Lady kicked my dog :(

heartbreak_star

Incidentally, those of you who are dog-phobic, there's plenty of help out there that doesn't involve hurting animals.

HBS x

dizziblonde

prowla wrote: »

Dogs having a sniff is like people shaking hands and saying hello.
Kicking a dog for that is ignorant and stupid.
I would suggest a report to the Police and/or RSPCA.

And if you have a dog you know gets upset around strange dogs (usually as a result of previous attacks) so you keep them on lead to try to manage greetings and make sure they only meet the sane neighbourhood residents and not Trevor the Satanic Terrier or Rambo the Jack Russell, and try to manage things so they greet other dogs calmly and start to undo some of the damage done - it can be INCREDIBLY frustrating for random dogs to be allowed to bowl up endlessly, usually accompanied by some drip whimpering "oh he only wants to say hello"... Like I say - months and months of the work I've been doing rehabilitating my dog (who couldn't put up much of an attack - she's got no teeth - but whom I'm not prepared to have thinking that gobbing off and trying to lunge even in a poke you with my nose kind of way is the way to behave) has been utterly demolished by the drip brigade locally.

And in case I'm accused of being anti-GSD... the only injury I know of in my family that happened at the hands of one was my police dog-handler uncle, who was playing the criminal at one of their public demonstrations, tripped over one of the dogs and fell arkwardly and broke his arm - I love the breed and they're one that my dog DOESN'T have issues with (it's little yappy dogs that their owners can't be bothered to train as they're only small which are the source of my nightmares).

It's good manners NOT to allow your dog to bowl up to on-lead dogs. It's also flipping common sense in case they ARE on-lead because of dog-aggression.... one of mine ends up on-lead a lot during the summer months because the daft plank flares up his hayfever running through fields of nettles given half the chance and makes his eyes swell up - I'll happily confirm he's fine, come and say hello... but the other one - she's on the lead because I have this need to manage dogs she gets to say hello to and try to GET her to become a polite, sociable member of society.

But since people are ignorant selfish pillocks who don't bother even trying to cooperate - because their dog's right to sniff butts overrides anyone with valid reasons to prevent butt sniffing... walks during the summer months when the fair-weather idiots are out are a flipping nightmare at times.

krlyr

dizziblonde wrote: »

And if you have a dog you know gets upset around strange dogs (usually as a result of previous attacks) so you keep them on lead to try to manage greetings and make sure they only meet the sane neighbourhood residents and not Trevor the Satanic Terrier or Rambo the Jack Russell, and try to manage things so they greet other dogs calmly and start to undo some of the damage done - it can be INCREDIBLY frustrating for random dogs to be allowed to bowl up endlessly, usually accompanied by some drip whimpering "oh he only wants to say hello"... Like I say - months and months of the work I've been doing rehabilitating my dog (who couldn't put up much of an attack - she's got no teeth - but whom I'm not prepared to have thinking that gobbing off and trying to lunge even in a poke you with my nose kind of way is the way to behave) has been utterly demolished by the drip brigade locally.

And in case I'm accused of being anti-GSD... the only injury I know of in my family that happened at the hands of one was my police dog-handler uncle, who was playing the criminal at one of their public demonstrations, tripped over one of the dogs and fell arkwardly and broke his arm - I love the breed and they're one that my dog DOESN'T have issues with (it's little yappy dogs that their owners can't be bothered to train as they're only small which are the source of my nightmares).

It's good manners NOT to allow your dog to bowl up to on-lead dogs. It's also flipping common sense in case they ARE on-lead because of dog-aggression.... one of mine ends up on-lead a lot during the summer months because the daft plank flares up his hayfever running through fields of nettles given half the chance and makes his eyes swell up - I'll happily confirm he's fine, come and say hello... but the other one - she's on the lead because I have this need to manage dogs she gets to say hello to and try to GET her to become a polite, sociable member of society.

But since people are ignorant selfish pillocks who don't bother even trying to cooperate - because their dog's right to sniff butts overrides anyone with valid reasons to prevent butt sniffing... walks during the summer months when the fair-weather idiots are out are a flipping nightmare at times.

I fully agree with your rant but this situation is two on-lead dogs in a narrow path. I don't see any "bowling up", and "It's OK, my dog's friendly!", or refusal to cooperate. How was OP to know that this lady and/or her dog had issues if nothing was said, no attempt was made to stop, change direction, shield her dog, etc.?
I often take note of the body language of other dog walks and gauge how they're going to react, and many others do the same with me. I'm suddenly stopping my quite brisk walk, and watching to see where they're heading, they tend to get the idea that I'm avoiding them and change direction or allow me to pass. Equally, if I spot someone constantly watching the horizon, tensing up at the sight of other dogs, etc. I assume that they would rather avoid us so make sure I skirt around at a distance or go another route. If I had just reached a part that had a narrow path, seen someone walking towards me who had not stopped or changed their route, I would assume that they were happy to pass by me and my dog in a narrow space.
OP is quite a sensible dog owner from what I've read on the forum so I'm sure if this other lady had just spoken up or even just taken action to avoid passing her in the path, OP would have taken notice and acted accordingly. While I try to avoid letting my dog approach other dogs without a brief "Is he/she OK?", a brief sniff down a narrow path is totally different to an off-lead dog bowling over across a park and I think the lady's reaction was very OTT if she made no effort to indicate her concerns beforehand.

Mr_Thrifty

heartbreak_star wrote: »

Incidentally, those of you who are dog-phobic, there's plenty of help out there that doesn't involve hurting animals.

HBS x

That's a good practical suggestion and worth taking up, although really it shouldn't actually be up to the person who is scared of dogs to "deal" with their fear. Rather, the people who own the dogs should keep them under control so they don't bother people in the first place. Sadly, it seems that many dog owners these days are controlled by the dog rather than the other way around.

Mr_Thrifty

purple.sarah wrote: »

there isn't a law that says they have to be on a lead

Do you know if there are any laws that say that dogs have to be kept under control?

gettingready

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

Do you know if there are any laws that say that dogs have to be kept under control?

It does not mean on a lead. Some owners have their dogs tottaly under control without the use of a lead.

POPPYOSCAR

I do not really understand how the woman got a chance to get a second kick in!

gettingready

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

it shouldn't actually be up to the person who is scared of dogs to "deal" with their fear..

Sorry - but why not?

If I am scared of flying to the point that I will go abroad - I will deal with that fear. Same if I am scared of say spiders or whatever else...

Their fear - their responsibility to deal with it.

heartbreak_star

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

That's a good practical suggestion and worth taking up, although really it shouldn't actually be up to the person who is scared of dogs to "deal" with their fear. Rather, the people who own the dogs should keep them under control so they don't bother people in the first place. Sadly, it seems that many dog owners these days are controlled by the dog rather than the other way around.

All irrational fears should be faced up to and dealt with. It's not that hard. (And before you flame me, I've done it.)

I think you'll find 99.9% of dogs don't bother 99.9% of people, it's the people that make a fuss that have issues.

HBS x

Mr_Thrifty

gettingready wrote: »

Sorry - but why not?

Because they have a right to go about their lives without being assaulted by other people's out-of-control animals.