for wanting to walk in the park without being bounced on by giant b*stard dogs?

[bohemianbint]

Shouldn't people keep an eye on their fricking dogs and not let them run all over parks and scare the crap out of people? Was subjected to about 5 minutes fending the world's biggest dog off before the stupid bitch of an owner came sauntering round the corner. Don't people understand that just because they think their dog is great doesn't mean anyone else does?

I am scared my child will be bitten by someone else's dog in the park. I think they should all be on leads.

And obviously owners should also clear up after them

I agree totally bohenianbuint. We were in a park the other week picnicking. I was BFing the baby while DH played with the other two children and this frigging mutt kept coming over trying to eat our picnic food from the rug. I really wanted to throw something at it but restrained myself. The owners were picknicing nearby and I couldn't bring myself to confront them and wasn't clear about what the rules were about dogs in that park. Also our daugher was playing with their daughter and I didn't want to spoil it.

Howevere, it spoiled our afternoon as it meant we couldn't relax and had to keep protecting our food from this mutt.

When we were leaving we walked past a big sign saying "dogs must be kept on leads!!

As for people who let their dogs crap everywhere - well just don't get me sarated!

...or even "started"!

I find that its the owners of the dogs who are the problem.
My mother has her own dog who is usually no trouble, but my mum a few years ago used to encourage another dog into the house (next-door neighbours).
This dog was a latch-key dog and would be running around the estate by itself until its owner came back.
I hated that dog, always called it the devil dog as it was a massive black staffie with the most scarry mouth ever and my mum used to think it was fun to let these dogs run round and round the house.
By the way my mum has manic depression and we did not know it at the time but she was in the middle of having a "manic" episode.
Anyway, one day we were visiting with my DD1 who was only 6 months old at the time.
Then she goes and lets in the devil dog so of course i get all protective and mum reluctantly lets the dog back out.
A couple of hours later we were just leaving and getting into our car when that devil dog leaps for my DH who was holding DD1 in her car seat.
Of course he did anything to get this dog away and gave it a swift kick in the muzle.
THEN, the layabout, dope smoking owner shouts from his window, "How dare you kick my dog!" "i'm coming down to kill you f*s".
Well, we did not hang about and drove off pretty damn fast.
Did not visit my mum again for a couple of months but by then she was in hospital anyway due to her mania.
I live in the countryside and i find people more responsible with their dogs but on estates its a totally different matter as they are only kept for status and are never trained.
In the end, the owners are the ones to blame, its not the poor dogs fault.
AB

Ripeberry

Thank goodness your DH got a swift kick in, something horrible could have happened.

RB the type of dog and the type of owners you describe should both be outlawed .

Have you ever noticed the thicker the owner the more vicious the dog.

Honestly I can't believe why people this day and age have got to be so critical of dogs and anything which is not completely predictable and clean. Its a poor indictment of society today that dogs get such a bad press. If people were less paranoid and taught their children to respect and understand animals the country would be a lot friendlier place. I am a responsible dog owner and was brought up on a farm and I am amazed at the number of people who are terrified of dogs and think it is such a shame as they are missing out on a lot of joy. Dog owners who do not discipline, respect and care for their dogs contribute to this paranoia and intolerant society.

I'm not surprised people get paranoid. Could be something to do with children in the press having their faces ripped to pieces or killed by dogs. Sure there are responsible owners and irresponsible owners but I wonder how many who have been attacked by a dog have been told it's never bitten anyone before.

I believe all dogs should by law have to be kept on a lead other than in specific dog exercise areas.

I have taught my children never to run when a dog is playing in a park because they might think they are a plaything. However, I should be able to take my children to a park to play without having to worry about dogs bounding up to them and barking at them scaring them out of their wits.

Shandy I have to admit to being intolerant of dogs, simply because I am so sick of having to carefully navigate my three young DCs through a minefield of dog poo all along the streets several times each day. I agree with you its irresponsible owners who cause this intolerance and I think its a real shame as the dogs themselves are lovely, its just some of the owners who don't seem to realise that a bit of responsible action can help dogs and non-dog-owners live happily side by side.

When I was 6 months pg with dd3 we were walking back from the cinema when an enormous mutt ran at us, snarling, and jumped up to land both paws on my bump. It almost knocked me flat & dh was trying to get it away while its owners sauntered past us - they didn't even let on
Plus dh spends most lunch hours in a park near his office & he's lost count of the number of times he's lost his lunch to roving mutts who quite literally snatch it out of his hands while the owners are oblivious. He also then has to sit in the office all afternoon with his trousers covered in mud & dog slobber.
Dogs should be kept on leads anywhere other than specified dog exercise areas & should always be cleaned up after. Hats off to the owners who do this & the owners who don't shouldn't be allowed to have the damn things.

Agree totally with shandybass...with EVERY word she said.

I can't believe people on here actually make a blanket statement such as 'I hate dogs' I don't think people who say 'I hate .....anything' should be parents. I'm sorry, but do you also say, 'I hate old people, I hate cats...'I hate (fill in your preferred ethnic/racial group here' people...BTW...a lot of people also 'hate' kids too...Maybe they don't want you and your kids around them...well you sound just like these people.

I too am a responsible dog owner, and as soon as I hear somebody say...'I hate dogs' I say well I don't associate with people who make such blanket comments because I don't want DD to have anything to do with narrow-minded, judgmental people.

However, as an American and a dog lover, why oh why can't dogs in this country be required to be on a leash. My dog is always on a leash here. This is the law in the US except in dog parks, or on private land or whatever.

