Raging Angry...

visidigi

Forgive me, but I need to put this down in order to help clear my head a little over what's just happened.

We've got two midi jacks, just over a year old which we put in the car, strapped up in the back safely for the short drive to our local common and woods - its a VAST grass and wooded area, well respected by the 1000's of dog walkers that go there each and every day - at any given time there are 50+ dogs in the area. It's the sort of area you drive to, not walk.

So we've been going here for about four months with the pups, they love it, and they are off the lead (as are all dogs, the only exception I've seen are young puppys and angry staffs). We walk over the green areas, into the woods and then back along the other side of the green area to the car - takes about an hour in total.

Today for the first time we saw a PCSO pushing her bike through the woods, just checking all was well in the woods I guess. We were right out of the back of the woods and from behind us a middle aged man was walking his 5-6 year old grandson through the woods along the path, just holding his hand.

Now our two midi jacks are usually calm, but sometime they react to loud shiouting or noises, they're friendly, and they may run up to you to say hello and usually all's ok.

For them it was ok, for this bloke is was like he had just been attacked, he started shouting at us to get our dogs under control, accusing the dogs of trying to bite his grandsons face. I walk up towards the man to get the dogs to come with us - it is then at this point the man swings at one of the dogs to KICK him.

I shouted to the man to try that again and he would get a personal one on one experience of what an actual kick felt like. Unbeleivably as the dogs started to come back towards us he kept shouting, the dogs then went back towards him thinking they were being called - he then kicked one of the dogs again.

I have never lost it like I did, but I was inches from him and I was just about to knock him out when the PCSO had obviously heard the commotion and came back to us.

She insisted I put the leads back on the dogs and I did so, the guy walking his grandson in this huge forest then said that I should have them on the lead from the start and thats how it should be.

I pointed out they are in a forest, under control and not violent - they are puppies for god sake, still this guy said I should have them on a lead at all times, I said he should pick the kid up if there was a problem which he wanted to avoid (there are loads of dogs walking round at this point off the lead which we are warning away from the guy before they get too close).

The PCSO said he had a right to be there, to which I agreed, but he also shouldn't go into an area well known for dogs when he clearly doesn't like them.

I also pointed out if the kid was afraid fo dogs then they should be in a childrens part which is segregated from dogs and other park activity for this reason.

As you can probably tell im raging angry, you might not agree with my standpoint, but it totally changed when he kicked the dogs, no matter what, he kicked the dog. The PCSO was useless, no help whatsoever. I had to hold the missus back, she was baying for the guy's face lol

What really gets me angry is the male pup is now afraid of going near feet, even ours, and I really don't want him to be like that, its really upsetting when we've made such great progress with the two little ones - they're house trained, walking well in the parks off the lead, happily playing with other dogs much bigger than them - they've been an absolute delight, but its been hard work - this guy has really caused the male to be afraid, its really out of order

I feel better now I've ranted, and thanks for getting this far if you have

Shepherd1

I can understand your anger that your dog has been kicked and I hope he is ok but You cannot allow your dog to run up to strangers. The man and child have every right to walk there without dogs running up to them, it is your responsibility to control your dogs.

visidigi

I figured I would get that reply - and I do agree with you, although I disagree it was only us that had to do something, there was no risk to them with our dogs running up, they are friendly and merely saying hello.

This 'person' appeared and shouted to get the dogs off them (they were round their feet, just like the other dogs in the woods) he had the same opportunity to lift his grandson up if there was a concern - owner and grandparent, equal expectation.

He didn't see to take kindly to me suggesting I kick his grandchild if it ran up to me.

Errata

Midi Jacks? Is this some new breed? How big are they? Why didn't you call them back to you as soon as they took off if you have them under control?

roxy13

I can understand why you are angry, i would be fuming as well. How dare he kick your dog and its only a puppy. I got bitten as a child by a dog and was a bit nervous around them for a while but i would never ever kick any animal. Hope your pup is okay though.
xx

Shepherd1

I do agree with you it is unacceptable to kick an animal and I would be raging too. I too have a pup but mine is a german shepherd and maybe I am more aware because of her size that it is also unacceptable to let dogs run up to strangers.

I does sound like the man over reacted but you don't know how people will react so for the safety of your dogs it would be better to keep them on the lead.

shellsuit

Why should he have had to pick his Grandson up when all that was needed was the leads on the dogs?

Fair play, he should not have kicked out at the dogs, but if a dog came without 6" of my child's face, I'd do what I had to to protect my child too.

Why should kids have to stay in a children's part? Kids should be able to run free without the fear of being attacked by a dog.

How many young kids do you know attack dogs??

elsien

If he thought they were attacking his grandson, what did you expect him to do, stand there and let it happen?
If you're not a dog person, then dogs running towards you are scary, even if they are puppies - were they excited and jumping up by any chance?
If your pups ran up towards my dog, even if they meant no harm, she is likely to react in a negative way.
I'm sorry your pups got hurt and are now scared of people, but you can't assume everyone knows how dogs will react and when they are being friendly.

visidigi

Errata wrote: »

Midi Jacks? Is this some new breed? How big are they? Why didn't you call them back to you as soon as they took off if you have them under control?

Size/photos - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=47058909&postcount=3 (they are not minature jacks, bigger than that, but not parsons, midi is just a style wive given them, they are not big dogs.

We did call them back, the problem was he swung at one almost immediately, therefore the dog was trying to run away, with all the shouting and commotion the dogs were thinking it was play time.

They were put on the leads by us and stood stationary the whole time, not even pulling while this jackass tried to make out we were the scum of the earth.

I understand the control aspect, and I feel we were, there were in the middle of the woods playing ball and were less than two minutes earlier were playing with a pile of other dogs all off their lead.

It was almost like one of those planet aligning moments, in all the months we've been to the woods not once has a PCSO, police or anything of the like ever been in there.

I must stress, I know hes entitled to be there and so are we, that I am not disputing, his behaviour though is not at all welcome.

Sambucus_Nigra

No offence but you don't know what your dogs will do - and they should have been on leads. To suggest kicking his grandchild is abhorrent and to be honest, not surprising having seen some of the holier than thou dog owners that frequent parks these days.

rising_from_the_ashes

I'm afraid I will agree with the others about the dogs running up - some people are scared of them so if I'm somewhere with loads of people (especially kids as I know how unpredictable they/the parents can be) I make sure he's close and doesn't get to the point where he won't recall. If I see really young kids, I put him on the lead (even if we're in the woods on the beach etc).

However, there is no excuse for this man kicking your dog - I would be furious to.

To try to help the wee one recover (and this may sound nuts) try starting off with putting a treat between your feet and letting him take it with no reaction. Keep doing this and then gradually stroke him with your feet after he's had the treat.