# Popped his Ball AND his Feelings...



## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

I'll lay out the story and then ask for advice?

Right, we have a small GSD training club here in town that we take part in to get more training than we can get from working on our own or at Obedience. We meet in as many places as we can to get the experience of all the different locations and types of distractions around and about.

This day we were working at a sports field following a variety of training objectives. We had three Shepherds there that day, and we bring out one at a time so we can all work with one dog with advice and help. 

I was working with Bear on Bite, Tug and Following/Chasing training with him on a long lead tied to my belt and a variety of Bite and Tug toys. While we were working a man and his son came to the field and they were kicking a soccer ball back and forth quite close to us. So we were there first, and he brought an Attractive Target with him. It was one of those lightweight brightly colored/high contrast balls. Just the thing that a dog would go nuts for.

I had Bear on a long lead and his chain collar as the Halti harness would have been in the way of the training we were doing. I had turned to look at Luzelle (our trainer) and Bear caught sight of the soccer ball the man and boy were playing with. POW! off like a shot. I looked around just in time to see Bear get to the end of the long lead, snap my heavy leather belt (without noticing) and home in on the soccer ball.

Being a lightweight thing, it didn't last long past the first bite...  Psssssss.....

Bear hadn't been mean about it, it was just another toy. I ran after him and got there just after he nabbed the ball. He gave it up to me happily with a "I killed it *good* Daddy!!" look on his face. 

There is little point I have found to letting a GSD play with an *inflated* 
ball :laugh:

The guy was mad, which I understand, and I tried to reason with him. Bear had only bitten it once, and it was a cloth cover over a rubber bladder. I apologised and explained how it could be easily fixed with a bicycle patch.

He wouldn't have any of it and wouldn't take the ball back. I explained what we were doing, and showed him how I had Bear on the lead, and my now broken belt. The belt was hanging around my knees at this point, good thing I wasn't wearing my loose jeans. 

He still wouldn't have it, and by this point I was getting curt as well. I'd even have offered to fix it and get back to him myself if he had been the least bit reasonable, but no. "It's no good to me now!" he says and drops it to walk off. Oh well.

Here's where the Hurt Feelings came into it. I picked the ball up and took Bear back to our group. Luzelle who's a little crazy, "nice but nuts", thought the whole thing was funny as heck. I had handed the ball to her, and she gave it back to Bear to play tug with, giggling like a loon the whole time. Luzelle is not Ms. Sensitivity either. Bear was just glad that the talk-talk was over. Happy to get back to the game he pitched in with enthusiasm. The ball rapidly gets a lot more deader than it had been. No point in a bicycle patch now...

Jan and Megan started laughing at Luzelle, AND at me who by that point was making StopItStopItHe'sStillHere motions and comments, and dancing around trying to get between Bear/Luzelle and Mr. Disgruntled at the edge of the park.

It only makes matters worse that he chooses that moment to shout "IT'S NOT FUNNY...!" which is so much like a Monty Python line that it didn't make *anything* better. Luzelle, Jan and Megan laugh harder. He leaves with his son, who did seem to see the humor in the situation, but wisely hadn't said anything.

I later hear through the grapevine that he made a written complain to the council over me and my dog. I know the guy he complained to, and he knows me too. I left a message with the Council guy saying that I felt bad over the incident and would help to make it better, but the guy had been unreasonable and I wasn't prepared to buy a *whole* new ball.

So...... Advice if any?


----------



## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

I would offer to buy him a new ball. He had as much right to be there playing with his kid as you did training your dog and obviously your dog needs a bit more work on "leave it" and his recall. I know things happen fast and our sometimes out of our control and when they do, then it is up to you to make them right. Not a joke of them. Fortunately his son wasn't upset about the loss of the ball. Still, the right thing to do is to replace it.


----------



## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I would definitely replace the ball. Whether he was a jerk or not is irrelevant. Your dog destroyed his property, so you need to step up and replace it.


----------



## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

DharmasMom said:


> I would offer to buy him a new ball. He had as much right to be there playing with his kid as you did training your dog and obviously your dog needs a bit more work on "leave it" and his recall. I know things happen fast and our sometimes out of our control and when they do, then it is up to you to make them right. Not a joke of them. Fortunately his son wasn't upset about the loss of the ball. Still, the right thing to do is to replace it.


