To demand people keep their dogs away from me on the seafront

[TigerPath]

I'm sick of random dogs coming up to sniff me and DS or getting under my feet. All dogs make me nervous even small ones. And I hate it when they cock their leg on my pram wheels

So now when a dog comes up to me or just before it reaches me I shout to the owner (politely but firmly) 'please keep your dog away from me/my pram'
Most oblige but a number are rude! Yesterday a woman retorted crossly 'but it's the sea-front'. I replied 'they should be on leads' and got a mouthful of abuse. There is a bloody great sign saying 'dogs should be on leads on the promenade'!! I wouldn't care if people kept them to heel but I don't want them touching me, my pram or tripping me up

AIBU??

[NeedACleverNN]

It also annoys me when I'm walking along with my dogs, on the lead, perfectly under control, and we pass a toddler or small child on the other side of the road/path whatever who start wailing that there's big dogs.

Yes this.

I don't have dogs anymore but one case I remember was I walking my dogs through a field. We were just about to leave when a mum and child came on to the field...from the other side.
No where near us at all.

The child immediately began to scream and the mother stood infront of him facing us with her arms out stretched.

My two dogs who were not interested AT ALL suddenly turned round and started to take a few steps in their direction.

I immediately called them back but the kid still didn't stop screaming.

It was a bit of an over reaction

[Laura812]

I detest dogs. If they come towards me as thay always do to lick saliva down my legs something their owners think I will adore (weird owners -would they like me licking their crotch up to their knickers and leaving my spit all over it?) I try to erect a barrier -shopping bag or other item between me and it's dripping wet jaws and hairs. Ugh.

They often say - it won't hurt you. I know that. It is just amazingly I don't want it to sniff my crotch and make my clothes need to be washed because they are covered in its DNA, saliva etc.

[Scaredycat3000]

We made it to page 2 before the victim blaming started today! Do all you who think it's the victims fault blame a drunk woman for being attacked as well?
I'm sick to death of entitled dog owners. It must be very frustrating for the few decent dog owners tarred with the same brush.

[tilder]

I am sorry if my toddlers fear of dogs annoys you. Thing is, I never used to understand the dog fear thing either. I know screaming and jumping around is not the best way to react to a dog. Am more used to working dogs though and not pets.

Then my daughter at 2 was knocked over twice by different dogs in the same month. First time a friends dog. Lovely animal. It was bouncing around, knocked her over. Face down, bloody lip. Second time, a pair of beautiful pointers. Bounding along a path, no sign of the owner, completely knocked her over. The puddle was 4" deep.

So yes, she now has a dog phobia. Fairly understandable. If animals nearly the same height as me knocked me over like that, I would probably be slightly nervous too. We are working on it.

So it might be annoying to you. A little understanding would be nice though.

[Scaredycat3000]

I think many many parents can tell similar stories tilder, but you must never forget it is our fault our children are scared of dogs, not shit dog owners fault, oh no
Oh and a phobia is an irrational fear of something. It is not irrational to be scared of something the same size as you with big visible teeth who is in your personal space, wanting to get away is a survival instinct.

[TigerPath]

I agree Alis is someone gets all shirty and ranty at you before your dog has even put a foot wrong it's not really going to go well, is it?

If the dog is running up to sniff me, the owner already has put a foot wrong!

[NeedACleverNN]

I think there's a difference between a dog walking towards a phobic child and the child reacting and a dog walking away from a child/no where near them and the child reacting.

Big difference.

[CantWaitForWarmWeather]

Some owners seem to assume we all love their dog as much as they do.
I've had dogs over our picnic before and owners beaming at how adorable we must be finding it.

Some dog owners are a bit thick aren't they?

I don't like dogs. If one comes near me, my face says all the owner needs to know. No smiles from me.

[Ninjagogo]

I am with you on this OP. In the last month dogs have: licked my 2 year old in the face, knocked him over with a wagging tail, the 4 year old has been jumped on, the 6 year old chased and the beach stuff has been sprayed on 3 times by 'friendly dogs' that did not respond to voice commands. Lovely place to live but needs a puppy school....

[CantWaitForWarmWeather]

And if a child has a phobia then of course they will react like that, even if your dog is across the road.

[tilder]

That might be a big difference to you needaclevernn. My child unfortunately didn't differentiate between dogs for a long time. As I say, we are working on it. My friend (with the bouncy dog) is helping. My daughter is slowly losing her fear and able to control her fear near dogs when we are out.

She is starting to like some dogs too

Please don't blame a child for being terrified. My daughters first memory is being knocked over by a dog. In her mind, that dog was huge with big teeth. She doesn't equate that frightening incident with the friendly bouncy animal she is starting to play with.

[Scaredycat3000]

Children learn at a young age that just because a dog is a long way away it does not mean the dog will not be in their face seconds later. They learn this because it happens to them, dog owners are to busy having a chat or simply can't be arsed to control their dog.
I twice have had a dog owners walk off path towards my DS with their dog so he could meet the dog, he looked scared, he was moving backwards about to fall into a stream, trying to get away, he made no signal that he wanted to meet the dog. On both occasions the owner had to asked several times to stop heading towards my DS (unless they were planning on paddling in the stream there was nothing else there) and both had just assumed an unknown small child wanted to meet their dog and looked confused and hurt that we didn't. Cunts.

