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

All dogs should be kept on a lead in public and only allowed off in designated areas. Don’t even get me started on those long extendable leads!

Seriously - you have no business letting your dogs run up to strangers, however friendly. They should be properly trained if off lead not to do this.

This is dog-owner entitlement.

People have a right to 'insist' on visiting the beach, the park, John Lewis....

And I like dogs.

You dog should have sufficient recall such that you can call him back before he reaches another person.

You can’t go anywhere without dogs now even cafes etc so the least owners can do is keep them on a lead and not let them jump all over you

I am a dog owner, but you are an arsehole! People should be allowed to go places without dogs running up to them. If your dog is off lead you should have enough control over them that they will not run up to another person.

I have a family member who is very anti dogs, they go walking most days as they love being out in nature. If they come across dogs they will ask owners to keep them away, if they don't they will attempt to shoo the dog away and if that doesn't work they will kick out. I do not support this and have told them that they need to stop but I can totally understand why they do it. If you let your dog run up to random people that is a risk you take.

as a dog lover I agree - owners should be more aware of where their dogs are - if not then keep them on a lead. Beaches are unfortunately more common where you get dogs running away from owners for longer distances. Teddy was attacked by a staffy on a beach and the owner eventually ran up to us holding a muzzle and a lead in her hand. Other day, Teddy curiously walked up to a woman who didn't want to stroke him, so we called him away and he came back to us instantly - no issues. I'm afraid seeing these anti dog posts that the well behaved ones like Teddy are going into the minority.

People have been killed, maimed and injured by their own family dog when something triggered it...

And this is the issue . . . 🙄

There are dogs EVERYWHERE now and because of the pandemic of dog ownership a very large number of them are badly trained and out of control. I don’t mind dogs but I’m not overly keen on them throwing themselves at me because they’re “being friendly”. I’m not going to avoid dogs in public spaces because people can’t train them - that’s very much a dog owner problem not a non dog owner enjoying open spaces problem. FFS.

To be honest , your dog is being annoying and out of control
There’s nowhere you can go these days that you can go for a nice walk dog free

Yes, this too. Pre-COVID, lots of cafes were dog-free zones. Now they all have to admit Fifi and Fido and no-one dares object if they're up on the bloody seats.

Amazed that there are people who are phobic? People who are allergic? People who just don't like dogs? People who conclude that someone with 0 control over their dog and not enough empathy to realise they are not everybody may not be 100% reliable when assuring you the mutt is friendly?

Try to open your mind a bit, then.

I like dogs, when they're well behaved and not getting in my way. I despise ineffectual owners who just call feebly 'don't worry, he's friendly!' and then look like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle when I call back 'that's nice, but I'm not'.

YANBU OP - I saw my younger sister be attacked by a Getman Shepherd when we were kids. It was totally unprovoked, it came running at her from nowhere and bit her on the stomach, she still has the scar.

I do love dogs but it must have affected me seeing it happen. I get a horrible flash of fear through my whole body whenever any dog off a lead is running towards me or I see one in the distance.

I've had a dog jump up at my back when running in the park, a dog jump up at me leaving muddy paw prints all over my clothes when I was just walking on the pavement near my home, been knocked clean off my feet by one running at me in a different park and last year my DP had her finger grazed and cut by a dogs teeth she had pushed away from her when it jumped up as we were walking on the beach - this was a pair of dogs who were off the lead with a man who just watched as they growled and ran at us. Each dog was off the lead and the owners are absolute selfish arseholes for allowing any of those incidents to happen.

Dogs kill people and these numbers have been increasing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom

Dog attacks are rising in the UK - there were 31,920 dog attacks on people recorded in England and Wales in 2024 (and these are only the reported ones)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgvy2yyv8mo

Dog owners should be prosecuted every single time their dog hurts someone -when they run under a bike (personal experiences) - when they injure anyone in any way.

But.... fur babies

I take it you are new here ?

This thread will swing left to right, but eventually a "majority" will emerge that suggest that it's a dog owners burden to be surrounded by unthinking people who refuse to see how wonderful their mutt is.

It's the law to do so and if a dog jumps on another dog owner who is disabled or a toddler who doesn't have very good balance the dog could accidentally injure them knocking them down without meaning to because it wants a hug.

Hey guess what? Lots of dogs are everywhere now. Try empathising with people who have a rational fear of dogs, are allergic or simply don’t like them.

So, that means we can't go to parks, woodland, cafes, shops? Your response sums up the tail wagging the dog.
What you think is 'friendly' is actually a pain in the arse to those of us who don't want uncontrolled animals jumping/slobbering over us.

How is allowing your dog to jump up at people ‘taking responsibility’?

Why can’t people be in places AND owners control their dogs? Both are achievable.

What? Someone else’s dog running and jumping in her absolutely is someone else’s fault. What are you on about?

I don’t want your dog running to me to say hello.
I’m amazed people that get upset because someone doesn’t want to “say hello” to their uncontrolled animal.

Control your dog or put it on a lead. I’m a dog owner.

I’m amazed that some people can’t see an issue with a dog running up to someone just trying to get on with their day. Not everyone wants a dog running up to them.
And given that most places are now dog friendly, it can be difficult to avoid places where dogs are.
I’m a dog owner and I respect other people’s space.

People taking responsibility for their actions.

The OP is clearly deluded.

Everything is always somebody elses fault.