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Scary experience in the park

21 replies

Dilysthemilk · 16/11/2025 17:29

Just had such a scary experience in the park with our dog (Lhasa Apso cross). A large what looked like Afghan crossed with a Greyhound came bounding over, barking aggressively at us, trailing a long line with the owner way across the field. It started to run in ever decreasingly tight circles around our dog barking loudly whilst our dog began crying in fear. Owner still way across, shouting now but dog paying no attention. My husband ran over, picked up our dog and we walked away, we shouted over to the owner to come and get their dog, they were still shouting its name (uselessly as it was completely out of control!). We went through into the next field, dog followed us (owner still shouting uselessly!) we quickly walked away, our dog on a lead. As we looked back, the owner had reached the dog, still shouting but could not catch it! Warned the next person we met, who had a puppy, to go around and not past.
Maybe using a long lead because there was no recall, but this was no good as the dog had gone so far from its owner.
if our dog was a fighter (rather than a cryer!) could have been a really nasty situation.

OP posts:
Filofaxforlife · 16/11/2025 17:35

How long was the long line? From your description it sounds like it was over 100 metres. I didn’t know they came that length. The owner was clearly trying to keep the dog under control as it was on a lead. It sounds like a puppy. Over excited. No growling and you were able to pick your dog up. Personally I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid. We have a puppy. Her recall isn’t 100%. She approaches other dogs excitedly. Most of the time she stops on command but not always.

butterycroissants · 16/11/2025 17:52

As there were to of you, I'd have just had one of you take your own dog away while the other stood on the long-line so the owner could come and get their dog.

Dunnocantthinkofone · 16/11/2025 18:17

I appreciate it may have been scary but I can assure you that an aggressive dog does not run circles around you barking.
That doesn’t mean it should be allowed to happen though, the other owner had clearly lost control of the situation and was definitely at fault

21ZIGGY · 16/11/2025 18:20

Filofaxforlife · 16/11/2025 17:35

How long was the long line? From your description it sounds like it was over 100 metres. I didn’t know they came that length. The owner was clearly trying to keep the dog under control as it was on a lead. It sounds like a puppy. Over excited. No growling and you were able to pick your dog up. Personally I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid. We have a puppy. Her recall isn’t 100%. She approaches other dogs excitedly. Most of the time she stops on command but not always.

Then keep her on a lead

21ZIGGY · 16/11/2025 18:21

Something similarly annoying happened to me this morning. Some kind of poodle was jumping all over my dog.The owner was shouting it.The dog couldn't give a shit. My dog was getting stressed and annoyed. I kept walking. The owner shouted to me and said if you stop I'll be able to catch my dog i replied and said, no you need a lead, it's not my problem. I'm not standing still while your dog jumps all over mine and annoys it because you think youre entitled to have your uncontrollable dog off lead.

Dilysthemilk · 16/11/2025 18:47

It was definitely not in play. Just an ordinary long line the owner had completely lost control and the dog was far from them. No way were we going to do anything with a dog that was barking and lunging like that. We could read our dog’s body language and hear from its screams that it was terrified. The point is if you have absolutely no recall for your dog, a long line will not help!

OP posts:
butterycroissants · 16/11/2025 23:03

Dunnocantthinkofone · 16/11/2025 18:17

I appreciate it may have been scary but I can assure you that an aggressive dog does not run circles around you barking.
That doesn’t mean it should be allowed to happen though, the other owner had clearly lost control of the situation and was definitely at fault

Aggressive dogs absolutely do behave like that - I’ve had it happen to me several times on walks unfortunately.

butterycroissants · 16/11/2025 23:04

Dilysthemilk · 16/11/2025 18:47

It was definitely not in play. Just an ordinary long line the owner had completely lost control and the dog was far from them. No way were we going to do anything with a dog that was barking and lunging like that. We could read our dog’s body language and hear from its screams that it was terrified. The point is if you have absolutely no recall for your dog, a long line will not help!

I wasn’t saying for you to touch or grab the dog, just to stand on the line or grab it so the owner could come and get it instead of walking off.

