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.

Simon your dog is cute, thats not the dog i'm worried about.

Owners should be able to keep up with their dogs?

Good lord... My DH is super fit, regularly runs and does the marathon, and there is zero chance he could catch our dog at full pelt. Dogs are fast!

Absolutely but you do have to keep up with the dog that you are walking.

I agree.

If you're not fit enough to be able to chase after or catch up to the dog quickly, should it jump on a runner, or God forbid small child, then you shouldn't have your dog off the lead.

I wasn't bodyshaming because i did not call the owner fat or comment on looks.

I am a dog owner and believe ALL dogs should be kept on lead in public places. For the sake of runners,children and other dogs.

I however disagree with OP, in the fact that of the altercations me and my dog have had have been in with dogs off lead it hasn't always been big dogs. Some of the nastiest dogs biting her ankles were small dogs.

Good lord... My DH is super fit, regularly runs and does the marathon, and there is zero chance he could catch our dog at full pelt. Dogs are fast!

Yes but this dog wasn't running full pelt he was walking around until he saw me.

YANBU. If it happens again take photo of dog and report to dog warden. If you can't get a photo just describe it.
Neighbour's springer used to chase cyclists and runners, was reported, warden visited and told her the dog had to be on a lead at all times when out.

You pointed out the owner was "very overweight" which was a bit needless. You could just have said that she couldn't keep up with the dog.

Because to be honest dogs are generally faster than people, even thin people.

I sympathise with you Jessica, but can't you find a running route where you're less likely to meet a dog? Someone running is an open invitation to dogs who love to chase.
There are lots of dogs running free where we live but I'm usually able to avoid them on our walks. Some people carry a big stick which frightens some dogs, but obviously runners can't do that.
A few times I've met a dog ready to jump up and I turned round, bent down and growled as loud as possible (don't laugh!) which stopped them in their tracks.
Good luck.

However, if I see a runner coming both dogs are recalled and held by the harness for a couple of seconds until the runner has gone passed us.

Shouldn't you be training your dogs not to chase runners and cyclists in the first place?
If a dog has to be held by the collar every signle time someone comes running past, then it's the dog and owner with the problem, not the runner or cyclist.

This is pretty simple: train your dog not to chase people.

Ditto.
You can't stop people from running. Why should they?

YANBU in principle, dogs should be under control or on leads in public places but no one is perfect and even the best trained dogs can have 'self employed' moments.
Your attitude stinks though. If you're going to run in a park where there are other users you need to be aware and a little tolerant. If a dog jumps then an assertive push while sternly telling it 'down' or 'off' will usually be enough to deter it.
If I caught you kicking my dog then you'd be well advised to keep running!

From my experience, the dogs in our local park that are not well behaved are there quite often, so if you did report this one, the chances are that other people have been bothered by it and the dog's somewhat easy to track down. Better management of all park users is the solution, not blanket bans on this or that.

You pointed out the owner was "very overweight" which was a bit needless. You could just have said that she couldn't keep up with the dog.

Its the explanation to why she could not keep up.

Training takes time though, so while working on it you may need to grab them while keeping their attention/treating/praising.

This is why I now have cats.

All the dogs we had previously were nutters who thought every human in existence wanted to play with them.

I used to be like that guy in the YouTube video "Fenton! Fenton! ... Come back here!!"

Not that any of my dogs were called Fenton by the way, but you know what I mean.

YANBU. I find it quite astounding that (many, not all!) dog owners have this idea that their dogs' attentions are welcomed. I do not want a dog jumping up at me or my kids and this happens a lot where I live. Owners usually say something along the lines of 'oh, he's really friendly' as my 6yo is almost flattened. Dog owners have a responsibility to keep their dogs from bothering people who don't want to be bothered by them IMO.

If I caught you kicking my dog then you'd be well advised to keep running!

Definitely wrong to kick a dog.
However, if a runner or cyclist was bleeding, because the dog had jumped up and badly scratched,(or snapped and bitten) then that person is justified in 'kicking out'.
I know a cyclist who kicked at a dog.
The dog had it's teeth sunk into his calf. He kicked out to try and get the dog off.
Its a natural reaction.

Your attitude stinks though. If you're going to run in a park where there are other users you need to be aware and a little tolerant. If a dog jumps then an assertive push while sternly telling it 'down' or 'off' will usually be enough to deter it.
If I caught you kicking my dog then you'd be well advised to keep running!

Well what if it doesn't respond to me telling it to sit or go down. I kicked it so it would get off of me. Its called self defense and I don't care about owners who are upset with the self defense t's an animal.

YANBU. I find it quite astounding that (many, not all!) dog owners have this idea that their dogs' attentions are welcomed. I do not want a dog jumping up at me or my kids and this happens a lot where I live. Owners usually say something along the lines of 'oh, he's really friendly' as my 6yo is almost flattened. Dog owners have a responsibility to keep their dogs from bothering people who don't want to be bothered by them IMO.

100% agree

"* was very overweight*" is commenting on looks.

self defence Section 3(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1967 provides that: "A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large." Hope the dog doesn't get arrested!

I run almost every day round various London parks. I have never been jumped up out or had unwanted attention from a dog, not even one time.