[Closed] Inability to control dogs

It is about teaching kids that they are in charge of dogs, and giving them that confidence which the dogs can detect.

You are assuming that will always work (it doesn't). What do you teach them to do when that doesn't work?

- Lay dead on the ground?
- run away in a zig zag pattern?
- hit it with a cricket bat hoping you don't miss?

I don't want to see dogs destroyed or people fined, just proper advice about controlling your dog would be a start

Is there not lots of proper advice about controlling your dog already?

The problem here is that you're wanting to advise the kind of person who isn't going to listen to your advice thanks very much because they already know how to look after a dog.

Thanks for all the positive/supportive comments. I have calmed down a touch.

Interesting that many of the responses are more confrontational that I was. My initial instinct was to protect my lad and calm him down, and get away. I confess I hadn't even thought about calling the police or reporting the owners until it cropped up here. Sadly, not sure it would do any good with the already stretched resources, but I take the point that doing so might at least allow for a log of incidents to be taken.

We are going to try and introduce him to some "friendly" dogs in due course, but obviously in a managed and controlled way - not immediately though.

As to the cricket bat point, I do play and we do have a plastic beach cricket set, but I shall add one of my old wooden bats to the set and keep it to hand...

My dog doesn't attack children (fortunately) but I've given him a kick myself when he's being a **** with other dogs.

Are muzzles really uncomfortable for dogs? Compulsory when out of the house might be a start

anagallis_arvensis - Member
Some right internet hard men on here!!
LOL

Care to explain?

Nope you might beat me up!!

Lots of people are morons, lots of people own dogs.
I had one dog owner get all angry with me when my lurcher sorted out his over excited spaniel that was jumping up at my 6 year old boy! He said he would kick my dog if it attacked his again (she told off the other dog she didnt actually hurt it). Some people are plain stupid.

My dog doesn't attack children (fortunately) but I've given him a kick myself when he's being a **** with other dogs.

Without wanting to look like one of the aformentioned internet hard man you not the knob end who threatenned me with a fire extinguisher from his car after I told him if he kicked the dog again I was going to kick him are you?

I really feel for your young boy OP.
Most dog owners these days don't seem to train their dogs in any way. The owners treat their dog as though it is a child or something to show off.
If you try and explain that you are scared of dogs (which I am), I usually get the typical retorts of, "my little Fido wouldn't harm a flea", or "he/she is just being friendly". I don't want to be licked or jumped up to, thanks.
I really believe that a dog licence should be brought back in to force.
Comments about the child of the OP behaving in a certain way around dogs are ludicrous 🙄

We have a maniac dog that is prone to jumping up at people and generally getting very worked up and as a result I keep her on the lead at all times now. I'm even "strongly" considering a muzzle just in case.

She's only small but still big enough to be intimidating and could harm if she bit.

It's marred dog owning for me now. We had a great hound before her that I could let off the lead without any real fear or concern that he would cause an incident and I guess we thought she would become compliant with the same amount of effort he took....... WRONG

And now TBH I just want rid. The wife wanted the dog and said she would put the effort in but it never happened and I don't have the time to spend training it so it's a ****ing burden to me now.

Don't get me wrong, I believe we offered it a good home and are responsible enough owners but she is going to need a lot of work to get compliant and may not ever be the bimbling old softee that the other dog was.

In general she's just no fun, but that's the risk when you get a rescue dog I guess

I remember being really frightened of dogs as a kid. We didn't have one (still don't, never had) and all my experiences with dogs were negative. Barking, snarling, jumping at you, nipping. Now I don't get any bother. I honestly can't recall when the change came. I never have to be outwardly aggressive to a dog but they tend to back off when I walk towards them and I'm happy with that. I'm not sure if it's because I'm big and don't look like a push over so they don't start, or because of my size I have little fear of dogs so don't look intimidated (so they in return are intimidated of me) or because at 6 foot something a barking snarling dog does not look as much of a threat as when you are less than 3 foot tall and virtually eye to eye with them. Or a bit of all the above. I did do a dog section in a survival course whilst in the forces (escape and invasion and being dug up by one, putting an arm guard on and try to run away from one, advice and tackling one coming at you) and whilst I don't remember any of it maybe its subconsciously changed my attitude to them.

