To wish this country was more dog friendly?

[lesley33]

I know some dogs are badly behaved, but surely not all dogs should be tarred with the same brush? My dog is a very well behaved labrador. On the continent dogs are allowed into lots of pubs and cafes and in places like Paris dogs are regularly walked along City streets. But in the UK, lots of people do not seem happy to let dogs share their space anywhere, which I think is vvu.

Although I understand your point about you knowing your dog is fine off a lead Lesley others don't know that which may be why they don't like it.

My nephew dispite everyone's best efforts hates dogs seeing a dog off a lead adds to his panic so as such when I am out with him I do hate seeing dogs of leads because if one runs to him just being friendly it sends him I to a panic and being told "it won't hurt" doesn't cut it with a petrified 3 year old!!

I'm of course not saying dogs should be on leads at all times but in busier places I do think they should be as a general rule of thumb

zzz - Never seen that. It does sound as if they are doing training and I wonder if it is fuelled by Britain's Got Talent as there was a dog on there that did this.

sirzy - I have twice seen a DC crying hysterically

Once because my dog was about 18 foot away while the parents tried to comfort him. I immediately put him on the lead, apologised and walked in the opposite direction. The parents were fine.

Second time we were on the opposite side of the road and my dog was on a lead.

It must be horrible for a DC to be so scared of dogs. But ime what my dog was doing or not doing didn't make any difference to the child's hysteria. So no I don't think dogs should always be on a lead because of this.

Dogs & owners invade my space eg: when out on a walk in a country park I do now want an off the lead dog coming up to me with sniffing me and in my childs face with a cheery faced only some yards behind saying 'he won't bite' Who cares? Get you dog out of my space and child's face you idiot. He's not scared and neither am I, it's polite and manners is all for your to stop my dog sniffing me and being an inch away from my childs face.

Why oh why do dog owners not get this? Please tell me as I really want to know.

In the Summer a dog walked through our picnic and the owner said 'ooh you must have sausage rolls, Tilly loves sausage rolls!' and carried on walking. DH was so mad he ran after her and told her, politely, that her dog should not be allowed to walk through a picnic and that she needed to pay for the food that had been trampled on. She was gobsmacked and really thought she had done nothing wrong, but in the end she gave DH a £5.

Just because it's a dog does not make it ok.

I'll tell you where to take your dog if you want it appreciated - a nursing home. The amount of pleasure the presence my dog has brought to a lot of elderly people is quite humbling. I have to take him on a bit of a tour of his fan club when we visit MIL - they love to have him 'share their space' to stroke him (and even the odd lick in return).

Caro - anyone who doesn't have their dog physically restrained near ground-level picnickers is clearly a couple of sarnies short.

Any sign of picnics my Lab is straight on the lead !

However get mightly pissed off when people who picnic can't be arsed to put their litter in bin or take it home !

got an email today from Alister Sawdays holiday company advertising their new book re dog friendly places to stay in UK...thought it might be of interest

Thanks DBF. Sorry for the late reply, I have a nine week old DD who sometimes doesn't sleep so I can go on MN

I don't think he's that bad, either that or I'm a bit loopy myself. As long as he has two walks minimum with a ball thrower (which gets used A LOT) he's a happy pooch. Well, once I let him on the sofa for a cuddle

I'll put a few pictures on of him