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.

Your dog IS reactive. If a dog went for either of mine, they’d cower, be submissive, not attack back. I had a reactive dog until last year, he was under control at all times, we had one incident in about 8 years. I’d suggest you find an enclosed field, there are some about that are hired out and use that, or train him to focus on a ball/recall/keep him on a longline.

Stop with the going for a child, dogs tend not to react to children the way they do to other dogs (bar the tragic incidents in the news).

Report the husky owners if you can find a dog warden.

Was going to say the same as @Branleuse
What difference do you think one dog being on a lead would make exactly?

I am having to keep my dog safe from a Rotty at the moment. Both that dog and mine are dominant - mine is friendly with some dogs but will challenge others. Their dog is the same only they don't recognise that. Theirs is always off lead whilst mine is on for the majority of the time.

So many dick dog owners out there, it's a nightmare.

Her dog doesn't have good recall. She wouldn't have had to jump in a river if it did.

He doesn’t go around biting or being aggressive.

For those that are clearly missing it, the OP has said her dog isn’t aggressive!

@sessell thank you - exactly that. With his friends he is fine as he trusts them, but is wary of strange dogs he doesn’t know. He will never instigate a problem. This dog penned him, he couldn’t come to my recall and he was scared. The coast WAS clear and then this husky suddenly ran up and acted aggressive. Thank you for understanding @sessell - I’ve asked for this post to be moved to the dog house 💐

Huskies are always aggressive to other dogs. Always. They should not be kept as pets, they are too wild. I have never come across a
husky that I trust around my dogs: they have been snapped at and growled at by every husky we have encountered. It’s always the same time of people that own them. Clueless.

*Type

Your dog should be on a lead.
The husky should’ve been too.

YA both BU

@girlmom21 he has great recall, the husky was stood in front of him (the only way up) and blocking his exit. I had to jump over the husky to get in to get my dog

She jumped in the river to stop the her dog being bitten by a snapping snarling husky…. Even if her dog he moved to come back to her the thing would have probably attacked.

This is just patently untrue and a ridiculous statement to make. My IL's have a husky who's as daft as a brush and so gentle. Their last one was too. I've known plenty of huskies and none have ever been aggressive.

Your dog shouldn’t be off lead. You don’t have full control off lead so he can’t have that privilege. You are supposed to be able to recall the dog in every possible scenario, so really, very few dogs can actually handle being off lead.

their dog got out by mistake. If they are responsible people they will review the situation and look to reduce the odds of that happening again.

@Etive thabk you - yes, once the owners realised I was screaming for the owners they came over, got the dog and then the dog was still lunging at mine, by which time I had him as we were scrambling up the river.

I should’ve made it clear in original post, there is only a small entry way into the river, my dog was down there, the husky blocked his exit, was growling at him and I had to push past / jump over the husky to pull my dog away

My dog was severely attacked by another dog and suffered from PTSD. He was as gentle as anything but after that if a dog ever came upto him he would attack first.

Not his fault and he was scared but I always always kept him on a lead after that and every week would rent out a field so he could run around on his own without worrying.

Owner of a post-trauma reactive dog here.

Yes, they are hugely careless and irresponsible dog owners! To have a set up whereby a small child is able to let their dog out is dangerous, to the dog, and to everyone else. They should have apologised, but there's no point dwelling on it.
As the owner of a reactive dog (yes, your dog is reactive if he defends himself because of PTSD), if you're going to have him off the lead in a public place you need to expect/accept this sort of situation is going to happen. You cannot keep him in a bubble at home. He needs to be out enjoying the world and there will be times that he encounters other dogs and reacts. All you can do is be ready to step in and defend him. It's scary and upsetting, but it happens.
As for being annoyed with your friend - that's just silly and no doubt a result of your stress at the time.

It's irrelevant how the other dog escaped. The point is you knew your own dog was prone to react if another dog got too close but you still let him off the lead. I own large powerful breeds who get headlines for all the wrong reasons. My current one is reactive if other dogs get too close so he doesn't go off lead in places I can't be sure another dog won't suddenly appear. You can't control how or if other dogs escape but you can control whether your own dog gets off lead. You're already working with him, don't let him down. This is my BFs leg after a woman who knew her dog was reactive let her dog off the lead while he was out walking our dog on lead. Don't be that woman.

That was the woman's dog that bit him by the way. If you know your dog is reactive keep it on a lead. That's not a put down. It's really common sense. You can't call other dog owners irresponsible when you are actively letting a dog you know will react if other dogs get too close offlead. It doesn't work like that I'm afraid.

Load of bollocks! Stop spouting utter nonsense, my dogs have had bites from Pugs/JRs/Frenchies & labs , never had a single incident with a sled dog!

I know someone who has just rescued a retired greyhound. He has a very strong prey drive, and will always be on a lead when out.
Already, he has had several small yappy dogs up in his face. Owners come out with crap like "their bark is worse than their bite", or they "are just saying hello".
Greyhound sees them as the small furry he was trained to chase, so gets snappy and wants to get at them.

Your situation is tricky though, as the husky was out accidently.

I totally see why you're annoyed with the Husky's owner.

I'm not sure why you're angry with your friend though? She said "She's fine" since you didn't get injured by the dogs, and "Just a bit wet" because you got in the water.
Both of these seem reasonable for her to say since it wasn't her place to have a go at the owner on your behalf.

Rubbish. I know a few Husky owners and their dogs are great with other dogs and not aggressive at all. All down to the owners.

Sorry OP, I can't stand dog owners like you who scream at other dog owners the minute a dog approaches them.

If you walk a dog in the open off lead, then it will encounter other dogs off the lead. And dogs like to say hello!

Even with good recall, you might have a well behaved dog come over to say hi as you scream and be rude to their owners before they recall it back.

If your dog has a problem being approached by other dogs then walk it on the streets on a lead where no off lead dogs will be.

Even with the best will in the world, accidents happen. There will always be something like this that threaten to take your training backwards. The key is how YOU react.

The very best thing you can do to support your dog is not to get wound up over events like these. I realise that's easier said than done, but you dog does not need the additional stress of knowing you are upset.

Again, I know that's easy to say and muh harder to do - but a calm, in control reaction and th ability to mentally 'shake it off' and get straight on with your day is the very best thing you can do for your dog (other than being able to avoid the scenario totally).

And that starts with mentally letting it go, once your're all home safe and sound.

Deeep breath, let it go, live well. For your dog's sake and for yours.

...and forgive all my typos

Like many others if id been walking down near the river and 2 off lead dogs were there I'd have been absolutely terrified - this is a result of being attacked twice by off lead dogs - once as a child and once as an adult.