So, set out for a lovely 5k at 6:15am today, feeling springy after a 2-day break. Temperature was much cooler at 17 degrees, and the sun was out. Nice.
Did my usual loop through the woodland and then headed out into the wider park to do the last 2km, when this great big lunk of a dog comes bounding up to me barking, and not in a friendly way. Terrified, I stood stock still, not wanting to reinforce in this beast’s imagination that I was a bunny to be chased and eaten. As it approached, I noticed it was muzzled. Phew. But still, it circled me barking aggressively and I couldn’t continue my run. I saw the owner in the distance, so I shouted to her could you come get your dog please? She ignored me. I shouted again, please could you come and leash your dog? She shrugged, and mimed “he has a muzzle, it’s okay”. It was at that point I lost my sh*t big time. I DON’T CARE! YOUR FRICKING DOG IS BEING AGGRESSIVE COME LEASH IT AND GET IT OUT OF MY WAY PLEASE!” The dog got bored and ran back to her of his own volition and she finally leashes him. I was so wound up, and this is not like me, but as I trotted past her I shouted “YOU STUPID WOMAN! YOU SHOULD KEEP THAT MUTT ON A LEAD! STUPID!”
Now I love dogs, and only a moment earlier a gorgeous chocolate lab had bounded up to me (smiling, it was), and licked my leg, ankle to thigh. I was laughing and patting it. That owner was all apologetic! Woman with mad dog could not even see fit to come get her growling, circling, barking devil dog.
I was on course for a 30-min 5k, but what with the stopping for the aggressive dog, and the fact that I had lost my mojo so much I ended up walking the last few minutes, I came in at 34 mins. I am still fuming.
Other than that, it was a lovely run. 😂
Love,
Sadie-runs xxx
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Sadie-runs
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Morning Sadie! Well done on your run, I'm sorry the dog ruined it. Well let's be fair, it was the dog's owner. I agree with pink though, you do sound rather scary lol These things are sent to try us, but also form part of why we love running outside so much, it's never dull, is it? Always something to captivate us, draw our interest.
Sorry Sadie, I didn't mean it like that at all. The dog owner was clearly in the wrong, heck, I've had my fair share of scary doggy encounters whilst out on my running adventures too, with the added element that if it all goes pear-shaped I could end up in the canal It's actually refreshing that you stood up for yourself, and I often wish I had the balls to do that myself. Maybe if I had, my life wouldn't be in quite the mess it is in!!
Anyway sorry, I hope I haven't mortally offended you, and you're still my best running bud!
No, not mortally offended! I just don't take teasing very well. Youngest child syndrome. Honestly, I am normally a meek and mild and polite person, but when I see an injustice, I can blow my top. I have a VERY long fuse, but oh boy, you don't want to light it LOL! xxx
A muzzled dog should not be off the lead. End of... I'm so sorry you had a bad time. It is not your fault and you have every right to be annoyed and angry!! I would have done exactly what you did.
My husband was walking in the playing field behind our house and a very large unmuzzled dog ran up to him. He froze. The dog's owner appeared and shouted to my husband not to move as the dog might go for him. He finally controlled his dog . My husband told him he would phone the police if he saw the dog loose again. What if he had been a child? It is totally irresponsible of the owner.
I love dogs. I'm a dog owner. Our dog is badly behaved and he stays on the lead. Other dogs run up to us and there is sometimes trouble. We are sometimes told to control our controlled dog! It's a joke!! 😖😖😖😖😖
Thanks Ang. Oh your husband's experience sounds very scary indeed! As you say, what if it had been a child too scared to listen to instruction? I love dogs too and as a runner I am always careful not to antagonise/excite them – if only the owners showed the same consideration. No such thing as a bad dog / only bad owners. I was reasonably polite to her, I said please multiple times, apart from the bit where I called her a stupid woman, and in my defence, I was only speaking the truth LOL xx
I’m really sorry to hear about this and totally get how you would lose it in this circumstance. I am a big dog fan but sadly some owners just let the rest of us down. I always expect to have to stop if I’m in an open field and a loose dog is around as you just never know when those natural chase instincts for anything or anyone running might kick in.
