Annoying puppy owner on walk

Went for a walk tonight after I finished work to a park/field area near my old school,Griffin's been going to lots of different places, he gets semi-used to a place and gets a bit cocky and that's when his recall gets a bit patchy, it's happened once which was enough!
Since I was last there they're planted big copses of trees about the place and the place is apparently now the local dog mecca. So we're walking along one of the grass paths with Griffin off lead practicing his recall; there are dogs in the distance but way ahead of us so nothing to worry about there then we curve round the edge of the copse and there's the ridgeback x I clocked on my way in playing with a husky pup, Griffin's not sure about them so stays close to me but watches the others. The ridgeback x then runs off to join it's family and the husky comes running over to us, her owners are stood around but no comment to her or us, the pair of them dance around for a couple of minutes until I call Griffin to me and he comes straight away (yay! ) so we can carry on with our walk. Well I nearly ended up coming home with two dogs, she kept following us, Griffin knew he was to stay with me and if he was tempted to run back and play the sausage in my pocket ensured he didn't. She was called back many times very half heartedly by the two girls walking her and eventually she disappeared behind the trees and didn't re-appear. As we walked around part of the egde of the park she reappeard following a man with a JRT, then went over to say hi to a couple on a walk then came over to see us again before going back to the JRT, the owners by this point had sat themselves down on a bench in the middle of the space every so often shouting the pup's name but otherwise just waiting for her to come back of her own accord. The JRT's owner ended up walking her back to her owners but she then came sprinting over to us again as we had gone past them by this point on our way out, I ended up clipping my lead onto her and taking her over to her owners so she didn't follow us onto the fairly busy road, no thanks just a comment that's 'she's always so naughty' which I thought was really unfair, it was their fault that she wasn't coming back not hers, she was only about 14 weeks so I said what we were told with Chester that she wasn't naughty, she wasn't jumping, sat at peoples feet for a fuss when she stopped and her manners were great, it was just her recall that needed work and they just needed to make themselves more interesting and that I found that sausage worked well! Completely non-judgey and said with a smile, I got a filthy look and they walked off in the opposite direction but as we were leaving I heard them shouting again so they had obviously let her off again, it obviously isn't considered to be a problem to them, though thinking about it maybe that's how her walks go, she's let off and they go in when she's ready, if that was me though I'd still be out in the middle of a field somewhere...

So sorry about the hideously long post they just really annoyed me blaming a pup for what is obviously a lack of training on their part and not being concerned that she could follow anyone onto the road, arg!

It's difficult to know how far to get involved or whether to offer advice on these occasions isn't it? We all have a puppy's welfare at heart in these situations & the last thing anyone wants to do is antagonise owners like this, in case we make it worse for the puppy. As you say, it was 2 girls walking the puppy (teenagers?) & perhaps they'd been bribed/threatened/forced to take it for a walk, & were not really interested in what the puppy was up to, who it was annoying & any harm it could come to? Perhaps these are last sort of people who would want advice or take it in the spirit in which it was intended.

When I've come across someone with an unruly dog (not aggressive, but just clearly lacking training or any interest from the owners) then I sometimes find it helps to engage them by asking questions about their dog ~ & with a young husky pup I could think of loads to ask about. Once you get the measure of the owner/carer, then it's a bit easier to judge the best approach. Sometimes the owners can be embarrassed, or frustrated, or oblivious, as to what their dog is getting up to. If you're a bit sympathetic to their problems (even if you're thinking that they're total numpties!) then you could explain how you'd coped with a similar problem.

If they're completely disinterested (as seems to be the case in your post), then just saying that the local dog warden's very hot around here & there have lots of complaints about dogs not being under proper control, or how a dog got run over at the same place last week, or I bet that beautiful husky pup cost a pretty penny ~ you'd better make sure it stays close to you as there have been people enticing dogs away & stealing them!!! Anything to get them to be more aware of what their dog is up to ~ the last husky pup in this park was eaten by the big GSD/Rottie/Pit Bull etc that lives across the road!!!!!

If I've seen people struggling with unruly dogs, I sometimes say something like "what a cute dog, but aren't they a nightmare at this age ~ do you go to training classes?" If they say no, I recommend the classes my friend runs & give them her number. I've recruited quite a few this way & my friend is now used to people ringing up & saying they met a lady with 2 labradors in the park & she gave me your number

To be honest the majority of people i see with dogshaven't got a damn clue about training - i'm sure they think dogs train themselves. They have no intention of training them either a lot of them. If i get into conversations with people with pups i usually ask tactfully in conversation if they go to obedience classes - that usually gets them thinking.

