I'm on a train with my lovely 15 month old boy. Travelling from London to Glasgow. My dog has been as good ad gold. Then a hideous chav got on and started quizzing me all about him (mainly how much he cost). Grabbing him and shoving his face into his face. Telling me he had 3 pitbulls.

It's the first time my boy has ever growled at a person, but it didn't stop the guy. I kept asking him to stop putting his face into my dogs face as he was clearly scaring him. A man who tried to speak to the guy got a mouthfull of abuse.

Then he took hold of the lead, making out it was twisted round my dogs leg. It wasn't, but it was attached to me. Finally he gave up and went off looking for something else to steal.

Very proud of my boy. He growled at an obviously aggressive man, but calmed down when I comforted him and had been fine with everyone who has come to pet him since.

Well done for staying calm and your boy is a good lad for figuring out this guy was a wrong un' and yet being ok with other people. Scary experience for you both though!

Thanks theemx. I'm annoyed that I wasn't more assertive in protecting my dog. The man was so persistent he just kept manhandling him. I was just worried that an angry response from me would make things worse. A family friend was stabbed to death on a train simply for looking over when a druggie was getting violent.

As usual my dog has handled the whole situation better than me. He is now asleep, while I'm still traumatised.

My previous dog would have bitten in the same situation. I keep wondering if this man was trying to get my dog to bite so he could justify getting violent.

I doubt it, I suspect he WAS trying to steal him but I also think if he had bitten then it would have started a fight, and if you had said 'he will bite you' that would have started something as well.

Its all very well thinking what you could have done, but even if you HAD a plan for such an eventuality, the chances are you wouldn't have been able to action it.

In future on trains, don't have your dog where people can see him if at all possible (hard though). I prefer to put my dog on the inside seat, on his blanket, where he is safe from passing people but anyone trying to sit opposite us (if we have a table seat) is aware there is a dog there, as on the floor, paws get stepped on and people don't realise there is a dog (and don't HEAR you when  you SAY there is a dog) and then freak out...

Yes, my intention is always to put him on the floor next to the inside seat. But as he is big and very curious about what's going on around him, it is difficult to keep him there for long without constantly feeding him. He was on his vet bed at my feet, but visible to anyone passing.

Shorter journeys are much easier.

I'm just glad nothing bad happened in the end. I think you're right that theft was the man's intent. He took the lead and kept trying to work out how to get it off me. I think he came onto the train to steal something - anything he could get.

That sounds like a terrible experience Toon. We've all been there where we think afterwards 'I could've done this, that or the other' but the chances are you did the right thing as he went in the end. Don't beat yourself over it. There are some weird folks out there.

As dogs travel free they are not supposed to use the seats (same as toddlers who are supposed to sit on a lap), and anyway I think putting a dog on a seat when fellow passengers then have to use it after *no matter WHO careful hair or worse may get transfered), is disrespectful.

I always used the one seating area on the train that doesn't have a table so the dog is visible and people can choose if they would rather not be close, and of course avoid them being stood on.

With a young puppy or dog small enough to fit in a smallish very light crate/carrier, having them contained is best.  My friend recently took a pup up to Scotland on the train using a lightweight fabric crate (24 x 18 inch arched).  Which was easily carried onto the train and erected once on.

Of course I sympathise with the OP over the overbearing fellow passenger, and that is something that should be reported to transport authorities (inspector or other train staff).

I do generally agree with that Brainless, about dogs on seats, but unfortunately I have travelled SO many times now on trains where the vast majority of other travellers have their ears and eyes switched OFF, I am no longer willing to have my dog stood on or screeched at in order to remain respectful.

At stations, he is up on the window seat on his blanket, this way people getting on can see him, people getting off won't step on him either. The number of times I have said to people about to sit down, particularly at table seats, 'I have a dog under the table, just so you are aware' and they have NOT heard me (because usually their ears are off and their minds are switched onto 'commute, do not speak to other humans' mode) and then they have stepped on the dog or sat down and he has moved and touched them and they have FREAKED out... I find it is safer this way.

Between stations he lies on the floor as he is more comfortable this way, and it is safer (particularly as if you are on the side where other trains are passing, a dog sitting in the window seat can be REALLY scared by that).

