What's your take on this - bit scary.

[LimitIsUp]

So my adolescent dog is pretty good - but is intrigued by anything new.

We were walking in our local beauty spot and a man rounded the corner with a toddler in a child carrier on his back - an unfamiliar sight to my pup. I didn't have time to process his sudden appearance as he had emerged from around a bend (my usual practice is to immediately leash her as people and dogs approach just to be considerate - in case there are people who aren't keen on dogs or dogs that are reactive) before she barked twice and cantered over to him, stopping 4 feet short and just sat there looking up at him. Within seconds I put my whistle to my lips to recall her and just as I was about to blow it he raged at me - with his face contorted with disgust and anger "Call your fucking dog"!! and "Fucking dogs should be on a lead". He looked so hateful and angry and it was horrible. I would have understood if she had continued to bark or had jumped up at him (in fact I would have been horrified if she had done that), or if I was just standing there and taking no action - but none of this applied

It seemed disproportionate and aggressive. If he has simple said "Recall your dog" I would have apologised (although she had done very little 'wrong'), carried on with recalling her (I had my whistle in my mouth poised and ready!) and we could all have gone on our way.

A chap in my local pub was brutally savaged by a dog when he was a kid. Multiple surgeries, huge scarring to his body. You'd never know to look at him with his top in. He's obviously terrified of drugs even after 30+ years.

You have no idea why he reacted that way plus he had a small child with him who he was clearly protective of

You might not have liked his tone, but he didn't like your dog or your passive way of apparently calling them back.

Whataboutery at its finest. He swore and shouted and scared the shit out of me for absolutely nothing.

He was spoiling for a fight and found an opportunity to start one

So you’ve started this thread just to get support against this man, who was obviously concerned for his child?

Just keep the dog on a lead, sounds like it is well trained but it takes a second for something to happen and if you’re not quick enough to process what’s happening, things can and will go wrong.

I realise that some people think dogs have a right to be off the lead and running around but if that’s the case hire a private field where that’s not going to impact on anyone else or buy an extendable lead and pay attention.

Of course the bloke was out of order but so were you.

I don't need support. Just intrigued what other dog owners thought of it

People don't like dogs rushing up to them, for a number of reasons.
People with small children and babies like it even less.
I know nothing happened, but he didn't know that when a dog was rushing up to him and his child.

To be fair, it is irritating, dogs off their leads running up to people, owners shouting "It's ok, he/she's friendly!".

Probably wouldn't have used the f-word if you'd been a burly bloke though would he? I'm sorry that happened to you.

The man horrible and he shouldn't have spoken to you like that.

^But
^
You need to do better at corners and junctions. Get into the habit and calling back to heel/close/on a lead wherever at corners and junctions. If you can't see around a corner/over a hill then call back before and keep at heel or on a lead until you can.

I've been bothered by dogs at corners and junctions so many times (my dog is old and arthritic so doesn't want to meet others dogs) and the excuse (if I even get one) is usually "oh I didn't see you". Well of course you didn't! Humans can see around corners can they? So if you know you might need closer control around a corner - just assume they'll be something there and call back before. Because it could be a person, child, livestock, horse, another dog - anything! And it's better to be ready.

This is what I thought BadgeronaMoped - he wouldn't have been aggressive if it had been my husband

You’ve started a thread to ask for people’s opinions, an opinion has been given but as it’s not the same as yours, they’re in the wrong?

It sounds like he was scared of your dog, regardless of whether or not you knew the dog wasn’t going to start attacking him and his small child, he did not know this. His language may have been inappropriate but we all react in different ways when frightened.

I have a dog but I still absolutely hate the whole “don’t worry she won’t hurt you”, “don’t worry she’s soft as anything” dog walkers that allow their dog to approach me and my children. My little boy is afraid of other people’s dogs, I imagine he’s thinking the exact same as this man when people allow their dogs to bound up to him whilst barking.

Yes, I do normally leash her at corners but it was very early in the morning and nobody was around - until this guy. I won't make that assumption again

Don't put that on me. I am definitely not in the "don't worry she is harmless" brigade (I don't agree with that approach either) and I always consider others when I am walking her.

👆this.

I have an 8mo lab who is excitable and thinks that everyone is a playmate.

I don’t have him off the lead if I’m in places where he is likely to encounter other dogs and children because, as much as he wants to play, it’s other people and dogs right not to be pestered by him.

He’s an arsehole for being so aggressive and also for saying all dogs need to be on a lead. Dogs with decent recall do not need to be on leads.

Your dog is young and inquisitive so maybe look for enclosed dog fields or places where you know there won’t be other folk around for his off lead time until the teenage years are over?

He was probably hungover and/or pissed off about something completely different and the last place he wanted to be was hefting his toddler round in a carrier on his back .

More fodder for the MN dog haters. 🍪

Keep your dog on a lead!

Problem solved as well as pages and pages of futile debate here because you're right and everyone else is wrong.

Honestly problem solved then, if you practise enough you'll probably slowly find that corners/junctions/other people - anything beckoned an environmental cue to come back to you for a treat. Even better you can then use the premac principle to then let your dog return to the environment. So call back to heel/put on lead = treat. Walking nicely at heel or on the lead past whenever it is = freedom again.

The bloke was nasty but you've learnt your lesson so I wouldn't worry about it now.

You might not have said that but in your actions and responses on here it seems like he was supposed to know that.

Dog barked and cantered over to him but he was supposed to feel OK about that?

Then keep your dog on a lead if you're unsure of how it's going to react. I'm with the man on this one.

If it happened exactly as you said OP then he clearly overreacted . Your dog did very well I think.

I don’t keep my dog on a lead and I won’t apologise for it. He needs a lot of exercise and I go to fairly deserted areas to ensure he can run to his heart’s content. But we do meet people, who by and large aren’t so neurotic.

Yes probably. And after he has done shouting at me his toddler - who was fine until he opened him mouth and bellowed abuse at me, started crying and he said "Now you've made him cry" 🤔

The OP is getting a lot of hate here.

But it wasn't a recall issue - she just got caught out by a corner, that's it!

She doesn't need a lead (although a long-line on an adolescent is a good idea) she just needed to call back a little earlier.

OP, you sound responsible you just were a little late on calling back that's all.

It happened exactly as I described. That was why I was so shaken.

Sounds like you've already made your mind up you was totally right and he was totally wrong.

I had some prat what their black lab bound up and jump up at me 8 months pregnant. The possibility of knocking me over and causing damage to me or the baby much less important that the dog saying hello. The owner watched it a silently.

Luckily I had a dog previously so I could square to the side for its full force impact. Could not see the point of telling the owner they was a fucking irresponsible moron. Like you I suspect they was sure their recall was faultless and the dog needed that human interaction. I too was mauled by a dog as a child. I don't hate dogs. But I sm scared of them approaching me at a run.