Out of control dogs

[Mistymonday]

I just had a walk with my nervous rescue DDog and we were harassed by a pair of off-lead dogs. Can I ask how you deal with this because when I shouted at the owners to ask them to recall their dogs they ignored it and I pretty much got threatened and assaulted for trying to order their dogs away myself (I waved my hands and shouted ‘no, bad dog, go away’ but the dogs ignored me). I couldn’t untangle my dog from
these two to walk away (and this pair would have followed us anyhow) and they wouldn’t go despite my dog’s warning growls and attempts to flee. My dog is kept on a lead because she is nervous and has poor recall. How do you deal with this kind of situation where the owners don’t take responsibility or help in any way?

Take photos and report to the local council. Police if the owner gets aggressive..

I’m bumping this for you because I’d like to know the answer to this too. My dog is very small so I just pick her up if other dogs won’t leave her alone, but I’d rather it didn’t happen in the first place.

Some people are just idiots and this will happen. I take it as my responsibility to protect my dogs at all times like you do.

Unfortunately you have to try to suss out the situation before it gets to the stage of the dogs actually meeting . I am aware that this is not always easy. Watch approaching dogs or dogs that are behind you body language carefully.

I also ask people to recall their dogs but would have done it when they were further away. I yell in a happy voice and then just keep on marching away from the situation. I rarely get abuse as I am legging it out of the way .

Flapping your arms around and trying to send the dogs away does tend to have the opposite effect as it can excite the dogs.

I also teach a lets go to my dogs which means change direction and go, if they can do this quickly and enjoy it as a game you have more chance of getting away from the other dogs.

With small dogs there is an old fashioned view that you should not pick them up but this is rubbish. It is a good plan to teach your small dog a signal if they want to be picked up. Usually to touch or stand on your feet. Then scope them up and move away. This will not make them more vary of dogs, or more nervous. It will give them confidence that you will always be watching their back.

Your dog looks to you for support and protection the more we can give this the more these events can not damage our dogs. I also get a degree of positivity out of meeing idiots in that my dogs again can see how I am there for them.

Sorry it runined your walk today though.

No point in reporting to the police they will do nothing. You can report to dog warden if you have one - they may speak to the owners but highly unlikely that anything will come of it.

I have a lets go and will march off in another direction if at all unsure of the other dogs.

No idea where that last sentence came from! but just in case you didn;t get the point I have a lets go.......

Sadly in my experience, nothing will happen if you report it. It's nothing to do with the police as nobody was hurt or bitten. A dog warden may be interested but unless you know who the owners are, where they live and have evidence of what happened, there's very little anyone can do.

I am sorry you're shaken up though, it's horrible when it happens but I can guarantee it's happened to everyone on here, probably multiple times. There are a lot of irresponsible dog owners out there and you just need to be on your guard.

I avoid any confrontation and just take my dog off in another direction where possible. Were these dogs aggressive or were they simply not recalling away?

I have a small dog and I have found that increasing his confidence off lead and encouraging his recall in 1:1 situations (inextricably linked) have made these encounters increasingly unlikely. He doesn't get approached by unfriendly harassing dogs because he can retreat or advance freely. There are plenty of offlead and onlead dogs where we walk, so it isn't that there isn't potential threat all around but I think he knows when he is on lead there will be the chance to go off lead later, so not defensive or tense.
Could always being on lead be contributing? Is there a safe way to walk her off lead when no other dogs around, to practice?

When a dog does come up to us who is jumping up or overexuberant, (say a young Labrador or doodle) the sort of dog that can be overwhelming and scarey to a nervous dog, I would be quite low key rather than shout bad dog. Just stand still and talk in low tone. Shouting or high pitched or arm flapping would be completely wrong way to calm down your already stressed ddog, or deter other dogs

He does get approached by friendly playful dogs and loves to play but I've noticed that he is now quite good at giving sign when he does not want further interaction, he will disengage and follow me away and other dog will tend not to harass my dog is making that decision himself ifyswim? Body language. When he is being chased and he wants to play the chasing game he gives off different cues, to when he isn't interested. Off lead though, he developed these communication "signals" onlead it is more complicated for them

My puppy was badly attacked by a terrier when she was about 4 months old. She was on a lead. The terrier was known to be aggressive and should have been on a lead but it snapped and it ran at my dog and bit down hard and wouldn’t let go. The owner was trying to get it back but couldn’t catch it. Ever since then I have got myself a spray which just smells horrible to dogs to make them keep away without harming them in any way. I know some people won’t agree with it but it gives me the confidence to walk her knowing that I could get another dog off if needs be without harming it although to be honest if a dog attacks mine then I would do whatever it takes to protect her. Unfortunately she is too big to just pick up and get out of the way.

