To dare to think that the Cult of Dog has gone too far?

OP, so have you lobbied councillors about say the library, or any other public spaces that the council controls? Or a section of beach, which might deter some (though one of the legacies of Boris Johnson is people more likely to ignore it).

I like well behaved and trained dogs in most places, but agree many are not well looked after.

I would also change the law such that any injury or worse is treated as if inflicted by the human owner. Animals recognised in law as sentient beings, there is the law of joint enterprise.

I have a lovely park/woods near me which should be a joy to walk through - is it hell… you can’t move for dogs, all off lead, often growling, barking and fighting with other dogs whilst there owners stand around chatting to the point that you have to get off the paths and often walk in muddy grass just to get by. These dog owners honestly believe that the park is for their purpose only.

Because low lifes steal them.

I agree with you about the dogs (and I used to consider myself a dog lover).

BUT “Peri-menopausal wild eyed harridan” … WTAF!

Get over yourself with the misogyny and ageism. Totally out of order.

Absolutely agree with you. I live in the countryside and the amount of idiots that let their untrained dogs off the leads wreck havoc is astonishing. They have attacked our animals more times than I can count. I have had dogs going IN my house when the doors are open , you confront the owners and they say they had the dog under control 🤬 try again buddy you are just an irresponsible moron! You see more dogs then people at the beach some days, I witnessed 2 old ladies on the same day letting their dogs off the lead at the beach, the dogs immediately go on people's blankets, sniffing their food and slobbering everywhere, a lady was lying on her belly and a dog started licking her legs 🤢🤢, the owner of the dog didn't even apologise 😑, also true about the incessant barking even at shopping malls and restaurants.

Completely agree with this post. Humans are the problem, dogs are merely the symptom. Society has become notably more selfish since Covid.

I agree. I’m absolutely sick of bad dog owners.

We were on holiday last week. My daughter (5) was walking along holding her football then accidentally dropped it. She doesn’t like dogs. The ball rolled down the hill, we ran to catch it but a dog was quicker and was snarling and growling as my daughter approached the ball.

Then yesterday my husband and (same) daughter were playing frisbee on a grassy area off to the side of a playground. There isn’t a gate that closes but it was in the playground. Dog runs over and destroys the frisbee. Daughter is upset because her favourite frisbee is broken and the dog’s owner gives my husband a load of abuse for letter our daughter play frisbee in the kids play area?!

This is just two examples of many. There’s shit everywhere (which I’ve just emailed our local MP about). We’ve had to change our route to school because my daughter can’t ride her scooter along the usual route because everyone seems to think it’s a dog toilet and there’s crap every few feet.

I’m aware the dog lovers will be along to say we’re unreasonable but it’s just out of hand in my area and I’m sick of it.

Yep I was in a very smart restaurant for lunch the other day and in walked a couple with two huge dogs, trying to wedge them under the table. They were spread across a neighbouring tables floor area. Glad I wasn't sitting there or I would have said something. I wouldn't be smiling and stroking.

I love dogs but not everywhere. Madness. Why can't they be left at home.

Where on earth do you live that dogs are given such freedom?

All the beaches I know of on the South Coast near where I live have dog free areas during the warmer months and in the small town I live in very few shops, and certainly not the library, allow dogs.

I have a dog, though I'm not a 'Doggo Nutter', nor do I refer to my dog as my 'fur baby'.

And whilst I agree that some dog owners aren't controlling their dogs properly your reference to a 'peri-menopausal wild eyed harridan' is pretty offensive and as pp said your rant does, indeed, sound pretty deranged

Maybe take a few deep breaths OP.

I don't remember the last time I saw a dog tie up outside a shop. YANBU at all!

It sounds more like you live in an area full of shitty, aggressive people rather than it being a dog problem. It's definitely not something I recognise. I run a lot and meet loads of dog walkers, all that is exchanged is a hi and a smile.

To be honest, I agree with you op. Just got home from holiday in Cornwall and they were EVERYWHERE. Pubs, cafes, shops, there was nowhere they weren't welcome. I love dogs - albeit in a healthy normal way - but don't own one. I was in a clothing shop whilst there and around 3 shoppers had dogs, one had 2 and a few of them started fighting at the till area 😐 Dogs are not meant to be in clothes shops!! It was too much to be honest and made me not want to stay in the shop. The other thing I noticed is that alot of the dog owners had 2 or 3 dogs rather than one. I did enjoy watching the dogs frolicking on the beach - that was because they were meant to be there and having lots of fun running about rather than going shopping or sitting under a seat in a pub or cafe!

I agree and I'm a dog owner! I'm frustrated on a daily basis by the behaviour of other dog owners.

I am a dog owner and I agree with you.

Totally agree
See this everywhere these days

Sick of dogs.

I simply don't want some slobbery dog coming near my legs when I'm out walking, and entitled owners don't bother controlling their dogs from encroaching into people's personal space

Totally agree but no doubt there will be a lot of posters along shortly explaining why you’re wrong.

dogs are animals. Not fur babies. They should be controlled, and not in a lot of public spaces like shops, cafes etc

YANBU about dogs but you sound like you may be a perimenopausal harridan yourself!

Dogs are pets, not fur babies, and much as I love my two, and they are part of my family, they’re not human beings.

It's not really the dogs that are the problem, it's the increasing selfish attitude of society and that some people don't see why they should behave in an appropriate manner in shared spaces, so they don't ruin it for everyone else. They simply don't care if they impact other people - but they usually demand they're treated with respect, tolerance and deference by everyone else and there's hell to pay if they are impacted by being asked to behave in a way that doesn't impact others negatively.

They want a dog and so they get one and aren't in the slightest bit interested in anything other than fulfilling their want with none of the responsibility that comes with either dog ownership or being a member of society.

Even if all dogs dropped off the face of the earth tomorrow those people would still have that attitude and still manage to ruin shared spaces for others in existing, new and original ways. At the moment it's dogs, and I can forsee eventually the popularity will drop because rules will change and they will be restricted and then something else will take their place.

As ever, it's humans causing this, the dogs are just a symptom.

I once looked after a lovely man with severe autism who was TERRIFIED of dogs.

We were once having a picnic and a dog came over, I asked the owner to call it away as the man I was supporting was really visibly anxious and she responded with, “it’s okay, she’s friendly”.

It was the only time I’ve properly lost my shit in public.

I understand that we needed to work with him on his phobia but her entitlement was insane.

Same with children. Children are small. Some dogs are huge. It must be like being faced with a brown bear.

Inclined to agree to a point. I have dogs and do enjoy the beach with them during the winter, but places that serve food, places that are designed to be quiet or for vulnerable users (such as libraries which are wonderful for the very young and the elderly) and a whole lot of other places that are wildly inappropriate for any animal I absolutely don't take them to. Are they a part of my family? Yes. But they are not a part of everyone else's and I will not force other people to put up with them.

I agree. No doubt the "my dog is better than your kids" brigade will arrive soon.

This again?