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.

You think no dogs should ever be allowed off lead on the off chance they try to greet a reactive dog?

I have 2 DDogs, one of whom was attacked by a dark staffie out of nowhere as a pup (genuinely- no warning, previously known to her) and is reactive when approached by dark dogs.

She’s 2.5 now and between us and our dog walker, she’s a lot better and can be let off lead with her regular dog friends, in their dog field.

However, I would never let her off lead in a situation where any other dog could come from nowhere. She’d either attack or bolt. She’s reactive, as is your dog.

Go back to mind reading school 😂 how on earth did you get that from my post. Honestly these people are so bloody stupid it's scary 😀😀

Nobody is saying that the other owners had no claim to blame, but every one is saying that you need to take control of what you can.

You can't control what other people do, or don't do. And so the responsible thing to do is to make sure your dog who by your own admission has PTSD isn't put in a situation where they're faced off by other dogs. That means keeping them on a lead.

You aren't blameless here.

@Mitchthekitch she could have asked them to get their dog under control!

the OP wasn't ok, she was trying to get her dog safely away from a growling husky!

@Wibbli I agree the husky's owners were irresponsible, or made a mistake, so that their dig escaped, then they didn't even get it straight away, bloody idiots.

but you were a bit daft too, your dog shouldn't be off lead until he has made a better recovery from the PTSD (poor boy xx) because you know how quickly a fight can appear from nowhere AND you especially shouldn't have allowed him to go down to the river with a small entrance/exit AND having done so, you didn't protect the entrance point.

larefeky it was their fault, but there are lessons you can learn here, to prevent further problems.

so the dog became the target of my boot, it took a few attempts but I eventually landed a good one and the dog cleared off

... and this is how you create a fear aggressive, reactive dog.

Dogs are naturally curious and are capable of sorting things out between themselves. You might actually be surprised to know that a lot of aggressive behaviour stems from the way dog owners react towards the oncoming off lead dog.
Dogs take the No1 spot for MN misunderstood creatures award.

It wasn't being attacked when she first called it back and the dogs were fighting - that's not the same as an attack on a dog.

Why didn't your dog return when called out of the river?

I would learn from this experience that dogs can appear out of nowhere and sometimes your dog is unable to follow recall requests (due to exit being blocked, for example). So I would keep my nervous dog on a lead, full stop.

I know this isn’t the point of the thread but my son is terrified of dogs and I’m also frustrated so many dogs are off lead and come barging up to us when we are simply going for a walk. It’s not fair that the owners simply let their dogs go wherever, not if there’s a possibility they approach and scare people.
I derail because it explains I also don’t think husky owner was in the right. I think you both got it wrong on this occasion.

Both wrong. Your dog should never be off the lead unless own garden house etc. Outside he needs to be on the lead. Husky owners also at fault .

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

Amazing logic.

Lots of young kids have a fear of dogs but it's something they will get over by being around dogs. It's important not to indulge their fears by making a fuss when a dog approaches and just walk on like it's nothing.

Also, if the dogs are allowed to be off lead in the places you're walking then they will be. So you and your son need to get used to it.

I would find a friend who has a chilled out dog to go for a walk with. You'd be surprised how quickly the fear of dogs disappears when the child is put in charge of the treat bag.

@FfeminyddCymraeg has obviously done what I would have suggested. We have a field nearby that can be hired for £8 an hour set up for dog walkers. A dog trainer works with dogs who've had difficult experiences.

I've had 5 dogs but with arthritis I cannot physically manage a dog any longer although I have my neighbour's dog often. One of the issues I've found is there are people letting off dogs who have no recall, especially on our local beach and you can get knocked by a dog or dogs chasing around. There are many dcs who are frightened of dogs so I'd like to see times when dogs off lead are restricted. It's one of the beaches where dogs are allowed all year round.

Dog off lead = universal signal that the dog is friendly

OP if I saw your dog off lead I wouldn’t put mine back on. If I see a dog on a lead then every time mine goes back on a lead. I wouldn’t see a nervous collar in the distance either.

This

Yep. Which is why you keep your dog on lead if it's fear reactive.

What you don't do is put it in an exceptionally vulnerable position with a high value toy and then complain when a fight (inevitably) breaks out.

Everything apart from keeping it on a lead and not letting it run loose with a high value ball?

This 100%

Sorry posted originally whilst in birthday cake decorating hell and despairing into a glass of wine so was unnecessarily aggressive …

In any case I still don’t blame the OPs dog for reacting and not recalling, if someone was in my face shouting and a friend/parent told me to come away I probably wouldn’t turn around and walk away as I wouldn’t want to turn my back on someone aggressive.

There was an out of control husky in the vets the other week, owners had very little control, it’s collar was too big and it was one brain cell away from realising it could back out of its collar instead of merely lunging and barking/growling at all the other dogs in the waiting area. The owner didn’t even acknowledge the behaviour just stood there holding the end of the lead (only just) they got seen more quickly kind you so maybe it was all a cunning plan …

Oh yeah I'm sure that owner thought, if I don't train my dog then on the odd occasion I go to the vets I'll save myself 10 mins.

🙄

Have you heard of sarcasm?

Mine stays on a lead, because he is too friendly and I want to avoid situations where people have their snappy dog's off a lead and he gets bitten.

I've had it before where he's been chased by a dog snapping and growling for the owner to do sweet FA.

Also agree, usually off lead means friendly, on lead means not. If my dog is off lead, I'll always call him back if a dog is on lead

I do think the OP could have been a bit more proactive but clearly the husky's owners were more at fault. They were nowhere to be seen and the dog had been released by their child (meaning that both husky and child should have been supervised more closely).

However, even if the owners had been nearby, off lead dogs should never approach other dogs unless they are given express permission. It doesn't matter if the other dog is also off lead. My dog is incredibly friendly, but I don't let him interact with others unless the owners say it's O.K.

Where I'm from you are fined if your dog is off a lead and has no recall if you are caught by the dog warden. In this situation had a dog warden been near, the husky would've been brought to the pound, the owners would have to collect him for a fee and OP would've been fined 100 on the spot! Neither dog have the obedience to be off the lead so would be classed as strays.

I wish we had this law in the UK!