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Where's Maks friend??
well lucky for you.... the dog owners near you must be more considerate than the ones where i live,most runs i do i am constantly avoiding poo left by lazy dog owners.
Its not just me im worried about its the kids of all ages that use the paths too.
Running shoes offer very little protection when they connect with a dog's boney head.
a$$ county mounties to drag themselves away from a canteen and actually do some police work.
Mine are trained to lay down on command so they don't get in the way of runners when I'm just walking them, makes life so much easier if you just train em properly - plus they love being told their clever too! I gave one a gentle nudge with my trainer once when it jumped up 'he thinks runners are so much fun' the owner had a bit of a benny but hey what was she gonna do? Run after me? Fat cow!!!
Its the owners that are the problem, not the dogs.
Are you sure that's the case, MF? Some dogs are bred for certain behaviour traits, such as chasing and catching, or guarding, or herding etc. Or even, heaven forbid, for deterring and attacking.
Out on my runs I've encountered, for example, border collies that have slunk towards me on their bellies hoping to herd me, and also terriers that have run after me and snapped at my heels. I've also been slobbered over by big friendly labradors.
They're all doing what they're designed to do, only sometimes it's benign and sometimes it's not.
So in some (many?) cases I would say the problem is largely with the dog.
Again, as you know, I altered my view of the dog in the light of this incident. (although its shown not the slightest inclination to repeat this behaviour - and remains affable and benign).
Now I take your point that in extremis the dog may well revert to type, and behave in the way that it was bred to do. However with patience and firmness its possible to control almost any dog to a degree that allows it to be socially acceptable.
When this doesn't happen, and the dog is out of control as a matter of course, then the only conclusion that can be reached, at least from my point of view, is tghat then owner is at best lazy, and at worst downright negligent.
Except from ratting, IMHO most terriers should be running around a farm somewhere. As pets, these frustrated little working dogs are owned by ppl who anthropomorphise these toys into 'ickle cuties in furry coats'
The collie farm dogs just want to round me up and the labs, springers and setters just bound along with me as though to say 'Great, where are we going?'. With their owners running behind trying to get them back.
A woman in my village has one of those big wrinkly chinese dogs that looks like a cross between a giant pug and a husky (can't remember the breed's name). Although never on lead it's seriously chilled; doesn't even flinch when I run near them.
Think some of it is to do with the breed of dog and some to do with the owner's control, or lack of it, over the animal.
If it is a St B at least I know that I'm okay if I get lost in a snowdrift.
I agree with FR, although sometimes the owners are clueless rather than lazy or negligent. Round here it is a fairly common sight to see a large lab charging along on a lead, pulling its helpless owner behind it. I have to hold up my hands and say that I had the same problem with the first 2 labs I trained - one of then spotted something interesting once and took off, hit the end of the retractable lead, and kept going, dragging me literally right through a bush and along the ground.
Now that I'm on dog no.5 I've got it sussed, and that just doesn't happen any more (I also no longer use retractable leads - my dogs are either walking nicely by my side on the lead or they're off the lead, nothing in between), but it took me time and experience to work out how to deal with extremely strong,overenthusiastic retrievers without entering into a wrestling match.
It is the owners, not the dogs. There are some types of dog the a propensity to be aggressive (dobermans, Rotties, GSDs, pit bulls etc.) but with suitable training nearly all dogs can be made well behaved.
I'd question those chav types who go for having aggressive type dogs to make themselves look hard (no offence Ironwolf!), and in the other camp the pampered pets, but there are few few dogs that can't be properly trained.
The purpose of terriers is to hunt out small animals and kill them. I have an Airedale and she goes craaaaazy for cats, rabbits, and deer. It is in their instinct to chase and kill. You cannot change that. But that doesn't mean they should be banished to farms and people shouldn't have them as pets. My dog is trained and obedient however she is still an animal and you can never forget that.
I'd also be careful about abusing the owner. You might find they're a rather faster runner than you are. They're not all fat chavs.
When out I let him off the lead in our local woods, if I see runners (or mountain bikers) coming up I always 'attempt' to get him back, and sit-stay him.
I have been caught out where a runner 'just' appears around the corner and before I can do anything about it, runner has dog bouncing at him (in a friendly/excited/aren't you pleased to see me? sort of way). Said runner gave major attitude as if only he was allowed to enjoy the outside.
Thanks and good night.
PS just to reply the time I got bitten I did not provoke the dog in any way unless you count running as provocation in that case we may as well all stay at home and not bother.
You were (or seemed to be) advocating kicking any dog that crossed your path (criminal damage) and abusing the owner (behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace). I was merely pointing out that behaving as you recomended was likely to end up in one of three results (sooner or later):-
a)you get bitten
b)you get punched
C)you get arrested (or if you do it to an off duty copper exercising his off duty police dog you'll probably get a and b thrown in as well for good measure)
There's a view amongst some runners that they are the only people entitled to run along footpaths/towpaths/in parks, and that their requirement for a particular square foot of space is somehow inviolate.
Non runners are entitled to go about their lawful business, including legally exercising their dogs, without having the sort of behaviour you seem to be advocating foisted upon them.
Whether I'm a "dog lover" or not is irrelevant. I just happen to believe that there's room for everyone.
I do wonder why DH6 bothered posting as his agenda is clearly one sided......
I'm with FR on this - neither runners nor non-runners have the right over the other in terms of using the road/pavement or whatever - common sense should win out. Trouble is it often doesn't.
DH - are you saying you have no time for any dog lovers? That's a real shame. I appreciate you've had a bad experience, but many of us are responsible, especially running dog owners who have been on the other side as well, so to speak. For some dogs, a person simply running towards them could be provocation but it's up to the owner to know that might be the case and react to it. My dog doesn't like cyclists (he was spooked by one racing past very close to him when he was a puppy) and if I'm not careful he would lunge at one going past. So I keep an eye out and steer him well clear - and he is trained well enough to obey commands.
However I am frequently pestered by dogs, and can't understand why I cant just be left alone in peace, surely that is my right? I have nothing against dogs and dog owners, but I dont want to be approached by dogs, against my will, is that not fair enough?
Trendall, your opinion is correct, you should be able to run without interfrence from anybody or anything.
But if DH6 wants to post such extreme views, eg kick every dog, and that he can't see what they are for, then he should expect to get some form of response.