Bloomin' dog owners!

[Fallout]

I'm sick of reclusive nervous dog owners subjecting their own pathetic spindly personalities onto their dogs. It's really starting to grate my cheese.

I walk my dog in a 4-6 square mile forest, totally fenced all the way around, so even at the boarders your dog is safe. It's a really good place to walk, except for the massive swathe of lilly livered numpties that walk their dogs there. I'd say as little as 20% walk their dogs off the lead and let them play with other dogs. Another 50% walk their dogs on the lead which causes havoc for them whenever another dog comes up to them, and at least 30% are the terrified moronic lettuce brained types who shepherd their dog into a cocooned embrace whenever another dog is in the vicinity.

There's this one dappy crone with two collies who commands them to lie down whenever another dog approaches, then scowls evilly at me for allowing my dog anywhere near her. I'm convinced she even kicked my dog once because he got too close. Today I met a young lad with some small rat who had to crouch down into a bush and hold his dog close when mine came over, in case my tyrannical vicious 8 month old Labrador disembowelled his beloved wretch.

It's not like my dog is badly behaved. He doesn't jump up. If someone shows no interest he'll run up to them, maybe do a few laps around them and then come back. He's very submissive, so whenever another dog is actually allowed to play, generally he'll be hurling himself onto the floor, legs in the air, begging for mercy. It's just the owners who, incapable of confident interaction with humans subject their own underdeveloped retarded personas onto their dogs.

Perhaps when they were puppies they decided the tail between the legs submission in front of other dogs meant they were scared and nervous, and ever since have tried to protect them from aggressive poodles and limb ripping sausage dogs. After all, dogs are so fragile that if they were to be bowled over during play, they'd smash into a million pieces or maybe even die from sheer terror. Or perhaps it's simply that they want to live in their own bubble and ignore everyone else, and to do that they pull their dog into the same prison and turn it into a nervous wretched mutt.

Whatever the answer is, it fecks me right off as how many there are. The odd owner who actually talks and enjoys watching their dog play is a breath of fresh air. The rest of them make me want to smack them in the face.

Anyway, I'm fed up of having to call my dog back every single encounter and try and put him on the lead so I can walk past them without some sort of brutal fight to the death between the dogs. Today I decided I'm not going to do that any more. I'm gonna let Duke run up to absolutely anyone, and so long as he doesn't jump up or terrorize anyone infirm who's struggling to walk, or with a young kid who might get a tongue in the face, I don't care. If their dog does pirouettes around them, tying them up in their lead, or growls out of owner induced paranoia, then feck them. They can deal with it.

God help them if they say anything to me.

[Mark_h]

I usually take Thunderace for walks up there and I get funny looks even when he's on the lead. He usually rolls over with his legs in the air when you come close but I think he's been conditioned to do that. He's not been the same since we had him gelded.

[tigersaw]

Another thing is when other peoples dogs approach me I let them have a good sniff and then make a fuss of them - you'd think I was going to infect them with dog death disease the way some owners react.

[timwilky]

I have a jack russell that is never on the lead in the fields, unless there are sheep. He will mix it with any dog. There is just one local collie he doesn't get on with. Otherwise his attitude is if you don't want to play how about a fight.

People there without a dog. He wants to know where their dog is.

IMO its because they've bought a dog but never made the effort to understand how dogs interact with other dogs and thus see barking or raised hair as instant signs that they're going to fight.
I'm totally in your camp, I've trained my dog to walk under vocal control without the need for a lead. She's one of it not the only dog we've encountered at the new house who walks off the lead. Since moving here I'd say 80% of dog owners never let their dogs off, 15% do but only on the green areas and all 95% praise how well behaved she is. Then there are the other 5% who accuse me of been irresponsible and as you say huddle their poochie-kins when ever any other dog comes near. Its no shock their dogs yap and go nuts, regardless of the tension they've picked up on from their owners the dogs must be desperate to interact with the other who happily play.

I honestly think there should be more controls on who can/cant own a pet. Licences etc where by you must be able to prove knowledgeable of the species, you must also have a job and find the suggestion of "special brew" repulsive. Owning a baseball cap for any other reason than you play golf or possessing any Burberry or Argos jewellery will also prove to be instant failure on licence application.

I agree with Fallout, it's bizarre behaviour by the owners who seem to want to project human behaviour on their pets. My dogs regularly walk in a fenced in wooded area too, largely because one of them is a lurcher and will run for fun, especially if she catches a scent and I'll never get her back in an unfenced area if she's after a deer. The rabbits are fair game and she always brings them back to me, which is errr nice.

Many of the other owners seem to want their dogs next to them at all time, won't them play with other dogs and shriek and whistle for them the moment the dogs are out of sight or having fun. They're silly billies honestly.

I don't understand it all. Mind you my lurcher does have a tendency to eat horse and cow manure and the Jack Russell likes to roll in fox poo so maybe they have a point?

[Fallout]

I'm not surprised you guys agree. I suppose to some extent the psychology of getting on a bike is a more relaxed one and that extends to dog ownership.

As for eating poo, it's just part of their depraved psychology which shows how non-human they are. Putting a dog on a lead and denying it it's natural desire to run around exploring is just wrong imo. Let em run, and let em have pooey breath!

[husky03]

All very well you knowing your own dog but you don't know how any other dog is going to re-act to yours having a sniff -what would you do if your wee pup playfully went up to someone elses dog who is on the lead and ended up getting mauled ?. Its irresponsible for a dog owner to allow there dog to approach unknown dogs ,wonder if you've came out with the line " its ok mate he only wants to play"-maybe your dog does but unless you know the other dog you can't be sure if he does also.

[NTECUK]

Even a normally well behaved dog can sometimes be bad.
My dads samoyed walks of the lead.
A jack ran up to it and flew at him.
He got hold of it and shock it about like a rag doll apparently.
It got loose and ran off.
Now Max is keept on his lead.

If the dogs the sort to maul he ought to have a muzzle.