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.

My DDog lost his eyesight overnight and had to be kept on a lead as he found it terrifying (understandably) the amount if people who would just let their dogs bound up and start harassing him was ridiculous. The owners would then act all offended and like I'm unreasonable for asking them to please get their dogs away from mine. The worst was a lady who regularly had 3 out of control yappy dogs who would charge at mine, I explained he was blind please call them away and she replied one of mines blind in one eye its fine! No it's bloody not!! It ended up with me losing my temper as it wasn't just once this happened. Turns out she's a local homechecker for the dogs charity so really should know better seeing as she judges others on their suitably to rehome!

It got better for us when our male dog got the implant at around 18 months. Other dogs were far less interested in him. Now we walk off lead and he ignores other dogs totally and in the main, they don't come up to him.

On lead I can't even think of the last time he got approached whereas in the first year, it was incessant. It was definitely something to do with his male hormones

I’m actually wondering about bringing forward the date for his implant - I’ll give the vet a call this week and see what she thinks. We’ve been trying to leave it until nearer the time when he’s 18 months, but if it would mean that fewer dogs like ‘grumpy sod’ and ‘Mr I don’t like on-lead dogs’ would approach him then it’s definitely worth having the conversation with the vet. Of course, if more dog owners were responsible I wouldn’t have to…

This is awful op! I do find walking areas differ in terms of owner numptyness.

I have three dogs who go off lead and I watch them very closely and call them away if there are dogs on lead. And they have never bitten, growled or snarled at any dog.

What are these owners thinking?!!

That sounds so infuriating and frustrating @SirChenjins. My current dog is friendly to all, but he is never allowed to approach another dog (on lead or off) unless the other owner says it is O.K. That is how it should be IMO. I truly don't understand people who allow their dogs to bound up to others indiscriminately.

When my last dog was young he was attacked by a huge German shepherd. It was absolutely terrifying. My dog was on a lead, the GSD was not, and its gormless owner just stood there and did nothing. A very kind passerby helped and made sure that we were all right. Perhaps as a result of this incident, my dog became reactive to other dogs. Maybe it would have happened anyway but I'll never know for certain. He was the sweetest dog in the world and could walk past others and ignore them with no problem. But if another dog tried to meet him head on he would react by barking and sometimes growling.

It seems so unfair that you should have to alter where you walk because of irresponsible dog owners. Unfortunately, the percentage of idiotic dog owners seems high and steadily increasing.

The owners are crap they shouldn't let their off lead dogs come over to yours, basic etiquette. Most dogs are usually on a lead for a reason. The owners just don't give a fuck

Or you get the "it's OK my dog is friendly " mob, yeah well yours might be but maybe mines not that's why its on a lead .....idiots

I have this dilemma. I walk ddog in a place with only on lead. And then I walk in the beautiful place full of shitty dog owners on my own.

I also never ever let dogs approach him, we walk away, at a pace if they try (and I yell at the owners - he wears a yellow shirt so they've had warning ). But generally I avoid off lead dog areas unless in a group so we can surround him! I also body block if he's sniffing even from other people, so he always has space. Even if it means that person has to walk through a puddle 😀

@Hugocat1 lots of dogs are reactive when they are on leads because they feel trapped that is why a longline may make the dog feel less threatened .

That sounds really good. Phew! Then at least he wouldn't be 'targeted'.

I hope things improve and you find some really good enjoyable walking routes.

I'm so sick of dealing with bad dog etiquette and off lead dogs. Luckily none of my fosters have been bitten but so many are nervous and reactive and people never wonder why mine is on a lead in a park or open space. I've taken to walking dogs in more unusual places like graveyards and at times when less people seem to be out (5 to 6pm seems to be pretty quiet). The last foster I had was so reactive and I was constantly shouting at people to call their dogs off. Luckily the current one is less so as it was so stressful with the very reactive dog. Sorry this has happened OP but you definitely need to change what you are doing as you can't trust others to!

It helps (unfortunately) when your dog is very reactive to other's in her space. I can't let another dog within sniffing distance of mine or else she goes bonkers.

Walks are so much easier when she's wearing her yellow lead but we can't do open spaces with off leash dogs for exactly the reasons you've described.

Did a long pavement walk last night and he was absolutely fine - he was happy to sit and watch other dogs go by, he had a couple of very quick sniffs of other dogs we know well and trust as I said hello to their owners, and everything was OK.

There seems to be an obsession to have dogs off lead on the trails round here for some reason - which is great if your dog is non-reactive, doesn't approach other dogs unless they know them and know they are OK with it, and has excellent recall (as many are, and it's a joy to watch and share the space with them) but unfortunately not all dogs are like that - and too many owners who seem to think it's just dogs being dogs. Drives me mad.