I'm scared every day of a dog running up to us not on a leash, and it's even worse because I have a dog too...a big, black one..BTW, I think a lot of people are more scared of black dogs..probably the same people that are racists.

Why is there so much hate in the world? Think about the message you are sending
to your children when you use this word. I don't like cats, but I never say 'I hate them' because they are very cute...just like dogs better, and I guess we would get a cat for DD one day if she begged hard enough for one.

It's horrible that so many kids are growing up to hate dogs...Studies have proven that kids who terrorize dogs and small animals sometimes move up to harm people. Think about this.

Yes I agree there are horrible stories about dog maulings etc and you should be able to go to the park and not be attacked however friendly the intention. I suppose I just feel strongly that dogs are innately genuinely friendly, loyal and innocent, it is only some dogs that are vicious and mostly its the owners faults for being too soft on them or ignoring their behaviour. Happy walking for us all and it would be sad if we ended up with specific dog walking areas as if that's the answer to everything, ie specific children areas etc for people who cant stand children, I could bring in religion and race but I don't want to offend anyone.

havn't read the thread but am lol at "giant bastard dogs"

Jomist - what would you define as a 'specific dog exercise area' - I've never seen any round here. Do you think dogs should be on leads in woodland or fields? If so, then how on earth would the dog get sufficient exercise - they need to run.

Cylonbabe - you do come out with a lot of shallow, narrow minded stuff dont you!
We have a very big dog and he is fantastic! Best friends with my dd 2.5 and a valued member of our family, we love him very much!

However, I do agree about owners that do not have control over their dogs, especially in parks where kids will play. I take my dog up the downs and let him off. He loves it up there! He doesnt jump at people though, He is more interested in sniffing around and playing catch.

I am wary of all dogs no matter how friendly they may appear to be. Even a "friendly" dog has the potential to turn nasty when provoked or even when not.

My aunt's labrador was kept in a home where they could not properly exercise it due to their poor health. It was totally unsuitable for these people to care for. That animal jumped up on numerous occasions bearing its teeth to visitors (they said it was playing and being friendly!). The dog may well have acted friendly but we had to ask them to keep the dog well away from DS as a result. He was frightened of this dog.

My son has never approached a dog alone outdoors but we've certainly had dogs bounding up to him in parks running very fast and baring teeth. I've been very wary, my son was scared. Some people forget that a large dog can look enormous to a small child and terrifying to boot particularly when all they can see is teeth bared.

Why are there not more dog wardens employed in parks?.

I realise that there are many responsible dog owners but the irresponsible ones are tarring all owners with the same brush.

Getting back to the original topic I would agree with bohemianbint's initial posting.

Totally agree with OP.

And on a less serious note, does anyone else find fanjo-sniffing dogs bloody embarrassing?

Spawn - when I was a kid, a neighbour had a st bernard who used to do the whole fanjo sniffing think, seriously yucky! Used to dread going in, especially if i was wearing a skirt! And yes it was "Only being friendly"

Wheresmysuntan - there is a park 5 miles from my house where there is a large fenced off area for dogs to run free. In all other areas of the park dogs have to be on a lead. If all councils would adopt this policy in their parks it would solve a lot of problems. Rather than take the dcs when they were little to my local park where there would be severals dogs running around with their owners taking no notice whatsoever of what they were up to, I would drive them to the responsibly managed park.

As to whether dogs should be on leads in woodlands or fields, it's my opinion that they should.

We have 2 lovely lively big dogs and nothing pisses me off more when I am walking them than hysterical parents trying to 'protect' their precious children from them....even on a bloody lead. Does it not cross anyones mind that the children are terrified because of the parents over reaction?

I don't hate dogs, I'm rather fond of them in fact.

However far too many people don't control their dogs properly, or even clean up after them. Saying 'He is very friendly' simply isn't good enough , since meeting a dag will trigger my son's asthma.

Children will always be unpredictable. Unpredictability can be dangerous round dogs. Since children are humans, and dogs are canines, the dogs should be on the leash. Homo sapiens come first in my book.

CD - both my brother and DH have been bitten by strange dogs in completely unprovoked attacks. Brother was bitten on the face as a toddler and still has scars. Was very nearly blinded. My DCs are unfortunately still fearless of dogs. I am trying to teach them to be more careful - hardly a hysterical over-reaction

Actually, what have you seen other parents do to protect their children from your dogs? I might just try it next time we're out.

Connie, I've been trying to get my DS1 who's 3 over his fear of dogs for some time now. He was jumped on in a park by an over-zealous puppy - but to him it was just a large animal which knocked him to the ground.
After a few weeks convincing him not all dogs are scary and getting to the point where he was actually asking if he could say hello to a dog (!!), we were in the park again last week and another uncontrolled over-eager dog bounded up to him and knocked him off his feet . The owner, though hugely apologetic, said to me 'I'm sorry, I'm having real problems controlling him'. FFS!!! Don't let it off the lead if you can't control it!
DS1 is now back to being terrified of dogs, so sadly I do have to 'protect' him when we see one.

No dog has reared up on its hindlegs, growled or bared teeth to my son when on a lead. On a lead the dog is being supervised by the owner.

I don't hate dogs and fully realise there are responsible dog owners out there but irresponsible owners with poorly controlled pets are making things more difficult for responsible owners of these animals. You're all being tarred with the same brush.

I don't like it when any dog comes bounding up (in many such cases owner where this has happened the owner is invariably some distance away or otherwise shouting saying, "don't move, he's just being friendly!") to my son, myself or any child.

Some people do forget that any large sized dog can look enormous, not just to say terrifying, to a small child and can easily knock said child flying.