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.

My dog is a lovely harmless old thing. Why should he not have a run in his local park in case somebody that has an unreasonable fear of him is there?

I have a two tarantulas and a snake at home. Would you be happy if you were to be face to face with them, out of their tanks?
Neither of my spiders bite unlike dogsand the snake is non-venomous.

Tell me again which is the 'unreasonable fear'? Some people are genuinely as scared of dogs, as spiders and cockroaches.

I have never been scared for my physical integrety when a toddler approached me, I have been when a dog did.

You haven't met some of the toddlers down my way

I have a two tarantulas and a snake at home. Would you be happy if you were to be face to face with them, out of their tanks?

That's a daft comparison . Unless your spider and your snake need to be walked?

I don't mind snakes as it happens. I'm terrified of spiders. But that's my problem.

tidyfairy I think you've got it exactly right. Dh (dog person, lived with dogs all his life) was completely bemused when I told him about my dog incident. I imagine he would have plucked the dog off him and carried on running.

I think maybe dog owners don't notice it happening because they feel there is no reason to be anxious.

Exactly this. They think that everyone must love dogs as much as they do and those that don't as completely ridiculous or pathetic.

When I was picnic-ing with my family recently there was a dog running around from group to group (only a small thing so no threat). Most people were fussing over the dog, but when it came over to me I completely ignored it (hoping it would go away) and heard the owner call me a "miserable bitch"!

I get pissed off with runners who can't seem to see the lead my dog is on and get nasty when they fall over it.

Yabu for kicking the dog. If you had done that to either of my dogs then I am afraid you would have found yourself with a very irate owner telling you what a complete fucking arsehole you are and demanding your name and details whilst i rang the police to report you for abuse.

@MidnightMoths and @MamOfTwo:
You have a right to be in a park and to be free from harm from other users and their dogs. You do NOT have a right to dictate where other people or dogs can sit/walk/run because of your feelings about dogs. It is for this reason that many parks have dog free areas for people who prefer not to share their space with dogs, and equally they often have dog run areas where people with boisterous or partly trained dogs can let them run.
I am considerate of non doggy people in the park, but if my dog running around enjoying herself (but never going closer to you than a few feet of clearance) is a problem for you, then it's your problem, not mine or my dog's. If my dog were to run alongside you while you were jogging (but again giving you a few feet of clearance) she isn't doing anything wrong (although I would call her back to me if you looked bothered by it). Most dogs can run faster than most people, so a dog "running after you" is probably not chasing you with an intention of "catching" you but just enjoying a run. That all changes the moment a dog makes contact with you - then the dog owner is FIRMLY in the wrong.

Regarding people claiming their fear of dogs is a reason for all dogs to be on a lead - I sometimes get scared by gangs of teenagers in hoodies if I'm walking my dog in the park after dark. That's my problem, not theirs. Even if some men occasionally attack or rob lone women, and that makes me wary of any unknown man that walks behind me after dark, as long as they don't hurt me they have every right to be there and if I'm not comfortable with that then it's up to me to go elsewhere, not them. I'm sure some child-free adults would prefer parks without children too, but parks are public places so everyone has to accept that dogs, children, joggers and bike riders etc all have the right to enjoy the park too.

@MamOfTwo: can you "guarantee" that your children will never (intentionally or accidentally) hurt another child playing with them in the park? Of course not. Occasionally they will come down the slide onto another child, bump into another child and knock them over etc etc. By your logic your kids should be on a lead as well. Most reasonable parents would teach their kids to be considerate and careful of others and be profusely apologetic if an accidental mishap occurred. Most dog owners likewise. I would encourage anyone who encounters an irresponsible dog owner to report them to the police or the Parks Police but please stop taking it out on those of us who are responsible about our dogs.

@Emmaroos I've had a couple of good runs with Collies! Running just at my heel and not once making contact. Not too sure the owners were as keen though as they were just out for a stroll

Muffy - I also try to calm my anxiety and just ignore any uncontrolled dog which is invading my space(as off-lead dogs often do, especially if you are sitting down). "He just wants you to stroke him" was one comment.
Well I don't want it near me, and I definitely don't want to stroke it, so get it away is what I say in my head. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Yanbu OP

Take a picture of your scratch and report the dog to the dog warden. Report back to us with their reply. I bet you won't get told to wear different clothes, put up with being injured and accept being jumped on. Some of the answers of this thread are unbelievable.

I am a runner, Im so tired of people's dogs running and jumping on me while i'm on a run
So this happens on a regular basis then?

My dad is a runner and advised me that the best way to communicate to a dog owner that they have no control of their dog off the lead when it bounds after him is to pat his leg and say, "Come on then!" and carry on running with the dog, away from its owner.

If a dog came bounding over at me and jumped at me there is every chance I may kick it because I was scared. If the owner got irate because I did that I would probably kick them too because they are stupid if they let their dog do that.
To say you would hit someone for reacting to what they see as a dog attack because you can't control your dog is pathetic.

A toddler is not a physical threat to you, a dog is! No it isn't. I've had probably hundreds of dogs run up to me or jump up in my time as I walk up a popular dog walking route 3 times daily and never been so much as nipped. Probably because I don't start shouting and flapping and freaking them out! Worst I've ever had is a few skirmishes between the dogs who were swiftly separated and none of whom were the slightest bit aggressive towards me, even when being hauled up by their collars and soundly told off. The vast majority of dogs who approach you while running are completely harmless. They come over to see what you are doing and join in this strange human game and if you push them gently off and tell them to go away, most of them will. Treat them like an unruly child: firm and authoritative. They'll respond to your tone more than anything else. If they don't bugger off, just call out to their owner to remove them. I get that you are afraid of them and you had a terrible experience with one but most aren't like that and you are actually making it far more likely that you will be bitten again by being so confrontational with them. They should be under control, yes but it's about as likely as people stopping dropping litter or controlling their damn kids. Unfortunately there is so far no law against twats owning dogs or reproducing. I live in hope.

Unfortunately Navy a lot of dog owners don't do those things. People who like dogs probably don't notice because they don't mind dogs bounding towards them and jumping on them, so haven't realised that the owners haven't called it back. But when you are not a dog-person, you notice.

Like I said before, I don't actually think it would be fair for dogs to be kept on leads at all times in parks, but some consideration for the people trying to enjoy the park needs to be made too.

Exactly tidyfairy! I can never feel completely relaxed on a sunny day in the park or on the beach .

It's a bit thick to kick a dog.

Yep... If you kicked my neighbours dog I'm
not sure you'd have a leg left 🤔

Oh fuck off Navy.

I was chased by a large dog when I was cycling up a hill. It had already bitten through my trousers. No sign of the owners. Instinctively I pushed it away with my foot.

Is that the right thing to do? I'm worried some dog owners would think that was wrong. What should I have done?

What I did do was stop by the house when I was next in the car and inform them. No apology, just a "oh yeah, he keeps escaping, we're going to have to get him put down".

Poor dog.

Therapy can be very effective at dealing with anxiety like fear of flying or fear of spiders. It's a good idea.