is it abuse, or just bad handling, and do you say something?

ravennr

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#1
a girl was walking a dog in the parking lot earlier, an American Bulldog that lives in the building that I have personally fallen in love with (he's gorgeous but I have yet to creepily sneak a photo). the girl walking him, I've never seen her before, but the owners of the dog let another couple in the building play and walk with him sometimes when they aren't around and I think this girl was their friend.
anyway, the dog is too big for her, and was pulling (not much mind you, but enough) so she took the end of the leash and started hitting him. she hit him over the back, on the legs, and on the face/head. after the first hit the dog stopped, and she didn't.


if you see someone do this, what do you do?
do you call them out? offer advice if you can? let them know you saw that?
or do you just keep going and hope that's the only time it ever happens and that the dog doesn't get fed up with it, turn around and snap at her?

ETA: this dog doesn't pull with his owners. I thought maybe he saw something, but they weren't close enough for me to see what it was. usually, he is perfectly well-behaved. I know he's not neutered, and I know there's a female downstairs that hasn't been spayed yet so I thought maybe that might be it.
 

CaliTerp07

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#2
Do you know where the dog lives? I might slip a note under their door saying you saw their dog walker hitting the dog in the face with the leash today. It would give you a venue to explain your concerns anonymously, and let the owners handle it.
 

Paige

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#3
How hard was the hit? If they were light smacks to get his attention I don't see that as worse than jerking a choke chain but a bull on beating with a lead? I'd report her to the authorities.
 

ravennr

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#4
the smacks were hard enough (or rather loud enough) that I heard them from my window, and they were a bit far off from me. she was a tiny girl but she seemed to be putting a lot of arm behind them. he is a BIG AmBull, and he barely flinched until it hit his face.

I'm not sure what apartment the owners live in. I will say something next time I see them.


the people she was with were laughing, too. :\
they just got a Boxer puppy themselves, but luckily she's already walking great on her leash.

I am that creep in the building that watches you walk your dogs. Hi.
 

filarotten

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#6
If she was hitting the dog that hard, I would tell the owners, slip them a note something. I would hate to know someone that I trusted to walk my dog was abusing it.

They would never walk my dog again.
 

Assamiea

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#7
I would say something or write an anonymous note. If the dog stopped what it was doing after the first smack there was no reason for her to continue hitting the dog, especially not in the face.

I'm not sure what the owners are like, but if it were my dog I would like someone to come to me with a "I'm not trying to cause problems, but I'm just trying to look out for the best interest of your dog. This is what I saw..." spiel.

If they don't know that it's going on they can't choose to stop it.
 

~Tucker&Me~

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#8
I would say something or write an anonymous note. If the dog stopped what it was doing after the first smack there was no reason for her to continue hitting the dog, especially not in the face.

I'm not sure what the owners are like, but if it were my dog I would like someone to come to me with a "I'm not trying to cause problems, but I'm just trying to look out for the best interest of your dog. This is what I saw..." spiel.

If they don't know that it's going on they can't choose to stop it.
Totally agree.
 

Kimbers

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#9
I'd definitely write a note, too. I don't know the owners, obviously, but I personally am very picky with how my dog is treated and trained. Besides, it may not be safe for the girl if she ends up actually pissing the dog off one day.
 

Snark

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#10
I agree with telling the owners, hopefully you'll see them soon.

And since you're the 'creepy' person ;) who spies on other's dogs, if you see her again being stupid with the dog, open the window and yell 'Hey! What the h*ll are you doing?!" Don't have to identify yourself, you can close the window again, but it will make her realize people are watching...
 

sillysally

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#11
I would say something or write an anonymous note. If the dog stopped what it was doing after the first smack there was no reason for her to continue hitting the dog, especially not in the face.

I'm not sure what the owners are like, but if it were my dog I would like someone to come to me with a "I'm not trying to cause problems, but I'm just trying to look out for the best interest of your dog. This is what I saw..." spiel.

If they don't know that it's going on they can't choose to stop it.
This. I would want to know if he were my dog.....
 

Teal

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#12
I would definitely say something to whoever I saw next with the dog. Bull breeds tolerate a lot and the dog might not have been really bothered by it... but it's still not necessary for her to treat someone else's dog like that.

I am that creep in the building that watches you walk your dogs. Hi.
:rofl1:
 

Bailey08

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#13
If she was hitting the dog that hard, I would tell the owners, slip them a note something. I would hate to know someone that I trusted to walk my dog was abusing it.

They would never walk my dog again.
They would never walk again.

Okay, that might be extreme. But I would absolutely want to know if anything was going on with my walker.
 

drmom777

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#14
Yeah, I have this horrible vision of someone beating Uncle Fred with a leash. I might be moved to violence, but I sure would like to know if it happened.
 
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#15
Hitting a dog in the face like that is a good way to cause even the mildest tempered dog to become reactive.

Let the owners know somehow. I'd be incredibly grateful if it were my dog.
 

RD

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#16
No excuse to hit a dog in the face for pulling on the leash. I prefer leash taps on the body to collar jerking, but if I was hiring someone to walk my dog, I'd want them to WALK it and not smack it around. I'd say something too.
 

smeagle

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#17
IMO, that is beyond bad training, it's abuse. I have said something in the past in similar situations and I'd say something again, I wouldn't be able to help myself.
 
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#18
I've seen eyes that needed removed from leash hits to keep from pulling. Not good.

I'd bet if you yelled from the window, "Hey you! Stop beating that dog!" you would be the least of that girl's problems. lol
 

yoko

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#19
If it were just taps on the back or hindquarters I wouldn't really have an issue. If Yoshi gets focused in on something I'll tap her with my foot to grab her attention. But once you start really throwing force behind it and you are hitting the face I think you've gone too far.

It doesn't sound like out right abuse. But it sounds like a VERY badly educated dog walker. I'd tell the owners in a heartbeat. I probably would have yelled out of my window at her too. I mean what's the worse she would do? Come hit me with the leash?
 

Pops2

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#20
I would definitely say something to whoever I saw next with the dog. Bull breeds tolerate a lot and the dog might not have been really bothered by it... but it's still not necessary for her to treat someone else's dog like that.



:rofl1:
this 100%
 

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