This lady with a puppy really annoyed me! Just a petty vent.

She sounds like a real jerk.  I'm sorry she ruined your day.

She's probably very concerned about protecting her investment in a mutt.  I hear a Puggle typically goes for about $1200.

 Sorry you had an unpleasant  experience, I can't stand people like that.

     Don't you just love the ones who habitually have their dogs off leash - yet they always manage to accuse the one with the ON LEASH dog as being the problem? Incredable ... it never ceases to amaze!

Thank you everyone, you made me feel better. I wasn't sure if I was just being way too sensitive about her getting on my nerves

I think what upset me also was that this was my first time  taking Sophie and Cruiser out in public together.  I was really happy with how well they did walking together.  I guess part of me was conscience of the fact that with two dogs I may be percieved as someone who everyone has to steer clear of and than she comes and asks me if I have control over the dogs. My dogs are really well behaved and friendly though, so I need to stop worrying about what others' think!

at least she wasn't one of these irritating people with the off-leash rude get in your face fat labs or goldens who goes around screaming "he's friendly" while you try to shove the obnoxious beast off yourself and your dogs. That happens WAY too often to me.

LillianD

I wasn't sure if I was just being way too sensitive about her getting on my nerves

 Definately not.   It sounds like you encountered a pushy broad with no clue whatsoever.  Next time, give her a piece of your mind.  Sorry, my turn to vent.  I just really dislike it when people think that this is their "territory" and everyone else is just passing through it. 

Yes, stop worrying about what others think.  You enjoy your walks with the family! 

Was her pup on leash? And was she walking faster than you? I don't know, maybe you're just overreacting? "Puppy coming through" sounds like something I'll say when trying to get through a mess of people who are cluttering up my walking trail with strollers and multiple big slow dogs.

 And "Please don't tease him" doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me, either- it sounds like she's had bad experiences with kids and her dog in the past.
 

CoBuHe

LillianD

I wasn't sure if I was just being way too sensitive about her getting on my nerves

 Definately not.   It sounds like you encountered a pushy broad with no clue whatsoever.  Next time, give her a piece of your mind.  Sorry, my turn to vent.  I just really dislike it when people think that this is their "territory" and everyone else is just passing through it. 

Yes, stop worrying about what others think.  You enjoy your walks with the family! 

I was so going to give her a piece of my mind, but she walked off too quickly!   I was annoyed, but fine until she asked my son not to tease her dog. Than I was really going to tell her to try controlling her dog instead of every other dog or person she comes across.  Ugh!

Pwca

 

Was her pup on leash? And was she walking faster than you? I don't know, maybe you're just overreacting? "Puppy coming through" sounds like something I'll say when trying to get through a mess of people who are cluttering up my walking trail with strollers and multiple big slow dogs.

 And "Please don't tease him" doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me, either- it sounds like she's had bad experiences with kids and her dog in the past.
 

Yup, the pup was on leash and she was walking faster than us. I can totally understand if she needed to get through and wouldn't have minded if she just said that.   I very well could've taken her yelling "puppy coming through" the wrong way, so I accept that.

I thought it was plain rude when she asked my son not to tease him. I can't stand dog people who seem to think every kid is just out to ruin their walk with their dog.  I can see if my son were running up to the dog and she thought somethng might happen, but he was just turning to look. Even if he was somehow "teasing" the dog from afar (which truly my son would not do), she needs to learn to deal with that IMHO  Kids will always be kids.  If she can't control her 15 pound dog on leash than maybe a nature walk on busy trails which are off of a playground isn't the right place for her to be walking her dog.

I would have been pissed, too, but in her defense, I am a "defensive walker" - I have had SO many bad experiences with kids pestering, harassing, and frightening my dog that I act as if every kid were out to ruin our walk, too. Small dogs are like a magnet for ill behaved kids, and it can be incredibly stressful, not to mention frightening, for dog AND owner to be around crazy little kids. Typically you can't really know how well behaved or dog savvy a kid is until it's too late - I've had children who looked like they were just going to walk on by actually turn and try to *pick up* my dog while on a walk. Seriously! If you've not had a reactive dog it can be hard to understand, but for those of us with furry little nutcases, walking by a child can feel like walking by a loaded cannon, and if somebody looks like they might be thinking about lighting that fuse, you have to be sure to set the situation straight.

In other words, don't take it personally, not all kids as as well behaved as yours.  

Cita

I would have been pissed, too, but in her defense, I am a "defensive walker" - I have had SO many bad experiences with kids pestering, harassing, and frightening my dog that I act as if every kid were out to ruin our walk, too. Small dogs are like a magnet for ill behaved kids, and it can be incredibly stressful, not to mention frightening, for dog AND owner to be around crazy little kids. Typically you can't really know how well behaved or dog savvy a kid is until it's too late - I've had children who looked like they were just going to walk on by actually turn and try to *pick up* my dog while on a walk. Seriously! If you've not had a reactive dog it can be hard to understand, but for those of us with furry little nutcases, walking by a child can feel like walking by a loaded cannon, and if somebody looks like they might be thinking about lighting that fuse, you have to be sure to set the situation straight.

In other words, don't take it personally, not all kids as as well behaved as yours.  

Yeah, I can see what you are saying.  Cruiser is on the small-ish side at 25 pounds and he gets attention from every child that passes by.  Sophie gets a lot of attention and sometimes I have to shake my head that parent's actually allow their child to run up to a big dog, with Cruiser though I think every single child on the walk stopped to pay attention to him.  Luckily, he is exremely used to children and it seems like very little phases him.

My dogs aren't reactive, but I did watch a huge boxer mix that was and that was hard. I kind of had to hold my breath whenever kids were running by.   With him though I just ended up avoiding places with lots of people, but he was 90 pounds of muscle and I simply couldn't physically control him around kids, birds, or other dogs.

Pwca

 

Was her pup on leash? And was she walking faster than you? I don't know, maybe you're just overreacting? "Puppy coming through" sounds like something I'll say when trying to get through a mess of people who are cluttering up my walking trail with strollers and multiple big slow dogs.

 And "Please don't tease him" doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me, either- it sounds like she's had bad experiences with kids and her dog in the past.
 

But wouldn't a simple, 'excuse me please!' work just as well? I guess it really depends on the tone.