How to cope with dog running at us

[Pocketfullofdogtreats]

Can I have some advice pls? I have a GSD-mix rescue from Eastern Europe. She was badly treated and is very nervous and defensive around men and other dogs. She is away atm with DH for a few days and I've been walking our usual route - fields, quiet tracks - and have twice met a lovely woman and her very friendly Labrador. It comes hurtling down the track (off-lead) and tail-wags around me. Owner calls it back but it doesn't listen. The problem is that my own dog will hate this dog hurtling towards her. I keep Ddog on a lead. WWYD in this situation?

Tell the owner you have a reactive dog and that she can't allow it to approach you when you have your (on lead) dog with you.
So long as your dog is on lead, if hers approaches and gets injured because she can't control its recall, it's her problem.

Can you explain to the woman when you next see her?
Failing that I got some good advice on a thread on here because I'm facing the same thing at least a couple of times a week and as other people clearly aren't going to change I need solutions to combat it myself.

The suggestion I've been using the most and has worked so far is putting myself between the other dog and mine and saying a sharp "No! Go back" and pointing back towards the owner, I have had some 'looks' and huffing and puffing but the dogs have up to now stopped and eventually gone back.

If I can I turn and walk in another direction to get away, but that's not always possible, and sometimes the dog follows, and means I'm sulking in hedgerows or in woods with no path which is a pain and obviously means my walk takes longer if we meet a few owners like this. It's also annoying because I shouldn't have to.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/4965667-off-lead-dogs-and-interactions

That's my thread.

I have no advice but maybe a yellow lead slip that says nervous or similar, may potentially help in some situations. I’m not sure too many will pay attention but some will, just a thought.

Thanks very much! It's good to hear about your strategy. Also the yellow leaf thing is a good idea. Obviously if I do see the woman again while I'm on my own I'll ask her to put hers on a lead if she sees us in the distance.

*lead

Honestly? I don’t think there’s much you can do. She may listen to you, but she likely won’t. People who let their dogs run up to other people willnilly are usually twats.

BUT if you know your dog is reactive it should be muzzled. Being on a lead is not enough. Dogs that big can easily snap leads (just for reference, my first cocker spaniel routinely snapped leads that were for ‘large dogs’ because he was strong…at 17kg) if her dog runs up to yours, if your dog hurts it then you’ll be in the wrong and if anyone is hurt (by your dog) when you’re trying to separate them, your dog well may end up PTS. I wouldn’t take the risk if I were you; I would muzzle the dog.

Maybe you could either walk your dog at a different time or consider walking in a different place if you think this is likely to be a problem. You could, of course, have a word with a woman with the over enthusiastic dog, but I wouldn't put too much reliance on that working.

Are you in UK? My understanding here is it's illegal to have dogs off lead that the owner can't or doesn't control. My experience too is that they are often twats and their dogs are rude and pushy. 😞

But "yellow dog" is also a thing here, hopefully getting more known, see yellowdogUK.co.uk

Yes. I’m in the UK and my experience is that if your dog is on the lead and not muzzled and is aggressive you get in just as much crap when the police are called - a dog bite is a dog bite at the end of the day.

Yellow vests don’t work because the sorts of people with dogs with no recall always ignore yellow vests…

It’s a bit shit all around! Hence safer to muzzle the dog :(

My mum had a very reactive terrier. She actually sought advice from the dog warden. If your dog is on a short lead then it’s considered under control. If a dog hurtles up to yours and gets bitten then legally that’s on the owner who doesn’t have control. Not you.
Can you vary when you walk? Turn away if you see it?

Ah yeh that makes sense too.
Definitely a place for muzzles in this world we're living in!
One the things that worries me about getting a dog again is my fear of them being attacked, especially as my parents' dog was nearly killed by 2 Newfies that dragged their walker across the street and tossed him up in the air, ripped his belly open. He was an Airedale so quite a big dog too, but didn't stand a chance. Their dog survived, only just, expensive surgery etc, and he was nervous ever after. 😞 They bit my dad on the hand too, in the melee.

The Newfie owners were unapologetic and claimed the dogs were great with their grandkids etc. ie total idiots.

Many of us use yellow leads as they are easy to see, especially if dropped. Also yellow coats are for visibility, especially this time of year, as well as any other meaning that might be attached to them. If you have any doubts about how your dog might react I would start muzzle training. Chirag Patel has a superb YouTube video.

I have a reactive dog and sadly my experience is there's very little you can do except advocate for your dog as much as possible.

I use a combination of shouting the owner to recall their dog as mine isn't friendly, body blocking, shouting "NO" or "AWAY", and making it as clear as possible that their dog is not to approach mine. Mostly that at least keeps some distance between my dog and theirs - as a last resort I have thrown treats for the other dog as a distraction so I can get mine out of the situation, but I don't like doing it as some dogs can food aggressive and it just makes things worse.

I have no issue telling owners to bloody control their animals though, and to get their dogs away from mine. I've got some right filthy looks and comments in the past but they won't stop me advocating for my dog.

I’ve been known the grab the collar of an over friendly dog to hold it back.

You can buy leads, collars etc, I think they are yellow with the word anxious, nervous etc on. It might indicate to the owner that your dog needs a little space. Don't have to use it everyday but it might help in different situations.

I follow a dog trainer on instagram (southend dog training or something?) who said if a dog comes barrelling towards you, you can try loudly saying "sit" because, at best, it will understand the command and comply, or if you say it in a firm enough tone, it might make it hesitate ie stop/slow down...sounded weird at first but seems to make a bit of sense to me!

Yeah we have one. This. https://amzn.to/47RZEBu

It mostly works to make people feel bad after their dog has bounded up, but it’s worth a try.

Thank you all. I feel a bit more confident now.

@ChuckSpadina Please stop for knowing Southend
dog trainer. His methods are cruel and outdated nonsense dressed up as kind. He is honestly one of the worst examples of dog trainers I have ever come across.

For the sake of your dog please find a proper force free trainer

These are absolutely useless.

I have a pug in an anxious yellow harness, vest and lead and people let their dogs run at her daily.

What's wrong with Southend dog trainer? Genuinely interested to know v I'm a first time dog owner and follow his account and thought he sounded v sensible. (But I don't walk my dog in a collar, he's still in a harness)

If you criticise him on here, you get threatened with his lawyers.

Have a look on TikTok for lots of reasons why he should never be recommended to anyone.