Bloody off lead dogs.

[Sexnotgender]

2 days running fucking off lead dogs harassing my 2.

If your dog has zero or unreliable recall then don’t let it off lead.

You can't have been on the dogs board very long if you think this one of the worst tempered threads! This is seriously tame compared to many many previous ones!

I agree ( obviously) that aggressive dogs should be kept on a lead. But what's the worst that can happen if my friendly dog runs up to yours? Most dogs will pick up on hostile body language. They can generally sort themselves out. My dog gets snapped at, snarled at and he leaves it alone. They need these experiences to learn how to relate to other dogs.

The worst that can happen is that my rescue, reactive dog that I've spent the past 18 months trying to help with her reactivity, is then completely traumatised. And we're back to square one. Ddog is absolutely fine off lead (we hire fields and attend beagle meets in enclosed fields) but she has very dodgy recall (warned by rescue prior to adoption) but on lead she's extremely reactive. It's getting better, very slowly, but my dog goes mad if another dog (either on or off lead) approaches or gets too close. That's fine, just keep your dogs away from us. I've spent many a walk huddled in hedges, perched on grass banks only for other dogs to be allowed to approach or get too close, despite me asking owners to give us distance.

Dogs were not born to run free they are domesticated pets and there are laws. Some dogs are blind some deaf. Some have illness there are many reasons a dog is on lead so stop being judgemental. I could not give a fig if your dog is off lead however if it runs up to my dog there will be a big issue. Not because I'm a hysterical owner but because my dog has history and was abused and attacked. My dog will attack any dog that runs up and bothers him. No I won't muzzle him unless I walk near people or other dogs. If I'm on my own enjoying a walk and your dog runs up to my dog your dog is at risk.
Why don't people like you get it. Dogs are not robots respect other people's space. Noone I know goes hysterical at an off leash dog unless that dog runs up to another dog.

They can generally sort themselves out. My dog gets snapped at, snarled at and he leaves it alone.

it’s not my dogs job to discipline your dog or teach it manners.

I keep mine on leads around other dogs for the safety of other dogs and people, can’t see how I can possibly be a bad owner. There’s plenty of places for dogs to run free, but public places full of children, dogs and strangers is not that.

If someones off lead dog won’t recall and gets crushed by one of my 80kg Leo’s or gets in the face of my German shepherd who needs her personal space and gets very told off I won’t loose any sleep!

They can generally sort themselves out. My dog gets snapped at, snarled at and he leaves it alone.

So a dog has to get so stressed or scared to the point it has to lash out and then be full of adrenaline for god knows how long because you can’t be bothered to recall your dog. Nice

Tbf my dog doesn’t like a perfectly lovely German shepherd. She’s been socialised from a young age so just barks.

Honestly? If we all spoke to each other our dogs would be happy!

So true.

I have a reactive rescue that has to be walked on lead. He's my third reactive dog so I have some experience of this. One was an elderly ex street dog who was so reactive he simply couldn't be walked in public.he lived out his days pottering round the garden with walks round the block at night. The second was a large, bad tempered bitch, lovely with people but horrendous with other dogs - she was ok so long as she was muzzled, which we did. The current boy is a terrier, so small enough to pick up and march him past other dogs he takes against (only un neutered males in his case). He's never off lead as he would go for one as soon as he scented it. When I see his body language we usually change direction sharpish, or I pick him up and march swiftly past saying "sorry, rescue with issues" with a smile.

If, as the owner of a reactive dog, I CHOOSE to take that dog for a walk where other dogs are off lead then it is MY responsibility to keep that dog under control - not the owners of perfectly nice dogs who are simply socialising as nice dogs do.

My dog is my responsibility, no one else's. If we are unlucky enough to have a reactive we have to find a way to keep that dog happy and healthy. We don't get to dictate to other owners that they should keep their dogs on leads ffs.

If you don't want off lead dogs approaching yours then the ONLY way to ensure that is either not to walk them in public, or only walk them in and around towns. Avoid leafy country walks and parks. Is that a pain? Makes your walk less enjoyable? Tough. You are responsible for your dog. No one else is. Honestly the sense of entitlement from some people on here is off the scale.

Some people seem to think their desire for a nice walk trumps their reactive dog's need to be kept under threshold or their traumatised dogs need for safe space.

