A good walk gone bad..

Our walk this morning was fantastic, we started off on one park - and I will mention the breed here because they were gorgeous - two staffie bitches, Lola and Fi-Fi and Louie got on great with them, the only bites he suffered was when he took their ball off Lola and it was even a proper bite - they were lovely Mother and daughter. First pair of staffies I've met that are friendly. Now I'm about deed than breed, but the staffies around my parents are rarely friendly. He had a lovely half an hour romp with them.

Then Echo - Japanese Akita, joined us soon after the staffies had left, and he had a good go round the field with her - again the first Akita I've met that was friendly. Then me and her owner took them to the other field, we walked round it several times, meeting a lab called Cherry, she was timid of us and a bit scared of the bouncing duo, but warmed up to me as I had cheese, then we met a lovely brindle lurcher, whippet sized, they had fun chasing her round the field - the dogs weren't tired of playing yet so we took them for one final turn, and then the small dog brigade came out. 3 westies, two owners. Now one was on lead so we changed direction and then the other owner had one off and one on, Louie bounded over to say hello - he was rather polite as well - well for Louie. And Echo wandered over too.

His westie offlead panicked a little - now I did warn him as I caught up with Louie, and told him he was friendly but giddy as he was only 10 months old. He said that was alright, then his westie offlead did a 180 and ran - Echo and Louie thinking it was a game, started to chase her. Now I apologised when I got Louie back and said he was only playing and apologised again and so did Echo's owner, then tried to make light of the situation and said "Fast for a little one", then the westie man with such an attitude Said: "Well you'd have to be with two big things chasing after you and you'd be to blame if she'd gone on that road"

I accept my responsibility for the situation, and I fully understand that my dog shouldn't have gone like he did, but at the end of the day, he's a puppy and he thought it was a game, I didn't know until it had happened that the westie would turn tail and head for the road. And after an Apology I expect most things to be OK, she wasn't hurt, just frightened, it could've become something serious but it didn't so he didn't need the attitude.

Echo's owner said to me walking back as he lives on the next street to my parents, "Your dog won't even be mentioned, it'll be the big bad Akita that will have scared her to death" And Echo is lovely, wouldn't hurt a fly, she's only young as well and probably thought the dog was playing chase.

Louie has been chased before by a GSD and I've not had a go at the owner like that, I've not given it attitude after and apology was given. His dog will probably never let go of it now - and probably ran because it has happened before and he's babied her. Louie met the same GSD this morning and played happily with him, totally forgot about what had happened only a few months ago.

So a good morning ruined by a bad attitude..

Sounds like a fantastic morning. Dogs are living, breathing, feeling animals and I think some people forget that at times. If the Westie owner has a dog that is timid or afraid in some way then why was it initially OK for the dogs to meet and play? HE was responsible for his dog running off. Nobody else let her off lead.

OK so your dogs chased but thats what dogs do when they play. And usually body language gives away the approximate age of the dog anyway so I'd suggest he was well aware they were young playful dogs.

Silly little man! Don't let it ruin your morning/day. You should carry on as you have been. The dogs have had a great time and other than that prat getting involved, so did you by the sound of it.

Zane (my big GSD) has a Great Dane friend called Max. They are just the same. Most people stay out of their way when they're chasing each other but Max is huge for a Dane and Zane is was oversized for a GSD. Neither have any sense of direction sof ro them, it's wise that people move when they see those 2 coming bounding towards them. Isn't it fantastic to see dogs play?!

Oh I love it - I put a few pictures up in the picture section - got another walk this afternoon so I'll be taking more then. I was quite disappointed in Louie, he normally recalls straight away from dogs.

He doesn't get the chance to play with many dogs at our house or my OH's parents, unless we meet up with Leanne and other Dogsey members, so I love getting up at 7am and seeing him play - it also knackers him out til 1pm so I can sit on here

I said the same thing, if the owner knew his dog was timid why let it offlead...but alas the human mind - boggles.

Dont let it get to ya Aimee, all dogs can have a lapse in concentration and recall.
IMO if the man was worried about his dog then it should of been on a lead/long line after all if he cant recall his dog that would be the responsible thing.
Louie and Echo were just playing and when 2 dogs get together I find pack instinct kicks in and it can be even harder to practice recall.

Im glad Louie met some nice friends today

If there was any danger that his dog would run into the road, and ignore recall, why was he off leash??

Not your fault at all!

That dog should have been on a long line - end of.

Might be worth making that point to the dog's moronic owner if you ever have the bad luck to encounter him again

Oh dear! People are a bit unreasonable sometimes. Dogs do chase. Parker is 9 years old and very good with other dogs and a very calm dog who doesn't go running after other dogs. However, I do find that with Greyhounds or Whippets sometimes they can be a bit nervy and go charging off and then he will think this a wonderful game and have a chase and a wuff at them. Totally non-malicious and he would have no hope of catching up with them anyway but could be misconstrued so I tend to leash him if I think this could happen.

had the same thing myself a few weeks ago, me and kane met a lovely litle husky girl, off lead (SHOCK HORROR lol) and they played nicely, suddenly she turned tail and bolted, heading OUT of the field, of course, with kane in pursuit! i yelled for kane to come back, which he did, thankfully, though i think it was more the fact that he'd left the field lol, luckily there were no hard feelings, but i did feel AWFUL!!
unfortunately just one of those things, i tend not to let any of mine play with lurcher types for that very reason, they tend to leg it, mine chase and then the dog panics, not good!

lol didnt read all the above post, glad its not just mine!

I'm a little confused - it was the westie that ran, not the lurcher. I let Louie play with any friendly dog - they can teach new lessons. Louie even taught the Akita that her playing was a little rough - I was a little 'd when he turned round and did the whole telling her off thing - knowing the power of Akita's - good job she's friendly!

There's a husky around my parents that is offlead also - brilliant recall, you can tell he's had a lot of work put into him and he's the man's first dog..some first time owners are quite good.

sorry lol, was just using my own experiences as a comparison, ie any dog can chase, and lurchers are particularly flighty
i do let mine play with all sorts, just not lurchers, cos they chase em

Mine's forever trying to pick games of chaseys with greyhounds - he looks most upset that they leave him for dust whenever he tries!