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!

Yes absolutely!

I think if you do have a dog you are also less likely to be jumped up at which may explain those saying OP was exaggerating (presumably dog owners themselves).

I don't hate dogs at all, I just hate that owners can't keep them under control.

Well I can't say I'm glad it's happening to so many other people but relieved it's not only me !

A resounding YES to the keeping of dogs on the lead when the owner knows it can jump up/until it's fully trained.

And no, this is not a dog hating thread. What I do hate is being mauled by some random pooch every time I'm in the park. Just keep your badly behaved dog on a lead and we wouldn't be having these threads.

Whilst I'm here, I would like to add the amount of dog shit on my road is driving me insane. It's honestly disgusting how many people are not picking up after their dogs. What is going on with these people, seriously !

I noticed this becoming more of a pattern after lock down. I think there are too many irresponsible dog owners.

@gannett since you've lived such a cosmopolitan life around dogs and wandered far and wide in parks and fields, you 'calling bullshit' is the final word on this thread. Just because you have sooo much varied life experience around dogs, I absolutely must be making this up! Or! you could get a life and stop trying to invalidate other people's life experiences because they dare to be different to yours.

Thanks to all the sane people who have posted - there's a fair few who have a stick up their arse over the 9 times out of 10 statement. It's fair to say I havn't carried out a scientific experiment (yet) on exact numbers. What I meant was it's happening to me ALOT. More often than not. Too much. More than it should be. However which way you want to put it. Anyone who is harping on and on about 9 times out of 10 has missed the point by miles and is possibly a rude owner of a badly behaved, jumping up dog. Also there are multiple responses on this thread of posters sharing similar experiences. Accept the fact that we're not all dog lovers and if you don't fully trust your dog , put it on a lead around other people. Simple.

If anything, it’s a thread to bash dog owners who don’t keep their dogs under control. I happen to like dogs. I don’t like dogs jumping up at me or my kids, trying to eat my food, chasing my kids or knocking them over. It’s the owner’s fault for allowing any of that behaviour.

Smallest dogs are the worst. Had my leg scratched to hell by “he’s so friendly he likes to jump” dog on a beach last year. As if it’s ok because he was small. It’s as if only large breed dog owners have to train.

I have a new puppy, large breed. She’s not allowed to jump. Training is every single day since we got her. Her recall is excellent. She doesn’t jump. However as she’s a puppy, she cannot be trusted yet, so she is always on a lead in public. Puppies are hard work. They need constant training. Right into adulthood when it still needs reinforcing. People want the fun without the training.

Yeah this .. ^ We always had a dog when I was growing up, and deep down I think they are lovely, sweet, gentle, kind, loving animals who make wonderful loyal companions, and excellent pets.

However......... There has been a recent surge (since 2020,) of people buying/acquiring dogs as a hobby/something to pass the time, and they have fuck-all clue how to look after them/train them/deal with them/nurture them etc etc etc... And it's resulted in a generation of dogs who are largely out of control.

I have lost count of the amount of times I have been on the canal path, or in the park, and had someone's dog(s) run at me, knock me flying, bark and growl, and just generally jump up me, covering me in mud, and putting rips in my clothes.

There are some very good dog owners, with lovely, trained, calm dogs, and fortunately the 3 living within 20 yards of me are all like this. Always on a lead, don't bark constantly at fresh air, never run off, and do what the owner tells them.

The ones who complain about supposed 'dog haters' are clearly the ones who have out of control dogs, and this thread is hitting a raw nerve. Reminds me of a thread running right now, where many posters are complaining about out-of-control children who scream like banshees and disturb the neighbourhood peace, (and their inadequate parents who don't give a shit.) The ones getting salty about it are the ones who have the out-of-control dogs/children...

I have two dogs, can't imagine not having dogs, and I hate being jumped up on with muddy paws. I can excuse a puppy if I've gone over to say hello to it, but two people I regularly see out walking have dogs who jump up. One intervenes quickly and apologises whether the dog succeeds or not. The other is very responsible in other ways (takes a bag and a litter-picker round the local woods)but is largely oblivious - she just accepts it as what her dog does.

I find it annoying, and I don't think it's okay.

