Dog keeps having a go at Freya on walks

[Goggins]

Please bear with me for this long post...also Im very upset whilst writing this...

On Freya's 1st walk she met a group of small dogs and as she approached a Jack Russel just made a beeline for her at speed and bowled her over 3 times...after the 3rd time Freya ran off screaming. Thankfully, she recalled back. The JR owner laughed and I tried to be calm for Freya's sake.

Anyhow, we meet lots of lovely dogs on this walk and Freya now has many friends and has grown from a nervy dog into a calm submissive but very happy girl.

Yet, everyday, this JR always bolts for Freya as soon as it sees her and Freya always ends up scrabbling at my legs and the JR comes behind me and has a go. I dont mean biting but always pins her down in what appears an aggressive way. The owner always laughs and Ive been getting more and more angry. So, yesterday I made sure Freya was sat behind me and I made myself look big and I pointed at it and shouted "No! Dont you dare, every day it happens and Im not having it anymore"...the JR owner said "oh, shes ok"...I walked off.

So, today, this owner is stood talking to a man with a GSD. I hear her say..."oh, here we go, better put her on a lead as this girl is nasty and had a go at her yesterday"...I said "well, everyday yours has a go and Im fed up with it"...at this point her JR is growling at Freya. I then get told I know nothing about dogs and behaviour and Freya actually wants to play with her JR and her JR is actually being very friendly. I said well as far as I can see Freya is submissive and wants an easy life and is scared of her JR. I got told by both of them I need to get a life and obviously have not owned dogs for as long as them and when I have I will know that the JR is friendly and Freya just wants to play.

I said I wasnt going to argue and walked off and could here them laughing at me and Freya. None of this had anything to do with the man with the gsd but he was really enjoying seeing me get upset and arguing.

I cant stop crying about being had a go at so aggressively...all I was trying to was protect Freya from this JR...

Thank you letting me offload...not sure where Id be without this site xx

[seaangler]

We also had almost the same problem with are Peggy she would scrabble and try and hide away from the J.R and her crying was like she was being killed...As she got older and wiser the tables have now turned on the J.R its Peggy that has the last laugh..(Bark)

Perhaps its needs the J.R to snap and warn your dog off(do not come near me)So your dog knows it place being young..I to was worried and have been reassured by the GREAT members on C.O.L that this behaver will go on and my dog as well as yours will need putting in place...But like i have said in the heading above time will come and rolls will be reversed...

Don worry for now..Chris

[Misty Roan]

So sorry you had a horrible walk.  Even if he thinks his JR is playing there is no need to be rude and he should respect your opinion.  You know your own girl better than anyone else and will know if she is stressed.  Some people are just full of themselves these days that there is no sense in them.

[8 Hairy Feet]

Aw Carol,please don't be upset
by rude, ignorant folk 
Unfortunately they are out there!
I would do exactly what you did and
would probably now be thinking about
changing my walk route or time or walking
with other nicer dogs and their hoomans
for backup!
steffxxx

[Goggins]

Thanks guys...am sat crying just reading the replies...

Seaangler: Freya has always been a calm pup and never initiates play or runs up to other dogs she will always just sit and look like she is thinking. She has always done this and it was the JR that just bolted at her--for what looked like no reason...I can understand younger ott woofs needing to be put in their place and dogs do this far better than us humans!! Thanks for your reply though.

Thanks Avis and Steff....such kind and very true words...I will try and keep my chin up!!

As for Freya...she is fast asleep without a care in the world! Best way to be me thinks...wish I could just forget all about it...

[Neon]

Ah, don't cry.  It's so frustrating.  I had a JR once who was hell bent on attacking Jarvis.  It was an evil little thing but fortunately, the owner put it on a lead when she saw us.  These people are just ignorant and find it amusing that you should be upset and protecting your puppy.  These sort of people shouldn't be dog owners in my opinion.  I would do what Hairyfeet says and try to avoid them as best you can.  There have been times in the past when I have been so worried about Jarvis being attacked that I actually came very close to carrying a stick with me to beat them off - I was so angry and frustrated.

[Sharonb]

Hi Carol,
I think you are completely in the right. I was talking to a behavourist recently who said that it is bad manners for dogs to come flying over to other dogs in that manner. Unfortunately it sounds like the owner is someone who would never admit their dog is in the wrong.
It sounds like your dog behaved really well so try not to get too upset and I think if you can avoid them for a while then that would be a good idea.
Sharon x

[silke]

Hi Carol,

I really know how you feel, I've also been there. Charlie has been attacked and this has left him nervous of other dogs. He sticks close to me on walks, but if another dog comes pelting over, even if it is just boisterous, it freaks him out. I've also found some other dog owners not being very understanding when I tried to explain (especially if they have clearly had no control and just couldn't get their dog to come back to them).  I've had Charlie yelp when he was bowled over, had him run off when chased etc etc. Tbh, I don't know myself anymore what the best thing to do is in that situation, but I know how upsetting it can be! So big hugs to you!

Silke x

[redlottie]

Please don't get upset I know how hard it is...my youngest cocker Albie now 1 just doesnt get on with Jack Russells - I dont know what it is but he is normally such a happy friendly chap says allow and mingles with any dogs he sees normally the bigger the better but where we walk we meet a couple of jack russells and Albie always gets really uptight I dont know whether its because they can be snappy little things but now if I see a jack russell coming we make a hasty retreat in the opposite direction!

