Talk of The Villages Florida - Walking Past a Dog Walker

Talk of The Villages Florida (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/)

- The Villages, Florida, General Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/)

- - Walking Past a Dog Walker (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/walking-past-dog-walker-355741/)

Quote:

Originally Posted by airstreamingypsy (Post 2400249)

I almost spit my coffee out, he thinks Bobcats are going to attack him?

Hey, if a chihuahua will attack, what make you think a bobcat won't? Stranger things have happened.

Dogs are just animals!

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2400326)

Hey, if a chihuahua will attack, what make you think a bobcat won't? Stranger things have happened.

Don’t know, never walked with him, but he used to work for NASA and I don’t think he just does things Willy-nilly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2400337)

Don’t know, never walked with him, but he used to work for NASA and I don’t think he just does things Willy-nilly.

You are probably correct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HORNET (Post 2400334)

Dogs are just animals!

Absolutely true!

So are we.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed (Post 2400239)

Interesting. Suggest never put your hand palm down OVER a dog’s head. Instead offer the back of your hand to smell. Of course first ask permission of the owner. I also find that sitting down rather than towering over a dogs head is a better way to introduce yourself to another’s animal. Of course I am not suggesting that you do this on Canal Street sidewalk

Yup I learned that, about sitting down. Now whenever I'm walking toward someone who is walking a dog that I'd really LOVE to pet (always big dogs, I'm not a small-dog fan), I ask - and then sit on the grass with my arm out and let the dog approach me. There was one guy in the area who had a Newfie mix, and the goober knocked me over with a nudge of his head. We wrassled a minute or two, and it was just SUCH a joy. There's nothing like wrestling with a happy energetic slobbering bundle of fur that stretches out almost as long as you are tall.

I am a walker and a cat person. I usually walk on the water side when I encounter a dog walker . Have not met a mean dog yet .. in 6 years. I meet protective dogs that sit in front of their owners or bark once or twice to do their guard dog thing. All have been well behaved fortunately and I’m a petite woman. These are fur babies to me, and responsible owners. I am in South Villages near Linden. I think the dogs sense your personality. No mean dogs here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Two Bills (Post 2400089)

It is the dog owner's responsibility to have the dog under control at all times, and I may add, they are not under control on an extendable leash which seems to be the default choice these days.
However, discretion is advised when you spot a dog obviously not under control.
When/if you are passing any dog, continuous eye contact is not advised, the animal could perceive this as a threat. Look, but glance away between eye contacts, it shows you are not a threat, and respect their space.
A casual, neutral, early greeting, will usually put owner and dog in non-aggression mode.
Any dog worth its keep, will go into defense mode if it thinks it, and especially its owner, is under any threat.
I have never been in fear of any dog, wary, respectful, definitely.
I do worry about many owners though!

Good advice.

A long time ago we lived in Port St. Lucie. We moved there before it had been built up and there were woods all around.

I walked early before the sun came up to give me plenty of time for a long walk with my dog before work.

One morning my dog and I walked by a house we had walked by many times before. It was about 6:30 am and still dark. A dog came out of it's yard, sat in front of my dog and started growling at her. My dog weighed about 55 lbs. and the other dog I'm guessing weighed about 85 lbs.

The dog kept growling. My sweet girl just sat by my side. She never growled. She was calm. I told the dog to get away and threw in a few choice words. I don't know how long this lasted but it felt like forever. The dog growling and my dog just sitting there.

Finally, the owner of the dog came out of her house, in her bathrobe with a cup of coffee in her hand. She just stood there, watching ...

I said "WOULD YOU CALL YOUR DOG OFF!!!" She called her dog and it immediately went to her side. We never walked by that house again. After telling people about our story I learned to carry mace, or bear spray just in case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by srswans (Post 2400069)

What’s the proper protocol for walking past a dog walker say on a sidewalk at a rec center?

This morning I was attempting to pass a dog walker when the dog startled then growled and bared its teeth at me. The walker didn’t register my presence until the dog reacted. He then commanded the dog to stand down and moved over.

The walker was wearing headphones over a hood so he probably wouldn’t have heard me even if I had said “Good morning” or “excuse me.”

The walker was moving slowly and using the entire sidewalk. He also made some comment about “not a good idea.”

I just want to get home without being bitten.

I would never walk directly up to or pass a dog on the sidewalk unless I knew the dog. I’d move to the road, or a rec center has plenty of room to pass, you don’t have to stay on the sidewalk. Dogs on leashes can have different temperaments than off leash dogs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2400345)

Absolutely true!

So are we.

But dogs are NOT vindictive :oops:

vin·dic·tive
/vinˈdiktiv/
adjective
having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge.

:eclipsee_gold_cup:

Follow the Navigation Rule on Collisions. Avoid the RISK of a collision. In other words, avoid the risk even if you are right.

If you walk a lot using walking sticks are a good idea. The aluminum ones are very light weight!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topspinmo (Post 2400481)

But dogs are NOT vindictive :oops:

vin·dic·tive
/vinˈdiktiv/
adjective
having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge.

:eclipsee_gold_cup:

That's why we love them. Almost no amount of abuse will make them get even with their owners. They live in the moment and a pat on the head makes everything all right.

Sounds like you think the world revolves around you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVES (Post 2400099)

People are people. They do not get perfect when they get older; More likely they get worse. I call them astronomers. They think the world revolves around them. They have always been astronomers.

For people that have a dog that growls and bears it's teeth. You either need to get THAT DOG trained or have it euthanized.

Maybe we need to have whining old people euthanized?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikempp (Post 2400665)

Maybe we need to have whining old people euthanized?

No sport in that. Some of us are mostly dead already. Don't push! I said, "mostly dead", not, "completely dead".
🙂🙃🫠😉