Woman Attacks Finn

[TTT]

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In my experience it is wrong to always assume that strange dogs will be friendly. Ok, we have all watched the Dog Whisperer and feel that we know our own dogs and can read the body language of other dogs..........until the s"&t hits the fan and a dog/person gets injured. If your dog is not responding to recall and is out of your reach/not on a lead where it is under control, causing annoyance to other people/dogs I believe the owner is not being responsible.

That would mean no-one could ever let a whippet off lead except in a dog park on its own....... :-

I believe that it is up to dog owners to keep their dogs under control in public places (actually it is not just my belief, it is the law). Every week on here someone is posting about how their dog has been brutally attacked while running loose in parks and loads of peolple jump on crying "how terrible, glad your wee baby is ok/gets well soon". I believe that people should take a close look at their own behaviour and dog control before accusing anyone else. It is all about responsibility. I would have no hesitation in sinking my boot in any dog that is a threat to mine - and before anyone calls me cruel or uncaring - it is because I care about mine.

 

[caitlin]

In my experience it is wrong to always assume that strange dogs will be friendly. Ok, we have all watched the Dog Whisperer and feel that we know our own dogs and can read the body language of other dogs..........until the s"&t hits the fan and a dog/person gets injured. If your dog is not responding to recall and is out of your reach/not on a lead where it is under control, causing annoyance to other people/dogs I believe the owner is not being responsible.

That would mean no-one could ever let a whippet off lead except in a dog park on its own....... :-

I believe that it is up to dog owners to keep their dogs under control in public places (actually it is not just my belief, it is the law). Every week on here someone is posting about how their dog has been brutally attacked while running loose in parks and loads of peolple jump on crying "how terrible, glad your wee baby is ok/gets well soon". I believe that people should take a close look at their own behaviour and dog control before accusing anyone else. It is all about responsibility. I would have no hesitation in sinking my boot in any dog that is a threat to mine - and before anyone calls me cruel or uncaring - it is because I care about mine.

Where do you live/walk your dog? I want to avoid it!! :blink: Finn wasn't being threatening - that is what this post is all about. You must be on tenterhooks throughout your walks with your dog if you do not like other dogs approaching it. Of course, its different if the dog is being aggressive, but even then, if the owner is genuinely apologetic, most people don't mind. We are, after all, part of a dog-loving fraternity aren't we? :wacko:

 

[TTT]

In my experience it is wrong to always assume that strange dogs will be friendly. Ok, we have all watched the Dog Whisperer and feel that we know our own dogs and can read the body language of other dogs..........until the s"&t hits the fan and a dog/person gets injured. If your dog is not responding to recall and is out of your reach/not on a lead where it is under control, causing annoyance to other people/dogs I believe the owner is not being responsible.

That would mean no-one could ever let a whippet off lead except in a dog park on its own....... :-

I believe that it is up to dog owners to keep their dogs under control in public places (actually it is not just my belief, it is the law). Every week on here someone is posting about how their dog has been brutally attacked while running loose in parks and loads of peolple jump on crying "how terrible, glad your wee baby is ok/gets well soon". I believe that people should take a close look at their own behaviour and dog control before accusing anyone else. It is all about responsibility. I would have no hesitation in sinking my boot in any dog that is a threat to mine - and before anyone calls me cruel or uncaring - it is because I care about mine.

Where do you live/walk your dog? I want to avoid it!! :blink: Finn wasn't being threatening - that is what this post is all about. You must be on tenterhooks throughout your walks with your dog if you do not like other dogs approaching it. Of course, its different if the dog is being aggressive, but even then, if the owner is genuinely apologetic, most people don't mind. We are, after all, part of a dog-loving fraternity aren't we? :wacko:

I do consider myself to be a dog lover but I often try to avoid public parks and the likes now because of the irresponsible dog owners that i have encountered - for example - i do like to talk about factual situations rather than emotional ranting - last sunday I was walking my dogs on lead - as the signs around the picnic , area stated should be done. A jeep door opened and out jumped an old english sheep dog, unaccompanied ran over to my dogs, said hello then sat down and coiled an almighty turd - yes right beside the dog waste bin and the signs that said that dogs should be excercised on lead in the entire park area. Tut tutted to myself and walked on. One minute later my dog was coiling one of his own - whilst on the lead - meanwhile along comes Max- who looked like a fully grown male labrador, probably weighing 5-6 stone, very tense with the heckles standing along his back standing over my terrier who is minding his own business, trying to have a crap in peace. It started circling my dogs and me, growling and getting tangled in the leads. Where was the half wit owner? - off in the distance - the old english sheepdog running on the beach where dogs are not allowed. 'Call you dog please' I asked him on several occasions. It took him quite a while to run along to remove his dog, which was completely ignoring his recall and behaving in a menacing way - putting ME AND MY DOGS in danger.

