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I am a recreational runner & run mostly on footpaths. A few weeks ago, I met a woman walking 3 dogs. One of the dogs ran after me, barking and finally tripped me up. The woman did not call it off and said nothing to me.
A couple of weeks later, on another run, the same dog attempted to bite me. Again, the owner did nothing.
This morning I met the same woman and her dogs. All three dog ran towards me barking. I stopped, tried to call the dogs off. The dogs continued barking & the black dog (a different one this time) tried to bite my legs. The woman again did nothing. I suggested to her that she should control her dogs. She said "You should use the pavements & roads. We are not allowed to use the roads. I have no sympathy for you." She then picked up the black dog and walked off.
What should I do?
A couple of weeks later, on another run, the same dog attempted to bite me. Again, the owner did nothing.
This morning I met the same woman and her dogs. All three dog ran towards me barking. I stopped, tried to call the dogs off. The dogs continued barking & the black dog (a different one this time) tried to bite my legs. The woman again did nothing. I suggested to her that she should control her dogs. She said "You should use the pavements & roads. We are not allowed to use the roads. I have no sympathy for you." She then picked up the black dog and walked off.
What should I do?
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Comments
report it to the police and tell her you've done it
photograph her and the dogs on your mobile phone and make sure she sees you do it
grrrrr (sorry, that was me, not the dog)
this makes me so angry
If a dog is dangerously out of control in a public place, then the human in charge of the animal is guilty of an offence (if the animal injures a person it's an aggravated offence).
Report it to the police.
You don't say how big the dogs are, but if they try to bite you surely you're entitled to try to kick them, in self-defence.
I'm a dog owner and know my dog is only likely to be friendly. However, as a responsible owner I know it is my duty to keep her under control and not let her approach runners, children or anyone else who may not be entirely happy about being greeted by an excited mutt.
This woman has no more right to use the footpath than you and she most certainly should keep her dogs under control - especially since they are being more agressive than friendly.
It makes my blood boil.
If you've been bitten you should seek medical attention. Dog's saliva can carry some fairly nasty infectons.
Despite what Muttley says, and with the greatest respect to him, I'd counsel against retaliating, unless the dog really is launching a full scale attack. If its a large dog you might simply make matters worse - and it would certainly inflame things with the owner.
Lots of other threads on this subject, with pleanty of advice, ranging from eminantly sensible - to insanely criminal. I'll leave you to work out which is which.
This is a perenial problem - which inflames passions on both sides.
You MUST report this though....
im joking of course!
Definately report it. Get photos on your phone as everyone else advised so she can't deny it. Try not to get into a verbal battle with her so if police call she can't say you called her a useless T**T for not keeping the dog under control. It's not on! How long before it does you or someone else some really serious damage. My daughter ended up with 10 mictostiches in her face from a dog that was supposed to be a 'freindly dog' I love my dog, but I don't inflict her on others.
Good luck.
I have just been in Portugal and most people have packs of dogs stationed outside their drives to protect their property. I learned from a local that when faced with dogs crouch down and pretend to pick up a stone. I am absolutely terrified of dogs but it works!!!! They all do about turns and disappear up their drives and whimper pathetically as you continue to jog by. The more persistent ones you do actually have to throw a stone at (not try to hit just in their general direction.)
This only works because there are so many out of control dogs that people have to defend themselves more aggressively than is (for some palates)pleasant (ie stone throwing or pretending to) The dogs have now learned that a human with a stone is not nice and would rather be further away from you!
I was wondering what else might work. What will scare a dog more than it scares you? High pitched noise? Rape alarm? Arms out run towards them?
The aim of the game is to:
NOT get bitten/trip upped
NOT damage the dog
NOT disrupt your run with a nasty altercation with owner.
Any dog psychology experts out there?
The dog in question was off the lead and I slowed down to a walk as I approached it - just in case it was a bit skittish. It came up to me ,tried to nibble my fingers and then went behind me a bit my bum!! Left a MASSIVE bruise!! I told the young lads that were with it,their fortune...
When I got home I reported it to the police only to be told that as it hadn`t drawn blood,there was nothing they could do!!
How mad was I after being told that!!
As usual it's all about teh owners I'm afraid...
I run mostly on towpaths and bridleways, so I encounter dogs and their owners pretty much on every outing. 99 per cent of such encounters result in nothing worse than being sniffed or tailwhipped. The last time dogs went for me, they were silly little yappy things, some kind of terrier. They were only ankle high, but still, if they've got jaws and teeth capable of killing rats they can do some damage to me as well. I didn't fancy having my achilles nipped, so I turned on them and ostentatiously aimed a couple of kicks. Whereupon the owner called them away. And slagged me off for good measure.
The alternative is to stand still and either let yourself get bitten or, if you're lucky, confuse the mutt. Or turn tail and run, which will only encourage it, of course.
As always, it's a tiny minority of morons that give everyone a bad name.
However many of teh pahs are narrow and if you are running and the dog is having a good sniff in teh undergrowth you might catch them by surprise, causing them to jump or run. Even if you are just running past them they will inevitibly sniff in your direction and turn to look at you.
Trouble is that some people who have an issue with dogs see any movement by a dog as a potential threat even when it's nothing (and I'm not suggesting that thats what happened in the OPs case). It's a shared space and mutual consideration shouldn't be too much to ask and might cause a lot less high blood pressure.
I don't blame the dogs its owners I blame. If I listed the amount of times I have had run ins with irrisponsible owners whilst cycling, horse riding and running I could write a book .
If they were wearing leads then they couldnt pretend not to see them taking a dump in the middle of the childrens playground either.
I don't trust dogs at all and try to avoid them if possible,but if you are chased by one and feel threatened / in danger of being bitten, then kick out at them.....It has worked for me.... and if the owner is irresponsible enough to be in this situation then tough they run the risk......and bring it on themselves.... its the dog i feel sorry for.
HELLOOOO its a cycle path!!!!
And don't get me started on the dog s**t how many times have you squelched through piles of it while running????
Sorry... that's better........ im off for a lie down in a dark room now to calm down!!!!!
Never.