People scared of dogs!!

[iluvdogs]

We took our dogs for a run on Saturday, and we were walking and this guy was their, so Bella and Trixie went up to him just to say hi..well he FLIPPED..he THOUGHT they were going to attack him so hes standing their freaking he has his hands in the air and his leg up and hes YELLING at them. So now this is making our dogs scared of him so they start to bark at him..and the guy starts to yell at my dad saying " call these dogs off "

I don't understand why people do that?..They just make the dog more uncomfortable, if the guy just kept walking EVERYTHING would of been fine, the dogs just wanted to say hi.

He was evan scared of Pepper, and pepper didn't evan do ANYTHING..Pepper was scared of HIM as he wouldn't walk by the guy, I had to pick him up.

 

[Renee750il]

It's not rational, is it? And people who are afraid of dogs always seem to do exactly the wrong thing, then they are so panicked that they can't listen and calm down so that you can get the dogs calmed down . . . About all you can really do is retreat or get by as quickly as possible. The longer you stay there the more afraid they get and the more upset your dogs get.

 

[Brattina88]

Here's an example WHY:

I was walking Missy yesterday around the block, around town. A lady with her young child was walking in front of us, the girl was probably about 4yrs old. Missy was heeling, and I slowed down to stay quite a distance behind them, to respect the fact that some people fear dogs. The mom turns around and see's me, smiles, and then turns to her little girl. "Do you see that dog behind you?" She turns around and looks and Missy, then back and her mom - saying yea. "They're mean. She will bite you, so you better listen to me." I was soo mad

Today, I went for a hike with Missy at the park. A man and his young boy - 5 or 6 maybe? The boy said "That's the kind of dog I want! Can I pet him?" Before I could answer the dad jerked him up and yelled "No! Don't you ever touch a dog like that! They'll tear your face open!"

 

[elegy]

well, i'm sure there are plenty of people who have had bad experiences, especially as children, who are scared of dogs as a result and have never learned how to properly act around them.

i'd really encourage you to not let your dogs run up to strangers. not everyone likes dogs and not everyone welcomes being approached by strange dogs.

 

[Renee750il]

And I can almost guarantee that these same people would think nothing of walking right straight up to my sad faced Monsters . . . who should NOT be approached that way . . .

 

[Brattina88]

Too true

If I happen across others while hiking I call my pack back and put them in down stays until I can ask if they mind the dogs, or clip their leashes on. If its just one of my dogs I'll tell them to heel (they're better at heeling offleash than on ) until we pass. Its gotten to the point where if we stumple upon someone when its just me and Missy - she'll go on full alert, but she'll sit her butt down before I even see them usually

 

[Renee750il]

Missy is a jewel. I am so happy that the two of you have each other. You are such a German Shepherd person . . . and you didn't even know it I'll bet she's be great for Maddie, too. Maddie's always tried to be so responsible and take such care of you and that's a lot for a little Cocker Spaniel to take on!

 

[Tinaweena]

I'm scared of bees and act that way when I see them. If the bees had an owner letting them fly around I'd be angry with the owner also.
You really should have them leashed because of other people. I'm sure you, and other dog lovers know your dogs would never attack but other people don't.
Not to mention it's illegal in Canada to have them offleash in the city.

 

[iluvdogs]

Well the guy just happened to come around the corner we didn't see him coming, else that is what we do..We call them back. Its not like they ran RIGHT up to the guy.

My whole point about this thread was..Why do they need to make things worse? When the dogs were just being nice, and not meaning any harm, but the guy was making such a big deal out of it. The dogs soon just walked right on by.

And we were taking them for a RUN...This is in a big gravel pit, forest type place...NO ONE is hardly ever their. I am not going to leash them their. If we go on walks of course I leash them and if a person walks by I say sit! and we wait till they pass and they just smile at us.

 

[Renee750il]

Sometimes you just run into things like that with no warning. People just panic. There is no real 'reason' they act like that . . . it's just pure panic reaction, and yes, it does make the situation worse! But there's not a lot you can do to change them; all we can do is teach our dogs to be the ones to NOT panic. Let's face it, the dogs make more sense

 

[Sweet72947]

There was this older couple in my neighborhood that would take walks with big sticks just in case some random dog were to run up to them and attack . They were not nice people. If you saw them when you were walking your dog, they would glare at you, like how DARE you be walking that dog in our presence?? I haven't seen them in a very long time though, hopefully they moved .