Thanks for your sympathy, Brian. It was actually a little scary. I always stop when running in fields if a dog approaches, and happily it is usually just a curious dog and I end up having a nice cuddle! I love dogs too, but big aggressive ones are always a shock!
I had a puppy pug basically sat on my trainer last week as I was running and owner did nothing - just watched! I stopped and gently pushed him off me. He then kept trying to grab my ankle but I out ran him! 😬
Sadie this woman has forgone her responsibilities as a dog owner and could face an unlimited fine and/or 6 months prison. For further detail: gov.uk/control-dog-public
Oh, I did not know this. I suppose she could argue that the dog was muzzled anyway. I sort of knew I was not in any real danger, but it was intimidating nonetheless. And I was just peeved it ruined my 5k time, of course!
She still has a reponsibility to control her dog, it doesnt have to bite someone to injure them.
I love animals but it is antisocial behaviour and intimidation caused by terrible people owning dogs. She had an opportunity to reinforce to the dog that it should not behave like that. You were well within your rights.
I was very aware of what Dave has very helpfully supplied the facts of the matter.
I am afraid Sadie I would have been much less patient and tolerant in trying to resolve this matter.
I have adequate aggressive dog handling skills, but I am afraid I would have possibly ended up doing all concerned a favour, dog, owner and any future unfortunate bystander a service by reporting this incident.
This poor aggressive animal is in a heightened state of stress because it does not like being the pack leader and expects to be controlled by its owner.
I am okay, thanks Tbae. Though I do think it shook me up a bit more than my jokey post implies. It is my favourite place to run, not sure now that I will feel as safe running there again. Which of course makes me sad. xx
Ironically, in order to control an aggressive dog you have not to show fear, stand tall and take control.The animal wants to please and will.it knows that it’s stupid owner will not take control and that is what stresses the animal.🤔
If I were in your position I would report it.
It is no different if it were a person and you were in fear for your life or being , that is the legal definition of assault.
Think about it. The owner has to be councilled that this is not acceptable responsible behaviour.Perhaps she does not even realise it.On reflection forget what I have said , she probably has been instructed to muzzle the dog and if so she would also have been instructed to have the dog on a lead permanently in public.They go together.🤔Take care of you Sadie.
Thank you Tbae. I will report it if I see her again – I am not sure how they would be able to locate her based on my report. I didn't get a close view of her – she was quite far away when her dog loped up to me. And she didn't get close enough to me, or her aggressive dog, for me to get a good look at her.
I will go back to the park; I will not be driven out by one bad dog owner, I won't! xx
blimey. Thanks whatsapp - it's always good to know this sort of thing. "makes someone worried that it might injure them" - well, if it's muzzled it can still worry you and could still knock you over!
Sadie-runs I also am non-confrontational and then I spend weeks seething after incidents like this! I'm glad you wrote about it, I'd not thought what I would actually do if I encountered this.
