I am never backwards at being forward with other dog owners when necessary. Even when they are apologising. I haven't had a complaint yet, but woe betide if I do and they are in the wrong.
Thanks so much for everyone's support...much, much appreciated.And to all those lovely comments on my well behaved dog...thanks everyone, but I don't feel like Pearl is that great at walking past, but thankfully (not sure if it is my training - I don't think) she doesn't bark. She's not too bad though...mostly just runs on ahead, pulling at lead, as she gets excited.
I would use this as a training opportunity for LAT. I never pass a barking dog without training, it pays dividends down the line. Hattie knows every barking/running dog behind every fence or gate in our village and immediately looks at me for a treat walking calmly past, she never barks back, lunges, pulls on the lead or wants to investigate. Charlie is really good too I think Pearl does very well so you could up your training to stop her pulling and train for calmness whilst walking past these dogs using high value treats. x
Same as in she does agree (no tiger though). She has said though one of these days I will get into strife, yes well that is what the camera and authorities are for
My dogs bark when someone walks a dog past, lol. I've never complained. Good grief! As long as I'm on public property, I'll walk my dogs whereever I please. If someone doesn't like it, they can move
When we walk up our road, there is a little Pom who hurls himself at the window, barking (Coco has learned to ignore him ). The lady doesn't complain, it's not my fault. When anyone walks past my house with a dog, Coco gets up & barks. It's not their fault - I would never blame them for my dog's barking.
There are two golden retrievers who go ballistic when we walk up their road. Our dog just looks at them - he never barks back at any dogs, usually ignores them. One day the owner came out and went ballistic at us for pausing outside his gate (on a public pavement). We said nothing. But we now walk on the opposite side of the road - the owner is an idiot, and his dogs are completely bored. Unfortunately our neighbour allowed her puppy to bark incessantly when he was very young. I wanted to recommend she nip this in the bud (it sounded cute then, but I knew it could get worse), but she is not the most amenable character (we got a mouthful for asking her to stop her kids screaming and shouting below our bedroom window). Now, she has a problem - dog is bigger and barks at absolutely everything - people, cars, dogs, etc. I’m sure she’s had complaints because she is constantly having to call him inside. A barking dog is the owner’s responsibility, not someone walking past on public property.
The owner of the barking dogs is probably feeling embarrassed about it and taking that out on you as a coping mechanism. You've done nothing wrong.
I'd say that is quite likely. I have an alert barker and it's not always easy to keep your cool. I have opened my front door and "shhhhed" people who have been making a racket in the hallway whilst I've been inside frantically trying to desensitise him against the noise. It would be SO much easier if people just shut the hell up Of course, it's not their responsibility, and I'm not necessarily proud of it, but we're all human and we trigger stack, too. Sometimes our tolerance is too low to cope and we lash out. I am trying to stop and think "what could have happened to that person to make them behave that way?" (ideas: being cut up by someone whilst out driving, their kid being ill, an argument with their partner, stubbing their toe on the doorframe) rather than thinking "what a knobber!" (which is definitely my first instinct ). We all have moments of weakness and reactivity, I'd advise trying to not let someone else's add to your own stress levels otherwise you might find yourself being that person farther on down the line
