www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Before I start this, please let me state absolutely categorically that I have no vendetta against well behaved or inquisitive dogs. A dog that wanders up to me while snapping butterflies to see, and sniff, what it is I'm looking at can be mildly frustrating when it sends the butterfly off, but people do that too. If the owner also comes over to find out what I'm doing I can perhaps enlighten them a little about the species.
A dog that threatens, or a dog that seeks to control by jumping up on you does not come under that category. Owners seem oblivious to the muddy pawmarks on clothing and risk of damage to your camera, only seeing their little, or not so little, bundle of joy seemingly making a fuss of a complete stranger. A dog that bit me recently as I walked past was probably asserting itself as pack leader, a dangerous state of affairs, particularly when the owner seemed to think it was my fault because he had not bitten previous walkers they'd encountered.
The most recent encounter was when the owner remonstrated with me for yelling at her dog to get down, saying if I didn't want to get muddy then I shouldn't go into the woods. These 'woods' are public footpaths and it was the last straw.
So I bought a sonic device called a dog chaser. It apparently emits an ultrasonic sound that dogs can find unpleasant, causing them to back off. I checked with a neighbour who is a police dog handler who saw nothing wrong in doing this. They don't harm the dog and they're not illegal.
I repeat, I have no intention of misusing this device, and will use it sparingly. I know it is not the dog's fault that an owner has no idea how to train their pet, but it is the dog that is at the front end.
I have heard of instances where the devices have been misused, turning neighbourhood dogs into quivering wrecks, which is not what I am about, but I would appreciate reasoned feedback on whether they work, and whether they are humane when used sensibly.
Thanks.

It is true that there is no such thing as a bad dog only a bad dog owner!


Angie

Last spring I was attacked by a stupid dog, watched helplessly by its even more stupid owner. Can you tell me where you got it, what its called and how much it costs? I now carry a stick if I dont have a camera on a monopod.

If I got one, could it be adjusted to work on the owners?

M.

Some stupid dog tried to attack our Barn Owl when we were flying him, the owner said, " he always chases birds".
We're getting an Eagle Owl in the next few weeks, I can't wait to see that fluffy little b@@@@@rd try and chase him


Gruditch

Mmm. That device should stop crowds of teenagers milling around you too, scaring the butterflies off with their binge-drinking and swearing! It works in shopping centres, apparently.

I'm glad this discussion focussed on the owners, not the dogs, who generally behave impeccably by the well laid-down protocols of dog society. But it's not always about training, because a lot of (the best) dog owners get their animals from refuges and inherit problems from the previous owner. That is certainly my case - my dog had been in and out of the refuge twice before I took her on and swore never to abandon her. There are some traits I simply cannot train out of her. The thing is to be aware of those traits and manage them so they don't affect others. My dog snaps viciously at strangers who look her in the eye and make clicking noises when she is on the lead in enclosed spaces (frankly, I don't blame her). Thus, I muzzle her on trains or in crowds, and often cover her eyes as people go past, and I have had no incident since I first discovered this.

Responsible owners recognise the dog's actions as an extension of their own and answer for them. Irresponsible owners wash their hands of the dog's actions, getting dogs a bad name.

Guy

I once worked for a government dept where I had ocasionally to make house calls at some less-than-salubrious addresses. I was issued with a 'dog-dazer' in case of problems. I found that it worked very well (although it tended to have cats frantically climbing the nearest tree) and I came to depend on it. One day, however, it let me down and I was bitten. I then discovered the offending dog was stone deaf.
Alex

This is sounding encouraging. At least Guy, the board's favourite dog owner, hasn't thrown his hands up in horror at responsible use of such devices. The teenagers thing refers to those things called Mosquitos which work on a similar principle although if a 25 year old can hear those then they are probably operating at a lower frequency than the dog versions. It's also possible that butterflies and other creatures could be disturbed by ultrasonic sounds as well so these things should in any case be used sparingly.
I haven't had the opportunity to try mine yet as I am currently indoors with a stinking cold. The only opportunity was last Friday when the most recent offenders actually put their dogs on leads when they saw me. See? Owners CAN be trained. I encountered 3 other dogs that day and all were on leads or well behaved. Even the neighbourhood moggy that craps on my lawn has been absent.
For those that are interested, there are two versions for hand held use, one called the Dog Dazer, the other the Dog Chaser. The latter is available for less although I have no idea if it is inferior. I got the Dog Chaser from ebay for £9 including postage from a DIY seller. It works on a PP3 battery which is not supplied.

