Dear dog lovers/owners...

[INeedABiggerBoat]

A few tips for 'dog lovers':

• Don't leave your young children to pet a dog while you p* off to the loo or go to buy a pint, without checking with the dog's owners first. Dogs may not find your children as adorable as you do. Some dogs also bite children/when scared and I'm betting you won't be blaming yourself if that happens.
• It is not okay to feed a dog without its owners' permission - especially when you give the dog a small bone that could choke it/splinter in its throat. Unless you're happy for us to pass on the vet bill to you.

And one for dog owners:

• Whistling for your unleashed dog to follow you while you merrily cycle off home does not constitute 'having control' of your dog.

Any other tips to add, MN-ers?

Tale from the mags' court where I sit.

Case of ABH: woman on woman, which is rare. It began when they were walking their respective pooches and A's dog was said to have attacked B's. B retaliated on A and ended in the dock. B was a woman of education and professional status.

When interviewed her explanation was that A's dog "attacked my little girl" at which the magistrate next to me scribbled on her pad Stupid bitch at both ends of the leash and I had to keep a straight face!

Dear owner of the Akita and the Rottweiler cross on the school run,

Your Akita wears a leash and a muzzle, just because your Rottie cross is the gentler of the two does not mean he shouldn't be on a leash too. He is running free on the narrow pathway to the school, do something.

I was being sarky, everlong. I'm glad you've trained your dogs so well and I have seen people who really do have excellent voice recall of their dogs.

I've just seen so many losers letting their dogs chase everyone out of shared nature spaces that I'm starting to feel very cynical. Sorry to take it out on you. The second time I was bitten by a dog the owner was on the other side of a field ineffectually shouting the dog's name. I'm sure he'd told himself it was fine to let his dog run off leash because it was under voice control.

I'm starting to think that people who actually train and manage their dogs in public are the exceptions that prove the rule.

These threads always go the same way and it's frustrating.

The majority of dog owners are vigilant and responsible and clear up after their dog and train them well. The minority don't. It is always this minority who are remembered. For good reason! But it is desperately unfair to the vast amount of owners who are consistently vigilant and thinking of others.

I don't think that example is particularly funny Andrewfogg. A Magistrate referred to a woman as a bitch and it's funny??

I don't buy it: I don't think the majority of dog owners are considerate. It's not at all what I observe.

Dear dog owner,

If you are anywhere in the vague vicinity of sheep - and I mean anywhere on the open fellside where sheep could be EVEN IF YOU CAN'T SEE THEM RIGHT NOW - please put your dog on a leash.
Especially at this time of year when there are lambs in the fields.
(You hopefully small minority of selfish ignorant complacent arseholes).

Dear dog owners, please don't stand in my driveway with your dogs/children pointing and shouting at my dogs who are barking through the windows at you. Yes it does wind them up, yes they are big dogs, now move along.

TooOldForGlitter It wouldn't have done out loud. As a private aside, it was spot on. I don't think a male magistrate would have dared!

You don't notice the good owners. You aren't standing in their dogs shit. Their dogs aren't bothering anyone. They pass by unnoticed until you DO step in shit, or you do get harassed on a picnic. Those you remember so all dog owners must be selfish. Just, no.

Everlong, once someone's been bitten by a dog whilst out running, then every damn time they see a dog off-leash on a path they think, "Oh great, another one under voice control."

And if the dog comes trotting up to the runner all friendly, it might not seem out of control to you but the runner is thinking, right, do I have my mobile charged? Can I pick up a rock to get rid of it? Is the owner going to do anything?

I don't know TooOld. I see what you're saying but if it were truly the minority it would not be possible for our canal towpath to look the way it does.

You're right, of course, Glitter.
Do other dog owners call the bad ones out on it? I've often wondered. When I ask a badly behaved owner to put its dog on a leash I generally get hostility. Is it easier if you have a dog with you ?

You're right, of course, Glitter.
Do other dog owners call the bad ones out on it? I've often wondered. When I ask a badly behaved owner to put its dog on a leash I generally get hostility. Is it easier if you have a dog with you ?

Dog owners

1. Humans trump dogs every time. You may not like this, but it's the way things are - learn to accept this.

1. If your dog runs up to people, barking and jumping about, then it is not fit to be off the lead.

1. You cannot guarantee that your mutt will not hurt me or my DC. You cannot, despite what you think - and I don't care if it's just being friendly, I have human friends and do not want a canine one.

1. PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG. IF YOU OWN A DOG, YOU OWN ITS SHIT, AND THAT SHIT BELONGS IN A BIN.

For the owners of at least 7 types of dog poo left on my half-mile trip to school. Pick your animals' poo up, or id you can't be arsed to clean it up consider yourself a crap owner.

Having your child trip on a pavement and land in your dog shit is disgusting and upsetting.

Dog owners, just because you have a retractable lead, it doesn't mean you're in control of your animal. Especially when you've allowed it into the pram of a small child.

Owners of children: teach them safety about dogs for fucks sake.

Stupid bitch at both ends of the leash and I had to keep a straight face

Grow up, the pair of you.

Dear dog owners

Please take your digs for a walk. A proper walk, of more than ten minutes. Don't just let them out into the back garden and then wonder why they are destructive/ sad/aggressive/dirty/neurotic

Dogs need proper walks - no excuses

I do challenge bad behaviour in owners. Leaving poop, un-leashed when clearly should be. Mostly I am met with hostility and often verbal abuse. I won't stop though. Owning a dog, responsibly, is a great source of pleasure to many and I try to do what I can to challenge shitty ownership when I see it.

Dear dog owner

Thank you for picking your dog's shit up and carefully bagging it. However leaving said bag on the sidewalk is not in the least public spirited even if you have tied the handles of the bag in a pretty bow.

I would also like to add that giving me the evil eye for having the audacity to be there while heaving at your crazily barking mutt's lead is not on.

SirChenJin I agree so entirely with you at 21:14:55 that I accept the rebuke at 21:17:29.

Dear dog owners,

Please don't let your dog run around my horses feet barking and yapping whilst saying 'oh he loves horses' my horse might not love dogs and the result of my horse kicking your dog is likely to end up very badly for your dog.