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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dear dog lovers/owners...

344 replies

INeedABiggerBoat · 25/05/2014 19:35

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?

OP posts:
ExitPursuedByABear · 25/05/2014 21:26

On the permissive route you are referring too everlong my horse trumps the cyclists every time Wink

SirChenjin · 25/05/2014 21:27

Everlong - but as a dog owner you must surely get fed up with other owners who let their dogs run about, barking and jumping up at people, or who don't pick up after their animals?

I used to challenge people (in a very polite way, eg your dog has just pooed, could I ask you to pick it up please) as they turn a blind eye to Fido who is either way ahead or way behind, but out of sight and mind - but got so fed up of being told to fuck off, or being told I was mistaken, or being told they didn't have a bag, or being asked if I owned the streets, or being told that when horse owners started picking up after their animals then so would she (to quote some examples...)

everlong · 25/05/2014 21:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SirChenjin · 25/05/2014 21:29

Andrew - I am glad you accept my rebuke Grin

mousmous · 25/05/2014 21:31

dear dog owners: keep your dog on the lead at all times in public spaces (unless fenced in dog runs).
I don't like dogs and am very allergic, your dog licking my hand could can land me in a&e.
and if you say you can't get the dog adequate excercise on the lead, don't ge a dog at all.
I won't even start on the dog mess, not good for my blood pressure.

everlong · 25/05/2014 21:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

icclemunchy · 25/05/2014 21:43

If dog owners could stop saying "of course you don't have to ask. A/he loves kids" when my dd asks to stroke them! We have dogs of our own and were trying to teach her NOT to sling her arms round random dogs for a hug!!

icclemunchy · 25/05/2014 21:45

Also if you could stop telling me I shouldn't rode in the local country park (on bridleways!!) if my horse doesn't like dogs.

She doesn't mind them one bit but when your dogs running through her legs barking I'm asking you to put it on a lead to save you a bloody vet bill!!

SirChenjin · 25/05/2014 21:47

See, I am completely amazed by this. We walk a lot - there are lots of trails and country parks nearby, and the vast majority of occasions we'll come across dogs who are off the lead and very excitable. 3 of use took our 6 DCs to a country park yesterday - as well as the usual "mind your feet, dog poo" every single dog bar one was off the lead. A few walked to heel and ignored us completely as we walked along the path, but the rest were running about, sniffing at the kids (3 of whom are tiny, and the dogs were huge to them), one grabbed a stick that one of our DCs had in his hand, another ran full pelt barking and jumping up at another DC...the owners called their dogs, but none went immediately to heel, and each time we were told "oh, he won't hurt you, he's just being friendly". This was one 2 hour long walk.

Dogs off leads who don't walk to heel aren't friendly, they're bloody nuisances.

bumbumsmummy · 25/05/2014 21:48

As a member of the human race dog owner toddler wrangler countryside and beach lover I say chill out the world doesn't work to suit you you have to fit in with the world

TooOldForGlitter · 25/05/2014 21:49

I fully expect to get a punch in the mush one of these days for my challenging of shit behaviour but to me, it's important.

slithytove · 25/05/2014 21:53

Dear dog lover
Please don't kiss my baby after you have open mouth kissed a dog.

TooOldForGlitter · 25/05/2014 21:53

SirChenjin, that is a huge issue for me too and I wholly accept that there are a HUGE amount of people who simply let their dogs go with little or no recall, and often are so far ahead\behind that they have no clue what dog is doing.

I don't. I never have. There ARE responsible dog owners. I'm one.

everlong · 25/05/2014 21:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SirChenjin · 25/05/2014 21:59

I know there are responsible dog owners Smile. I love seeing dogs trotting alongside owners who use their poo bags, and these are usually the same dog owners who click their fingers or say "sit" as we go past with the DCs, as the dog stops immediately at their heels - it's brilliant, and I always say thanks. Unfortunately they are in the minority Sad.

