We went to Kearney yesterday to walk Gus. As we drove into the car park, I watched a small off lead schnauzer run up to two dogs on lead, one a Jack Russell and the other a greyhound. The owner struggled to hold her two dogs back as the schnauzer pest ran around them.
Eventually the schnauzer owner came round the corner and tried to catch her dog to put it on lead – which she finally managed but only after several tries and her dog causing several more lunges and barking from the two dogs on lead. “He’s very friendly” the owner panted. The other owner made no comment.
We decided to walk the other way. Half way our along the path we saw an off lead goldie bounding along coming towards us. I called Gus, Himself put Gus on lead and stepped off the path. The goldie came running up, ignored me and sniffed intrusively at Gus.
I tried unsuccessfully to head him off, but he was intent on shoving his nose in Gus’s unmentionables. Meanwhile his owner was calling the dog in a stern voice to “come here” – but the order was completely ignored.
Gus was being very restrained but after ten seconds of this, he snarled and snapped. I had steam coming out of my ears when the owner arrived and managed to grab his dog. He did apologise that his dog had upset my dog, then gave the second immortal excuse, “He’s a rescue dog.”
Himself sensibly walked on with Gus while the owner’s wife and two other dogs came up. The owner apologised again, said they had only had the dog two days and remarked that he was working on being the pack leader. I took a deep breath…. Then we had quite a civilised conversation about how it might be a good idea to train a decent recall before letting the dog off lead again.
Hands up if you’ve ever been walking along and been accosted by an off lead dog.
You have? I’m not surprised.
Unfortunately incidents like the two described are far, far too common. It is never OK to allow your dog to run up to another dog, ever. Especially if the other dog is on lead.
It doesn’t matter if your dog is “friendly” either. Both the goldie and the schnauzer did not show any aggression at all, but their behaviour was intrusive, so the dogs they pestered felt they had to react.
Both Gus and the two dogs on lead annoyed by the schnauzer will now be even more wary of loose dogs coming their way. They may well decide to retaliate first in future.
And it is not their fault. It is the off lead dogs owners fault.
As an owner it is your duty to be in control of your dog. All the time.
Never let your dog run up to another dog, Ever.
Keep training and stay safe,
Carol