Control your fucking dogs

[ThunderSkies]

I’m so angry. Yet again someone can’t control their dog and my dc is even more afraid due to some massive dog leaping up at their face and mouthing at them (very young, but big dog).

If they have no recall and keep jumping up at people (and are at the mouthing people stage still) don’t fucking let them be able to get out of control.

Dog ran away from owners, out of the garden and my child ran towards the road. I’m so 😡. Why did I come away feeling like my son was to blame for running and shouting (yes it excites the dog, no I can’t stop him doing it when he’s scared and the dog is chasing him). Yes the dog was playing. No, it makes no difference to my child when the dog can jump higher than he is tall.

This drives me mad too. I was thinking the other day where to go for a walk and quickly discounted riverside walk I wanted to go to as it is so popular with dogs off lead and there tends to be lots of dog poo there too. And I just thought, it would be so nice to have a day week maybe where no dogs were allowed out and we could have free choice to go wherever we wanted with our children and enjoy any walk we wanted without having to consider that inconsiderate dog owners would almost certainly be there and we would have to negotiate them. Just a daydream of mine, obviously not a possible reality.

Your DH is an idiot.

I'd like to see a return to dog licenses. And dog wardens who can remove unlicensed dogs, and revoke a license where the owner's dog is not under their control.

It’s against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere.

Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it: "Makes someone worried that it might injure them"

UK controlling your dog in public law

www.gov.uk/control-dog-public

@ThunderSkies

My son has to pass their house to and from school

It makes me so mad, because I’d be apologising profusely and organising fence to be built. They just blame my son for running and making the dog think it’s fun to run after him (yes, a dog will see it like that, but that’s why the dog needs to be trained). My son wasn’t born scared of dogs.

As any decent person would. No one with any sense wants their dog getting out randomly.

Completely agree with you. I'm a runner and sick of the entitled behaviour of dog owners. Claws cause bruises. If a humann did that to me it would be assault. But it's ok as 'fido is just playing' (generally stated by a moron in a high 'dog friendly' tone of voice).

I’m pretty sure they have their dogs off lead because when they’re on the lead they constantly tug/want to be free. Of course, they want to be free! They’re an animal which has essentially been shackled. I just wish that there were more of those dog field enclosures where all the dog owners can take their dogs to roam free together.

Dogs should be banned completely unless they are working like sheepdogs.

Their shit is all over the place, the owners never hear them barking forever, and they can turn on you or a child in an instant.

I am serious here. The lovely park at the back of my house is infested with them off the lead and jumping all over or running towards me in a frenzy.

I suppose the doggie lovers will have something to say about my post, but I really don't care anymore. There are far too many dogs around now, mostly puppy farmed or stolen, well you get the drift. Although to be a bit more reasonable there are rescues to be had too.

Sorry if I offended anyone, but I've had enough now.

Oh and on the other side of my house is another park with a brilliant dog run. It is usually empty, Fido prefers a run in the park without any restraints on movement. I am mad as hell.

Was knocked down by one of these dogs last year and still have back pain now.

Sick of it. You can tell I am a bit miffed, can't you but people like me are never allowed to say anything about it really.

I’ve said for years that I wish they’d bring back dog licenses. It would be so much easier to police now microchip technology is so cheap.

If your dog is found not to be chipped - £500 fine, and as when you learn to drive a car or get a blue badge, your license comes with an easy to read guide of the dos and don’ts of dog ownership.
As a dog lover and former owner for many years, I think I am more invested in this than people who don’t love dogs. Bad owners, and there are too many, make life harder for dogs.

YANBU OP. You need to politely approach the neighbours and request that they secure the garden. If they don’t agree, consult the council in the first instance.

As a pp has pointed out, a dog jumping up at an elderly frail person could easily knock them over leading to fractures. My own daughter who has SEN knocked my poor mum off balance a few times just by being clumsy.

I’m really sorry this happened to your son.

I have multiple dogs, well trained etc.
The owner is being irresponsible as the dog could run into the road, they need to ensure their garden is secure for everyone’s safety.
Reading your OP I thought your son was going to be a toddler not 11!
I think you are over reacting and this behaviour doesn’t help your son, 11 is old enough to not run into a road because a dog jumped up and locked him. I never quite understand parents who do little to help alleviate a fear in their child, I imagine he’s heading to high school and I can’t imagine many kids being kind to him if he runs away panicking at a dog.
It’s not ideal the dog jumped up, but I think you are causing a drama and encouraging your son to over react too.

we need better legislation to deal with the irresponsible owners imo

Mine aren’t allowed and aren’t encouraged to approach people or dogs. I keep away from everyone, as do they. Teaching a solid recall is essential and honestly, I’d say owners shouldn’t be allowed to let their dog off the lead until the dog recalls without fail. It avoids people being upset and other dogs being attacked. Such a basic.

