Dangerous Dogs!

[scoob999]

Near the end of our last walk we heard barking in the distance and a man shouting, the next thing we knew this dog was running straight for us with it's hackles up barking and growling like mad, with the owner running behind it shouting it's ok he just likes barking the dog stood in front of us growling then started sniffing at the side of the grass till we passed and then came at us again I had my poles at the ready by this time and when the owner got there he said the dog had a thing about poles! WTF!

What should I have done? what would you do?

[The Rodmiester]

Near the end of our last walk we heard barking in the distance and a man shouting, the next thing we knew this dog was running straight for us with it's hackles up barking and growling like mad, with the owner running behind it shouting it's ok he just likes barking the dog stood in front of us growling then started sniffing at the side of the grass till we passed and then came at us again I had my poles at the ready by this time and when the owner got there he said the dog had a thing about poles! WTF!

What should I have done? what would you do?

Where about was this Scoob , just so I'm warned.

[scoob999]

Inchnadamph Rod, the ben more, conival route, the houses at the start near the road

[BobMcBob]

I don't own dogs, I don't see the point in them, but I do have friends with dogs that I can't help but love, and I did spend far too much of my time as a kid trespassing on farms and avoiding farm dogs. My normal response to any overinquisitive noisy yapping mutt is to look it straight in the eye and say in a loud and determined voice "What's the bloody matter with you, you miserable hound?" That usually seems to work.

[Morecambe Monkey]

Sadly a very common problem when i'm at work, but thankfully not encountered this in the hills etc (yet). You did the right thing getting your poles ready,getting something like a bag or in this case your poles between you & the dog will usually deter it from actually attacking unless it's hell bent on having a go,in which case it's better it gets a mouthful of your bag or poles than your leg! Try not to show aggression or fear & retreat slowly while always facing the dog. As for the owner saying it 'has a thing about poles' this is just the owner making an excuse & shifting the blame onto you when in fact it is their inability to control the dog which is the problem. The usual excuses i hear are "It doesn't like your jacket or bag" & my most recent favourite "It's because you're wearing a cap".
Thankfully most dogs & their owners are not a problem & i love seeing dogs bounding about the hillside having the time of their lives.

[BobMcBob]

"It's because you're wearing a cap".

Ha! Love it when they come out with excuses like that.
Oh he's fine, he just doesn't like the colour green.
So why isn't he barking at the grass?

Oh, he never bites.
No, how does he eat?

NB just want to point out the vast majority of dogs are, in my experience, well behaved (and their owners likewise). This applies to the minority of numpties who can't control their pets.

[Giant Stoneater]

Carry a pepper spray that usually sorts the dog out and then you can use it on the irate owner

[RocksRock]

@RTC
"a boot in the Henrys if it attacked my wee Alfie!!! [That's my dog's name. - Not a euphemism.]"

chortle, chortle. loving it - I just needed a laugh after a long hard day fighting a silly planning applkcation down the road where I stay. Thank you!

[Munro83]

We have 2 german shepherds, who we take up the hills, they are off thier leads until we meet others etc. Then it's leads on until we are a wee distance away then they are back off the leads. My dogs are are lovely and soft. But I still put them on a lead to keep everyone happy- both people and the dogs- as there are plenty idiots who don't know or understand dogs.
In answer to your question, usually if the person says the dog is fine then it's fine but to be safe stay still unti they put the dog on a lead.
Although if it's a jack Russel then all deals are off and your better running to the hills!!

[bootsandpaddles]

We have 2 german shepherds, who we take up the hills, they are off thier leads until we meet others etc. Then it's leads on until we are a wee distance away then they are back off the leads. My dogs are are lovely and soft. But I still put them on a lead to keep everyone happy- both people and the dogs- as there are plenty idiots who don't know or understand dogs.
In answer to your question, usually if the person says the dog is fine then it's fine but to be safe stay still unti they put the dog on a lead.
Although if it's a jack Russel then all deals are off and your better running to the hills!!

This is just the kind of attitude that really annoys people who just don't want to be bothered by dogs when they out for a walk or a run. We are not idiots. We would just like people who have dogs to be more considerate and keep their animals under control. It is not for us to avoid your animals, it is for you to prevent them from being a nuisance and a danger to others. As discussed previously in this thread, it is amazing the number of ridiculous excuses dog owners put forward to put the blame on people who just going about their own business and trying to enjoy a walk.

[kmai1961]

"He's never done THAT before," said the lady, after her German Shepherd, on a lead, whirled around and bit me, quite badly, on the upper arm.

That was more than 17 years ago, and to this day, I remain very wary of any dogs (and owners) I don't know. In any location, under any circumstances. Caution and trepidation doesn't make me an idiot.

Karen

[Munro83]

I appreciate that not everyone wants a dog bounding upto then, hence the reason I always put my dogs on a lead- Its common courtesy.

[Munro83]

Also playing devils advocate again- maybe the dog has an issue with poles because he has been hit with them in the past by someone over reacting??
I'm not saying the dog growling etc is acceptable- Its 100% unacceptable.
There are plenty of friendly dogs who have wondered up to say hello to a stranger and ended up getting kicked or hit with a stick etc.

So yes the dog shouldn't be aggressive and the owner should have controlled the dog far better by being more proactive

[KatTai]

Carry a pepper spray that usually sorts the dog out and then you can use it on the irate owner

Unfortunately pepper spray is illegal in the UK, though you can make up a citrus spray to use in defence against a dog

I would be telling the owners about a very clever invention there is that stops dogs causing other people/dogs/livestock/wildlife a problem, and means the dog isn't worried by someone with walking poles/wearing a hat/with a dog on a lead/big dog/small dog/black dog/rainbow dog/whatever else they decide bothers their dog, it's called a lead...but apparently to some people this "lead" device is far more high-tech than anything Apple or the likes are bringing out so extremely difficult for them to get their heads around how to use it Maybe a app or something needs creating to help educate them on how to use it?

I have three dogs and I usually find making a sharp AH-AH noise stops an approaching dogs in their tracks or makes it keep it's distance (sometimes I should "AWAY" and point away, not sure why but that can work and the dog goes away), seems to p**s off some owners when I stop their dog doing what it wants though! Or maybe that's because all their shouting does nothing to stop their dog LOL

Stopping and standing still and not looking at the other dog can also diffuse a situation. With a friendly dog, turning your back on it can help, not something I'd do in your case as that dog was not friendly but in an non-aggressive situation. If you're not interesting then the dog tends to go find someone/another dog who is or maybe even get to the point where it decides to go back to it's owner!

You could also point out that you could report them for having a dog dangerously out of control, as you felt threatened (as most people would) this is enough under the new legislation for action to be taken against the owners (probably just a warning, if the owners can even be traced, but if they are local and several incidents end up being reported then more is likely to be done). A dog doesn't have to make contact for the owners to have committed an offence, you just need to be afraid that you were actually under threat by the dog.

[BobMcBob]

(on watching a dog lick its own privates)
"I wish I could do that"
Posh lady owner - "If you give him a biscuit he'll let you"


(With apologies to Jasper Carrott)