Meeting dog walkers on walks

[AlabamaWorleyyy]

For the second time I’ve had a negative experience meeting a dog walker with a lot of dogs on my dog walk. My dog is friendly but obviously finds it intimidating having several dogs coming running up to her on a quiet country path. First time the dogs all surrounded her and were barking and/or growling quite aggressively and my poor dog was shaking! The dog Walker was calling the dogs back but not one listened - she had no control at all.
Today wasn’t so bad but still, my dog ended up surrounded by dogs and the Walker’s calls were being completely ignored.
Luckily my dog is calm and not reactive but surely this must be really dangerous when they come across nervous or reactive dogs?
How do you find dog walkers and their packs when you see them on walks?

Well not all dog walkers are the same and she sounds like a bad one.

Yeah it is difficult. Most of the dog walkers near us I recognise at a distance and change direction if I can! Not sure there is much else you can do. I have met some who walk nothing but really lovely friendly dogs, but you just can’t be sure. And like you say it is intimidating when they all run over at the same time - even if they are being friendly.

@SantaHat these are different people. I’ve also seen others out where the dogs didn’t run up to us but there’s no way they had control. Both times we’ve been surrounded my dog was on lead by the way.

happened to us a few days ago.....2 teens in charge of 2 offload dogs

no recall

ended in a barking/growling/snapping/attacking incident, my dog joined in but was on lead so he was easy for me to pull away. sticking to public pavements for the foreseeable now

We've had similar. There was a lady with 10 off lead dogs (no lie, I counted them!) who were just running up to all other dogs, jumping up at people etc. When one jumped up at me she just called over to tell me to push him off! No attempt to call him back. Then a few of them all ran up to my puppy and one Jack Russell nipped him causing him to yelp. We asked her to call them back as there were so many and one had nipped our dog. She said no, it wouldn't have nipped him and then called us 'bloody lock-down dog owners!'. I bet her clients wouldn't be happy about the way she lets their dogs run riot. Not much care for their safety or anyone else's.

I'm sure there are much better dog walkers about than this lady, but has tainted the idea for me.

I once saw a dog walker I had used and thought was really good. She was stood at the bottom of a big hill and her dogs were all just running round freely - you couldn’t see them most of the time as they were so far away! Not to mention the fact they were obviously going to poo at one point and she’d have no idea so couldn’t clear up after them. It really shocked me and I haven’t used her since. Anyone could have stolen one of those dogs easily! This lady has a great reputation locally…

Ours is walked 1:1 so I know nothing like this can happen. It costs more than a group but not so much more. It's more of a side line for our walker not her main job so I guess she doesn't need to make it pay so much.
If we did go with a group I would look at one that limits to 4 dogs (I have seen that) and I have also seen ones where they have use of private land to walk on which seems a lot safer and fairer on others.

Many councils also have restrictions on how many dogs can be walked at any one time, I guess you could consider reporting anyone who truly had too many. I feel for you as any good dog owner or Walker should be in control of their dogs and this is obviously not the case.

I've seen quite a few dog walkers as you described and it's so annoying.
Luckily my dog is very calm and we haven't had a negative experience so far, but I saw other individual dogs upset by packs where the walker had zero control. I suspect because the walkers had too many dogs.
But I've seen a lot more walkers which are responsible and clued up. So not all bad.

I’m sure there are tons of good ones near me who I don’t even notice because they are in control of the dogs.

As a dog walker myself, it frustrates me as it gives us all a bad reputation.

I walk upto three dogs at once and I never, ever let my dogs run up to anyone else. They go on leads unless they have good recall. I cringe when I see dog walkers allowing dogs off when they clearly don't have the recall to be allowed safely.

Our LA is consulting on restricting the number of dogs walked and enforcing a large amount of lead restriction areas, as a direct response to the number of complaints about similar dog walkers.

It’s such a shame, because, until the last couple of years, we had a few really decent, reliable dog walkers locally that did 1:1 walks or groups of no more than three.

I know someone who has set themselves up as a ‘dog walker’. They are unlicensed, uninsured, have no dog training skills or experience, no knowledge of dog behaviour or first aid skills. Their own dog is lovely, but virtually untrained and has got into all sorts of scrapes with other dogs and people on walks. It frustrates me beyond belief, but it’s not worth trying to talk to them about, as they don’t see anything wrong in what they’re doing and will not engage. There is no way I would ever leave them in charge of one of my dogs.

If they tried that with my dog reactive rescue they’d regret it.

Most of the ones near me are great but I encountered a terrible one today. She has 3 dogs, one big but muzzled on a short line, one on a long line and one off lead. The off lead was no issue but the other two growled at my dog (who is very small and was completely uninterested in them, just trying to get past). The walker was so busy holding the big dog back she paid no attention to the one on the long line. It ran right up to mine and was snapping and growling at him. I had my dog pulled right in and couldn’t move any further over but she barely made any attempt to reel hers in until I angrily called over to her to do so. We managed to get away and she was shouting after me “sorry, I never know how he’s going to react” She looked most put out when I shouted back that she should flipping well keep him on a shorter line and not let him approach other dogs if he is reactive and unpredictable!

There are tons of professional dog walkers who park up to walk near me. They must be really good because I can never tell who is a dog walker away from their vans. I would want an incredibly good recommendation from someone I trusted to use one, for the reasons you describe, which seems very unfair to the good ones.

