My dogs tea time walk is usually a pavement walk, around the area we live in. Yesterday at about 5 pm we were walking down one of the wider side roads when a young, very large bull/staffie type dog raced across from the unfenced front garden it had been in. It only avoided being run over because of swift action of the car driving on my side of the road.
The dog ran around my two dogs, its hackles were up and it was making a noise. My dogs were under control, stayed at my side but I was anxious about the potential for a dog fight if my usually calm big dog reacted to protect me and my smaller dog. I made a lot of noise, shouted at the dog to go away and made fierce noises. After what felt like a lifetime but was probably minutes, my shouting had the desired effect and the dog went back over the road, though it continued to run back and forth towards us. My dogs remained quiet at my side. Neighbours either side of the house where the dog lives came to my aid. One grabbed the dog and took it with him whilst he knocked on the door. The other neighbour asked if I was ok and told me the dog is never walked, doesn't know how to behave around other dogs and "jumps the garden fence". The owner appeared on his door step, took his dog in and stepped after it. I shouted that his dog had narrowly missed being run over and had menaced my dogs. He gave a thumbs up and went indoors.
Sorry for this long post but I still feel slightly shaken. My dogs are well trained and socialised. That doesn't alter the fact they're dogs. They don't understand a young unsocialised dog will behave badly - their perception was they and I were under threat. Fortunately, my big dog stood quietly at my side but if I hadn't managed to shoo the other dog away and been assisted by neighbours, my dogs and possibly myself could have been injured.
Could I have done anything differently? Is there any point trying to speak to the owner. I feel there isn't and I'm disinclined to put myself in a position where he could be as rude and unconcerned as he was yesterday. Sorry for the long rant.
Water Pollution -“ A National Disgrace”? A case for renationalisation?
Lasr two letters continued Jan 24