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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

dogs in the park

41 replies

Hannah31 · 13/11/2011 11:24

There is a field at the back of our house which has a playpark fenced off at the top of it. The field is enclosed by houses, and is very popular with dog owners as somewhere to let their dogs off the lead and crap all over the place without picking it up and have a run around. Now I am not the world's biggest dog fan, but am trying to teach our DDs to be careful around dogs but not terrified (as I was growing up). We went to the park yesterday to play, and there were 3 German Shepherds and a Rottweiler, all with the same owner running around and having a great time (dogs, not owner!). They did absolutely nothing wrong, and were reasonably well controlled (came back when the owner shouted them from quite a long way away), but they were bloody massive and quite intimidating (I know they would'nt have been to some people - am aware that my wariness around ANY dogs makes me more likely to be worried). We got in the park quick and shut the gate (all in a Joyce Grenfall 'tra la la we're not worried' manner - probably weren't fooling anyone, but hey). I'm not sure what the actual law is for dogs and leads in public places (I thought they had to be on a lead, but maybe not). My SIL has 2 (mental) dogs, and she has often said that she would never let them off the lead anywhere that children are present because you just never know. It did occur to me that perhaps the field should be fenced off to keep the dogs in, and not the park. Just wondered what anyone thought?

OP posts:

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 13/11/2011 11:31

If the park allows dogs off leads, then there's not much you can do about it. If the dogs you saw were just playing about, and recalled when their owner called them, and didn't bother you at all I don't think he was doing anything wrong. I have a puppy, and I don't let him off lead at the park because I can't be sure that he'll come back/won't jump up/knock someone over. I exercise him in a meadow where a lot of dog walkers go, but that isn't a place you'd take children to kick a ball etc. Your SIL knows her dogs best, and is being sensible IMO. But not all dogs are 'mental', and if they're well trained and obedient I think it's fair enough that they should be allowed to play.

SnapesMistress · 13/11/2011 11:51

YABU, unless there were signs about not taking dogs off leads. You have a fenced off bit for your children to play in unmolested.

eurochick · 13/11/2011 11:51

So there were well behaved dogs being exercised in an area in which they are allowed to be exercised and they did not bother you or your daughter in any way?

I have no idea why you think this is post-worthy.

crashdoll · 13/11/2011 12:01

YABU. They sound like they had good recall and were not actually where they shouldn't be. They didn't approach you and jump up at you either. Dog owners can't win with some people!

JoandMax · 13/11/2011 12:05

YABU - there is a fenced off play area for children so the rest is for everyone, dogs included!! I'm not sure what you're annoyed about really, the dogs were well behaved and didn't disrupt your trip at all???

catgirl1976 · 13/11/2011 12:07

YABU unless it was an area where dogs were not permitted to be off the lead which from so sound of your OP it wasn't. The dogs were well behaved and there is a separate, fenced off area for children so I am not sure whast the issue is.

Birdsgottafly · 13/11/2011 12:08

As a long standing GS owner i am trying not to react to your post, as it seems it be the size of the dogs that you are basing your opinion on.

If they were under control and well socialised then they pose no risk. They are a stable breed, in the right hands.

People have the right to own dogs.

If they were not under control being on leads wouldn't make a difference, if they decided to attack, they couldn't be stopped.

Three smal dogs out of control could do your children a fair amount of damage.

What is it that you are objecting to, big dogs or multiple dog ownership?

StrandedBear · 13/11/2011 12:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

squeakytoy · 13/11/2011 12:36

Would you be worried if someone was riding their horse too?

They are a lot bigger, and so are their shits

Booboostoo · 13/11/2011 12:47

Your post gives the impression that you are quite worried about dogs yourself, whether this is warranted by the dogs' behaviour or not. Do you have any friends with friendly dogs you could socialise with and see if you could get more used to them? Your fear is very likely to transmit to your kids and that's a shame. Children should learn how to interact with dogs but if they are outright afraid of them they are more likely to get into difficult situations with them. BTW running away from dogs that scare you is a bad idea, if you are ever in trouble with a dog cross your hands and turn your back on it silently.

