Terrified I'll get in trouble

Free_Spirit_31

jaylee3 wrote: »

Offering an alternative slant; I'm not gonna lie, I am actually afraid of dogs. Especially big ones and ones that have a 'reputation.' I don't like going into peoples houses unless they put their dog in another room. Sorry if this offends anyone and you are free to be p1ssed off with me. I was attacked twice as a child though and one left me with a 2" long scar on my thigh. One dog was loose in the street, and one dog was a friend's dog!

If I am walking and I see someone with a dog on the loose (and this happens maybe 2 or 3 times a month,) I panic. The chances of the dog attacking is probably less than half a percent but I just feel scared.

If they have their dog on a lead, I am pretty OK to be honest, because I know that the vast majority of dog owners are responsible and can control their dogs well.

I was walking down a not-very-busy road the other day and a man had TWO rottweillers not on leads (a bit irresponsible no matter what the dog imo,) and I damn near cacked myself!

They walked past me, and looked as if to say 'what ya lookin' at, sniffed the air tossed their heads, and carried on walking.' So as I said, the chances are high, that a dog is NOT going to attack.

Playing devil's advocate though, there have been some attacks - some fatal - where the dog is not under control and is not restrained. So despite the fact people love their dogs, and assume they are soft, and will never ever attack, you just cannot take that chance, so the guy with 2 loose rottweillers was very irresponsible.

I also had an incident last year, where a big family on an estate I used to live on had their 3 pitbulls running around in the drive, not on leads at all, and one of them came up to me and my niece, barking and growling: I was terrified. I went into the garden of someone I didn't know to 'escape,' and his owner called him back. Maybe he wouldn't have hurt me or my niece, but I was not taking any chances.

All this said, I have never reported anyone whose dog barked at me, and growled at me, I have seen people with dogs with no leads in the streets I have walked down, (the street they live in) and think they are very irresponsible. But I have never reported anyone, and it's unlikely I ever would. Only if the dog did actually attack, and it was not under control at the time. So if I had been the takeaway delivery person, I would have been marginally disgruntled, and then moved on and forgotten about it.

Sorry if I offend anyone: I am just giving a slightly different view.

I don't dislike dogs, I am just pretty scared of them. Maybe an irrational fear in most cases, but I can't help it sorry.

I am not offended by your post at all. I used to be scared of big dogs until I owned one. I am always on the look out while walking, alone and with the dog for any other dogs that are off the lead.

I would not feel offended if someone said that they would not come to my house if the dog was excitable. It is just basic good manners to make a guest feel welcome.

catkins

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

I must admit that I wouldn't be happy about someone "trying to train" their big dog where my children were playing. If "trying to train" means "not yet trained" (which it does to my mind) then that presents a danger.
Yes, the child shouldn't have scooted at the dog. And it's certainly no excuse for the woman's attitude:

But I can understand her being wary of the "untrained big dog" around her children.

This took place on a pedestrian street in town. Not really a place for children to play is it? Plus, as I said the street is about 20 foot wide. We were walking to one side with the dogs on short leads so no need whatsoever for the boy to ride his scooter at the dog. If it had been a younger child I may have understood it more although the mum should have made sure he was not riding at dogs or people but the boy was old enough to know better.

If I don't take him where there are people how is he going to learn how to behave? Anyway he is usually pretty good but having a scooter ridden at him made him excited. He doesn't normally take much notice of people or children.

The woman and her "untrained" child had no need to come close to my dog.

JimmyTheWig

catkins wrote: »

This took place on a pedestrian street in town. Not really a place for children to play is it?

Sorry, I read "path" and my mind turned it into "path through a park".
As it was the high street that's different. Smaller children would be closer to their parents than they would be in a park and so less chance of anything going wrong.

Free_Spirit_31

catkins wrote: »

My dog is a great guard dog and goes mad every time there is someone at the door. I make him go in his crate while I answer the door. It means I don't have to worry about him getting out and running into the road.


I have 2 dogs and one is a rescue. He is only just a year old and has not had a very good life so far. He has no aggression and loves everything and everyone but gets very excited when out which I am working on.


A couple of weeks ago me and OH were walking our dogs and a boy of about 11 was on a child's scooter on the path. It was a very wide path (about 20feet) but the boy came up fast straight towards the rescue dog and then swerved just before he touched him. The dog started jumping and barking in excitement. Me and OH were trying to calm him down when the boy's mum came running over screaming and shouting at us. She shouted "Is that dog tame?" and when I tried to explain he was young and we were trying to train him she just screamed at us saying he should not be in the street where there were children. I was trying to avoid a row but was not prepared to take the abuse she was giving us so calmly pointed out that her child had almost run into the dog for no apparent reason when there was plenty of room to avoid him and that he was old enough to know better. Cue more abuse and threats that she would report us as we had a dog that was unsafe around children!

To be honest, I would be quite annoyed if this mother was mouthing off to me in the street, a woman bellowing in the street is so unbecoming, in the area I live, it is overwhelmed with fish wives! LOL!

I think her making threats about reporting you and the dog is an idle threat! The dog did not attack him, unless she is the sort that would inflict a wound on her darling offspring and pervert the course of justice!