Really sorry to hear your tale Sadie-runs I can imagine how scary and frustrating it was, I have never been the same around dogs since I was bowled over by a Great Dane on my way home from school as a 7 or 8 year old! I have been fortunate so far, the worst I have had to endure was a slightly quizzical look from a cow in the field next to where I ran🐮👀
How frustrating for you, especially missing your target time for 5k! Very glad the dog was muzzled. It's such a shame that there's a minority of dog owners who don't look after their animals properly - both for the dog and the public. We runners unfortunately encounter them frequently, since we're doing something that triggers the chase / bark response. Like you, I have a very long fuse under most circumstances, but once lit the after effects rumble on for hours. Shame you couldn't have harnessed the adrenalin and run a massive PB! I love your last sentence tho xx
Thanks AP. I honestly do take care when running "in the wild", keeping my eyes peeled for dogs, and trying not to run too near them. But you are right – we are bound to encounter them, given what we do. Sigh. I still ran 5k, no matter the time, I suppose – and i am always happy I have run! xxx
Some people are responsible dogs owners and some...... aren’t. It’s not funny when you are on the receiving end of 10 stone of uncontrollable muscle, fur and teeth. Silly cow 😡 some people just don’t give a toss. She could have made the effort to come over and sort it out, that kind of complacency really makes me cross. I want to come and punch her lights out for you and I’m normally very passive!! 😂😂 xx
Thanks FPF. I would have been absolutely fine about it if she had come over right away and leashed him. It was the complacent shrug from a distance with no effort to come and restrain the mutt that really wound me up. She was a silly cow, great summation! If I see her again I will not hesitate to video her, and the dog, and report it. And call her much more than "stupid woman!" xxx
Yikes Sadie that’s awful. People can be so irresponsible with their dogs and cause the lack of discipline than can lead to aggression. I had a minor incident this morning with a woman with a small dog on an extending lead (those leads are a pain) who stood beaming indulgently, obviously wanting me to admire her dog, asi ran past. I know how dangerous those leads can be, having been tangled up in one when a dog ran round me and rope burned my hand when I tried to grab the lead to stop it tripping me up, so ran out into the road to avoid this one.
I do hope the incident doesn’t curtail your running at all. I’m very wary of dogs when I’m running, for this reason, but luckily most are fine. One problem is owners’ inability to see any wrong in their dog (usually men guilty of this one - sorry chaps but it’s true).xxx
I am a bit nervous about going back to my beloved park. I still cannot quite believe that she did not come over and help me / sort her dog out. That upsets me more than the dog barking at me, by far. xxx
Next time report her. I get it when walking my dogs. I’ve had my nervous lurcher bitch pinned to the ground by her throat by an Australian cattle dog, whose owners attitude was much like parents when I grew up if their child bullied another: let them sort it out. Don’t let it put you off running. The chances of coinciding with her again are probably not that high if you vary the time or route a little, and remember the dog was muzzled so less dangerous. I’m not making excuses for it here, just trying to reassure you a little. And if you get a good look again, report her.
I will. I will even try to film her / take a photo. Haven't seen her / that dog before, so maybe that was an unusual time for her to be out. I cannot vary the time I run as I have to get it in before work. I am hoping that is not her regular time – and now I can recognise the dog, I will definitely go the opposite direction to it if I see it again. And yes, I am so grateful it was muzzled. I was wearing shorts, and I am sure it would have had a bite of my legs if it wasn't for the muzzle. Thanks Flick. xx
There is a dog called Billy who is around the place we used to walk our dogs in Oxford. Big mastiff cross. He bit my dogs a couple of times when he was quite young. I warned his owner that it could get him taken away if the habit got worse. The male owner’s response was that he was only playing and that the behaviour was what dogs do. Ha! They also kill each other and are aggressive in their natural state but, like human children, puppies need to be taught what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour. We met Billy again recently when we took the dogs back to their old haunt. He came bounding over and I chased him away. Fellow dog walkers we know said he has become dangerous, is supposed to be muzzled and on the lead now, by court order, and has savaged several dogs. His owner clearly is taking no notice whatsoever. It’s always the owners at fault. And it’s usually men, who either indulge the dog so that it has no boundaries (Mr I Don’t Snore does that with Dennis, who luckily isn’t aggressive but who does need strong boundaries to give him security - it’s me not his indulgent daddy he comes to when fireworks go off outside), or over discipline it like a military regime. Most dogs with aggression problems are frightened because they havent been given from boundaries within which to feel secure.
Yeah, that would drive me insane. Idiot and a Beast. I see them where I live, big bull-mastiff 'controlled' by a creature half its size. 'No. he's friendly!' Yeah, right. 'He's not chasing you, he just wants to play!'
