To despair at dog owners

[Justmydarlinpet]

Aaaaaaaaaaarg. Grrrrrr.

I was sitting with dh and dc in the park sharing a pizza between us which we had got from a nearby restaurant. Suddenly dh leaps up and grabs a dog that was about to jump on us whilst we were sat on the ground eating our food. He had to hold on to the dog until it's owner a stupid fuckwitt cunt woman came (about a minute later). The woman made no serious attempt to call her blood pet (massive in size, some sort of mutt). She just meekly called whispered "emmieeeeee, eeeeeeemmiee" but unsurprisingly stupid dog didn't listen to fuckwitt woman at all.

She then proceeded to tell us the classic line "he's harmless" to which I responded "well I still don't want him jumping on me, the dc or our food.

She had the bloody cheek to answer back "the park is for everyone and that we should get used to dogs". I said "sure, i'lm used to dogs but still don't want one humping me, the baby or slobbering my food".

She went on to say some more tosh and I warned her that I would call the police as it was clear that she couldn't control her bloody dog.

She went off in a huff but not without lecturing me that I should not be rude to her in front of the dc.

Seriously, how can some dog owners be sooooooo blooooody stupid? I don't get it. I love dogs, hope to have our own dog one day but I will make damn sure to train the dog and not allow it to bother other people.

Sorry - first para should end 'or keep their dog on a lead when people or livestock are about'.

Alis try living in London. My dog died last year (at a good old age) and I was amazed over the years at how much abuse I got for simply owning a large (unassuming, perfectly trained, never bounded up to anyone in his life) dog. I doubt this situation can continue. I will not be getting another dog in London, much as I love them.

Coruskate, I wonder if it's a Burmese Mountain Dog, they're like giant teddy bears. There's a few on the walks that I go on. Beautiful, gentle giants, though you could get covered on slobbers if they like you.

Sounds like it could possibly be a Leonberger, CorusKate. They're big, golden-ish and hairy.

Well this thread has more than the average number of lunatics on it, doesn't it?

Essentially, Uncle T, Cruikshank, ChorusKate and Jassy talk a lot of sense. Hooray.

Longjane, you say that picknickers should expect to be set upon by "dogs, seagulls, pigeons, insects, wasps and bees" (insects, wasps AND bees, you say?!) but that only dogs are moaned about on mumsnet. Which board should I start a thread to make my complaint about seagull, pigeon and insect owners?

That looks beautiful sign. I can see why you like the look of it Kate, it's amazing. I've never seen one before.

My friend has one, she is stunning and a big softy.

No particular feelings on this but within 20 years I suspect dogs will not be allowed in public parks off lead. Or unmuzzled. The traditional British Public's love of dogs has been fast waning over the last couple of decades.

The Scottish Government has just run a consultation on dog control including things like should it be mandatory for dogs to be leashed/muzzled in public....

CorusKate if it does look a lot like a Leonberger, you'd probably make the owner's day by asking "is that a Leonberger?" One of the downsides of being the owner of a rare, unfamiliar breed is that most people think it's some kind of crossbreed.

I once delighted someone by asking if their dog was a Large Munsterlander. They practically hugged me as they were so used to people assuming it was some sort of spaniel cross.

sign I only mention the breed of a dog to the owner if I'm very, very sure as some owners get offended if you call them by the wrong breed. It always amazes me how sensitive the minority are regarding their dog's breed. I have two yorkies and some people still don't know what they are! I just correct them and chat about the dogs. I wouldn't dream of being offended.

We get that a bit too Stay and we have a springer spaniel! Admittedly he is a big springer, probably the tallest I've ever seen with a big head and chunky with it, but otherwise he is absolutely true to springer type and markings. We often get people asking what he's crossed with and we just laugh and say "another springer - he's just big" but we don't take offence.

People struggle to recognise our golden retriever 'is he a setter?'. He's working line so skinny, very deep golden, smaller than a show line retriever with a narrower head. He's also bonkers.

I was attacked and bitten by a dog last year. Just walked past it in a shopping area, upscale owner, upscale area and it jumped up and bit my leg. Off to hospital, tetanus shots, etc. I am now wary/scared of all dogs. I find the vast majority of dg-owners very unreasonable. I would like all dogs in public muzzled. I don't ask for much else, but apparently that is too much to ask if I mention it.

vict

Well, I can't say your telling of your personal experience is wrong (because I'm not an idiot!). I don't live in London but do live in a city.

Perhaps I don't see the "anti-dog" feelings so much because my two are very small (not chihuahua's) and one very unusual looking (like a fox). Perhaps it would be different if i had a larger dog.

In Defence of Dogs was a very interesting book I read, though I forget the authors name. It's quite dry and academic but worth a read.

Not really the same thing, but I hate it when some dog owners say things like "don't worry, he's friendly" or "don't worry, he doesn't bite" as their dog jumps up at you whilst they're standing there all dopey looking and making no attempt to get their dog away from you. I'm sure he is friendly and that he doesn't bite but I still don't want dirty dog paws and hair all over my smart clothes for my job interview I'm heading to.

slithy even if someone were stupid enough to consider a dog's life to be more valuable than a human one, the law does not, fortunately.

I care more about my pet than a random person who I don't know.

I remember last summer having a picnis on the beach, boxes of salad with my DP who I had just started dating.

A huge alsation came over and stood on the boxes - tipping the food over and all over DP's jacket. No apology from owners at all, they barely acknowledged it. I am quite dog phobic (have been bitten several times!) this just ruined the afternoon.

I always keep my dog on a lead in public because she is incredibly nosey and wants to say hello to everyone

If you are having a picnic, you should reasonably expect to be invaded by badly behaved dogs

Incredible

I doubt most fair-minded people woud object to dogs simply using a park; after all, unless signposted otherwise they're for everyone to enjoy and that includes dog owners with their pets

All most of us ask is that they're kept under reasonable control, which to be fair most owners are pretty careful about. Those who choose not to do this can hardly complain if the rest of us pass comment on it

I would eat off the table tbf.

I wouldn't eat off a table for a picnic in the park. The whole idea of a picnic in the park is that you're sitting on a nice patch of grass enjoying the sun, isn't it?

I have dogs. I don't expect people to allow their dogs to interrupt my picnic and would be nothing short of mortified if my own dogs interrupted someone else's.

I had one of these when DS was about 18 months old. He was tottering along in the park and two big dogs ran up to us, completely ignoring their owner.

DS normally loves dogs but he looked a bit worried, plus the dogs were so big and bouncy they could easily have knocked him over, so I scooped DS up.

The dogs then started jumping up on me, which I really didn't like at all. The owner then came over and pulled them back and I told him he needed to control them better.

His response was that it was my fault for encouraging them to jump up by picking up my child.

I like dogs, although people just shouldn't take on animals if they can't control them and look after them properly.

feel

That owner was a dickhead.

So many anecdotes shared on this thread make me glad that I am "strict" with my dogs (my dp is a first time dog owner who occasionally thinks I am ott).