On-lead dog bitten again. What’s the ‘etiquette’ here?

[SirChenjins]

Short of shouting at the owner to get their fucking dog on a fucking lead? Which obviously I don’t want to do and make things worse while I have an anxious dog on my hands.

That’s three times now that on-lead one year old ChenPup has been bitten. Once when another off lead dog came up to him and dropped his ball right under him. CP went to sniff it and the other dog lost it - apparently “she doesn’t like other dogs taking her ball”. Another off lead one snapped and bit - they were happily sniffing each other and then, bam. Apparently this dog “doesn’t like on-lead dogs”. Today, another on-lead dog came up to CP - we’re doing some desensitisation training as he’s become a bit reactive (no bloody wonder), so he was sitting quietly a little distance away and was watching this other dog just fine - no reaction, all good. Again, happily sniffing at each other and then the other dog lost it - growling, barking, lunging and then the fog went to bite. Fortunately nothing serious, but of course he then became very anxious so I had to up the desensitisation training to calm him down on the remainder of our walk.

Each time the owner has been v apologetic (the last one perhaps not as much as I’d be) if it had been my dog behaving that way - if you know your dog is a “grumpy sod” then don’t perhaps walk him off lead?) but what the hell do I do here? We live in an area that’s semi rural and v popular with dog owners, (they’re not lockdown dogs, they’re older dogs and older owners - the lady one lives very locally, I know who she is) and I’m not going to stop walking him obviously - but it’s getting to the point that I’m on edge every time I go out. Is this just something I have to accept as part and parcel of owning a dog?

Apologies for the long ramble.

Buy the red can of Pet Corrector on Amazon and carry it with you. It is just compressed air but the noise will deter the other dog.

Did you dog require vet treatment for the bite? I would want to claim the cost back from other owner and did just this when my dog received a puncture wound whilst on the lead.

I’ve already got a yellow lead and yellow harness @Knowivedonewrong Might have to upgrade to a sleeve as well!

No, no vet treatment required thankfully. Will look into the pet corrector spray as well.

Gah OP I've given up walking my dog in the woods and parks near me for the same reason.

My dog has had a few bad experiences of 'friendly' off lead dogs bearing down on her from across a field and she took to running off scared. After losing her twice (once for 3 hours) I now always have her on lead and pretty much always do pavement walks so off lead dogs are not a problem. Because I also found walking her on lead in the woods only made off lead dogs more of a problem and I do advocate for her. I have also picked her up when owners haven't recalled their dogs despite me asking. Luckily she' small enough to do this! I've tried the yellow lead but people ignore it.

Worst thing to hear 'it's ok they are really friendly/want to play'. Well my dog bloody well doesn't plus she's a dog snob and only likes humans really.

It is really infuriating and I hate that responsible owners of reactive or nervous dogs end up in the position you're in.

You sound like a responsible and caring owner though, which will undoubtedly pay off in the long run.

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it. I’m feeling a lot calmer now - he wasn’t hurt, which is the main thing - and will take forward the really good advice on here. I think I just pushed my luck today with this group of off-lead dog walkers and assumed that because ChenPup was sitting quietly and at a bit of a distance that everything was ok. Lesson learned - and back to the desensitisation training from tonight. There are lots of lovely dog walkers round here and I’ve got to know so many lovely people on our walks - I have to keep that in my mind and keep some perspective. I also need to be better at telling other owners that he can be reactive - although one dog owner did say laughingly recently that if mine bit hers it would serve hers right as hers needed to learn some manners. I mean, how do you get through to someone that stupid?

That's great advice. I might also carry another lead. My dog is becoming more reactive after unsolicited dogs getting in his face / an attack when a dog went for his ball. I've also changed our routes and avoid the scene of the incidents. It's such hard work and currently spoiling having a dog for me 😭

This is really interesting. I have a 7 month old lab - the first dog we have ever owned. Fortunate to have a good friend who is a dog trainer, she has had training since we very first got her, at home before she was able to go outside. So for her age, she is pretty well trained, but you know, she is still a puppy and she is still learning. She is much better at meeting other dogs when she is off the lead. When she is on the lead she will lunge and bark, but off lead will gently approach them.

I was admonished recently by another dog owner (whose dog was on lead) whilst walking along a path in the park. She sniffed the other dog as it walked past, ignoring my first call, and then came to me. I did understand why he said what he did, as she didn’t come to me immediately, but also wonder how on earth I am supposed to teach her without ever trying her out in situations like that. I find it a bit of a minefield.

It’s so hard sometimes. I really sympathise with you.

My two are not keen on other dogs. They like certain ones but others no. I simply keep them on a lead and away from other dogs.

Other people don’t listen and insist their dog “needs to say hello!”

Then get offended when mine start barking and lunging on their leads.

People don’t take me seriously because my dogs are small chihuahuas.

I suppose it’s as pp’s have said about not letting your dog approach others, whether they’re on or off lead.

My dog is reactive when he’s on his lead , offlead he generally ignores other dogs but is happy enough to have a sniff if someone comes up to him and then move on , on his lead he goes mental if a large dog comes remotely close . My point being is it being on a lead that affects your dog @SirChenjins and would you be better walking him on a long line so that he has a bit more room to escape .

