I was 'that' dog owner today and I'm gutted with myself

[Sprockerdilerock]

Took 6 month old spaniel to the big open field near our house. We are training him on the whistle at the moment, on the extendable lead if the field is busy or off lead if its empty or dogs we know. He has been absolutely brilliant, even with other dogs around and we've had lots of compliments.

Anyway it was empty so I let him off and we were doing recall exercises with high value treats.

I just didnt notice the couple with their dog walking quite close to the trees until he did and went tearing towards them. I whistled thinking he would come back but he completely ignored me, determined to play with this other dog. I kept calling and jogger over to grab him and the owner turned around and screamed at me to recall him. Anyway he eventually came bounding back to me then so I apologised and put him back on the lead for the rest of the walk.

I feel terrible and so embarrassed now. I was so determined not to be 'that' owner. Also frustrated that we usually have at least one off lead dog bound up to us each walk and it genuinely doesn't bother me as they are always friendly and my dog loves to play, but of course my dog chooses the wrong dog/owner!

I know hes getting to that difficult age and I've definitely learned my lesson to be more vigilant. But still so cross at him and myself

Don’t worry OP. You’re only THAT owner if you don’t apologise, don’t try to get your dog back, say any variant of “oh he/she is friendly, he/she just wants to play, if your dog can’t be off a lead you shouldn’t be out etc etc”. No dog is 100% perfect all of the time x

It happens. I’ve been the owner trying to recall and owner trying to get other dogs away. I knew it’d be a spaniel. I lost mine 6 months ago and some of the best memories I have of her are the naughty moments she had. They get easier after the puppy stage.

It happens, and he's young, and learning.

I'd move to a regular long lead till his recall is improved though. Extendable leads are risky - they can easily snap if a strong spaniel bolts.

I think you did well. I can't stand dog owners who shout as it just winds all the dogs up. I try not to shout when this happens just to ask the other person to please put their dog on the lead as mine doesn't tolerate bouncy dogs. If I shouted it would upset mine more and I know the owner is trying their best and doesn't need the added pressure which generally makes them less successful at recall.

Yes, out of control dogs are annoying in general, but so are precious owners who seem to think that nobody and nothing should ever approach their dog

They were walking on the other side of the field and away from the OP’s dog @Moondust001 and their dog could have been reactive or ill or recovering from surgery.

No one was really at fault here. OP you apologised and did everything to rectify it, and the other owners were standing up for their dog (not ‘being precious’) as we all should do.

I have a party boy too! Mine has selective deafness. 90% of the time his recall is excellent. 10% of the time he is determined and he WILL NOT listen. He’s not interested in people, friendly but not persistent with new dogs but he loves a pheasant. The snow made him over excited and crazy and he was totally deaf (and therefore on a lead!) for a week

I am more sympathetic to puppy owners as we have all been there, especially hard when you have a sociable friendly dog. You apologised and put him back on lead not sure what else you could have done tbh.

@Heyta

It’s only on mumsnet nobody has ever had a bonkers puppy, OP (particularly a gundog type). In my real life, dog owners think it’s hilarious when your dog makes a complete show of you - because they’ve all been there - and because they’re normal, fallible dog owners. Especially spaniels. Don’t be too hard on him, or yourself. One day he’ll be old and doddery and you’d pay for a moment of utter shame, but it will never happen again. Keep going, and don’t wholly believe people who suddenly let a working type dog off the line cos it was perfect and stayed perfect.

There's literally scores of other posters on here sympathising with the OP and describing similar experiences of their own, the "only on Mumsnet" isn't necessary

Dont worry. I have 3 extremely well trained working dogs and one of them actually CHASED the Amazon prime delivery driver when I opened the door the other day. She's a Jack Russell with a v high prey chase drive and would NEVER have chased him normally but he saw her and ran for no reason and she chased. I chased after them. It was like something from Benny Hill. She came to me about 10 seconds in but I was mortified. Poor driver.

(Don't get why you'd be a delivery driver if you're terrified of even seeing a dog though)

Omg @BigusBumus that had me howling!!

@BigusBumus Delivering parcels should not have anything to do with dogs. There are 8 dog attacks on postal and delivery workers every week in the U.K., including some serious, life changing injuries.

It baffles me that for some reason people ‘expect’ postal workers to get chased or bitten by a dog and just accept it.
No one (with the exception of the animal sector) should go to work and accept that they may get hurt by a dog.

It’s ludicrous.

What Steelmack said!

@BiteyShark

I think a lot of owners have been on both sides.

You are only THAT owner if you don't apologise or don't care or think your dog should run up to any other dog.

Exactly this!

Our dog hates others running up (esp puppies) , she's very small and unfortunately had a bad experience as a young pup herself, so has become wary. We don't mind, it happens, what annoys me more is owners who don't make an effort to recall, or don't apologise. Our dog makes a right old song and dance about it - she has never bitten, but does this awful high pitched screaming. It's very obvious she's not happy! We use a nervous lead when walking her, in the hope owners will realise she might not be too happy. Weirdly enough she's not bothered if off lead, only when on - I guess that's a feeling she can't get away

We've all been there, on both ends! With recall training I pop mine on a long line and harness, so if they decide to take off I can stand on the lead so they can't go anywhere. It really helps to reinforce their recall

@Sprockerdilerock my 5 month old Sprocker did the same thing at the weekend. We have her on a 5m training line but we let it trail if the field/park is very quiet, normally I can spot other dogs people in good time and call her back. She got there first on Sunday and bolted towards a huge golden retriever, she never actually runs right up to dogs as I don’t think she really knows what to do so she stopped a few metres shy of them. The other owner then started running away with their dog, so obviously she thought that looked like fun!! Ended up getting her back by calling and running in the opposite direction like a mad woman. I would have apologised profusely to the other owners but they had literally run away by that point

It is so difficult to practice recall though - in a dog field with no real distractions she is perfect but in real life it’s so much harder!

@SpreadHummusNotHate They keep us on our toes don't they! Mine would have almost certainly tried to join in with the running away too, unfortunately it just makes it into the best game ever

Agree recall is HARD. It feels like one step forward and two steps back sometimes.

Luckily since this incident we have mostly only seem owners we know with off lead dogs in the park so we have been able to let him off and keep working at it. And he has been brilliant, I suppose because none of the dogs are new and exciting.

I wouldn’t worry too much, these things do happen and at least you went to get your dog back and apologised. The ones who shout it’s ok he’s friendly or don’t say anything are annoying.