Its not my fault :(

I was walking round the park today with Mark and Oscar (MarkAndOscar on here). Mark had Oscar on lead, as he didn’t want him going in the water coz it was so high and the current was fast. Jake was just running around offlead sniffing. But then I noticed a woman and her dog come into the park, that I know. I had a thread a few weeks back on here, about how this dog kept biting and attacking other dogs yet the woman still leaves him offlead. I put Jake on his lead as soon as we saw them. We just kept walking, but walked on the grass so as to keep a distance from her. But her dog, Rocky, still approached and went to sniff Oscar. I stood a bit away (Jake is very wary of Rocky since he bit Jake), while Rockys owner called and called him to which Rocky just ignored. So Mark asked her if she could come and get her dog… this was how our conversation went (not word for word coz I cant remember it but close enough).... (btw, she still hadnt got Rocky after Mark asked her to, and this was the first thing she said in response to him asking)

Woman: ‘Let’s see Jake’s scars then’
Me: ‘huh?’
Woman: ‘You have been going round telling everyone in the park that Rocky bit Jake, so lets see his scars’
Me: ‘I have hardly told everyone, I have only told certain owners who I walk with everyday as I was worried it would have an adverse affect on Jake, and make him fearful of other dogs. So I wanted to talk to them about it’

Then she started shouting, and screaming...
Woman: ‘well, you have obviously told him (looks at Mark) coz he wanted me to get Rocky away!’
Mark: ‘Actually no, I wanted you to get your dog coz he was growling at my dog’
Woman: ‘(looking at me) well, thanks to you Rocky may be getting put to sleep!!’
Me: ‘how coz of me? I haven’t done anything’
Woman: ‘well the police have been at my door, and said he may have to be put down!!’
Me: ‘but I wasn’t the one who called the police so that isn’t down to me’
Woman: ‘I know, but he isn’t an aggressive dog. he just tells dogs off!! Wait for a years time, Jake will be doing the exact same. You know what you are, you are a little *****!!’
Me: ‘Jake already will tell dogs off, and it is nothing like that. that isn’t telling a dog off, that is pure aggression!’

and right on cue, Rocky attacked Oscar! His owner ran forward, and grabbed Rocky putting him on a lead (he doesn’t wear a collar, she just carries both lead and collar and slips it over his head when she really needs to!). Mark was furious, and shouted at her (cant remember exactly what he said, plus I was shouting at the same time )

Me: ‘oh, yeah that isn’t an aggressive dog! you should have him on a lead, and as for me being a *****, I think you will find that is you! Take responsibility for your dog!’

Rocky’s owner just ran off, up a path leading to the woodland bit behind the park. I don’t normally shout like I did to her, but she was screaming at me and calling me names so I shouted back. I actually hate confrontation, and it makes me feel really intimidated and anxious (im naturally a very anxious person as it is!). I just dunno what to do now… I was so upset… I actually came home, and cried for about half an hour, then had to go to work with a very red and blotchy face

I just cant believe I am getting the blame for this… I doubt Rocky will be PTS, I would expect it to be more something like having to keep him on a lead and maybe muzzled, but I didn’t call anyone. Ok, I will admit that I had said to myself that if he was to bite Jake again, that I would call either the police or dog warden, but I have been avoiding her like the plague (if she comes in the park I generally walk the opposite direction, or take wide berth around her) and I always put Jake on the lead when she is about so I can get in between Jake and Rocky if anything does happen. So i have been trying to avoid being in the situation where i might need to call. I know who did call the police though, as does most of the park. but if anyone is to blame, it is her! She is the one who refuses to put her dog on the lead, even knowing his history!

I just feel so angry, upset, confused… The way she was shouting at me was very intimidating (I am so glad Mark was there, was still horrible though), and I just don’t feel its fair im getting the blame when I haven’t even done anything. I also hope Rocky doesn’t get PTS, and that she starts putting him on a lead…

I am also dreading seeing her next… its hard to know when to take him out as she changes her time, and I go at roughly the same time everyday coz it fits with work and I usually meet up with the same people everyday and we walk round together. I just really dont want to see her again... although she lives just down the road from me so its inevitable i will bump into her sometimes.

Sorry for the rant, and well done if you made it to the end! Just needed to get that off my chest.

P.S Jake is currently chasing a daddy long leg around my room... which is cheering me up somewhat

Ignore the silly woman! You know you've done nothing wrong. Be the better person and ignore what she says. Harder said than done, but at least if it seems she's not getting to you, then she might back off a little bit?

Do you usually meet up with other folk on your walk? Just so that you aren't on your own, in case you were to bump into her again.

