Running Frustration/Bad Dog Owner Frustration

Today’s running journal is not going to have a Read More break.  Deal.

Today while running Abbey and I were charged by an off-leash dog.  Abbey happens to have leash reactivity.  In other words, she becomes more anxious, than usual, when placed on a leash.  She often barks at other dogs and occasionally will raise her hackles because she’s scared.  Off-leash, at a dog park (or any other fucking appropriate place to have an off-leash dog), it’s not a problem.

Now I do everything within my power to prevent any incidents with her leash reactivity.  We have been to professional behavior training.  She wears a yellow leash with the words: “NERVOUS” stamped all over it.  We run on a service road instead of the main trail that’s 20 feet away from the main trail and on a different elevation.  She runs and walks in the heel position. 

This dog charges us.  My dog doesn’t react (which is amazing progress for Abbey, by the way).  The dog barks, bares his teeth, puts up his hackles, and begins to circle us. The owner does NOTHING.  NOTHING.  We stay still and I yell at the dog several times. The owner continues to do nothing.  The dog begins to display body behavior that indicates that it may attack.  I begin considering picking up a rock to throw.  The owner continues to do nothing.  Finally, after I yell at it again, it leaves.  

The owner does nothing.  He doesn’t apologize.  He doesn’t talk to me about the incident.  He doesn’t even verbally reprimand his dog.

Seriously?