I'm neither a lover or hater of dogs but this is beginning to piss me right off rankle.
Near to where I live is a lovely lake. Nice path, children's play area, ducks etc. Popular in this weather.
I was out walking today with DS 2.6 and DD 6mo. As has happened on so many occasions now, we'll be stood feeding the ducks, only to have somebody's dog come bounding along to us, no owner in sight (the path is quite bendy) and start sniffing about. Now, obviously the sniffing I don't mind so much but DS is a bit wary of dogs and today one started trying to lick his face and was licking at DD's feet in the buggy. The owner then saunters around the corner, calling dog's name (to which it pays no attention) and then looks endearingly at the dog and at DS's worried expression and says "oh don't worry she just wants to give you kisses". No attempt to get control of the dog at all.
I gave tight-lipped half smile and turned away resisting urge to wipe DD feet with an anti-bac wipe
AIBU?
To not care how 'friendly' your dog is, if you can't control it, it should be on a lead
IcouldstillbeJoseph · 18/07/2013 03:20
Bluesky I also have a collie and wouldn't be seen dead with him at a children's play park. He'd probably love it (christ he'd be a total slide hog!) but I just don't see the attraction 
Give us an open field any day!
Woods for us. MuttDog loves nothing better than sniffing and searching. Although the day the Muntjac came piling out of the bushes was one she'd rather forget.
The funniest thing I ever saw was a (wonderfully trained and friendly) collie 'rounding up' all the children at a families Barbeque. Dog was in its element and the kids thought it was hilarious
LtEve Border collies will herd anything. Makes them challenging to walk in my (limited) experience.
I once walked one off lead on a road that typically had no walkers or traffic in 24h, past fields I thought were empty. But the neighbour had moved his hoggs... She smelt them and legged it. She herded about a hundred sheep all the way round the field twice, gave them a quick look over, realised two or three had been hiding, and herded those few round the field too, for good measure. I was dying of shame, and very glad nobody was around, as she was by now too far away to hear me shout, and I stupidly hadn't brought her whistle. She eventually calmly trotted back to me grinning, and gave me a look as if to say "Right, that's that done, off we go."
that's a great story. I bet she was quite pleased with herself!
Yep, mine's been used to herd many unusual species, in various unusual circumstances. Not sure I'd want to risk herding children after this thread though 
Mind you, I'd probably get arrested for some sort of child snatching anyway!
Woods are nice, dallas but we don't have many round here. I have wood-envy... Open fields also work nicely for distance hand signal training.
She was totally delighted. She had only recently been retired so I think she missed it just a smidge.
Miss her 
She got old and deaf and diabetic so eventually had to be PTS.
I like the stealth herding, Horry!
Alis, that's mental. Are you sure that wasn't an episode of Lassie?!
Disease
It so does sound like Lassie! This was definitely a Welsh collie though (blue eyes,black and white)
Honest to god it happened! I was 100% sober at the time too!
Spent about 3 days afterwards telling everybody I met about it, I was that stunned it had happened! 
To counter the negativity, have you considered what you are passing on to your children? I have two dogs and am constantly surprised at the reaction by parents when I pass them with my two dogs, on lead, bumbling along paying no attention to them or their DCs. Now if they were squealing and flapping their hands in the air, the dogs might be interested 
.
My dogs are both PAT dogs and have done phobic work. This works if both the child and parent are committed. We reinforce the playing statues, turning one's back and being boring. Don't flap your arms, squeal and run, unless you want the dog to play with you. Phobic work is quite hard on the dog, they are in a confined, strange place with people who are antagonistic.
Those of you who want to ban dogs from the planet, have you considered the role they play as working or assistance dogs? There is considerable interest in pairing children on the autistic spectrum with companion dogs with great results. I am a widow and my dogs keep me sane and get me out whatever the weather. Very early mornings or late evening at the moment . Dogs are great companions.
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