 

[Kase]

I've had people run away from Casey before shouting 'does she bite?'. They bend down and say 'hello' to her and she responds by going to say hello and 'smiling'. Most people know that she's smiling but some just leap up and run for it.

 

[SummerRiot]

LOL omg some people are very odd..

We had some lady scared of Riot the other day - although i can honestly see why.. strange dog that looks like Riot run up to you tail wagging... who WOULDN"T be scared lmao!

but anyways, she yells at me that "next time she is bringing her stick"..

i'm thinking.. lol good luck getting PAST Riot next time then.. he LOVES sticks.. he'd either steal it from her or pester her until she gave it up.. OR there is the odd chance he'd think she wants to play so hed get his "growling bark" for play going and scared the crap out of her.

I dont know why she'd feel safer with a big stick?! lol

My sister was standing outside with me and we both look at each other like.. ohh i hope she doesn't do that lol

I guess its true.. some people are just cat people.

 

[elegy]

Well the guy just happened to come around the corner we didn't see him coming, else that is what we do..We call them back. Its not like they ran RIGHT up to the guy.

My whole point about this thread was..Why do they need to make things worse? When the dogs were just being nice, and not meaning any harm, but the guy was making such a big deal out of it. The dogs soon just walked right on by.

And we were taking them for a RUN...This is in a big gravel pit, forest type place...NO ONE is hardly ever their. I am not going to leash them their. If we go on walks of course I leash them and if a person walks by I say sit! and we wait till they pass and they just smile at us.

because they don't know any better? because they're panicked and not in control of themselves? because it's a fear reaction and not a conscious one?

unfortunately, it's attitudes like this which cause dogs to become unwelcome in places. you have the right to take your dogs, but people have the right to not be bothered by your dogs. yes, it was an accident, but your attitude is to take no responsibility for the person's reaction, even though they were your dogs? it makes no sense to me.

i love dogs but i still don't want strange dogs coming up to me unbidden, especially if i have my dogs with me. it's your responsibility to control your dogs and keep them away from people, not the other way around.

 

[Brattina88]

that's why there are annoying leash laws...

 

[Babyblue5290]

I have a friend who's mother is deathly afraid of all larger dogs. She was attacked or almost attacked by multiple larger sized dogs growing up. She thinks larger is bigger than a cocker spaniel so that does include Lucas lol. I was walking lucas with my friend one day up in this place that had high grass and a lot of bushes. So her mom comes to pick her up and because of the bushes and grass she can't see Lucas. I had him on-leash of course, but her mom ran straight into him and freaked out! She ran away screaming lol It had scared Lucas, he kinda jumped back a little lol.

Anyways my point is not all people like dogs, some are really afraid of dogs and I'm sure having dogs barking at you don't help with the fear and not so rational thoughts. It's your responsibility as a dog owner to not let your dogs go up to people without their permission first, just like it's other people responsibility to ask before petting your dogs. If you get near a corner or any place you can't see people coming around I'd suggest calling your dogs next to you if your not going to have them on leash.

 

[JennSLK]

Not to mention it's illegal in Canada to have them offleash in the city.

It's actually CITY bylaws are the leash laws, just more city's are fairly uniform.

If there are no leash laws or your in an offleash area then those who dont like my dogs can go to _____

If you are so scared fo dogs dont go into a off leash area.

My dogs come before everyone that is not in my family. You have a problem with that as long as Im not brakeing any laws it's not my problem it's yours

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

I can see why he got upset. Yes it was rude of him to go crazy, but you're dogs shouldn't have run up to him in the first place. When I'm walking my girls, they aren't allowed to go up to anyone unless the person asks to pet them and we know them well enough. I'm wary of dogs that rush up to me too.

 

[tessa_s212]

but you're dogs shouldn't have run up to him in the first place. When I'm walking my girls, they aren't allowed to go up to anyone unless the person asks to pet them and we know them well enough. I'm wary of dogs that rush up to me too.

Agreed.

 

[Tinaweena]

I can see why he got upset. Yes it was rude of him to go crazy, but you're dogs shouldn't have run up to him in the first place. When I'm walking my girls, they aren't allowed to go up to anyone unless the person asks to pet them and we know them well enough. I'm wary of dogs that rush up to me too.

I don't think it was rude of him to go crazy. I don't mean to flail about and act like an idiot when I see a bee. But I do. Because I've been stung 5 or 6 times.