Sick and tired of being jumped on by random dogs in the park

[strawberrycheesecakey]

So I walk every day in our local park. I can go at various times in the day but whenever I go there is always a dog walker or two there and 9 times out of 10 I will get a dog running up to me and putting its muddy paws all over me. It absolutely ruins my walk; I'm not a dog person and I don't want someone's muddy dog putting its paws all over me when I'm trying to have a quiet walk. I don't know why but I've never seen it happening to anyone else ! Dogs seem to go crazy when they see me. Whilst I'm not afraid of dogs and don't mind them being in public places, I really don't want them coming and jumping at me, wanting to play, running themselves against my legs etc. if I wanted that I would have a dog of my own! The owners are usually apologetic and I can get irritated and ask them to keep their dog on always if it can't be trusted. But it's always a different dog every time.

How do I stop random dogs from approaching me in the park? It's starting to completely put me off going for a walk!

You tired @Costacoffeeplease ? The door is that way >>>>>

no just bored - it’s all so tedious and repetitive

@Costacoffeeplease awww bless you. Did you know on mumsnet there's a wonderful feature of clicking off threads that you find boring or tedious ? You should try it sometime ! 😊

Ermmmm yes.
If this is actually happening you are quite possibly doing something to attract these many many dogs to you. So maybe work that out. If it's not happening as much as you say don't exaggerate as it makes it sound like bollocks.

Really? Fascinating

@BringMeSunshineAllDayLong yep ... as you can see 75 posts later, that's what we're trying to do. I think you're the one who sounds like bollacks cos you've got nothing but bitchy comments to make on a dog thread which is rather sad if you ask me.

It would be really interesting to see if changing your perfume makes any difference OP.

Oh good another dog hating thread.

OP it's me they jump up on too, always happens and I'm fed up with it. I'm a dog owner and my dog is kept on a lead because dogs running up to me/him, scare him and he could run off. Why cant people control their bloody dogs ?

I was in a pub the other day and a full grown lab was jumping on people in excitement. While the owner just grinned and everyone said how cute. I had to leave as the last time a large dog jumped on my ex MIL (who was walking her own dog) to play, she fell and broke both legs. I'm petite and a big dog standing on its rear legs is as big as me - and a lot heavier.

I've stopped running in the local Heath as there's a husky off lead that will charge me. Owner is always on the phone and unbothered, also definitely not strong enough to control him.

Dogs jumping on strangers like a pp said are bored/not stimulated enough at home, and just desperate to play with anyone. Aso badly trained. It really should be a crime to have a dog that's ignored for most of the day because the owner (s) are working full time - that set up is what a cat is for.

This happens to me quite a lot - the last time was on Sunday and my trousers were covered in mud as a result.

It doesn't actually bother me that much but I'm always surprised by the owners that fail to even apologise. Very bad manners imo.

The posters who insist that this can't be happening because it hasn't ever happened to them are being ridiculous. It depends where you walk - I've noticed that some routes have far more dogs off lead than others.

I don't really think it's about hating dogs.

It's about hating rude dog owners who don't take responsibility for their dogs.

Get walking poles

Yup. Another. Where the OP is jumped 9 times out of 10. We have dogs, and children (now grown up) I cannot recall it ever happening , maybe once or twice in my life but if so , I don't remember. We have lived all over and nope, not happened here or abroad.

The numbers of dogs and numbers of bad owners make discussion of them inevitable.

Given the widespread problems with dogs now, there are surprisingly few of these threads.

@Springcat

Presumably you walk your dogs. Are they always on lead or do they run around jumping up at other people because you clearly haven't trained them not to jump up at you.

Can you carry a large umbrella with you on walks and if a dog is running towards you, you can use the umbrella to physically block the dog from getting too close.

I have also taken to saying “No!” In a very firm, deep voice if a dog gets too close and doesn’t walk straight off. Most dogs will then back off and it sends a very clear signal to the owner that you don’t want their dog near you. Some give me dirty looks (I don’t care) but some will sheepishly put their dog on its lead.

Try turning your back. It has worked for me for the last couple of years.
Dog owners can be very unreasonable eg “oh don’t get dirty for God’s sake!” As if that were highly unreasonable.

My ddog is put on a lead if I see anyone approaching.
The only response from any responsible dog owner if their dog jumps up should be
I am so sorry, totally my fault.

Like children

Your dog should be on a lead then to stop ber getting to people to do it in the first place until youve trained it out of her. Im a dog owner and went through this with mine and dont mean this unkindly. I get dogs jumping up at me and i hate it cos my dog is massive and if he did it to otjers theyd soon kick off. I find myself saying its ok cos im too nice and dont want to make the owners feel bad but its soo annoying

I hear you. Same happens to me. I grew up with dogs but I don’t want others dogs jumping up on me. The last time it happened we were in fancy clothes for special occasion and I really got angry when they started with ‘it’s harmless’ bs. I hope I upset them enough to control their dog next time but alas I doubt it. It’s one of the reasons I do my walking on roads and not parks anymore. I haven’t been in our local park for a walk in about 2 years.

So unless something has happened to you personally, you think it can’t have happened to anyone? Goodness.

I hate it too, especially when wearing my long down coat - recently a dog actually damaged it with his scratchy dirty paws!

I've got dogs (who don't jump up at random strangers as it happens) but I think 9 out of 10 times is a massive exageration given that I have probably been jumped on by a random dog about three times in my whole life and like a previous poster said, if a dog is over friendly to me it's usually my own fault because I encourage them.

Calling bullshit on this thread. No one gets jumped on by 9 out of every 10 random dogs. I've lived in multiple UK cities and the countryside, and been extremely familiar with various parks and fields where I've run and walked, and which have all been heaving with both off-lead and on-lead dogs. Aside from picnic scenarios, I think I recall seeing a dog jump up at a person maybe once or twice in 30 years, and none ever in London.

I'm someone who loves it when dogs come to say hello, but 99% of them are too preoccupied with the exciting scents of squirrel and fox to take notice of other humans. And the ones that do say hello just wag their tail and sniff your hand, they don't leap up at you. The only dogs who've leapt at me are those I've specifically invited to do so by patting my knees.

Either the OP is interpreting "came up to sniff my hand and look at me" as "jumped on me", or she's just making it all up. Regardless, it's a wildly implausible tale.