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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

AIBU to tell a couple walking their dog to keep it on a lead?

48 replies

Thesearepearls · 25/08/2018 14:06

My favourite walk this morning was disrupted by a bit of argy-bargy

I went late - I'm usually around the reservoir around 6 or 7 AM. There's a few early birds but not many and it's a wonderful start to the day

Anyway I was walking along behind a couple walking a young dog. Their dog was off lead and had no recall. The signs instruct people that dogs should be kept on leads. Every dog they met walking in the opposite direction was chased and nipped. The nips were generally playful but more than one dog yelped. During one altercation of theirs I caught up and tried to walk past swiftly.

Unfortunately the young dog saw mine and started chasing him. Mine was at that time off lead. In my defence I always let him off lead at that point so that he can go and have a swim. A lot of dog walkers do that and there's a kind of unspoken agreement that if we're going to break the rules, the dogs have good recall and don't bite.

So my dog was chased and bitten really quite severely - a couple of playful nips then a proper bite which had him yelping. I was cross and I told them plainly that their dog should be on a lead. I did not swear or shout or be abusive.

Well the most massive altercation happened then. I did actually think I was going to get thumped. Screaming abusive woman in fits. I actually think she was a bit mental. I didn't say a word BTW (after having told them to keep it on a lead, which was possibly a mistake).

What would you have done? Would you have just grabbed your dog and scarpered quickly? Should I just have shut up and not said anything?

It's normally such a wonderful and serene walk. Lots of comradely dog people and horses and birdsong and stuff.

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 25/08/2018 16:49

There is no where that is ‘specifically’ for off lead , people can walk their dogs where they like , if you have an off lead dog you need to keep it away from on lead dogs wherever you are ,there are no exceptions to that rule .

Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten · 25/08/2018 16:49

If I had already seen a dog nip other dogs there is no way I would walk past it with my dogs off lead. No way I would walk past it!

Suhtityourtart what a weird comment by the Westie owner surely all dogs can be walked on lead just keep your untrained westies away from them ! - she could use a lead to help her.

Saffy60 · 25/08/2018 16:53

I wouldn't want my water from a reservoir that dogs were swimming in.

Saffy60 · 25/08/2018 16:54

Maybe that is why dogs are meant to be kept on leads???

FeliciaFinnakus · 25/08/2018 16:57

OP get a lead that is somehow waterproof, nice and long so your dog can still go for a swim but you can maintain control should anything happen.

Just a thought.

heartsease68 · 25/08/2018 17:04

Obvs the lead part is unreasonable on your part and their aggression is unreasonable.

However I would have said something like "If your dog is aggressor he should really be under your control you know. Other dogs are getting hurt and that could become a problem."

Wolfiefan · 25/08/2018 17:39

Your dog should have been on a lead. Then the issue wouldn't have occurred. Dogs shouldn't be swimming in a reservoir.

ccmms · 25/08/2018 17:53

YANBU imo. The dogs on leads sign is irrelevant if no one really pays attention to it. I dont mind dogs being off lead if they are well behaved. Tbh even if they have bad recall I still couldnt really care, its not me that has to run after it to get it back. But if your dog is aggressive and bites then surely its fucking common sense, good manners and safety to keep your dog on a lead. (This is me, my dog is an antisocial ratbag and is kept on a lead at all times due to it). Just say a child was walking their dog and was bitten when trying to intervene to save their dog? But they are obviously irresponsible owners so YABU to think you'd get any thanks or sense out of idiots.

Wolfiefan · 25/08/2018 18:11

Of course the sign isn't irrelevant.
If dogs aren't allowed off lead then they shouldn't be off lead.

Shutityoutart · 25/08/2018 20:53

On the walk near us the sign says ‘walk for dogs off lead’ . It’s a nature reserve so about 6 different walks. This is the only one where the dogs are allowed off.

tabulahrasa · 25/08/2018 21:43

Umm... the thing is you kind of lost the moral high ground by letting your dog off where there’s signs saying they’re not to be.

Anywhere else I’d say that a reliable recall totally counts as under control, you can quite often find me on threads about on or off lead because I have a reactive dog that is on lead only in public places - but I don’t really care how people keep their dogs nearer them as long as they can.

So yes abuse is uncalled for and yes she clearly had no common sense letting her dog nip and bite at other dogs...

But you’d already seen that her dog was going to be an issue and on top of that no dogs should be off lead there.