Large dogs are not necessarily more aggressive than little dogs. Some breeds in particular are wonderful family dogs, e.g. GSDs. Here is our 5 month old DD with our GSD, you don't get softer than this dog:

VikingBlood · 13/11/2011 13:02

Move to France, they don't allow dogs in parks at all and it's wonderful (I love dogs).

catgirl1976 · 13/11/2011 13:05

Your dog and baby are gorgeous booboo :)

HeresTheThingBooyhoo · 13/11/2011 13:06

i'm not sure what your question is.

you went to a park where people walk dogs.
there were 4 dogs
all were well behaved
you labelled them as intimidating (based on what? the way they look?)
nothing happened

what is the issue?

DownbytheRiverside · 13/11/2011 13:07

I am not keen on dogs at all, and have written many a long and woffly post on the subject.
All saying 'All I want is to be left alone by dogs, not greeted or sniffed or bounced up on or bitten. I want to be ignored by them'
So these dogs are exactly what I like. They didn't bother you or yours and had good recall. The fact that they were big is merely a detail.
Is it an area where dogs should be on leads at all times? If not, then YABU.

HeresTheThingBooyhoo · 13/11/2011 13:08

@ squeaky

HeresTheThingBooyhoo · 13/11/2011 13:13

booboo i could eat your baby right up!!! and i mean that in the nicest way!!

TidyDancer · 13/11/2011 13:59

OMG booboo! That is one beautiful baby! And a gorgeous dog too!

Original poster

Hannah31 · 13/11/2011 14:01

Actually they do ride horses round the park too, and I can confirm that, yes indeed, their shits are a lot bigger I did say I was trying to get my DDs used to dogs without being scared of them. I was purposefully trying to be fair to the dogs because I knew I would get a lot of people's backs up, and I'm aware that most dogs are friendly and well-trained etc. I think it was the fact that there were 4 big dogs all together, and their owner was a long way away. They ran up to 2 boys playing football (yes, I know, trying to get the ball, not eat the boys), and it took their owner a lot of calling to get them back (once he noticed where they were as he was behind a bush at the time.I think I like dogs I know, and am a bit wary of those I don't. I think that is pretty sensible, and don't intend on changing my stance! I think the point to my post was basically wondering what people think, and now I guess I know. Thanks for replies!

Booboostoo - thanks for tips, and we do visit my SIL and her dogs to try and get used to them.

OP posts:

Booboostoo · 13/11/2011 18:41

Thanks everyone for the baby and doggie comments!

Hannah31: you might find you are more comfortable meeting a very quiet dog. Friendly dogs are usually not very good for people who are worried because the dog tends to go right up to the person, is exuberant, licks, etc. all of which can worry someone further even though the dog does not mean harm. A dog who is disinterested in people or a dog with a very good down/stay would be ideal as then you could decide whether to approach it or not and that might make you feel more comfortable.

Andrewofgg · 13/11/2011 19:22

JoandMax YABU - there is a fenced off play area for children so the rest is for everyone, dogs included!!

There should be a fenced off area for dogs so that the rest is for everyone, dogs and their owners included!

MrTumblesBum · 13/11/2011 19:25

I would have been intimidated too. I would have known it was my own issue to deal with and not anyone else's, but I would have removed my children.

I have a dog, btw.

whoopeecushion · 13/11/2011 19:32

I would be unhappy about all the (un picked up) crap the dogs are doing whilst running free.

Earthdog · 13/11/2011 19:35

Off the top of my head, I think the law is that dogs must be 'under control when in a public place', either on a lead or very obedient. I am a dog owner, but my pet hate is out of control dogs rushing up to other people. They can cause nasty accidents with horse riders (I had a bad fall after a loose dog startled my young horse) and frighten non-doggy people. Irresponsible owners give all dog owners a bad name.

carabos · 13/11/2011 20:07

I would be very surprised to see horses being ridden in a public park. As a lifelong horse owner I have never come across any local authority owned area where horse riders mix with the general public ( Hyde park aside- and that's a royal park, as is Windsor).

Original poster

Hannah31 · 13/11/2011 20:22

Well, I'm not lying about the horses! The council had just put in some log benches, and the horse riders were using them to jump over. In fairness, the council did stop them after a bit.

OP posts:

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