Agreed.


----------



## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Replace the ball and as you were difficult about it - yes, you - you should buy him two. As soon as you discovered that your dog popped the ball, you should have been apologizing and offering a new one immediately.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

You weren't prepared to buy a new ball???? Whoa.

Buy him a new ball and appologize profusely. Teach your training group some basic manners. That is: Do not put down other people's concerns. Otherwise all of you will soon be non-gratis at the fields. And so will the rest of us.


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

In my opinion you owe him a new ball and an apology. Your dog destroyed the ball. He does not want a patched ball. You are lucky all he did was file a complaint with your club. I would have filed a complaint with the police department, animal control and anyone else who I could think of. You dog was technically off leash.


----------



## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

I *am* and was willing to help make the situation right. If I can get back in touch with him I intend to do so.

Well, that seems pretty clear, Yep, I will do everything I can to make a fix here.

Again though, I do intend on making a fix. The ill will floating around out there of not attending to a resolution is just not worth it. I'm hoping Karma will take a hand at some point.


----------



## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

shepherdmom said:


> In my opinion you owe him a new ball and an apology. Your dog destroyed the ball. He does not want a patched ball. You are lucky all he did was file a complaint with your club. I would have filed a complaint with the police department, animal control and anyone else who I could think of. You dog was technically off leash.


The area in question is zoned "Off Leash Allowed" But admittedly my dog was at the time out of my direct control.

I DID apologise, numerous times, in several ways. I *am* going to fix the situation.


----------



## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

But did you ever offer to BUY him a new ball... ****, there's no way that could really be trusted considering you guys were perfect strangers. In which case you should have compensated him in cash for the property your dog destroyed! I think he had a right to be upset, and you probably should have been a bit more apologetic... when something like this happens, trying to excuse any wrongdoing you or your dog may have had only tends to infuriate people more.


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Oskar der Drachen said:


> The area in question is zoned "Off Leash Allowed" But admittedly my dog was at the time out of my direct control.
> 
> I DID apologise, numerous times, in several ways. I *am* going to fix the situation.


Glad to hear it.  If it were me all I would want would be a new ball and a "Gosh I'm really sorry".


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I agree you need to fix the situation and just buy a new ball and apologize. It was a accident so don't dwell on it


----------



## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

Just replace the ball and move on. If the guy still wants to be an ass even after that,then that's his deal.At least you held up your end of the bargain.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Keefer got ahold of a football at the beach one day and popped it. My husband immediately walked over to the guy whose ball it was and apologized and handed the guy $20. :shrug: 

Stuff happens, but you've to take responsibility for your dog.


----------



## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Wow, the laughing would have infuriated me, too, especially since there was no offer to buy a new one.
Hope you can get one to him soon and patch the hard feelings instead of the ball.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Keefer was very pleased with himself over the purloined ball. Butthead.


----------



## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

I would have been furious. In no way would I want a PATCHED ball back that YOUR dog destroyed. Regardless of how it happened, the guy deserves more than a patched ball, that may or may not hold up.

You owe the guy a new ball, not a patched one. Off leash or not, you're lucky the guy didn't file a complaint with the police. You did not have control over your dog. You say you'll do anything to fix it, but its really pretty simple, if you see him again, give him money for a new ball.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

GSDolch said:


> I would have been furious. In no way would I want a PATCHED ball back that YOUR dog destroyed.


:thumbup:


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Another vote for buy a new ball. If you know the guy that the complaint was sent to then he should have the contact info for the guy. Buy a new ball and let him send it on to the people.


----------



## gmcwife1 (Apr 5, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> Another vote for buy a new ball. If you know the guy that the complaint was sent to then he should have the contact info for the guy. Buy a new ball and let him send it on to the people.


That was exactly what I was thinking too 

I'm sorry about the ball, our daughter had a soccer ball that Nita found. Now it's Nita's favorite toy even if it is flat - she still loves it. So good warning for us to keep an eye on her when it comes to other people's soccer balls 

I'm sorry your friends/trainer didn't help the situation with the laughing


----------



## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

Well,

Developments.

