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.

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.

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.

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 inform you, but to the best of my knowledge, the chances of you hitting the dog before it get's it's teeth into you, are very limited.
It might only knock you down, before you hit it, but after it received the blow then ............................
You see, I am talking from experience. My nine year old, who loves (loved) stroking dogs, got bitten by one and I educated myself what to do in the future. Their eyesight can grasp things moving fast on a different scale then the human does & therefore can react quicker then we can.
Try it out. Next time you see a dog in a kennel, move your hand slowly and you will see that it can't follow it as opposed to when you move your hand fast. Their most vulnerable spot is their nose. But who dares going near those bared teath? An appeal to dog owner's: Please note that there are a lot of people out there who could be scared of your pet!
Since this happened to my child, I carry a little apparatus in my pocket that makes a sound which only they can hear & which they don't seem to like, which keeps them away.

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.

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How is a none dog owning individual out walking with his/her kids to know what state of mind your dog operates in??? Savage, hungry, playful, ferocious etc... It is YOUR responsibility to manage your dog and make sure it is not a nuisance or danger to others. We should not have to tell you, you should know whether your dog should be by your side, on a leash or wearing a muzzle. If you don't know, perhaps you should reconsider dog ownership.
But please don't put the onus on others to TELL YOU how to manage YOUR animal!

I was talking about meeting another dog not about meeting children.
You have become over excited about a post you have read incorrectly.

It was mentioned earlier - dogs should ALWAYS be under control.

Some dogs require a leash to be under control - some are well trained not to.

IMHO if your dog does not respond to voice commands, will not heal and will not respect others - then it should be on the leash at ALL times.

I generally don't have a problem with dogs (and their owners) - dog walkers can be a right royal pain in the arse when they take up an entire path with a pack of dogs - but single owners and dogs not an issue.

99% of the time - it isn't the fault of the dog - but the fault of the owner.

If I'm out running, most dogs are fine; and 99% of owners who think they won't be able to control their dog are pretty good about getting the lead on before there is a problem.

If a dog does come up barking at me that isn't under control, then it is fair game - and I reserve the right to use force to protect myself (depending on size and breed - and size and demeanour of the owner). So don't blame me if I happen to accidentally kick the dog as it gets in the way of my stride. Interestingly, the owners of such brutes are usually the ones that come up with a cr@p excuse when you do ask them to put their mutt on a lead.

Cheers,
Nick

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For the runners out there - if a dog owner does bring their dog under control - it is always worth saying "merci"

I work on the theory the more often I thank them for controlling their dogs - the more likely they are to do it for other runners/people.

Oh I do that. And I say "bitte" to the ones who don't - which is a bit more civilised than the slapping I would like to deliver.

Cheers,
Nick

Thanks for that I always pull my dog out of the path of a jogger or a cyclist (its the only polite thing to do) and i always appreciate a smile and a thanks