When I was pregnant I had a condition which meant I shouldn't run or lift anything, but in the park a dog came bounding towards my toddler, she was terrified, I had to run and snatch her up. I was okay, it turned out, but when the owner wandered over smiling, "he's so friendly!" I couldn't speak I was so angry. Another time a dog was actually chasing my child who was running away and crying. The dog owner was just standing like a turnip. I went nuts and yelled at him and he was like," I thought they were playing together".

From my experience, the majority of owners have very little ability to recall quickly. To the point that when I see it, I am very impressed.

Oh and when running, I concluded that one reason men particularly used to like letting their dogs off lead on our riverside promenade, is that it it so much easier “not to see” when the dog curled one off on the paving. I was always happy to help them out with that though.
Then there are the people who think small dog = doesn’t really count. We were camping with friends and one let her shih-tzu wander round off-lead despite signs. When I pointed out that there was a small dog shit behind neighbouring tents, she was all astonishment and didn’t think it could be Benji, after a brief silence she huffily got up and said she’d pick it up “anyway”

@SBTLove

I have multiple dogs, well trained etc. The owner is being irresponsible as the dog could run into the road, they need to ensure their garden is secure for everyone’s safety. Reading your OP I thought your son was going to be a toddler not 11! I think you are over reacting and this behaviour doesn’t help your son, 11 is old enough to not run into a road because a dog jumped up and locked him. I never quite understand parents who do little to help alleviate a fear in their child, I imagine he’s heading to high school and I can’t imagine many kids being kind to him if he runs away panicking at a dog. It’s not ideal the dog jumped up, but I think you are causing a drama and encouraging your son to over react too.

This is the problem. Deflection. It is never 'ok' for a dog to do this and by blaming the child for the reaction you are basically victim shaming.

What's the love of dogs for anyway? What do they add to people's lives apart from a bit of affection now and then and hair shedding and shitting everywhere, and walking them twice a day. Oh and barking forever and vets bills, and fleas and so on. Ugh.

Should not be allowed in an urban environment at all. Far too messy and dangerous to others, well those dogs that are not well trained anyway.

Jesus, dogs seem to have far more rights than people.

Yes I am mad as hell. Still dealing with a back injury from a dog racing towards me that knocked me down. I will forever be in fear of dogs off lead now. That is sad but that is my story.

From many of the comments on here it is evident that there's a massive need for re-education of some dog owners mindsets.

OP I would have more sympathy for you if you stopped swearing.

@Mooballs
I have said owners are irresponsible but OP does need to calm down, I genuinely thought it was a toddler as it’s such an OTT reaction. He can’t go through life running into roads if he gets a fright of any type!
You do know you can tag without copying entire comments

If you really must have a dog, get it trained, clean up its shit and stop treating it like a surrogate child.
Exactly this

@ErinBrockovich
Saw your comment about your LO fear, if
you know anyone with a calm child friendly dog, you could start slow short introductions with him so he learns not all dogs are scary.
Just like us they are all different, I have helped adults with fear of dogs overcome
it, it takes time and patience.

@Turgha

From my experience, the majority of owners have very little ability to recall quickly. To the point that when I see it, I am very impressed.

One time we were walking across a field and the owner was shouting at their dog to come away from us (yapping around our ankles etc) the WHOLE TIME, from a distance. A good 5 mins where my kids were visibly scared (I carried the youngest) but carrying on walking. When we got to the gate at the end of the field the owner finally came over and picked up the dog. wtf was he spending 5 minutes yelling at the dog for BEFORE he came and got it?!

Dogs are fucking everywhere these days and my entire summer has been spent thinking “oh, we can’t go there, too many dogs”

My DS is terrified of dogs after multiple incidents of idiotic dog owners not controlling their dogs. It is NOT the fault of the OPs son that he ran away or ran towards the road. You don’t think straight when you’re fucking terrified. Our last incident with a dog, I genuinely thought the dog was going to attack one of us. I didn’t give a shit about me, just my boy. The dog owner couldn’t give a shit that his dog was growling whilst running towards us (and FWIW we were both stood still as I told
DS not to move). I was terrified.

The worst thing now is “dog friendly pubs”. We can’t go anywhere without dogs around here and it’s bloody annoying.

We’re going for a picnic tomorrow. DS has already been saying “ok so I won’t run, I will stay still and will try not to make a noise. I’ll be really good mummy, I promise”
My DS isn’t the problem. I’ve told him this. He still thinks it’s his responsibility to stop dogs running at him. That’s not right.

Mooballs

Agree totally. Those of us with a story to tell are dismissed by the dog adorers. Sad but true. We cannot speak ill of a dog.