Dog Walking Etiquette - What Are Some Dog Owners Thinking?

[Deactivated] on 06/02/2017 - 16:55
Last edited 06/02/2017 - 17:52 by 1 other user

Another dog post, but there's nothing to do with poo, I promise.

Every few days I take my dogs for a walk at a sport field, where they can run off leash (council designated off leash area). Note: other days I walk my dogs on leash around the neighbourhood. I walk them everyday :)

Most dog owners let their dogs roam freely and play with other dogs in peace, except a few that literally keep me on high alert at all time. These people think that it is a good idea to walk their dogs on leash in this designated off leash area and are not happy with other dogs approaching them.

I try to look as far ahead as I could so that I can take my dogs away from those leashed dogs. I have been doing OK most of the time but I find those dog owners quite annoying, especially when an on-leash German Shepherd attacked my dogs and its owner blamed me for letting my dogs running without a leash. From then on, I am not sure whether people leash their dogs because the dogs are aggressive or simply not good off leash.

Then yesterday I came across a new level of dog walking. As my dogs were busy sniffing in a designated off leash area, a man with two huge dogs approached us. The man shouted "Dogs!" then said to me "Please keep your dogs away from mine, they will attack yours". That gave me a fright of my life because his dogs were at least 5 times bigger than mine and my dogs were super excited seeing some doggie friends. True to his words, his dogs were not friendly towards mine. They showed teeth and wanted to catch my dogs. I managed to take my dogs away from his but I kept thinking "Why did he think it was a good idea to walk dangerous dogs in an off leash area?"

Even though his dogs were under his control at the time but dogs can be uncertain, especially when they are big and aggressive. One time a lady walking two Border Collie failed to keep the leash when her dogs wanted to play with mine. When the leash was off her hand, the dogs launched at mine really fast. Fortunately her dogs were very friendly (another incident involved leashed dogs in an off-leash area).

I really want to know what those dog owner are thinking so next time I see them, I can be a bit more sympathetic. I'm looking at the wise Ozbargainers to show me the other side of the coin.

My questions are (TL;DR):

  • Why do some people think it is a good idea to walk leashed dogs in an off-leash area and expect other dogs to avoid theirs?

  • Is it OK to take aggressive dogs to a dog play area? Can those dogs be trained to become less aggressive?

Thanks.

Sports & Outdoors

closed Comments

  • gooddealmate on 06/02/2017 - 17:12
    +2

    I don't think it is the fault of the owner of the leashed dogs if your dogs go running up to theirs hassling them.

    Maybe that's a training issue? Either that or keep them on the leash if they are uncontrollable by commands.

    Would you take your kids down to park where there are bigger older kids fighting etc and your kids are likely to run over to them being inquisitive?

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2017 - 17:27
      +2

      So you are saying that I am expected to look out for leashed dogs in an off-leash area so that I can control my dogs?

      • gooddealmate on 06/02/2017 - 17:29

        Yes, if you can't control your dogs and they are unable to identify danger by running away from an angry leashed dog and are likely to get injured because of that, then you need to keep them leashed too in my opinion.

      • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2017 - 18:24

        Quite a few councils have by-laws requiring dogs to be under control always and to not 'rush' others.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2017 - 20:05
      +1

      By the way, I wouldn't consider greeting another dog as hassling.

      It seems from your responses that you tend to swap concepts and interpret things in your own way rather than read them as they are.

  • bobbified on 06/02/2017 - 18:27
    +4

    Use common-sense.

    If you see aggressive dogs that are 5 times the size of yours, then you should move your little dogs away. You don't want to risk your little dogs being bitten just for the sake of trying to be "right". That goes for other similar situations too.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2017 - 20:13

      Agree. But in the cases that I involved in, the dogs looked fine until my dogs came close. That meant I couldn't tell that they were angry dogs until it was late.

      I didn't seek to be right because at the end of the day, my dogs would end up injured. All I wanted to ask was "isn't it common sense not to bring an aggressive dog to an area where dogs are expected to socialise?"

      For example, my dogs get nervous in enclosed areas and would get snappy at other dogs so I never take them to those places.

