Difficult situation, agressive puppy training

In the last week I have seen two cases of men being very aggressive towards puppies.

The first was on Tuesday; a man out with a GSD puppy and his young son and a ball, they were kicking the ball and the puppy naturally wanted to play and was getting the ball, the man threw the chain lead right at the poor dogs head and latter hit him across the face with it. Didn't take the puppy long to realise it had to stay away from the ball so the man got the result he wanted.

Today in Hyde park we walked past a couple lying on the ground with a puppy, I think a staffy cross, it was only about 4 feet away from him but it didn't come to him when he called so he dragged it over and was squeezing the bridge of it's nose, it looked painful. My first thought was that dog is quite likely to associate that pain with what it can see - which was me and my kids.

In both cases it was the middle of the day in parks with families and children around and they obviously felt they were doing nothing wrong. As I had my kids with me I did not feel in the position to challenge them, also I couldn't help feeling if they are prepared to be that abusive to a puppy I don't want to risk talking to them.

I really wanted to intervene and found the feeling of powerlessness quite distressing. What would you have done?

J

How disgusting. I don't know if I could bite my lip. Sadly, these twits are plain ignorant and there isn't a lot you can do or say to make them think otherwise. If you lived in a quieter area and you saw these people regularly, you could contact the dog warden to 'spy' on them. But as you live in London, your chances of seeing them again are probably extremely slim.

It is the time of the year unfortunately. The fair weather dog walkers are out in force and many of them, quite frankly, are idiots who have no place in owning a dog. I notice a lot of puppies in my local area at this time of year. Then come winter they are nowhere to be seen - either rehomed or left at home until the warm weather returns.

I honestly dont know what I would have done, I am a very impulsive person so I think that I might have said something like "How would you like me to squezze the bridge of your nose like that" But that is easy to say in hindsight eh!
Plus you had your children with you which made it difficult for you. Fairweather walkers eh. No wonder Saffies get a bad reputation when numpies like that own them.
There are loads of young lads where I live who get Staffies I'm sure they think they look 'ard walking with them. Makes me sick to the stomache.
I think you did the right thing by not saying anything it could have backfired on you.
Just hope someone else saw it and reported them to the park warden or someone.

I'm afraid I did say something once, but it wasn't a good idea. Classic situation, a beautiful red setter had run over to my lot to play, then went off into the fields, then chased around, then ran off. Finally round the corner of the field I saw an out of breath owner "Can you catch him?" he called, "sure" I replied.. I called him over with an excited tone and a couple of treats and held on to his collar till the man caught up.

I fully expected a thank you. He grabbed his dog and proceeded to beat him mercilessly. I felt terrible for catching him. I stepped in and stood between the man and the dog. "He wouldn't come back!" He shouted. "Neither would I" I shouted back!!!

Suddenly I realsied what I had done.. Not another dog, or owner on the field and I genuinely thought this man was about to beat me as brutally as his dog

I backed off and he dragged his dog away. Poor poor thing. I often wonder about it, but he's never walked on that field again.

I don't know what i would have done with adults doing it but i have interviened when i have seen children doing it. I once saw an 8 year old wiht a boxer tied up outside the shop, she was smacking it on the face and telling it off for nothing i could see. I told her to stop smacking that dog,....in my best teachers voice.