“Don’t worry he/she is friendly”

[Shouldofgotahamster85]

Said as their dear ddog comes bounding over leaping all over us and our pup gives me the rage

We are taking dpup for walks at the moment and she is being really good. She has lots of dog friends she plays with but when out walking we are teaching her to sit or walk quietly past other dogs/ people and I’ve lost count of how many times this has happened to us now.

We do get a balance of nicely behaved dogs and owners but today we just seemed to meet some incredibly oblivious people!

I agree with those saying that if you have a dog who's excellent with people and other dogs and who has never once reacted to anything, you don't always realise how stressful it can be.

My dog is leash reactive though he's absolutely perfect off the lead. The amount of judgment, tutting and sneery looks get from other people can be so disheartening.

Having a reactive dog is bloody hard work and I really wish more dog owners knew about leash reactivity and what they can do to help those owners out.

Makes me so mad. Im always having to lift my kids up out the way of dogs. Imagine a dog the same size relative to your adult size now, bounding up to you, pure muscle. You’d be pretty intimidated.

My mum has these naice hybrid breeds (shudder) and they are a nightmare. They are nice dogs but not well trained because their mistakes are usually forgotten due to their breed

As an owner of a naice hybrid beeed (ie a mongrel) I don’t recognise that. I’ve met plenty of well behaved off lead hybrids and have stood and talked to their owners, but it’s been the owners with labs and spaniels whose dogs have been the annoying out of control off-lead arseholes to ChenPup. I know it’s not the dog’s fault, the fault lies 100% the owners for not training them properly and recognising their limitations, I wouldn’t make generalisations about one breed or cross breed.

I’m suprised so many of us giant owners are having the same issue! You would think people would have more sense!

My dogs have feet like dinner plates and weigh more than a fully grown man. I don’t think it’s a great idea to allow them to ‘say hello’ to any dog other than my own. Last thing I need is then smacking some tiny dog across the head with a bear foot and the fallout from that

Yes a mongrel! I mean that their mistakes are forgotten more than they have been for my Rottweiler and my Akita. Not that they are bad/misbehaving dogs. Just that if my dogs did the same things, there would be chaos.

They’re probably more easily forgiven, but to be fair a Rottweiler or an Akita jumping on my cockapoo pup (or anything smaller) is going to inflict a lot more damage than vice versa, even in play! No dog should be off-lead and jumping/leaping/barking at another dog it doesn’t know though, irrespective of size, despite what some owners might think is necessary to learn about socialisation.

Agreed which is why mine are always on the lead and under control. I just want the same back. To not be bothered by off lead dogs while we have a lovely walk together.

but it’s been the owners with labs and spaniels whose dogs have been the annoying out of control off-lead arseholes

IME labs and spaniels can be among the worse - or absolutely the best. The latter is generally true of those which have been trained as working dogs, but obviously many people do train their pets too. The only way that maybe it's related to breed which is that dogs which want to be properly busy and active don't do well if left untrained.

I don't care how friendly it is.

I don't want some random dog to come bounding up to me, thanks very much, and I especially don't want its nose stuffed in my crotch or its muddy pawprints all over my clothes.

Just keep your dog away from other people.

@ErrolTheDragon

but it’s been the owners with labs and spaniels whose dogs have been the annoying out of control off-lead arseholes

IME labs and spaniels can be among the worse - or absolutely the best. The latter is generally true of those which have been trained as working dogs, but obviously many people do train their pets too. The only way that maybe it's related to breed which is that dogs which want to be properly busy and active don't do well if left untrained.

Absolutely agree Errol

...and, of course, it's not 'just' about reactive dogs. There are plenty of other reasons why allowing a perfectly friendly dog to aproach a strange dog is not sensible, such as medical issues and training.

I walked an ex-breeding dog (rescue) who had undergone serious surgery on her spine. So, both very wary of other dogs approaching her from behind and even a gentle nudge could be very painful for her.

