It’s been done to death...

[DiddlyWiddly]

But when faced with a dog that won’t piss off, what do you do?

For the third time now I’ve had the same young, boisterous, enormous dog with piss poor recall harass my dog when I’m trying to play ball with her.

I always stay well, well away from other dogs so there is zero need to approach us but alas, it runs miles away from its owner to reach us.

It was constantly blocking my dog from returning to me today and in the end I got so cross I went to leash the bastard and return it to its ineffectual owner but it ran back as soon as I went to clip it.

It’s a big dog and of a strong guarding breed so frankly, although it is clearly a friendly, exuberant adolescent I am nervous about trying to restrain it or discourage it in any way because if it bit me it could do some damage.

I see it’s owner regularly and intend to talk to them the next time I see them and insist they keep their dog away from mine, I imagine that will go well

If dogs do this to me I just stand still , get my dog to lay down , pick up the ball and just wait until the owners come or the dog gets bored . On occasion the dog has then returned and I’ve had to do the whole process a couple of times but generally when I’ve done it a few times the owner gets the hint and puts the dog on a leash .

@Floralnomad

If dogs do this to me I just stand still , get my dog to lay down , pick up the ball and just wait until the owners come or the dog gets bored . On occasion the dog has then returned and I’ve had to do the whole process a couple of times but generally when I’ve done it a few times the owner gets the hint and puts the dog on a leash .

The difficulty with this is my dog actually is highly likely to really snap and growl at the other dog without the ball to distract her. The only way I could safely have the two dogs in very close range safely together was if I was feeding treats as in this situation, like with the ball my dog will ignore the other dog, but I don’t want to reward the other dog and I don’t know if they guard food

Take a spare lead and return it to its owners every time.
Clip it to a lead and shout WHOS DOG IS THIS
If it comes too close to your dog and you're afraid of it attacking your dog or your dog attacking it then I have been known to kick out at the dog, usually then get shouted at by the useless owner but frankly I don't care any more, my dog has been bitten so many times it's awful.

Yes, I’m thinking of getting a cheap slip lead to do this so I can make a big loop and slide over rather than having to get too close.

And yes, my dog too has been the victim of aggressive dogs.

This is difficult and I'd be interested in responses because I'm slightly on the other side of this.

I have a big, bouncy dog who has just turned one (not a guarding breed though). Her recall is improving all the time - she no longer bounds up to every dog she sees, she will always return to me (eventually!) and is generally well behaved.

HOWEVER, we often go to a field where several other dogs are let off leads, so they can play together. If my dog sees a ball, even from some distance, she's going to be interested in it...she might run after it, and is certainly not at the point whereby I could make her drop it immediately and return to me. Many of the other dogs are the same - and this seems to be accepted by the majority of walkers as it's a 'dog friendly' field. Dogs play together, they chase each others' balls, everyone is happy etc...

Of course, if you were at some distance away, on your own playing ball with your dog - and my dog ran over and bothered you and didn't come back, I would race over and get my dog on a lead as fast as I could. It doesn't sound like the owner did that, and I can totally see why that's frustrating - but does seem to an attitude on Mumsnet that if your dog doesn't have utterly perfect recall, then it should be on a lead at all times. But how do young dogs learn, in that case? You say that it went back to its owner, so...

Genuinely interested because I don't want to be the owner who pisses people off!

My dog would possibly also get snappy if he kept bing harassed , that’s why I make him lay down . If your dog is offlead and another offlead dog approaches and your dog is likely to snap then you need to put your dog on a lead at this point and walk away , which also indicates to the other owners that their offlead dog shouldn’t be harassing an on lead dog .

Im with PP. I think you're being overly fussy

But how do young dogs learn, in that case? You say that it went back to its owner, so...
It only ran off because it didn’t want the leash put on.
I imagine it’s one of those dogs where the lead means instant end of walk.
The owner did call it multiple times but when it didn’t respond instead of coming over and retrieving their dog they just stood there, unbothered, watching their dog harass mine.

@lovelylurcher if your dog will not return other people’s balls then you need to carry a few spare good quality ones with you so you can replace them in a timely fashion . We used to have a Labrador nearby that always ran off with balls and it sometimes took the owner 20 minutes to catch it , that is unacceptable.

@DiddlyWiddly if you could see the owner did you not call out and say that your dog doesn’t play and so can they take theirs away , I very often call out to owners of bouncy puppies that mine won’t play and generally people do come and get them .

