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Original poster

Just so many dogs nowadays, or is it just me?

276 replies

HairyFanjoBanjo · 08/04/2023 15:08

Away for the weekend at a typical British seaside town in Anglia and am quite shocked at just how many people have dogs now. Am sure there never used to be quite this many, or maybe I am just more observant now I have a child who isn’t keen (on bigger dogs).

Reckon I’ve seen well in the hundreds today, I’d say at least every other family or couple had a dog. So many labradoodles / toy poodles, cockerpoo’s, pugs everywhere.

Some people looked to be almost dragging dogs around the shops in really busy / small lanes of endless gift shops, then waiting for friends/family outside shops (as no dogs allowed) some with fairly stressed looking dogs😢

Is this the lockdown puppy effect in full force now? Just everyone and their pal has a dog now.

OP posts:
Dentistlakes · 08/04/2023 15:15

I think there are way more dogs than there were pre lockdown. Loads more of their shit everywhere too. Bloody.bags of the stuff left in the middle of pavements and hanging from trees! Wtf is that about? If it comes out of your dog’s arse it’s yours and you bloody pick
it up and either bin it or carry it until you can. Don’t leave it lying around on the premise you’ll ‘collect it on your way back’ and then conveniently forget. I like dogs but unfortunately shit owners are commonplace now and they are a pita.

Alighttouchonthetiller · 08/04/2023 15:20

I think there are more dogs but attitudes to dogs have changed. When I was a child, you wouldn't take the dog on a day out with the family (unless walking in the countryside or visiting a quiet beach out of season) because you couldn't take the dog in anywhere with you. Plus, the 'they can't be left for more than a few hours, if at all' arbitrary 'rule' hadn't become Absolute Dog Owner Law, as it now seems to be. Rightly or wrongly, many people (though not all) would leave the dog at home for the day, reasoning it was just one day and a well exercised, well fed, non-anxious dog could cope lying around on the furniture at home with the radio on.

hennaoj · 08/04/2023 15:50

We went to New Brighton yesterday, there was a literal sea of French Bulldogs. An awful lot of dog owners who were at Royden Park seem unable to read going by the 'Keep your dogs on a lead' signs.

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Xrays · 08/04/2023 15:53

Yep dogs everywhere…! (We live in Norfolk and there’s definitely more now, I think lots of people got them during the lockdowns). I am fed up with it to be honest, my son who has autism is quite scared of dogs and the amount of people who just let their dogs jump up at you and say “oh he’s friendly” - well, that may be so but doesn’t mean I want them jumping up at me!

Anotherdaymorenames · 08/04/2023 15:54

There are and there is also an increase in shit owners too. I love dogs but one of my children is absolutely terrified of them after being leapt on by a wayward "friendly" off lead manic Labrador. When I say terrified they freeze at the sight of any dog, on or off lead. It's rules a lot of lovely parks and woods out for us (we are an outdoorsy family) because we never know where the next badly behaved dog with no owner in sight will come from.

Fairyliz · 08/04/2023 15:56

I’m sure I’ve read that there are more dogs in the country now than ever before.
Ive got the figure of 13 million in my head but not sure if that’s completely true.

Northerncardinal · 08/04/2023 15:58

Yes there are, can't go anywhere without seeing a dog or their shit.

FawnFrenchieMum · 08/04/2023 16:00

I suspect it’s a mixture of lots more dogs around but also how people treat the dogs. People never used to take them on days out or holidays. They were pets at home, now they are part of the family.

Floofydawg · 08/04/2023 16:01

Oh good another dog bashing thread.

Fuctifin0 · 08/04/2023 16:03

I went to Skipton today, came back and conmented to my dh that I had never seen so many dogs there.
There were absolutely loads.

Ylvamoon · 08/04/2023 16:03

I have always taken my dogs on a British "doggy" holiday.

Not sure what issue is.

Noorandapples · 08/04/2023 16:05

I've noticed an uptick in badly behaved dogs in London. Or rather owners who haven't bothered to train their pets properly. Had a very near miss with my toddler and a dog on an overextended lead snapping at him. Owner started crying when I picked him up and shouted at her, because her dog is just a baby!

Anotherdaymorenames · 08/04/2023 16:05

Floofydawg · 08/04/2023 16:01

Oh good another dog bashing thread.

No. A shit owner bashing thread.

I can start an anti-cat thread to balance it out if you like?

tonystarksrighthand · 08/04/2023 16:27

@Anotherdaymorenames I hate cats

Anotherdaymorenames · 08/04/2023 16:27

tonystarksrighthand · 08/04/2023 16:27

@Anotherdaymorenames I hate cats

Me too. I'm definitely a dog person.

Fuctifin0 · 08/04/2023 16:29

No bashing from me, just a statement of fact.

TwigTheWonderKid · 08/04/2023 16:31

I love dogs but am still rather disconcerted by the number of dogs I regularly see in John Lewis. What's that all about?

Marchforward · 08/04/2023 16:34

Lockdown dogs. Lots of people with huge dogs bounding up to my small children saying it’s OK they like children. They don’t seem too impressed when I tell them it’s not because my children don’t like dogs which are bigger than them jumping all over them. I’ve seen a massive rise of dogs inside playground even in NT places where they are banned inside the play areas.

Houseplantmad · 08/04/2023 16:35

TwigTheWonderKid · 08/04/2023 16:31

I love dogs but am still rather disconcerted by the number of dogs I regularly see in John Lewis. What's that all about?

Or in any shop these days. It drives me crackers - I’m trying on clothes and there’s a dog sniffing around the cubicle.
I hate how humans have humanised their animals and their natural instincts and urges are being suppressed by being dragged around shops, carried in a carrier thing or under an arm.

dottiedodah · 08/04/2023 16:40

Bring them on! Adore dogs,Having said that ,I do think Cafes and so on are not the best place for wonderful woofers! At a cafe the other day ,there was a cute cockapoo who was very good ,but seemed surprised he wasnt getting any goodies!

manontroppo · 08/04/2023 16:41

We are in North Norfolk at the moment and they are bloody everywhere. The worst is people putting small dogs on tables - picnic and cafe tables, makes me want to vom. The barking is horrendous at times.

nicetoseetgesunsout · 08/04/2023 16:41

There are a lot of dogs now but I'm a dog lover, always had one or two, as have my parents and siblings. I enjoy seeing them out.

NeverTrustAPoliceman · 08/04/2023 16:43

There are far too many dogs, they are everywhere now.

In my town, there is not a single cafe or teashop which doesn't allow them. There is nowhere to take an elderly relative for tea if you don't want the risk of a dog sniffing around under your table, lying on the sofas or weeing on the floor. I have seen all of that so make a nice pot of tea and plate of cakes at home now.

YorkieTheRabbit · 08/04/2023 16:45

I love dogs, we’ve got two but yes there are lots more than before lockdown.
There have always been irresponsible owners, letting them run off, not picking up etc but as there’s now even more dogs,there are many more irresponsible owners.
I live opposite a small wood and it’s absolutely disgusting in there. I no longer walk through it it’s so bad.
Owners let their dogs off lead as the dog can run about which means the owner doesn’t need to walk them for as long and of course they haven’t a clue where it’s 💩 is.
Ours have both been attacked by off lead dogs when they were puppies, owners running after their dogs, yelling for them to come back and clueless as to how to control them.

slowquickstep · 08/04/2023 16:46

Leave the mutt's at home, they don't want or need to be dragged around all day.