      • bobbified on 07/02/2017 - 10:58
        +1

        I actually agree with you about someone bringing their aggressive dog out to where other dogs are and it is probably common-sense not to do that.

        However, not everyone has that common sense and/or is considerate of others, so we sometimes have to cater for that where it's in our best individual interests.

        The example I like to use is, if you're a cyclist riding down the road (who has every right to be on the road) and there's a huge truck sitting on your butt, do you:

        a) Stand your ground and stay there to stand up for your right to be on the road knowing that the truck can, at any moment, squish you like a marshmallow or;

        b) Do you temporarily throw out whatever right you have and GTFO out of the way for self-preservation purposes?

        I, myself, would do B without even thinking.

  • garffi on 06/02/2017 - 18:46
    +5

    I keep my dog on a leash simply because he can be unpredictable. I actually like dogs coming to us, so my dog can practice his social skills (he can be quite shy). If anything happens, I can keep him in control.

    If owners cannot keep their aggressive dogs under control, they should not be visiting the off leash area. It puts everyone at risk.

  • stratbargain on 06/02/2017 - 19:36
    +4

    I tend to agree with @gooddealmate, If you can't recall your dogs then they shouldn't be off leash.

    An off lead area isn't an exclusively off lead area. You can't expect that their won't be other people walking their dogs on lead.

    For example my council rules

    Behaviour in off-leash areas

    In designated off-leash areas, dogs may be exercised off a chain, cord or leash if the following conditions are met:

    the owner must carry a chain, cord or leash which can bring the dog under effective control if the dog behaves in a way which threatens any person or animal the owner must remain in voice- or hand-control of the dog, so as to be able to promptly bring the dog under effective control by placing the dog on a chain, cord or leash if that becomes necessary, and the owner must not allow the dog to attack, rush at or threaten any person or animal.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2017 - 20:22

      Thanks for that.

      My dogs come when called but when they are scared, they freeze. They usually curl up on the ground when attacked. Unfortunately I'm not a fast runner when scared neither. Stupid us, I know ;-)

      My dogs and I have been safe so far (touch wood) but I don't know when a terrible accident may happen, like an aggressive dog gets lose. But at the same time I want my dogs to enjoy their walks, roam free and get socialise with other dogs. Am I asking for too much?

      • stratbargain on 06/02/2017 - 20:32
        +3

        I'll give you the other side.

        I have a border collie. Great recall. She will never run off after other dogs. Completely not interested in other dogs. But loves a good ball throw. She will chase a ball and a frisbee all day. We up until recently took her to the park every day. The problem is a couple of times some off leash little dogs ran half way across the park to 'play' with her and she got defensive. I called her back but she couldn't get to me as the dogs had her surrounded so she snapped at one. Didn't grab onto them, but showed that she didn't like being circled. Of course the owner creates a huge scene saying her dogs are scared etc and my dog should be better behaved. At the time I put her straight on the lead and now rarely take her to the park and am looking at getting some one-on-one training to remove that trait.

        TLDR It kind of sucks that I can't take her to the park because some little dogs ran across the oval 'being friendly' and came into her area and the the owner got shitty when my dog growled.

        My point is not all dogs at the off leash park want to play with other dogs. That said it's a shame some owners don't take better control of their dogs (I suppose me included :) )

        • fuzcatt on 06/02/2017 - 23:16

          Honestly I don't see what trait you are looking to train out of your dog? Dog's have a natural instinct to get defensive when encircled or cornered as in those circumstances they can't run away. A previous dog trainer recalled to me how her dog had uncharacteristically growled and bared their teeth at her and only in hindsight did she realise she had cornered her dog whilst in the process of telling her dog off.

          The dogs that need training are the little ones that use a pack/gang mentality to group up on your dog.

          This really gets me riled up because people have their dogs run up to mine and just say "it's ok, they're friendly", my thought response is always "what if mine's not?".