[Mishaps]

Dogs - oh hell - how I hate these darned things taking over green spaces, being off the lead when they should be on and generally shitting everywhere. I have come to the conclusion that the Pembrokeshire Coast Path is glued together with dog crap.

And another thing.........why do dog owners seem to assume that others should feel the same way about their pets as they do?

And another........why do they say "Oh he's just being friendly" when their blessed pooch has jumped up a covered my new coat in mud?

And another........why do they think they can get away with their dogs injuring people? The headline in my local paper this week was about a woman whose dog had injured 3 people in the course of a week, and she wondered why the villagers were shunning her.

They are a blessed nuisance. My 2.5 year old GD was pushed over by a dog who then stood over her with his jaws round her face - apparently he was "Just playing." Hmmmm.

[MetalMidget]

It also annoys me when I'm walking along with my dogs, on the lead, perfectly under control, and we pass a toddler or small child on the other side of the road/path whatever who start wailing that there's big dogs.

It doesn't annoy me. Admittedly I've only had it happen once (most kids want to fuss our dog, he's a fluffy spaniel type!) - I saw a little girl was scared and crying, and her mom was saying, "It's OK, he's on a lead, he won't come up to you". I moved him as far away as possible on the other side of the path, got him to sit, and had a finger in his collar so there was no chance he'd move out of position. The mother said thank you, and they passed by.

Generally our boy is kept on a lead, except for certain quiet fields popular with other dog owners, where he's allowed off lead and we play fetch. Wouldn't dream of letting him off near children's play areas, not because he'd savage the kids, but because I don't know how the children would react to him. Would they be over excited and scream at him, or scared? Go up to him unasked, pull on his tail, poke him in the eye, etc? It's not fair on him or the children.

I don't know what past experiences people have had with dogs (I had an ex who was scared of dogs, in his case it was because he was bitten by a sausage dog at the age of eight in France, and had to have rabies jabs!), and even my smallish, very friendly dog could appear intimidating to a small child, given their height. My husband doesn't like being near horses or cows, for example, because they're large animals.

Even if an adult's fear is completely irrational, I wouldn't dismiss it. I don't like daddy long legs - I'm terrified of them. My brother is terrified of spiders. Both completely irrational phobias, and sillier than someone's fear of being approached by an unrestrained dog.

[Ifyoubuildit]

YANBU

It's so bloody fed up of this. Our local playground allows dogs off leads and my 3 and 5 yo DCs have been terrorised on a number of occasions. My 3 yo is now scared to death of all dogs. It makes me fume.

[Sighing]

You're furious that your unpredictable carnivores prompt fear in children unfamiliar with dogs (children walking supervised as they can't handle the unexpected, cross roads alone, ask for assistance etc) ? You're annoyed?
Dogs off leads get run over, stolen and treated badly because they can't do those things. No lead = irresponsible owner, a toddler out on it's own would result in much mn pearl clutching (justifiably). But apparently a dog left to fend fo itself is fine? Sheesh.

[NeedACleverNN]

Unpredictable carnivores

Way to go OTT there

Dogs aren't carnivores btw. They are scavengers

[plantsitter]

It would be better not to 'demand'. That makes me think of you booming it in a very posh voice, which is certain to get people's backs up.

Try saying 'Please keep your fucking dog from pissing on my pram wheels' with a smile and a polite tone and people will oblige I'm sure.

[SilverDragonfly1]

Must feel like a warm glow to stand apart as a responsible dog owner!

Can't really win then, can we? All either entitled or smug!

[KERALA1]

Slightly off dogs atm after a huge wet lab bounded up to me on a walk recently and jumped up on me covering my coat in mud and nearly knocking me over. "He never does that" was the owners response. Error he just fucking did and we both saw it! Unbelievable.

[CantWaitForWarmWeather]

I'm not sorry that my child's fear of dogs annoys dog owners. Get over it.

[StrangeLookingParasite]

Dogs aren't carnivores btw. They are scavengers

[Laura812]

The dog owners on here are confirming my view that they think the only thing we don['t like about their dogs is that we are frightened of them and that they will bite us. Them uch bigger issue for adults is that we don't want the dog to touch us - yes that includes pushing its fur against our clothes, and licking us. Dog owners should consider it as if the dog were a human. If I came up in return and licked the leg and crotch of the dog owner and said - don't worry I won't hurt you , I'm just being playful and friendly (and then start my cunnilungus on you) would you smile and think how lovely? oF ciourse not and nor do we non dog owners who don't want your pet touching or licking us, yes that's even a small touch or brushing itself against us, we don't want it just as you don't want me to come up to you on the street and do the same things to your body and clothes.

[Laura812]

(..cunnilingus...)

Also my daughter was out jogging and a dog walker with about 8 dogs was near by. Not only did they run up to her but one bit her (she is an adult) and not only bit her but tore the material right through her leggins and right through her knickers to her buttocks. No hospital treatment was needed but it jsut shows. I would love it if no one were allowed to walk more than one dog at a time.