i'm fed up with people telling me when their dogs go for Inky that it's either because he's not been castrated or that he's black! I'm no behaviourist but I can't see that he provokes these dogs other than it usually happens when he's on the lead. His face still isn't completely healed and yesterday someone bought their lab over on the lead to him, this dog then went for Inky, lucky on a bit with thick fur so no harm done. This time I was told the dog was seeing which was more dominant. What is wrong with people? Sorry, a rant but it's hard to know what to do. With the good weather there's far more people around. I wonder where their dogs are normally walked as it's not where we go.
Oh I'm sorry to hear. I've just started telling people that Ella is reactive so they can't say hello. I know it's not Ella's fault and I initially felt bad for saying that she was reactive (when she's not) but it has stopped a lot of people in their tracks.
@Inky lab , so sorry that this keeps happening to the lovely Inky, it must be upsetting for you. It seems to me that people make excuses for their dogs bad behaviour, he can't help being black, and I don'the see what the issue is around castration. Bring him up here to meet Cassie, so far she doesn't seem to care what colour other dogs are or if they are neutered or spayed
Very sorry you are having to deal with other peoples bad behaviour especially after Inky as been set about before You could buy a very bright lead that says "DO NOT APPROACH" or "IN TRAINING" any wording you like. You can buy them on EBay and Amazon for very little money, might keep other people away or do what @Emily does. You will always come across these owners, I do all the time and sometimes I really lose it with them I hope you are feeling a bit better tomorrow XX
Sorry you've had yet another stupid person looking for an excuse for their dog's poor behaviour. It's not right.
No need to say Ella is reactive, just that she has mange You won't see the other owners for dust! This was a suggestion made by the trainer of an excellent puppy class.
I'm sorry this keeps happening to you. I have to say that I did get to the point with Brogan that many times I would simply walk past most other dogs and give the owners a friendly smile but not get into the whole 'let our dogs meet' dance. Your own pace can help - if I kept a brisk pace with Brogan on a close heel, people seemed to take it well and the smile and nod worked nicely. If I was in 'having a stroll' mode, then we would get more of the 'let our dogs say hi' thing. But this is assuming that the other person with the dog is nice and normal and not a sausage head. Anyone who says that their dog attacks yours because Inky is black or castrated/not castrated or just to see who is more dominant is clearly an idiot. I had Carbon (my black Lab foster dog) out yesterday in the city for the first time and some people were actually insulted (and verbal about it) when I wouldn't let him greet their dogs. Then we got yelled at by one guy who felt I let Carbon get too close to his dog - no greeting or aggression between the two dogs, just calmly walking by each other on a narrow and crowded pedestrian street. Yeesh. You can't win sometimes. Luckily we also met a really nice yellow Lab and her friendly owner at the end of the walk, so it was nice to end on a positive experience.
That is so rotten for you and poor little Inky. What utter codswallop people saying their dogs go for him because he's black I just can't understand this sort of behaviour. If either of my dogs showed aggression to another - regardless of colour - I'd be devastated and would most certainly not try to blame the poor dog who was attacked. Good suggestions from everyone here, just a shame you have to resort to this sort of thing through no fault of Inky's at all. I hope you find a friendly dog soon that you can both walk with.
This is horrible. Yes what is wrong with people? Also I am intrigued as to where they and their owners are during the winter. I had months and months of walking Red in the evening with not seeing a soul for most of the time, then hey presto the sun comes out and the evenings get lighter and there are heaps of dogs around!! Poor Inky. I had never heard this thing about black dogs until my daughter got a black greyhound as a rescue - he was the most brilliant dog - just don’t understand what their colour has got to do with anything. I think I would get a lead saying ‘keep away - fed up of being attacked’.
You can get those little doggy coats with nervous etc on them too. Ive got a don't feed me collar that gets put on Rory in summer. We call the dogs which show up that you've never seen before in holiday time and hot days Sunday dogs. They never usually go out are poorly trained and socialised. We avoid them and their owners they cause a lot if problems in the summer on my local parks
So sorry this has happened to Inky again There is no excuse, owners need to take responsibility! I seen so many dogs on our walk yesterday, many who came bounding over. I shouted to owners to get their dog because Harley can be reactive.......several said ‘it will be their fault if they are told off, will do them good’ to which i explained very calmly that it wasn’t my dogs job to train their dogs and if she did bite, it would be their own fault (she has never bitten anyone btw). It’s very frustrating!