Summerbreezing · 25/05/2014 22:04

Dear dog owner

If you're in a park with a special area for dogs to run around off the lead, bloody USE it and leave the rest of the park for people to walk, cycle, play football etc without your bloody dog getting in the way.

Whoknowswhocares · 25/05/2014 22:05

Dear dog owner
Please note that it is not optional to train your dog to recall, heel and down at a distance on command. This includes when there are dogs,runners,children,livestock and picnics! It does not count if they obey on anything other than your first command, every time.

Dear dog lover/member of general public
I am trying to train my dog to behave and expect him to await my permission to approach anyone or anything he may wish to introduce himself to.
I expect you to do the same

everlong · 25/05/2014 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Borka · 25/05/2014 22:08

Dear dog owner, I don't care whether your Doberman is puppy, if you can't stop him repeatedly jumping up at my 5-year-old & putting his paws on his shoulders, your dog shouldn't be off the lead next to the children's play area.

Dear other dog owner, don't get arsey with me because my child is scared of your dog. I don't expect everyone to like my child, why are you so offended that some people don't like your dog?

TooOldForGlitter · 25/05/2014 22:17

Thinking on this, maybe I'm wrong. If most people are reporting negative experiences then maybe it is the responsible owners who are the minority. That makes me feel quite sad.

SirChenjin · 25/05/2014 22:25

But I don't want a dog running up to and sniffing around me or my children. I want to be able to walk along a path, chatting to my friends and the DCs - not being stopped every hundred metres by a dog 'just being a dog' and running around, barking, sniffing at the kids, ignoring its owner calling it to heel.

Oh - and if a child is scared of your dog then they've probably had cause to in the past. Telling a child not to be scared of a huge animal sniffing around them isn't simply going to stop them from feeling that way.

slithytove · 25/05/2014 22:27

Everlong - oh yes, a neighbour frequently lets her dog lick her on the mouth whether it's open or not. He also takes food out of her mouth, he is like a little handbag dog?

And then she wants to hold and kiss DS. Yuck.

Tangerinefairy · 25/05/2014 22:36

Shouldn'thavesaid, I think that's a ridiculous thing to say! Our dog walks in a very large country park nearly every day and almost every dog is off the lead. We have had her for 5 years and in that time I think she's been snarled at about twice. How can dogs possibly socialise if they are not allowed to meet each other? Obviously we don't let her off the lead if the place is crowded with cyclists, walkers, children, people having picnics.

If your dog is not sociable or likely to bite put a muzzle on them. Picking them up will just cause other dogs to jump up.

Fwiw we also hate dogs that are out of control and people who don't pick up their dogs poo, it is absolutely vile.

VivaLeBeaver · 25/05/2014 22:39

Something funny happened to me on my dog walk today.

With my small dog in a field on a river bank. My dog off lead. Saw a woman with a large Akita coming towards me on a lead. So called my dog to me and he came and I put him on his lead.

As we pass the Akita is barking and my little dog barks back. Akita lunges for my dog and is too big for the woman and drags her along. My dog is now screaming like a piglet at the full length of his lead totally terrified. I was about to drop the lead and let him run but the woman is promising me that her dog won't hurt mine.

So I get my dog back to me and she gets hers under control. She's saying how friendly he is. Mine is terrified and growling. I tell mine to stop growling and give the Akita the benefit of the doubt go to stroke him. I'm trying to show my dog everything is ok as he is scared of strange dogs.

The woman has he Akita kind of between her legs and he backs off as I put my hand out. Bowled her over on the top of the river bank and she tumbled head over heels backwards about 4 times as she went down the bank.

I legged it after shouting if she was ok. She missed the dyke thankfully.

ExitPursuedByABear · 25/05/2014 22:47

This is a sad thread.

Everlong. I meant the horse trumps cyclist literally. He is a big scardey cat and often random cyclists can end up in the ditch when they try to pass him.

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