Don't let it get to you, it's definatly not your fault.

xx

Right young lady, for as start you are not to blame. This stupid woman is to blame. She is allowing an aggressive dog to run loose and attack dogs as and when the mood takes it. She needs to be punished. Now you didnt call the police, but someone did. If this dog is like it all the time then Im sure there are many people more than willing to do so. Do not be intimidated by her. She is a bully. I hope the police do something. She cannot be allowed to continue with her and yes thats her behaviour. If she is unwilling to take responsibility for her dog, then the law will have to. I for one would be contacting the police and dog warden to report this latest attack. And I would ask Mark to do the same. She musnt be allowed to continue with this. Take a stand Lauren, hold your head up high and say 'I will not let this idiotic woman upset me any more'. Make the call. The more peope that report her, the more the authorities will have to take notice. If anything does happen to the dog, it lays in her hands not yours. Im sure they will just say it has to be muzzled and under control. I wish you luck and strength. You can make a difference here. Be strong. xx

Oh Lauren, I'm in a similar position as I have reported the woman who owns the dog that attacked Henry, I also don't want the dog destroyed but am fearful of meeting up with them again every time I go over to the woods with him...we shouldn't have to live our lives like that just because some people are too stupid to control their dogs properly.

You most definately weren't in the wrong, someone has obviously reported her to the police and yet she still has her dog offlead after she has received a warning, if her dog is destroyed she will have no-one to blame but herself.

I hope Oscar wasn't hurt during the attack, it just isn't fair on these friendly dogs who get attacked for no reason.

As for screaming after this woman, you should have heard me going into one, I know I didn't swear at her but I did go on and on about how inconsiderate and stupid she was...and I would still say the same to her today

thanks. at first when she started shouting, i just kept a normal voice but then i didnt want her to think she was intimidating me so i shouted too

we usually all meet up, but we dont have a set time so sometimes i will be wandering around myself until everyone else gets there (or someone else will be wandering around themselves until the others get there lol).

What a horrid woman, she obviously doesn't learn!

I'm sorry you had to go through that but well done you for standing your ground!

I'm the same as you i suffer from bad anxiety and sometimes panic attacks when it gets too much, i'm not the type to stand my ground or stand up for myself =/

However like you have yourself if it came to Milo, and some woman/man shouting at me for something i hadn't done or something their dog had done and they couldn't see it themselves i may just find my voice and say something back!

I've only just started taking him for walks (he's 12 weeks) and i'm terrified of taking him to the park for this very reason (all the stories i hear on here of nasty idiot owners and dogs getting attacked), i've only taken him once when with my OH as i feel more 'safe' with him and know he could handle some idoit like the woman you've had to face.

But well done for standing up for yourself and Jake!

I hope Oscar is okay as well after being attacked?

xx

I agree with Misty-Pup and everybody else, it is definitly not your fault!

I know it is easy for us to say, but try not to let her get to you.

That woman is really is an irresponsible owner, if my dog was like that and the Police were at my door about it, then I just wouldn't risk having it off lead. I would be doing everything possible to remedy the dogs behaviour. Stupid woman!

I am glad to hear that Jake is cheering you up!!

dont let her upset you, just put it aside and forget about her,

if she does it again, inform her that she will be getting another visit from the police, but not about her dogs behaviour but about hers....she has no right to threaten and intimidate you in a park.

thanks guys, i know it is her fault and she should take responsibility for her dog... she just seems blind to the fact that he is attacking dogs... he is causing them pain and fear, yet she still insists he is 'telling them off'. he has bitten most of the dogs in the park, at some time, and has bitten Jake on the face and then a week later chased him around the park trying to do it again! there was even a guy who picked his dog up, coz Rocky went for her, and the owner ended up having his jacket ripped coz he was so desperately trying to get at her!

the woman who reported her was the owner of a dog who was attacked a few weeks back, and the owner told Rocky's owner she was going to call the police. Oscar was ok after it, but Mark was already worried coz he was attacked by a bullmastiff the other week, so this has just made things worse! he was being really weird with Jake (the two of them usually love each other), and Mark thinks it was cause of that attack.

thanks, its good to know someone understands about anxiety in situations like that.

i think its terrible when people need to worry about taking their dogs to the park

Oscar was ok, but Mark is worried about him becoming fearful and/or aggressive coz there have been a few attacks like this, and he was being funny with Jake at first, who he normally loves.

thanks, im the same. there is no way i would let Jake offlead around other dogs if i knew he was aggressive... it just wouldnt be worth the risk. and the fact she hasnt even started putting him onlead after a visit from the police is just terrible!

thats a good idea! i think if she does it again, then i will call the police... its not nice to be in that situation, and would be so much worse if i had been on my own.