Gentle, on lead walking was recommended by the vet and we only went places likely to be deserted, but you cannot guarantee that (and the ground needed to be easy for her to walk on, so short grass and even soil - which tend to be places other people do walk).

The stress of seeing other dogs bowling towards her off lead was something else. If I remained calm but firm other owners did not exercise any sense of urgency to stop their dog. If I shouted at them, I was hysterical because their dog was perfectly friendly.

In the end I ended up only ever walking her with a friend so that they could 'run defence' for her.

I had this with a man and woman walking three off lead dogs, one of whom was a staffie; have nothing against staffies, most of the ones I know are well trained, well behaved dogs.

However, they are often big, muscular dogs, as was the one that decided, out of nowhere, to pin on her back my, then, 10 year old, 5.7 kilo dog, whilst appearing to bit her neck.

Apparently, according to his owner, he was just playing. And yes, he probably was, if his neck biting had been real she would have been dead within seconds, or at least very badly injured.

Don't think my dog thought he was playing though, from the look of terror on her face.

After a lot of 'get him off' and such like from me, the dog was eventually, removed and they walked off saying he was only playing. I didn't respond.

Thankfully, she's a resilient little thing and after a bit of reassurance from me was happy to go on her way suffering no ill effects.

Had she been a more nervous dog I hate to think of the long term effects that could have had on confidence and well being.

Spaniels are twats. They just are 🤣

I owned a beautiful cocker spaniel who passed away through old age. I loved him dearly but....

In his prime he was of "selective hearing" and a wanker. I'd walk him on lead and when we were out in the middle of nowhere without a sole nearby like Brecon Beacons I'd let him off.

He'd catch a scent and I'd be there for ages shouting for him. He wasn't fussed on other people or dogs so never ran up to them, but the smell of sheep shit or fox urine he'd go a mile, head down snorting away like a truffle pig. It's what spaniels do, they are scent dogs.

So then people get a cockapoo because it's "trendy" and cute and little gets away with murder and forget it's got cocker in it and are surprised when the thing just runs off, selectively hearing and rolling in shit 🤣

Cockers need to be worked, they need to be trained well for recall. It's a recipe for disaster if you don't.

As I said upthread our dog (a beagle) is leash reactive though he's absolutely perfect off the lead.

DH took him up the woods this morning - we have him on the lead there at this time of year as otherwise he'll disappear on the first scent he catches and we'd never be able to get him back.

He was approached by an off-lead dachshund that was seriously reactive - snarling, barking and growling. He pulled our dog as close to him as possible to stop anything kicking off, but the owners just apologised and said "you think you're so hard (dog name) - you're a dachshund not a Rottweiler" - as if that somehow makes the behaviour acceptable?

Little dogs seem to get away with such bad behaviour whereas if it was a German Shepherd behaving that way, the owners would be told to get rid of their vicious/aggressive monster.

So then people get a cockapoo because it's "trendy" and cute

I really wish people wouldn’t make sweeping generalisations like this We didn’t get our pup for either of those reasons - but I’m always conscious that some other dog owners think this. I guess others with other breeds find themselves on the same end of similar generalisations though, rather than a focus on their behaviour.

TBF @SirChenjins I have a spaniel. He doesn't work and up thread posters are in agreement that they are the most guilty of these crimes!

(He is a twat, though - just not one that bothers other people)

@SirChenjins

Someone on MN on a previous thread about pain the arse off-lead dogs with no recall or socialisation skills and their idiot owners said she always replies to ‘it’s just being friendly’ with something like ‘it’s not required to be friendly, it’s required to be under control, now get it on its lead’ (I can’t remember the exact words). I’m looking forward to trying that one out.

Yep. I've tried this one out and the response I got was, "This is where dogs walk, you should walk somewhere else." It was a public park with playground and a cafe.

@NewYearNewBeer

TBF *@SirChenjins* I have a spaniel. He doesn't work and up thread posters are in agreement that they are the most guilty of these crimes!

(He is a twat, though - just not one that bothers other people)

Ah no, the spaniels (bless their floppy ears) aren't guilty. It's the minority of owners who neither train nor restrain them who are.

