My 10-year-old grandson is visiting from Boston and we went for a bike ride today at midday, to a local park. We were riding along a path and saw a woman walking ahead of us with a puppy on a leash and a young girl, maybe three or four years old. As we got closer, I could see that the woman was wearing a hands-free leash – one of those commercial products made for people who jog with their dogs, a waist belt with the leash attached to it. And as I got closer yet, I could see that she was essentially pulling the puppy behind her. The pup was on his feet, but was obviously hot and scared and was resisting at every step.
I took my phone off its handlebar mount and took this picture from a distance. I made an assumption – that this person was not going to be interested in dog-training advice or a stranger’s opinion about practically dragging what looked to be a 4-month-old puppy in the middle of a pretty warm day. And if I saw anything worse, I was going to call my friends at the city animal control department. After I took the picture, I called out in my best cheerful voice, “Hi, coming through on bikes!”
The woman immediately stepped to the side of the path and held her hand out to the little girl (presumably her daughter). She smiled as my grandson and I rode slowly by, and I smiled back and said, “What a cute puppy! But he doesn’t look very happy…”
Her smile disappeared immediately. “He’s getting leash trained,” she said firmly. And then added, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”
Ah, the dilemma of what to do about what we consider to be training that is, at a very minimum, certain to be ineffective and counterproductive – when we see it in public.
In this case, I didn’t stay to talk to the woman. Her response and demeanor were so determined – so not open to further discussion – that I kept pedaling slowly, before stopping 100 yards or so away to see what the woman did next. Just a minute later, she put the pup and little girl into a car and drove out of the park.
My grandson and I biked to a spot nearby, where we put the bikes down and took a quick dip in the river. As we biked home, we talked about the woman and her pup a bit more. I told my grandson, “It’s like seeing some parent do something pretty mean to their kid. You don’t want to say nothing, but you don’t want to make them even madder.”
I also assured him that if the puppy had actually been getting pulled off his feet, or if she had yanked on the leash or hit him, I would have taken some video and called animal control. “Some people just suck,” said my grandson and I agree! How could she not see that dragging the puppy along by force was not going to result in a dog who trusts or even wants to be with her and her daughter. How could that treatment possibly result in a dog who has good feelings about going on a walk with them?
Does anyone have the perfect thing to say to someone in this situation? Does anyone know a course of action that wouldn’t just make matters worse?
I am very vocal when it comes to seeing a dog in distress. I do think people want help , but some have no dog sense at all.
We have to keep in mind..~ what is the best thing I can do for this dog (thru the owner)
Kill them with kindness (the human) first..
Then make your gentle suggestions. Many times the human will thank me and go on, hopefully thinking about our conversation.
I have speed dial #1 my local animal control and I do use it when all else fails.. Keep advocating for the animals.
I have spoken up when I see someone walking a dog in extreme heat and on hot asphalt…some had no clue and were grateful, others gave me a nasty look and told me to mind my own business. I did witness someone kick his dog and threaten “the belt” – I didn’t really know him, and I felt uncomfortable confronting him as I was alone. I’d like to hear some other responses.
Some actual advice from someone qualified would be helpful. Is there a place to call? Would anyone be interested?
I consistently get out of my car or wherever I am and first admire their dog and then try to help them understand that the dog is confused and scared because they are not giving direction. I try to help them but generally it goes like the above. They either get hostile or sometimes we have a conversation. Depends on the person. These people probably know at some level they are not doing the right thing. I have called the MSPCA when I saw a black dog tethered in the hot sun with no shade or water and when I went by that house in the future I did not see the dog.
I have called the police when I see dogs in parking lots trapped in cars. I have also alerted the store management with the make, model, color and tag of the car to announce to customers in store that a dog is in distress.
I am unafraid of confrontation and typically get cussed at. So be it.
My approach after complimenting the dog (ie. how cute, what a handsome pup, how pretty, etc) is to say something like, “Wow, my pup really enjoys her walks when I bring treats and water and have her walk beside me. That way I can point out all the great places to sniff and we practice focus and loose leash walking that way” or in the case of the afternoon jogger, “Wow, running on pavement would be too hot for my pup. I always try to jog at a park with lots of grass or at the beach so my pup can cool off.” This approach allows for open communication instead of the person becoming defensive and shutting down.
Love your response. Couldn’t have done better myself! 👍
Ha! I’m not the one to ask. Years ago, I’d just recently moved into my house and was walking my dog when I saw a neighbor hitting her dog with a broom. I stopped and called, “Hey! Stop that right now! If I EVER see you do that again, I’ll grab that broom and hit you with it. How would you like it?” I never saw her do anything like it again, 25 years have passed, we’re still neighbors and now even friendly acquaintances. My girlfriends loved that story because they say it’s SO me. They know I would do exactly what I said. Still would, even though I’m an old lady now! 😹
I have spent a lot of time training my standard poodle. She is now a certified therapy dog visiting an assisted living facility and listening to exceptional children read. Yet when I took her to the farmers market on a hot day because we were already out, I didn’t realize how hot the asphalt was to her paws. I was grateful when a vendor told me that my dog needed to be in the shade! So keep telling people when you see a dog in distress!
Yes. Me too. I once saw someone jogging with their dog in 90+ temperatures on black top and mentioned something about it being such a hot day and how black top gets dangerously hot for the paws of dogs. He just gave me a nasty look and kept on jogging.
Leash training is knowing exactly where your dog is …including having them them in sight and safe at our side.
I would love to hear suggestions on this .