I'm sick to death of owners letting their off lead dogs come over to mine when my two are on lead, they are fine with other dogs but i do wish people would be a bit more thoughtful and think that there may be a reason why a dog is on lead sometimes, especially when they say "oh my dog is ok with other dogs" after the event. I always think well yes but mine might not be. Ifmine are off lead i always put them on if i see an on lead dog.

The husky's recall may get worse as she gets older. They are renowned for being runners. You would think they would worry more about the dog's safety.

Willbar that is very good advice. The problem is that when you have a puppy, random people fall over themselves to start giving advice - some of it good, some of it valid, some of it...less so... sometimes it gets tiring however well-meant it might be. Sometimes also mistakes happen and having someone come over 'what you ought to do...' is just pretty unwelcome. I have to say having read a number these forums where there appears to be zero tolerance of mistakes , I have got paranoid about having my dog off lead where there are other dogs. She is friendly and likes to run up say hi so I call her back as soon as I get a glimpse of another dog. Unfortunately now people see me with her onlead and actively avoid us - her enthusiasm and bounciness is far worse on lead and I guess they can't tell whether she is madly straining to get to their dog to say hi or whether she is trying to eat their dog

So if you want to help it's not so much about what you say as how you say it and when. Most people make mistakes but sometimes the worst thing you can do is be too direct about pointing it out as their embarassment about the mistake channels into annoyance with you. Better to engage in conversation and perhaps draw out from them the difficulties they might be facing - they might even then end up asking you for advice.

Plus a general point (not probably relevant on this occasion) but remember that your training method might not be the one they want to use. Imagine if your dog failed to recall and someone else came up and suggested a Caesar Milan technique - would you be grateful or would you be fuming?

.. the husky shouldnt be offlead... simples

I'd have been tempted to let it follow me & get it into my car. Then drive to the nearest police station (providing you know the area as lots of cop shops arn't manned anymore) Hand the dog over explaning that it was loose on a busy road, & havn't got your phone on you to call a dog warden so you thought it best to fetch it to police station or it would've gotten run over.

Something along them lines.

The cops would then presumably phone the number on its coller or scan for a chip, etc.
The youths would then hopefuly get a good earfull from their parents!

[I]I'm not sure if this last part was directed at me too, but again, I did not suggest any training method in my post. All I said was that I may ask if they go to training classes &, if not, I offer them my friend's number ~ it's up to the owner as to whether they call or not! I would not presume to give uncalled for or unwanted advice to anyone for lots of reasons e.g. I have no recognised professional qualification in dog behaviour, I don't practice as a dog trainer or behaviourist (I help with my friend's training classes sometimes), & even I did practice, I would only take on behaviour issues on vet referral. But sometimes I do get asked when out & about with my dogs, about dog training by other dog owners that I chat to. I'm happy to chat things through in general terms, but if I thought the issues were anything other than simple training issues, I'd recommend a qualified trainer/behaviourist or suggest they ask their vet. I don't know anything about the dogs I meet when out walking, other than what the owners choose to tell me. They could have a history of behaviour problems & I'm only told about the tip of the ibceberg problem, or there could be medical causes for the behaviour, or side effects from medication. It could be very dangerous to give specific advice in these circumstances & it's not something I would ever do. [/I]

At 14 weeks I think you can allow it a bit of leeway, TBH. Maybe talking about local puppy classes may have put them on the right road?
Both dogs were off lead, there was no aggression, so I think taking the pup back to his owner and asking them to hang on to it while you got away would have been kind. After all - who has a pup that has never needed training?

Going back to the part about how you speak to other people or how they respond to you, One of my dogs races over to the other side of the field if he sees another dog. I call him back every time but his focus isn't on me at that point. The owner of that dog doesn't know that Ben isn't aggressive (if he was I'd have him on lead or muzzled) and the speed he runs at could be quite intimidating, but I also don't know anything about the other dog. There is a lady who picks up her small dog when she sees him but I don't think she should have to do that so I get a ball out for Ben to distract him, but luckily a lot of people there see us every day and know Ben is very friendly, but I do understand that some people don't appreciate being bothered. I will always make a point of crossing paths with them and apologising. Most of the time it's appreciated but sometimes not and I've been asked if they go to training at which point I show them that both dogs do infact have a good recall when they're not distracted by a fast moving dog 150metres away!
Sorry , I waffled! My point is that from the other side of it, as someone who has a dog who can be a little annoying to others, I try to apologise and explain what he's like before they can judge me or be angry with me. However, I would much prefer to be asked nicely about training or behaviour or just get into a general conversation than to be told my dog's a nuisance.
It's hard because they need to run, we walk round 3 large fields in a country park and Ben runs at least 5 or 6 times the distance that I walk. I always feel I should be very careful not to annoy or upset other people, but then I get stubborn and just want to say to them that my dogs are as entitled to run around as theirs.
I'm hoping Ben grows out of this!