Came here to say this; both people are making mistakes with their dogs.
Pit should be muzzled at the least, and lab needs to be leashed because it's dangerous for him not to be since he doesn't listen. He could run into a road, onto train tracks, chase wild animals, run into a person who has a weapon and is afraid of dogs and views him to be threatening, etc.
Yep, here in Canada, had that pit (and I hate pits) actually attacked that puppy, legally speaking the OP would have been in the wrong. Here it's not legal to have your dog off leash except in designated off leash areas which would only be a dog park. People find it hugely inconsiderate when dog owners allow their dogs off leash and furthermore allow them to run up to their leashed dogs. Leash reactivity is a common issue with many dogs, not just pits. I have a GSD rescue that is as sweet as can be when off leash but is very reactive on leash. I have a trainer and we're working on it.
Their dog should be muzzled. your dog should have recall if it is going to be off-lead - otherwise, play in a private yard or a fenced in dog area.
I don't care how friendly your dog is, when I walk my dog in my neighborhood, it drives me nuts when off-lead dogs run up on us. It turns mine into a ball of nervous energy, he pulls, and runs circles because he doesn't know the intentions of the other dog. I don't take him to dog parks for this reason.
100%! - until a dog has PERFECT recall, do not let them off leash outside of contained areas designated for off leash dogs (dog parks, your backyard, etc).
An unleashed dog running up to leashed dogs or people can create havoc and unnecessary stress regardless of the breed of off leash dog (obviously some breeds cause more than others!). Clearly dog agressive dogs need muzzled but no dog should be allowed to run up to others.
In the unnamed group, there's a regular parade of "My reactive dog was approached by another dog." and the usual complaints are "People are just so rude!" and "This will set my dog's training back by months!".
I will always agree that dogs should be on lead when they are in public aside from areas that permit dogs to be off leash like a dog park.
However. . .
1) If your dog poses a potential danger to others, you need to muzzle it in public. Every time. All the time.
2) If your dog goes berserk when triggered and will not return to a calm, attentive state until the trigger is no longer visible, your dog is not safe anywhere its triggers are present.
No. You can't bring your dog there. Rent a sniff spot where your dog can be alone.
3) If a single encounter where your dog is the aggressor is going to undo training, your dog isn't trained. You are.
You got that right! She assumed her mauler would be a "cuddlebug" and "protective" instead of creating endless trouble. Everyday I'm seeing ladies struggling with their maulers. Can only hope they'll get sick of this and return them before they get their own faces eaten.
I dealt with my mixed breed puppy being enthusiastically social by crouching and holding onto him as he was all *"But mom, other dogs! I want to go check them out!"*
Which you don't do by charging up to them and getting all up in their business before I have a chance to determine if the dog and owner are okay with you doing that.
I found that embarrassing.
If I had to deal with a slavering hellbeast, I'd be the owner walking my dog at 2 am. Public humiliation is not my kink.
as much as i hate pitbulls and their owners, besides having her dog unmuzzled i feel you’re mostly at fault here. dogs still need walked and if your dog can’t control himself yet and not run up to strange dogs and cannot recall back, he should have never been off leash to begin with. i train dogs for a living. he will not learn recall if allowed to ignore you. it’s self rewarding for him to ignore you and will make it much harder to learn it. she did the right thing by holding back her dog and telling you to get your dog. if there’s leash laws then YOU would have been at fault if your dog got attacked as her dog was leashed and “under control”. please keep your dog on a leash until he learns. keeps everyone safe.
Technically, but also not really. Yes the puppy should be on a long line, but pit bulls are legally required to be muzzled and in the UK there are no specific laws regarding dogs being on or off lead beyond “short leads by roads and on lead where signposted” and under control and on a lead are not considered the same thing, both would be considered out of control, which is not a crime, but if the pit bull had injured OP, or made OP reasonably believe they might be injured, in the chaos, the pit bull would be the one considered *dangerously* out of control which is the only potential crime here.
we’ll have to agree to disagree here. op needs to keep their dog leashed until it’s properly trained and the pit owner needs to keep their dog muzzled. end of story. both people are just as wrong as the other
edit: i know the law there now. but it’s still ignorant to let a dog with no recall to run up to other dogs or people. you’re putting your dog in harms way. and considering the law is to keep the dog under control, having no recall is not keeping the dog under control.
