To think dogs shouldn't be off lead in public if they don't come when you call

And there are times where they are.

My dog is never off lead where he is not allowed.

As others have said I honestly think dogs shouldn't be off the lead anywhere in public - in an enclosed dog park area yes, otherwise No.

I had a large dog bounding wildly up to me when out recently and the owner just shouted over "don't let him jump up at you!" WTF??? I was so stunned, and busy avoiding the hound I couldn't compose myself enough to ask him how the hell I was supposed to be the one stopping his dog jumping at me!! 🙄

Yeah nice try.

You didn't say 'always' but you didn't say 'sometimes' either.

You said

"Dogs are allowed off lead in public if they are under control. I am far far from an irresponsible dog owner."

So basically you were saying that dogs are allowed off lead in public, which is incorrect!!! There are times when they're not, as has been explained many times during this thread.

Nice try though. 😆 D minus.

.

I'm glad I found this thread.

My DH is facing an investigation at work - he works for the LA - as he was carrying out some duties in a public park last week when two Labradors raced over to him barking and growling. He waved a stick at them and the owner called them back. Initially they went back but then came over again and DH was quite scared.

He's not a dog lover, we don't have a dog and in the past he has been bitten by an out of control dog. Unfortunately DH may have said something along the lines of 'get your pissing dogs away from me' and the owner has put in a formal complaint to the LA.

Until I read this, I had no idea, not being a dog owner, that a dog doesn't have to attack to be considered 'dangerously out of control' just that it has to make someone afraid that it might attack.

Hopefully armed with this new knowledge nothing further will happen as he's worried that work might discipline him for blurting out something he probably shouldn't have done in the heat of the moment.

FWIW, I don't think dogs should be allowed off the lead in public places at all.

Oh I’ve had the piss. Bright yellow stinking alsation piss all over a white hotel towel. I threw a stone at it (near it) to warn it off but nope. Piss on my towel.

I had to leave the towel in the hotel bath and christ knows what the housekeeping staff thought of me.

I wished I’d had a fucking harpoon that day.

Nope!

In fact both my DP and I have been far less restrained than you in our comments!

I get thoroughly pissed off with dog owners that have no control over their dogs and allow them off lead in public places. Many make the effort to train their dogs the basics. Some just get a dog and don’t even think of doing any recall training. They just want a nice doggy.

The amount of dogs we’ve had jump up us, chase after us etc. No response at all to their owners calls.

We always say the same thing. What if it was a child the dogs were jumping all over?

I love dogs, but I can’t abide irresponsible, lazy, ignorant dog owners.

“on the beach at Barmouth, Wallasey, and Blackpool etc, many people have their dogs off the lead - dozens of people do, and you know this when you go…”

Sorry, I’m not accepting this.
I do not like dogs interacting with me in any way whatsoever at the beach.

Why should my enjoyment of the beach be compromised by unruly out-of-control dogs?

When swimming and keeping an eye on my stuff while in the water Ive lost track of how often a free running dog has had a good sniff round my bag on the sand. Owners seem to have zero foresight that this could happen and are always surprised. 🙄
So far no piss but I will be livid if it ever happens.

My dog had shocking recall despite lots of training. He was never off lead in public. I think if I'd had him from a pup, he would have got there, but I was his third home by eighteen months and he'd been used as a bait dog so had other more pressing behaviours to deal with.

Absolutely not being unreasonable at all!

I've had experiences where dogs much larger have been allowed to approach me and jump up. Completely terrifying and I'm a dog lover!
In one instance I told the owner to put them on a lead when I saw them approaching but they refused and said it was within their right to not have them leashed. Dogs jumped up of course and dig their sharp nails into me plus my clothes were covered in mud.

Owners had form apparently and were much commented about on the local Facebook page.

Some people shouldn't own dogs... some people shouldn't drive cars.

I live near a lovely beach and spend as much time there as possible. Unfortunately it also seems to be the dog toilet for the vicinity.

Apart from the issues with poo the other major annoyance is the way so few owners keep their dogs on the lead. Almost none of them ever come to heel when called. It’s like live re-runs of the famous “Fenton” video from years back.

And then the dogs want to come over to where I’m sitting on my rug, having a cuppa or whatever and slobber / growl / bark / sniff all over it etc. Invariably the owner stops calling Fido (because Fido has no intention of going back) and instead says to me
“he’s so nosey” or “she’s just being friendly” or some other inane excuse that means
“I knew my dog would be an annoyance to you but I couldn’t be bothered putting it on the lead”.

I don’t care how amusingly nosey or friendly your annoying fur baby is- I don’t want it on my picnic blanket!
JUST USE THE LEAD!

When I had issues with a neighbours dog I was advised by both The Police and The Dog Warden that the same rights of self defence apply to a dog as a human so the owners could have been looking at a dead dog.

Take a big stick.

Does van mans vehicle have any branding if so report it to his employers, you can also report it to The Police.

Its a pity you canty lose your driving licence for this sort of thing

I had a lab come up behind me this afternoon (I was queueing) and put its dirty paws on my (clothed) bottom. Owner did nothing, I turned around and shouted “FUCK OFF” at it. IME it’s the language they understand best.

Possibly outing, but I don’t care.

I've not been defensive

I have dogs. I also run. I hate seeing dogs off the lead when running because they always chase me. Despite being called!

My dogs are always on leads unless middle of nowhere or an enclosed space. They have excellent recall mostly, but I would rather not have the stress.

The owner was wrong to speak to you like that.

A dog off lead not responding to its owner is not a dog under control.

Its technically a crime to have a dog out of control so yeah her out of control mutts do certainly have less right to be there than you.

On a lead or under control fine.

But because they are tiny shitty sized dogs people don’t tend to care hilarious because they are always the worst bloody behaved.

No, you don’t. Which is why it’s so perplexing that dog owners react so defensively to anyone who supports better restrictions.

They are actually breaking the law by having their dog off lead and out of control.
Completely infuriating and totally unacceptable.

Responsible dog owners are becoming rarer and rarer. Thank goodness for dog-free beaches and cafes, it made our summer much nicer than it otherwise would have been.
YANBU

Well, I don't need to worry about that do I. So I won't.

You would have to if the law changed to require leads in public places, as it should do.

I don't need to. I am fine with the green space near my house and the linked lane walks. Have been fine with that the entire time I've owned dogs.

You're absolutely right Op. I love dogs. We have a dog. But on a public footpath / area he is on a lead to ensure complete control. I am sick of off-lead dogs running up to mine to say 'hello'. Control your dogs!