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Original poster

Is there anything you can say in response to this dog-owner?

44 replies

LayAllYourLoveOnMe · 03/02/2020 09:36

Just having a morning walk and a dog passing me gave me a lick of the hand. I moved my hand up out of the way.

The owner said nothing to the dog but said to me "don't worry she's friendly".

Is there anything useful you can say in this situation? "Don't worry i'm not scared" or "keep up with the training" spring to mind.

what I would want the owner to do in that situation is say "no" to the dog to train the dog not to share its licks with passers by.

Of course, the owner may have tried to do this and given up. But I really object to this "don't worry" comment as if my lack of desire to be licked by her dog is somehow a character trait of mine!

OP posts:

Thefaceofboe · 03/02/2020 11:12

Ohhh a friendly dog, how horrifying. The dog owner probably said it as a joke, lighten up.

Booboostwo · 03/02/2020 11:16

*You mean its up to random people to get out of their way to AVOID dogs ncase they are friendly/not friendly/will jump on you???
And the dog owner is only vaguley responsible to keep his dog in check.

As far as I am concerned, the dog owner is responsible for the dog. If they cant teach they friendly dog to not lick people, its their problem and them being unable to train their dog properly. As a dog owner, you have no ide who the person coming is. They might be immunosupressed. They might be terrified of dogs. They might consider a dog licking them as the most disgusting thing ever (after all who knows where the dog has put its tongue/mouth just a couple of minutes ago).
assuming that people will be happy to be licked by the dog or that they should just move away is lazy behaviour from the dog owner.*

No need to froth or make up stories. The dog didn't jump up and was not out of control. Moving slightly to the side to give yourself a bit more room around a dog is hardly an imposition. There are other people (and dogs) in the world, we all have to cope around them.

MintyMabel · 03/02/2020 11:29

Typical bloody entitled dog owners.

I don’t give a shit how friendly your dog is, keep it away from me and my DD.

Which is exactly what I would say to them.

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Dogs

IntermittentParps · 03/02/2020 11:42

Ohhh a friendly dog, how horrifying.

I really like dogs and am often found approaching them in the park etc. I like to stroke and pat them and talk to them. But I don't like them licking me. Is that hard to comprehend?

mencken · 03/02/2020 12:45

'oh that's good, I'm glad it isn't one of those that bites because then I would tell the police and it would be shot'.

(the last part sadly isn't true)

userxx · 03/02/2020 12:51

@IntermittentParps So you will seek out a dog to stroke and make a fuss of, if the dog licks you because it likes the fuss you object? How bizarre.

IntermittentParps · 03/02/2020 12:54

userxx, perhaps you misunderstand. What I mean is that if a dog licks me in the scenario the OP describes (as it's passing me), I don't like it.

Original poster

LayAllYourLoveOnMe · 03/02/2020 13:30

"You could say in response to the 'oh he's friendly' line: "Yes, but I'm not.""

this is my favourite! great replies, thanks for making me feel so much better.

I am a dog-lover as my parents' marriage was saved by the world's most lovely golden retriever (Meg we miss you). She was crap at retrieving so obviously not that bright but we did manage to train even a dog that dysfunctional not to lick people....

The problem, as aways, is the "don't worry" brigade. I'm glad I'm not the only one they annoy. It's them and plastic-bag dumpers who put me off buying a dog of my own.

PS in the end I did nothing as it didn't seem worth it. thanks for the therapy!

OP posts:

ASureSign · 03/02/2020 17:33

I don't want to be licked by a dog and I would have told the owner that I don't like it. No need to make up clever replies.

I guess if I was walking in a dog walking field I'd be more forgiving but anywhere else I would make my feelings known.

NearLifeExperience · 03/02/2020 17:55

Ah, that is so annoying. See also jumping up and putting muddy paws/ drool on trousers/coat etc.

I do like dogs though; I have a lovely golden retriever and I'd be mortified if he licked or jumped on anyone and would apologize profusely... just as well I've trained him not to.

Willow2017 · 03/02/2020 18:05

The owner could have kept more of a distance, but then again so could you
Its really not up to people to go put of thier way to avoid crap owners and their dogs.
Its up to owners to control thier dogs.
I like dogs but don't want to.be randomly slavered over when out and about. Its not difficult why should i have to seek out a toilet to wash my hands in the middle of my day out because someone else is an arse?

"Friendly dog" usually means a large muddy dog jumping all over you ruining your clothes and raking you with its claws. My son was terrified of dogs for years because of a bloody "friendly dog". Dont get a dog if you are a fucking idiot. Simples.

Thefaceofboe · 03/02/2020 19:14

@IntermittentParps no but there’s worse things happening in the world. I can’t cope sometimes with some of the crap people come out with on here

IntermittentParps · 03/02/2020 19:17

there’s worse things happening in the world
Sure, but this thread is about the OP and a dog licking her. If you don't want to be bothered with it then you can just not read the thread.

Cherrysoup · 03/02/2020 19:27

I’m just trying to think of when I’m walking mine, one either side. I tend to step out of the way of other pedestrians, but they’re never on a long enough lead to be able to reach to a passerby to lick. Weird. Was the dog on an extendable?

Original poster

LayAllYourLoveOnMe · 04/02/2020 20:57

Mon 03-Feb-20 19:17:54

"there’s worse things happening in the world
Sure, but this thread is about the OP and a dog licking her. If you don't want to be bothered with it then you can just not read the thread."

love this.

OP posts:

Original poster

LayAllYourLoveOnMe · 04/02/2020 20:59

Hi Cherry,

I feel really fraudulent as I haven't included a diagram....

Doggie and I had no option but to pass at close quarters as we were on a narrow footpath. We had a stone wall on one side and undergrowth/bushes on other side ( I suppose doggie could have stepped into the bracken but that's asking a bit much!).

Doggie was not on a lead and was about half a dozen yards in front of owner.

OP posts:

danadas · 04/02/2020 20:59

This is my pet hate, I would never let my dog behave like this and I hate others bounding up to me.

In all honesty, nothing you say will make the blindest bit of difference because dog owners like this will never see a problem with it.

Original poster

LayAllYourLoveOnMe · 04/02/2020 21:00

"The dog owner probably said it as a joke"

loving the idea that that somehow makes things better not worse.

OP posts:

Hadenoughofitall441 · 04/02/2020 22:37

I love dogs so being approached by one wouldn’t bother me and it happens a lot however I do hate the ‘don’t worry my dogs friendly brigade’ it’s like well not all dogs like each other so get your dog on a lead. My dog isn’t anymore because of an incident with a dog walker who said this exact thing and then her 6 dogs surrounded my dog and started barking at her, now she’s scared of everything.

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