I just hate being snarled at early in the day!

[Carolk9s]

I decided to take the dogs to the park early to take advantage of the cooler temps. Right as we got there, a man walked across the street with his 3 dogs on leash, I stood to one side and voice controlled my dogs to stay put while he walked past us. We then headed into the woods. Very soon I realized that Jesse was not right behind me anymore. I backtracked, he had also backtracked and was walking towards the guy with his 3 dogs across the field. Jesse reached him and his dogs before I got to Jesse. I was calling Jesse's name but Jesse was intent on meeting and greeting. He was walking amongst the guys dogs waving his tail, there was ZERO aggression of any kind. I could see the guy was irritated by Jesse being there. First words out of my mouth to the guy were, "I am so sorry my dog is bothering you, he snuck away from me". He fired back, "You should be able to control your dogs". Well, I do happen to agree with that but this is an area that people bring their dogs and let them run offleash. I mentioned this to him, not good enough. He told me I was irresponsible, my dogs (only Jesse approached him) had RUINED his training session. I AGAIN apologized and said let me get my dog out of your way. The girls at this point were on a down stay near me and NOT approaching his dogs. The guy kept on talking about how MY DOGS ruined his training session and I should be able to control them etc etc. On and on. He is walking away. I got a bit ticked off and said again dogs get to be offleash here and stuff happens and he should get over it. I know, not the best response, I was reacting to his anger. I then said, we are going the other way you are welcome to resume your training and my dogs will not bother you again. He kept walking and saying the same stuff over and over, I was irresponsible and needed to control my dogs.
What a start to our day! Again, I DO agree that it is up to me to control my dogs but I feel he overreacted. The entire exchange took about 5 minutes, perhaps a couple more, but as quickly as I could I collected Jesse and moved all my dogs away from him. The guy was really bent out of shape and marched off and left the park. As a trainer, I feel that part of training is to work THROUGH distractions and maintaining ones cool.
Anyway, I just needed to vent, I was embarrassed and apologetic but still feel he overreacted to the very brief interuption.

[bk_blue]

Urrgh I can't stand people who get annoyed when in an *offlead* park your offlead dogs come to say hi to your *onlead* dogs. I know I know you should be able to control your dogs but for chrissake, they are dogs, not robots. Meeting and greeting is what most of them like to do! :roll:

Reminds me of when I was at the park awhile ago and BK was playing with this adorable Boxer (male) for an hour or so, all smiles, in the offlead section of this HUGE park (ie 5km circumference), when this guy comes through with 3 Dobes on tight leashes and says to me and the Boxer's owner "oh you'd better put your dogs on the lead till we get past". ARRRGH. :evil:

[Carolk9s]

[quote name='K'].and that he should of seen clearly that a "Meet and Greet" with Jesse would of been a prime training point for all concerned..and all he did was let his dogs see and feel his displeasure at another dogs approach...

Dangit K! Why didn't I think of saying that to him! 8)
I was so startled by his anger and am still feeling ruffled. Silly on my part, now I need to get over it!

[mouseatthebusstop]

I am sorry your day has been spoilt
almost every week one of us gets bothered by stupid people while we are out

[Horsefeathers!]

Well, that just sucks! I can understand his initial frustration... he didn't know Jesse, or you, may have been building frustration at the truly irresponsible owners who make us all upset sometimes and Jesse was perhaps the last straw that broke the camel's back. However, I do think he overreacted. Unlike the truly irresponsible people who just blow off stuff with, "oh, he's friendly, he just wants to say hi" as their dog is jumping all over you, or terrorizing your dog who is cowering between your legs, you were apologetic and TRIED to right the "wrong." Geez Louise, they are DOGS after all and you were in an offlead area. I think it's unreasonable to expect that you won't ever ever ever meet an offlead dog in an offlead area. I'm all for voice control, responsible ownership and all that jazz, but is it realistic to expect EVERY dog to respond perfectly 100% of the time? If that were the case, there'd be no competition in things like flyball, agility and competitive obedience as all dogs would have perfect scores.

Like K, I think this man blew a perfectly good training exercise, regardless of how irresponsible he perceived you to be. He quite possibly has begun to make his dogs fear the approach of other dogs and people. Way to go, Mr. Perfect Training Exercise!

I'd be a bit aggravated with his dramatics as well. It might make me feel better to think that perhaps he had a very recent rescue dog with issues of some sort that he was trying to work through and the distraction (in his mind) blew it. It might help to think something like that rather than just believe he was an obnoxious moron. WE know you and love you :wink: , but I'm sure we've all dealt with enough of the truly obnoxious and irresponsible people to perhaps be cynical and overreact sometimes. In other words, the guy was a jerk, but perhaps a well intentioned jerk.

[Guest Anonymous]

Great posts everyone! I totally agree!

K napisał(a):

and all he did was let his dogs see and feel his displeasure at another dogs approach...BAD MOVE on his part...what if next time another dog approaches they try to "see it off" to save thier man being upset??? things like that do happen

That's EXACTLLY what I was thinking! I for one would be GREATFUL of Jesse running over to meet Coal!! :lol: There are very few GOOD opportunities like that to get Coal past distractions around here. Sure, there are plenty of dogs that run up to us on a walk, but non which owners are around :roll: If I saw that the owner was like you, with your other two in a down stay and you were appologetic and trying to get your dog, I'd deffently take advantage of that! :D

HF napisał(a):

I think it's unreasonable to expect that you won't ever ever ever meet an offlead dog in an offlead area. I'm all for voice control, responsible ownership and all that jazz, but is it realistic to expect EVERY dog to respond perfectly 100% of the time? If that were the case, there'd be no competition in things like flyball, agility and competitive obedience as all dogs would have perfect scores.

