To tell Dog owners control you fecking dogs!

[Wishfulmakeupping]

I'll get flamed I don't care. I'm fed up of people letting their dogs run wild just had another dog clamour all over me when I'm walking down the street with a 'sorry' from the owner again this happens to often. Last week a dog off its lead stuck its head near my child pram.
Its simple if you can't control your dog off its lead then keep it on its lead until you get to the park.
I think I'm going to go nuclear next time :(

People who don't like dogs will have an 'all dogs' attitude and it's not for you to try and change or go against that. Unless they are harming the animal in some way through their dislike (which of course is wrong), then it does not affect you. Walk your dogs, enjoy your dogs, just don't expect others to. And don't let them jump on anyone just because you deem that dogs size or temperament to be acceptable.

I love my cats and fully appreciate there are cat haters out there. I don't inflict mine on them just because mine are fuzzy pushovers and don't smell and any fur allergy is not that serious. I do the opposite because I am considerate and my choices should not impact on other people to such an extent that they are uncomfortable. It seems some dog owners are the same. Why not all?

A rabbit is quite small and powder puffy with a mouth the size of a grape.

Do I fuck want one jumping on my shoe.

Same for a dog.

Random if your dog jumped on my sons shoe he may well grab at it or kick it (not because he is trying to hurt it but because it is there). I wouldn't want him to do this but it may be his instant reaction. Which is why I don't want dogs coming up to my son.

Well, I don't mind a rabbit...

As for a tiny dog jumping around my feet, I do not want to trip over, I do not want muddy claws ruining my socks or tights or breaking my skin to allow tetanus in because who knows where the dog's feet have been. I was in the town centre a few years ago and a sheep escaped from the market. It trod on my foot (well, one of my feet) and I was advised to get it (the foot) seen to. It meant an anti-tetanus injection.

It doesn't matter how large or small the dog is, owners should not think that because their dog is 'friendly', other people should accept your word for it. I'm on the side of the couple you met while walking a dog.

"...looking at me while she jumped up at their legs.. while waiting for you to get it off! Why can't dog owners like you see that.

WishfulMakeUpping did you know that you'd start something like this?

I like my shoes. Don't want anything no matter how cute and fuzzy jumping on them.

Don't want anything no matter how "powder puff" invading my space.

I want to be able to take my son out to places that I consider safe without having to worry about dogs.

Hear, hear.

I live ten mins walk from an amazing park. I've given up taking 4yo DD for a walk there because of all the dog problems. We can't feed the ducks because there is always a hound trying to get at the food, and the ducks leg it quick sharp. I can't let DD on the grass because of the shit.

Most annoyingly of all, DD just wants to run in the lovely open space. Every single time she's tried this recently, she gets chased by a leadless dog who either has no recall or whose owner isn't paying any attention to them.

I just can't let her do this. I can't take the risk of her getting hurt.

Why can't my daughter enjoy the park and get some safe exercise in the fresh air?

Why are bloody dogs more important?

Seriously, I think you all need to move to my neck of the woods. We have Dog Parks, Dog Friendly Parks and Dog Free Parks. I generally walk my Mutts on MOD land that is either permission required (I have it) or rented to local farmers with dog friendly status (plenty of that too), but make good use of the Dog parks and the dog free parks if I have DD.

I've never seen any of the awful problems that people seem to have here. I've had parents/kids cause issues in dog parks and on MOD property, but haven't seen it the other way round.

I spend a lot of time helping my local rescue to socialise new dogs and it's important for this to take place firstly around other dogs, and then (on lead) around adults and kids. I walk every day, 3 times a day, come rain or shine. You'd think I'd be covered in dog shit and bitten to death the way things are exaggerated here.

Random, you are giving dog owner's bad name.

I am in shock about some of the posts on here. People letting their dog's run at, jump on or chase small children is unbelievable. I can't imagine laughing it off if my dog's caused harm to anyone.

I will never lock them away like certain posters here wish. They will see people every day during walks and lots of positive interaction is how they learn to be good dogs in a human world. No puppy is born agressive or born knowing how we want them to behave. For those who would harm a dog for being a dog can you please step back and choose to punch the owner instead?

The minimum training that I think owners need to pass is the Puppy, Bronze and Silver tests in the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme.

Well... Canidae and LtEve - you are the sort of responsible owners that give dog owners a good name. I am honestly ambivalent, I like dogs and don't have a problem with them. I do however have a problem with owners who think their dogs have as many rights as humans. They don't.

OK well, no, outside my home dogs do not have as many rights as humans, that's for sure.

In my house, then it's my perogative if the MuttDog is treated like a human/member of the family (and she is). I have a poster framed on the wall outside my front door saying "If you do not like dogs I will happily shut you in another room when you visit"

Outside then MuttDog needs to be polite, both with humans and other animals - just like DD does I suppose. Now I am lucky with the Mutt in that she took to training like a duck to water, but if she wasn't bomb proof then should would be on a lead and behaving herself unless she was in a dog park or on MOD land.

However sometimes the public doesn't help itself. I've told the story on here before about the mum and child who trespassed on MOD property whilst I was recall training two bouncy lurcher pups alongside the Mutt, resulting in the child being bowled over and covered in mud and dog slobber (not hurt at all, laughing throughout), and mum being less than impressed. The point of that story was that mum and child were tresspassing - they should NOT have been there, but posters were quick to tell me that the dogs were at fault and I should have stopped it happening. Well, no. In that case the fault lay entirely at the feet of the parent and she was just lucky that the child was just filthy and not bleeding (as pups are prone to nip).

