When people say their dog is fine and won't bite?

[marshamella]

Walking down the narrow road with my ds and hear a dog heavy breathing behind me. So I turn and tell the owner she can go infront. Her reply "it's ok he won't bite he's soft as anything" and stays behind us. With ds I couldn't walk fast so decided to cross the road when I didn't need to. Was this rude of her not to walk infront as she could see we were uncomfortable with a dog right behind us? I'd rather be the judge of weather or not I want the dog by us.

Oh yes it's such a shame. Because liking dogs and/or having a dog would enrich my life sooo much.

Joking, obviously.

Why has this turned into a dog bashing thread. That wasn't the original intention

On TV police show right now...on average every day in London 2 pitbull type dogs are seized every day.

Lots of dogs are friendly. Some really aren't. I wouldn't take the chance, particularly with children (the police dog are gorgeous).

Meh not for everyone though is it. You're entitled to own a dog and enjoy your dog, just as I am entitled to enjoy a dog free life/home.
I just can't be bothered with the hassle so no thanks.

Awwww Monkey, now you do seem strangely upset that he wouldn't want to lick you?

He won't, he'll walk right past you, he doesn't care about you, you are the one who want him to do something round you to justify your attitude to dogs. He won't give you that chance.

Sorry OP. I won't do it any more.

Navy and white I've seen you post on other discussions on dogs. I understand that you love dogs. I like them (but have shy cat at mo). Other people don't and it isn't their loss it's their choice. Would you force everyone to follow your opinions on everything else?

I like freedom to choose in life!

op

Virtually all threads with dogs as the subject matter go the same way.

I did once manage to start a thread about dogs which didn't degenerate into "kill all the dogs" and I wear that as a MN badge of pride

It's strange, but every single one of the things monkeymama lists up thread have also happened to me. Plus being bitten 3 times by dogs and chased as a child by them.
Yet I love them and she doesn't. It is genuinely interesting how our experiences inform our opinions, but not always the way we might expect them to.

Navy, don't bite back

Oh it's just the same old shit anyway, isn't it?

People's lives aren't automatically better for having a dog in them. I have previously and now don't. Many of my family and friends do. I'd feel sick if any of their dogs were hurt by a dangerous dog.

As well as not thinking anyone is missing out if they chose not to have a dog. I also don't let my DCs approach strangers' dog, but they love the ones we know. I think it's common sense.

I don't deny there aren't some twatty dog owners. But there are far more twatty parents. I can think of several occasions we have encountered dog owners of the twat variety. But I can think of far more where I have encountered children belonging to twat variety parents, comprising both those who make a big hysterical song and dance about dogs that are under control, haven't approached them, and haven't remotely shown any interest in doing so, and parents that think the dog that meets their criteria of nice exists purely for their dc to poke.

lilac I forget the name, it was a while ago, but I saw something where over 3/4 of police officers failed to pick out which of 3 dogs was an actual pit bull. Which fits with the common ott reaction to staffs as 'pit bull types'.

London MET on TV now. 700 dangerous dogs identified and I think they said put-down every year.

I'll add again before I'm labelled as just a dog hater. The police dogs are gorgeous and I like the freedom to choose (yes some children and parents are awful too).

marshamella no your post was ridiculous to begin with.
How dare this woman not walk where you tell her too
I'm glad she refused!
You didn't want this to become a dog bashing thread, really?

Come on people.

Peace and licks all around.

How is navy forcing anything?
It was bloody obvious this was going to turn into a dog bashing post from the first post!
Glad navy called it.

Most dogs are lovely. Happy for others to not like them though. Plenty of people don't like children and I wouldn't force mine on them.

Why can't choice exist without labelling?

As a dog owner and lover I feel the need to add to this discussion.

I have a dog, she is lovely, docile, and absolutely not aggressive. Most dogs are equally nice. Sadly some bad dog owners give everyone a bad name. Calling all dogs bad because of a small minority is the same as saying all teenagers are dangerous because of a small number of teenage criminals.

When I see children cowering away from my dog in fear, I do tell them that she won't hurt them. (Fwiw my dog is always on a short lead on the streets, under control, and does not approach people. ). I do this to try to normalise that dogs are friendly. The vast majority of children who are dog phobic are like that because it is learnt behaviour, most likely from parents who are dog phobic. I wish that parents would take an initiative to normalise dogs to children, as regardless of one's personal feelings about dogs, they are very common in this country.

In short most dogs are lovely, parents please don't teach your children to fear them. (But do teach them to ask before approaching)