Dog owners put them on a lead!!!

[BusyJessica]

I am a runner, Im so tired of people's dogs running and jumping on me while i'm on a run. Its always dog owners with the larger dogs, if you have a dog that is excitable and is known to chase jump and be a general nuisance to others trying to enjoy the park please put it on a lead.

I suffer severe allergies and today a dog jumped on me while i'm out running and scratched my leg. I have now got a 4 inch scratch which could scar from the knee down. The lazy owner had the dog off a lead and was very overweight so could not keep up with the dog running off ahead.

She then had the nerve to tell me i was out of order for kicking the dog off me.

Please Dog Owners put your dog on a lead.

I am sure you dog-walkers have seen dogs run and jump at strangers, it just doesn't register as "threatening" to you because it is "friendly" and "cute". The people they ran at may have reacted in a way that you seem reasonable because, like many, they too like dogs and don't see them as a threat. Therefore it has been a non-event in the minds of all involved and not something worth thinking about.

When you are not a dog-lover and do feel threatened by large animals bounding towards you, these events do register and stand out.

Perhaps when you're out with your dogs in the future and your dog runs towards strangers in its usual friendly way (which may be fine to some people), something might register and you'll think "ohh that's what they were talking about". (Probably followed by "How ridiculous, she's just being friendly.") Or maybe all of us saying that these things have happened have just imagined everything and dogs never run at strangers. Who knows.

Anyway, the point remains the same. Let your dogs run freely, they need the exercise. Just don't let them run at strangers and if you can't stop it from doing so, walk it on a lead.

Sorry that should read "deem reasonable" not "seem reasonable".

I think everyone agrees it shouldn't happen. The majority of dog owners are caring and responsible with well trained dogs - myself included.

Right, if one person a week on MN has some sort of issue with a dog, it means 52 people over a given year.
Considering the universe of 64 million in the UK, it gives less than 1 per million people over a year.
So, the likelihood of any person witnessing an event is very low.

OTOH, if there are over 4 million unique users on MN over a month, it's not that unlikely that four of them have had a run in with a dog over the course of one month.

Just because you don't see it it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Read the earlier link about people going to hospital due to dog attacks.
Then multiply by 10 for less serious encounters

Bonio necklace

Bonio necklace

That must be some sort of MN reference I have missed...

My dog has never harassed anyone pearlman, that's what I was saying. She's not allowed to.
Why should they not have to slow down? Is it not part of being considerate to other users of a place? The dog mainly ignores the people, I worry in case she ambles in front of them and trips them up, so I'd rather call her in.
I can't win it seems. I am fully prepared to take steps to ensure that everyone is safe and enjoying themselves, stopping what I am doing to accommodate others.
Is this only one way? You seem to be saying why should anyone else have to show any consideration. I find that attitude a bit puzzling. If you are in a shared space then surely everyone makes a concession and alters things to ensure everyone is happy. I agree there are dog walkers that don't, but that's not all of us. Why does thejogger/cyclist get to do as they want without paying attention to others, while I don't?
And I'll say it again, my dog has never jumped at anyone, or bitten, or otherwise been out of control, because she's not allowed to be, because I call her back to me. Which is what people keep asking for - a dog with good recall. So I've not fallen foul of any law.

Don't forget your lead Navy!

I'm not for one second saying it doesn't happen. It does. What I can't understand is why one person claims it to be an almost daily occurance.

That to me seems unusual.

muffy bonio is a popular brand of dog biscuit.

Well I live in the city Eeksy and don't go to the park on a daily basis, but when I do I am disturbed by at least one dog every time (including "just" sniffing at my feet - I didn't ask it to, so get it away!) and jumped on possibly 30% of the time?

My usual reaction is to just freeze, like dog-lovers have suggested to do, but I don't want to have to do that. Don't let your damn dogs near me in the first place. Parks are big, there is no need for them to approach me if I haven't called them.

Ohh right. I'd better make sure I haven't inadvertently worn any of those necklaces then! Perhaps that could be the problem

I live in a semi rural location popular with dog walkers. Some of the owners are very responsible, some not so. This once resulted in my then 4 year old being knocked over and pounced on by a big dog whilst we were out walking. The owner gave the popular response which really fucking grates on me "oh, he wouldn't hurt you, he's a big softie really"!

"How the fuck does anybody but you know that, and you're wrong because your dog has just hurt my child", was my reply, which was wrong in front of my dc but I was worried about my ds who had just been knocked over quite roughly by a dog twice his size and was clearly very frightened. He is now 8 and is still very wary around dogs he doesn't know despite us doing all we can to help him get over this.

Dog owners have a legal responsibility to keep their dogs under control and frankly if they can't whilst in a public place then their dogs should be on a lead until they can. Just because you believe your dog wouldn't hurt anyone doesn't mean they won't.

If you have a dog that gets excited and jumps up at strangers or chases them because they are 'moving' - you have not trained your dog.
If you don't want to train your dog, you shouldn't have a dog.
It's so bloody annoying when people just accept their dog does annoying things and expect other people to accept it too.
It doesn't matter whether your dog is being friendly...Some people don't want a slobbering dog jumping up at them because the find it intimidating and unpleasant.
Train your dog instead of expecting other people to tolerate your laziness and couldn't give a shit attitude.

Pisses me right off when a cocky dog owner suggests that if I just stop running the dog won't think I'm playing and will leave me be.

Well NO, I do not want to stop my run (FWIW I train seriously and pace etc really matters to me), so just sort your dog out.

nb rarely happens but my run time is very important to me.

Not sure why people keep repeating the same stuff. I think everyone on this thread agrees that if you can't control your dog it should be on a lead..

Christ almighty it's sniffs your feet? 😵

Yes they dog haterz will want sniffing banned next

Muffy - you have partly suggested answers to the questions I was asking!

Yes, sniffing my feet. I don't want your pets near me, full stop. No I won't kick it until it gets away but I will ignore it until the owners realise that not everyone loves their pet like they do.

Surely when you see your dogs running towards strangers you call it away before it gets there? How did it get so close to me without anyone calling it back? Unless you're saying that you do allow your dogs to run up to strangers?

Glad to me of assistance Baby (although I'm not entirely sure which questions I have answered!)

If you've read the read you'll see that my dog will always come and sit next to me when I ask him to, so your anger is misplaced towards me.