I'm no dog fan and also no apologist for poorly behaved dogs and rubbish owners who should not be accepted but in terms of helping your own child out making them more confident around dogs does seem to make them less frightening to come across and also make the dog less aggressive in the situation.

Just one point I would like to add - one of my daughters used to be very afraid of dogs when she was younger but we slowly introduced her to dogs (family and friends that have them) and she grew to love them – when she was six we got our own dog (which she wanted) and now she has gone the other way completely - not afraid to go up to pretty much any dog she sees (which isn't necessarily a good thing I know).

Without wanting to look like one of the aformentioned internet hard man you not the knob end who threatenned me with a fire extinguisher from his car after I told him if he kicked the dog again I was going to kick him are you?

Yeah that was me.

I don't want to be licked or jumped up to, thanks.

And it amazes me how many people don't get this. "Aw, he's only playing." Yes, but I don't want to, and my human personal space trumps your hound's desire to see what I taste like. If I came over there and licked your face would you dismiss that as only playing?

I like dogs. I like most animals, in fact. But I like being left the **** alone too.

Yeah that was me.

😆
You really shit bricks when I failed to back down and looked quite funny fumbling in your car boot to get the extinguisher.
I guess all people who kick dogs (unless being attacked) are cowards at heart.

£1000 p/a dog license to be carried at all times.

Feel sorry for your boy Jakester, I would have done exactly the same as you- calm him down and try de-escalate the situation.

I've walked ped Labs that were trained gundogs. They'd walk at heel all day long if so instructed. But I wasn't 'family', so with me they went (singly) on a lead. Dog would be sat waiting for me by the lead hanging on a hook.

[i]It would seem you are not a dog person, body language could be causing them to react to you in a way you don't want.[/i]

But what if I'm riding along on a bike when the dog takes a dislike to me, from behind?

Agree completely with you OP - really hope your boy's ok!

I don't have dogs myself but was brought up in a family where we always had big dogs (parents had a Rottweiler when I was a baby) so have always been pretty confident around them myself. Last week however, I had my first experience where a dog really spooked me - in the local park with my 10-month-old son, crawling around the grass in the middle of a playing field. It's a popular park with dog walkers, and plenty of them have their dogs off the lead, so naturally I was watching him like a hawk.
I sh*t you not, I took my eyes off my son for 2 seconds and when I looked back a staffie/cross-breed type dog was charging at him! Fortunately he was facing the other way so didn't see the dog and get scared and I was able to scoop him up, but the damn dog can't have been more than a foot and a half away when I got him off the ground.
The dog then proceeded to jump at him/us, nipping at my arms. I shouted and pushed the dog away with my foot (wearing flip-flops at the time I wasn't really in the position to go booting away) at an animal with fairly big jaws and teeth.
Anyway, the owner sauntered over and was able to get a lead back on the thing, saying "sorry mate, if it's on the ground he'll go for it"
"So, you thought it was a good idea to bring him to a public park where kids ply and let him run around uncontrolled?"
"ah yeah normally he's ok"

At which point he buggered off, telling his dog in a jovial manner "well, that was a bit naughty, wasn't it? You can't go charging at children, people get a bit upset" [i]as if I'm the one in the wrong[/i]
I'm left standing there, thinking to myself "Am I going mental? Is this how society is now, where that sort of behaviour is acceptable?" The dog might well have just been coming in to play, but if you know your dog goes for things on the ground which are smaller than it, why on earth would you bring it to a public park and let it off the lead?!?!

I think the whole attitude is symptomatic of society as a whole. Maybe it's getting worse or I'm just noticing it more, but people just don't seem to give a damn about one another any more - as long as they're ok they can just carry on doing whatever they like, without the slightest regard for anyone else. I can't imagine acting like that, and can't even begin to comprehend why people think it's ok...

Whatever the case, my boy's fine (he didn't even know anything had happened - as far as he's concerned he just got picked up for a cuddle with dad) and perhaps something has changed in that dog walker, as when I saw him in the park again this weekend the dog was on a lead. If that is the case then that's good, but sadly he's just one of many round where I live who feel it's acceptable to let their out of control animals do whatever the hell they want.

anagallis_arvensis - Member
Nope you might beat me up!!

😀

Just out of interest, do either of you tend to get violent with strangers in other situations or is it something specific to dogs?
🙂

And exactly what Bunnyhop said.

Im always chill xd.

Straight off the bat I will fully admit to not reading the entire thread, so forgive me if I go over old ground.

As a [s]dog[/s] terrier owner I can tell you that controlling the git at times is not easy, he is mostly responsive but there are times he loses the plot a bit, (he has never bitten anything but did manage to pin a cat down once or twice(in my garden)) they are...

1, people picking up their dog/child to protect them, it sends him nuts, he will stand on his back legs yapping like terriers do.

2, dogs that run up to his face (as apposed to his arse) he just doesn't like it & will yap/bark & lunge at the other dog (without biting)

So although he is mostly well behaved there are circumstances in which he can become unresponsive to recall.

The main point I wish to make without provocation is that I see more & more parents & dog owners that are (over?) protective of their kids/mutts which makes them nervous of dogs which in turn leads to the dogs to be cautious of them, dogs have pretty high levels of sense & this can make them aggressive/protective.

Just saying like 😳

Edit to say I wrote that before I saw pinetree's post.

1, people picking up their dog/child to protect them, it sends him nuts, he will stand on his back legs yapping like terriers do.

So genuine question - as the owner of a dog that you know behaves like that, how would you feel if the person who picked up the child kicked him in the aforementioned nuts? And follow up questions - how many times do you think he would have to be kicked in the nuts before his learnt behaviour was to cross his legs and walk the other way? Also, as he licked the swollen gonads later that evening would you blame the kicker for over reacting, yourself for putting dog and kicker in that position by not having him under control or the dog for being a tool?

(he has never bitten anything but did manage to pin a cat down once or twice(in my garden

When a terrier-type thing ran into my garden and grabbed my cat, I had to jump on it and punch it in the head repeatedly to get it to let go. Not a fun experience.

I live by a beach that is open to dogs in the winter but not the summer. Someone wrote to the paper saying: "Why should I pay council tax when I can only use the beach in the winter?"
Dog owner mindset for you right there!

I hope i don't have to deal with this sort of situation with my son as i am not sure if he got bitten i would react as calmly.

Unfortunately some people are just a shites but they do seem to be the minority

people picking up their dog/child to protect them, it sends him nuts, he will stand on his back legs yapping like terriers do.
So genuine question - as the owner of a dog that you know behaves like that, how would you feel if the person who picked up the child kicked him in the aforementioned nuts? And follow up questions - how many times do you think he would have to be kicked in the nuts before his learnt behaviour was to cross his legs and walk the other way? Also, as he licked the swollen gonads later that evening would you blame the kicker for over reacting, yourself for putting dog and kicker in that position by not having him under control or the dog for being a tool?

TBH I was just about to delete my post as I have just read page three & I don't like where this is going, but as you have asked a question I guess I will just have to bite the bullet & reply rather than just retreat.

Personally I would kick my dog in the balls for you, the trouble is I would probably get done for animal cruelty, such is the world we live in, a bit like disciplining kids, you just can't do it for fear of being reported.
When I was a kid I wouldn't argue with a teacher or a policeman for fear of getting a clip around the ear (or worse) but now there is no fear just a sense of superiority that says you can't touch me.

Ho hum.

Edit to say I am ever watchful of whats around me when out with the mutt so I do try my best not to put my dog & myself in the sort of situation we are talking about here, but only today a dog came running at my dog from 200 yards away so you can't always predict what's about to happen.

I hope i don't have to deal with this sort of situation with my son as i am not sure if he got bitten i would react as calmly.

I wouldnt worry too much, despite what the bed wetters on here write its very unlikely to happen. My 6 year old comes walking the dog most days so see's lots of other dogs. We've had a number of numpty owners with unruly dogs but he's never even looked like actually getting bitten.

Those of you saying dogs never get destroyed... they do.

We had new neighbours move in a couple of years back. They had a mangy, mental dog that didn't take the move well. Every time they left the house it would bark constantly until they returned. As I work from home a lot, this was driving me up the wall. I had the ban hammer waved at me for only half-jokingly starting a thread on here about the best way to kill it.

One evening, clearly picking up on my latent hatred for it (and most dogs, to be fair) it came legging out of the house while I was cleaning my bike after a ride, and properly sank its teeth into my thigh.The ****ing thing promptly got hoofed into the middle of next week, then the neighbour comes out and says that he doesn't understand it as thats the second time he's done that in as many days. The previous day he'd launched a similarly unprovoked attack on a bloke just walking in the park

Dead by the following day.

