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Dogs!!

[Deleted User][Deleted User]
in General running
I consider myself a fairly "even keeled" sort of bloke, but my danders well and truly up!.
I have an early morning run that takes me out of town and down some very picturesque bridleways bordered by feilds. Every time I reach a particular stretch of the route I see the same guy wandering along with a lead in his hand...distinclty minus dog...10 seconds later all hell breaks loose when a n Alsatian the size of a mini metro charges through the bushes bordering the adjacent fields snarling and snapping at my shoulder blades!. "eee wont urt yu...ees just bein freindly"...I'm told by a sniggering owner.

This has happened about a dozen times and as yet I have lost no blood...only enduring tatters to various peices of runnig kit until my assailant is eventually restrained and my near hysterical rebuke has been discharged

"use another route" I hear you say..."why should I!"..next time it could be a litttle kid!!. I don't dislike animals but I'm seriously thinking of copping this one a serous swipe across the jowls...any similar experiences...any ideas
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Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    I am a dog owner and lover (in the nicest possible sense!) but I too get very angry with owners who don't control their dogs. If you have suffered damage to your kit, write him an invoice, and hand it over next time you see him. If there is no response, hand him a letter threatening a small claims court summons if he (a) doesn't pay up and (b) doesn't control his dog. Good luck!
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] ✭✭✭
    I always keep my dog on a lead if there's other dogs or people around. One or two irresponsible dog owners give the rest of us a bad name.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    Make a complaint to the police (or at least threaten to initially). If the dog is not under "proper control" or is "dangerously out of control" an offence may have been committed.

    It will strengthen your case if you can produce said items of kit and an accurate log of times and dates should entitle you to expect a good response from the law.

    Like you say, next time it could be a child.
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  • Doubly Bionic IronwolfDoubly Bionic Ironwolf ✭✭✭
    Completely agree. People like that give us all a bad name. It's not the dog's fault, he's just doing what comes naturally, i.e. protecting his owner and chasing something that runs.Try using a firm command in a loud voice. And definitely follow the other bits of advice above - if nothing else, getting the man in his wallet will get his attention.
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