One of the many reasons we visit Dog Beach on Sundays is to meet up with our friend Carla, and her dogs JD and Kayne. This Mother's Day we were also lucky enough to be joined by Carla's daughter and her boyfriend, as well as Carla's sister Gail.
As we're walking along, sipping our coffees, a herding breed about twice the size of Riptide tries to corral him, barking and nipping at him. While Riptide is a big fan of the chase, he has no tolerance for being treated like sheep. He let the dog know to back off with a few jumps and nips back. The dog went after Tempest, as well, who quickly responded with her "angry bumblebee" reaction. A quick succession of bites and growls that leaves nothing to the imagination of her true feelings.
We quickly separated ourselves from the dog, trying to avoid a fight. A few yards later, he's at it again with Riptide. Riptide fights back, turning in to an aggressive tussle on both ends. I grabbed the collar of the other dog to get it off mine, and accidentally removed the collar. The owners barely moved to even see what was up, but I gave them back their collar with a "sorry, but your dog won't leave my dog alone, so I had to separate them." No response, and then they just walk past us.
Okay... So, we stop so they can go further down the beach away from us. If two dogs fight, they will continue if they share the space, no matter how many times you separate them.
Next thing you know, the herder is aggressively barking and nipping at an older brown lab in the water (this is after it charged and tried to herd several other dogs). It was clear the lab was uncomfortable, yet the herder's owners didn't even call him. ARGH!
We watched, stunned, and they let their dog bully every dog in its path. Carla finally lost her temper and yelled at them to control their dog and get in on a leash, if only to calm it down for a few minutes. A few words were exchanged, and we then distanced ourselves from them even further.
What started as a relaxing morning turned in to no fun for everyone.
I know those owners just thought their dog was "being a dog", but I am calling out to all of you with herding breeds. We know it's their nature, but other dogs don't like it. And while you might consider it playing or harmless, the other dog will let you know if it is annoying, agitating or downright unacceptable. Please watch and listen. Call you dog if it is harassing another. It may seem all in good fun, but that's how ugly fights happen. And if one dog is much larger or stronger than the other, the result can be tragic.
Let's all pay a little attention to our dogs. Not just how they are reacting to other dogs, but also how the other dog is reacting to yours. The beach should be fun. Let's keep it that way.
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