Report the dogs to the council its breaking the dangerous dogs act. My local council do act upon off leash dogs and idiot owners.

@Princessmardybum

My puppy was badly attacked by a terrier when she was about 4 months old. She was on a lead. The terrier was known to be aggressive and should have been on a lead but it snapped and it ran at my dog and bit down hard and wouldn’t let go. The owner was trying to get it back but couldn’t catch it. Ever since then I have got myself a spray which just smells horrible to dogs to make them keep away without harming them in any way. I know some people won’t agree with it but it gives me the confidence to walk her knowing that I could get another dog off if needs be without harming it although to be honest if a dog attacks mine then I would do whatever it takes to protect her. Unfortunately she is too big to just pick up and get out of the way.

Trouble with this is that unfortunately your dog also has to experience the horrible spray

It's a difficult one as my 2 smallish fluffy rescue dogs don't really enjoy being suprised by bouncy labs or German shepherds and my boy dog will tell off bad behaviour and often ends up chasing any over exuberant pups off. The dogs they like least to meet are ex racing greyhounds who see 2 bunny type tails and chase them! However I am aware of natural instincts and puppy play and have to say most large dog breed owners are hot on training ( infact dare I say better than us fluffy breed owners on the whole.) Small dogs need extra confidence building walks-meeting strange dogs on a lead can also cause problems as it's not a natural circling method of meeting but one imposed upon them by us. Don't let a couple of rude owners ruin your good work, maybe see if there is another local dog walker who you can buddy up with for your dog to gain confidence.

It might be worth thinking about one of those yellow leads which say 'I NEED SPACE' to give other owners a heads up before they get too close.

@BrownOwlknowsbest Most people are not aware of yellow lead colour. I have a reactive dog. I've put bandanas on my dog too. Unfortunately you could walk around with a huge billboard and still there are irresponsible owners about that dont put their dogs on a leash. My advice take a big stick tell the owner get their dog under control and if all else fails hit the dog. If your dogs under control and on a short leash they should show some manners. If any dog went to attack my dog I would not hesitate in belting it with a stick.

Please don't listen to the pp - it's not the dog's fault and hitting it is only likely to inflame the situation which in turn will be more stressful for your dog anyway!

It's really frustrating - I have a nervous, reactive dog and people like this drive me nuts. I have a bright yellow lead and ddog is muzzled and yet still they don't do anything! I try to just second guess what people are likely to do, so if I think they are going to let their dogs mither mine I'll turn and walk the other way. If I can't do that, or they are too fast, I'll put my hand straight out in front of me and do a firm 'No' - this can sometimes help. Also having a handful of treats that you can throw towards them to hopefully distract them while you get away can be helpful.

When I walk mine I live by the motto calm, but firm. There's really nothing you can do when people don't take responsibility for their dogs so just do what you can to make it as least stressful as possible for yours.

@LunaFortuna And whats your advice if a dog attacks your dog. Put it this way you don't put your hands or legs in the way or pull the othe dog off.

I really hate this. I've been in a position where my dog (on the lead) fought with an off lead dog who approached and attacked him. It was horrible and so frightening. Don't let your dog off unless it's incredibly well behaved, trustworthy and has perfect recall. It's just not worth it.

Firstly I have been there, when training my dog and often have off lead dogs run up and harass us (owners nowhere to be seen and have zero control)

You want to get yourself a pet corrector. They emit a very high pitched sound that will usually be enough to put the dog off from approaching you (aim it at the approaching dog and press) that way you aren't hurting another dog so owners can't be upset but you are advocating for your own reactive dog. side note...you'll need to counter condition your dog to it...practice at home by pressing it and treating your dog. Pet correctors are cheap and available at Amazon etc.

Also worth keeping walking. If you stop you become a sitting duck, but if you carry on walking lots of dogs will give up and turn around and run back to their incompetent owner.

[quote Sitdowncupoftea]@LunaFortuna And whats your advice if a dog attacks your dog. Put it this way you don't put your hands or legs in the way or pull the othe dog off.[/quote]
OP wasn’t talking about her dog being attacked, she was talking about it being harassed - totally different situation.

@LunaFortuna well I'm talking about incase your dog is attacked.

I’ve seen recommendations to shout ‘Recall your dogs, mines contagious’ at the owners. It won’t put their backs up and should result in them trying heir dogs back before they get a big vets bill. Or you getting shouted at by the owners. Who knows.