Nothing spoils a lovely stroll through the snow like two dogs (one enormous and one small) racing toward you whilst barking and growling. The big one knocked me down just as the owner called them both back.

I know I'm half Persian, so to be fair the dogs may have thought I was a terrorist. But still....

In good news, my flailing made an epic snow angel on the path.

Made me chuckle the way you wrote that.

It is one of my pet hates though. when walking in the greenery I often carry a big stick as when I was younger I was attacked by an off-leash dog in a park that took most of the skin from my right forearm, and it left some psychological (thankfully not physical) scars, and i'm now a bit wary. I genuinely would not hesitate to hit first, very hard, if a large dog ran running up to me barking and growling.

I am a dog lover and I am sorry but after all the bad publicity over the past years, you really should file a complaint with the police.

These people obviously cannot or will not control their dogs, and if it was a child there might have been a serious attack.

I agree with Ittigen. I'm a dog owner, and I think such lack of control must not be tolerated. Sorry about your bad experience, I'm glad you kept your sense of humor.

As a kid whilst playing in the park, my brother was chased by a very large dog growling and barking away, with the owner watching and doing nothing. Petrified and knowing he could not outrun the dog, my brother turned to face it, pulled his jumper sleeve over his hand and punched it full on in the mouth! Only then did the owner react by shouting and gesticulating wildly at my brother because the dog ran back to him yelping, possibly with a fang missing! Everyone else who witnessed it was in stitches with laughter because this particular dog was known for its attacking and aggressive behaviour, especially towards children.

First of all, sorry for laughing at the way you've written the post. Too funny.

I am a dog owner too and I am mortified to hear that. Especially the bigger dog jumping onto you. Having said that, growls arent necessarily threatening. There are playful growls, fearful ones and aggressive ones. I am putting my money on the former. If its the last one, things wouldnt have been that pretty.

Still - no excuse for not keeping those dogs under control and scaring a complete stranger like that.

Size-wise, I'm not too far off from a child, which might explain why Bruno McBeast pounced.

In your scientific opinion, would a wand be comparable? A stick really wouldn't suit me. Just for reference, it would be a robust wand with an aggressively blinking star on the end.

Isabella, I've very sorry to hear that this happened to you.

I, too, am a dog owner, and I, too, am furious that some (insert expletive here) allowed his/her dogs to run out of control. Such irresponsibility give all of us a bad name, and makes life harder for the 99% who are responsible dog owners, who try to be respectful of others when out and about with our dogs. Makes my blood boil.

I've said it a hundred times, and I'll keep saying it until I'm blue in the face:

Unless your dog has rock-solid, stop-on-a-dime recall*, he/she should always be re-leashed whenever another person, animal, vehicle, etc comes into view on the distant horizon. You should never allow your dog to approach another sentient being without first asking whether it is OK to do so, or not. It only takes a few seconds to be respectful of another person's right to enjoy the great outdoors.


*And if your dog has rock-solid, stop-on-a-dime recall, then for doG's sake, recall him!

Glad to see your sense of humor survived the incident, Isabella. Take heart - we are not all like that numpty.

Really sorry to read of you experience today, but like many others your humorous account did make me smile. And wish that you had been walking in the forest where I was today and I could've filmed it, sent it to You've Been Framed and earned you £250

On a serious note though, as a dog owner I am often amazed at the irresponsibility of some dog owners here. I myself keep my dog on the lead, mainly because I know he is not so keen on very young children.

I was also taken out today......but by my own son and dog on a bum sled! Stupid me stood there filming and they came hurtling straight for me.

Sorry to hear about this! My little dog weighs only 17 pounds but I fear her doing this. She is not aggressive but happy and wants to jump and lick, which I know can be scary.

She is always on her leash, I am still shocked at how many dogs aren't leashed though! I especially hate it when others don't leash their dogs as we approach. My dog is on a leash for a reason so I wish others would respect that.

Hmmm you have to understand that I walk my dog off the lead most of the time, that is the way we have trained him. I am always shocked at the number of dogs that can only be walked on a lead.
When I approach you I have no idea if you want me to have my dog on the lead or not.
If you want me to put mine on the lead then please tell me and don't expect me to read your mind.

I grow up with dogs in our house all my life. Almost everyone in my family own a dog and I did too. We are just a family of dog lovers!

I never been affraid of any dog my whole life. Even when I was living in Istanbul I never fear street dogs, they were just a bunch of love seekers.

But last fall, I got scared for the very first time of a dog here in Switzerland. I was in the park, where dogs aren't allowed and my 2 years old was happilly running around when that big huge dog came running straight to her. I reacted enough fast to step between her and the dog and I screemed at him. He stop at my feet and try to jump on me, I kicked him in his stomach.

His owner gave me loads of shit to do it. I was boiling! I gave her a pretty large piece of my mind! And some people around stepped in too and kicked the woman out of the park with her dog.

If someone comes toward you with a small child in tow or a dog on a leash, would you not call your dog back to you and keep an eye on your dog?

Some dogs are reactive and need to stay on lead when there are a lot of distractions. I keep my dog close by me when others pass and I reward her for this behavior (paying attention to me). But she has to stay on a leash.

Your dog is nobody else responsability. Nobody should have to tell you to put your dog on leash, that is your job. Just keep in mind that everybody wants your dog in leash at all time when someone is around, so you will not have to read individual minds. When someone is around you, keep your dog in leash so they won't have to ask you to do so.


Thank you.

Child yes, other dog no.

What are you talking about?

My dog is still very curious and gets easily distracted. We keep training him of course but still we have him on leash all the time

The only time we have him off leash is in areas especially for this. He can do whatever he wants there

If you are someplace where you are guaranteed to run into other people: your dog, on lead, all the time. I say this as someone who grew up with well trained dogs. It's the right thing to do and only polite. You have no idea if people have been attacked by dogs before and have a fear of them, like you said you can't read their minds so it's up to you to exercise some form of intelligence and consideration. You also can't read your dog's mind. Even 'well-trained' dogs have their moments and, since you can't predict how they'll react in every situation this means your dog should be on a lead and under your control. If you want to have a dog off lead, you should go where you have very little chance if any of running into anyone. It's not that hard to figure out.

Quite frankly I say balderdash.
Dog on the lead at the side of the road or in town, dog in the woods or on a path not on the lead.
Where is this mystical place where there are no people?

Food for thought?

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/forme...112730319.html

You'll find plenty of stories about dogs attacking someone walking his own dog and even people attacked by his own dog (s).

You know your dog as much as a docile sweet puppy until he becomes an animal and that can switch at any moment!