Doggie Rage

TheRoadRunner

nerraw1111 wrote: »

But some runners/walkers have to look at their own behaviour.

I agree with some of what you say but this is pants. If you have an ingrained fear of dogs it is hard to portray a confident manner. Most parks (not all, mind you) insist dogs are kept on leads, if this rule was followed 90% of all runners (and the general public) grievances would vanish.

stanleybowles

I was running on a beach in West Kerry last weekend. A big huskie came at me over the weekend. I was annoyed and brushed it aside. The owner was 40 metres behind. No movement.from the owner. I ran on, the dog started jumping up on me. Still no movement from the owner. I took off the earphones and lost the plot with him. After a 5 minute heated discussion, he apologised. Kept saying that dog was friendly etc. Animals are lovely but are still animals. They are not predictable. Spoke to a neighbour who same dog had jumped up on her recently.
If it happens again I'm contacting the dog warden / the guards.

HardyEustace

shels4ever wrote: »

One thing that really pisses me off is thoese extendable leads . people see you coming and still think its ok to take up the whole path .:eek:

Those are the bane of my life. Particularly on smaller dogs where they're at just the right level for tripping over.

gerard65

shels4ever wrote: »

One thing that really pisses me off is thoese extendable leads . people see you coming and still think its ok to take up the whole path .:eek:

Yep. Had one of these wrap around my legs last summer. By law a dog should be totally under control of the owner 100% of the time whether the dog is on a lead or not.
Marley is very strict on keeping dogs on leads, but bushy, pffff, it can turn into dog hell.

Kissy Lips

HardyEustace wrote: »

Those are the bane of my life. Particularly on smaller dogs where they're at just the right level for tripping over.

I remember zipping down a cycle path in top gear on my mountain bike years ago and hitting the cord of an extendable lead. I didnt even see it. Anway one end of the cord was attached to the owners hand and the other to it's dog. Ill never forget the noise the dog made. I cycled on. I would safely bet they kept the lead short around paths thereafter!

As a dog owner I would hate to see my gentle spaniel kicked, as a runner I would not hesitate to kick a snapping dog.

RubyK

I've made a great four legged friend, who I meet up with at mile four of my long weekend run. At first I was very wary of him, as he just stands in the middle of the country road, staring at me. Now we are great friends, and I have to stop for a few mins to rub him

I'm lucky, I've only had 1 small incident with a dog. One, a little Jack Russel terrier at mile 6 is a fecker, but now leaves me alone, after I squirted him with my water bottle.

When I run on the beach, usually a couple of dogs will see me, and want to run with me, but I've never had any problem, thankfully, apart from one large dog, trying to take my water bottle.

What I find more annoying, are the little ****s whizzing along on their bikes, on the footpath, who nearly knock you down if you are not quick enough to run onto the grass. They really piss me off no end, and well they know it, by my cursing at them

As a dog owner, our one is never left off the lead, and if there is someone coming against us, we'll move into the grass to let that person pass. I'm well aware that not everyone loves/likes dogs, and plenty are scared of them.

dna_leri

nerraw1111 wrote: »

It's the owners not the dogs to blame. I find the small dogs to be the worse as the owners generally appear not to have trained them or chastise them. With bigger dogs, you generally have no option but to train them.

But some runners/walkers have to look at their own behaviour.

I walk my dog regularly and the terrified reaction by some people actually encourage the dog to play with them, suddenly leaping a mile into the air at every movement of the dog. In the dog's head, that means, 'let's play.'

Approaching dogs, you should stand tall, ignore the dog, and you'll be fine for the most part. Nervously approaching them or taking a defensive approach is only going to provoke the dog or give the impression you want to play.

A good kick is required if the dog is snapping at your ankles.

So when I approach a dog while I am out for a run, I should stop, stand tall and ignore them !!?

I disagree, not only is it impossible to stand tall and ignore them at the same time, that's just giving in to the problem i.e. owners not looking after their animal. I will run along the edge of the path or off it if possible and the bigger the dog the wider the berth I will give but I should not have to stop and let them pass, I even object to slowing down.

