Boxer hooligans in the park

I'm working hard on training my dog Jet (border collie) so that he doesn't run off to play with every dog he meets, it's going well, particularly since we discovered the secret weapon - the rugby ball at the weekend.

However today I ran into this woman in the park with her two boxer pups. Brother and sister. Jet was politely (for once) minding his own business and herding his rugby ball. These dogs ran up. So I did what I always wish other people would do with Jet and held him still. The woman called their names quietly for a while and they eventually went back.

Does anyone else notice people who use their dog's names to recall tend to have a terrible recall, anyway...

It happened again... and again. Finally she stopped calling their names quietly and came over. At which point she told me off for standing still holding my dog on his lead and quietly stroking her pups so that these tearaways wouldn't run all over him.

Apparently I should be chasing her dogs away to teach them not to run up to people. After all they could have knocked over a child. Um... Excuse me? Surely training her dogs is her responsibility... not mine!

Besides surely teaching her dogs that she is the most wonderful place in the world to be rather than everywhere else is terrible would be better.

So I continued on with Jet. Her dogs kept chasing after him at which point I put him in a down and held him. Repeatedly. Finally I downgraded to a mini football (trying to keep the rugby ball special or I fear we will be on to planet sized balls soon).

They managed to entice Jet away.

At which point one jumped on his head and one on his bum and started mounting him. Not very nice behaviour. Jet isn't a very wrestle-y dog - he prefers to run around (like most collies). He attempted to get away and failed. These pups obviously had no manners. So he pinned one on its back and growled at it. I have honestly never seen Jet growl at anyone or anything except playfully. He was not happy. Finally got him back (she grabbed his lead again).

She then changed tack to shouting quietly at her dogs whenever they went away from her. Which was a lot.

Great. Two pups, same age, no manners, no recall and no leads careening around the park. Oh and an owner who tells me off for not psychically knowing to chase her pups away.

Fun, fun, fun.

Am I overreacting?

I use Jess's name for recall thanks, and she has great recall... So no is the answer to your question.

As to the rest of your post... On one hand I think you are over-reacting as they are only pups, but on the bigger, other hand, you're not, as these pups will grow into big dogs, and this behaviour can start fights very easily, so should be corrected before they get much older. Once she saw that the pups wouldn't leave Jet alone(i.e IMO they are ok to say hello, but then they should leave alone if the other dog isn't interested), she should have leaded them IMO until you had gone (or she had gone, whichever was sooner).

It is great though that you have found a focus point for Jet I am still trying to find one with Jess

Probably just me then. I tend to talk to/ about Jet saying his name constantly and therefore worried that he would have bad recall if I used his name. I just use his name as a "look" command.

True. I really don't mind pups coming up. That's what they do. But six times? And then getting told off by their owner for not shouting at her cute little puppies. (They were cute). Jet finds boxers a bit bouncy and didn't really like being mobbed. I guess it just put me on edge.

Possibly also the months I spent with a long line to try and save everyone the hasstle of a mad pup.

Deep breaths needed.

As for the focus it's early days yet. I hope and prey it will continue.

That is why I said ok to say hello, but if they keep on, they should be leaded. This is what I do.

PLUS it is in no way whatsoever, your job to shoo her pups away. The only way that would be acceptable is if your dog was vicious, which he clearly isn't

Keep focusing on the great focus on the ball though and hopefully it will stick We have had Jess coming on two years, and she is only just starting to become interested in toys outside of the home environment

I can understand your rant if you were trying to train, but try not to let it get to you the more distractions you can get, the better his focus should become on you He will turn into an indestructa-dog lol

I use my dogs names for recall too and they have fantastic recall. I would also step in and divert any unwanted doggy attention away from my pup/dog. I understand what your saying that she's got a nerve telling you how to behave in the situation her dogs created but I see it as protecting my dog from unwanted attention and managing the situation. I don't trust other owners to always behave in a responsible manner but do strive to make all meeting etc a positive experience for my own dogs and teach them how to behave in a variety of situations. I can't control how every dog we meet will behave but I can control how my dogs react to it. If that makes sense,

No, I don't think you are over reacting at all. We all know that young dogs can be a pain in the ar$e, but that woman was not responding appropriately to the situation. I don't mind dogs bolting up to us if they do so and they go back to their owner, but 9 times out 10 that doesn't happen. I walk on, their dog follows (usually humping mine), owner stands on the other side of the field flapping their arms and then dog decides to run back 10 minutes later.

Did you say anything back. Hope you told her what for lol.

I think we have all had an encounter or two with numpty dog owners!