I guess if I was traveling with a much larger dog who did not fit on a seat, I would do things differently, but having had a dog stepped on who screamed and then nipped the person because she would NOT move (the incident lasted so long I had time to say 'you are standing on my dogs tail thats why she is screaming, please move your feet!' and was ignored!), and then had the hassle of this woman accusing my dog of being vicious and dangerous, I won't take that risk any more.

That is why I won't sit at table seats when travelling with a dog.  If there are none without tables then I will sit on the pull out by the doors.

When i used to travel on the train with my GSD Louie, I travelled in the carriage behind the engine which was large and had seats round the perimeter, it was primarily for wheelchair users and bikes, would that not be an option in your case Theemx ?. Sounds pretty traumatic in the general carriages.

I dont blame you.I have to use the bus and had my dog,with a foot injury,going to the vets,on the floor,in front of the inside seat,i sat on the outside seat.Some woman decided I was being selfish ,hogging the whole seat(plenty more seats vacant)and asked"can I sit there duck?"feeling Id no choice,I asked her to be careful of my dog,and moved up,accidently hurting my poor dog myself!Was cross,and wished Id said Id got a poorly dog on the floor and could she sit elsewhere.I hope Id be braver,now!

Fortunately I don't have to make train journeys with dogs these days, last time I did, I did look for an alternative to sitting in the main carriage but couldn't find one, I would always recommend sitting ANYWHERE but the main carriage though, commuters and dogs are just a bad combination (how is a dog to handle someone yakking on their phone, staring at their laptop and gesticulating wildly with a sandwhich, in the hand nearest the aisle - from the dogs point of view theres just a sandwhich, unsupervised, being waved around!).

Quite!

This guy is lucky he didn't get bitten! What a terrible thing to have happened to you both. My african dog was a guard dog in Africa before she came to me so if it had been us she would definitely have bitten him.

I'm annoyed that I wasn't more assertive in protecting my dog.

Nooo....  :-)

You reacted perfectly the proof is in the pudding, your dog is safe, you are safe, no-one was hurt and the 'thing' causing the trouble left!

It doesn't matter that you think you should have played super hero, we all think that at times, what we just need to remember is if everyone is ok at the end the right choices were made, so don't even think that way.

I travel everywhere by car today, will happily pay extortionate prices to park my car in London or wherever I am going for this very reason, was there CCTV on the train? Trouble is people are so petrified in situations like this they often don't report menacing things like this, once you are safe might be worth just phoning the station and asking them to look at the CCTV and alert the police to this man making you and others feel threatened, I know with no crime the police won't do anything, but he may be known to the area?

Keep safe and well done to your dog. x

Yes, you're right, the main thing is that we're both fine. I've replayed the incident in my head many times and think he may have kicked to dog if I'd tried to stand up to him.  He was agitated as if on drugs. If it were ever to happen again I think I would try to stand up and move the dog onto the inside seat behind me. However, I hope it never comes to that.

The man moved off into other carriages and must have caused more bother as there was an announcement a little while later warning people to keep their belongings secure and to report any suspicious activity to staff. It struck me that he might regularly board these trains looking for bags to steal from the luggage racks. I mentioned him later to a member of staff and she said she was aware of him.

That's good, I'm glad that you mentioned him. :-) At least they were aware, shame they didn't throw him off!

Everyone is so powerless in situations like this, you know someone is up to no good, they may as well be wearing a sign on their forehead we can all feel it through to our bones, but it's not good enough is it?.......... you can't arrest someone for knowing your own instincts, I have no doubt you are right in what you thought he would do, we are all good at reading people, the blessing is he didn't because you didn't react in a way for him to,

Alas, it's not worth replaying it over and over as I can assure you he won't be doing the same,  he won't even remember you or your dog he'll be onto the next thing....... people like this always are........... let's just hope he will eventually be arrested, and not at anyones expense. :-(

If you feel threatened by someone's behaviour it constitutes an assault.  If there is cctv to back up the threatening behaviour it may well be sufficient to get the man arrested.  I think probably that would not be enough to even scare someone like this but the police may be looking for a reason to arrest this man so that they can then go further with other investigations.

You're very lucky dogs can travel on the trains there, here they can't unless there is a special carriage on the train and the driver or any staff can refuse if they want to so they carriage may not be on, and even if it is they can say no anyway.... sigh.

Its a good job your dog did not bite, if he had you could have ended up with being charged under the DDA & al that would have meant to your dogs futor.

Please yourself if you & others scoff at this post but what I am saying is right 'in law'.