Raging Angry...

Sambucus_Nigra

visidigi wrote: »

My dogs are my children to me. The abhorrent thing is a suggestion? Are you mad? The abhorrent thing is phyiscally doing it, this guy kicked my 'kid' I would NEVER kick an animal or a child, I, fortunately, have the self control to use words.

No, they aren't children. They are animals. Which is why we don't know what is going through their minds. Ever.

And it was you that suggested kicking his grandchild, not me.

visidigi

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

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.

The guy came up behind us, if I had seen him I would have put them on the lead - he'd kicked the dog as I was turning round.

Thanks for the tips, we'll give that a go.

Gingham_R wrote: »

No wonder you're angry. What a horrible thing to happen to your puppy.

But I agree with the other posters. This isn't a dog park - it's a public area where lots of dog walkers go. Children shouldn't have to be confined to play parks within a vast area of grass and woodland. They should be out exploring it without having to be afraid of dogs that approach them barking. It can be very scary, whether or not the owner knows the dog is harmless.

I never said they should be confined, there was no opportunity given for me to do anything about it, they came from behind, they would have seen us and the dogs off the lead from over 90 meters away (the forest IS that big and the path we were on was that long) - he had multiple opportunities to warn us or take a different path (as we do sometimes if there are big dogs coming down the paths) - first I knew about it was when he was 8-10 meters behind me.

This kid was fine, didn't scream, didn't shout, didn't say anything or shake or nothing, if anything he wanted to touch the dogs whenthey were on thelead but this grandfather thought otherwise.

Why_oh_why

visidigi wrote: »

So I should keep my dog on a lead at all times of its life, even in a big massive forest that is well known for dog walkers? I am sorry, but its not right for a dog to be kept on its lead all its life, 99% of the dogs in this woodland are off their lead whilst in the woods (the only one ive seen on a lead is a fred basset who is 100% blind).

OK, so you dog is off it's lead and runs up to another dog - you say to that dogs owner, 'it's fine, he's friendly'. That's cool, however, your dog has run up to a dog that is not friendly, that dog is on his lead minding his own business but then is disturbed by another dog (yours), the dog on his lead attacks your dog - but it's fine, your dog is friendly!!

This is one of my soapbox subjects - I am completely fed up with other dogs running up to my dog and having to pick him up (he is a big dog and I have had multiple muscle pulls) because he is extremely nervy around other dogs.

Errata

visidigi wrote: »

My dogs are my children to me. QUOTE]

In that case, your dogs will never, ever be in the wrong.

Sambucus_Nigra

visidigi wrote: »

The guy came up behind us, if I had seen him I would have put them on the lead - he'd kicked the dog as I was turning round.

Then how do you know how close the dog was if you didn't see it?

Myrtle77

Errata wrote: »

visidigi wrote: »

My dogs are my children to me. QUOTE]

In that case, your dogs will never, ever be in the wrong.

What a helpful response that is Errata.

Sounds to me like much of this has been blown out of proportion. He was probably an over-cautious Grandad, who overreacted to the situation.

Perhaps he was right to grumble, and you were quite right to admonish him for his treatment of your dogs.

visidigi

Myrtle77 wrote: »

You have my sympathies Visidigi. I've had a passer by on a beach throw a rock at my dog whilst out walking, and she wasn't even anywhere near her. It's understandable if people are under genuine threat, but some people are just prone to overreact to dogs (or animals in general), and think that the whole world should shift around them.

I had a confrontation with someone once, because they simply objected to my sweet-natured staffie-whippet cross walking past them, minding her own business. I now have an innate distrust of anyone who doesn't like dogs

Glad im not alone in feeling the way I do.

Shepherd1 wrote: »

No your dogs shouldn't be on the lead at all times if they have perfect recall. Do they?

They do, and they did recall, they came out of the woods at the point where this guy decided to stand 10 meters away and shout at them.

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Yup. That's about the sum of it. Why should people not take their children out [or walk themselves] just so that your dog can have 'freedom'?

If you haven't got the space at home for your dog to run free, then perhaps you should think again about owning a dog.

By the same notion, Im entitled to give my 'kids' freedom to roam within my control.

200ft garden - they have plenty of room, but I provide walk them for the social and exercise aspect too - we've been going months and met 100's of dogs, only two couple in months walking without a dog - this is the first time we've encountered a person with kid and no dog.

And don't tell me what I can and cant own - I dont have a kid - I could say most of the people in my city shouldnt have a kid as they cant afford the standard of living befitting a child. Swings and roundabouts...

visidigi

Errata wrote: »

visidigi wrote: »

My dogs are my children to me. QUOTE]

In that case, your dogs will never, ever be in the wrong.

Yes they will, like a child can be wrong, they've chewed a shoe, scratched a door - they've done the things dogs do wrong in the same way kids do the things they do wrong.

I accept and element of thier behaviour here was not good, but I cant tell them off for it when a member of the public kicks them now can I????

visidigi

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Then how do you know how close the dog was if you didn't see it?

The guy was within 10 meters as previously mentioned, I turned round as he swung at the dog, the other half had turned round before me...

Sambucus_Nigra

visidigi wrote: »

By the same notion, Im entitled to give my 'kids' freedom to roam within my control.

But they weren't in your control; which is the crux of the matter. And they aren't your 'kids'. They are animals.