I carried on with my walk and on my way back to the car park, yes, the almightly turd was still there - the jeep was gone.

It is not a case of me not liking other dogs approaching mine, mine are 10 and 8 years old and have attending training classes since puppies, and indeed still do go most weeks, so they are well trained and socialised. I make the point again, as in my original post, it is wrong to assume that every dog you come across is friendly. The responsibility is on the owners to keep their dogs under control.

 

[~Annie~]

Yes it is wrong to assume that every dog is friendly, and paranoid to assume that every dog isn't. Yes our dogs should be under our control and in a perfect world would be so, 100% of the time. Do you live in a perfect world? I don't.

You obviously walk your dogs somewhere where there are plenty of other dog walkers who leave a great deal to be desired, but I'm not quite sure what you are saying here. Do you allow your dogs to play with other dogs off lead? For many of us that is one of the highlights of our dog walks in open country (I'm lucky enough to have miles of fields, hills, heath and moorland practically on my doorstep and so never venture into public parks). Shortly before our encounter with the crazy lady Finn and Tyg had had a brilliant time playing with a couple of staffies while their owner and I passed the time of day, and earlier in the walk they'd persuaded a springer to chase them. Personally, when I meet off lead dogs I am trusting enough to assume that they are off lead because they pose no threat to others, four legged or two, after all to have an unreliable dog off lead really is irresponsible. So, I encounter someone with another off lead dog and my dog (also well socialised and taken to weekly training classes) greets that dog in a normal doggy fashion ... am I to suppose that if you had been that dogs owner you'd have kicked my dog? For what? Looking back at a previous thread on a similar theme you say that both you and your dogs have been attacked by other dogs in the past and that you now carry a stick you wouldn't hesitate to use if necessary. How awful for you that you have been left feeling so vulnerable, but if you ever find that your dogs need protecting from a whippet I'll be mightily surprised. I may be responsible for keeping my dogs under control but anyone who kicks or hits a friendly dog merely for saying hello is out of control themselves.

Annie (who met leashed dogs twice on today's walk and recalled both her whips without problem each time, as is usually the case)

 

[whippetfan]

I am so cross. My dogs aren't perfect, they don't always come back the moment they are recalled if they've found another dog to play with. But they are two of the gentlest, softest whippets on the planet and would simply never harm another dog or a person.

You know your dogs. Strangers don't. From the way she grabbed her dog's collar, I'd say it might have had some issues with strange dogs. Sometimes people grab their dogs, not to protect them from yours, but to stop them attacking. As the owner of a fear aggressive dog, I can tell you that no strange dog wandering up to say hello is a welcome sight, regardless of how good natured it is.

I hope your dog is OK.

It would be a wonderful world if all dogs were non-aggressive and had perfect recalls. Until that time, the best way to protect your dogs from idiots is to keep them away from anyone who doesn't welcome your dogs' friendly overtures. The easiest way to achieve that is to ask if its Ok that your dogs greet their new acquaintances.

We had an incident here last year where an elderly Golden Retriever offlead approached three onlead dogs, two of whom broke their leads, attacked and killed it. I imagine if the owner of the Golden Retriever had asked if that question, her pet would might still be alive. I can imagine the owner of the three dogs yelling "call off your *&% dog" and the Retriever owners happy call "don't worry, he just wants to say hello".

 

[fallenangel]

i have a an agressvive dog ruby will have a go at any strange dog so shes allways on lead in places she can run into them and as i choce to take her there and i know on occasions dogs dont ahve 100% recall shes muzzled aswell. if a dog came trying to attack her yes i would boot it way but if a dog come up trying to make frends i know ruby carnt hurt the dogs and i shout and ask the owner to get there dog quicky. but i do fined cos shes muzzled very few dog owners let there dogs anywere near here. but i would never attack a dog agressive or not if it was actuly going way from me. we do get the situation with Ruby that dogs come over and we have to shout there owners most of the time they say sorry and i just say she has fear aggesion with strange dogs and its fine. we get the odd idiot who does the my dogs fine its ok when we shout back what your dogs ok if mine bits it did you say. That ususly gets them coming quick for there dogs