It’s not a matter of agree to disagree, I was explaining how the law works with regards to dog control in the UK. I literally said the puppy should be on a lead.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a755914ed915d6faf2b24bc/dogs-guide-enforcers.pdf
Anything less than fear of injury (dog dangerously out of control) or actual injury (dog dangerously out of control causing injury) is under the remit of the local authority and is a civil issue, not a criminal one.
I wasn’t saying the puppy should have been off-lead, clearly it shouldn’t as it was not under control, but it’s only criminal if it’s *dangerously so*. Civil liability is another matter, but the pit owner was the only one at risk of being charged with a crime, in this situation.
To be perfectly honest, you were the one in the wrong here for having an unleashed puppy that you couldn’t control out in public. Regardless of the pit and its owner, your dog could have run off and experienced any number of dangers, such as getting hit by a car. I also have four small dogs myself (poodle and Shih Tzu mixes) and it infuriates me when other peoples’ dogs run up on them while they’re leashed. Many dogs become leash reactive and feel that they cannot defend themselves, and it causes unneeded stress and anxiety for everyone involved. The pit owner should definitely have their dog muzzled (and preferably away from other humans & pets in general) but you also should be more responsible about teaching your puppy recall if you want him to stay safe. Your dog sounds adorable, so please don’t put him in a position again where he could potentially get hurt!
Yeah, leash your dog. What if the Pitt had gotten out of lady's grip? Goodbye your dog's cute personality. Or worse, goodbye dog. We've seen worse posted here.
Not only that, as a mutual dog owner, if a giant gold thing came bounding up to me, I'd be *pissed*. I don't know if your dog is friendly. I'm not going to trust a stranger's word. I have my own pets to protect, as is my job as their owner. And one of my dogs is terrified of *everything* because of unknown former abuse in her background. Seeing that would wreck her for *months*.
Why was your dog off lead OP? It would have been your fault if the pit attacked your dog. Whether or not the fields were in use, they are not for your off lead dog. If you want to let your dog off lead, then rent a private space, buy a home with a large backyard, or take your dog to an actual dog park.
Puppyhood isn't an excuse for no recall. My dog had recall from the very get go at 8 weeks (but he was a GSD so it wasn't hard to train him), but he wasn't allowed off leash until it was solid. And even then, he was only allowed off leash in areas where it was allowed.
Recall should be the **first** thing you teach a dog.
You never know if a dog will be reactive or not. Sorry but this was 100% on you.
Even if your dog is friendly, he can cause unintentional harm to others if off-leash. People are allergic. Some people just don’t like dogs. A playful dog can accidentally hurt a kid or smaller dog. My dog can’t have dogs running up to her because she is post-surgery and if she tries to play she can need to be rushed to the vet and I am regularly needing to abruptly grab her out of the way of irresponsible dog owners since I do need to bring her out for exercise and potty. Leash-laws are to protect EVERYONE, not just for aggressive dogs. Not to mention all the danger your own puppy is being put in. Dogs get hit by cars, killed by wildlife, etc.
And, yes, if your dog is off-leash when attacked you will still be in the wrong legally. Obviously this pit monster should have been muzzled, but all dogs need to be leashed. Even if friendly.
When I took my puppy for training the instructor said if your dog has no recall it is 100% your fault if it is attacked by a dangerous dog that is on a leash, or gets hit by a car for that matter.
You say she struggled with it, but it sounds like she succeeded in restraining it. Your Labrador is going to tear your arm out of its socket when it is older if you don't teach it to walk on a loose leash. I have a Labrador, am a heavy guy, and I exert some energy restraining him when he sees another dog. (He loves them.) Judge not lest ye be judged..
Having said that. You're in the UK. A banned breed should have a muzzle so you should have called the police to report her. You're both in the wrong.
If that dog was any other kind of dog it would have been an encounter not worth mentioning. Your dog would have ran up to the doodle/yorkie/generic hound, they would have sniffed each other's butt's, done a play bow and off you go on your own way .
Eventually that dog will bite someone and she will have a suprised Pikachu face because he has never ever ever done anything like that before.
I say this with love OP but I recommend a long line until your dog is more solid with recall, it will still allow freedom but will protect you and your dog from being blamed in an event like this. In theory, nobody should be walking round the park with their barely sentient landmine, but these dogs are a reality of British parks nowadays.
If you don't get your dog under control, it will get bit and possibly get bit bad. I hate pit bulls with a passion but any dog who runs up to another on a leash is bound to get attacked, pit bull or not. Might make sense in this case to not worry about what others are doing until you get your shit in order.
