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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if dogs should be on a lead or not in public places?

160 replies

GospelTruth · 19/02/2011 23:33

Following on from a recent thread about dogs snatching food & biting very young children in public places, should it be mandatory for all dogs to be on leads in public places, it's a yes from me. Who could argue otherwise?

OP posts:
Vallhala · 20/02/2011 18:51

Zukie, I would treat you DD the same way as I treat the scared-of-dogs man in my life. Also, as I've indicated, i am one of those who leads my dogs up or gets them to sit and stay as appropriate when they are likely to scare folk, knock them over ny running past or similar.

WRT those who don't like dogs, they're not the sort of people I want to befriend or entertain, that's all. No big deal, I'm just not interested in them or their company.

Vallhala · 20/02/2011 18:52

Your DD, not you DD, of course.

IHateLivingHere · 20/02/2011 18:55

WRT those who don't like dogs, they're not the sort of people I want to befriend or entertain, that's all. No big deal, I'm just not interested in them or their company

Ditto Smile

reelingintheyears · 20/02/2011 18:59

I let my collie of the lead all the time in the park and on the beach...

She needs lots of exercise and runs for balls.

She doesn't approach other people or their children but other people and their children approach her all the time.

They don't ask if it's ok.

I tell children that do this that they shouldn't approach her if they don't know her.
And then throw her ball in the opposite direction.

northerngirl41 · 20/02/2011 19:04

Actually for some dogs putting them on a lead will make them more agressive. I had a dog who was beautifully trained but if you put him on a lead he istantly went on the defensive and regarded anyone approaching as a threat. Off the lead, he was no problem. That's why they don't make it a rule.

I totally agree that your dog should be under control in public, and for some dogs that will be off the lead, others it will mean in a muzzle, and others still should only be exercised in a controlled environment.

Some dogs still aren't safe when on a lead. It's why the legislation puts the onus on the owner of the dog to control it, rather than making a generalised rule.

fit2drop · 20/02/2011 19:12

I have two dogs (mentioned previous) love em to bits, I'm not in the brigade of if you dont like dogs then I dont like you, however my friends that are not keen on dogs respect the fact that my home is also home to my dogs and they respect that too.and accept I will not put them out of the way when they visit,
I do however take umbrage at people who dislike dogs and come onto a forum complaining and expecting 100 percent support when statistically 50 percent will be responsible caring dog owners.
I would have more respect for OP if they had said they had approached and complained to someone who was irresponsible with their dog, Instead you come here and tar all dog owners with the same brush . Save your criticisms for those that deserve it, target the real culprits of your annoyances.

Maybe then you would not get so many annoyed responses

zukiecat · 20/02/2011 19:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fit2drop · 20/02/2011 19:47

ZUKIE SHE ANSWERED YOU HERE :

Add message | Report | Message poster Vallhala Sun 20-Feb-11 18:51:18
Zukie, I would treat you DD the same way as I treat the scared-of-dogs man in my life. Also, as I've indicated, i am one of those who leads my dogs up or gets them to sit and stay as appropriate when they are likely to scare folk, knock them over ny running past or similar.

zukiecat · 20/02/2011 19:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Laska · 20/02/2011 19:55

Someone is scared of dogs thus all dogs should all be kept on leads? Really? Confused

Perhaps we should exterminate everything that people are scared of or might be hurt by?

FGS.

Bad owners are bad owners, unlikely to adhere to legislation, so all you'll be doing is penalising the majority because a few are crap.

fit2drop · 20/02/2011 19:59

holds handsup and appologises to Zukie for c and p the wrong post , but that question has been answered Hmm

zukiecat · 20/02/2011 20:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Vallhala · 20/02/2011 20:04

Thank you fit2drop.

The man in my life and your DD would be treated differently, Zukie, as one shares my company and the other would only be someone I met in the park/fields/street. With Himself it was a case of him trusting me not to put him at risk and knowing that I haev control over my dogs and know what I'm doing with them. (I also convinced him, someone who knows nothing of breeds, that my first GSD was an Alaskan Malamute. Not difficult, my GSD was a long-haired white. This went on for 3 months... by the time I broke the news to him that the dog he'd learned to stroke and accept as non-threatening was in fact a Shepherd he was so chilled with my dog that the penny about breed being irrelevant dropped and he realised he had nothing to fear).

Your DD wouldn't get that because she wouldn't have the same level of involvement with me, but I would nonetheless extend the same consideration to her as described earlier and which fit2drop kindly re-posted. My dogs would be leaded and under control on the public pavement, recalled and seated and under control on the footpaths when others approach, recalled, seated and under control when the jogger approaches etc and the same would go for your DD.