  • prinsenhof on 06/02/2017 - 19:37
    +1

    The key point is control. Taking an aggressive dog to any area is fine as long as they are controlled. That doesnt just mean having a leash, but actually using it to control the dog. If that guys dogs actually bite, then it should be suggested to him to get them a mouth/face guard.

    Likewise off-leash dogs should return on command in the event of a bad exchange. This is important so the guy with the leash isn't fighting with both his own dog and off-leash dogs.

    If there is a more severe problem and your dogs are scared, kneel down to give them a place to retreat to, it will make them more confident as well.

    • fuzcatt on 06/02/2017 - 20:00
      +1

      As a dog owner with an off-leash park that I frequent, I agree that the key point is control. For both parties.

      All dog owners should be allowed to bring their dogs to a designated dog exercise area/park provided they remain under control with or without a leash.

      If an owner has an aggressive dog, be sympathetic to the fact that the dog needs exercise too and that a dog park is an entirely appropriate place to do it. The owner should be taking sufficient safeguards to ensure the dog remains under control such as a muzzle, staying on leash and perhaps even keeping to a quieter side of the park if they want to reduce the chance of confrontations.

      On the flip side, an owner with a friendly/socialised dog, needs to ensure the dog is also under control such as ensuring the dog has sufficient recall ability and does not run off to other people/dogs/things without permission from the owner. Whilst my dog is friendly and wants to meet everyone, it sure as hell does not mean other people/dogs want to meet him. He is large and frightens parents (usually more than the kids) and wants to meet people so I have to be extra vigilant and work his recall hard to ensure he doesn't go say hello to other people randomly.

  • Sunshines bright on 06/02/2017 - 20:16
    +1

    My dog is not inclined to every time return when I call her; she is not aggressive but she is stubborn, so I choose to limit her off lead time. Sometimes she is on lead in a off lead area but we do welcome dogs to come say hi.

    I think that off leash dogs need to be obedient and come when called at all times, so if a leashed dog who might be aggressive is nearby you can call your dog to return to you.

    I do apologize for the fact that I sometimes let my dog off lead knowing that many times she chooses not to return to me when I call her back, but she is not dangerous and does not behave badly and stays in the doggy park so does not wander away. I feel I am wrong but I am caught between allowing her to run and burns some energy and me having full control. I so wish I could get her trained to return on command. I think she did for her former owner but I must do something wrong.

    If my dog was not dog and people friendly and/or tended to run away she would never be off lead but we would still try to socialize her by visiting the doggy park and giving it a go to help her not be so unfriendly.

  • Biance on 06/02/2017 - 20:58
    +1

    I fully agree with you OP.

    I think it is ridiculous that people who own dog-aggressive dogs will purposely bring them to a location for off-lead dogs. And additionally, that they would walk their aggressive dogs without a muzzle/face guard. Both of these decisions on the owner's part are simply asking for trouble and I can't see why they would do such a thing?

    Off-leash areas are for dogs to run free and do dog things with other dogs, which include running over to them and playing together.

    One time someone walked their leashed german shepherd straight through the middle of an off-leash field, and my dog went over to say hello. Their dog attacked my dog, and the owners didn't even apologise and just left - despite the large vet bill that resulted for me.

    Their dog didn't have a muzzle and they chose to walk their dog straight through the middle of the area, so how could a dog owner even know that they SHOULD recall their dog? I was watching and didn't call my dog because it seemed like they were bringing their dog there so that it could play.

  • try2bhelpful on 06/02/2017 - 21:33
    +1

    There is a difference between an exuberent dog and an aggressive one. If a dog is aggressive then it should be under training to remove this trait because if it gets off a property then it could attack a person, even a child. We have an offleash area near us and, even though we don't have a dog, we enjoy watching the dogs playing as we walk past.

  • slow on 06/02/2017 - 21:35
    +1

    As a non dog owner, I have given up thinking anything positive about dog owners given the amount of abandoned dog sh1t I encounter in my local park, sports ovals and even on my front lawn…not to mention all the dogs I see running off leash in on-leash areas.

