for wanting to walk in the park without being bounced on by giant b*stard dogs?

Totally agree with OP.

And on a less serious note, does anyone else find fanjo-sniffing dogs bloody embarrassing?

I am wary of all dogs no matter how friendly they may appear to be. Even a "friendly" dog has the potential to turn nasty when provoked or even when not.

My aunt's labrador was kept in a home where they could not properly exercise it due to their poor health. It was totally unsuitable for these people to care for. That animal jumped up on numerous occasions bearing its teeth to visitors (they said it was playing and being friendly!). The dog may well have acted friendly but we had to ask them to keep the dog well away from DS as a result. He was frightened of this dog.

My son has never approached a dog alone outdoors but we've certainly had dogs bounding up to him in parks running very fast and baring teeth. I've been very wary, my son was scared. Some people forget that a large dog can look enormous to a small child and terrifying to boot particularly when all they can see is teeth bared.

Why are there not more dog wardens employed in parks?.

I realise that there are many responsible dog owners but the irresponsible ones are tarring all owners with the same brush.

Getting back to the original topic I would agree with bohemianbint's initial posting.

Cylonbabe - you do come out with a lot of shallow, narrow minded stuff dont you!
We have a very big dog and he is fantastic! Best friends with my dd 2.5 and a valued member of our family, we love him very much!

However, I do agree about owners that do not have control over their dogs, especially in parks where kids will play. I take my dog up the downs and let him off. He loves it up there! He doesnt jump at people though, He is more interested in sniffing around and playing catch.

Jomist - what would you define as a 'specific dog exercise area' - I've never seen any round here. Do you think dogs should be on leads in woodland or fields? If so, then how on earth would the dog get sufficient exercise - they need to run.

havn't read the thread but am lol at "giant bastard dogs"

Yes I agree there are horrible stories about dog maulings etc and you should be able to go to the park and not be attacked however friendly the intention. I suppose I just feel strongly that dogs are innately genuinely friendly, loyal and innocent, it is only some dogs that are vicious and mostly its the owners faults for being too soft on them or ignoring their behaviour. Happy walking for us all and it would be sad if we ended up with specific dog walking areas as if that's the answer to everything, ie specific children areas etc for people who cant stand children, I could bring in religion and race but I don't want to offend anyone.

Agree totally with shandybass...with EVERY word she said.

I can't believe people on here actually make a blanket statement such as 'I hate dogs' I don't think people who say 'I hate .....anything' should be parents. I'm sorry, but do you also say, 'I hate old people, I hate cats...'I hate (fill in your preferred ethnic/racial group here' people...BTW...a lot of people also 'hate' kids too...Maybe they don't want you and your kids around them...well you sound just like these people.

I too am a responsible dog owner, and as soon as I hear somebody say...'I hate dogs' I say well I don't associate with people who make such blanket comments because I don't want DD to have anything to do with narrow-minded, judgmental people.

However, as an American and a dog lover, why oh why can't dogs in this country be required to be on a leash. My dog is always on a leash here. This is the law in the US except in dog parks, or on private land or whatever.

I'm scared every day of a dog running up to us not on a leash, and it's even worse because I have a dog too...a big, black one..BTW, I think a lot of people are more scared of black dogs..probably the same people that are racists.

Why is there so much hate in the world? Think about the message you are sending
to your children when you use this word. I don't like cats, but I never say 'I hate them' because they are very cute...just like dogs better, and I guess we would get a cat for DD one day if she begged hard enough for one.

It's horrible that so many kids are growing up to hate dogs...Studies have proven that kids who terrorize dogs and small animals sometimes move up to harm people. Think about this.

When I was 6 months pg with dd3 we were walking back from the cinema when an enormous mutt ran at us, snarling, and jumped up to land both paws on my bump. It almost knocked me flat & dh was trying to get it away while its owners sauntered past us - they didn't even let on
Plus dh spends most lunch hours in a park near his office & he's lost count of the number of times he's lost his lunch to roving mutts who quite literally snatch it out of his hands while the owners are oblivious. He also then has to sit in the office all afternoon with his trousers covered in mud & dog slobber.
Dogs should be kept on leads anywhere other than specified dog exercise areas & should always be cleaned up after. Hats off to the owners who do this & the owners who don't shouldn't be allowed to have the damn things.

Shandy I have to admit to being intolerant of dogs, simply because I am so sick of having to carefully navigate my three young DCs through a minefield of dog poo all along the streets several times each day. I agree with you its irresponsible owners who cause this intolerance and I think its a real shame as the dogs themselves are lovely, its just some of the owners who don't seem to realise that a bit of responsible action can help dogs and non-dog-owners live happily side by side.

I'm not surprised people get paranoid. Could be something to do with children in the press having their faces ripped to pieces or killed by dogs. Sure there are responsible owners and irresponsible owners but I wonder how many who have been attacked by a dog have been told it's never bitten anyone before.

I believe all dogs should by law have to be kept on a lead other than in specific dog exercise areas.

I have taught my children never to run when a dog is playing in a park because they might think they are a plaything. However, I should be able to take my children to a park to play without having to worry about dogs bounding up to them and barking at them scaring them out of their wits.