I wonder if her name is Violet Kray and she can see no wrong and is completely oblivious to what her blue eyed boy is doing! When I walk my dog, I stand aside with my dog and tell the dog to do the same and let people by. I do encounter some kids, once, some young boys were shouting 'Doggy, doggy' and I told them not to call him because he will get too excited. I have my ipod on and hopefully people can see the earphone leads and know that I am not ignoring them, when really I am! LOL My dog loves kids and is about the height of a toddler, so the dog could look like he is overpowering the kids calling him (these boys were about 10 or so). If anyone wants to stroke him, I just make a joke about hoping they do not get slobber on them! LOL

I think it is her that needs to train her child and keep control of him in public instead of him hot wheeling it down the road, while she is too busy liking things on Facebook or posting something on Mumsnet! I bet she would be the sort that would sue a car manufacturer if her son blindly ran into the road and got ran over by a car!

Reams

As long as you tipped the delivery driver madvixen, he'll hardly have noticed the dog. They get paid such a pittance that anything you tip is a bonus. Also bear in mind that it's unlikely anyone with dog fear would take a delivery job.
My postman some years back rugby tackled my dog as he shot out the door to save him from danger, he wouldn't have gone further than the van which was on my property, just excited. I asked how he knew the dog was friendly to try such a thing? He told me that just one week in the job meeting so many dogs enabled him to suss them on sight.
I watch the Dog Rescue programme, on C5 I think and the RSPCA inspectors also seem to know instinctively which dogs are "safe". Some I can say would terrify me.

zaksmum

I actually once heard a mother say to her misbehaving kid "If you don't stop that, this dog will bite you!" pointing at my elderly, almost toothless mutt who was minding his own business.

So the kid started screaming the place down, frightening the life out of the poor old dog, who then started barking. The mother yelled "keep that f*@kin' dog under control, will ya??"

I despair sometimes. I really do.

Reams

Rev wrote: »

I feel your pain. I have two staffys. One is fear aggressive.

I am terrified whenever I walk him even though I take every precaution. Muzzle, short lead. Go our when it's quiet. Avoid people as much as possible (he is a rescue and hit and miss with both strange dogs and hoodie types). Follow the behaviourist advice. Zylkene etc.


But still I'm terrified because people automatically assume he is being aggressive and not because he's scared.


My other boy is daft as a brush but still. I am on edge whenever I take them out because people only have to look at them and they form the wrong impression.

Wish you lived near me Rev. Mine is a different breed, also adopted but was a snarling monster with other dogs. Would start with flattening himself to be invisible then lunge for the dog as it came by.
Dog walking became a lonely, miserable chore, all three years of it. I found a place who tested him. Got me walking him and then brought their own big dog from behind me to walk along side. Mine was pretty scared but didn't get aggressive. The approach from behind seemed to work rather than face to face. Wonder if you have friends who would try that with you?
They held regular walks for socialising FA dogs, £5 a walk I believe.
Before I could take him back there, I became unable to walk him for 4 weeks so got a walker everyday.
She stood no nonsense and took him straight into a mix of dogs,
not just her charges but all the other professional walkers dogs as well. He could hardly take them all on and behaved perfectly she told me, which I found hard to believe.


He now is the calmest dog ever on a walk. On lead or off, chasing his ball. He ignores other dogs completely and if one comes up and towers over him, he stands still until they lose interest.


We are our own worst enemies, as I used to so tense at seeing another dog and the remarks that would follow from their owner, followed by my, "Sorry, he's a rescue dog, something must have happened in his past."


I hope you stick at finding the right person who will not train your dog, but socialise him. That seems to have been the key with mine.

Rev

Reams wrote: »

Wish you lived near me Rev. Mine is a different breed, also adopted but was a snarling monster with other dogs. Would start with flattening himself to be invisible then lunge for the dog as it came by.
Dog walking became a lonely, miserable chore, all three years of it. I found a place who tested him. Got me walking him and then brought their own big dog from behind me to walk along side. Mine was pretty scared but didn't get aggressive. The approach from behind seemed to work rather than face to face. Wonder if you have friends who would try that with you?
They held regular walks for socialising FA dogs, £5 a walk I believe.
Before I could take him back there, I became unable to walk him for 4 weeks so got a walker everyday.
She stood no nonsense and took him straight into a mix of dogs,
not just her charges but all the other professional walkers dogs as well. He could hardly take them all on and behaved perfectly she told me, which I found hard to believe.


He now is the calmest dog ever on a walk. On lead or off, chasing his ball. He ignores other dogs completely and if one comes up and towers over him, he stands still until they lose interest.


We are our own worst enemies, as I used to so tense at seeing another dog and the remarks that would follow from their owner, followed by my, "Sorry, he's a rescue dog, something must have happened in his past."


I hope you stick at finding the right person who will not train your dog, but socialise him. That seems to have been the key with mine.

Thanks.


I don't have any friends with dogs so nobody I can try that with.


I don't have the cash right now but soon as I get a job I will be looking for someone who specialises in fear aggressive dogs and can help socialise him properly.


I don't get frustrated with him, he can't help it and is just reacting to his fear in the only way he knows he. It's not as if he can say 'I'm a bit scared, can we go home now please'. But it does make me sad that people out and about just see this typical aggressive staff and not the soppy, daft cuddle monster I get to see.

RuthnJasper

zaksmum wrote: »

I actually once heard a mother say to her misbehaving kid "If you don't stop that, this dog will bite you!" pointing at my elderly, almost toothless mutt who was minding his own business.

So the kid started screaming the place down, frightening the life out of the poor old dog, who then started barking. The mother yelled "keep that f*@kin' dog under control, will ya??"

I despair sometimes. I really do.

I completely know what you mean - all this new legislation over dogs and yet any complete muppet can have children...

zaksmum

RuthnJasper wrote: »

I completely know what you mean - all this new legislation over dogs and yet any complete muppet can have children...

Pity some people don't have to pass a capability assessment before being allowed to have kids. A bit like they'd have to do when trying to adopt a child!