Another dog tragedy

My local Facebook is always full of people asking for recommendations for dog-walkers. Most of those recommended respond that they’re full. Then a desperate owner,8 whose dog is destructive or dirty when left all day, will engage anyone they can find. As I said, it’s a money making exercise for some people who certainly aren’t the sort of person I’d trust my dog to. When I did work full time, years ago, a friend who only worked mornings came to collect mine at lunchtime, walked them with her collie, played, trained them, gave them lots to think about, then took them back to hers until I got home from work to collect them. Back then, in the 1980s, I don’t recall anyone dog-walking as a nice little business.

Aveline

I'm very wary of Jack Russell's! However these ghastly tough dogs are very scary. As suggested brain transplants for the pathetic men that feel they have to have one is the ideal option.
When I first saw this in the news my immediate thought was that the victim was one of those dog walkers I see with seven assorted dogs on leads. Then realised that that sort of dog belongs to people who care about their pets and are most unlikely to have one of those overbred fighting dogs.

That was my thought too - and I still think that may well be the case, that it was a pack being walked whilst owners are at work. It would only take 1 of them to pile in and as they are pack animals, the others who may well usually never ever put a foot wrong could have followed suit? May never know the full facts unless the witness actually saw what happened?

Agree, Jacks can be very loyal and lovely, but some, being terriers can be little sods! My Mum has an elderly Jack who is absolutely lovely with people, kids etc, but hates other dogs, so we have to be careful with him ....!

twiglet77

My local Facebook is always full of people asking for recommendations for dog-walkers. Most of those recommended respond that they’re full. Then a desperate owner,8 whose dog is destructive or dirty when left all day, will engage anyone they can find. As I said, it’s a money making exercise for some people who certainly aren’t the sort of person I’d trust my dog to. When I did work full time, years ago, a friend who only worked mornings came to collect mine at lunchtime, walked them with her collie, played, trained them, gave them lots to think about, then took them back to hers until I got home from work to collect them. Back then, in the 1980s, I don’t recall anyone dog-walking as a nice little business.

We were looking for a walker for my Mum's elderly boy when she moved down from Yorkshire last year to be near me. In Yorkshire she paid a lovely lady who came most days and took him out on his own and played with him for an hour for £5.

Down in Wiltshire, it was £10 for 30 minutes. She's a pensioner and just cannot afford that, so at 87 she takes him out herself in the weather we have been having recently, which worries her but she has no choice as there isn't a garden she can just let him out into. The cost difference between the lovely house with large garden she had in Yorkshire only allowed her to get a flat here sadly ....

Wow - 9 pages of comments on dog behaviour - it rather underlines the UK's obsession with pets, and dogs in particular. I recently read that double the number of UK households (some 13m) now own a dog than was the case 10 years ago and this is certainly evident whenever you go out anywhere these days. It seems that many people feel their family is not complete unless they have a dog and really have no clue about what owning one will entail. A licence which confirms a new dog owner has taken a training course would seem to be a logical first step, and better legislation on when and where dogs should be kept on a lead. I walk regularly on the beach and do not want dogs sniffing round me, jumping up at me with muddy paws and, worst of all, cocking a leg over my rucksack as I sat on the sand. Anyone who allows their dog to run free and it doesn't come when called, is not a responsible owner. And dog owners, please never, ever, say "He's only being friendly" or "He wouldn't hurt a fly" .... otherwise I might just get my grandchildren to sniff, jump or pee on you!

These dogs have worried me for a long time. The thought of them turning on anyone is terrifying, let alone owning one if you have children. Truly irresponsible. I am scared of big dogs and always cross the road if I see an Alsatian, Rottweiler, Doberman, Pit Bull, etc. It should be illegal to own or breed these XL Bully dogs. They are absolutely massive and no-one stands a chance against them if they turn.

I remember buying a licence when I had a pet dog, Seven and six pence it cost.

Firstly the only vicious dog I've ever owned was a cockapoo. Had as a puppy and fine until first season then attached to my OH and loved him. But would chase anyone else out of the room or garden snapping and snarling if OH was present. Guarding behaviour around spaces, bed, food etc. Except for my OH who could do anything and it was fine. We rehomed via a rescue to a single experienced person and they bonded strongly and its gone really well. Upset my OH but he realised it couldn't stay with us as everyone at risk including DGC.
Atm we have 2 spaniels who are well trained kind and loving. If they run up to anyone in a park we can say a word and they will immediately stop turn and return to us. Always. Because we've spent hours training this mainly to prevent them from barging into children or jumping into rivers etc.
I think nobody should be allowed to walk more than 4 dogs unless they actually own them and then they should have an exemption certificate to carry. At £15 an hour that's £60 for a 1 hour walk which equates to a decent salary for a dog walker. It's just greed that has led to this sad death of the dog walker which is v sad

When I was nine I was stroking my aunt's collie. It was a working farm dog. It suddenly bit me on the face. One tooth hit my nostril, the other the corner of my eye. There was so much blood my clothes were drenched. I remember being given an aspirin and all my clothes being washed. Since then I'm very wary of dogs on the loose.

When my granddaughter was 13, she was attacked by a large mastiff type dog in her friend's house. It bit her around the back of her neck and tore muscle from her right upper arm. Luckily the friend's dad heard her screaming and beat the dog off. At first the police weren't interested in prosecuting as it happened on private property. It turned out that said dad's lodger was a drug dealer and kept it for protection. Eventually the dog was pts. I have never trusted dogs ever since.

Just been out walking my daughters Rottweiler must be my age would not want to walk more than one and he is a very good boy and quite docile.
I know him very well but there is still a diffence walking your own dog and someone else's.
No fear of large dogs the little ones are the ones I watch out for.
My daughter has a rottie and a cat both love a cuddle but one will if the mood takes him sink his teeth in, clue its not the big one.

Kate1949

People should stop humanising dogs. They are animals.

I agree and know of people who call them 'fur babies'. I also don't like to find them under the table sniffing around my feet when I go for a coffee. A well trained dog can be a delight but I don't see too many of those lately. I have mixed experiences of dogs and have found Jack Russells to be snappy and territorial. There should be a nationwide limit on how many dogs can be walked by one person and maybe this recent awful incident will somehow initiate this.

I was out walking locally and was about to go over a stile when a large dog bounded over. The owners shouted that it was just being friendly but I waited until they got closer and insisted they put the dog on a lead. They did so but very begrudgingly. One man's friendly is another man's nightmare.

I've just met a very responsible dog owner at my local garage. We were both in reception. He was with his large gentle dog and he asked if I was all right with it being there. I said yes and it came up to me to say hello and let me stroke it. He would have taken it out if I'd said I wasn't happy.

What a shame that all dog owners aren't like that.

No dog should be “ridden” by a child. That’s asking for trouble & is certainly not fair to the dog.

In defence of good dog walkers if it's £15 per hour and 4 dogs it's not £60 an hour as there is the time driving,collecting then returning each dog.The drying off,sometimes feeding,filling water bowls,cleaning up mess sometimes.All bits in between.A one hour walk can easily have at least an hour or more in betweenPlus like any business subtract your costs ie fuel - a major expense,van running costs -tyres insurance, business liability insurance, good outdoor gear boots etc. Same for running a boarding facility.You only make a profit once all your considerable costs are paid.
Self employed people get it and understood any price rises .Often the ones to quibble most on prices were the higher earners on salaries.But I agree the whole business needs professionalism and too many start up with little or no experience and take risks,giving the responsible ones a bad name.

Kate1949

We have a dog warden. When he was called out when a viscous dog had got loose around here and had bitten a man who tried to pacify him, the dog went for the warden who was as terrified as everyone else.

Did you inform the police, Kate?

Sorry, I meant that reply for ticking bird.

I do not like anyone's dog running up to me, especially not big dogs. I object to dogs not being on a lead unless it's inside a dog exercise area.

I have a small dog which I love very much, but she has been attacked by a big dog and I have also been knocked over by a large dog that ran at me, causing me to bang my head on the pavement. That's why I really hate big dogs off lead. These dangerous dog breeds like the American XL Bully are plain scary.

I don't agree with dog walkers having more than two dogs because we only have two arms and two hands. Most dog walkers that I know only take one dog at a time and use a five metre lead so they can play and run, but be wound in if other people or dogs are present.

It doesn’t occur to some dog owners that, just because someone has a dog it doesn’t mean that they’re not scared of other peoples dogs. DH has never got over having to fight off a dog that was attacking ours and both my SIL and grandson still have a fear of dogs even though they have one of their own now.

So, she was a dog walker. What’s happened is just too horrific. Poor women and her poor family. Here’s the horrible truth.

Animals are domesticated wild animals. This means that they still retain a wild side to them and in a perfect storm things like this can happen. It’s not because owners aren’t doing what they need to with training necessarily. It’s because they’re dogs.
Your expectations are wrong and means you are DEFINITELY not a dog lover. You want to humanise dogs so they behave in a way that suits your needs. Granted, treating them well with positive structure and is a good start along with avoiding fear and violence as training tools. However allowing a walker to take 8 dogs out is asking for trouble. Dogs have pack mentality and in certain circumstances they can behave like this. Just because your neighbour dogs behave ‘amazingly’ AND ‘never bark’ and ‘get walked on the Cotswold way’ does not mean they could never attack anyone. The right melting pot of fear and agression from one dog means it can spread and it could happen. There is a lot of misinformation on this thread and snobbery for that matter. Educate yourselves via experts not Gransnet threads 🤦🏼‍♀️

I've got to know a lady while I've been out with my dog and she's petrified of dogs. I now cross the road when I see her coming as I wouldn't want to cause any distress to her.

All dogs can be a problem given the right circs.Big powerful dogs such as Rottweilers and Alsatians and others should in my view be muzzled at all times in public.
A Jack Russell will bite you but not kill you if you’re an adult!

Great post Bibble 😃

It was a professional dogwalker from London on North Downs. The otger person was reported as being someone who saw the dogwalker in trouble. Goodness knows what happened that she was mauled by dogs she knew. Then again, how many children are attacked by family dogs? Licensing, registration won't help in those circumstances. Certified, professional training of both owners and dogs may.

Does anyone remember the series about dogs with Martin Clunes? In one episode a terrier, Jack Russell I think, was shut on a barn where there were several rats. I forget how many the terrier go but it was a lot and in a short amount of time.

One of my Westies was good at catching moles. Twice when out with young niece, who had her on a lead, Hattie (the dog) went down into a ditch and came up the other side, without stopping, with a mole in her mouth. I quite like moles but I was very proud of my dog.

On a more serious note, the parents of an old friend had 5 terriers, Sealyhams and hairy Jack Russells. Two, who were sisters, slept on the parents' bed. The sisters hated each other and fought on the bed with the parents in it. I think one human was bitten. The result - each parent slept in separate beds thereafter, with one dog each.