Dogs off leads

[chicken75]

I know we have very regular threads on this but I guess this one is just a rant

My very elderly dog has a serious heart condition, she is also a Springer collie cross so hyper (even at 14 - just falls over more), I have an extendable lead so that she can trot around but I can stop her being too excitable around other dogs.

I live next to a park where the majority of dog walkers seem.to let their dogs off and don't have any control over them.
I'm sick to death of trying to give my dog the small amount of exercise I'm allowed to 3 times a day and keeping her as calm as possible when untrained dogs are trying to leap all over her.

I literally had to get inbetween her and an aggressive young collie who's owner was strolling along at the other side of the park.

Sorry this literally is a rant. I know there is no way to stop it.

Are you communicating with the other owners? i.e. "my dog isn't very well is contagious at the moment, could you call your dog back please?". If my dog looks like he wants to approach another dog then I will - where identifiable - at least try and make eye contact with the other owner. If they say anything I'll always recall my dog, but if no one says anything I don't know...

You could also try a "keep your dog away" coat, which is visible from some distance away, such as www.dfordog.co.uk/printed-dog-message-jacket.html (they do custom options). My dog, who does not enjoy cuddles from strangers, wears a lead slip that says "ask before stroking" and it works better than I thought it might because it's a very clear instruction (as opposed to some of these more vague ones like "nervous" or "my dog needs space" that aren't idiot proof / need a bit of interpretation)

Obviously aggressive collies are totally unacceptable in anyone's book, but I do think we all need to advocate for our dog's needs in the clearest way possible, be that visible coats and / or verbally.

OP shouldn't have to communicate with other owners - the fact that her dog is on the lead should be all the communication you need to stop your dog approaching.

I encountered a woman on a walk last week who put her dog on the lead on the approach and said 'I've put her back on the lead because yours is.' That is what everyone with off lead dogs should be doing.

Unfortunately I keep encountering owners who let their dogs bolt over and annoy my dog like that's the normal thing to do. On a walk last week 3 different owners let their dogs run over and annoy my dog in the space of around 7 minutes.

Thanks both. It really was too far to be able to communicate with the owner, unfortunately.
I don't understand why some owners put their dogs at risk by letting them roam out of eye contact (especially with bad recall) or even allowing them to approach on lead dogs.
My dog could be on a lead because she is aggressive, I would never put my dogs at risk that way. Also I have had one of my cats killed by a dog on my own property because according to the owner, my cat should be inside and his dog has a right to roam. This man was the other side of the park to his dog who apparently was known to attack cats.

I always put my dog on a lead if I see someone approaching with their dog on a lead - it's good manners and common sense. Sadly, nowadays, most people seem to be lacking in one and usually both of those attributes, whether dog owners or not. I really don't know what the answer is - I find if one says something you get the ridiculous 'my dog is only being friendly' type answers......