HOWEVER, we often go to a field where several other dogs are let off leads, so they can play together. If my dog sees a ball, even from some distance, she's going to be interested in it...she might run after it, and is certainly not at the point whereby I could make her drop it immediately and return to me. Many of the other dogs are the same - and this seems to be accepted by the majority of walkers as it's a 'dog friendly' field. Dogs play together, they chase each others' balls, everyone is happy etc...
That field sounds a friggin nightmare!
If my dog was at the point where she ran after other dogs balls and wouldn’t drop and return she would be on a long line until she did tbh.

@lovelylurcher your dog sounds as though they are doing fine. I don’t think you’ve got any worries to be honest. Try giving a treat to get balls back. I still have to do that and my dog is 4 years old!
OP you are going to have to have a polite chat with the owner to explain your dog isn’t that friendly and doesn’t cope with the other dogs attention.

[quote Floralnomad]@DiddlyWiddly if you could see the owner did you not call out and say that your dog doesn’t play and so can they take theirs away , I very often call out to owners of bouncy puppies that mine won’t play and generally people do come and get them .[/quote]
I have done in the past but I try not to if I can because my dog doesn’t like raised voices and gets upset.

Tbh, it’s plainly obvious we don’t want to interact.

We are at huge distance to start with.
The first time it ran at us today I made a point of moving to the next field, only for it to run at us again!

@Floralnomad - that's a really good idea, and I hadn't thought of it - thank you so much!

@DiddlyWiddly - 'The difficulty with this is my dog actually is highly likely to really snap and growl at the other dog without the ball to distract her.'

• the thing is, most dogs (mine included) would rapidly back away from a dog who snapped and growled at her. Obviously you don't know if this other dog is friendly, and you don't want to have a dog fight on your hands. But surely if you have a reactive dog, then it's perhaps not sensible to have yours off-lead where younger dogs are playing?

[quote MissyB1]@lovelylurcher your dog sounds as though they are doing fine. I don’t think you’ve got any worries to be honest. Try giving a treat to get balls back. I still have to do that and my dog is 4 years old!
OP you are going to have to have a polite chat with the owner to explain your dog isn’t that friendly and doesn’t cope with the other dogs attention.[/quote]
I am indeed.
I am hoping they don’t get shitty about it.
I’m surprised at their behaviour truthfully.
They used to have a very old, very frail dog and I’m sure they wouldn’t have appreciated a big young dog bouncing all over it.
Their old dog I am assuming has died and they have this dog now.
I expected them to be more considerate and sensible.

@DiddlyWiddly

But how do young dogs learn, in that case? You say that it went back to its owner, so... It only ran off because it didn’t want the leash put on. I imagine it’s one of those dogs where the lead means instant end of walk. The owner did call it multiple times but when it didn’t respond instead of coming over and retrieving their dog they just stood there, unbothered, watching their dog harass mine.

In that case 'come and get your fucking dog' (if no kids around)

Then a mouthful about THEIR attitude (just leaving it to annoy you) and giving the dog some recall training.

@DiddlyWiddly - why is a field where a few dogs - who are friendly and, for the most part, well behaved - play, be a 'friggin nightmare'?

Dogs need to be socialised from a young age - mine has always played with other dogs, and it's one of the reasons she doesn't snap or growl at other dogs. I'm not passing judgement here - your dog might be a rescue, might be nervous for any number of reasons, I totally get it...but it does rather sound like you're damning another less than perfect dog here, because yours is reactive...

Cross posted with you saying shouting would upset your dog.

& about their old dog. Jesus you'd think they'd have more sense.

I suppose you'll have to just have to have a talk to them. I'm not even sure I'd want to try putting a slip lead on it if it's not that friendly

But surely if you have a reactive dog, then it's perhaps not sensible to have yours off-lead where younger dogs are playing?
Eh? Did you miss the bit where the OP explained they were on their own, a long way from the other dog and owner, minding their own business and playing ball. Even moving to a different field only to be followed again? What should OP do then only walk on lead in residential streets because other people are unable or unwilling to train their dog to recall?

the thing is, most dogs (mine included) would rapidly back away from a dog who snapped and growled at her. Obviously you don't know if this other dog is friendly, and you don't want to have a dog fight on your hands. But surely if you have a reactive dog, then it's perhaps not sensible to have yours off-lead where younger dogs are playing?