Honestly I can't believe why people this day and age have got to be so critical of dogs and anything which is not completely predictable and clean. Its a poor indictment of society today that dogs get such a bad press. If people were less paranoid and taught their children to respect and understand animals the country would be a lot friendlier place. I am a responsible dog owner and was brought up on a farm and I am amazed at the number of people who are terrified of dogs and think it is such a shame as they are missing out on a lot of joy. Dog owners who do not discipline, respect and care for their dogs contribute to this paranoia and intolerant society.

RB the type of dog and the type of owners you describe should both be outlawed .

Have you ever noticed the thicker the owner the more vicious the dog.

Ripeberry

Thank goodness your DH got a swift kick in, something horrible could have happened.

I find that its the owners of the dogs who are the problem.
My mother has her own dog who is usually no trouble, but my mum a few years ago used to encourage another dog into the house (next-door neighbours).
This dog was a latch-key dog and would be running around the estate by itself until its owner came back.
I hated that dog, always called it the devil dog as it was a massive black staffie with the most scarry mouth ever and my mum used to think it was fun to let these dogs run round and round the house.
By the way my mum has manic depression and we did not know it at the time but she was in the middle of having a "manic" episode.
Anyway, one day we were visiting with my DD1 who was only 6 months old at the time.
Then she goes and lets in the devil dog so of course i get all protective and mum reluctantly lets the dog back out.
A couple of hours later we were just leaving and getting into our car when that devil dog leaps for my DH who was holding DD1 in her car seat.
Of course he did anything to get this dog away and gave it a swift kick in the muzle.
THEN, the layabout, dope smoking owner shouts from his window, "How dare you kick my dog!" "i'm coming down to kill you f*s".
Well, we did not hang about and drove off pretty damn fast.
Did not visit my mum again for a couple of months but by then she was in hospital anyway due to her mania.
I live in the countryside and i find people more responsible with their dogs but on estates its a totally different matter as they are only kept for status and are never trained.
In the end, the owners are the ones to blame, its not the poor dogs fault.
AB

...or even "started"!

I agree totally bohenianbuint. We were in a park the other week picnicking. I was BFing the baby while DH played with the other two children and this frigging mutt kept coming over trying to eat our picnic food from the rug. I really wanted to throw something at it but restrained myself. The owners were picknicing nearby and I couldn't bring myself to confront them and wasn't clear about what the rules were about dogs in that park. Also our daugher was playing with their daughter and I didn't want to spoil it.

Howevere, it spoiled our afternoon as it meant we couldn't relax and had to keep protecting our food from this mutt.

When we were leaving we walked past a big sign saying "dogs must be kept on leads!!

As for people who let their dogs crap everywhere - well just don't get me sarated!

I am scared my child will be bitten by someone else's dog in the park. I think they should all be on leads.

And obviously owners should also clear up after them

We have neighbours who have a big nasty fighting dog type animal. It has recently learnt to leap over the 6ft fence we paid for to keep it out. It would have landed on dd (9 months) if DH not fought it off. Now I cannot relax in our garden.

When I complain the response "its my right to have dogs innit" and "its cruel to tie them up". Surely its cruel to keep big dogs in tiny one bedroom flats in the middle of London?

Personally think you should only have dogs if you live on a farm. Know I will get berated by dog owners but cant stand them. Was bitten on the face by labrador when a child and still remember the injustice of the owner telling my mum it was my fault for teasing it when I knew I hadnt

Rant over!

Sorry Droile but I'm PMSL at your doggy stories!!

I don't hate dogs, we had one when I was a child. I dislike them running loose though and think that some owners should take the time to appreciate that dogs 'being friendly' ie sniffing and jumping up isn't everyone's cup of tea.

I love my cats (although they live with DH1 as DP is allergic

I'm a cat persons. Cats might bring in dead things, but at least they don't try and hump your leg

Dogs are smelly too - how come dog owners aren't aware of this fact. I can spot a dog owners house at ten paces these days. My SiL has three large dogs and the entire house REEKS!

NB I'm sure Mumsnet dog owners have nice smelling houses in spite of the dogs but honestly, give your dogs a sniff now and then, they do pong!

My sister was attacked by a dog when she was small had has been scared of them ever since.
I remember this big black dog, (no owner in sight) running at her and barking and jumping on her biting.
My mother folded up the buggy and beat the dog to get it off my sister (she half killed it).
This was at least 26 years ago but I still remember my sister screaming and all the blood.

Not a smart retort, but when the dogs jump up on my smart children I the idiot owner says "don't worry, he's only playing" I say "And how would you feel if a 6 foot dog came and jumped up on you?" My DS1 is now scared of dogs which is a shame.

The just don't think that children are little and the dogs are probably bigger than they are. Dur!

Has anyone got a really witty and wonderful retort that we can all have ready the next time a dog owner tells us how their dog won't hurt our dc when it's frightening the life out of them?

I've got the best dog story ever.
I was on the beach with ds last year on a blustery April day. A dog ran up to us and did a WEE straight INSIDE ds's buggy with the most perfect straight aim you've ever seen. (ds was not in it at the time). The owner was most apologetic, but did nothing to help me clean it.

Seconds later, another dog bounded up and weed into ds's sand-castle bucket before anyone had a chance to stop it. It was amazing. The buggy still smelt after I'd bleached it, so it went for scrap