My Dog got Off His Collar..But did I Deserve that Kind of Treatment?
By Jshean20
@Jshean20 (14348)
Canada
February 16, 2007 7:22pm CST
Well tonight has been a bit of a bad night for me and it all started out with something as innocent as wanting to take the dog for a walk. I had Ike (my dog) on his leash and he ran down the steps so fast that I fell back and hit my head on the step and in the process he got off his collar (making it extra hard to catch him since I had nothing to grab). Anyways he started running around like a mad man on the street (infront of cars and all) and luckily enough he was not hit. One of the cars stopped and kept honking his horn, he then rolled down the window and said "why don't you take care of your f'ing dog. I felt bad enough that he got off the collar but I didn't really think I deserved to be spoken to like that, it was an accident.
I could be wrong and I'd appreciate your honest opinions on the matter. Did I deserve it? (I won't rate you negative for disagreeing or anything).
27 people like this
53 responses
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I don't think anyone deserves to be treated like that. I mean it should have been clear to this person that you were trying to get your dog under control. That person must have been in a poor mood and just not thinking clearly.
I might suggest to you though if your dog can get his collar off that you use a harness that goes around the back and through the front legs. My dog has a very wide neck with a ton of fur so it is hard to know if I am getting the collar on tight but a skinny little head so she can worm her way out of almost any collar. But no matter how hard she tries she can not get out of harness. I find it is also easier to control her because when I pull back on the leash her whole body comes and I am not choking her.
Well that is my "2cents" hope your day gets better.
6 people like this
@winky73 (1404)
• United States
17 Feb 07
No you did not deserve to be talked to like that.Sounds like that person was having a bad day or something and took it out on you.Then again some people are just rude.I'm glad that both you and the dog are okay.....I've been there and I know how stressful and frustrating that can be.I'm always a little embarased when my dog pulls a stunt like that.....kind of makes me feel like I should have trained him better.....but I love him anyways.
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
17 Feb 07
Well, some people are just total idiots. Don't mind them. HOW IS YOUR HEAD:????? I hope you are ok. And I'm really glad that your dog didn't get hit. Take care!
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
17 Feb 07
No you did not. I'm just glad Ike was not hurt or cause an accident because you would have been held liable.
3 people like this
@nowment (1757)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I can see both sides to this, I also have had dogs take off they sometimes see it as a game and run, or they have been cooped up to much and then need to run.
On the other hand to often there are those people who do not take care of their dogs and they run off etc, unfortunately.
So no you didn't deserve to have this driver assume you were not responsible enough to take care of your dog, nor did you deserve to be cussed at like that. Yet it is understandable that this assumption was made.
@mystic2mom (346)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I would have been very upset if my dogs got off his collar, and doubly upset if someone cussed at me while I was trying to get him. My dogs get out of my gate almost everyday. And people just help me, no mean looks or anything like that.
4 people like this
@sunshinedap (615)
• United States
17 Feb 07
No, you definitely did not deserve that kind of treatment or that kind of language. Some people are just already mad at the world and unhappy with themselves. For some reason they think that talking to down to someone else makes them look better. Maybe he should learn to take care of his mouth. Accidents happen. I'm glad your dog wasn't hurt.
@vmoore709 (1101)
• United States
17 Feb 07
That's awful. No, you didn't deserve to be spoken to like that. No one deserves to be spoken to like that. It was an honest mistake. You couldn't have known you would fall and he would break free and run through traffic. Don't worry about it. The man may have just been having a bad day and you happened to walk into him. I'm glad to hear that your dog is OK!
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I am glad your dog is ok. Watch your baby please. Man can act crazy, just ignore it.
3 people like this
@theproperator (2429)
• United States
17 Feb 07
Man, if I had been in your situation, I probably would have stopped in the street, put my hands on my hips and yelled back "What does it look like I'm trying to do, A**h*le? I'm not playing in traffic just for the fun of it!"
Luckily, you are more polite than me, you probably didn't flip him the bird, either, though he totally deserved it. ;-)
Hope your head doesn't hurt.
