Hitting Dog With Walking Stick

[HugUrPup]

Yesterday I saw an elderly man with his very very long legged dog. He had him on a lead..actually it was rope.

When the dog didn't do as he directed, he whacked him with his walking stick. The dog looked docile, but did try and pull in his own direction at times.

Not sure what to think really.

Edited December 30, 2011 by HugUrPup

[Guest lavendergirl]

Imagine it was a young man walking a dog and hitting it with a stick - what would you think then? I think sometimes we may tolerate behaviour in elderly people that would not be acceptable from a younger generation. And older people can treat animals very harshly - nobody thought anything of it years ago particularly in country communities.

[HugUrPup]

Yeh I was pretty shocked at seeing it actually. We were at the vet and he did it in front of her and she didn't say anything.

I felt so sad for the dog..I regret not saying anything now.

[Guest lavendergirl]

Don't be too hard on yourself for not saying anything if the vet didn't either - she could have suggested he access some appropriate training.

[juice]

I see an old guy walking 2 whippys, he has a big stick, when they see another dog they go off, and he hits them with the stick

I try to avoid him so his dogs don't go off at mine and get a beating.

I have seen a guy the last 2 evenings i have never seen before with a huge gsd on a long piece of rusty chain who carries a huge peice of wood with him too, not sure if its to hit his dog or anything that comes close to his.

[Simply Grand]

It's so hard to know what to do! A girl at the dog park the other day came in with her pup (maybe 6-8 months) who proceeded to run around and jump all over everyone in excitement. The owner was obviously frustrated and yelling across the park at the people the pup jumped on to push her off. When the pup eventually came back to the owner, oblivious that anything was wrong, owner grabbed her collar pushed her to the ground and yelled "don't f*@&ing jump!!" Pup clearly had no idea what was going on. I very nearly said to the owner that there's no way that's going to teach her anything, but seeing as she didn't actually hurt the dog I bit my tongue and walked away.

I don't know what I'd do if I saw someone actually hurting their dog. I doubt many people who do that would be very receptive to my input.

Juice, those poor whippies May well be lovely well behaved dogs if they weren't hit by their owner all the time!

[Simply Grand]

If any vets/vet staff would feel comfortable commenting, would you say anything in the OP situation?

[mumof4girls]

I have done it before when a woman was belting her 3 yr old daughter in a trolley.. Silly cow gave me a mouth full but I let her know what I thought

I would of said something but then I get myself into trouble a lot with my mouth I just can't keep it shut half the time...

[SkySoaringMagpie]

With the dog park example, I would have said "that won't fix it". Up to her then if she wants to call me an effing b****, or if she wants to say "OK, how do I fix it then if you're so smart?". The thing is, if you are going to say something what you say has to have solutions in it, not just "that's wrong". I mean, given a choice, most people are just frustrated and would rather not be frustrated.

With the old guy, I agree that older people get more latitude and they shouldn't always. In that situation the vet is the same situation as an obedience instructor or another professional. They are the professional and it was their premises. I would leave it to them to handle, unless the whole thing is clearly out of control.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Double post gremlins, crap wireless connection, etc.

Edited December 30, 2011 by SkySoaringMagpie

[Sabbath]

On Christmas day I went to visit my parents. My Grandfather was there also. He's in his late 80's. I took my dog with me as he's always with me and welcome to be there. It was the first time my grandfather had met my dog (Bender, 11 month old Amstaff). His first question was 'Do you keep him on a chain at home?'. I was reminded instantly of how some old people view dogs. Things have changed. Some people haven't.

[Guest Willow]

This happened at a local council-run "doggy fun day" a couple of years back. A guy with a dog walked through the crowd and whacked his dog with a big stick when he pulled. there was a collective intake of breath, and after ashocked pause, my friend, who is a behaviourist, quietly approached him and had a chat. Turned out he was from a country where this is "the done thing" and had no idea it wasn't the acceptable thing to do, and she showed him a few techniques, and he went off all smiles and thank you's.....it was how he had been raised, and he had no idea what he was doing was the wrong thing.

[Simply Grand]

I think that's the issue, most people don't mean to be cruel, they just don't realise how dogs interpret what they do and that there are much more effective training methods available.

[Christina]

I have done it before when a woman was belting her 3 yr old daughter in a trolley.. Silly cow gave me a mouth full but I let her know what I thought

I would of said something but then I get myself into trouble a lot with my mouth I just can't keep it shut half the time...

me too. I can't stand seeing any animal or child mistreated.

The vet may not have said anything because the vet doesn't think there is anything wrong with this kind of discipline. They vary in their ways too.

I also don't think its an old people thing. Many old people that I know & in my family would not do this to a dog & some young people do think its ok

You have to do what you are comfortable with doing or saying.

[pepe001]

I met a guy one day with a lovely little red (but timid) ACD. He saw it coping a flogging in town one day and asked the man if he would like to sell the pup and flashed a $50 note. Problem solved. But I guess this only works if you want a new dog.