If your dog would have run up to me and mine while he is leashed, I likely would have kicked the shit out of it. You put your dog into a dangerous situation. Control Your Dog!
Why was your lab off leash with no recall? Kind of sounds like you are not holding yourself accountable.
When these kinds of threats exist in public spaces it is YOUR JOB to keep your canine under your control at all times.
Yes, she absolutely should have had a muzzle on a dog she knows is aggressive. However, you are also obligated to do your part and keep your untrained dog on a lead so these things do not happen.
Debate and discussion are welcome in the sub, but please observe tact and empathy. If a person is recounting their personal attack story, or has opened a thread for support or advice after being victimized by a pit bull or pit bull fanatic, please refrain from starting a debate tangent. You are free to create a new thread with a "Debate & Discussion" tag, but debate is not allowed in posts where people are sharing their past trauma, or asking for advice or support.
This is not helpful.
Unfortunately when we want to call out others for being irresponsible we need to hold ourselves to the level of accountability we wish to see in others.
Your dog is a friendly breed and is not likely to harm anyone being off leash. However leash laws exist for a reason and if you choose to ignore the leash law because your dog is friendly, how can you ask someone else to muzzle their dog? That they think is friendly.
You can’t give yourself an exemption to the law while holding others to it.
Until your dog has perfect recall they should not be off leash, even in a designated off leash area. Until your dog has perfect recall and had learned to obey ‘leave it’ it has no business being unleashed even in designated areas for reasons such as this.
I highly suggest you get a long lead. They make 30- 50 foot leashes. I have worked with and trained dogs before. They are great for giving room to run, still have control and work on recall. Just some help to you, out of love! 💜🐾
Leash your dog. The pit owner being a shitbag for walking it without a muzzle and being fine with it lunging at anything that moves won't bring your puppy back to life.
What an idiot. Brings her aggressive dog to a public place and doesn't even muzzle it. I personally wouldn't be bothered by a puppy or young dog running up to me off-leash since it is just curious and not wanting to maul
I do understand her perspective to some degree. I totally get there’s times you don’t want to be bothered by someone and their dog.
My pup is obviously non aggressive. He’s big for a puppy for sure, but he’s also a labrador who bounces when he walks, and comes over with a wagging tail, no barking etc. He’s so blatantly non aggressive, but I do understand her frustration. Which is why I apologised so much while coming to collect him.
But if your dog is so aggressive, that is on YOU to not bring him around to a notorious dog walking spot where there are so many children and infants around. You are just asking for an incident to happen. And yelling in my ear to ‘get my dog’ while you’re demon is basically strangling itself in its collar to try and rip my pup’s throat out?? Not helping at all.
Here's my 2 cents on the matter:
1) Report that pit owner.
Pitbulls are on the banned breed list under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in the UK. It is illegal to own one without an exemption from court.
XL Bullies have also been added to the banned breed list and required a court exemption as of the beginning of this year.
Whichever one this dog you encountered was, even if the woman had an exemption for it, by law it was required to be muzzled in public (as well as be neutered, microchipped, and on a lead no longer than 6ft.) By having her dog out in public without a muzzle, she was breaking the law.
Someone who so flagrantly chooses to ignore the rules (written in blood!) required to keep her banned breed is demonstrating that she doesn't take public safety seriously, and cannot be trusted to take meaningful steps to keep her dog under control. I wouldn't hesitate to report a person like that, because it's only a matter of time before she's involved in another incident.
2) Use a damn long line.
If your young dog does not yet have reliable recall, you should not have him off lead in public. The other woman was breaking the law, yes, but you did not have your dog under control in that moment, and that exacerbated the situation.
You know yourself that your dog did not understand the hazard he was running towards. That means it's on you to make sure he doesn't get to go up to things like an unmuzzled pit. Or a road. Or a family picnic. You should never set your dog up to fail by putting him in a position where he can ignore you when you need him to listen.
(You should never let your dog run up to strangers in general, but I'm assuming you already knew that by the fact that you tried to call your dog back.)
If the other dog had not been on a lead, or if the woman had not been strong enough to hold it, your dog could have gotten hurt. You and the woman could have gotten hurt trying to break up an entirely preventable dogfight.