As someone who was regularly harassed by a neighbour's alsatian as a child, developing a pathological fear that took me years to overcome, I agree with your last statement. A swift kick usually works.

islandexile

plodder wrote: »

I come across a lot of yappy dogs, in the rural roads where I run. My policy is to ignore them unless they come very close, looking like they're going to bite. Then I turn around and chase them with the aim of giving a good kick. Haven't succeeded yet.

More speedwork Plodder!!

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Isn't pepper spray illegal anyway?

Can't see how the dog would lodge a formal complaint to either its owner or the gardai....

ultraman1

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Yeah, sure. I'll run around with a can of pepper spray on all of my runs from now on, just to be armed for any dog encounters that happen about once a year!

Isn't pepper spray illegal anyway?

not in limerick.....

Krusty_Clown

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Isn't pepper spray illegal anyway?

In that case, just carry around individual pepper sachets. When you come across an unruly dog, rip the top off of one of those bad boys (the pepper sachet, not the dog), and pour it down the dogs nostrils.

We actually have a dog-only (off-lead) area in our local park (Shanganagh Park). Now if only we could get a runner-only area, without dogs, I'd be a happy puppy.

MrCreosote

nerraw1111 wrote: »

It's the owners not the dogs to blame. I find the small dogs to be the worse as the owners generally appear not to have trained them or chastise them. With bigger dogs, you generally have no option but to train them.

But some runners/walkers have to look at their own behaviour.

I walk my dog regularly and the terrified reaction by some people actually encourage the dog to play with them, suddenly leaping a mile into the air at every movement of the dog. In the dog's head, that means, 'let's play.'

Approaching dogs, you should stand tall, ignore the dog, and you'll be fine for the most part. Nervously approaching them or taking a defensive approach is only going to provoke the dog or give the impression you want to play.

This is such a load of bull. The dog is the owner's responsibility 100%. If it goes crazy just because someone runs past in a less than confident way then it shouldn't be out in public.

And as for the whole "he's just being friendly/he's just playing" thing?? Don't get me started!

baza1976

On my run home from work today I came across more barking, chasing, dogs than cars!!!! true.
7 dogs came running out of their homes roaring like asses. Some big and some small. I know by now where they are to be an I also know they ae not going to bit me. But I still hae stop and either chase them or shout at them.

By the way I met 4 cars in 9 miles of country back road. Now if I took the shorter route which is 7 miles I would have not met any dogs but would have met about 4000 cars all traveling as fast as the first car is going. there are no footpaths or street lighting on this road. There is no footpaths or street lighting on the long way home either, but l prefer to meet them 7 dogs any day rather then go the other way.

gar.k

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

During the Summer I threw an aggressive Jack Russell into the royal canal. I had a history with both the dog and owner in the past. I have a dog myself by the way and would consider myself a dog lover.

You may consider yourself a dog lover but you are not

TFBubendorfer

baza1976 wrote: »

7 dogs came running out of their homes roaring like asses.

That's what dogs do and does not count as a dog encounter. It's only when they start attacking you that you have reasonable grounds fro complaints.

TheRoadRunner

gar.k wrote: »

You may consider yourself a dog lover but you are not

I beg to differ. If a cat/human/lion/horse/snake/ape/EnterNameOfAnimal here attacked me I would have no hesitation in throwing them into the canal either and I would consider myself an animal lover. A bit of water never hurt anyone/anything anyway :cool:

neonman

This happened to me while out running before as well. Plenty of people walking their dogs on my running trail. I past 3 girls walking their dogs with them off their leads, one of the dogs decided to run after me and clipped my calf not sure if it was just his head or if he went to bite me.

Kept on running but I knew I would have to face the dog again on the way back and if he came for me I was going to grab him and f**k him into the irish sea (Well thats what was going through my head)

I past them on my way back girls had their dogs on their leads and they also said sorry which was nice.

If your dog can't be trusted while off the lead keep it on it !