And finally, yes I am intolerant of those who don't like dogs. Unashamedly. I am also intolerant of small children, drunks, bleeding heart liberals and a million and one other tyoes of individual. And, as I said, I just don't chose to befriend people like these or to seek out their company. As I also said, it's no big deal and no great loss on either side.

onagar · 20/02/2011 20:05

Some dogs still aren't safe when on a lead.>>

If it's not safe then have it put down. If you can't control it give it to someone who can or have it put down.

Those owners who can't control their pets should not be allowed to have them in the first place as they are not up to the responsibility.

They should leave the dogs to those who are willing and able to look after them properly and get yourself a goldfish.

vintageteacups · 20/02/2011 20:07

Ihatelivinghere - it was a German perosn who told me that, plus I lived there too. You don't actually say it's not the law; just that nobody living near you puts their dog on the lead. Perhaps it's a regional thing then but it's defo true in some regions of Germany.

Vallhala · 20/02/2011 20:08

Sorry - I made a cods of that! What I meant to say is that your DD would essentially be treated the same as the man in my life - with tolerance of their fear, courtesy and common sense but the method I used would be different as the circumstances under which the scared individuals and my dogs met would be different. Your DD would be a passing stranger, Himself is not of course (although the little I've seen of him recently thanks to kids and work he may as well be!).

zukiecat · 20/02/2011 20:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Vallhala · 20/02/2011 20:20

Zukie, I have cats too. Wink

You'd love the foster one especially... pure white, half Oriental by the look of her, only a babe and just coming out of her shell to prove to be the sweetest, most affectionate soul ever. It's going to break my heart when it comes to finding a forever home for her. :(

It's funny, with the exception of the cat crap argument, mogs don't cause people to be half as prejudiced as dogs, ime.

tulpe · 20/02/2011 20:26

Perhaps we should say that anyone unaccompanied by children should also be denied access to public places since....oooh,....I don't know.......they could be a predator? Hmm

Or perhaps we should say nobody should be allowed to procreate because adults abuse children in their own homes?

Geez, I feel embarrassed even writing those things but you are being ridiculous OP. Where I live there are no "dog only" areas so basically I would have to keep my dog leashed at all times, even when I know that on average I bump into all of about 4 people on an hour's walk through local public woodland?

My dog is a 14 month old puppy (yes, still definitely a pup :o ).

If she is walking along the road I keep her on her leash. Ditto a public park with a children's play area within it. Unless of course there are no children there, in which case I let her run free. The instant I see a child appear, I leash her. Not because she is dangerous but because she loves everyone and thinks everyone loves her Hmm.

She is a vizsla and therefore a medium/large breed (almost as tall as my 6 year old) and I understand how intimidating she potentially could be to an adult, never mind a small child.

Even as a dog owner, I dislike other people letting their dogs approach my DCs without any kind of warning, and warn DCs to be responsible and not approach other dogs. This is the message non-dog owners should be giving their DCs, rather than "oooh go and stroke the nice doggy" because possibly the "nice doggy" is in a bit of a strop or is, in fact, scared of small people themselves.

If we are walking through fields or woodland she is free to run. HOWEVER, again, if I see a parent with children I will tend to leash her because when she is running full pelt she could bowl over DH (and he isn't exactly light weight :o )

I would not even consider letting my dog off the leash near children if she had any history of aggression or if she didn't have good recall.

The people you are talking about are a very small percentage of dog owners, ime.

Am now going to pour myself a Wine and breathe deeply......

DooinMeCleanin · 20/02/2011 20:48

Im scared of moths, balloons and hamsters. Cab we annihilate them please? They should at least be banned from public spaces. Especially balloons and moths.

fit2drop · 20/02/2011 20:51

sits with dooinmecleanin in the "dont like moths orner" singing kum bah ya ,swaying and holding a candle.

ooops methinks the candle was a bad idea Confused

fit2drop · 20/02/2011 20:52

orner=corner Blush

Vallhala · 20/02/2011 20:53

Hamsters, Dooin?

Really? Nah... you're having me on... not hamsters!

Hee hee, I shall never view you in quite the same light again!

DooinMeCleanin · 20/02/2011 20:55

I hope that is one of thsoe anti insect candles fit2drop?

DooinMeCleanin · 20/02/2011 20:56

Hamsters are Eeevil, Vall, eevil I tells ya!

Dd1 wants one. I am persuding her to get a rat instead. I can be in the same room as eevil hamsters, I'd just rather not touch them. Nasty, bitey little buggers.

Balloons and moths otoh I cannot tolerate being near me.