Sorry - last post to @Overrunwithlego

I have a dog who has ot be walked on lead.

He reacts to other dogs when on lead, and would not react off, but is not trustworthy off lead.

When other people let their dog approach, immediately say - please don't let your dog approach. Which is usually met with 'oh don't worry, he's friendly' to which I reply, yes but this one ISN'T and if their dog continues to approach, they get 30 kgs of my dog barking lunging and growling in their dog's face and quickly manage to put them on a lead.
Drives me nuts. I spend a lot of time and effort walking him in such a way that we don't have those encounters, and he learns to walk past other dogs without reacting. Then idiot off lead owners let their dogs approach.

Shouldnt need to escape though should he?

I'd be a bit careful about doing this. Although you know the tennis racket is to provide a barrier it won't come across this way to a lunatic owner with a chip on their shoulder.

When my dog was a puppy I would always take a spare tennis ball. Most dogs like to chase so use the ball as a distraction. Don't let other dogs sniff your's unless they're using proper protocol (coming in on a curve and allowing your dog to sniff them). As you're approaching dog owners make sure you tell them your dog is nervous. I think a lot of dog owners are a bit rubbish.

Use a longline attached to her harness, so if she ignores you, you can tread on it and pull her back.

The more they get away with ignoring you, the more they'll practise the behaviour unfortunately.

Not in these three cases @Floralnomad - they took place far too near a road. I have him on a long lead if there’s no-one about and we’re practising recall.

I do just want to make it clear though that my dog is not reactive on a lead - each occasion has been an off lead dog reacting to mine who’s been on a lead, as he’s perfectly entitled to be and is so for a number of reasons. The off lead dogs were known to have issues by their owners - they’re the ones at fault, not my dog or me.

Overrunwithlego

please please do not get into a situation where your off lead dog approaches an on lead dog, and you cannot recall her.
use a long line, to teach her, and to ensure that you can always get her back.
Practice off lead in confined areas, with other dogs you know. Even when her recall is amazing, always recall her when you see an on lead dog approaching, and put her lead on until you know if the other dog is OK. Most owners will call out - don't worry, she's fine to say hello, I use a lead as she has no recall, type of thing. If they don't, please don't let your dog approach an on lead dog.

I think you also have to consider the possibility that your dog gives off signals that irritate (some) other dogs. Maybe his scent. Nothing you can do about that.

Both you and your dog have had a hard time.

I would suggest you only walk the dog on the lead on pavements, use a hire a field facility as often as you can and you do not allow your dog to interact with any other dogs unless you personally know and trust them (I wouldn't trust any other dog in your circumstances). A bit like if he was a very large aggressive dog where a responsible owner avoids other dogs. The same sort of walking style even though your dog isn't aggressive. Although he may well be really scared on walks by now.

The yellow lead/harness/coat isn't as well known a signal as some dog owners believe it is. Don't rely on that at all.

I hope you will find an alternative walking solution overall but, realistically, you will have to change the routines. You need to enjoy the walks as much as the dog and it must be awful to be so stressed now.

Remember you can always intervene before another dog approaches, get your dog to sit/stay, and tell the other dog a very firm 'No' - it's surprising how well this works. Your dog simply doesn't need to meet these dogs coming towards him. Try and stop that if you can.

@Overrunwithlego you need to keep your dog away from on lead dogs as you will eventually meet one that will just take an almighty chunk out of her and it will be entirely your own fault . Also by letting your dog wander up to dogs like the OPs you are also potentially affecting their dog in a negative way . If you can’t keep your dog away every time then she needs to be on a longline .

@Branster - yep, it looks like we’ll have to change to routine for a while. I don’t think it’s fair to say mine gives off signals that irritate some off-lead dogs though - one, according to the owner, was very protective of its ball, another was known by its owner just not to like off-lead dogs, and the third one today again was known by its owner to be a grumpy sod who sometimes reacts that way. Three in total, in a year of hundreds of dog walks, have gone for him - each time the owners acknowledged they knew the dogs had specific issues and didn’t do anything to mitigate for that. He’s met plenty off off and on lead dogs, and has been absolutely fine.

*Not to like on-lead dogs

Oh those “good your dog will teach mine some manner”. WTAF? That’s your job as the owner. Why put my dog in this position?
if your dog is possessive over a ball you don’t take the ball where there could be other dogs?
Your dog doesn’t like on lead dogs? Keep them the hell away!
Jeez you’ve met some right gobshites OP. So sorry.

Don't you know OP, that most dog owners believe they are in perfect control of their untrained mutts (except of course they aren't), so they don't need to use a lead. They are all twats. Not sure what you can do except try to keep yours away. These idiots will do nothing.

We have a lady in our cul-de-sac that lets her dog out to do it's business multiple times a day on the grass on the street, we have 2 dogs that are always leashed, but if that dog is out it will come over and it will attack ours, we've reported it to police numerous times but just get told, there's nothing that they can do for minor dog scraps! We now have a very reactive terrier who, before they moved in, had been one of the friendliest dogs you'd ever meet with other dogs! I hate dog owners that have no control over their dogs!