How Would *You* Respond To This?

I'm really interested to know how you guys would respond to this; a fellow dog walker is irking me...

She goes to the same local park; she has a tiny Bichon Frise, very sweet. Her dog is always off leash - despite his recall being terrible.

Meanwhile, I still have Dexter on a long line because although his recall is much improved, he will still go hurtling after other dogs that he spies in the distance.

Every time Mrs Bichon Frise sees us there, she challenges me over the long line. A few weeks ago, on a busy Sunday morning, she exclaimed loudly "Oh goodness, you're the ONLY one whose dog is on a leash!"
Cue curious glances from most other dog owners near us...

Then, the other day, when she saw that I had let Dex off the line for 15 minutes to play with several of his friends, she said "Oh, decided to be brave today?"

I don't think she means to be spiteful - she loves Dex and confided in me once that she wanted to get a Lab originally.

It's just that often she makes these negative remarks in front of other dog owners and I'm getting increasingly irritated.

I need a swift response to shut her up - politely! - once and for all.

If anyone has any ideas, please feel free to share THANK YOU!

Could you change your park times to avoid her?

Maybe she just doesn't have social skills and it's the only way she can make conversation?

Try not to let her get to you-ignoring people like this is usually the best option otherwise things can get really childish "tit for tat" and she will know she has been succesful in riling you.

At the end of the day you are doing the right thing if your dog's recall is not good enough yet to have him off-lead much and she is in the wrong by letting her dog off-lead if it is not well-trained in returning to her. She may find this out the hard way if she lets her dog charge over to an unfriendly dog one day!

It is annoying though as I was walking Cherry and Parker on the heath last week and someone came along who has a Staffy that jumps up you (and it blooming well hurts!) and 2 terrorist Shih-Ztus that run up to your dog and yap at them. This time she had these AND another big Staffy and another Shih-Ztu all off-lead and I moved right to one side with Cherry (on-lead) as she doesn't like strange dogs (and this owner knows that) and she still let the large Staffy run up to Cherry and Cherry went into head-butt mode then she said "Oh she's still not friendly then" in a snotty tone of voice. I was quite quick for once and replied "No but she's partly blind, your dogs still aren't any quieter"!
I need to take my own advice don't I!

How about................''your very observant you should be in CID''

L like it

"Yes, I'm the only one who trains my dog too"

TBH I am not sure why you are so upset? I tend to agree with one of the other posters and think that she is just trying to make conversation or appear approachable?

She may also be a bit shy and I have found that people who are not confident often come out with phrases that sound awkward.

There is another possibility, could she be autistic and REALLY have no social skills?

In any case why not just smile and agree and carry one?

I agree. I've said some things in the past which could have been taken badly, like stating the obvious or saying something stupid to try and diffuse something or get rid of my own awkwardness within a situation. Does thatmake sense?
I haven't met her obviously, so for all I know she could be as rude as percieved, just coming from another angle

I think she's just done it so many times now and as you rightly suggest, I have smiled and just ignored it. Now she's started doing it in front of other dog owners and it's just getting rather embarrassing. But I take on board your points... Haven't heard her doing it with any other dog owners, though...

She sort of implies I'm depriving my dog of any fun by keeping him on a long line, and I find that absurd!