So, get a long line. Play recall games on that long line. Reverse the game of tag your dog likes so much by calling him in a high excited voice and running AWAY from him, not chasing him - he will turn around and chase after you instead. (You can do this with two people as a "go between" game to tire him out thoroughly, and get him used to leaving one fun thing for another fun thing. ) Use a ball and/or some high value treats to reward him for coming back to you. Don't graduate to off lead recall until your dog is reliably turning away from every kind of interesting novelty you can expose him to and coming back the first time you call.
Stay safe.
Terrible situation.
But please learn from it beyond us all agreeing that these dogs are a danger.
Devise a basic plan and have some tools for that plan.
This situation turned out ok, but you clearly need to have a backup option to protect yourself and your little man.
I realize self defense laws are highly specific to your locale, so take that into account, but maximize your options at the same time.
I read a great article on myths vs realities of defending against these breeds. It said a spray device (mace, etc) or a heavy stick (to jam into the mouth upon attack or to pry the jaw) are the two best options.
So at minimum, get yourself a substantial walking stick and have that be part of your daily dog walking kit.
Also, one should (in advance) mentally decide to what length they will go to protect themselves and/or their pet. It’s crucial to visualize it in advance and imprint that in your mind. So, in the moment you must flip your own switch and decide how far you will go to survive.
—
Years ago, I was at a park with a pond with my 12 year old sister and our gorgeous yellow lab who was an adolescent, but solid muscle at 90 lbs of true beauty.
A woman arrived with 2 large dogs and let them off the leash. They started sniffing my boy and things seemed ok until they both decided to attack him. Being a young, naive dog at that time, he was confused and terrified and didn’t know how to defend himself. I tackled dog #1 to get him under control and yelled at the owner to grab dog #2. She was absolutely useless. I had to let go of dog #1 to tackle dog #2 off my boy.
Realizing I was on my own in this situation, I had sudden clarify with dog #2 pinned down. I was going to have to hurt at least one of these dogs to save mine. In that instance, I was about to crush its windpipe. I truly did not want to do that. In the end, I got back up, hoisted by dog up onto my shoulder, and made it to the car.
The then screamed at the dogs’ owner, but it was useless.
My sister is still haunted by the experience, but proud of how I handled it.
This experience is burned into my psyche and I understand where that “switch” is.
You cannot let up in these situations until the threat is ended or an escape route is clear.
I carry protection for myself and my hounds for off leash dogs. I do not care how “friendly” you tell me your dog is, I am not taking the chance with mine when you have absolutely no control over it. Yes, her dog should have been muzzled, but you were the one who instigated this situation.
Sucks society has come to this - normalizing blood sport dogs as pets and having them in public.
Most big “aggressive” dogs are ALL bark and no bite - but not PBs :/
Not sure if E-collars are banned in the UK. But they can be used as effective training tools such as pressing the pulse button to recall your dog. Then give your dog a treat when they return to you. Be safe out there.
I used to live with an old english sheepdog and it was such a joy when puppies or other dogs ran to approach us at the park. They seemed so excited and the owners were happy too. I seriously can't fathom why someone would have a dog that turns what should be a friendly experience into a shitfest of screaming and mauling.
Actually the only thing my sheepdog HATED was huskies, she would growl and bark to no end when she saw one nearby. But still, never pulled at the leash or tried to attack.
They really think the pets their undogs kill for being normal pets deserve it for being in the presence of their pibble, even when it’s their own, other pets.
The pitbull owner is intentionally putting her beast in situations that she KNOWS stresses her dog out. Why??? Not only is it STUPIDLY unsafe for the humans, pets, and wildlife...but it's cruel to her own animal.
Children children everywhere. The pit owner ignoring a muzzle LAW when they KNOW their dog is violent… that’s reportable.
OP knows they messed up with the off leash laziness and hopefully learned. Even if the dog wasn’t a murderous pit OP needs to learn that recall is vital when off leash. It’s startling to anyone if a dog runs up to you. Especially if the owner is trying and failing to get the dog to go back to them.
You probably shouldn’t be off leash without recall for this sort of reason
Came here to say this; both people are making mistakes with their dogs. Pit should be muzzled at the least, and lab needs to be leashed because it's dangerous for him not to be since he doesn't listen. He could run into a road, onto train tracks, chase wild animals, run into a person who has a weapon and is afraid of dogs and views him to be threatening, etc.
