The difference is you are paying attention to your dogs behaviour and are in control of the situation I can live with that and so can most others.
Its the people who are not paying attention and having a natter and letting their dogs do what they like that is frustrating, especially if they see a dog on lead Ollie can sometimes be aggressive with other dogs and thats why I prefer it if people are paying attention as it stops any problems.
Mind you they soon move to collect their dog if Ollie starts to growl and bark.
All dogs have to learn. Ollie did but you can do it it is nice if people have a little courtesy to one another I think you have nothing to worry about.

It happens to us regularly but not for 15 minutes!

Once I was walking both of mine and T had just been in season or was about to come into season and we had a dog follow us all around the park - the owner was nowhere to be seen, I knew where he was - fishing by the lake. Definitely couldn't see us or his dog.

I walked and walked and the dog was hanging around, upsetting Eddy and winding Takara up- eventually I shouted into mid air 'COME AND GET YOUR DOGGGG!'

Nothing. Tried again... eventually:

'GET THIS SODDING DOG BEFORE I CALL THE WARDEN!'

At this point someone who was running through the park jumped up to look over a privet that lined the lake and told the owner to get the dog at which point I heard..

'Dingo, come ere'

That was it! As if the dog was ever going to pay attention!

I dispair at some people!

Takara's been out of my sight before (and can go out of my sight on occasion) but never for that long! I also always know where she is even when I cant' see her... if she goes out of my sight in our local park I know she's trying to get into the bins behind the cafe (which she always fails to do) and if she goes out of my sight at the park up the road she's milling about in the bushes by the bowling green - no dogs in there! (Although there once was an unattended sandwich - that cleaner now knows not to leave her lunch unattended )

A friend of mine often fosters dogs that aren't particularly keen on other dogs and need training without other dogs coming upto them. She's found that people don't listen if she says 'this dog's not friendly' or 'can you call your dog back?' but she says what always gets results - and fast results at that is...

"We've got Kennel Cough!"

do you know what, as a first time dog owner I always feel disheartened and like a failure when I read threads like this.

We work really hard with Montys training and at 7 months he's got a long way to go but how can I teach him without letting him off the lead and
giving him a bit of trust. I've had to retrieve him from other dogs on countless times because he's too easily
distracted by other dogs unless I have a frisbee in my hand.

However if we see another dog on the lead or an owner grab their dog, I ask monty to sit and wait and hold his lead up so he knows he'll be going back on it
and he does that. In time he will come back or ignore other dogs - he already does 75% of the time.

It's just sometimes disheartening to read these threads and think that because me and my dog aren't perfect then we are a nuisance to the world of
dog ownership.

I completly agree that there is a difference between making the effort or just leaving your dog to it.

I often stop and chat with people and they must think I'm rude because I never take my eyes off Monty so I know where he is.

To be honest it riles me when people give me that look when monty won't come back and I have to run and get him and it's that look that makes me feel like they think I shouldn't own a dog. I always follow it with a look that says he's only 7 months old and actually pretty good for his age.

However I'm always polite and apologetic if I have reason to be do least there's that I guess!!

I just keep walking and walking and walking........It doesn't half make people crap themselves when they realise I ain't coming back with their dog!

Well usually they come running when Maddy starts going ballistic but then of course the consequence is that I then get told all about how I shouldn't have such a vicious dog out in public, even when she is onlead and bothering no-one. Of course it's all my fault their dog has no recall but they are friendly so they don't need it of course!

I have mellowed, I rarely say anything these days.