Bloody irresponsible dog owners!!!!!!!

[Wibbli]

I have a male lab (year old) who was severely attacked a few months ago in an unprovoked attack (on his part). I’ve seen a behavioural therapist who said he suffers PTSD and to take measures to keep him safe (he wears a bright yellow “nervous” collar, I keep a ball as a distraction and I keep him away from other dogs, as he will snap at a dog if they come into his face and act aggressive towards him).

I was just walking him by a river (with a friend who has a dog) and he went into the river with a ball. Suddenly, a fucking husky runs from nowhere and straight up to his face into the river. The owners aren’t there. I can see my dogs ears go back, he’s obviously scared as this dog has gone for him before. I tried to call my dog and this dog growls at my dog, so I jumped into the river to get my dog. Queue the dogs fighting. I’m screaming trying to get this bloody husky away from my dog and then the bloody owners show up; “oh dear, is that my dog? Well he was just tied up outside the house, the 3 year old let him off the hook by mistake”. I am fuming -land saying “my dog is nervous! He was attacked and your dog has gone for him before!”. They don’t care. They start taking to the girl I was with, and she actually turned around and said “ah she’s (me) fine, just a bit wet”.

I am so mad, both at the owners (who didn’t realise the bloody dog had run off!) as they don’t care! Surely if a 3 year old can undo the hook for a huge husky, that is not keeping the animal safe and secure?! I’m angry with my “friend” for thinking I’m overreacting as she knows that my dog was severely bitten a few months ago.

AIBU to think I deserved an actual apology from these owners?! I’m so angry right now and want to go back and tell them what I think of them.

Bloody irresponsible dog owners!!!!!!!

The husky owners are irresponsible but so are you.

If your dog is at risk of being aggressive towards other dogs, he should be on a lead at all times. You can't control your environment, you can't control other dogs who may suddenly approach.

Your dog is aggressive put him on a fucking lead. You are so irresponsible

I think this was a bad experience and it is annoying. However, I think it will happen many more times and you have to just let it go. So many dog owners let their off lead dogs out of sight or don't recall them when they should that you will be forever angry if you don't just deal with the situation as it happens and try to forget about it. If I could take my own advice on this I'd be better off too.

This

There dog was out accidentally you have no excuse you're the irresponsible owner here

Some dog owners are absolute dicks. This morning I had my dog on a lead, and another dog started jumping all over her. I told the owner "She's nervous, please recall your dog" Owner didn't and eventually my dog got so upset her lead got tangled around my toddler dd and knocked her over.

We tried to walk away the owner followed us and asked "Does that happen a lot? Your dog knocking over your daughter?" I said No. Never before. Her dog then jumped on mine again causing mine to jump and yelp, and she had the cheek to look down her nose at us and say "Looks like it might happen again."

Your dog should not have been off lead.

Totally irresponsible dog owners. I'm sorry you and ddog had to go through that, it sounds horrible and terrifying. I don't agree at all with pp who says youre irresponsible FFS, there is nothing wrong with letting your dog off by the river when no one is around. Huskies are huge and even the loveliest can turn aggressive and do a lot of damage (I know this from bitter experience in my family where the dog escaped, killed farm animals and had to be put down). They should at the very least have apologised. Maybe you can ask them what steps they're taking to ensure it does not happen again.

You have to keep yours on a lead too.

You are at fault here as well. Youve admitted your dog does not like it if other dogs come up to him and he is nervous...he should be on a lead so you can protect him in his environment.

ok so if a husky runs up to your dog / child and starts to growl and snap because it wasn’t tied up properly - that’s totally “fine”. I always check that there are no dogs around before he goes into the river and he comes back when I call him. This time the husky ran up from nowhere with NO OWNER and stood in front of him, growling and snapping. My dog is not reactive but will defend himself if he’s scared (part of the PTSD). I would be horrified if my dog ran off and penned in another dog. It doesn’t happen because I am with him and he is always on a lead or we check the coast is clear before he is let off

My dog’s an arse. I only met him off lead when no one is around in an open space when I can see people approaching.