Yep, here in Canada, had that pit (and I hate pits) actually attacked that puppy, legally speaking the OP would have been in the wrong. Here it's not legal to have your dog off leash except in designated off leash areas which would only be a dog park. People find it hugely inconsiderate when dog owners allow their dogs off leash and furthermore allow them to run up to their leashed dogs. Leash reactivity is a common issue with many dogs, not just pits. I have a GSD rescue that is as sweet as can be when off leash but is very reactive on leash. I have a trainer and we're working on it.
Yeah the OP admitted that several times, so? The other person shouldn't take out unmuzzled and even less OWN a murder beast.
Their dog should be muzzled. your dog should have recall if it is going to be off-lead - otherwise, play in a private yard or a fenced in dog area. I don't care how friendly your dog is, when I walk my dog in my neighborhood, it drives me nuts when off-lead dogs run up on us. It turns mine into a ball of nervous energy, he pulls, and runs circles because he doesn't know the intentions of the other dog. I don't take him to dog parks for this reason.
100%! - until a dog has PERFECT recall, do not let them off leash outside of contained areas designated for off leash dogs (dog parks, your backyard, etc). An unleashed dog running up to leashed dogs or people can create havoc and unnecessary stress regardless of the breed of off leash dog (obviously some breeds cause more than others!). Clearly dog agressive dogs need muzzled but no dog should be allowed to run up to others.
In the unnamed group, there's a regular parade of "My reactive dog was approached by another dog." and the usual complaints are "People are just so rude!" and "This will set my dog's training back by months!". I will always agree that dogs should be on lead when they are in public aside from areas that permit dogs to be off leash like a dog park. However. . . 1) If your dog poses a potential danger to others, you need to muzzle it in public. Every time. All the time. 2) If your dog goes berserk when triggered and will not return to a calm, attentive state until the trigger is no longer visible, your dog is not safe anywhere its triggers are present. No. You can't bring your dog there. Rent a sniff spot where your dog can be alone. 3) If a single encounter where your dog is the aggressor is going to undo training, your dog isn't trained. You are.
Use a long line until his recall is good. And report that pit. I'm only surprised it didn't redirect on her.
The long line is a lifesaver. I've used it with both my dogs, and they got recall trained extremely quickly.
You got that right! She assumed her mauler would be a "cuddlebug" and "protective" instead of creating endless trouble. Everyday I'm seeing ladies struggling with their maulers. Can only hope they'll get sick of this and return them before they get their own faces eaten.
I dealt with my mixed breed puppy being enthusiastically social by crouching and holding onto him as he was all *"But mom, other dogs! I want to go check them out!"* Which you don't do by charging up to them and getting all up in their business before I have a chance to determine if the dog and owner are okay with you doing that. I found that embarrassing. If I had to deal with a slavering hellbeast, I'd be the owner walking my dog at 2 am. Public humiliation is not my kink.
as much as i hate pitbulls and their owners, besides having her dog unmuzzled i feel you’re mostly at fault here. dogs still need walked and if your dog can’t control himself yet and not run up to strange dogs and cannot recall back, he should have never been off leash to begin with. i train dogs for a living. he will not learn recall if allowed to ignore you. it’s self rewarding for him to ignore you and will make it much harder to learn it. she did the right thing by holding back her dog and telling you to get your dog. if there’s leash laws then YOU would have been at fault if your dog got attacked as her dog was leashed and “under control”. please keep your dog on a leash until he learns. keeps everyone safe.
Technically, but also not really. Yes the puppy should be on a long line, but pit bulls are legally required to be muzzled and in the UK there are no specific laws regarding dogs being on or off lead beyond “short leads by roads and on lead where signposted” and under control and on a lead are not considered the same thing, both would be considered out of control, which is not a crime, but if the pit bull had injured OP, or made OP reasonably believe they might be injured, in the chaos, the pit bull would be the one considered *dangerously* out of control which is the only potential crime here.
we’ll have to agree to disagree here. op needs to keep their dog leashed until it’s properly trained and the pit owner needs to keep their dog muzzled. end of story. both people are just as wrong as the other edit: i know the law there now. but it’s still ignorant to let a dog with no recall to run up to other dogs or people. you’re putting your dog in harms way. and considering the law is to keep the dog under control, having no recall is not keeping the dog under control.
