. Every time a dog twat let's their small horse dalmatian gallop up to my children with a yell of 'Don't worry, my dogs friendly!' if feel like hello g back 'That's what I'm worried about!'.

It doesn't take a genius to realise that when a large dog is being friendly to a much smaller dog (or child) an accident is likely.

Yes, it's not always bites or attacks. When she was a puppy my DD's dog's suffered a nasty knee injuring when she was jumped on by a medium sized dog during play.

I know of several small dogs that have been killed in agility exercise areas by collies just colliding with them. One belonging to a top handler.

There is a major risk to small dogs being just bundled by large dogs they do not need to be aggressive.

The "he is friendly and just wants to play dog" can in many instances be a very dangerous dog.

I think irrespective of whether one agrees or disagrees with picking up small dogs when faced with off lead larger dogs where you are not 100% sure of their owner’s control, then it’s the small dog owner’s prerogative to pick up her dog, if she perceives there could be a risk.

Also assuming that because OP owns a small dog (and in this case, a very young puppy) but is not either experienced, or entitled to judgement of her own to err on caution is patronising, as she is the one most familiar with where her pup’s development is. If I were the larger dogs’ owner I would not be offended in the least. But asserting one’s “I’d rather they didn’t” seems to mostly result in a perceived affront.

My 8 months old 6.5kg dog now runs in between my legs when threatened, looking up at me to tell them to back off, and I am much more assertive in doing this. But get lots of snidy comments, as I do from parents with small children and they’re 300 metres lagging.

Little dogs cope fine with big dogs.
Dogs need to socialise. You're going to cause your dog issues. And it is very very unlikely your dog will get trampled

No little dogs don't always cope fine with big dogs.

My dog likes to sniff and makes friends with dogs who have manners. He gets upset and annoyed when dogs come sprinting over towards him and stick their noses up his bum and tower over him.

I've just started grabbing other people's dogs by the collar when they're off lead harassing and upsetting my dog. It's surprising how fast shitty owners can come over once you've got hold of their dog.

It amazes me how people's think all dogs are the same. Dogs are as individual as people. Not all dogs like to be bounced on, not all dogs are friendly, not all dogs have good manners, not all small dogs will be fine or safe around larger dogs. I do think this 'socialisation thing' has been latched on to and it really doesn't mean let dogs 'sort it out' or 'dogs must greet every other dog'.

I just think people who pick their dogs up are stupid.

My cousin was bitten on the face after picking her dog up to protect it. The other dog (who also had a stupid owner) just jumped up instead and caught her face instead of her dog.

Well that's put all people who pick up their dogs in their place, hasn't it HannahHut.

When you've got a small dog sometimes it feels it's the only way to deal with a situation.

My dog is small and I don't tend to pick her up because I don't think it's a good idea but when we were in the park once and three very large dogs came bounding up to her, circling her and leaping around her, I was very tempted to pick her up to get her out of, what for her was, a very scary situation.

The owner of the dog's was doing nothing to remove his very large boisterous dog from my small dogs. As I say I didn't pick her up I just called her away to the other side of the park and eventually the dogs gave up.

I could see they weren't being aggressive but had they been aggressive how exactly would you think I should have behaved. Should I have left my little dog on the ground to be bitten and probably killed by the other three dogs or do what most small dog owners would instinctively do, pick her up to try to protect her from being harmed.

Yes, picking up a dog that's being threatened is not the ideal way to deal with it, but stupid?

I imagine very few owners would stand by and watch while their defenseless dog is mauled to death but I don't think that makes them stupid, just frightened.

Well if picking up a dog to protect it is stupid then I would prefer to be labelled stupid than someone who is happy to watch their dog, who looks to you to protect them, being upset, injured or attacked.

pigsdofly I own two chihuahuas so know that it can be scary when a large dog is running to your smaller ones off of a lead. However it is important to never pick them up, this can escalate the situation and put you in danger as it did with my cousin who is now scarred for life.

I love my dogs however I would never do something as stupid as putting myself in danger that way.

I am not saying it is the fault of people who pick their dogs up if they get hurt, I think it's the owners who are unable to recall their dogs. That said, picking up a dog out of the way of one running over is inherently stupid because of the danger it can put you in.

In situations in which I have had an agressive dog run over to my old dog (another tiny chihuahua) I simply pushed him through the bars of a garden fence. This allowed him to be safe and for the dog to be unable to reach him. I can see how this may not be possible for everyone at any time though.

My dog was actually attacked by a jack russell not long ago - both dogs, similar size and both off lead in the park. Fortunately the owner, being a lot quicker than me leaped on his dog and grabbed him before he could do anything more than make my dog scream.

I actually wasn't quick enough to pick her up as the other dog was incredibly fast but had I been, yes I would have instinctively grabbed my dog and held her.

But that's me, utterly stupid.

@HannahHut Personally I would rather be bitten than let my dog be bitten and seriously injured or killed. It also gets taken more seriously when an out of control dog attacks a human. Not much is done when a dog attacks another dog.

I think its weird too.. I don't think its a bad thing to pick a tiny puppy up when being charged by a much bigger dog.

I have a westie at the moment, she's 15wks old now and a bit more robust, but the first week we went out walking (11wks) I sure as hell picked her up when around bigger dogs.

It wasn't that she was scared, she was happily chasing around an 19wks old Rottie pup at the puppy party I took her too.. it was more to do with preferring for the other dog to be at least slightly calmer before i'd put her down and allow them to socialise!

(that and she's VERY bitey so didn't want her hurting the other dog.. she's a feisty little madam)

My friends Lab was attacked by a Jack Russell that launched itself at her face and managed to grab her by the neck where it proceeded to hang until the owner grabbed it off. No real harm done but the Lab is now very wary of small dogs. You have to try and gauge each situation really. My friend couldn’t have picked her Lab up from the other aggressive dog. Mind you it’s owner could have done if he’d been within useful distance.

The difference for small dogs is that the large dog does not have to be aggressive to cause it injury or death. A large dog bundling into a small dog can cause injury.