Two dogs off lead 🤷‍♀️

My dog is not reactive but will defend himself if he’s scared (part of the PTSD)
Isn't this the definition of reactive?

What I hate is irresponsible owners who let their dog off a lead when their dog has signs of aggression when threatened.

My dog is nervous but I NEVER let her off a lead for that reason. I hate it when dogs are off roaming around coming up to my dog because owners cannot control their dog.

@sessell thank you - exactly, I checked it was clear, it was and so he was let off. He doesn’t go around biting or being aggressive. The behaviouralist said he isn’t reactive (he’s not) but gets scared and he was totally freaking as this huge dog towered over him, growling at him with no owners in sight. After what happened last time, I will defend him to the ends of the earth

Your dog should be on a lead. They dog was supposed to be on a lead but it had gone wrong. Your dog is an aggressive dog that was off lead and you think you’re in the right? Behave yourself OP.

Right.
So your dog has PTSD.
If that's the case, then your dog shouldn't be off lead and should be muzzled.

Huskeys shouldn't be pets.

This is a nasty combination.

I empathise with your frustration, as I've been in similar situations, but in this case YABU. If your dog is that nervous & reactive then you should keep him leashed until he learns how to behave safely around other dogs. Based on what you described, it sounds like your dog was as much to blame for the fight as the husky. Maybe go back to group obedience training, or try setting up play dates with gentle dogs, or signing him up for group dog walks in enclosed fields, being completely open about his history with others involved, could help? This is what we're doing with our boisterous & over-friendly but sometimes reactive 3yo lab as part of his socialisation reinforcement and it's working really well (he's completely cowed by a chiwahwa).

If your dog was off lead you’re as irresponsible as anyone else.

Neither of you come across well in this. They should make sure their dog is secured but your dog shouldn’t be off lead either. Your friend probably knew you were both wrong and that’s why she said what she did.

I don’t understand why you’re getting such a hard time OP, you’ve already said your dog will defend himself and doesn’t go around starting fights with other dogs. Most dogs who have another dog come up, snarl and growl will defend themselves. I know mine would!

The owner was in the wrong imo, if her dog is getting off a tether and going around attacking other dogs she should have apologised. I’d be angry too. But this is MN where dogs should be muzzled and on leads at all times according to some, perhaps get this moved to the Dog House chat where you’ll get more balanced responses.

thank you - exactly, I checked it was clear, it was and so he was let off

Except that it wasn't clear, was it? There was a frigging huge husky there that you didn't see.

It didn't materialise out of thin air, it was there and you failed to see it.

This can and will happen. Which is why, if you're a responsible dog owner, you will keep your traumatised, reactive and dog aggressive dog on a lead.

If a husky runs loose and runs up at other dogs, then what difference would it make if OPs dog was on a lead or not? Shed still have to let it go if the other dog attacked.
The other dog was out of control. OPs dog was the victim.

I have a defensive dog too after being attacked. Shes a lot better than she was because im so careful to manage encounters so its generally positive, but she still needs off lead exercise at times, and its stressful when so many fuckwits dont seem to have any awareness of dog etiquette.

If the husky owner was apologetic it would be one thing, but to be so blasé about it would really piss me off

Two wrongs don't make a right 🤷‍♀️
You were both irresponsible!
My dog is reactive so he's always muzzled and on a lead. He gets to run free in our large secure garden.

Not sure why so many people are missing the point here. OP has said her dog is not aggressive and it has good recall. It is fearful after a nasty attack, which is understandable. Absolutely no reason not to let it off lead if no one is around. And clearly it is rebuilding social skills as was walking with a friend and her dog. Her question was about a huge aggressive dog running lose with zero supervision - seems like most ppl here are just fine with that?

I agree that you're as much at fault as they are. Don't let aggressive dogs off the lead. What if the husky was a fox or swan? They'd have no owner to keep them secure and your dog would still be aggressive.