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

There are lots of people on here. People who have had incidents with dogs would be more likely to post on threads like this. If everybody posting has a couple of incidents, it will seem like a lot to you. Do you not believe people then? That’s usually the inference when people comment like you have.

I have been scared of dogs ever since one came running up to me as a toddler and knocked me over. It then proceeded to lick me.
I have friends who have well behaved dogs and very good recall. I do not mind these at all. As fit people who think it is OK to let their dogs run up to you…
I have ways now of dealing with dogs. When I walk in the countryside I always take a walking pole and extend it should a dog approach. I have never had to use it but walking poles have a metal point at the end and I think as soon as the owners see this they immediately call their dog over.

My grandson developed a feat of dogs when a dog jumped up at him and knocked him over!
Nothing to do with people flapping and everything to do with an irresponsible dog owner.
Do you realise you are victim blaming?

I see you are one of those owners. Your dog is poorly trained and you are an irresponsible owner. You may not think you are but you are.

A properly trained dog does not approach anyone or any other animal unless instructed to by their owner.

There is a real lack of awareness of what a properly trained dog looks like nowadays and I really wish there was mandatory training that owners had to do for their dogs. Irresponsible ownership and poorly trained dogs puts other people and other animals at risk of harm.

Must be hard for a good dog owner to be tarred by the same brush. There are so many shit dog owners out there now; it must be hard for the decent owners like you.

No you're not, the law agrees with you, dogs should not be out of control in a public place and if they are and that makes you 'reasonably apprehensive of injury' (note, an injury does not have to actually happen, it just has to be reasonable that you'd fear that outcome) then an offence has occurred.

Did you need to start yet another dog hating thread about it - the root cause of this is irresponsible humans. They are everywhere unfortunately and you'll find as many, or more, are irresponsible with their children, with their driving, with their drinking, with their own behaviour in public... than are irresponsible with dogs.

I am amazed at your awful attitude. Take some bloody responsibility for your dog and that you couldn't be bothered to train it. It's people like you who ARE the problem. Why are you so entitled that you think your right to have your untrained dog off the lead trumps other peoples' right to go about their business without being jumped upon by an untrained dog?

I’m friendly. My children are friendly. I don’t expect everyone to tolerate them running up to them and making a nuisance of themselves, so I don’t let them. I don’t want to say hello to your dog. I don’t hate dogs, I just have zero interest.

Saying ‘oh he’s just being friendly’ is the battle cry of awful dog owners everywhere!

My fear of dogs was because I was attacked by one in my pushchair. I’m not scared anymore but it took me years.

No he doesn't have a point. OP has said she isn't scared of dogs that are controlled she just doesn't like them approaching her which is reasonable.
If dog owners can't control their digs they should walk them somewhere without people or at a time there are no people around. The rights of people trump the rights of dogs to approach everyone they see.

Do people really have to put up with dogs jumping at them? It’s not about needing therapy, it’s just understanding that not everyone wants other people’s ‘fur babies’ jumping up at them. 🤷‍♀️

Dogs like yours are what caused my (still very well behaved and well mannered) German Shepherd to become incredibly on edge and guardy around his family and approaching strange off lead dogs.

When a dog is mobbed by a "friendly" dog and consequently bitten because he is too under voice control to use his own teeth when told "leave it", they tend to begin having strong reactions to dogs approaching their owner and children.

If your sog approached mine it would still be safe - but only because I would be the one intercepting it and placing it on the handy slip lead I carry for exactly this purpose.

My dog is now muzzled on walks - because it protects him from owners like you

You are quite the peach

Ah yes, victim blaming, nice.

Yes, they should be, but some aren’t. 🙄

See this always interests me. Children are not born with automatic fear of dogs. Even autistic children. So I would be wondering who started flapping around in front of them when they were small and encouraged them to be scared of dogs? My niece for example used to have a melt down if she saw a fly. Nobody considered that my mother running round the house like a lunatic frantically waving her tea towel around every time a fly came in might be connected with that extreme reaction to a fly. It was learned behaviour. Years ago an old neighbours mother used to practically throw herself under the traffic if she saw a dog. Her daughter also used to run across the road with the kid in the pram if she saw a dog. And guess what happens now if the toddler sees a dog? They’ve both passed their own neuroses down to the children - who didn’t even know what a dog was until mummy and nanny started flipping out every time they saw one!

The usual responses from @didntlikeanyofthesuggestions and @UncannyFanny.

People who don’t like/are frightened of/allergic to dogs should, in your opinion, not go anywhere where there are dogs. Which is now pretty much everywhere. So cafes, shops, parks, the beach, should be exclusively for dog owners?

Anyone who prefers not to have dogs jumping around them, is not responsible when that happens. Children, in particular, are going to wail if a dog jumps at them. The responsibility lies squarely and wholly with the dog owner. If as a dog owner, you want your dog to be off lead, you should take it to an area designated for dogs off lead.

YANBU. I'm getting increasing angry with irresponsible dog owners. It's getting worse. I walk on our local canal a few times per day on my "commute" to work around a mile from home. Nearly every sodding day I either nearly get tripped up by one of those stupid long leads when the owner is day dreaming or playing with their phone or busy chatting to their partner/friend etc. Or a dog will come bounding up with muddy paws and jump up at me leaving mud stains/marks on my works clothes. Even worse are the idiots who throw balls into the canal for the dog to jump in to fetch who then climb out and shake water all over whichever poor sod happens to be walking by at the time.

Put the bloody thing on a lead and keep control of it - it's not rocket science.

If you want to let it run wild, find an empty field or the beach etc. not where there are lots of people going about their business who are entitled to do so unmolested by your out of control dog!

I'm stunned at the amount of altercations people on here seem to have with dogs wherever they go.

I have a dog. We go to the park every day. He doesn't bother anyone and if I think he will, I put him on a lead. Eg I'll put him on a lead if I see a pushchair because he's nosey and i don't want him nosing in the pram. Or if another dog is on a lead I put him on a lead. If other dogs are walking round off lead the majority are just having a sniff. They'll play together where there are other dogs and owners throwing a ball etc. But in 40 years or so of dog ownership I seem to have had fewer altercations than some posters who go anywhere near other dogs. If what I read on here is to be believed, some people don't seem to be able to leave the house without being accosted by a dog in a park or barked at in a cafe. Where are all these dogs when I go out every single day?
Yes people should be responsible. Of course they should. No one wants a dog in their face. But I just don't see all these out of control dogs everywhere i go

I could equally say don't take your dog to places where there will people! Why is your dog's right to run up to strangers more important than human beings right to enjoy the open air?
Unless you are talking about a dog course you are being extremely selfish.
You might think you your dog is being friendly but to a small child or someone with a dog phobia it looks aggressive
You should train your dog not to approach people.

Well you’re a dick. We don’t have to stay in because you can’t control your mutt.