Be a responsible dog owner

I wanted to write about this post three weeks ago but I haven't have the courage to do it, I am worry I will upset some dog owners but after reading this and today's walk, I decided I will write it anyway.

I took my dogs out walking at least twice a day and we go to different places, depend where I am. For the last three weeks, very often (nealry at every walk), we have trouble walking stress free like we used to be. I like to take all my dogs out at the same time, so walking 5 or 6 shelties at once is quite a scene. I have no problem with any of my boys or even Samber, they are very well behaved and very responsive to my recall. I also make sure I always carry some yummy treat or a toy if anything happen so I can get my dogs back at anytime.

For the last few weeks, we keep facing other dogs coming up to us, many of them are boisterious and uncontrollable. I am not over protecting my dogs but if I see that is too much, I will straightaway scoop up Sizzle, Titan and Samber because these three are petite and small. I can't have a strong boisterous lab or a heavy build staffie constantly jumping all over them.

I was watching (and studying) how the owners react when this happen, generally they just called their dogs hoping they will go back to them and of course the dogs totally ignored the recall. What did the owners do? Still calling from where they are and the dogs are still jumping all over my dogs. I do not mind asking my dogs to sit/stay for 5-10 minutes waiting for the owner to come up to catch their dogs but the owners just left the dogs do what they want to do and this really got me very irritating. If I politely asked the owner to come and get their dog, they would answer me: He/She is alright, he/she will come back. When I heard this, I gave up and I just walked off with my dogs + the dog! I thought the owner will definitely come and get their dog this time, NOPE! They are still calling from where they are!

Another time (at least three times), I bounced into this woman with a poodle x cocker, a very young boisterious dog. She said to me: Do you mind I walk with you? I want him to learn to walk in a pack. I thought, why would she wants her dog to walk in a pack? She said: Then, he will learn not to run away. I think to myself: Really? So, off we walk together, my dogs were quite happily sniff away and do their businesses but this dog just wouldn't leave them alone, he will jump from one dog to another until all my dogs looked so fed-up. In between, we saw some other dogs from a distance, he will charge off towards the other dogs and the poor woman stand next to me calling the dog. At one point, I gently said to her: can't you go and get your dog? She said to me: No, he will come back. I got so angry, so I march off with my dogs leaving her still calling her dog.

I cannot say ALL my dogs are very good and well behaved. They sometimes have an off day and wanted to do something not so obedient, so I am always prepare for the bad day. At many occassions, Skye was being naughty, he saw a dog from a distance, I let him go and say his hello then called him and he wouldn't come back, so I just walked up to him and put his lead on. To be honest, walking so many dogs at once, I cannot afford to have a disobedient dog, so I always restrain my training until I am happy with my result.

I remembered many years ago when I only have Sing and Seagull. I can't remember why but I only took Sing out for a walk that morning. When we got on the Common, we saw a staffie and a white GSD fighting in a distance. I got a bit worried but I thought I was miles away and we should be quite safe but how wrong was I? I saw this staffie turned around and ran towards Sing, I was very frightened and quickly picked Sing up but I am not a tall woman, so the Staffie jump and got Sing's tail. Sing wanted to fight back but I lift him up as high as possible and the Staffie jump up again, this time, he got my arm! Yes, HE GOT MY ARM! Can you imagine I have got a Staffie hang on to my arm? I was in tears, don't know whether I was frightened or I was in pain. I saw this woman (the owner) casually walk towards us and said to me: He's alright! I shouted at her: I am bloody not alright! She didn't even said a thing and walked off, so I have to kick this dog to get him off me. I went home with a bloody arm and Colin had to rush me to hospital. I did report this to the Dog Warden but I heard nothing back from them.

Now, the government wanted to convert 50 places near us to "non doggie friendly". Arrrggghhh ... Why can't some dog owners learn how to control their dogs? Instead of banning dogs in the park, why don't the government set a test to see if the people pass to own a dog?

I was very annoyed today by another dog owner. I have to say I wasn't in a good mood today as Sizzle was very poorly and I have to drop him off to my vet and Kevin is keeping him in for a few hours for the drip, so my poor little man got me worried. I took Sing and Saturn out to the Common after leaving Sizzle at the vet. We were walking and joined by a JRT, the owner was walking towards the road (leaving the Common) and I was walking into the Common, as I was worried about Sizzle, I kept marching and my two dogs were following me but this JRT wouldn't leave us alone and I wasn't stopping. I was miles ahead (I am not good in distance but I was definitely very far from the owner) but this owner didn't bother coming up to get her dog. I still carried on marching and I was crossing to the upper part of the Common, I can't see the owner at all but this JRT didn't seems to bother his owner is not around, all he cares is to jump on top of Sing. I wish Sing would tell him off but he is such a gentle soul. Anyway, I was very far from the road now (at least 10-15 minutes walk), I suddenly heard someone calling: Milo! Milo! When I turned around, I saw the owner running 100mph towards us. I guess she finally got worried for not seeing her dog, she even shouted at me: Hey, can you stop for just a second. So, I did. She came up to catch the dog and put him on the lead and said: Milo, What's wrong with you today? I think to myself, there is nothing wrong with the dog, it is you, stupid woman!

We keep hearing news about dog attacking children and elderly but don't they know it is the human should be responsible and not the dog?

I went to a few training classes and have met some aggressive dogs. Some handlers/owners are very good in controlling their dogs. We were also told in advanced that the particular dog can be a bit nasty so we all aware and do our best not to upset each other. I really do not mind as long as the owner has his/her control over the dog. We also met some aggressive dogs at flyball, when I looked at it and studied carefully, it was the owner that let the dog does the nasty behaviour, so the dog carries on ...