I had an isident last week were a dog attacked my and scarlet on the street and i used my leg to block its path to scarlet but even then i did want to hurt the dog and am looking at way to keep dog like that way without hurting them. its the sceond time iv been attacked whle in my chair out with my dogs.

the worlds not prefect and i know most of my dogs are well behaved off lead and have good recall and its up to me to eather make sure they have or keep them on lead and if they didnt come back and an on lead dog bit them its my dogs falt. But i know what Annie saying her dog was leaving it was returning when the woman then attacked it throwing her stick the incidnet was over so whyv then throw somthing at the dog when ist going away

 

[whippetfan]

One of the things that attracted me to Whippets is their generally low levels of aggression. They are largely social, and don't tend to display dominance or territorial aggression. Howard my youngster is very friendly - to the point where I need to control that for his own safety.

Its common to see a bunch of Whippets ringside at shows here, all standing happily together while exhibitors hold dogs for others or take extras into the ring for folk with more than one dog in a class. I think its wise to remember that there are other breeds exhibited where you would never bunch a group of entire strange dogs together without the potential for fireworks.

No doubt the owners of such breeds enjoy walking them offlead as much as we do. Provided that all owners exercise some common courtesies, that can largely happen without incident.

If I encounter people walking their dogs when we are in an offlead area, and they take their dogs by the collar or leash them up, I don't go near them.

 

[Storm Force]

Sorry to hear about your nasty experience.

I must admit, I catch my dogs in before they go off to greet others, as much because I don't trust other people as much as not trusting their dogs! Course, life ain't perfect and sometimes people/dogs just appear from nowhere, but I've met too many nasty dogs and peculiar people to trust any of them before we've had a nice chat with the dogs on lead first.

Most people are nice and so are most dogs. But there's enough of them out there who really aren't for me to be wary.

 

[~Annie~]

Although I started this thread for other reasons I'm finding it fascinating to read everyone's ideas on how to deal with the other dogs we encounter when out and about.

For myself I would just like to point out that I only leave my dogs loose if the approaching walker is leaving their dogs loose, if I see a dog recalled as we hove into view then I recall mine, if the other dog is leashed/small/old/young/muzzled etc., then I recall mine, if for any reason I don't like the look of it (and I admit to being breedist here) then I recall mine. I also frequently ask other dog walkers if they are happy for my dogs to greet theirs, but that's not always possible if the dogs meet before the people do and so often the dogs we encounter are out of sight and earshot of their owners, unlike mine. And I don't assume that others will know that my dogs pose no threat but I do hope that they might realise that whippets generally are harmless. Oh, and I recall when we see horses/children/elderly walkers/joggers etc. etc.

But I also make sure that I am well enough informed about doggy body language and behaviours and breed characteristics to generally read these situations right, and if all dog walkers did the same many of the 'difficult' situations could be avoided. What I've yet to learn to do though, the point of my original post in a way, is read the dog walkers properly. I mean I'd assume that anyone walking a dog so aggressive that it would attack another given the chance would have it leashed and muzzled like Wendy's Ruby. And I'd assume that other dog owners could tell the difference between a friendly approach and an unfriendly one, afterall I can. So I'm naive maybe, but hardly irresponsible.

To go back to the specifics, this woman did not grab her dog because was she was afraid it might attack, it clearly wanted to play. My best guess is actually that she was afraid it would take off with Finn and that she would lose it. She was the fearful one and the one not in control and her behaviour reflected that.

Annie

 

[meddling]

Hope young Finn is doing well Annie and the bruise has subsided.

The woman was obviously totally unaware of dog behaviour, especially her own poor thing, who probably will end up fearful and possibly fear aggressive to others 'cos mummy told him they are bad!!'

You judged the situation just fine in my opinion, we have to make judgements like this every day if we are to have happy sociable dogs, which Finn and Tyg so obviously are!

Hope he and you come out of this unaffected :huggles:

 

[~Annie~]

Thank you Clair ... we're fine now, tough cookies both lol.

Annie

 

[Beerhound]

In my experience it is wrong to always assume that strange dogs will be friendly. Ok, we have all watched the Dog Whisperer and feel that we know our own dogs and can read the body language of other dogs..........until the s"&t hits the fan and a dog/person gets injured. If your dog is not responding to recall and is out of your reach/not on a lead where it is under control, causing annoyance to other people/dogs I believe the owner is not being responsible.

