I’m (apparently) a bad dog owner because…

[TeenLifeMum]

Out at our local country park in the fields that are primarily used for dog walking - lots of friendly owners and dogs. If you see one on a lead you pop yours on too while you pass but most are off lead and well behaved.

Today I was walking with a friend and bumped into a group we knew so we stopped for a chat. My sprocker was running round with her bell then came and sat by me and dropped the ball at my feet. I was still chatting and she was waiting patiently so all good. A Labrador suddenly came over and swiped the ball from in front of my feet while my submissive year old spaniel just looked on sadly, but stayed sitting. I called out to the Labrador owner lady “i think your dog has our ball” and lady said “well we don’t do balls so I’ll struggle to get that back”. I replied we weren’t in a hurry so happy to wait and let her manage her dog.

our friends carried on their walk and I waited chatting with my friend and spaniel played with some other dogs. Lady with ball took more than 10 minutes trying by throwing a ball she had with her, eventually got her dog on a lead and got the ball. I walked over and collected it from her saying “thank you”. She replied snappily “YOU need to be aware that not all dogs can have balls and realise you caused this!” I laughed because I was quite taken aback. I didn’t give her dog our ball, she allowed her dog to walk over to our group when she knew her dog was bad stealing balls, her dog had minimal recall or drop commands yet she had them off lead. My dog sat at my feet yet she thinks I caused the issue for having a ball with me.

I’m still amused/baffled hours later. There were other witnesses who reassured me I wasn’t insane, which was nice.

I didn’t see that bit tbh. But my point stands, nonissue.

And balls are terrible for dogs joints. So no one comes out looking particularly good.

Our terrier is a ball stealer. Has no interest in the slightest in a ball of his own and looks like he has never had a moments training if he nicks a ball!
We watch him carefully but on the odd time it happens, I think it's dealt with in good humour by all concerned.
Your woman sounds nuts

Perhaps, by the lady's "we don’t do balls" she just meant her dog had been neutered?

No, you’re not insane OP. That dog lady is nuts. There’s a few of them about!

She’s a fucking idiot.

My lab is ball obsessed and will steal other dogs balls given a minuscule chance.

When that happens I always apologise profusely, acknowledging his wickedness as a ball thief, and return the ball to the owner within seconds.

If she can’t get a ball off her dog, it’s not properly under her control.

YANBU! Neither you nor your dog were the issue.

I once got told off by a dog owner for allowing my kids to play football in the park. Apparently having a football in the park was too much temptation for dogs. The dog took the football and literally ripped it to shreds whilst it's owner half heartedly tried to get the ball if it (TBF I wouldn't have gone near the dog, it looked possessed). When I confronted the owner (with a tearful son), he said it was my fault for playing football in a park where there were dogs and refused to pay. And people wondering why my son was s scared of dogs! Some dog owners are just very entitled.

My dog goes mad for dogs chasing balls so I have to be on the regular look out.

But you can be considerate both ways:
I love the owners who move the direction in which they’re throwing the ball so it’s away from us, or pause the ball throwing until we’re past.

In your instance though OP you couldn’t have done anything differently and weren’t in the wrong!

In all fairness, the woman may have picked the ball up and hid it in her pocket to stop her own dog being preoccupied with it. I have done it myself.
An 'innocent' ball can quickly esculate into a fight because their prey drive, at times, is stronger than our desire for dogs to fit into a human's world.

I fostered a guide dog puppy and the trainer told me not to encourage balls. It can be so motivating for retrievers and cause difficulties for users when their dog is off lead. She loved balls and often used to try and join in games with other ball chucking people!

I’ve been that lab owner whose dog has stolen a ball. Seconds earlier, recalled perfectly to a call or a whistle. However, the ball was too high value and it did take a few minutes for me to get the dog and ball back. It’s as if my lab ‘s brain went into a different gear and switched off. I probably also would have said that he can be a bit ball obsessed, as a way of apologising. I also try to avoid people if I see them with a ball, although in this case, didn’t notice the ball by the owners feet.

Unfortunately there are some dog owners who seem to believe that it's their right to allow their poorly trained dog to roam freely and everyone else should stay indoors if they don't like it or even worse might do something that they don't like.

