Took both Bramble and Benson for a long walk through Overscourt today. It is beautiful, and very quiet. I may just see one dog, and usually gundogs as the area is used for training. Spotted a lovely spaniel in training, and doing really well. All in all a wonderful walk, I was a bit nervous for Bramble, because of her rather extended season, it was her first public walk since Christmas! It was wonderful, yes she was distracted so we spent the time playing hide and seek. Just approaching the makeshift carpark, when 3 adults and two teeny dogs, dressed in tartan coats, I think longhaired dachshunds came bounding over, barking. I could see Bramble looking a bit put out, and Benson tried to play but got snapped at, he then ignored them, both snapping and snarling. They went back to their owners and I got both Benson and Bramble walking in lovely heel beside me. Blow me they both came running over again! Barking like mad..poor Bramble is desperately trying to ignore them, casting sidelong glances. I was a bit worried she would grab one and just shake it! I asked the owners to recall them, they laughed, and said hello, bonkers if you ask me,..I was a bit worried as one of the guys was recording everything on his mobile.. I get really irritated by double standards, it is OK for smaller dogs to bark like mad at mine?They thought it was funny. A large black dog barking, like Casper, however is perceived as aggressive and dangerous...
Ugh! How annoying! They would be yelling and cursing at you if your labs had been the ones to run over to their tiny dogs, barking and snarling. Why on earth was he filming it... sigh. They are lucky their dogs didn't run up to reactive dogs. This kind of thing makes my blood boil. Like you said, double standards.
It is so annoying when this happens. As you say double standards indeed, and I'm sure they would have plenty to say if a dog approached their dogs like this.
What is it about bloomin' Dachshunds, horrible little things, we have a fare few in our village and I can't for the life of me see the appeal. There are two in one house where we walk past and sometimes they run across the road stand looking up at Charlie barking like crazy, luckly Charlie isn't interested or bothered by little dogs so he just looks down at them with that "really" look on his face. The owners are nowhere to be seen. I think the attitude of the owners is they little dogs so it doesn't matter whereas a big dog looks scary and threatening if they were to do the same thing and so they will have a good old moan or worse. Also I don't think they give a seconds thought to the position they put our dogs and us in when this happens. Yes double standards and not fare. Well done Bramble and Benson for being so well behaved, a credit to you Kate.
Thank goodness you have well behaved dogs! Dog owners in general seem to have no idea of what they are doing, double standards indeed. In the last week poor Maisie has been set upon by a German Shepard (she has a small wound on her side from it) and bullied by two enormous male labs, both times she was crying and curled up scared. Finally, a small Romanian rescue dog snapped aggressively at her and Maisie reacted by growling/snarling at her, she didn't touch her, but the owner behaved like it was my dog that caused the problem! I'm looking for new places to walk where I'm only likely to see serious dog walkers that have some control over their dogs.
Im with you on this I think little dogs instigate and irriate so much. And bigger ones are seen as rhe agressors Not true. Little dog syndrome is 100% A thing.
Poor Maisie and you Debs that's awful and also what these idiots don't realise is the effect it can and does have on our dogs when this happens. Charlie has still not recovered from being attacked last October by a flat coat, David was bitten by it also, I reported the owner as this was the third attack. We are now having to work twice as hard when Charlie sees a black lab or flat coat. I'm sick of these people. I have bought a sleeve for his lead that says in large letters MY DOG NEEDS SPACE. Whether it will help to keep these morons away and put their own dogs on lead we shall see.
Stanley got attacked by a little cocker spaniel today. It came flying up so he wandered over, you could practically hear him saying "hello! My name's Stanley.. what's yours?". And the little rotter latched on to him snarling and snapping. Stanley was at least twice the size of it and part of me wanted him to turn round and pin the little thing down and show it what's what! But no, my beautiful hearted boy came running up to me crying and hid behind my legs. The man came over and was like oh he thinks he's a Rottweiler chuckling. I thought I wonder how funny you would've found it if my dog had done that to yours! Definitely double standards with small dogs!
Terrible owners out there. Often dogs charge my dogs while we are on leash in an on leash area, and their dogs are off leash. The owners shout from FAR back 'they are friendly!' As their dogs are charging and barking, all while I'm scrambling to keep my dogs calm. So now I have resorted to shouting 'well my dogs aren't friendly!' (It's a lie, they are, obviously) but i am sick of always being the one scrambling when I'm just out for a stroll and abiding by the law. So it's nice to see them scramble for once.
Thanks @charlie, it's so hard especially as Maisie is fear reactive after she was attacked by a Collie when she was about 16 months. It's like one step forward, 6 steps back!!
I have one of those sleeves in bright yellow for Casper. I was a bit sceptical at first, however have been pleasantly surprised by other dog walkers reaction to it. They DO give Casper space, or are really apologetic it theirs runs up to him.
Yes it is, that's exactly how we are feeling at the moment. I think new owners should be made to go to dog etiquette classes before they are even allowed to take a dog out and about, might reduce these incidences. x
I'm considering getting one for Jura. After she was attacked just before Christmas she's still very nervous if dogs approach her too fast. Hopefully it will make life a bit easier for her.
Hi @Raven12 This is where I got mine from, they have other wording too http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152246370922?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&var=451437386846&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT