[demicav]

Originally Posted by Pete Collins

I do a lot of walking, and have had numerous unpleasant encounters with aggressive barking dogs icluding twice in the last fortnight or so.

What annoys me are the irresponsible owners. I don't mind if a dog runs at me barking, then the owner calls it back and apologises (someone mentioned it happening when they carried a tripod, I was given that excuse once when I was bird watching, and a couple of people have bizarrely said it was because I was wearing a hat!). But on several occasions I've had dogs barking at me, and the owners have walked by without saying a word!

I have remonstrated with one or two such irresponsible and thoughtless owners, but more normally have had to bite my tongue as if I started arguing with the owner, the dog or dogs might really turn nasty.

One of the the worst cases was a few years ago in Suffolk. I suddenly came across a dog blocking the narrow path I was on, snarling at me and with its tail down between its legs. I had to bravely push by it (I'd have a several mile detour if I'd gone back). It didn't bite, but it it then kept running up behind me, snarling as if it was going to bite. I had to keep turning and shouting at it. A few yards down the path I met its owner, an elderly woman. She just walked past with not a word of apology! I said 'If your dog is going to behave like that it should be on a lead!'. She replied 'He's just having fun!' and walked off! I was literally speechless! I'd been having fun until I met her her and her dog!

I also get annoyed when people order me to stand still while their dogs are leaping and barking around me! Why on earth should I need to stop and stand still because their aggressive dogs are misbehaving! And who do they think they are ordering me about anyway!

If a dog is going to bark at strangers, it should be on a lead. Simple as that.

The dog was just having fun , now I'm speechless. If it had its tail between its legs it was clearly showing signs of fear aggression and these can be worse than the dominant aggressive ones mainly because they can be extremely unpredictable. Anoher irresponsible owner unfortunately.