Just got back from a generally pleasant morning walk with Honey - she had a little play, was generally good at staying close and we avoided seeing a cat, so she didn't chase it!!!
We had a couple of slightly deaf moments, but nothing major.
Just at the end she was waiting for me to catch up and put her lead on, when she spotted people at the entrance, so she dashed off to say hello (ignoring my request to do otherwise, in a typical teenager moment). I wasn't too worried about this as a) she is pretty good at reading doggie body language now, and doesn't jump around dogs who can't cope with this, and b) she never goes beyond the fence bit (though knowing there's always a first time, I sped up to get to her!).
The people/dogs she had spied were definately not the playing type - in fact they were the group of bad tempered dogs we always avoid (one just needs to see another dog in the distance and starts growling and snarling - the only thing the owners seem to do is let them get on with it and keep them on leads - I've never seen them trying to help their dog overcome what is obviously fear
). Honey had cottoned on to that, and had kept a reasonable distance, however she wasn't reacting to well to being snarled at. I got her attention and was trying to keep her focussed on me to get on to the lead when one of the owners piped up "You know she chases deer?" - now that got my attention, as if she has been seen chasing deer, we would definately need to keep a tighter rein on her - so I say "Really?" (of course, my attention now off Honey, who is now creeping up towards the dogs, despite the growling)... "Yes - there was a deer here and she chased it into the undergrowth" - now I'm sorry but Honey was out of my sight for about 3 seconds.... and was not tearing through the undergrowth in any way - she may have startled the deer, and maybe even followed for 2-3 steps (which is what she does with birds) but if she was chasing a deer, she would have been nowhere to be seen, as she'd have been chasing the stupid thing!!!
During this exchange Honey has crept forwards of ther fence and is getting really quite spooked by the dogs barking, so I just get her on the lead and these stupid people head off for their walk.
Now, have I got the wrong definition of "chase"? I am impressed that she didn't go careering off into the undergrowth after any deer there might have been.
What makes me cross is that they said it in such an accusatory way, as if I had the devil dog, took my attention away from my dog, who I was trying to keep away from their dogs to reduce the stress caused to all animals, and the fact that their dogs are hardly the best examples of doggie behaviour....
It really spoiled the walk, as I came home feeling really angry...