Well done on keeping your cool and letting out afterwards!
Thanks mrrun. I always feel that you have to rise above these idiots and not swear at them etc. I think calling her "stupid" was pretty mild in the circumstances. I meet some lovely mutts on some of my runs, but now I have to admit to being a bit worried.
I saw that bull-mastiff running free in Dulwich Park, of all places. When I was a boy I got attacked and bitten so learned never fully to trust them even when they are 'playful'. When I saw the owner, the picture was complete. Thankfully, the beast didn't want to engage with me.
I commend your choice of words under the circumstances. My language would have been more elaborate, colourful and descriptive.
Of all places! LOL! I love Dulwich Park, but may avoid now. Sorry to hear you got bitten as a lad. Scary. The trouble is, any tw*t can own a dog, it seems, and in the wrong hands they are like weapons.
No, no, no, Dulwich park normally hosts those little designer dogs with interesting faces and 6 legs, or summink. That bag of teeth and muscle was anomaly. Well, put it behind you, that thing happening again would be very rare and unlikely.
Dogs are funny things, and owners funnier still. My wonky gps sent me up a farm track (trespassing probably, but Strava said go that way so I did) on Sunday and I met a lovely border collie, clearly the working sort rather than the lie-by-the-fire sort. She was shy, but cautiously snuffly and liked a pat on the head. Cue the arrival of her friend, a tricolour sort of sheepdog, I was delighted to see yet another dog (dogs! Yay!) but unfortunately he decided I was indeed trespassing and shouted at me, crouched right down and bared his teeth. Suffice to say I ran away with sheepdog no2 in hot pursuit. BARKBARKBARKBARK. I learnt the valuable lesson that not all dogs are friends. ☹️ In this instance totally my fault for assuming he would be agreeable, and also for being on his farm. But I think it was a good reminder that we are a bit vulnerable as runners, all soft and only covered in lycra. We are probably just weird sausages in the eyes of dogs.
"Weird sausages" LOL!! Thank you for making me laugh when I have been feeling a bit glum about it all! And sorry to hear about your experience – ugh! When you love dogs, it sort of feels worse when they are not friendly. x
Urggg I have had that alot, and I am petrified of dogs. The owner usually laughs and says that they are harmless. Its not the point is it!! I tend not to say anything nasty as its usually men and its always in the woods,I wish people would have more control over them!!
Oh you poor thing, ju-ju – I am luckily not scared of dogs (well, I wasn't before today), so when you are it must be twice as bad. I honestly wasn't rude to her – until she had the dog leashed – and that is when I called her stupid. I could not help it – I had the mist of rage over my eyes by that point. Plus she did not look very fit, so if it had turned nasty I could have easily out run her.
Sorry you had such an awful experience. Must have been terrifying. If I've shouted at people in situations like that I always feel more shaken up afterwards and wish I hadn't - but I think you were right to do so, might make her think a bit more about the impact.
Thanks ancientrunner. I was so polite at first, asking her to come help, to put her dog on the lead etc. – it was her lack of help that blew my fuse and caused me to call her stupid. I turned into the incredible hulk at that point. I will definitely run out of my way to avoid pooches in future. x
I’m so sorry you had such a horrible experience but am so glad you gave that owner an earful. People like that infuriate me. You, as a runner, should feel free to run in the park and feel safe. She has a dog with aggressive tendencies that she feels the need to muzzle when she takes out so it should be on a short leash and under control at all times. It may be worthwhile reporting this incident to your city bylaw officer or whomever would deal with those types of complaints. I’m sure you’re not the only one to encounter this beast of an dog and the idiotic owner!
Thanks Sask. I managed to remain calm whilst the dog was barking at me / circling me, thankfully. I just stood still, and tall. And my thoughts precisely – if it was muzzled, why was it not on a lead?! She had another dog with her that was behaving itself, and was not at all interested in what mr growler was doing to me.