User467 · 25/08/2018 23:10

Just because they are allowed off on that route doesn't mean they are allowed to be out of control. Allowed off lead doesn't mean allowed to annoy other people and dogs .

Original poster

Thesearepearls · 26/08/2018 01:18

Valhalla speaks sense. DH said well it's entirely your own fault you should have turned back and gone around anti-clockwise. You saw them having altercations with every dog they passed

In fairness I think this was a young dog that hadn't had any form of training.

OP posts:

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 26/08/2018 04:57

Well possibly your dog should have been on lead but as the other dog was off lead and attacking everything anyway what difference would it have made? Can’t believe the number of posters on here ready to jump down your throat and point out that you weren’t on lead either. Your dog wasn’t attacking every bloody dog that it passed! Theirs was, they were clearly batshit entitled twats to think that this behaviour was acceptable and they didn’t like being told. I’d watch out for them in future, they sound crazy.

LEMtheoriginal · 26/08/2018 05:40

A bit metal?

differentnameforthis · 26/08/2018 06:00

He's never bitten and would never bite. Even when being bitten himself he didn't bite back but you can't actually know that. Besides, it doesn't matter. He should have been on lead. If he wants a swim, take him elsewhere.

Original poster

Thesearepearls · 26/08/2018 18:11

I was actually a bit worried about the reservoir this morning (what if the abusive woman and her dipshit young dog is out there?). But it was nice and early and I figured I'd be safe

And on my walk I met the whippet man (lovely dogs- five of them in immaculate condition) the foxhound man, the labrador woman and the family with the beagles. Stopped and chatted with them all, all dogs mostly off lead (apart from the whippets). This is how dog-walking should be. Fun and pleasure for all

I've now realised that I have started identifying people by their dogs.

OP posts:

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 27/08/2018 15:15

If their dog was tormenting passing dogs with unwelcome attentions, they should have had him on a lead (and, as others have said, everyone should have had their dogs on lead there according the rules). They were being totally U with their reaction to your request though. There is no excuse at all for verbally abusing/bullying other people. I am a bit bemused by people saying dogs shouldn't swim in reservoirs (presumably for hygiene reasons) - surely, reservoir water doesn't flow directly into our taps - what about seagulls/leaves/rubbish etc that lands on reservoirs. Our local reservoirs are full of fish,cormorants, ducks, geese and sediment. Can't see that dogs make any difference. However, my dog paddles/swims on local ponds/streams on an extendable lead as, apart from not wanting her to get into difficulties, I don't want her harassing waterfowl. She has a lovely time despite being still connected to me by lead.

thegardenfairy · 27/08/2018 15:45

I guess the sign saying dogs must be kept on a lead means you were irresponsible letting your dog off. But I get your dilemma entirely.

There are yellow ribbons, leads, coats etc for dogs who are not happy with other dogs approaching. I wish there were such obvious signs for dogs who are happy to play with others. It would make life so much easier for dog owners who have brought their dogs up to be sociable with other dogs.

As in your case there will always be those owners who allow their dogs off to annoy other dogs 😏

I feel dog owners are in a no win situation.

Dogs are allowed to swim in our local reservoir - just saying...

thegardenfairy · 27/08/2018 15:53

Haha! On our early morning walk we meet the Labrador, retriever, border collie, daxie, 2 jacks, border terrier and English sheepdog. They have a great run around. All getting on well together.

And every morning along comes the lady with her aggressive dog yelling for everyone to put their dogs on leads. She makes it her business to pass us 3 times -
despite having other options to avoid the off lead dogs playing.

TooTrueToBeGood · 27/08/2018 15:53

I wouldn't want my water from a reservoir that dogs were swimming in

I'm going out on a limb here but i think you might find the water gets treated somewhere between the reservoir and your tap.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 27/08/2018 16:00

bit bemused by people saying dogs shouldn't swim in reservoirs (presumably for hygiene reasons) - surely, reservoir water doesn't flow directly into our taps - what about seagulls/leaves/rubbish etc that lands on reservoirs

I certainly hope there are a few intermediate stages! Our resovoir is also a nature reserve for some fancy rare geese or something which is why dogs swimming is out. It’s a shame, though I guess not for the ducks.

Glad you’ve had a much nicer walk now.

Wolfiefan · 27/08/2018 18:27

Dogs off lead in an area where you are asked to keep them on lead is NOT how dog walking should be and gives dog owners a bad name.

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