AIBU to think dog owners should actually be responsible for their dogs in public spaces?

I am not a fan of dogs and have had three incidents with them through my life. One dog was either a stray or an escaped dog as it had jumped up at my neighbour the previous day. The other two dogs were escapees when the owners had opened the door and the dogs had bolted (2 different incidents). The stray dog was aggressive and followed us until my mum hit it with her rather large handbag. The first boltee dog was also barking at us and acting aggressively while the passive owner just stood calling it back feebly. That led to a visit to them from the local dog warden.

All of these happened in residential areas away from parks. Maybe it is bad luck but I think you are lucky to walk regularly and not have had an unwanted dog approach at least once. The irony is that it isn't parks or woodlands that are unsafe. It is residential areas.

There’s a dog park by us that we go to a lot and obviously dogs are off lead in there. The other week a couple of women without dogs decided to take a short cut through it (would have saved them about 30 seconds) and then complained about the dogs. Needless to say there was a lot of shoulder shrugging from the owners.

My dog is super friendly, I described him the other day as too friendly…he sees most people and dogs as potentially life long friends that he’s just met. That’s why in the sort of situation described here he’s on his lead.

I have to say I agree! I'm out 3x a day, every day, with my lot and I can't remember the last time a dog ran up to me.

Must be a fear thing, and the dogs can smell it, I guess?

Would make for an interesting study.

I love dogs but it I still don’t want floofy-woofy’s muddy paws on my clean trousers or slobbery nose jammed into the crotch of my clean dress.

It’s just not my love language 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you don’t have recall, your dog needs to be leashed in public. No one cares if it’s friendly, your dog is not entitled to be liked and welcomed by all. We live in a coastal town and twice in a week my 4 year old has been brought to the ground by a ‘friendly’ dog. He was not courting the dog’s attention, just walking on the sea wall and playing in the sand. We were close enough to extricate him quickly, thank god.

I like dogs but it’s rife and unacceptable - I’m sick of it! My eldest now has a fear of dogs due to similar incidents.

No it is not. It is bashing inconsiderate dog OWNERS. There are a lot of dog owners who would not allow their dogs to do this.

I tend to find telling the owner "If your dog comes near me either it's getting kicked in the bollocks or you are" works.

My dogs are friendly, but I don't let them run up to random people or jump up and put their paws on them because I understand that - shock horror - not everyone likes dogs. Please get your head out of your arse. Just because you like your dogs and know they're friendly does not mean everyone wants to be friends with them. Keep them under control and close to you.

I can assure you that all the incidents I personally described happened and I was just minding my own business.

As for the other poster who said we all must be flapping about and carrying on, nope - I was minding my own business. In fact, the dog who jumped up at my back when I was jogging in the park obviously did so from behind. I stopped dead as soon as it happened. The owner didn't call it back or even apologise to me. Same as the dogs who ran at us on the beach and drew blood on my DP's hand - owner present, didn't call them back or apologise. We were literally walking about 10 metres away chatting to each other.

Some dog owners are selfish arseholes, some aren't.

Wow you are the absolute epitome of entitled dog owners. So fucking selfish.

People should be able to go about their day without being jumped on by a smelly dog. Just because dogs are allowed to be in places doesn't mean the owner shouldn't keep it in line. I bet you'd be different if your dog got a kick for jumping up, which it would deserve because you should have control over it and people don't have to put up with it

People who are scared of dogs seem very unlucky in how they attract dogs and bad behaviour. This never happens to me despite being out with my dog every day!

This is precisely the problem with dog owners. They all assume that everyone else is ok with dogs. Dogs should be on leads or under CLOSE control at all times in public.

It's not.
It's an irresponsible and entitled dog owners bashing thread and sadly there are many more around now

But not everyone wants to say hello to your dog and we have as much right to be there as you. Often there are few places to go without dogs

Another dog bashing thread 🙄

This is a very unreasonable attitude IMO.
You're part of the problem. Dogs should be kept on a lead

No, you're right.
Dog owners have to take responsibility for their dogs, both for the safety of the dog, and for the comfort of those around them.

The number of shit owners these days is quite staggering.
And "he's friendly" isnt an excuse when your dog is jumping up at somebody else.

I say this as a dog owner.
It fucks me off that we all (and dogs) get given a bad name because of bone idle cant be bothered to train owners.

I am always amazed that dog owners think everyone loves dogs! People may not like dogs running up to them, do you not understand that? They don't know that they are not friendly, or that they aren't dirty. And why should other people keep away from areas where dogs are likely to be? Away from parks, forests, etc?

I’m sure your dog is lovely and I bet the majority of people are happy to say hello back. But you are going to get slaughtered because a significant proportion of MN loathe dogs.

I'd suggest training to the bloke who could't control his dog.

TBH, my friend has a dog. Lovely dog, wouldn't harm a fly - but a lurcher, so large and fast (and all elbows). She doesn't have control of it. She isn't putting in the effort to keep control of it. Another friend has a mongrel the same.

Growing up, my aunt had a progression of dogs who were all beautifully behaved - even when (as rescues) they sometimes came to her quite nervous (the nervous once she would warn us were nervous, and keep away from extra people - especially children - until (if ever) they were calm and had control). Because she put in the time and effort to train them.

All of these dogs are loved and cared for. But a lot of owners in my experience aren't prepared to put in the work to have well trained dogs.

The only response he should have given was an apology and removed his dog. Secondly, it is not up to him to suggest therapy to someone scared of his dog. And he didn’t say it out of concern of course, he said it as a defensive insult.

Completely agree. It is not usual to have an altercation when I go out but I have had a few memorable ones!

Christ - my son would have been terrified and inconsolable - he's had a massive fear of dogs since he was small (which honestly, I understand - as a toddler/child it's a massive hairy thing with big teeth 3 times your size barrelling towards you - of course it's scary!)

I would have stood in front of him keeping the dog back but it's completely unacceptable not to have control of your dog, no matter how friendly it is.

As to 'why do people who are scared of dogs go places where there are dogs' - because he wants to go for a stroll in nature?!? Why are uncontrollable animals out where there are humans?