General Chat

Glitter, that person may have been right.
Daughter had a GSD/collie cross, who behaved much better off the lead.
Down the road lived a lady with a full size Schnauzer. They first met when both dogs (both females) were on leads, and the outcome wasn't nice, the normally docile dogs snarled at each other and were quite aggresive.
Whenever they met on walks, if either dog was off the lead, they were quckly put on.
One day the lady and my daughter (with dogs) met either end of a bridge over a motorway. Fed up with being ruled by the dogs, they called across to each other - it was a long but relatively confined space. They decided to take the leads off.
The dogs ran towards each other, had a couple of stand-offish displays, sniffed the usual and started frolicking about! They were best of friends after that. :-D

Thanks for that info Patricia, I agree that having a dog off lead does not make you an irresponsible dog owner (I perhaps should've worded my thread differently) my apologies. but the cases I mentioned with Poppy, the owners of the other dogs were not in control or didn't seem too bothered by their dogs behaviour.

Our dog would happily lick you to death she's a Cav. King Charles Spaniel.
The only thing she's not keen on is cyclist and joggers, because they go pass too fast (don't stop to fuss her) and she likes to try to chase them. lol.

She's never off a lead (a long one) when we're out walking, but is free to run around our garden.

While dogs are supposed to be on a lead while on the street, in a park, public footpath etc they do not unless there is a byelaw requiring them to be, in which case there should be a notice.

However having a dog off lead does not make you an irresponsable dog owner PROVIDING the dog is under control. I have 2 dogs they are rarely on a lead in public areas because I have them under my control. The only time, apart from near farm animals, I have the bitch on a lead is when she's in season. In the case of the dog I have him on a lead when there are children about as he was kicked repeatedly by a child when he was young[and before we had him] and will ran away if approached. Saying that if he's on a lead then he'll happily let a child touch him as he knows 'Mum' will look after him!

I have been told, by a police dog trainer, having a dog on a lead can often provoke attacks as the other dog senses yours cannot get away.

There really is no clear answer I'm afraid there will always be dog owners who don't care what thier dogs get up too and there are those that will know exactly what thier dogs are doing at any moment and will act correctly

Susan10146857 and Annx

No she's been spayed, just over 12 months ago.

I am not muzzling my dogs Dermot....They are more likely to lick someone to death rather than harm them in any way.

Yes GB, you are right.


Dogs also know if another is weak or old.....or ill even....they act accordingly.

Muzzle dogs while outside the owner's home. Or is that too obvious?

Just what I was wondering Susan!

is your dog in season?

Thanks for your replies GlitterBaby & KittytheLearnerCook,

I thought all dogs were suppose to be on a lead in a public area?
In the first incident with Poppy I was on my own walking her on a public footpath, when a man with two big dogs off lead came bound up to us, I tried to make a fuss of them, one was ok the other was only interested in Poppy (whenever Poppy meets anyone dog/human she goes down on her tummy), the man walked pass us and called the dogs, the one I fussed ran after him, he continued to walk away from us, at this point the dog sniffing around Poppy managed to get his paw on her shoulder and was growling at her, I tried to get the dog off by pulling at it's collar, but it had no effect, the owner turned around and kept calling, he eventually came to collect the dog and apologised telling me he'd only had the dog a week from the dogs home.
The second incident was yesterday, my daughter and I took Poppy over a field behind the leisure centre we tried to avoid a woman with a staffie off lead, again the same thing happened as before only this time the staffie was only interested in Poppy, I had to shout at it to get off and go at which point it turned and looked at me, and for a minute I thought it might go for me he ran off, the woman never stopped walking, I did shout after her that her dog should be on a lead.
In future I think I'm going to take a walking stick out with me, I can't put up with this from irresponsible owners. :-|

Luckily our dog is fine with other dogs, on or off the lead, but I always put her on when a strange dog approaches in case the other one has a bad attitude.

Just as well on the day a pesky yorkishire terrier was dancing around underneath her yapping and growling.....for the first and only time ever, our dog growled and bared her teeth at it.

When I pointed out to the owner that my dog could kill her yorkie with one bite, it was put back on the lead................then cuddled and kissed while it continued to growl, that is rewarding the bad behaviour!

Stupid owner

:-P :-P

I was told once that the reason for my dog getting attacked was becuase it was on a lead.

Why don't people keep their dogs on a lead when out walking, this is the second time that Poppy's been got at, it makes me so angry that people can be so irresponsible. rant over. sorry folks.