To have shouted at this dog owner

[swanandduck]

I am terrified of dogs. I can't help it, I've always had that fear. I was walking up the road in the snow yesterday and a woman was walking down, with a ski pole to keep her balance, and her two dogs running around, not on leads. I called out to her asking her to put them on leads as I don't like dogs and she ignored my request and one of them came tearing up at me barking his head off. I was petrified and, when she had half heartedly called him off, I shouted at her that it was a public road and she should have them on a lead. She just walked off and ignored me.
Why, why, why do some dog owners think it's okay to let their pets jump all over strangers, even when the strangers are quite clearly afraid of dogs. On what level do they think this behaviour is acceptable? I always make it quite clear, by putting my two hands in the air and backing away, that I'm afraid of dogs, but the owners never bloody bother to grab the dog by the collar or to have him on a lead in the first place.

[narkypuffin]

Never put your hands in the air. Dogs are protective of their owners particularly female owners. If you raise your hands above your head they're likely to see that as a threat.

[everydayishalloween]

This really annoys me. I have two dogs myself and would not dream of letting them wander along the road not on their leads. I would be mortified if they jumped all over a stranger. As a dog owner you cannot assume that everybody likes dogs or most importantly that everybody understands dogs and are able to interpret whether a dog is acting in a threatening way or a friendly/excited way.

I am totally sick of seeing dogs running alongside their owner on the pavement (especially some of the breeds bred for aggression). My dogs get over excited when seeing another dog and I am terrified that while I would be able to control my dogs on their leads a leadless dog would be uncontrolable by it's owner.

[berri]

Useful narkypuffin!

YANBU - I know how you feel and got bitten by a dog last year, completely unprovoked. I don't understand why people who haven't got their dogs under control think it's fine for huge strong animals with big teeth to come careering towards strangers!

It's horribly frightening, whether you are a 'dog-person' or not - and it's definitely not unreasonable to ask politely them to be put on a lead if they are not in a park or similar.

[lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs]

you were not unreasonable and i am a dog owner. If I see other dogs on lead, I lead mine and he is never off lead on public street (I couldnt trust him to not run off)!

Now my dog is only a puppy and still in training. I will admit, he will run up to people in the park but does not jump or bark at them, he will normally circle them once and if no reaction him will come straight back.
We do try hard but dogs sometimes are a mind of their own.

In future, cross your arms and turn your back, works with most dogs ime.

[TwilaAndTinsel]

OP I don't blame you for being scared of dogs and sometimes their owners but don't do that!

I know that it seems sensible to you but you'd be better off gritting your teeth and trying to ignore or squaring up to them if necessary. The dogs that is.

[littleducks]

I have given up telling the truth to bad dog owners, by the time the dog has jumped on me I assume they obv dont give a shit about people disliking or being scared of dogs

So i now claim to have 'allergies' so thy dont allow them to touch me

[JodiesMummy]

Someone shouted at me yesterday because my dog ran up to him and his vile agressive dog in a friendly way - he actually tried to kick my dog!! But, I was in the wrong my dog should have been on a lead so I said sorry and carried on.

[hairyfairylights]

YANBU. I hate it when owners say 'oh don't worry, he won't bite'

I feel like saying 'get your horribly smelly, dribbly animal off me!'

(over-reaction I know, but I don't like dogs, generally)

[hatesponge]

YANBU

I've seen quite a few small children knocked over (unintentionally) by boisterous dogs that weren't on leads. Normally preceded by the sentence 'Oh, he/she's just being friendly

What if you had been elderly and/or infirm?

I think its a bit irresponsible of dog owners tbh, especially in the current weather.

[PaisleyLeaf]

Some owners even seem to think that you're having some sort of treat by having their uncontrolled dog all over you.
"oh he's just saying hello" / "oh he loves children" etc

[wannaBe]

about a year ago a dog not-on-a-lead ran up to me and my dog on...

...

...

...
The platform of reading station.

[narkypuffin]

Just being practical Berri

The OP is scared of dogs and it's bloody unlikely that evey dog owner is going to keep their pet on a lead regardless of how reasonable/unreasonable it is.

"cross your arms and turn your back, works with most dogs ime."

Really good advice. If you don't feel able to turn your back, try looking down instead so you're not looking straight at the dog.

[JodiesMummy]

I agree MJ - I dont need shouting at like a naughty child about my own dog!

[nancydrewrockinaroundxmastree]

hairy that is eactly how I feel!

I do not want stinky dog slobber anywhere near me or my DC's thanks.

[Kitta]

YANBU, my old dog, who was extremely well trained and always walked to heel, was still kept on a lead unless we were in an enclosed area and I could be sure that there was no one else around.

I would second the poster, who advised against putting your hands in the air, better to back away and don?t make or maintain eye contact

It is completely irresponsible of the owners

[narkypuffin]

Mjinsparklystockings dogs can be so protective of babies and small children. It's great but it does mean they can be a bit hyper-vigilant.

[nancydrewrockinaroundxmastree]

I don't understand why people can't just be a bit considerate.

We walked past our neigbours house recently and their dog was in the front garden and started bounding over to the gate barking and bouncing all over the place. DS (4) was terrified and started screaming, he had no idea that the dog couldn't "get" him and was besides himself.

Our neighbour (who we didn't know) shouted at DS that thanks to his behaviour her dog was now scared.

It riles me sooooo much

[narkypuffin]

All you can do is manage your own behaviour. Obviously screaming is going to get a dog worked up and barking more. But trying to explain that to a terrified 4 year old isn't going to work.

In that case though NancyDrew what was the owner supposed to do? The dog was contained and on his property.

[narkypuffin]

Apart from not shouting at a frightened child obviously.

[christmaswishes]

I get annoyed that I always have my dog on the lead wether it is walking past people with a dog or without but some of the dog ones never do the same. My dog is a terrier and it is wary of some dogs so sometimes growls at them . When a bounding dog whose not on a lead comes over she will snap at it sometimes and then that one tries to attack my dog, usually big dogs attack mine and my dog is small. Then the owner obviously sees mines on lead and when its attacking mine they just stand their don't even come rushing over. Its just rude. So you tell them to put it on lead as I have mine on and they swear at you and try to blame you ! X

[narkypuffin]

Unfortunately GiddyPickle you're never going to get all dog owners to keep their pets under control. It just won't happen. There are people out there who let their dogs poo and don't clear it up. They obviously aren't going to consider anyone else's feelings.

I'm not saying that it's the terrified child/adult's 'fault' I'm saying that they are going to encounter dogs who may not be under the owners control. All they or their parents can do is try to find ways to help them deal with it.

[swanandduck]

What really annoys me is the way the dog owner makes you feel that your the one in the wrong for getting upset, instead of realising it's their responsibility to keep their dog under control. I even had one idiot say to me 'don't worry, he's not frightening'. I mean WTF???