It reminds me of many years ago I was running in some local woods, a favourite with dog walkers. The was nobody in sight but I could hear something moving through the undergrowth in front of me suddenly there was an Alsatian thundering through the trees towards me, I totally froze, and he just went straight past me, no sign of an owner anywhere, very scary indeed.
Oh Sadie-runs I would’ve been trembling in that situation and I think you handled it much better than I could’ve done. The trouble is so many people have dogs now and they don’t train them . My bug bear is the owner who has an extendable lead so the dog is on one side of the pavement and the owner is on the other. Are we meant to hurdle as well as run? What happened to teAching a dog to heel. And walk alongside the owner?🐕🐩
I really feel for you! I love dogs too but have a bit of a fear of “loose”dogs. Think it stems from childhood when neighbours had 2 big Alsatian guard dogs and I was absolutely terrified of them as they used to come up to gate and bark! To this day I get really scared walking past houses if there’s a dog in garden! ( Could never be a post woman!!! )
Anyway sorry it spoilt your run! But good for you sticking up for yourself and hopefully you’ll never encounter them again ! 😀
Thanks Sara. 😘 Bad canine experiences as a kid can really stick with you, can’t they? I hope I don’t come across them again, I really hate confrontation and it kinda spoiled my happy run. x
Sorry you had this scary run, Sadie-runs. I’m not normally scared by dogs, but was bitten twice by different dogs when I used to have trouble walking, so I’m a bit more wary these days. (Someone told me the dog sees a person struggling to walk as injured and it brings out “attack mode” in some dogs, just as I guess running near dogs can.) As others have said, it’s bad owners not bad dogs that are the problem! I hope this doesn’t stop you running where you want to. ❤️❤️❤️
Oh how awful, mountaindreamer, so sorry to hear this happened to you. x
That's awful Sadie. Dog-lover here but hate when they're not looked after and controlled properly. As a Chihuahua mum you can imagine my fear when I meet these people and their dogs. 😢
Yes, completely understand how worrying it must be when you are parent to a wee dog. 😕 Hope your operation went okay and you are resting up/healing nicely, dear. xxx
I don’t know why people are so nice to owners of dogs that run up and interrupt a run - even if they’re only small and yappy. We have sheep on the hill where I run and loads of dog walkers, some leash others don’t. The point is some can’t control their dogs and seem to think their dog has a natural right to chase anything that moves. I ALWAYS call them out and say ‘that doesn’t feel very good; please leash your dog if you can’t control it’. If you pet the dog, the owner and the dog think it’s ok. I like dogs btw.
I love dogs. Happy to interrupt my run to pet a friendly one. But terrified when approached by an aggressive one that doesn’t return to owner when out of control!
I feel for you and your frustration. Personally my view is that if a dog cannot maintain its control it should not be off the lead. Or if off the owner should be close enough to handle the situation. Unfortunately my dog has no self control and is never off lead when it is out - it is a shame for him but regrettably necessary. I would never forgive myself if he jumped up at a child even if he did not mean to cause harm the damage is done to the child who is then scared for life of dogs.
On a different note well done with your run, it has set you up for a great time next time out.
You were right to stand up for yourself, but like most of us who don't normally do confrontation you end up feeling uncomfortable afterwards.
Hopefully after the owner has time to reflect a little of what you said may get through to her thus avoiding a more serious situation for someone else.
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It's actually refreshing that you stood up for yourself, and I often wish I had the balls to do that myself. Maybe if I had, my life wouldn't be in quite the mess it is in!!
Youngest child syndrome. Honestly, I am normally a meek and mild and polite person, but when I see an injustice, I can blow my top. I have a VERY long fuse, but oh boy, you don't want to light it LOL! xxx
Grinning like an ape and punching the air driving home ...... 😅
5K run (with Jeff) ☀️🏃♀️👍😊
Sneaky sunny 5k 😊 and the dog didn't get me 😁
Stress-busting run?! 🤣 