This is why they’ve limited numbers and introduced a licence and min insurance levels for dog walkers near me. Not so great for people I know with more dogs than are allowed, even if all your own dogs, but has reduced such issues. 5 or more dogs and you have to have the licence, be wearing it when out walking and min of about £4million insurance I think jt is

Where I am the legal limit is 4 dogs and they do have wardens checking in popular walking spots.

I have real problems with this too - often they are walking 5,6 at a time all off lead. I’m very careful as I have a reactive dog and will avoid as much as I can but they have zero control. There’s one company that has about 6 vans and all of them are awful to the point that I almost called the dog warden. Very frustrating. They also use long lines but let the dogs out of sight in the woods which seems pointless and dangerous. I really think it needs regulating and limits put on how many dogs can be walked at once.

I can't imagine how anyone can possibly be in control of 6 dogs all at once. Maybe if they are all your own dogs that you trained and know but 6 other peoples dogs presumably all with different commands etc I can't see how it's possible. It would be just a matter of luck if it didn't go wrong.

When we were looking for a walker recently one lady had posted about a 14 dog walk she had done in a public area. I think she had an assistant but I still think that's insane and a public nuisance. I crossed her off the list.

My dog is a massive arsey adolescent male so I have paid to have him walked 1:1 as I know he would be a liability on a group walk.

To me it is just like parents. Different parents have different views in discipline and what is acceptable socially. Some will really annoy you, most will be lovely.

I brought up my dog like my kids, to obey and with good manners but also to be prepared that not all are and that's ok.

My dog is small so will also get a bit nervous if 3 dogs come to her, but she's ok. I'll go to her, wait for the owners to call or the dogs to go away of their own and my dog moves on, no big deal, certainly not making her fearful. It's part of life in society.

@vivainsomnia

To me it is just like parents. Different parents have different views in discipline and what is acceptable socially. Some will really annoy you, most will be lovely.

I brought up my dog like my kids, to obey and with good manners but also to be prepared that not all are and that's ok.

My dog is small so will also get a bit nervous if 3 dogs come to her, but she's ok. I'll go to her, wait for the owners to call or the dogs to go away of their own and my dog moves on, no big deal, certainly not making her fearful. It's part of life in society.

That’s not really the case though - it’s not different views, it’s the law. You must have control of your dog/s. I didn’t make my dog fearful, the arsehole who dumped her at 4 weeks old did that and I don’t want other dogs approaching her as she will likely (not always) be reactive and that is a big deal. Part of life in society is also thinking about the impact your actions have on other people.

I know dogs aren’t perfect, with the best will in the world perfect recall can be difficult, but dog walkers with multiple dogs off leads and running en masse up to my on lead and muzzled dog is not ok.

Most people avoid my local park at certain times of the day because of the dog walkers in it.

The problem is that all and sundry are setting themselves up as dog walkers and you don’t really need any credentials, and a licence is just a bit of paper.

But there is no way one person can have control of 3 dogs max without it turning into a pack situation.

@vivainsomnia

To me it is just like parents. Different parents have different views in discipline and what is acceptable socially. Some will really annoy you, most will be lovely.

I brought up my dog like my kids, to obey and with good manners but also to be prepared that not all are and that's ok.

My dog is small so will also get a bit nervous if 3 dogs come to her, but she's ok. I'll go to her, wait for the owners to call or the dogs to go away of their own and my dog moves on, no big deal, certainly not making her fearful. It's part of life in society.

It's all very well to say "I've raised my dog to tolerate x" but as owners of reactive dogs know, all it takes is one bad experience for a tolerant, happy dog to become nervous, fearful and aggressive.

The law says dogs must be under control at all times. Yes, you will always get shitty owners but it's not something my dog should just be expected to put up with it

It's really bad for people on ANY simple dog walks even out on open fields.
So many off lead owners and 'professional' dog walkers take the liberty of letting their dogs 'free for all' , totally violating peoples personal spaces, charging up and bouncing at people and their dogs.
Dogs seen up to 15 at a time to ONE owner here. Particularly expecting your dog to tell their dog off so off lead owners can carry on with their day taking no responsibility, hands usually behind their backs with a care not attitude or stuck to a phone. Picnic spots, public spaces wherever they want because there is no law to specify otherwise.
It is insulting and your dog feels the dominating behaviour, they are not stupid! It should not even be happening.

You often get a smirk and a childish attitude here by people in their 40's 50's and 60's stuck in their old ways of negative and rude behaviour.
This simply encourages aggression in dogs and it need not happen.
Good socialised people dont want the drama.

I do wish people put dogs on leads as soon as they see a dog on lead without people having to explain themselves as to WHY for goodness sake or a vulnerable person needing and rightfully wanting to be left alone.
Never mind mental health, we've even witnessed elderly with Zimmer frames be charged at by dogs off leads by dog owners in their 40's and 50's! No apology, no compassion just pure pompous behaviour walking through everyone, then the locals just copycat and it becomes an off lead takeover bullying everyone off any green spaces available to the public. It is that serious, its shocking what's been witnessed. I know people who have relocated because their way of life is being trampled on. No one leads by example of basic values. It has got worse and is certainly not a youth issue. It is awful in parts of Wiltshire for it, arrogant people just dont care and certainly cant read body language when someone tries to politely tell them to keep their dogs away (Not that anyone SHOULD have to!). The stories I've heard. Many simply have no social skills and totally evidently poor social boundaries.

I don't meet any when I'm walking dogs (who I walk for other people). Isn't that funny? I used to know someone locally but basically there are very few in our area.

If I meet anyone with 2 + dogs they have nearly always grabbed every dog & pulled them far aside & away, determined to avoid interaction as though I or their animals carried terrible plague.