Sweetleftfood · 17/11/2025 15:34

Sounds like recall training gone wrong, it happens and I also think it was a young over excited very fast dog. It may have seem scary to you but you just may want to learn a bit about dog behaviours as you probably will encounter more meetings in the future.

CurlewKate · 17/11/2025 17:08

Filofaxforlife · 16/11/2025 17:35

How long was the long line? From your description it sounds like it was over 100 metres. I didn’t know they came that length. The owner was clearly trying to keep the dog under control as it was on a lead. It sounds like a puppy. Over excited. No growling and you were able to pick your dog up. Personally I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid. We have a puppy. Her recall isn’t 100%. She approaches other dogs excitedly. Most of the time she stops on command but not always.

Then she should be on a lead!

Dilysthemilk · 17/11/2025 20:53

Sweetleftfood · 17/11/2025 15:34

Sounds like recall training gone wrong, it happens and I also think it was a young over excited very fast dog. It may have seem scary to you but you just may want to learn a bit about dog behaviours as you probably will encounter more meetings in the future.

Love that you can read the behaviour of a dog through the internet!

OP posts:
m00rfarm · 17/11/2025 20:56

Dilysthemilk · 16/11/2025 18:47

It was definitely not in play. Just an ordinary long line the owner had completely lost control and the dog was far from them. No way were we going to do anything with a dog that was barking and lunging like that. We could read our dog’s body language and hear from its screams that it was terrified. The point is if you have absolutely no recall for your dog, a long line will not help!

If it was on a long line, then how could they not catch it?

Dilysthemilk · 17/11/2025 21:17

m00rfarm · 17/11/2025 20:56

If it was on a long line, then how could they not catch it?

It was that far away from them. They seemed to be sure that just shouting might work. It didn’t!

OP posts:
Dunnocantthinkofone · 18/11/2025 09:18

butterycroissants · 16/11/2025 23:03

Aggressive dogs absolutely do behave like that - I’ve had it happen to me several times on walks unfortunately.

It was reactive, yes.
it was very poorly controlled, at best over excited and utterly socially inappropriate. None of which is good, obviously

But an aggressive dog intent on harm does not dance round you barking…..it attacks.

CurlewKate · 18/11/2025 09:37

“He’s just playing”. Classic insane dog person comment.

CurlewKate · 18/11/2025 09:37

“He’s just playing”. Classic insane dog person comment.

Dunnocantthinkofone · 18/11/2025 09:44

CurlewKate · 18/11/2025 09:37

“He’s just playing”. Classic insane dog person comment.

Eh? Where exactly has anyone said that?

butterycroissants · 18/11/2025 09:48

Dunnocantthinkofone · 18/11/2025 09:18

It was reactive, yes.
it was very poorly controlled, at best over excited and utterly socially inappropriate. None of which is good, obviously

But an aggressive dog intent on harm does not dance round you barking…..it attacks.

That’s not necessarily the case at all - my own dog was bitten a few years ago by a dog behaving exactly in the way OP describes - it started off circling and barking/growling, then got closer and closer and went for him. I couldn’t let mine off lead as we were near a road and I knew he would bolt.

tresales · 20/11/2025 10:00

Dunnocantthinkofone · 18/11/2025 09:18

It was reactive, yes.
it was very poorly controlled, at best over excited and utterly socially inappropriate. None of which is good, obviously

But an aggressive dog intent on harm does not dance round you barking…..it attacks.

No they don't unless they've practiced the behaviour multiple times and are confident in going straight into an attack. Circling and barking and causing mayhem is part of the prey sequence with an animal that will retaliate before a dog (or any canine) chooses a good moment to go in and actually attack...

OP was correct to be wary, sighthounds in particular showing behaviour like this are concerning with so many having recent hunting lineage.

Setyoufree · 20/11/2025 10:06

It sounds like recall training gone wrong to me. Given there's two of you, as a pp said, I would had one of us stand on the long line to give the owner a chance to catch up, and the other calmly walk my dog away. Picking your dog up is really unhelpful.

LoughboroughBex · 21/11/2025 09:37

m00rfarm · 17/11/2025 20:56

If it was on a long line, then how could they not catch it?

Assuming they had it on a long line but had dropped the end as the OP said it was trailing

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