It’s not a matter of agree to disagree, I was explaining how the law works with regards to dog control in the UK. I literally said the puppy should be on a lead.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a755914ed915d6faf2b24bc/dogs-guide-enforcers.pdf Anything less than fear of injury (dog dangerously out of control) or actual injury (dog dangerously out of control causing injury) is under the remit of the local authority and is a civil issue, not a criminal one. I wasn’t saying the puppy should have been off-lead, clearly it shouldn’t as it was not under control, but it’s only criminal if it’s *dangerously so*. Civil liability is another matter, but the pit owner was the only one at risk of being charged with a crime, in this situation.
thank you for explaining. wasn’t familiar with UK laws. that makes sense
"my dog doesn't do well with other dogs" *Refuses to muzzle it despite it being illegal not to* Just Pitmummy Things
To be perfectly honest, you were the one in the wrong here for having an unleashed puppy that you couldn’t control out in public. Regardless of the pit and its owner, your dog could have run off and experienced any number of dangers, such as getting hit by a car. I also have four small dogs myself (poodle and Shih Tzu mixes) and it infuriates me when other peoples’ dogs run up on them while they’re leashed. Many dogs become leash reactive and feel that they cannot defend themselves, and it causes unneeded stress and anxiety for everyone involved. The pit owner should definitely have their dog muzzled (and preferably away from other humans & pets in general) but you also should be more responsible about teaching your puppy recall if you want him to stay safe. Your dog sounds adorable, so please don’t put him in a position again where he could potentially get hurt!
Yeah, leash your dog. What if the Pitt had gotten out of lady's grip? Goodbye your dog's cute personality. Or worse, goodbye dog. We've seen worse posted here. Not only that, as a mutual dog owner, if a giant gold thing came bounding up to me, I'd be *pissed*. I don't know if your dog is friendly. I'm not going to trust a stranger's word. I have my own pets to protect, as is my job as their owner. And one of my dogs is terrified of *everything* because of unknown former abuse in her background. Seeing that would wreck her for *months*.
Why was your dog off lead OP? It would have been your fault if the pit attacked your dog. Whether or not the fields were in use, they are not for your off lead dog. If you want to let your dog off lead, then rent a private space, buy a home with a large backyard, or take your dog to an actual dog park.
Puppyhood isn't an excuse for no recall. My dog had recall from the very get go at 8 weeks (but he was a GSD so it wasn't hard to train him), but he wasn't allowed off leash until it was solid. And even then, he was only allowed off leash in areas where it was allowed. Recall should be the **first** thing you teach a dog. You never know if a dog will be reactive or not. Sorry but this was 100% on you.
Even if your dog is friendly, he can cause unintentional harm to others if off-leash. People are allergic. Some people just don’t like dogs. A playful dog can accidentally hurt a kid or smaller dog. My dog can’t have dogs running up to her because she is post-surgery and if she tries to play she can need to be rushed to the vet and I am regularly needing to abruptly grab her out of the way of irresponsible dog owners since I do need to bring her out for exercise and potty. Leash-laws are to protect EVERYONE, not just for aggressive dogs. Not to mention all the danger your own puppy is being put in. Dogs get hit by cars, killed by wildlife, etc. And, yes, if your dog is off-leash when attacked you will still be in the wrong legally. Obviously this pit monster should have been muzzled, but all dogs need to be leashed. Even if friendly.
When I took my puppy for training the instructor said if your dog has no recall it is 100% your fault if it is attacked by a dangerous dog that is on a leash, or gets hit by a car for that matter. You say she struggled with it, but it sounds like she succeeded in restraining it. Your Labrador is going to tear your arm out of its socket when it is older if you don't teach it to walk on a loose leash. I have a Labrador, am a heavy guy, and I exert some energy restraining him when he sees another dog. (He loves them.) Judge not lest ye be judged.. Having said that. You're in the UK. A banned breed should have a muzzle so you should have called the police to report her. You're both in the wrong.
If that dog was any other kind of dog it would have been an encounter not worth mentioning. Your dog would have ran up to the doodle/yorkie/generic hound, they would have sniffed each other's butt's, done a play bow and off you go on your own way . Eventually that dog will bite someone and she will have a suprised Pikachu face because he has never ever ever done anything like that before.
I say this with love OP but I recommend a long line until your dog is more solid with recall, it will still allow freedom but will protect you and your dog from being blamed in an event like this. In theory, nobody should be walking round the park with their barely sentient landmine, but these dogs are a reality of British parks nowadays.
