Much talking past one another going on here; par for the course, I suppose. But ...
LtEveDallas, you miss the point so spectacularly I can't refrain. The point is not that every single dog owner is ineffectual and uncaring. It's that most - the vast majority of - dog owners (you too? seems so) fail to understand that many of us don't like their dogs and don't want them near us. How can I say it more clearly: keep your dogs away from us, we don't want them near us! I don't think you're all n'er-do-wells or uncaring. I'm sure that most of you are as upstanding as it's possible to be, upstanding-citizen-wise. Many of you, indeed, are more than likely secular or religious saints, I'm sure. It's just that you think you have the right to impose your dogs on the rest of us when you have no such right.
Percentages of toddlers killed by dogs, sure, miniscule. Percentage of toddlers catching toxocariasis from dog shit in public parks, likewise. That's irrelevant to the point. Which is that you might want to take the risk, thinking it sufficiently small, but you have no right to demand that others take that risk with their children. Not hysterical, not hyperbole; you dog owners are plain and simple being unfair in demanding of the rest of us (even if we were in a minority) that we put up with your dogs and these risks to our children.
(Dog shit and the toxocara canis worm, btw: 'picking up' shit in a plastic bag won't necessarily clear the ground where the dog left it. You'd need to wash every nearby blade of grass if in a park. 'Picking up' reduces the risk considerably, sure, but it doesn't eliminate it. So, I'd suggest, keep your dog shit in your own garden. Don't feel you have any right to expose other people to it, even after you've 'picked up' most of it. You don't. Not even you, imonaplane, for all your good intentions. Unless you disinfect every blade of grass around where your dog has shat?; in which case, more apologies.)
I'm not afraid of dogs. I'm allergic to them, it's true; mainly, though, I just don't want them, their smelly coats, their claws and pads, their teeth, tails, stinky breath, slimy wet noses and drooling mouths, or their shit, near me or my family. And you have no right to force your dog on me, be you ever so effectual and caring. Yet that's what you do, yes, you caring effectual people, you fine upstanding citizens - you expect me to put up with your dogs all around the place.
blondefriend: Sure, lots more dogs in restaurants etc. these days. Ugh! and again Yuck! In restaurants?! Could anyone deny that's inconsiderate of others?
However, indeed, if all dogs were kept like - and behave like - guide dogs do, I'd have much less to complain about.
Oh well, enough.
[ imonaplane, I'm sorry to have upset you. Think of it as a robust and frank exchange of views, as the diplomats say; nothing personal, it's only MN.]