To think this dog should have been on a lead

[Doginthepark]

Took DS to the park today and we were kicking his new Frozen ball around. A dog came charging up and grabbed the ball and popped it. DS cried. Aibu to think the dog should have been on a lead?

Dogs that are 'phobic' of other dogs wear yellow coats or flashes that signify 'I need space'. It's the dog that has the problem, not the other dogs. So by that logic the phobic child should wear the jacket as they are the one with the problem.

Ridiculous idea. I second the 'get a grip' stance.

Walked 3 dogs in the summer, we were in a wooded area and all 3 dogs were off lead. The three of them bounded up a pathway chasing each other and went past two parents and two kids - one who was on mums shoulders. None of the dogs took a blind bit of notice of the people, they went straight past them and up the bank into the trees.

Mum started screeching and jumping around, nearly dropping the child on her shoulders. That child started crying, dad started shouting at everyone. Loads of noise, fuss and anguish. None of which was necessary and ALL of which was the parents fault.

I've avoided that area since, which is a bloody shame because the dogs had a brilliant run and swim (in a stinking pond) and really enjoyed themselves. Humans spoiling it as ever.

We are off to the woods and park at local NT place, Ottila. Has special huge fenced areas for dogs.

Cue happy pup running off lead and developing his recall.

Oh, and there is absolutely no play areas or any play equipment for children there. Just open space for everyone and a policy of actively encouraging dog walkers. In other words, nice and inclusive.

Hi vis jackets.

Children the most important creatures on the planet.

Parks solely for children, no dogs allowed.

Possibly scummy council carpark after 6 PM.

Surely someone is on a wind up,

Clearly new otherwise they'd know that winding up isn't needed on a dog thread!

Let's hope it's the last one this year.

A special fenced off area for dogs sounds a great idea, as long as they are on the lead, walking closely to heel, going and coming away from it.

Xmas Eve Dallas: three dogs bounding towards one would be a little unnerving, to say the least.

xmasevedallas. Don't avoid it. The dogs deserve to go to somewhere that's that. Uh fun for the. Hopefully Stupid Mommy is now avoiding the place! If not just tell her to get a grip. Preferably of the child on her shoulders!

Chopinbabe. You really are something special.

The child has rights, which include getting proper help for phobias.

As an adult who owns a dog I too have rights, which are equal to that of the child's and include being able to access public areas with my dog on a lead. As long as my dog is on a lead and I pick up his poo I don't think I need to compromise at all. Lots of people don't like green, should I compromise over that or wear whatever colour I want?

No, he isn't on a lead all the time there, Chopin. The place encourages dogs and has clear signage saying so. Those who want to avoid dogs can stay away, in the same way as some on this thread want dogs to stay away from other areas.
Fair's fair, after all.

Chopin the dogs run past the family, were up the bank before the woman started screeching and almost out of sight before the man started shouting about "dangerous dogs frightening his children". I said "what dogs? Stop being ridiculous, the only thing frightening your children is YOU"

I avoid it because I don't want the dogs put in danger because of stupid irrational humans Chipping One of the dogs is huge and would easily get a bad rep. It's bloody unfair but they still have fun on the Common

There's so few places to take a dog safely but fucking shit loads to take a child. Yet still people complain.

I do quite like the idea of dogs' licence numbers on their collars and this number could also be replicated on the high vis jacket.
FFS. You are taking the piss, right? Oh, I see from later posts that you're NOT.
Innocent till proven guilty, or just guilty by association with.... ta-dah!... a DOG.

I started contributing to this thread as someone who accepted that people trump dogs, and with a generally carey-sharey attitude to making the use of public open space work for everyone. Now that I see who I am trying to share the planet with - people who who only want to share it with me and my dogs on their own terms (i.e. you can have that bit of tarmac after 6pm with your high-vis jacket and your licence number, and you must never go near any child in case its phobic of dogs).

There might be a lot to be said for a TV campaign with a dual purpose:
a) to get dog owners to pick up after their dogs and work on their dogs' recall (a I have said before, I know that there are dog-owners who are not what I would call responsible)
and
b) to educate Jo Public that a 'bounding' dog is not the same as a 'stalking' dog, and how to react when a dog you don't know comes up to you (because it's pretty clear that a lot of people are scared of dogs, possibly due to not understanding them)

I also come back to an earlier question which no one seems to have answered: how is it that dog-owners are at the bottom of the public-space pecking order, below littering adults, noisy space-hogging football games, and cyclists who churn up the paths?

I do wonder where all these bounding, jumping dogs are? Don't think I've ever been jumped on against my will by a dog ever. And I'm out walking my own at least 3 times a day on a footpath that's heavily used by dog owners.

It seems to me it's all about perception. I have a non-doggy friend who complains about being jumped on/chased by dogs while out running on this same path. I ran with her one day and what she interprets as a dog chasing her is actually a dog running by her, completely uninterested in her. So now I take her "being chased by dogs" stories with a hefty pinch of salt.

Back home with a very happy dog who was delighted to be off lead most of the time. Only tine he did not obey was when he disappeared into undergrowth with another small pooch. Met loads of lovely people, both with and without dogs, all enjoying the fresh air and open spaces. No complaints, no tutting, no judging, just normal folk out for a walk. It was lovely.

crumble

Completely agree with katie and I prefer my pets to other people's children as well!

You sad person, Hazard!

I managed to hold the beast back on the walk. I could not stop a gaggle of children from petting him, but we seem all to have managed to survive.
Funny that.

Laughing at DCs with genuine phobias? Not very nice.

Where was it said that people were laughing at children with phobias, Sunna? I must have missed it.

There is, of course, a huge difference between a genuine phobia and disliking something/being a bit wary. But it's a fair bet the silly other screeching at the sight of some dogs will condition her children into irrational behaviour.

Who's Laughing at DCs with genuine phobias?

Oh, whoops, two of us have asked the same question - Katie posted while I was off trying to find the laugher.

Woof off Sunna.

No one is laughing at genuine phobias.

Just because someone somewhere has a phobia of something does not mean that no one else should have fun, ever.

Whew, thought I was having a senior moment there, Meh!

Cross posted.
That was me, meanly trying to lighten up.

I apologise if it was meant to lighten things up. I read it and other comments as a few people belittling the fears of DCs.

I don't currently have a pet but when I do again I will love them. I don't love the children of random strangers.
So I don't see anything weird in someone preferring their own dog to a random person's children.

I just don't like children much

I like dogs though