    • fuzcatt on 06/02/2017 - 23:09
      +1

      As a dog owner, I hate finding dog faeces, bagged dog faeces and giant holes in our off leash park.
      It annoys me to no end when I see the owner is too busy chatting to mates to not notice their dog is doing a dump 10m away from them, so they're unaware when they leave!

      • GOFYS on 07/02/2017 - 12:03
        +2

        I usually find that the groups are extra eyes, and let one another know, and share poop bags.
        They are rarely "mates", just sharing the joy of their dogs.
        It's not only the dogs that get socialised in the parks.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/02/2017 - 00:22
    +1

    Your in an unleashed area, as long as your dog's don't attack his, it's his problem.

  • ozbjunkie on 07/02/2017 - 08:39
    +1

    I'm not a dog owner… But I would imagine the dog that attacks is in the wrong if it's an off leash area.

    At the risk of sounding extreme, wear a GoPro camera to document leashed dogs potentially attacking yours.

  • elliebargain on 07/02/2017 - 08:51

    Leashed dogs are also often more aggressive than off-lead dogs. My old dog would bark at other dogs when he was leashed (especially walking into a dog park), but then be fine off-leash.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/02/2017 - 09:47

    An off leash area is a place for dogs to socialise
    If you and your dog don't want that, I wouldn't be using the off leash area while there are other animals socialising you don't know, and your animal is not interested in
    If you didn't do this socialising training as a pup (or their just not that into them)then they are not going to know how to get along in/with a pack

  • ramshead on 07/02/2017 - 10:25

    I was fishing at a beach that was also a leash free dog area. My bag of gear and bait was above the high water mark, I was knee deep in the surf,about 25 metres away.
    Heard a bloke yelling and turned to see some thieving hound with my bait in its mouth. I suppose there was some humour in watching the owner chasing the mongrel ( probably thinking the canine larcenist had grabbed a bag of hooks as well as the bait ). Dog ,bait and owner disappeared over a sand dune.
    The next day, determined not to have my fishing excursion curtailed by a kleptomaiac flea bag, I put my gear and bait in a zippered bag. Secure in the knowledge my stuff was secure I went to the waterline and began fishing.
    Twenty or so minutes later I hear another shout. Turned to see a fine example of "man's best friend" peeing all over my zippered fishing bag.
    Leash free areas - is anyone a winner?

  • Linjellet on 07/02/2017 - 12:07
    +1

    My council has a fenced in off lead area plus an unfenced off lead area, I keep my dog on a leash at all times except when I have vetted every single dog in the off lead fenced area. He is a very friendly dog, however, I am a not a trainer of dogs only a lover of dogs…he NEVER comes back, only when he is ready, so as you can imagine that would cause problems. He has never growled, raised his hackles to another pooch in five years - but he is like a teenage boy with ADHD on steroids. He is a sight/scent hound…pure hunting dog, so he touches base (or bottoms) with everything then he is on his way ignoring all the dogs which a minute before he just would have died if he could not have met them. I do find it frustrating when people let their dogs rush up to mine when he is on lead, if the dog is friendly and the owner truly knows that, I do not have a problem…but it is the owner who doesn't know their dogs behaviour or thinks they do and when their dogs starts being aggressive and I call this out…then I have to listen to all the reasoning/excuses in the world. Very rarely a sorry, lucky for my dog I have years of experience with dogs I WILL NOT EVER let an aggressive dog get near mine - I am experienced just a useless dog trainer.

  • acoma on 07/02/2017 - 12:47

    Along with what other people have said.

    1. If in an off-leash area, you need to have recall of your dog. I have a beagle, little to no recall so I always keep him on a leash now.
    2. You have no idea what other dogs are like so going to an off-leash area is a gamble. I learnt my lesson after my beagle needing stitches in his stomach. I don't go to dog parks anymore.

    because

    and here is the important thing…..

    1. No matter how good your dogs are or how well trained or how conscientious you and 98% of other owners are, there will ALWAYS be inconsiderate (profanity). Always. Life is full of them. Learn to live with it until society learns to breed them out.
    • [Deactivated] on 07/02/2017 - 15:59

      Weed them out
      Pigs are also good dogs,
      and they'll eat anything

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