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Original poster

Dog owners put them on a lead!!!

630 replies

BusyJessica · 28/07/2016 14:24

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.

OP posts:
TheClaws · 30/07/2016 04:10

Well put tidyfairy. I agree, I don't mind encountering dogs that are with their owners, and by 'with' I mean on a leash or right next to them - although I really do dislike dogs jumping excitedly on me when I do to other people's houses. But uncontrolled dogs running towards me - nope nope nope. Nothing friendly about that!

TheClaws · 30/07/2016 04:18

*go

SlinkyVagabond · 30/07/2016 06:01

Don't go to Prague then, I've yet to see a dog on a lead.

Kukoo · 30/07/2016 06:57

Don't worry OP dig threads always bring out the highly unreasonable posters.

I have 2 large dogs and defiantly don't think you are being unreasonable.

I keep one on a lead around joggers for this very reason, she has chased them them in the past and I was absolutely mortified.

If can be a really scary experience being chased and jumped on by a large dog and I'm not surprised you kicked it off you, I would have done the same.

It's totally unacceptable to allow your dog to chase people and jump on them. If this women couldn't control or keep up with her dog she should take some responsibility and either have it on the lead or not own a dog.

Kukoo · 30/07/2016 07:00

*Dog

Kukoo · 30/07/2016 07:05

When I say keep up with I don't mean run as fast as, but if an incident occurs respond by quickly physically retrieving the dog and removing it from the situation.

I've had to do this a few times with my jogger-chaser. Her recall is good most of the time but other times I've had to sprint over and retrieve her.

MoneybagsIamnot · 30/07/2016 07:20

I am a dog owner and lover and regularly walk my dog off the lead, because she is a well trained gundog who has impeccible recall. If I see a runner or cyclist, I call her and she comes straight to heel.

The few times I haven't been quick enough to call her, she's just ignored them anyway, because she KNOWS not to run after or chase cyclists/ runners/ anything that she hasn't been asked to.

I am also a runner and horse rider and it makes me cross when I'm out on a run and I get dogs bounding up to me and jumping up on me (even though I would genuinely love to stop and cuddle and fuss) and even more annouing/ scary when a dog is blatantly uncontrollable around my horse.

So, no; dogs should not be kept on leads, but yes they should be recall trained if they are going to be let off and unfortunately there are a lot of lazy/ irresponsible owners out there who haven't done this training with their dogs.

WetPaint4 · 30/07/2016 07:32

Not being unreasonable OP. I am anxious about dogs but I find they're usually well behaved. However, if a dog is jumping up on me, I ain't gonna like it and it's the owner's responsibility to call off the dog before I have to react. Not the dog's fault but if you can't manage your dog, yes it should absolutely be on a lead.

Bettersleepoutdoors · 30/07/2016 08:17

We were picnicing a few weeks ago and My 3yo had her snadwich taken from her hand by a large dog.
Met with the owner chuckling about how his dog was friendly, just obsessed with food.
How is that ok?

It is perfectly possible to train a dog well enough that it can be called back. if you can't be bothered to do that then get a hamster or keep your dog on a lead near other people please.

natwebb79 · 30/07/2016 08:29

I get yer, OP. We have a lovely park near us but we'very stopped going because there are so many dog owners there who think we want their dogs lolloping up to us. I too have very severe allergies and contact with dog fur or saliva can put me out of action for a week. Plus my boys were fine with dogs until a huge German Shepherd was allowed to jump up and push one of them over. I've had 'but they're only a baby' (the dog) and my personal favourite 'it's OK, he'said hypoallergenic!'. I try to be polite but it'seems hard not to shout.

CreepingDogFart · 30/07/2016 08:49

Tidy I think the only "arrogant attitude" around here is yours.

WaitrosePigeon · 30/07/2016 09:07

Tidy you sound very angry, are you ok?

tidyfairy · 30/07/2016 09:09

I'm arrogant because I don't want your dog around me and what's more,
I have the cheek to say so. Cool.

tidyfairy · 30/07/2016 09:26

Waitrose - That's a limp attempt at passive aggression. I'm just speaking it as I see it, and I can't help it if it touches the occasional nerve.I think we both know who is angry, don't we?

