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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Dogs should always be under close control, even if they are just being friendly?

220 replies

Model5 · 20/04/2015 12:56

I'm scared of dogs. I know that's my issue and I deal with it as best I can but I don't want dogs I don't know approaching me.

Out running in the woods early this morning, most of the other people about at that time of day are either runners or dog walkers. In my hour, I had two dogs run over and slobber over my legs, one just up and put muddy paw prints all over me and another came over yapping and growling at me. Another (big one) chased & frightened me and I stood stock still praying for it to go away while it's owner called several times without success.

All of the owners, were kind of apologetic, but in aw bless, what can you do, he just wants to say hello/play kind of way.

TBH, even if I wasn't scared I wouldn't be very impressed by the slobber and paw prints.

Lots of other dogs just trotted by without giving me a second glance and several owners took hold of their dogs as they saw me approach (which I always say thank you for) so I know it's possible to stop dogs approaching me. Lots of owners seem to think it's not necessary. Is it them or me? I realise I came to no real harm. Do I just need to accept that if I go out at prime dog walking time, I'm going to get growled at, chased, slobbered over etc?

OP posts:

zazzie · 20/04/2015 13:40

We were walking along a path when a dog ran up and put it's paws on ds's shoulders. Ds isn't frightened of dogs but was shocked and started screaming. The dog's owner who had seen the whole thing came over and told ds that it was alright as he was only being friendly. Ds has severe learning difficulties and didn't understand what she was saying. All he knew was that something had grabbed him from behind and it took a long time to calm him down.
Owners need to keep their dogs at least touching distance from everyone. Ds will touch things that are within grabbing distance and so it annoys me when owners let their dogs come that close.

BarbarianMum · 20/04/2015 13:42

Where in the world (well the UK) could you run where dogs are not commonly found off the lead though? Along duel carriageways? City centre? Treadmills at the gym?

JemFinch · 20/04/2015 13:43

YANBU.

My dog wants to make friends with everyone, as in rolls over right in front of them for a belly rub. Clearly not good if he does it in front of a runner so we keep him on a lead when there are other people around. His recall is also shit so we mostly only let him off on an enclosed park where there aren't any runners.

GentlyBenevolent · 20/04/2015 13:46

Barbarian - NYC. Dogs not allowed off the lead there except in dedicated off lead places. It makes running there utterly lovely.

lemonhope · 20/04/2015 13:46

Dogs are often sociable, friendly animals though. A dog running over to another dog is totally normal IMO and although I would immediately put my dog on a lead if asked nicely, I do think if your dog is frightened of other dogs you need to work on that rather than expecting everyone else to pander to it.

ShadowSteam · 20/04/2015 13:47

YANBU .

The dog running and jumping at people really may be soft as muck, wouldn't hurt a fly, and is great with toddlers etc.

But the problem is, unless you already know the dog, you've no way of knowing whether it just wants to be friendly or whether it'd bite you as soon as look at you. I think that some dog owners forget that random strangers know nothing about the temperament of their dogs.

lemonhope · 20/04/2015 13:48

If dogs have to be kept permanently on the lead, how do they ever run and play?

LST · 20/04/2015 13:49

It's would be extremely cruel to stop my dog going off lead. Border collies need ALOT of excersise and he wouldn't be the lovely natured well behaved dog he was if he was kept on a lead all the time..

OP yanbu. Dogs should be trained well enough to not jump up and chase people. Ever!

Original poster

Model5 · 20/04/2015 13:50

"That said, if this is known as an area where people let their dogs off the lead (which it does seem to be) and you're afraid of dogs, wouldn't it be simpler to jog elsewhere?"

Could you suggest where Maddie?

OP posts:

lemonhope · 20/04/2015 13:52

Mine don't jump up but the terrier does chase. There really is very little you can do about it as it's in the breed. Bloody annoying.

Cherriesandapples · 20/04/2015 13:52

Yanbu, I got jumped on by a large Labrador when heavily pregnant. Owners should train and keep control of their dogs.

Thank you to the above posters who are responsible dog owners.