As for the people laughing at you then they sound very ignorant   whether or not they truly believe that the JR was only trying to play with Freya or not just the fact that you are upset with the way Freya reacts should make them more sensitive.  Surely if they believe they are truely experts in dog behaviour they could have been far more constructive in their approach to the situation and certainly wouldnt laugh at a caring owner trying to do whats best for their dog.

Try not to let it spoil your walks unfortunately there are some people that just arent very nice

[wendyt]

Carol try not to get too upset. You were completely right to confront the owner, I'd have done the same thing.

 Some people are so ignorant and rude it never ceases to amaze me, I was at the vets the other day when a lady came in with her border collie, when it saw my Indy it started to pull on the leader, hackles up and was snarling and growling really badly, we moved out of it's way and was promptly told he only wants to "play". I said "I don't think so" and her reply was that I should get a grip and that she'd had dogs for years and knew what she was talking about. Enough said

If I was you I'd either change the time you walk Freya so that you can avoid the JR and it's ignorant owner, or change your route alltogether. A trainer friend of mine always carries a child's water pistol in her pocket and uses it to deter any dogs that try to attack her dog.

Wendy xx

[Karma]

Agree - you are completely correct.  It is VERY bad manners for this JR to charge up and bowl your dog over, and it is not "just wanting to play"
http://www.flyingdogpress.com/content/view/42/97/

FWIW Honey would eat this JR alive if it tried it with her - she has no tolerance for "rude" dogs and after 3yrs of her telling off other dogs who annoy her (and helping her to a point so it is now only rude dogs and not every dog who looks at her) I have no tolerance for the owners of rude dogs.  I've had plenty of owners look at me horrified when Honey tells their beloved dog off, but I can always tell the dogs she will have a go at and it's down to manners - a polite dog approaches, slows on the approach, comes in on an arc and meets side on - they will give a gentle sniff and maybe progress to sniffing bums.  A polite playful dog may bound up intially, but will stop at a distance, lie down or give a play bow from a distance and read the body language of the dog it is approaching.

I would avoid this JR if you can - there are a couple of dogs we avoid because I know their owners can't see them doing any wrong, yet they push and push at Honey until she reacts to them, and then the owner tells Honey she's being horrid. 

[black taz]

if she is fine with other dogs, but not the JR then i would agree with you - its the JR not Freya.  Hate to say it, but you have to get used to ignorant/rude people.  When i am out with my dogs, my priority is the safety of my dogs and myself, and i try to ignore rude people. 

If possible, try and change your route so that you meet the friendlier dogs, the JR owner obviously has a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

[sandie72]

I am so sorry you have had such a horrible experience...people can be so rude nowadays. I agree if I was you I would start taking a different route and just stay away from these silly people.

Last week a huge off lead chocolate lab came running up to Kayla 5 months and she started screaming and was petrified...she was on lead as we were in the street...I know I shouldn't have lifted her up but I got such a fright at her reaction (we have a chocolate lab also). Anyway since then she has been very nervous out walking and at puppy class this week a large dog came close to her and she growled...I gave her into trouble and boy what a telling off I got from the trainer about how growling was not acceptable. I tried to explain that I felt it was through fear as she has never does this before. You can safely say I came away from training feeling very down heartend. 

[janandted]

I know exactly how you feel    I have had the same problem with a' Professional' dog walker 
When Mollie was 12wks and just out, one of her greyhounds came bounding over and snapped at her,she cried but wasn't hurt just scared i think  The walker has 5 large dogs and was unable to get it on a lead. We just carried on. Few weeks later saw her and she said 'my greyhound doesn't do puppies'. Mollie was on her lead and we carried on. 2wks ago met her again,Mollie was on lead and we were just walking past and a chocolate lab with her came bounding behind Mollie hackles up and snapped at her,all her other dogs started barking and straining to join in  . I said this is the second time your dogs have done this and i then got a tirade of abuse,she was shouting at me that it was my dog giving off bad vibes, fear vibes  that i should read the behaviour books etc. etc. Mollie meets lots of different dogs on her walks and never has a problem,she waits with me until i tell her to say hello and is learning her manners, and at the training classes she was used to teach the much bigger dogs (2 Huskies) how to play with smaller dogs as she was the most submissive  (is that a fear vibe )
I, like you, was very upset,and still am. I now do all i can to avoid her,  I try to think of the many nice people and dogs we meet 

[Karma]

There are some idiots out there.

I'm aware Honey can be horrid to submissive dogs - strangely she's fine with nervous/anxious dogs, but with happy but submissive dogs she can be horrid - but I know that' *Honey's* problem, not the submissive dog's.  "Fear vibes" indeed.... *rollseyes* 

sandie72 - if that was your puppy trainer's advice, I wouldn't be going back.  We have a very hectic puppy class at the minute, with a little shit-zu who is very growly/barky if other dogs are looking at her - we are working with the owner to help keep her distracted and calm so that she can get used to the other dogs about her without having to confront them.  What exactly did your trainer suggest you should be doing?
(Incidentally, if the situation you described happened in our puppy classes, we would ask the owner of the big dog to keep their dog away, and encourage all owners to keep their dog's focus on them rather than the other dogs.  It's hard work, but it's the best way to keep the situation calm and relaxed for the pups!)