I have an anxious rescue dog. He gets very stressed if a strange dog or person approaches him at speed or comes too close. We are working on slow and careful training to help him but he will probably never be the sort of dog that loves everyone. We walk him on a lead and he wears a muzzle (just in case something unexpected happens- he has never hurt anyone). If I see an offlead dog approaching I tend to move away/distract him/turn around etc to avoid a conflict- it's pretty obvious that we don't want company. If an off lead dog runs at him/follows us and won't go away etc he will bark and his bark is loud and low. I have been told on numerous occasions that my dog barking when their dog has chased us, ignored all his body language and yapped in his face, has scared their dog and we are the problem. I have recently been informed (without a hint of recognition of the irony) by the owner of a small off-lead dog with absolutely no recall who was nipping at my dog's legs that I should not take my dog out in public if I can't control him to stop him barking at this. Some people are just arseholes.

Did she actually say you were a ‘bad dog owner’? She was obviously embarrassed at the contrast between your well behaved one and her own. I’d not give it another thought.

Springer x cocker. Started being bred by gamekeepers in the 30s/40s. I have one - fabulous working dog. 100% spaniel of course. Interestingly it’s only from 1902 that springers and cockers were seen as separate breeds, before that the litter would be split on size.

dog photo tax of mine…
and yes OP, she’s batshit crazy 😂

Yes it’s the turning at high speed. It can cause damage which is why things like tennis ball launchers need to be used sparingly.

Yes. It's incredibly dangerous. The pressure on the elbows when the dog skids to a halt, or turns sharply, is incredible. If you're doing it when your dog is young it's particularly dangerous - so for breeds like retrievers, they need to be at least physically mature (usually about 3 years) before you even try and start doing this.

https://thefriendlypetnurse.co.uk/the-pitfalls-of-ball-throwing/

https://www.coquetvets.co.uk/stick-and-ball-injuries

https://www.winclinic.co.uk/post/why-this-is-one-of-the-most-damaging-things-you-can-buy-for-your-dog

https://yumove.co.uk/blogs/dog-expert-advice/dog-ball-throwers-what-are-the-dangers

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/riney-canine-health-center/canine-health-information/playing-ball-safely

https://www.mcrehabilitation.com/blog/why-playing-fetch-with-your-dog-is-more-dangerous-than-you-think

There's a poster on MN who has a foster dog who is riddled with arthritis as a result of the previous owner basically just standing in a field and throwing a ball for it. It's incredibly common, particularly in Gun dogs.

That's not to say never play fetch, but doing it daily is just a terrible idea (and also unnecessary - lots of other ways to exercise your dog without throwing a ball for it).

Same! Mine would be the same to me too 😆

What a batty dog owner @TeenLifeMum Some of them really do baffle me

What an arse! My response would have been ‘It’s your dog that you need to be giving orders to, not me!’
cheeky sod!
If I had a ball thief I’d be sure to take a few spare balls and a bag of treats on every walk.
I had exactly the same situation recently with a lady whose dog pinched my dogs ball. I stood and waited for her to retrieve said ball and bring it back to me and she said ‘Why did you just stand there and watch me struggle?’ 🤣

This was step one of me being rather baffled 🤣

A well known term for a springer / working cocker mix. I mention the breed as anyone with a spaniel will understand the nature of such a dog.

Firstly - woman was using her own ball to try to swap so the “we don’t do balls” comment was confusing.

Secondly, yes it’s a bit of a non thing but I had no one to tell so posted here for a rant.

Thirdly, dog mostly runs with her ball in her mouth and occasionally asks me to throw it (by dropping it at my feet). She’s a working breed and needs a mix of stimulation. If I have a ball in my hand she will keep her whole concentration on me to the point she won’t chase a squirrel. Works better than treats. Previous cocker was all about treats. Any repetitive action for humans or dogs can be harmful but that doesn’t mean never throwing a ball.

Then a polite “sorry” would have been fine. I was being very chilled about the whole thing.

We all know even the best trained dogs can be dicks at times, so I get that and I wasn’t cross at all. She was a bit of a wet lettuce getting the ball but no big deal. My objection is the reprimand she then gave me.

side note: I’d never throw a ball when other dogs are close by - totally understand that’s too tempting for some.