I promise you, LtEve, there is not a word of exaggeration in my last post.

This park is full of uncontrolled or badly controlled dogs, all the time. They chase my small child, because, well, given half a chance that is what dogs do. And they are basically given free rein by their fuckwitted, lazy owners.

Unfortunately there are many, many dog owners who just can't seem to step outside their own preferences for a minute and see why this is a problem.

There are also plenty of dog owners, as evidenced by this thread, who seem to think that a small child shouldn't be running and laughing and just generally being free in a traffic-less, public park, without being endangered, hassled, or just plain bothered by dogs.

Then my suggestion is (and this isn't me being arsey) petition your local council for Dog Free or Dog Friendly status of that particular park (Dog free being obvious, dog friendly meaning on leads), or ask for separated areas. If this park is that bad, and yes it does sound awful, then you should be able to find lots of people that feel the same way as you. Being proactive about it will show your council that you mean business and are asking them to take action. If you can get people behind you then you have a better chance of 'winning'. Decent dog owners (like me!) would back you as well, as we are sick and tired of being tarred with the same brush as the feckless fuckers that you are talking about.

At the very least they should be able to step up dog warden patrols and an uncontrolled dog can be removed if it is causing a nuisence.

That had occurred to me, LtEve, but I believe it was tried about four or five years ago. The dog owners won. I can't honestly imagine things would be any different now (it is a regularly debated feature in the local press and the dog lobby is strong).

What makes it even more annoying is that there are two further large open areas with public access suitable for hounds to be emptied run, within ten mins walk of this park.

But no- the dogs must apparently be allowed to fuck up the main formal park too...

I agree LtEve. How many people actually see dog wardens or know someone fined for not picking up poo?

You should look into it silverten. Public opinion has changed a lot over the last 5 years. Dog Friendly status is a lot easier to get than Dog Free, so start there and work up.

If your child is constantly being knocked over by out of control dogs then report police each and every time, and get other people to do the same. If you keep stepping in poo, report it to the council. If you keep seeing people not pick up poo, photograph them with your phone and send to the council.

I'm a firm believer in "If you don't ask you won't get", and "Pester Power" but then I'm a gobby fucker - you need a gobby fucker onside if you aren't one yourself

^I don't have a dog but I do carry an ultrasonic dog trainer to use if necessary. It's supposed to stop them coming near you as it emits a high frequency noise.^

moodymai that sounds BRILLIANT. What are they called and where can I get one?

I have said continually I understand a fear of dogs

I was attacked (and barged into the road and knocked down) by an off-leash guard dog who jumped out of a van as a child. My triggers are:
-any evidence of lack of training/erratic behaviour
-barking
-off leash running
Utterly regardless of dog size. Yes. I'm more scared of a puffball going wild than a well trained Akita or staffie (2 breeds friends of mine have).

And the term 'dog hater' has hurled at me by adults when I was a child, cowering as their dog jumped up at me. As if I was thinking cruel thoughts about their pet! Not at all. (1) I like dogs, just some I don't like right near me and (2) I'm aware the fear is mine and most of those dogs that make me nervous are just lively. I would never wish cruelty on a dog.

But I'm afraid the anecdote you told about the older couple showed a complete lack of understanding of fear of dogs. It isn't logical (i.e. big scary breed scary, small breed not).

YANBU but unfortunately IME of mumsnet and IRL, many people seem to value their dogs over and above their human family including children and seem to think that others should show them endless understanding and benevolence.

I like animals, including dogs, but so many are allowed to roam off the lead in all kinds of public places, or are on those retractable leads that are so long they mean the owner has next to no control over them. Owners that don't clean up dog mess deserve whatever fines they get too.

Romell I've got one, it's a DogDazer. Works up to a point but you should really do some googling to understand how and when to use them, as they will enrage some dogs and make things worse.

Like some say 'if you have a problem with a dog you're looking at the wrong end of the lead'. But possibly someone has already said this (I haven't read all the posts!).
I'm a dog owner - around 18 months ago we took in a rescue staffy who's around 10 years old now. Sometimes people step into the road to avoid us but I try to pre-empt any possible anxiety by tightening the lead. I will keep him away from small children (I have no doubt he'll be fine - in fact he's never shown any interest in children) in case the child is scared (or more likely the parent). And I NEVER EVER let him off the lead when we're on the streets - the lead comes off when we get indoors. And we ALWAYS clear up his poo.
However. Round our way, dogs are routinely out without their humans. Result: poop on pavement. There's a 'cute' skateboarding dog in the neighbourhood. Cute but unattended, so it can wander round and intimidate our dog, and poop on the pavement.
Or, people walk with their dogs off the lead. They say 'Oh it's ok he's friendly'. But they don't know if mine is do they? We've had a couple of (non biting) incidents which could have got out of hand, which wouldn't have happened if their dog had been on a flippin lead and we'd been able to keep ours away. But no, they know best. It would be distressing if we had to get our dog euthanised because some arses think it's detrimental to their dog's canine rights to put the mutt on a lead.
Grrrrrrr

Oh and our dog loves to eat poo, and will find it and snatch it up before we can stop him sometimes, so we are acutely aware of how much there is left there by selfish lazy pig ignorant bastard twunting dog owners...

Photos of dogs doing their do is a great idea. I took one of skateboarding dog doing its business but it's too small and far away to distinguish. Will keep trying though. I also have the phone number of the local dog warden on my phone though I doubt there's one on duty 24/7.