I said the same thing to dogs owners too. I just don't get why it's ok for my dogs confidence to be ruined because they can't call there dogs back. I really told one person off the other day for letting their dog jump all over Rory then bum him. He was a big really obese Rotty x lab and much bigger than Rory he could have hurt him. She said if needs to tell him off he should, well I told her what I thought silly woman. I've been doing this dog walking lark for a while I'm at the stage now where I just go in the other direction if I can when I see something I don't like the look of and I also dont let people off when they talk rubbish.
Oh poor,poor Inky. Definitely nothing whatsoever to do with being black/castrated/not castrated. Little Joy has never been attacked but sometimes if people let particularly large, heavy, boisterous dogs come bouncing over to her I ask them to call their dogs away. They usually reply that the dogs only want to play, which I can see, but Joy is such a dainty little thing that I worry she'll get hurt. It was refreshing on Thursday to meet a lovely woman with two very large Golden Retrievers who called them to her without me asking, saying to me that they were very friendly but too big for my dog.(Just what I'd been thinking) So there are some sensible and thoughtful people out there somewhere. Hope you and Inky get to meet some of them soon. I'm sure Joy would love to play with Inky and she's very gentle in a labradorish sort of way!
One of my dogs was being attacked and not the other. They are both black and entire so I was not sure exactly what the problem was. But I do think that the incoming dogs are reading hesitancy/anxiety/concern in the very subtle body language of ones dog which is undetectable to us. I’m not sure what the answer is and eventually I had a chemical castration done (for other reasons) which sorted the problem. My dog and I stopped scanning for trouble and walks are now a lot calmer. My other dog is still entire and has never had the same problem. I’m not offering this as the solution, but I’m just saying that it was such a frustration when it was happening and other people can be such idiots. It becomes a negative spiral as you look for trouble and your dog gives off signs that it’s not happy and the local bully dogs wade in for a fight. I would try to walk in quieter places for a while to take the strain off you both.
We get the “oh my dog doesn’t like black dogs” with Stanley. Luckily it’s always been small dogs and there’s been no harm done to him but I get really really frustrated. Last week a chihuahua (called Eric ) went for him and the owner laughed!! I said to her it’s a good job my dog isn’t reactive or your dog would be dead - you should keep him on a lead for his safety. And she was just like My MIL was walking him recently also when an owner shouted oh my dog doesn’t like black dogs. So she shouted back - you better put it on a lead then because a black one is walking towards you. If another dog doesn’t like black dogs and doesn’t want to engage with him - fine, brilliant even! Because I’m happy for him not to play - but when your dog attacks mine for that reason then it needs to be kept on a lead. I might get Stanley a lead that says my mam is crazy and will kick your dog or something and see if that does any difference. I hope poor Inky is ok and you’re not too stressed with it all x
Yes! I'm possibly one of the calmest and most laid back people you could meet, but any threat to my sweet dog and WHOA!!! My lovely Mum used to say she believed she was a total pacifist until she had children, then she realised she'd kill to keep us safe. Guess it's about the same with our dogs.
I’m so sorry to hear you and Inky are having a rough time, tomorrow is another day and I hope you have a much nicer walk if that’s a small consolation. I was thinking exactly the same this morning, I couldn’t believe how many people were about. I reckon they don’t walk their dogs in the winter!!!
Looks like every owner of a black dog has had the "my dog doesn't like black dogs because..." encounter at least once. I appreciate it when I'm walking down the street and other walkers cross the road - I assume that the other owner knows their dog and that it's best for both parties to not meet. I don't think I've ever felt the need to avoid another dog, but I've definitely changed directions to avoid a dodgy looking human.
I have actually been told (by someone whose dog attacked Maisy) that their dog did not like light coloured dogs. Pahh! Also I have had other worried owners say that maybe the reason their dogs have been attacked or bothered is because they are white. I really don't think the colour makes a difference, the owners attitude is the problem and - as said before - if they have a problem their dog should be on a lead. I would like to say to the next one 'sorry but I might punch you in the face because your hair is blond/black/brown'. Would that be acceptable? (it would to me).
I must admit to painstaking research around the local area, for places where the footfall is low for the general public, even with this recent fine weather! If I find a good area, I go there on foot, have a mooch around before I take the dogs. It does help I think, having a car, I just get in drive a few miles, and out we all get! With Casper, I have to be careful, he is big, black and is reactive. I have a bright yellow slip on his lead, warning others of the fact he his reactive. I have to say though when I take out more than one dog, most people tend to give us a wide berth anyway! One walker recently said, whilst eyeing Bramble nervously, that I shouldn't take out a Doberman in public!!