BluePitchFork · 30/07/2016 09:29

what is so hard to understand about the op's situation?

that dog was not under control and should have been on a lead.

it appears that some dog owners on here have a very different meaning of 'under control' than reasonable people.

WaitrosePigeon · 30/07/2016 09:48

If I'm being passive aggressive then I guess you're doing the same thing?

How can anyone be angry on a beautiful day like this. I'm going to watch Finding Dory soon with my son, I'm the most excited adult around at the moment Grin

WaitrosePigeon · 30/07/2016 09:50

Ps I don't think anyone can disagree that out of control dogs or dogs that seem to have no boundaries need to be on a lead. I agree that they do. If anyone disagrees with that then they are a weirdo.

I say again, for the millionth time

Pohara1 · 30/07/2016 09:51

I agree that dogs in public should have a reliable recall or be on lead, and that some owners need to be more understanding about other people being around their dogs in public. In the ops case the owner should have called the dog back.

But I once had a very badly abused rescue dog. He was lovely with us, but not with anyone else. If someone had kicked him, he would have bitten. He lived out the rest of his life on our farm with extremely supervised contact with strangers. The point is, like the owner didn't know or think about how you might react to the dog, you didn't know how the dog would react to being kicked.

tidyfairy · 30/07/2016 10:11

Waitrose - Fair enough. I'm clearing up after last night's barbecue, and there is one hell of a mess. Not exactly angry, just slightly tetchy. You have the better deal. Am envious.

WaitrosePigeon · 30/07/2016 10:33

I've got earache, you've got a bombs it's - I think we're both probably a bit pissy. I apologise for my passive aggressiveness.

Can you believe Finding Nemo came out in 2003? Shock

WaitrosePigeon · 30/07/2016 10:34

Bomb site that should have said, bloody phone

Daffyduck2016 · 30/07/2016 10:35

YANBU

If I had a £ for every time I hear he/she doesn't bite whilst the dogs growling at my feet or jumping up at me.

TheClaws · 30/07/2016 11:23

Pohara1 - I 'm sorry to hear your dog was treated badly. And fair enough that he might react badly if kicked. But in the OP's and my examples, we were scratched and bitten first. We were reacting to being attacked. It's a natural 'fight or flight' response.

crazyspaniellady · 30/07/2016 11:51

to the pp up thread that says I shouldn't have working dogs unless they have a job, and I should buy a little dog (as apparently they require less exercise, which is complete bull honky) my oldest is a retired gun dog, and she's got the worst recall out of the lot! she's walked on a long line (not because of other people, but if she catches scent of something small and furry then good luck getting her back)
And what breed of small dog do you advise I swap my working springers for? a Jack Russell? (bred to flush rabbits out of their warrens, require a TREMENDOUS amount of exercise and have form for being nippy and aggressive) perhaps a chihuahua? which again need a good 2 hours a day or they tear up your house out of boredom.
You have obviously been misinformed (like millions of other people) that small 'Lap dogs' don't need as much exercise and just a short walk will be fineHmm. Most dogs were bred for a purpose (usually hunting, flushing, guard dog etc) so most of the common breeds you see would be workers, and regardless of breed they still need adequate exercise AND mental stimulation which being off lead and being able to sniff and explore provides.
I'm not saying it should be a free for all, but where I walk well controlled dogs with reliable recall are walked off lead with no problem, some are walked on flexi leads as they have issues, but that's what RESPONSIBLE dog owners do and I don't see why we (and our dogs) should be punished for the behaviour of a few. It takes a lot of time and effort to train a dog and some people don't realise that theyre doing anything wrong or that their dogs aren't 'trained enough'

crazyspaniellady · 30/07/2016 11:55

and tidy my dogs are actually very rarely walked in a park, usually country walks and we do a lot of scent work as my youngest loves using his nose. You don't know what kind of environment my dogs live in so you couldn't possibly comment.