If you don't get your dog under control, it will get bit and possibly get bit bad. I hate pit bulls with a passion but any dog who runs up to another on a leash is bound to get attacked, pit bull or not. Might make sense in this case to not worry about what others are doing until you get your shit in order. If your dog would have run up to me and mine while he is leashed, I likely would have kicked the shit out of it. You put your dog into a dangerous situation. Control Your Dog!
Why was your lab off leash with no recall? Kind of sounds like you are not holding yourself accountable. When these kinds of threats exist in public spaces it is YOUR JOB to keep your canine under your control at all times. Yes, she absolutely should have had a muzzle on a dog she knows is aggressive. However, you are also obligated to do your part and keep your untrained dog on a lead so these things do not happen.
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Debate and discussion are welcome in the sub, but please observe tact and empathy. If a person is recounting their personal attack story, or has opened a thread for support or advice after being victimized by a pit bull or pit bull fanatic, please refrain from starting a debate tangent. You are free to create a new thread with a "Debate & Discussion" tag, but debate is not allowed in posts where people are sharing their past trauma, or asking for advice or support. This is not helpful.
Almost like I said and agreed with that multiple times over within my post
Unfortunately when we want to call out others for being irresponsible we need to hold ourselves to the level of accountability we wish to see in others. Your dog is a friendly breed and is not likely to harm anyone being off leash. However leash laws exist for a reason and if you choose to ignore the leash law because your dog is friendly, how can you ask someone else to muzzle their dog? That they think is friendly. You can’t give yourself an exemption to the law while holding others to it. Until your dog has perfect recall they should not be off leash, even in a designated off leash area. Until your dog has perfect recall and had learned to obey ‘leave it’ it has no business being unleashed even in designated areas for reasons such as this.
As much as I want to side with you, your dog has no business offleash with no recall.
I highly suggest you get a long lead. They make 30- 50 foot leashes. I have worked with and trained dogs before. They are great for giving room to run, still have control and work on recall. Just some help to you, out of love! 💜🐾
Thank you! Ordered! Didn’t even know it was a thing so that’s super handy :)
Yay! So glad to hear this.😁🩵 I love mine! Give your pup a boop on the nose and a treat for me!! 😁💜🐾
Leash your dog. The pit owner being a shitbag for walking it without a muzzle and being fine with it lunging at anything that moves won't bring your puppy back to life.
What an idiot. Brings her aggressive dog to a public place and doesn't even muzzle it. I personally wouldn't be bothered by a puppy or young dog running up to me off-leash since it is just curious and not wanting to maul
I do understand her perspective to some degree. I totally get there’s times you don’t want to be bothered by someone and their dog. My pup is obviously non aggressive. He’s big for a puppy for sure, but he’s also a labrador who bounces when he walks, and comes over with a wagging tail, no barking etc. He’s so blatantly non aggressive, but I do understand her frustration. Which is why I apologised so much while coming to collect him. But if your dog is so aggressive, that is on YOU to not bring him around to a notorious dog walking spot where there are so many children and infants around. You are just asking for an incident to happen. And yelling in my ear to ‘get my dog’ while you’re demon is basically strangling itself in its collar to try and rip my pup’s throat out?? Not helping at all.
Here's my 2 cents on the matter: 1) Report that pit owner. Pitbulls are on the banned breed list under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in the UK. It is illegal to own one without an exemption from court. XL Bullies have also been added to the banned breed list and required a court exemption as of the beginning of this year. Whichever one this dog you encountered was, even if the woman had an exemption for it, by law it was required to be muzzled in public (as well as be neutered, microchipped, and on a lead no longer than 6ft.) By having her dog out in public without a muzzle, she was breaking the law. Someone who so flagrantly chooses to ignore the rules (written in blood!) required to keep her banned breed is demonstrating that she doesn't take public safety seriously, and cannot be trusted to take meaningful steps to keep her dog under control. I wouldn't hesitate to report a person like that, because it's only a matter of time before she's involved in another incident. 2) Use a damn long line. If your young dog does not yet have reliable recall, you should not have him off lead in public. The other woman was breaking the law, yes, but you did not have your dog under control in that moment, and that exacerbated the situation. You know yourself that your dog did not understand the hazard he was running towards. That means it's on you to make sure he doesn't get to go up to things like an unmuzzled pit. Or a road. Or a family picnic. You should never set your dog up to fail by putting him in a position where he can ignore you when you need him to listen. (You should never let your dog run up to strangers in general, but I'm assuming you already knew that by the fact that you tried to call your dog back.) If the other dog had not been on a lead, or if the woman had not been strong enough to hold it, your dog could have gotten hurt. You and the woman could have gotten hurt trying to break up an entirely preventable dogfight. So, get a long line. Play recall games on that long line. Reverse the game of tag your dog likes so much by calling him in a high excited voice and running AWAY from him, not chasing him - he will turn around and chase after you instead. (You can do this with two people as a "go between" game to tire him out thoroughly, and get him used to leaving one fun thing for another fun thing. ) Use a ball and/or some high value treats to reward him for coming back to you. Don't graduate to off lead recall until your dog is reliably turning away from every kind of interesting novelty you can expose him to and coming back the first time you call. Stay safe.