Your dogs are being put into a traumatic situation by YOU insisting it goes places where you KNOW it will encounter other dogs who will cause it distress. Frankly I think that's irresponsible. If my reactive boy was reactive to all other dogs I simply would not walk him in public, nor would I if I had a scared dog who cowered from every dog it met. it's just not fair to them.

@DingleTheDragon tell me what I do with my scared rescue then. I can't walk him in residential areas because we've met dogs coming out of gardens who are loose. He's scared of busy roads. I walk him in on lead only places but we still meet off lead dogs by owners who let them off lead regardless of the rules (who's entitled then?). I NEVER walk him in parks or country locations yet we still have the issue of off lead dogs ? He won't walk at night as he's scared of the dark. He needs a bit of time to wake up/build up confidence each day so really early is out, I've tried it and it's no good.

I don't think it's too much to ask that he is not approached by other dogs. I don't think that's entitled or irresponsible. I just think that's asking for some consideration. I have got him to the point of walking nicely past other dogs several times only for it to be ruined by a dog leaping around him. Once he even bolted and got away from me as we were both surprised by a dog running up and it was only by the grace of god I got him to stop and wait .

If you don't want off lead dogs approaching yours then the ONLY way to ensure that is either not to walk them in public, or only walk them in and around towns.

And if your dog-reactive dog is also car and lorry reactive, then town is also impossible.

It's also not an option if you live somewhere (like I do), where nobody seems to bother with a lead on pavements or in town, so there are always off lead dogs trotting and wandering around.

If, as a dog walker, I could find somewhere where I could walk reactive dogs with no issues whatsoever, do you not think I'd go to those places?

Unfortunately it's impossible. There are no private/secure fields within two hours of here. We're very rural and there are off-lead dogs absolutely everywhere - even in places where dogs are supposedly banned.

It's not "entitled" to walk your dog where they're legally allowed to be walked

What I'd like to see is adequately trained off-lead dogs as the norm.

Many of them are, and they're no prob whatsoever

But all too many go loping over regardless, and that's a sign of insufficient training.

If everyone had adequately trained dogs, then everyone would co-exist in the spaces happily. As it is, those with the insufficiently trained dogs are spoiling it for everyone, and would rather banish those who complain about their dogs bad behaviour than tackle it

Exactly,

I don't think anyone has an issue with well-trained off-lead dogs.

Yesterday for example I was out walking two on-lead dogs as there were sheep in the next field. Met a man with an off-lead spaniel who was impeccably behaved - just trotted by his owners side and never even glanced at my dogs. I'd never ask that a dog like that is on lead.

But we also met a couple with a greyhound and a collie. Both bombing around all over the place, absolutely zero recall and pestering all the on-lead (and off-lead) dogs who were just minding their own business.

Owners would put them back on lead, walk them a few metres then let them off again where they proceeded to carry on bothering everyone else someone asked them to put their dogs on lead and they were told "no - they need a good run!"

And apparently it's on-lead owners who are the entitled ones!

No, no it wouldn't. You don't achieve anything by punishing the wrong group. There are plenty of dogs that are well behaved off lead, that don't bother other people or dogs.

Maybe there should be designated "off lead areas"'eg parks but the default is "on lead". It's not just nervous or reactive dogs, none of my family like dogs running up to them and my df will kick them! I get a lot of dogs are fine off lead but a lot aren't , and it really can't go on like this .

If you are constantly traumatising and re traumatising your dog by walking him than don't walk him. Join the group "Dog Training Advice and support" on Facebook - read their extensive files and discussion on this issue.

It is better for the dog not to be traumatised than to be walked - let him pootle around the garden, do brain training exercises. Do not constantly put your dog into a situation that you know he cannot cope with, it's not sensible or kind.

I've had a rescue that could not be walked, he lived out as happy and healthy life as was possible given HIS needs. I know adequate walking is important for dogs - but that's assuming they are not being traumatised every time they go out. Seriously, join the group I mentioned, read the files, try a few weeks of no walks and see how much more relaxed you both are.