BarbarianMum · 20/04/2015 13:55

'It's in the breed'

Well if you can't f*cking train it use a leash! Bet you would if it chases cars or buses.

sparechange · 20/04/2015 13:55

lemonhope
Sorry, I disagree. I've had a number of terriers over the years (JR, Staffie and Patterdale) and none of them chased people. Squirrels, yes, but that was something I encouraged because it was a very easy way to burn energy off them in the rodent-laden park.
Chasing people can and should be trained out of them. Happy to PM you some techniques you could use to work on this.

TedAndLola · 20/04/2015 13:56

A resounding YANBU

I love dogs and it can brighten my day being slobbered over by a friendly dog, but if I had one there's no way I'd allow him/her to do that to others. Even if someone doesn't have a fear of dogs they might not want hair or slobber over their clothes for a million different reasons. Unless it's some kind of dedicated dog area people should be able to walk around without someone else's pets coming up to them.

GentlyBenevolent · 20/04/2015 13:57

Lemon If dogs have to be kept permanently on the lead, how do they ever run and play?

Not my problem.

AnnagrammaHawkins · 20/04/2015 13:57

I have a really well behaved large dog. She does not approach other people, she doesn't chase people or run after footballs. She has been trained to walk to heel even off lead unless told she can do otherwise. Doesn't stop stupid people letting their kids run over and pull on her collar/tail/nose without warning or asking. They are bloody lucky that she is so well trained as she is very aloof with strangers and doesn't like to be petted unless she knows you.

GentlyBenevolent · 20/04/2015 13:58

Lemon There really is very little you can do about it

Wrong. You can kept it on a lead.

lemonhope · 20/04/2015 13:59

No i don't need training tips thanks, he's a lovely dog and does come back when called. If he's off the lead and romping about some way away and a cyclist goes past he will immediately chase for a few seconds until I call him. Tbh I am not that bothered as it's a footpath and the cyclists are a huge pita

Millionprammiles · 20/04/2015 13:59

YANBU. Its insane that people think everyone should just love to be slobbered all over by their dog.
Next timeyou're out running maybe jump on the dog owners and slobber all over them. You're just being friendly.

natwebb79 · 20/04/2015 14:00

I am severely allergic to dogs and this makes me SO mad!

GlitzAndGigglesx · 20/04/2015 14:00

I don't like dogs and don't want slobber on my legs. I don't find it cute and dog owners should respect that. I've been bitten by a dog before after the owners told me he was just being nice. I do however think there should be more designated places for dogs where they can run free

lemonhope · 20/04/2015 14:01

This thread makes me very glad that I live in the middle o nowhere so the dogs can usually run about happily for miles without us ever seeing another person.

GentlyBenevolent · 20/04/2015 14:01

Annagramma - that must be very annoying. :( I can see why responsible dog owners are frustrated by ignorant non dog owners, I imagine the apparently sizeable number of irresponsible dog owners is annoying too, since they give all dog owners a bad name. Every day on my run I see good owners with good dogs, who don't jump up at me and don't run after me or try and trip me up. Sadly, every day I also see terrible dog owners with badly behaved dogs. They give everyone a bad name and their selfishness and bad attitudes mean that the attitudes of non dog owners will harden against them. It's a shame.

StarsInTheNightSky · 20/04/2015 14:02

YADNBU. I have two extremely large dogs and they are always under complete control. They are always on their leads in public and would never approach another being, be it human or dog, unless they felt that DS or I were being directly and aggressively threatened, and even then they stand down instantly when I tell them to.
They hate it if dogs come bounding up to us, and the "don't worry he's friendly" is one of the most irritating things to hear. Thankfully we're not in UK, so most people have their dogs under control. The ones that do come charging up, well 2 x 160 lbs of roaring and raging dog soon makes them back off thankfully. DS is just starting to walk and the last thing I want is for him to be bowled over, and I would never trust any dogs other than my own anyway.

GentlyBenevolent · 20/04/2015 14:02

Lemon No i don't need training tips thanks It sounds like you really do. Allowing your dog to chase cyclists (and laughing about it) is particularly bad form.

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