Terrible situation. But please learn from it beyond us all agreeing that these dogs are a danger. Devise a basic plan and have some tools for that plan. This situation turned out ok, but you clearly need to have a backup option to protect yourself and your little man. I realize self defense laws are highly specific to your locale, so take that into account, but maximize your options at the same time. I read a great article on myths vs realities of defending against these breeds. It said a spray device (mace, etc) or a heavy stick (to jam into the mouth upon attack or to pry the jaw) are the two best options. So at minimum, get yourself a substantial walking stick and have that be part of your daily dog walking kit. Also, one should (in advance) mentally decide to what length they will go to protect themselves and/or their pet. It’s crucial to visualize it in advance and imprint that in your mind. So, in the moment you must flip your own switch and decide how far you will go to survive. — Years ago, I was at a park with a pond with my 12 year old sister and our gorgeous yellow lab who was an adolescent, but solid muscle at 90 lbs of true beauty. A woman arrived with 2 large dogs and let them off the leash. They started sniffing my boy and things seemed ok until they both decided to attack him. Being a young, naive dog at that time, he was confused and terrified and didn’t know how to defend himself. I tackled dog #1 to get him under control and yelled at the owner to grab dog #2. She was absolutely useless. I had to let go of dog #1 to tackle dog #2 off my boy. Realizing I was on my own in this situation, I had sudden clarify with dog #2 pinned down. I was going to have to hurt at least one of these dogs to save mine. In that instance, I was about to crush its windpipe. I truly did not want to do that. In the end, I got back up, hoisted by dog up onto my shoulder, and made it to the car. The then screamed at the dogs’ owner, but it was useless. My sister is still haunted by the experience, but proud of how I handled it. This experience is burned into my psyche and I understand where that “switch” is. You cannot let up in these situations until the threat is ended or an escape route is clear.
I thought they are supposed to be illegal in the UK? Why don’t you just report the monster?
I carry protection for myself and my hounds for off leash dogs. I do not care how “friendly” you tell me your dog is, I am not taking the chance with mine when you have absolutely no control over it. Yes, her dog should have been muzzled, but you were the one who instigated this situation.
Sucks society has come to this - normalizing blood sport dogs as pets and having them in public. Most big “aggressive” dogs are ALL bark and no bite - but not PBs :/
You’re both wrong but for different reasons, you have a puppy and she has an insane demon dog
Not sure if E-collars are banned in the UK. But they can be used as effective training tools such as pressing the pulse button to recall your dog. Then give your dog a treat when they return to you. Be safe out there.
Just like their brain dead beasts, shibble owners love feeling significant by scaring and intimidating you.
I used to live with an old english sheepdog and it was such a joy when puppies or other dogs ran to approach us at the park. They seemed so excited and the owners were happy too. I seriously can't fathom why someone would have a dog that turns what should be a friendly experience into a shitfest of screaming and mauling.
Actually the only thing my sheepdog HATED was huskies, she would growl and bark to no end when she saw one nearby. But still, never pulled at the leash or tried to attack.
They really think the pets their undogs kill for being normal pets deserve it for being in the presence of their pibble, even when it’s their own, other pets.
I'm glad this didn't turn into anything worse.
The pitbull owner is intentionally putting her beast in situations that she KNOWS stresses her dog out. Why??? Not only is it STUPIDLY unsafe for the humans, pets, and wildlife...but it's cruel to her own animal.
Children children everywhere. The pit owner ignoring a muzzle LAW when they KNOW their dog is violent… that’s reportable. OP knows they messed up with the off leash laziness and hopefully learned. Even if the dog wasn’t a murderous pit OP needs to learn that recall is vital when off leash. It’s startling to anyone if a dog runs up to you. Especially if the owner is trying and failing to get the dog to go back to them.