This is where dogs walk, you should walk somewhere else

God, there are some a-holes out there, aren’t there! What did you say back to that charmer?

@SirChenjins

So then people get a cockapoo because it's "trendy" and cute

I really wish people wouldn’t make sweeping generalisations like this We didn’t get our pup for either of those reasons - but I’m always conscious that some other dog owners think this. I guess others with other breeds find themselves on the same end of similar generalisations though, rather than a focus on their behaviour.

It's @CoedenNadolig here, just had a name change for the new year.

Apologies, it did come across as sweeping. I do think many people have them for their hypoallergenic purpose much like a labradoodle.

But they are a "trend" now days and you can clearly note the owners who wanted a trendy dog rather than a dog that suited their family sometimes.

Same as we had the French bulldog trend, and the dog was getting over breed leading to significant health implications in the breed and people not understanding what a "bulldog" is. So they were perplexed when their French bulldog was nipping at ankles and tackling/shoulder barging their other animals/pets/toddler.

They are robust little dogs, but they are a bull dog, and they behave that way.

I have a mastiff cross(mongrel) no idea what the other breed was in him. If I were a man I'm sure people would assume "status" dog. But I'm a lone parent, to one child so I imagine they now assume "security/safety". It's none of those, I just like the breed, and like their gentle giant nature, and they love to sleep and relax be lazy, low maintenance on the coat and although needs a hefty walk twice a day is happy to plod along rather than be run for a mile or two or forty like the cocker.

They do have a guarding instinct but good socialisation and training curbs that, they are also aloof so not too fussed in getting in anyone elses business. Just happy to plod alongside you, sleep Infront of the fire and slobber everywhere.

@SirChenjins

This is where dogs walk, you should walk somewhere else

God, there are some a-holes out there, aren’t there! What did you say back to that charmer?

I said something along the lines of, "Do you realise how ridiculous you sound telling me to walk somewhere else? This is a public area where I am perfectly entitled to walk in peace without your dog putting mudding paws over me and mouthing my wrist. Control your dog." She then repeated "Go walk somewhere else" So I told her to fuck off

Gives me the rage two. I have a 4 year old lab who was attacked as a puppy as a consequence he is on the lead as he can not cope despite being huge if any dog growls at him he will hide behind me or the children and bark and pull anything to try to get away.

Bloody stupid women yesterday walking with her two dogs off lead some distance away - they bound up to mine and I shout mine is nervous please can you call then back or leash them. She shouts ‘mine are friendly’ - I shout back mine are frightened please call them back - her dog launches at mine growling and snarling - my dog wees on my foot shaking - I call her again ‘get your dog off mine’ she strolls over and put them on the lead ‘umm mine aren’t usually like this mine are friendly’ - mine are frightened and scared - please keep your dogs with you or on the leash. End of the walk (an hour) we come around a corner - there and is again and her dog bounds round the corner snarling at mine - she is snarling and growling at mine - she is talking to a women’ ‘please get your dog on a leash’ - I turn and go the other way around the triangle take her about 4 minutes to come and get her Dog - my eldest unaware sound travels says ‘what is that woman doing her dog attacked ours twice and she is saying he’s friendly - do you think she is just unaware or stupid’ me - I don’t know but I will take a photo if it happens again when we are here and put it on Facebook group and report to the police - gives me the absolute rage!!

There was absolutely no offence taken @ErrolTheDragon

Agree, I've seen some very In Your Face spaniels. Doesn't help that they are also very likely to be covered in...

a) mud
b) fox poo
c) both!

I’m still reeling at the twat who let their dog run up to dd covered in mud and jump up at her twice. I’m now trying to get the crap out of her clothes which it put all over her. The owner just screamed at the dog ( no leash in sight) to “Get fucking down!” Absolute scum.

My spaniel was at fault, I swear he'd find a scent look me square in the eye with a "fuck you, chase me" look and run off 🤣 Ahh how I miss him lol