I’ve recently become driven to distraction at home by barking, whining dogs in a nearby house. It’s a disgrace what - some, but too many - dog owners inflict on other people.

I have Nordic walking poles - beat them off quite often - God the owners get annoyed 😁

The ones who complain about supposed 'dog haters' are clearly the ones who have out of control dogs, and this thread is hitting a raw nerve.

Nah, you're wrong. My dog is perfectly behaved. I'm just bored of all owners being tarred with the same brush.

“Keep your fucking flea bags on leads, how about that?”
My dog doesn’t have fleas. 🤔🤣

I also find it hard to believe you get jumped on 9/10 times a week. Do you have pockets filled with cheese? As a dog lover and a dog owner, I can’t recall the last time a dog jumped up at me.

Do you look at the dog? Start flapping your arms around, break into a run? Do you have lots of covid dogs in your area?
(The dogs shouldn’t jump up obviously).

I agree with @LegalAlienated too.
Mostly this happens with young, cute pups. Unfortunately that cute pup is likely to grow into 7 stone of muscle that will still think it’s ok to jump up- because the fickle public encouraged it.

I’d be liberating you of them and returning the favour👍🏼😆and might have done so, when a bloke did this with a stick one time😉

I have an ultrasonic dog alarm, of a brand approved by the police. It works fairly well although a numpty with a badly trained dog complained that his dog didn't like it. Well yeah, that's the whole bloody point.

I hate the "He's only being friendly" stuff. I didn't sign up to be part of your dog's social life.

Walking poles can be very useful in these situations too.

Sure you will. And I completely believe you attacked a man with a stick. Totally.

Erm @WhatsTheUseOfWorrying I didn’t say I fucking attacked him did I. I just gave him a taste of his own medicine. Plus I couldn’t give a shit what you think.

Yeah, you did say that. And I doubt anyone gives a shit what you say, since it’s obvious bollocks.

Fortunately I am of a build you wouldn't 🤣 so many aggressive owners as well as the dogs

Nothing you can do, but YANBU. It’s the dog owners responsibility and many are just not that great.

I am a dog owner and my dog is very over friendly, and thinks all dogs and people are their friends. In that first few moments off the lead, my dog will bound up to people or dogs. After the first minute or so I can gain control, but not straight away. He grew up with other dogs on a farm. After that minute I can recall no problem, my dog can walk to heel very well, but most dogs when they are let off lead for the first few minutes are not controllable as it’s their ‘cue’ to let off steam.

So you know what I do? I don’t let him off unless it’s controlled, as I know I cannot recall him. Even though he’s absolutely no aggression, well as low as you can with dogs, it’s still not fair on anyone and how do they know this? They don’t, and it’s OK to be wary of dogs.

I only let my dog off in my garden or in enclosed spaces with no other people or dogs. It’s just not fair on other people or their dogs.

I go about the same as you and agree with you.

Presumably someone would only use hiking poles to ward off unwanted approaches from off-lead dogs. If a person is afraid of dogs or feels threatened by them it's entirely reasonable that they should move to protect themselves from the perceived threat of a loose dog approaching too closely.

If your dog approaches someone and that person feels frightened by the approach and fears they may be hurt by the dog, then you are committing the offence of being in charge of a dog that is dangerously out of control.

If you cannot recall the dog with your voice and it continues to approach the other person, then you do not have control of it and it should be kept on a lead.

For the first time ever a random dog came over and stuck his/her face in my 4 year old's buggy today, it was a big dog, friendly but big. Because the buggy is actually an off-road wheelchair/bike trailer it is low slung so the dog's face was level with his chin and it scared the life out of him because he's blind so he screamed. The owner was most apologetic but I can only begin to imagine how scary that was for a small child.

You can either, turn your back on the dog......it will get the message or stamp your foot loud.

This usually works.

I like dogs but they are a pain in the as* when they jump up.

@EasyPeelings Absolutely. Totally agree. If the dog is genuinely dangerously out of control🤔

Understandably, by the same token I’m a bit wary of men wielding walking poles/sticks, waving them around and acting mildly unhinged, I might feel the need to relieve them of their sticks for my safety.