First of all, like most rude dogs I encounter, this dog does not back away when growled or even snapped at.
It is not up to my dog to discipline other dogs and teach them manners, that’s the owners job.

Second, the only reason my dog is ‘reactive’ is because other owners have allowed their dogs to go at her.
I’ve had dogs bite her before, lunge at her, chase her etc.
The majority were unprovoked, they came over specifically to have a go at her.

Her first choice is actually to move away from other dogs and when playing with her ball she ignores other dogs unless they take the piss.

She actually ignored this dog for quite some time today, when it started jumping in front of her blocking her way she moved out of its way then lost patience when it kept doing it and growled and then air snapped when it continued at which point I tried to leash it.

Third, it is three massive fields!
There is more than enough room for everyone.
We were well, well away from this dog.
It ran considerable distance to get to us.
I am always far away from other dogs because I don’t trust them or their owners.
There is no need whatsoever for other dogs to approach us and in order to do so they have to run fair distance away from their owners.

I am sick and tired of people seeing us far away and letting their dogs rush over anyway, tired of them complaining when I walk away and their dog follows us (not my problem!), tired of hearing ‘you should socialise your dog’ ‘that dog needs a muzzle’ ‘you should have that on lead’ ‘you shouldn’t be where young dogs are playing’ etc etc when my dog gets nasty with dogs that won’t piss off and leave her alone.

@DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat

• didn't miss that, no. Of course, I don't know how big the OP's field was, or how far a dog would have to run into the next field etc - so I don't know how extreme this was. (The field we walk on is a relatively small suburban one - a dog could get across it very quickly).

Yes, it's the responsibility of owners to teach their dogs recall, but dogs - particularly puppies and adolescent dogs - aren't going to have bomb proof recall. Should they always be leashed in the event they might happen to encounter a reactive dog? That doesn't seem right to me.

why is a field where a few dogs - who are friendly and, for the most part, well behaved - play, be a 'friggin nightmare'?
Because a field full of dogs rushing other dogs and stealing their balls sounds like a field full of dogs with poor self control and poor recall and bad manners.

Dogs need to be socialised from a young age - mine has always played with other dogs, and it's one of the reasons she doesn't snap or growl at other dogs

Your dog is one year old.
At maturity (2 - 3) a lot of dogs no longer wish to play with every dog they meet.
You may be in for a rude awakening when your dog is a little older.
And ‘socialisation’ does not mean letting every dog run at and play with every single dog they meet.

I'm not passing judgement here - your dog might be a rescue, might be nervous for any number of reasons, I totally get it
You really, really don’t get it.
At all.
Not even close.

but it does rather sound like you're damning another less than perfect dog here, because yours is reactive...

@DiddlyWiddly - posted before seeing your latest! I'm sorry your dog has had bad experiences with other dogs. I'm honestly not trying to 'argue' with you here - I'm just curious because my dog does occasionally chase other dog's balls. Her recall is almost there, but she is young and learning, and won't always drop a stolen ball the moment I tell her to!
That said, she always seems to know when a dog doesn't want to play, and would certainly back off very quickly if she was snapped or growled at. She definitely wouldn't run a huge distance from me either.

Good luck talking to the owners - I'm sure they will be understanding if you say your dog is nervous?

Good luck talking to the owners - I'm sure they will be understanding if you say your dog is nervous?
I’m hoping so.
🤞🏻
I’m just a bit shocked tbh.
Having had an old dog prior I never anticipated them allowing the new dog to behave like this.

You sound really angry - and like I said, I'm sorry your dog has bad experiences in the past...

I was genuinely asking because my young, friendly, usually calm dog will occasionally go after another dog's ball, in quite a small field where a small number of dogs might be off lead - dogs who are generally also friendly and well behaved. It's not a 'field full of dogs with bad manners'. I was asking because I don't want to be the owner with a dog that annoys people! What happened to you sounds extreme - but I think you have to make allowances. One could argue that if you have a dog that snaps and growls at other dogs it should be on the lead, just as you could argue that a dog without perfect recall should also be on the lead. We all need to be tolerant, right?

For what it's worth, my dog doesn't 'run and play with every dog it sees', her recall is good, and I don't allow her to approach on lead dogs because they might be nervous. We're going around in circles here so let's leave it there...