I knew the Council guy, so I gave him a call and he relayed my wishes for getting in touch with Mr. Ball. C.G did so, and talked with Mr. Ball himself first.

Turns out Mr. Ball would just as easily have forgone the ball, when he had a moment to think he realized that I *had* apologized several times, and that I *had* been careful with Bear. He told C.G. that he had seen no aggression from Bear, and in a roundabout way claimed a little responsibility for being so close to us. It had truly been an improbable accident.

His upset was with the the Trainer who had made a joke of the matter, and had then (unbeknownst to me at that point) made the matter worse when he returned to the park later by remaining completely unsympathetic and sarcastic about the matter.

He was thrilled by the fact that I was willing to buy a new ball and happily gave permission to forward his contact information. Turned out to be (after a bit of reflection) to be a reasonable sort after all, and I took a new ball round to his house that afternoon.

C.G. praised us both for being responsible and reasonable individuals. Apparently he sees plenty of the other kind in disputes over dogs. He wished us both well.

I've got a bit more to say, I've done some reflection myself, but I have to go for now.


----------



## Anitsisqua (Mar 25, 2012)

That's wonderful. I'm glad everything went so well!


----------



## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

I'm glad it all worked out. Seems like the guy's kid took it all pretty well too so no hard feelings all around. That being said, my dog would pop a ball in a second if she had the chance. There was a basketball net near us and the kids would always be leaving balls laying around when they left. Pyrate was never one to leave a ball unmolested so he got plenty of them and Raina is the same way. She has no interest in the indestructible ball I got her.


----------



## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

I'm glad that it got all worked out and the guy got a new ball. You're trainer IMO was very unprofessional and I hope he gave a formal complaint about her. I'm sure she wouldn't like it if some of her training equipment got destroyed by someone dog.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

Luzelle who's a little crazy, "nice but nuts", thought the whole thing was funny as heck. I had handed the ball to her, and she gave it back to Bear to play tug with, giggling like a loon the whole time. Luzelle is not Ms. Sensitivity either. Bear was just glad that the talk-talk was over. Happy to get back to the game he pitched in with enthusiasm. The ball rapidly gets a lot more deader than it had been. No point in a bicycle patch now...

Jan and Megan started laughing at Luzelle, AND at me who by that point was making StopItStopItHe'sStillHere motions and comments, and dancing around trying to get between Bear/Luzelle and Mr. Disgruntled at the edge of the park.

It only makes matters worse that he chooses that moment to shout "IT'S NOT FUNNY...!" which is so much like a Monty Python line that it didn't make *anything* better. Luzelle, Jan and Megan laugh harder. He leaves with his son, who did seem to see the humor in the situation, but wisely hadn't said anything.

I later hear through the grapevine that he made a written complain to the council over me and my dog. I know the guy he complained to, and he knows me too. I left a message with the Council guy saying that I felt bad over the incident and would help to make it better, but the guy had been unreasonable and I wasn't prepared to buy a *whole* new ball.

So I know how it turned out . I would have immediately made arrangements for a new ball , whole brand new ball , and apologized . I can empathize with the guy though . He has every right to be there , far and close . 
The behaviour of Luzelle and the other members was very childish and provactive , passive aggressive . The ball should have been put away instead of making it the object of fun at the guys expense .

So I check to see and find out you are in New Zealand , so that is where the "council guy" comes in , so this must have been some mutual use land for members of a housing division.
Got to share. You are lucky you still are able to work the dogs in the park.

Now if it had been USA and you had exhibited that mockery I bet you the guy would have come over for a confrontation - biff , bam, pow.

think about the people you train with --


----------



## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

carmspack said:


> Luzelle who's a little crazy, "nice but nuts", thought the whole thing was funny as heck. I had handed the ball to her, and she gave it back to Bear to play tug with, giggling like a loon the whole time.
> 
> It only makes matters worse that he chooses that moment to shout "IT'S NOT FUNNY...!"
> 
> ...


Aargh, Still have a bit to say about my own motivations good and bad, but have to leave for my classroom, 2nd installment later... Sigh


----------



## gmcwife1 (Apr 5, 2012)

Thanks for the update - sounds like it actually worked out well inspite of the trainers mistake.


----------

