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!

Why don't you just control your dog?

My god goes off lead every walk. He's never failed to recall so the risk of him being hit with a walking pole is zero.

Totally unacceptable, of course. My dogs are trained with the “leave it” command to give a wide berth to approaching people or dogs and would never jump up, I would be mortified if they did! I have no idea why it’s happening so regularly to you though? I walk my dogs in a variety of different locations for a least an hour or 2 every day, we see many different dogs each week. I’m never, ever jumped up at? Some people must just smell more appealing to (badly trained) dogs? Sorry, I know that doesn’t help. Have you tried a firm “no” when they approach you?

We've just spent a week in the Lakes, the most dog friendly place in the world. Saw hundreds of dogs and only got jumped up on once by a puppy who was on a lead....and to be fair I was petting him (after asking).

Very impressed. They may of course have all been too knackered from the walking.

@EasyPeelings most of what you say could be applied to many parents, but I suppose you aren’t going to suggest people should have vetting, training and a licence to procréât 🙄

Maybe they jump up less if you have your own dogs with you?

Sticks and may be tasers if that were lawful might be possible. If a dog jumps up and licks you which I hate and they seem very prone to do I think we should have a right to go over to the owner and spit and lick their clothes in return.

I've trained my dog not to jump up at people. When dogs approach raise your thigh up and say 'No'. (You shouldn't have to, but it's a training method I've taught others, who are around my dog). Either that or carry a gadget that let's out a noise to stop dogs approaching you ( anti dog attack prevention).
I don't always like dogs jumping either and owners shouldn't allow it.

It's basically lazy owners who cba training their dogs properly.

And then you're at fault for their dog doing it.

I don't actually mind dogs at all but even I don't like them jumping all over me!

I never want some mutts wet, dirty, smelly, muddy paws on me. Never.
Even once is too many times.

If your dog is a jumper, damn well keep it on a short lead and away from people.

While we're on the subject of wet, muddy dogs - can you keep them away from me when I'm eating too please? Someone's wet smelly dog was sat 2 feet from me in a cafe recently and the smell made me wretch. Couldn't eat my breakfast.

Try dabbing a very small amount of neem oil on, just like perfume. Its smell should make any dog steer well clear

Really? Isn’t that funny I have lived next to a field for 30 years where dog walkers always are and I think I can count on one hand the number of times dogs have approached me. What a strange park. Usually there is a rule about dogs on a lead.

I still don't believe any of the posters claiming they get jumped on my dogs as anything other than a one-off. It doesn't fit with anything I've experienced or witnessed in real life.

I've been on various parks and commons packed full of off-lead dogs for a total of about five hours this week so far. The number who jumped up at me: 0. The number I saw jump up at anyone other than their owner: 0. The number who even acknowledged me: 0, devastatingly.

I had a dog. She was always on lead when people was about and had great recall so never a problem.

I'm a dog person but can't stand them jumping up at me. If I see a big dog bounding up to me i turn to the side and ignore it then call to the owner to call it back.

It's a bit insane to compare dog and kids. Anyone who has kids presumes that strangers potentially want to cause harm so you you teach kids stranger danger. You don't presume anyone wants to fuss over them once they are walking. My default is 50% of the population actually want to harm them. Humans don't seek out dogs to abducted rape and murder dogs do they? Why would i let my kids bound up and touch a potential pervert?

I can go out for a run in one area and dogs will be under control and/or ignore me.

I can go for a run in another area and there will always be a dog will want to chase me (with the result I never go there now, or at least only for a walk).

Some parks seem to attract less considerate dog owners, so I don't think the OP is exaggerating, but maybe go to a different park if one is close by.

It's a bit insane to compare dog and kids

I don't get kids running up to me in parks and jumping up at me! Ever. I don't know why people keep comparing them.

How quaint to expect dog owners to obey rules like keeping their dogs on leads. But actually most parks don't require that. They just have woolly rules about well behaved dogs welcome, and what's well behaved is in the eye of the beholder.

I don't really mind whether or not you believe me, but it happens to me often.

Very rarely when I go out near my own house, as it happens, though I do encounter lots of dog walkers.

But I do regular walks with a friend near her house, and there, I would say that I get jumped on more often than not.

I don't know what the difference is. Demographics, maybe? Who knows.

But I very much doubt that people are just making it up. Why would they?!

@Medschoolmum I agree. If I walk from my house, it's horrendous. There are certain parks that I've given up going to.

But I also know which areas to drive to where it doesn't happen though ... but I should be able to go for a safe walk without taking my car!

A decent whack of the non dog-related posts on MN seem made up too, to be fair. Half of AIBU is surely a work of fiction.

It is really irritating - I'm definitely a dog person and have always had dogs but still annoying when I'm walking across the park to meet a friend and end up with muddy paw prints on clothes.

It is crap dog ownership.

Dogs should never be encouraged to do this. It is almost certainly too late for these dogs but I thought the way to train a dog not to do this is to turn you back on a dog that is about to jump up on you, and when they've calmed down greet them.

Dogs should be on a lead if they are likely to approach other dogs/people or don't have excellent recall.

My dog doesn't have excellent recall or even ok recall (almost certainly my fault) so he is always on a lead and a short lead when approaching people/other dogs. I'm not going to inconvenience other people because I didn't manage to train my dog properly.

It's not just dogs jumping up though, I hate them coming over and sniffing or bouncing around me. Most dogs don't bother me at all and just carry on with their own walk but I would say at least once a week (out of 4/5 days I'm out) a dog will come near and frighten me. Many owners saying "he won't hurt you" as their dog wanders over, and so often the long leads don't make any difference as they get released longer and longer. Why can some people not seem to understand the fear of non dog people? So, what should a person do - shout at the dog? Shout at the owners ? Run ? Please, give me some tips. Would really appreciate it cos my "go away" never seems to really work before I'm already scared.

I was knocked over repeatedly at a beach by a dog when I was younger and I thought I was going to drown, so I do understand there is some residual fear from that. I learned to swim to overcome that fear of drowning but the dog fear remains. Not all dogs, many friends and family have dogs and I have no problem with them as they are well trained

Yes. Jumping up is just one problem. Dogs off-lead that run around near people should be stopped as well.

I really can’t see why all pet dogs shouldn’t be required to be on short leads at all times in public places.

No doubt some dog owning ‘ultras’ will be along to say that they never see unleashed dogs near people or saying that children should all be in reins, or both. 🙄

I grew up with working dogs - they were well trained (if there are guns around, they'd better be well trained!) So I know how to say a firm NO and put my thigh up, to drop eye contact and turn sideways, etc.

The trouble is, so many dogs aren't socialised or trained now, so they don't know that you're communicating a Go Away message to them. They've never been told No.

So now I have a huge, painful cyst on the back of my leg where a dog jumped on me from behind. I was trying to get walking again after cancer treatment. Now I'm in constant pain and afraid to walk in my local park (where the local crap dog owners smash up the 'all dogs on leads' signs). 🤷‍♀️

Been a dog owner for most of my adult life and never had a dog run and jump on me (other than my own!), where are you going that there’s so many dead beat dog owners?