Bitten twice this month

5 watchers

Velociraptor Mar 2013 10:11pm, 10 Mar 2013 24,379 posts	0 Velociraptor Dog owners and dog walkers round here are almost all fantastic at keeping their dogs on a tight lead or calling them to heel when there's a runner or cyclist coming past. I know it only takes one ill-tempered mutt with an ignorant owner for a runner's leg to be mauled, but credit where it's due, most people who keep woofhounds are highly motivated to avoid the hassle that would result from runners being bitten.
fff Mar 2013 10:19pm, 10 Mar 2013 196 posts	0 fff I was chased by a golden lab today that barked and growled- I continued to run but it gave chase- still growling. by this time it was quite some distance from its owner who obviously had no control over it.I had to stop and was quite scared it was really going to go for me. on other occasions big mutts come galloping towards me to shove two paws on my shoulders. I am quite little and they can actually push at some force. I am really sick of 'dogs on the run'- it spoils the training session, today I had to stop but at other times the pace and concentration is ruined
jono Mar 2013 10:20pm, 10 Mar 2013 11,288 posts	0 jono Probably city dwellers then, with their flat caps, barbour jackets and what not
runner duck Mar 2013 10:24pm, 10 Mar 2013 10,471 posts	0 runner duck i call my dog in when i see a runner or cyclist. she's very small and is a tripping hazard. she would actually completely ignore the runner/cyclist and just keep along the path, but they don't know that and i worry they'd swerve to avoid her. she's so small i don't have to faff about putting her on the lead, i just pick her up i've never been bitten either. most people here seem to keep there dogs under control as well. is that an advantage of being out in the country rather than in a park? the dogs are maybe more dispersed in the countryside? i know a couple of dogs locally who have a tendency to bite (other dogs rather than people) and both owners keep them muzzled when they are out.
Longwayround (LWR) Mar 2013 10:31pm, 10 Mar 2013 596 posts	0 Longwayround (LWR) Thinking about this, I am generally quite confident around dogs, having been brought up with a boxer, a beagle and a border collie. When I see a dog bounding towards me or running alongside me I tend to call out 'hello doggy' in a confident voice.* The very few times I've had a big unleashed hound running in my direction I've yelled 'Put your fucking dog on a lead" at the nearest adult. If I was a less confident person around dogs then I would almost certainly behave just like those who have been bitten. And dogs are great at attacking anyone whom they sense to be both a threat to their pack leader and a bit afraid. The standard advice, therefore, tends to be: don't show fear. Which is about as easy to put into practice for a person who doesn't trust dogs as 'cheer up it might never happen' for a person with depression. * None of this applies to next-door-but-one's rotty. I believe it's actually quite soft but I apply the same logic to it as I do to cattle and horses: it's bigger than me and weighs more than me.
idio Mar 2013 10:33pm, 10 Mar 2013 19,451 posts	0 idio I was bitten first time last year while out on my mountain bike around the local woods, tried to find the owner but couldn't. Spoke to one dog walker who's dog was attacked by said dog and he was doing the same thing in trying to find the owner. Kinda of glad I didn't really I so wound up about it god know what I would have said or done. I normally slow down or even walk by the dogs but luckily majority of dog owners are responsible and call their dogs to them and keep hold of them till I go past. Had the odd loopy Spaniel that seems to want to run with you
runner duck Mar 2013 10:36pm, 10 Mar 2013 10,474 posts	0 runner duck i've been followed by lots of dogs, as well. they obviously think it's far more fun to come with me than with their oh-so-slow walking humans you do need to be extra careful with bikes, it seems to freak a lot of dogs out. i'm always wary of dogs when i'm on the bike.
idio Mar 2013 10:40pm, 10 Mar 2013 19,452 posts	0 idio I love dogs but one thing I do hate is dog owners who let their dogs jump up people then say he's only being friendly or playing.
Longwayround (LWR) Mar 2013 10:59pm, 10 Mar 2013 598 posts	0 Longwayround (LWR) idio, one thing I've learnt from this thread is that the next time someone tells me that then I'm going to just up at the owner and lick them full in the face.
AngusClydesdale Mar 2013 11:13pm, 10 Mar 2013 4,409 posts	0 AngusClydesdale I've only skimmed so forgive me if this has already been covered. 1. Kick fuck out of the dog because it's self-defence, innit? 2. Either call the police or kick fuck out of the owner (you'll need to exercise judgement here but it might also be self-defence). 3. Take some photos (either for evidence or self-gratification). 4. Start a new thread on Fetch (but make sure the photos are made public in the gallery or they'll never display properly).