I will always walk my dog off lead because he’s friendly and has great recall, I’m not keeping him on a lead just because your dog is reactive. Dogs love the freedom of having a good run and sniff. If your dog is nervous, please use a yellow lead to indicate to people you have a nervous dog. If you have an aggressive dog then please use a red lead and muzzle. It might help convey the message. I do call my dog away from other dogs on leads and it’s become such a habit he will automatically run over to me if a dog on a lead is approaching but I will not keep my dog on a lead just because your dog wasn’t socialised properly. If I had a reactive dog I wouldn’t walk in open spaces where other dogs will quite obviously be off lead.

@DingleTheDragon yeah I took some weeks off but he does like a sniffy walk . I'm just taking it easy and going around carparks and will add in some national trust places once or twice a week but first thing before they get too busy and keep them short. During Jan and feb we did hour long walks at nat trust places which he clearly loved, and we were often the only people there, it was glorious. Then in early March we met an offlead labradoodle jumping up (three times on the same walk , I lost my shit the third time- this was an on lead only place ), and that really set him back significantly .

I think I'll have to have a winter walk plan and then summer jut garden and carparks, which is fine if that's what he needs . He has a nervous vest, but I've really been depressed and saddened by the lack of consideration of so many other dog owners. I have also met some lovely people though (he loves people so we often stop and talk to people who don't have a dog with them- he's so beautiful and friendly we get attention!)

I belong to that group on FB. I've read all that and seen a behaviourist. Doesn't mean I don't wish that off lead dogs wouldn't run up. Appreciate I can't change this and can only modify my own behaviour . But on a thread complaining about off lead dogs I can express my sadness about the current situation !

@Plzhelpifyoucan not all dogs on lead are nervous or reactive.

One of mine has severe arthritis and a spinal condition, a tiny knock from a friendly dog can have him crippled for days. Am I not allowed to walk him either because someone else’s friendly dog won’t recall and tries to jump on him or hump him
when he’s happily walking along minding his own. Is he only allowed to walk on pavements because rude people can’t be arsed to either heel their dog or put it on a lead if they can’t be bothered to train it?

Another one of mine is upwards of 80kgs. Would you be happy to have your dog crushed by mine even if he is only playing…I mean he needs to run free too right?

If there’s a dog on lead, put yours on or heel it tightly, walk past and then release. If they are both off then all is fair IMO.
Surely it’s not rocket science.

So where are reactive dogs supposed to go?

People walk their dogs off-lead everywhere where I live - in town, along streets, down country lanes, in the woods, in parks where there's an off-lead ban, on the beach, in sheep fields - there is no escaping off lead dogs.

Which would be fine if all off-lead dogs were well-behaved and came back when called, but sadly many don't.

@Plzhelpifyoucan I don't think dog owners like you are the problem. Your dog has good recall and comes back. It's dogs that aren't under control that are the issue. It can be really daunting for people and other dogs when an off lead dog comes bounding over to them. It's anti social, entitled and can have very scary consequences in some cases.

I have the same. A small breed who at the moment is finding walks hard because of the amount of dogs 4 times her size bounding over to her while owners watch from afar.

Oh, and in my experience, yellow leads, red leads, "nervous" coats and muzzled are all ignored completely.

Besides, off-lead dogs shouldn't be running over to any on lead dogs. It shouldn't take my a dog wearing a muzzle or special harness for other owners to control their dogs.

If your dog has poor recall then keep it on a lead. If it doesn't have poor recall and comes away when called then this thread isn't about you!

I don't have a dog. But I do have a leg issue which has taken a fair amount of time to start to fix. However, I have been given explicit instructions by the Dr. to properly take care of the leg.
Try to avoid insect bites, be careful if gardening, gentle walks but no kind of exercise where there an increased chance of falling over, move around the house carefully to avoid bruises etc. So, I'm walking later at night, (I'm slow and I hobble). I'm not Rocky running up the steps but it feels are if I'm making a little progress.
I've had to start carrying an umbrella to use as a guard- not to hit but the put in front of my leg- twice I've had to turn away and protect my manky leg because dogs off the lead are in the village and start jumping up. Owners are walking later because it is so hot but seem surprised when I'm not impressed by the dog jumping all over me. When I shout out that I've an injured leg both have been apologetic but I should be able to walk without an animal who isn't under control jumping over me. It's not the animals who behave, it isn't the dogs- but seriously, if your dog doesn't take a blind bit of notice of you when you call, keep it on the lead.