3 people like this
@jbrowsin66 (1321)
• United States
17 Feb 07
The "f" word is NEVER appropriate --no matter what.
2 people like this
@emilysdabomb (360)
• Philippines
17 Feb 07
that guy was real nasty. he doesn't have the right to talk that way to you or to anyone else for that matter. it seemed pretty obvious that you were trying your best to get your dog back. he should've kept his nasty remark to himself. probably, he just had a bad day but still... it's so fortunate that nothing bad happened to Ike. but i hope your head's doing better now.
@alegend (37)
• United States
18 Feb 07
I hate to say it but you probably do deserve it. It is nobody's fault but your own that you dog misbehaves so terribly. For your own safety and his he needs to be trained to act civilized in public. Sorry
Straight forward answers straight from the hip.
2 people like this
@alegend (37)
• United States
18 Feb 07
Ok, I WAS WRONG, since I am am totally outnumbered I'll make another comment. You did not deserve to hit your head and you did not deserve to get yelled at by some bozo. I know big dogs can be a handfull. My wife had a golden pull her completely off of her feet and she fell on her butt and let go of the leash. I WAS WRONG, all I ask is that you see if you can get him some obedience training. A well behaved dog is a pleasure to take for a walk no matter how big or small. You might want to try a training collar until he learns not to pull so hard on the leash.
1 person likes this
@xbrendax (2662)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I don't understand what you mean by, (got off the collar)? Did it break? Was it loose and did he slip his head out of it? People must control their dogs at all time so as to avoid such things as what you went through. The dog probably scared the man and at times when a person is suddenly scared, they get angry, so I wouldn't worry about what he said. After his anger went away he probbly felt sorry for saying that.
@loujac3 (1188)
• United States
17 Feb 07
You did nothing wrong. Things like this happen all the time. There are so many jerks with short tempers and even smaller brains out there driving cars. I know how aggravating that can be and I have a hard time holding my tongue.
I hope that you are okay after hitting your head? Try using a passive restraint leash on him. It loops around his muzzle and neck and is better than a collar or harness. The results are amazing! Good luck!
1 person likes this
@RebeccaLynn (2256)
• United States
17 Feb 07
No you did not deserve that!
People get so wrapped up in their own little worlds that they don't take the time to be considerate.
Are YOU hurt? How hard did you hit your head?
I'm happy that Ike is all right but is there someone there to take you to get your head checked out?
1 person likes this
@resasour (378)
• United States
17 Feb 07
No, you did not deserve that. It makes me angry that people are so quick to speak without thinking first. Had that person been paying attention, they would have noticed you and the dog playing the cat and mouse game.
Just remember this. Misery loves company. Only someone that is insecure in themselves feel the need to openly express what they consider to be faults of someone else. And anyone who is quick to point out what they perceive to be faults of someone else only do so, so that they feel like they have shifted attention from themselves to another issue and make themselves feel "better" by pointing out the faults of others.
I am sorry you had a bad day. I am glad you were able to catch Ike.. Tomorrow will be better. Take Care
@khalablue (309)
• Canada
17 Feb 07
Jshean,
Its interesting to see how people respond to other's emergencies. The man was very rude to make those comments to you, especially without knowing the circumstances. If he had tried to assess the situation it might have been apparent that when you were running in the street with a dog collar in your hand, trying to catch the dog, that just maybe he got off the leash by accident. Mostly, it was an opportunity for him to be abusive to another human being. You probably gave him the opportunity to bolster his flagging male ego. Think of how much power it must have given him to yell at someone who was obviously in distress.
Takes all kinds.
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
17 Feb 07
Jeez, they talk like that in Canada too? I know a large portion of my fellow Americans use such language in public for the silliest stupidest things. It's one thing deliberatly committing a crime that threatens property, health, or life of others. I can see that being an exception, but that does not apply in this case.
I suppose uncivilized people are more widespread than I thought ...
1 person likes this