That would mean no-one could ever let a whippet off lead except in a dog park on its own....... :-

Glad Finn is ok!

I do tend to recall my two if I see strange dogs over the fields as I don't know how they will react to mine. I think that it is better safe than sorry. Sometimes I also walk the other way. There are to Dallies near me that are nasty and are always in lead and for some reason harnesses rather than leads! The owners are dragged about and end up grabbing trees etc to stop themselves. Don't they realise that a dog pulls with its chest!! A halti would surely be better!!

Anyway in the park where Bradley has his game with his ball, after the walk and run in the field, I don't let them off if another dog is there unless I know the dog or have spoken to the owner to ensure there dog is not aggressive. (One guy has a pit bull and a staff that are aggressive and he lets them off in this park.)

 

[fallenangel]

i carnt undrestand why anyone with an aggressive dog would not have it muzzled and if other dogs are about on lead. I hate it if ruby bit another dog and whats happens if shes in a fight and accidntly bits a person she could be PTS why do owners risk it. rubys ahd a few traners and been to classes and shes defintly not a normail whippet nature shes more like a pit bull lol. but to us shes our baby and we have to keep her safe and others.

Its a shame realy cos the easyets why to teach a dog reacll is to be with other dosg that ahve good recall if this woman had that problem you could ahve helped her out with her dog. sometimes just stoping and explaing gets you more help than raving like she did

 

[whippynit]

In my experience it is wrong to always assume that strange dogs will be friendly. Ok, we have all watched the Dog Whisperer and feel that we know our own dogs and can read the body language of other dogs..........until the s"&t hits the fan and a dog/person gets injured. If your dog is not responding to recall and is out of your reach/not on a lead where it is under control, causing annoyance to other people/dogs I believe the owner is not being responsible.

That would mean no-one could ever let a whippet off lead except in a dog park on its own....... :-

I believe that it is up to dog owners to keep their dogs under control in public places (actually it is not just my belief, it is the law). Every week on here someone is posting about how their dog has been brutally attacked while running loose in parks and loads of peolple jump on crying "how terrible, glad your wee baby is ok/gets well soon". I believe that people should take a close look at their own behaviour and dog control before accusing anyone else. It is all about responsibility. I would have no hesitation in sinking my boot in any dog that is a threat to mine - and before anyone calls me cruel or uncaring - it is because I care about mine.

I do have to agree with TTT here. Whilst it must of been awful for Annie and Finn, and im not condoning (sp) the lady throwing a stick like a javelin at him like that, but its a pet hate of mine when peoples dogs come running up to you and they think just because their dog is friendly then its ok. What if the dog that yours ran up to( and im not specifally talking about you Annie, just hypothetically) was not friendly and attacked your dog?. I too would have no qualms about shooing away a dog that i thought may be a threat to mine or was making mine panic.

 

[caitlin]

I do have to agree with TTT here. Whilst it must of been awful for Annie and Finn, and im not condoning (sp) the lady throwing a stick like a javelin at him like that, but its a pet hate of mine when peoples dogs come running up to you and they think just because their dog is friendly then its ok. What if the dog that yours ran up to( and im not specifally talking about you Annie, just hypothetically) was not friendly and attacked your dog?. I too would have no qualms about shooing away a dog that i thought may be a threat to mine or was making mine panic.

If my non-aggressive dog meets with another on a walk and goes up to it in her usual non-aggressive fashion and gets attacked by the other dog then this is NOT o.k. :angry: Aggressive dogs, likely to attack other dogs and people, should be muzzled in public or not allowed off the lead. I chose my dog for the reason that her temperament is exceptional, so why should I have to be afraid she will be attacked by someone else's dog? We should not have to assume that other people will be walking vicious dogs, just waiting for ours to approach so they can attack. If you know you have an aggressive dog, the onus should be on YOU to ensure it does not attack anyone or any other dog.

 

[jazad]

I completely agree with Caitlin - if your dog is aggressive it should be on lead at all times. Those of us who don't have aggressive dogs shouldn't be forced to second guess every time we come across an unleashed dog. The only place my two are let of the lead at this point is in the designated, fenced off area in my local park. On three separate occasions people have come in with dog aggressive staffy types and let them off the lead (and tried to keep them in a corner away form all of the other dogs) - why would you bring an aggressive dog into a place where there are a load of dogs off lead? Some people! There's another bloke who had 3 times brought his in heat black lab in (and then forced her to sit down when all of the boys go up and sniff her!) - 3 times! You'd think he would learn his lesson!