I'd be interested to know if it works. Guy, do you meet alot of strangers that make clicking noises?

last summer i was in the local wood when a large dog started barking at me.... the owner said it was because he ( the dog ) did not like hats.
needless to say i kept my hat on.

charles

last summer i was in the local wood when a large dog started barking at me.... the owner said it was because he ( the dog ) did not like hats.

What sort of hat was the dog wearing?

Does anyone else find dog excrement a problem on certain reserves? Particularly near the car park areas where the poor canines relieve themselves after an hours drive in a tiny vehicle.

Nutrient enrichment caused my dog fouling is also becoming a real problem in certain areas...

Britians doggy population produces almost 50,000 tons of excrement per year!!!

Felix

Britians doggy population produces almost 50,000 tons of excrement per year!!!

....and it seems like most of it is trapped on the soles of my walking boots nearly every time I go out!

I actually make a point of thanking dog owners who I see collecting the stuff.

Why do some of them hang it from bushes though?

I find that an extended (camera free) monopod swung from the bottom end will encouage owners to call their little precious back

Roger

I've no idea what these dog tasers are like, but if individuals can sort things out harmlessly, if not actually amicably, between themselves it's far better than having government wade in with yet more rules, regulations and bans!!

If any of you who are not dog owners do decide to use a taser, it's worth knowing a little about dog learning to use it most effectively and humanely. Dogs learn extremely rapidly through emotion-free conditioning (emotion tends to confuse the simple stimulus/response pattern because it's rarely consistent). Thus, when you see dog X tearing towards you, you say something specific and memorable, then shortly afterwards fire the taser. Dog runs away. If dog X approaches you again, say the same tagword and shortly afterwards fire the taser (unless the dog turns and runs, in which case, don't fire because the association is already there). As little as a single repetition, if the taser is sufficiently unpleasant, will create an indelible association and thereafter the word alone will work with dog X.

Inconsistent, random or emotional use of what is effectively a punishment is likely to screw up the dog's education and make it hate you!! The same is, of course, true for children - something a great many parents and teachers, like dog-owners, have tragically failed to grasp.

Guy

PS - Lance - yes, a lot of people out here, particularly old ladies, think it is cool to grin at a dog and click. My dog interprets this gesture as a threat and responds with an ivory kiss...

Gruditch wrote:Some stupid dog tried to attack our Barn Owl when we were flying him, the owner said, " he always chases birds".
We're getting an Eagle Owl in the next few weeks, I can't wait to see that fluffy little b@@@@@rd try and chase him


Gruditch

Trying to arrange for the dog to be killed and eaten seems a bit extreme

Hopefully I will get her off before she kills the dog, but I will look to the woman when I'm freeing her little darling from the owls talons, and quite lamely say "sorry but she always chases dogs".

Gruditch

Felix wrote:
What sort of hat was the dog wearing?

it would have to be an, ahem, pith helmet

charles

Felix wrote:Does anyone else find dog excrement a problem on certain reserves?

Felix

in Brampton wood nature reserve the offenders carefully package up the substance in plastic bags then thoughtfully leave the bags
on the ground.... needless to say there is a suitable receptacle provided by the entrance

charles

Thanks for the tips, Guy.
The device I got is called a 'Dog Chaser' and I suspect it isn't really loud enough to deter nuisance dogs. Since I got it, not one dog has misbehaved so admit to trying it out on a neighbourhood cat. It was less than six feet away and meowing to me. I pointed the device at it and pressed the button. The cat visibly flinched but didn't turn tail, just looked at me. I tried it on another cat that was about ten feet away and it totally ignored it. Oh well, it was only £9. I think the one called 'Dog Dazer' would probably be more effective.
I'm beginning to learn how to be uninteresting to dogs as well. I find that instead of continuing to walk towards a dog in order to pass it, it's better to stand aside, ignore it, and let it pass.