Wow, I never even thought of that :lol: :lol: SO true! I will have to keep that in mind the next time *knock on wood* Coal and I have a set back in training :wink: To keep in mind that he's not perfect :lol: :lol: FAR FROM actually :lol: :wink:

[Carolk9s]

Thanks for the support fellow doggers!
I hope to see him again so I can ask him if he cried all the way home.
Oh, but that would be rude of me right? :P

[MajiesMom]

I would understand if it wasn’t an off leash area but it was! He really overreacted! In off leash areas you are setting yourself up for dogs running wild to come up to you and your dog(s), you know, use at your own risk. :drinking:
For normal dogs, :D (I'm so jealous of you guys with normal dogs) a dog running up to another is excellent distraction training! His dogs won’t get trained if he doesn’t welcome that kind of distraction.
I am so anal about people taking their dogs out off leash because I like to take my dog out too, on leash of course, ALWAYS! My dog is dog aggressive and I don’t want her to hurt a dog if they come up to her because they’re off leash where they should be, by law. I’d be the one to be penalized for it too. :x So far none of the off leash dogs we’ve encounter have ever come right up to her – but I wouldn’t either, if they aren’t scared off by her lunging and barking they are scared off by my waving my arms and screaming in a very harsh voice “GO HOME!, GET!, OUTTA HERE!!!” :evilbat:

I wouldn't worry about it.

[courtnek]

If he's trying to train his dogs, depending on the level of training involved (basic obedience, heel, sit, etc) an unleashed dog park is not the best place to start. you dont start on distraction training until BO has been gotten down first. If he's trying to train for distractions, he's going about it all wrong. distraction is what you WANT if that's what you're traiing for.
we have a training park here, for beginners, and all dogs have to be on leashes. it's for beginner obedience training, and distraction for beginners.
true, offleash, distraction training comes much later, when you have firm recall command on your dog. while your dog should have returned when you called, an offleash dog park is very tempting to some dogs. and yu werent expecting him to sneak off like that, but they do in an offlead park.

I too think he overreacted. was he aware this was an offlead park do you know?

[Carolk9s]

Courtnek,
Yes, he was well aware of the offleash status of the park. He said he took his dogs to the other side of the field so he could train them away from others. I do work to keep my dogs close to me, especially Jesse. I worry that Jesse might get knocked over by a playful younger dog. Jesse acts very much like a country gentleman, he does not run up to other dogs but walks up, waving his tail the entire way.

[courtnek]

then he has no case, and no reason to be so rude. the dogs are offlead, they interact with each other. that's the whole pupose of the park. I like your description of Jesse. the "perfect country gentlemen". I can picture him in my head, strolling up, tail wagging madly..."wanna be friends?"

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Carolk9s]

Jesse has always been a very sociable fellow, has always greeted dogs and humans with the same 'how do you do, lets be friends' attitude. There has been exactly one dog in his life that he took an instant dislike to, I never could figure out why this young male Bernese irritated him. When he was younger, if another dog did not like him and perhaps growled or postured, Jesse would generally snort his disdain and simply walk away. If the other dog tried to push the issue, he would stand his ground calmly. He has never been in an actual fight. I'm sure his size had something to do with that, most dogs would leave him alone.
Trouble is, he does not understand this whole 'elderly' concept. He no longer has the muscle and balance to hold his ground against a younger dog, that is why it IS my job to protect him more than ever now. He is still as sneaky as ever which is why he got away from me in the first place.
I have curtailed his visits to the park when a large number of dogs can be expected, most of his trips are done very early in the morning. If more dogs are there, I put his leash on to keep him near me. I can see where I will have increase that for his protection.

[Malamum]

I also agree that the man over reacted.

As I have said before, Indy is not the greatest with other dogs so one of my biggest hates is dogs off lead comming up to him when we are walking. I have even been known to loose it and have yelled at somone to get thier f'ing dog NOW!! :oops:

However knowing my dog's limitations, I never take him anywhere that is a designated off leash area. To me it's pretty simple - if you go to an off leash area then there is a very high probability that you will encounter other dogs who are off leash and will who approach your dog. It's not rocket science - if that is a problem for you then don't go to those areas.

[gooeydog]

Sounds like he had a stick up his a$$, and you just happened to get the brunt of his anger :roll:

I could see if you were in a regular, dogs-on-leash park, but what did the guy expect in a dog park? Furthermore, if it was that big of an issue, perhaps he should have called to you to catch Jesse before he got to his dogs, kinda late to be freaking out on someone for letting their dog come up to yours when you've stood there and watched the dog stroll up without voicing any concerns/protest.

I could understand if you were in an on-leash area, and he had asked you to get your dog (preferably before he got so close you weren't able to catch up), but he didn't, and if he can't accept that sometimes dogs wil ldo what they want, then too bad for him. I've had a few peoples' dogs trot off and come over to try and visit whatever dog I was walking (not in off-leash areas), and even with the dog aggressive dogs, the only way I usually have a problem is if the person ignores my asking them to get their dog (makes little or no effort at all, or tries to argue out of the fact that they're in the wrong), or if the dog is aggressive, or if the dog is repeatedly an issue. Of course, I'm lucky enough that both ways around our block have dogs/owners that meet all 3 criteria, so it's always a pleasure to walk the dogs (hmmm.... which one do I feel like dealing with today...?" :roll: