Hello,
I come here today to talk about dog control, something which seems to be severely lacking around here. [B]Sorry for the wall of text, but [/B]it is quite brief and summarised.
Every day I go for a 2-3km run in the meadow near my house (not a park/field, it's a natural meadow surrounded by forest). Although this run usually only takes me I guess around 15 minutes, I have repeatedly been harassed by dogs belonging to people who have absolutely no control over them. I run at ~8pm to avoid the majority of people.
I should add here that I have no problem with dogs if they are well controlled / friendly. I enjoy encountering friendly dogs when I'm out.
To list a few occasions: edit-[B]In all of these, the dog was off the lead - I've never had a problem with dogs on the lead [/B]-
- A woman just stood there while her medium sized black dog growled and barked at me about 2m away. I stood my ground, stamped towards it a few times to keep it back and eventually she leashed it and I lectured her on how it was unacceptable to allow her dog to be aggressive towards me. She had the nerve to say it was my fault for running there. Running there in a PUBLIC PLACE.
- A small terrier growled and snapped towards my ankles - I looked it straight in the eyes and it ran back to its owner. - Might sound wierd, but the idea is to show the dog that you have no intention of running or backing down. Trying this on a big dog is an awful idea.
- A man with a Jack Russel and a slightly larger but similar tan coloured dog allowed them to run straight at me growling and snapping. It looked like they had no intention of stopping even when I stopped running and stared them in the eyes, so I stomped hard on the ground in front of me and roared deep and loud when they were ~3m from me (the idea again is to make the dogs reconsider - like with a bear where you make yourself big and make lots of noise, I think). They ran back about 5m but then came back towards me. I repeated this to keep them at bay and the man just walks past me, saying nothing. When him and his dogs had moved past me enough for the dogs to lose interest I said to him "Control your dogs". He completely ignored me. I was so angry.
[B]Edit:[/B] Following the advice of some people in the thread, if / when I have another problem I'll try a more assertive approach, standing my ground and trying things like "no" and "sit". I am however ignoring every idiot who thinks it's a good idea to simply ignore it and keep running. Also, maybe it is a bit about ego, I don't know. I feel that it is wrong to stop and go back in the opposite direction, in a public place I should be able to go where I want without being threatened.
I would rather exercise my rights and have it cause a confrontation than back away and let them continue as they are.
The stamp/shout was pretty much the first thing which came to mind when I was confronted with the problem so I just went with it and it did the job, honestly couldn't care less about whether it makes me look crazy - I care about not getting bitten.
I've come to categorise 4 different tiers of dog encounter -
[B]1.[/B] A lot of people are great with their dogs. Either they have them on a lead and they show a little interest as I pass but their owner has control, or they are off the lead but trained well enough to pretty much ignore me or just sniff me a bit.
[B]2.[/B] The dog(s) are easily exciteable and run towards me, showing enthusiastic interest. I slow to a walk to avoid further exciting them and continue running when I've walked a few meters and they've lost interest. Fair enough, a little irritating - but then people with dogs like springer spaniels have to let them off the lead somewhere and they're bound to be energetic.
[B]3.[/B] The dog(s) run towards me snarling and barking, getting dangerously close, looking me in the eyes and baring their teeth.
[B]4.[/B] The dog would go full on savage and try to bite me, but fortunately that hasn't happened yet.
Oh and of course always ignore the idiots who say "he's only playing" or "he doesn't bite"
Also don't even get me started on people not picking up their dogs shit.
[B]So Facepunch -[/B]
Have you had issues with people controlling their dogs?
Have you ever been bitten?
Do you have a dog, and if you do, do you control it well in public?
[B]edit:[/B] For anyone who thinks I overreact
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_communication#Aggressive.2F_violent[/url]
[quote]When a dog's lips curl back this shows that the dog has a strong urge to bite.[/quote]
In all of the situations listed above, the dogs had their lips back and their teeth completely bared.
do you not realize that running provokes dogs into running after you
[QUOTE=MrParalegal;31588353]do you not realize that running provokes dogs into running after you[/QUOTE]
Op is clearly an asshole as he wants to exercise.
hahahaha you stomped on the ground and roared at a bunch of dogs, you are a god damn weirdo. No wonder the owners didn't listen to you
Get a bigger, angrier dog.
[QUOTE=Glitch360;31588387]hahahaha you stomped on the ground and roared at a bunch of dogs, you are a god damn weirdo. No wonder the owners didn't listen to you[/QUOTE]
What would you do? Just be the dogs bitch and act all submissive? Letting it snap at your ankles and be aggressive towards you?
Fuck that, I'd rather not take shit, least of all from a small dog who thinks it's a badass.
[QUOTE=Jallen;31588418]What would you do? Just be the dogs bitch and act all submissive?[/QUOTE]
Chase the dog instead, that'll show him.
[QUOTE=Jallen;31588418]What would you do? Just be the dogs bitch and act all submissive? Letting it snap at your ankles and be aggressive towards you?
Fuck that, I'd rather not take shit from anybody, least of all a tiny dog.[/QUOTE]Yeah I'm gonna be submissive to something that is 4 times smaller than me :downs:
[QUOTE=Jallen;31588418]What would you do? Just be the dogs bitch and act all submissive? Letting it snap at your ankles and be aggressive towards you?
Fuck that, I'd rather not take shit, least of all from a small dog who thinks it's a badass.[/QUOTE]
I know my neighbor keeps like two dog treats in his pocket when jogging.
I like how I get rated dumb for what I said even though whenever I go to the park I see dogs constantly running after the exercising people that AREN'T their owners.
hit them with your dick
[QUOTE=Chickens!;31588417]Get a bigger, angrier dog.[/QUOTE]
Truth be told I've often thought I'd like to have a big, well trained german shepard, but I don't have the time to properly train a dog. A consideration that clearly so many people lack.
Buddy, let me explain this to you. Dogs are provoked and intrigued by people running. It sometimes provokes hostility, but it also sometimes causes just plain interest because it's something moving fast. Some dogs take fast movement as a threat, some take it as a challenge, and so on. That's not con controlling the animal, that's just natural instinct.
[QUOTE=rosar0980;31588482]Buddy, let me explain this to you. Dogs are provoked and intrigued by people running. It sometimes provokes hostility, but it also sometimes causes just plain interest because it's something moving fast. Some dogs take fast movement as a threat, some take it as a challenge, and so on. That's not con controlling the animal, that's just natural instinct.[/QUOTE]that you can control
you should carry a little water gun with you when you run. When they come close to you, you shoot the bastards
Shoot the owners too
Never had much of a problem with dogs attacking/barking at me but, where I live no one wants to clean up their dog's shit. There are signs everywhere for a $250 fine for not "curbing your dog", but people still don't bother.
[QUOTE=rosar0980;31588482]Buddy, let me explain this to you. Dogs are provoked and intrigued by people running. It sometimes provokes hostility, but it also sometimes causes just plain interest because it's something moving fast. Some dogs take fast movement as a threat, some take it as a challenge, and so on. That's not con controlling the animal, that's just natural instinct.[/QUOTE]
Irrelevant. Many people train their dogs well enough that it's not a problem. Even if that wasn't the case it doesn't make it acceptable that I should ever feel threatened by someone elses animal in a public place.
[QUOTE=Jallen;31588327]
- A woman just stood there while her medium sized black dog growled and barked at me about 2m away. I stood my ground, stamped towards it a few times to keep it back and eventually she leashed it and I lectured her on how it was unacceptable to allow her dog to be aggressive towards me. She had the nerve to say it was my fault for running there. Running there in a PUBLIC PLACE.
[/QUOTE]
Oh wow. You actually stamped towards it to keep it back because it was growling at you? Then you tell the lady that she needs to keep her dog from growling/barking? You don't have much experience with dogs do you?
Now if the damn thing wasn't on a leash, I can understand. But I wouldn't say you handled that situation in the best way.
Beat the dog down. If you're unable to beat the dog down. Pepper spray the fuck out of it. If the owner starts bitching pepper spray their asses too. Tell them next time control their dog and their temper.
Get a dog whistle.
If a dog was snapping at you and you kicked it, can there actually be any legal repercussions?
[QUOTE=Jallen;31588327]so I stomped hard on the ground in front of me and roared deep and loud[/QUOTE]
only Saiyans can go Super Saiyan
[QUOTE=EagleEye;31588610]Oh wow. You actually stamped towards it to keep it back because it was growling at you? Then you tell the lady that she needs to keep her dog from growling/barking? You don't have much experience with dogs do you?[/QUOTE]
Ok first of all, there are dogs which are well trained, and there are people who keep more aggressive dogs on leads, so she is at fault here.
Second, the dog had no reason to be aggressive towards me, is it used to people backing down? I don't feel that it's right to back down when anybody/thing starts being aggressive towards you without being provoked.
[editline]7th August 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=catch33;31588673]If a dog was snapping at you and you kicked it, can there actually be any legal repercussions?[/QUOTE]
AFAIK it can be classed as self defence, but if you did it without good reason I think it counts as both animal cruelty and damage to property.
I would not recommend it unless it's neccessary.
I've experienced my fair share of idiot owners. I have a dog myself, and can and do keep her under control, even when off the leash (Although, obviously I can never have complete control. But I'm confident enough with her). The last time I had an encounter with an uncontrolled dog, I was walking mine at the park. With her leash on. When this staffordshire terrier came running up and started fighting and biting my dog. Being the tough bithc my dog is, she fought back. But I obviously didn't want my dog to get hurt, so I tried to seperate them. That's when the staffy bit my hand. So I kicked that fucker in the face as hard as I could, picked up my dog (She's only 15kg), and walked away.
The stupid bitch of an owner didn't even say a word, and walked right past me as her dog ran ahead of her. I was tempted to head along to the local police station and report her, but fortunately the dog didn't pierce my skin, and I knew what would happen to the dog and didn't want that, so I left it.
[QUOTE=Crylawsis;31588657]Beat the dog down. If you're unable to beat the dog down. Pepper spray the fuck out of it. If the owner starts bitching pepper spray their asses too. Tell them next time control their dog and their temper.[/QUOTE]
Pepper spray is illegal in the UK, even the really weak stuff. It's classed as a firearm IIRC.
Get an air rifle and show it who's the boss
[editline]7th August 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE]Pepper spray is illegal in the UK, even the really weak stuff. It's classed as a firearm IIRC.[/QUOTE]
Alright, get a wire rod tent peg and show it who's the boss
[QUOTE=Jallen;31588730]Ok first of all, there are dogs which are well trained, and there are people who keep more aggressive dogs on leads, so she is at fault here.
Second, the dog had no reason to be aggressive towards me, is it used to people backing down? I don't feel that it's right to back down when anybody/thing starts being aggressive towards you without being provoked.
[editline]7th August 2011[/editline]
AFAIK it can be classed as self defence, but if you did it without good reason I think it counts as both animal cruelty and damage to property.
I would not recommend it unless it's neccessary.[/QUOTE]
While this is true, you cannot expect every dog you come across to be a perfectly trained animal. Its simply unrealistic. OP Were any of the dogs leashed at all?
I hate picking up dog shit, thats why I go on the beach and let my dogs shit right near the sea edge just as it is coming in.
I wouldn't be bothered if I didn't have to feel the stuff through the bag, any tips on alternative methods? Poop scoop maybe...
[QUOTE=EagleEye;31588917]While this is true, you cannot expect every dog you come across to be a perfectly trained animal. Its simply unrealistic. OP Were any of the dogs leashed at all?[/QUOTE]
Nope, not on a lead. They just let them run around everywhere.
If they weren't aggressive I wouldn't have a problem with it, in fact I quite enjoy encountering friendly dogs.
Perhaps the dog owners know that they won't bite you.
Not an excuse though, really.
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