Saw a woman hit her dog today

Poppy and I were at the animal eye clinic this morning, having some tests done. We were waiting to be called back in to the examination room, when a woman came in with a large young bulldog. He was very boisterous and playful, 10 months old, strong as an ox. He really wanted to play with Poppy. The woman assured me he wasn't aggressive - I said I could see that, and he and Pops sniffed each other in a friendly fashion.

After that, he didn't seem able to calm down. The woman had him on a long lead, and he jumped around her and wound the lead around her leg while she filled out some forms. Then he leapt towards us, and nearly pulled her over. She shouted at him, but continued with the forms, the lead still around her leg. Again he jumped and nearly dragged her over.

At this she lost her rag, yelled at him, grabbed him by his cheeks, pulled him up and yelled into his face, pushed him down and slapped him several times. The dog cowered on the floor with his eyes closed. I said something like "there's no need to hit him", upon which she replied that she wouldn't hit her dog! I said I just saw it with my own eyes, and she replied he's a bulldog and needs firm handling. I said I didn't think any dogs need their cheeks pulled or to be hit, that any dog can be trained with positive methods... upon which she told me in no uncertain terms to mind my own business...

The vet swiftly intervened and took her and poor (though it has to be said, badly mannered) Sparky off into another room...

I am very glad I spoke up. I was really horrified. If she slaps and shouts at her dog like that at the vets, what do you suppose her training is like in private? As far as Bulldogs go, he was a handsome specimen (if you like that sort of thing), and was obviously there for health screening for breeding purposes.

Not a very nice experience at all.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

That's awful and undoubtedly will have upset you far more than her - horrible woman

Good for you for speaking up

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Cruelty.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

[quote author=bbrown link=topic=9993.msg145523#msg145523 date=1424788895]

Good for you for speaking up
[/quote]

I thought of you and of Julie, Barbara, and thought you would both have said something!

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

That's kind, I hope I would. I have enough friends now, I don't need any more ;D ;D ;D

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

I feel ashamed that I didn't speak up at a walked-up training day in England last year, where I witnessed a woman dragging her spaniel back into line by his ears. I swore to myself I would always say something in future, and not be unwillingly complicit by the fact of keeping quiet.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Good on you for speaking up against that abuse. That person is not fit to have any animal.

I hope the vet said something to her too.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Poor dog. Poor, poor dog. :'(

Good for you for speaking up, well done. I like to think that it's just a "normal" defensive reaction to tell people who speak up in situations like this to mind their own business, but it must make at least some people dwell on the event when they get home. Some people must think about what they do as a result...it's worth it, just in case anyway.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Thanks Julie.

And conversely - not saying anything makes it seem that this sort of behaviour is ok.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Horrible, horrible, horrible..very upsetting to witness something like that

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

How awful for the poor dog ;( I hope the vet spoke to her about her methods!
Well done for speaking up

 

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Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

[quote author=Karen link=topic=9993.msg145521#msg145521 date=1424788627]
The dog cowered on the floor with his eyes closed.
[/quote]

Unfortunately that reaction means the dog is having a tough time at home. Well done for speaking out - I'm not brave enough to do that.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Good for you Karen, I would definitely speak up no two ways about it, that's just so sad for the poor dog and heaven knows what goes on behind closed doors if that's her behaviour in public :'( :'( x

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Good on you Karen x

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Proud to a member of the same forum as you.

I truely don't understand, why have an animal if you are going to abuse it.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

That's appalling! Some people have no shame

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

thanks everyone. It was pretty horrid and upset me quite a lot.

 

Re: Saw a woman hit her dog today

Only just seen this. Well done Karen. Your right if someone has the nerve to treat a dog like that in a vets how must they treat it at home.

Unfortunately I've seen labs being trained to work picked up by their cheeks and dumped unceremoniously on the ground. In fact I was shown how to do it !!! The trainer told me do this if they misbehave and picked his dog, who was sitting waiting nicely, up by the cheeks then dumped her back down hard. I immediately pointed out she hadn't done anything and he should give her a treat or something. He looked at me and then threw her a tennis ball. The other advice from a different gundog trainer as a solution to S&S barking at people problem is to carry a stick and give them a sharp whack on the nose. Apparently this is what he was doing with his two 6 month old pups and he'd started doing it as soon as he started training them to keep them at heel etc.

It beggars belief.

 

Unfortunately there are many who do such things to a dog. (
The worst part is they won't even be willing to listen to you, when you tell them.