Did you bake it in a pie binners? 😯

I'm quite fed up of the amount of dogs everywhere. Pretty much all grass park areas are not open to kids to play or adults to hang out because there are dog eggs hidden everywhere. My wee boy often has to hide behind me because someone's dog is right in his face - under control or not, if someone's teenage kid ran up to other little kids, sniffed their faces and ran around them inches from their face they'd get a bloody lesson in return.

I won't start on my thoughts on treating dogs as family...

I missed a trick there.

Dead by the following day.

anagallis_arvensis - Member
over excited muddy mutts jumping up

this is a problem as well though

It is but its not on the same level as being bitten and keeping the two as separate problems helps to maintain perspective.

i don't think it's a different problem, both stem from an inability of people to properly train and control their dogs, so same core issue, imo.

i don't think it's a different problem

Really, I know which I'd rather have Fido do.

i'd rather fido did neither.

It is but its not on the same level as being bitten and keeping the two as separate problems helps to maintain perspective.

They aren't separate problems, they're differing severities of the same problem.

[img] [/img]

Shit entitled dog owners being shit and entitled.

Body language should never be an issue as a dog owner should never put you in the position where it would matter.

Personally, I've no problem hoofing a dog, and have done so in the past when one has knocked my lad off his bike (aged 5).[1]

And I agree with the sense of entitlement dog owners seem to possess over parks. My local park has a dedicated wheeled sports track, funded by the local cycling club. Despite the massive park surrounding it, it seems to be a favourite for dog owners to walk their dogs on. And then you get abuse for daring to ride your bike around it. And daring to be a runner in a park? $deity forbid! Although it is fun seeing how far you can make a dog run away from it's slave.

The classic though, was overheard from a couple of mutt owners whilst training with the running club a couple of weeks ago... "It's rubbish, we can't walk up there, the cycling club are using it for training". FFS, they paid for it!

[1] Yes, all bed-wetting keyboard hero. Don't give a monkeys. Dog comes near my kids in an aggressive manner, it gets aggression back. Same as if it was a person.

They aren't separate problems, they're differing severities of the same problem.

I dont agree, if you have a dog that may bite someone taking that risk is reckless if your dog may jump up at someone the risk is merely careless. If someones dog bit me I'd be rightly ver very angry and would be contacing the police, if their dog jumped up at me I'd think they were bellends, maybe tell them that and then get on with my life.

Personally, I've no problem hoofing a dog, and have done so in the past when one has knocked my lad off his bike (aged 5

[img] [/img]

TBH I'd be too busy checking my son was ok to look like a tough guy

I dont agree,

That's fine, it's ok to be wrong. (-:

if you have a dog that may bite someone taking that risk is reckless if your dog may jump up at someone the risk is merely careless.

So... careless vs reckless, the difference is severity, which is what I just said. Cf. careless driving vs reckless driving, you're still driving badly.

You have to love at good dog thread - especially as we haven't had a religion one for a while.

Some real heroes emerging.....who you going call?!?!

I haven't read the whole thread but I think the whole thing could have been resolved by punching every one and everything thing in the face.

who you going call?!?!

[img] [/img]

Skim read since commenting on first page. If you can't control your dog, keep it on a lead. What do I win?

I love dogs and up until recently have pretty much always had one. I am, however, under no illusion that they are people. Training and consistency is needed and I honestly don't think a lot of people actually realise this. They buy a dog based on looks rather than breed suitability.

Used to watch the young couple who lived across from me walking their Rottweiler. Beautiful dog, but it just dragged them down the street each night and didn't listen to a word they said. I had more control over it than they did. If it had turned they would have been utterly ****ed. My last dog was a Newfoundland and she was awesome. Smart, soft and cuddly. Still trained her to walk to heal, sit, stay etc. If she was scared or wasn't controlled I dread to think what a dog of her size could have done, albeit in slow motion.

I would not hesitate to yell at or, if pushed, physically hurt a dog if it was attacking my son. I wouldn't take any pleasure from doing so, but protecting my child would be paramount. I'd rather be beaten by an angry dog owner than my kid be scarred if it came to it.

Owners who can't control their dogs should be stripped naked, covered in meat juice and have one of those packs of feral chihuahuas set on them.