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?

Oh and Connie, I'm not scared of dogs and don't need help. But if your dogs are as 'fighty' as you are, I'll be avoiding your stomping ground.

Well, I don't really know what the answer to that one is MB, but I still think dogs can be off the lead in a park provided they are under control. That's not putting dogs above humans either imo.

I would also urge anyone who's been bit by a dog to report the incident.

My dogs are definitely not 'fighty' as I have stated.

Message withdrawn

My mum bought herself a puppy last year - it's a minture jack russell. Drives me nuts - bloody thing.
Mum did get a woman in to the home to help try and train him but she has never been consistent with it. The dog doesn't know right from wrong now.
Whenever we go round to visit he's aways jumping up on me and my two dds and he nips. I am so worried one day that he will go too far. Mum does put him out in the garden most of the time we visit now because she knows how cross and wound up I get.
We've even stopped dds from going to stay with their gran now because I just can't trust the dog. Mum always says "he'll be fine in a bit, let him calm down and then hey can stroke him/sit him on their laps etc". I don't bloody think so.
Makes me sad to know that I can't take my children to their gran's house and leave them there while I go off and do something.

Well, the reality of the situation is that dog off the leash do come up to ds in the park. And have done so one just about every visit we have ever done.

The reailty you want to see is no the real, actual, reality that I see every day.

In a park, dogs should be on a leash, since vast numbers of dogs are not well trained enough to stay away from children.

And for all the fact that many owners do pick up dog shit, vast numbers don't, since I still see crap all over the pavements

We'll never agree on this but don't tar all dog owners with the same brush.

Most children in the park are not asthamtic and enjoy looking at the doggies and patting them if the owners agree.

OK, so we have to stay out of the park, so you can leave your dog off the leash. I understand now.

So enlightening.

Well, it's not me that's got the problem though is it?

and how warm and compassionate you are over the whole thing.

Of course it would be asking far too much to take you dog for a walk and keep it on alead while around children, wouldn't it?

And loads of people don't like dogs, are scared of dogs, but as long as you and you dog are happy, that is all just fine,eh?

But dogs are not more important than children you say.

I'll remember that the next time some damn dog makes my son ill, and gasp for breath. It will make us all feel just so much better.

I'm not sure that anyone is tarring all dog owners with the same brush.

Most posters here just have a problem with untrained or over-friendly dogs off the lead and untrained owners who can't be bothered to bend their backs and pick up after their dogs.

If your dog is well trained, on a lead near children and you scoop the poop there's nothing to get narked about.

I do keep my dogs on the lead in the park as I have said earlier. But this is for reasons of having a pushchair and my older children with me.

I personally think its irrational to expect all dog owners to keep their dogs on the lead in the park because of your childs allergies.

I'm lucky enough to live in the countryside near woodlands etc where the dogs can run and have proper exercise, but for some, the park is where the dog is exercised and an owner has as much right to do this as you and your child have to walk through the park. There are plenty of places where dogs cannot go such as outdoor playgrounds, memorial gardens and the like etc.

I am not unsympathetic to your situation but think the allergies argument is a bit of a red herring in the case for keeping dogs on the lead at the park.

Do any of these people who scoop up their children and run screaming at the sight of anything with four legs not worry about the messages they are passing on to their children?

How do the people who don't like dogs feel about cats/rabbits/cows/horses/gerbils etc?

From my childhood I can remember:

• getting thrown from a horse on more than one occasion
• getting knocked over and licked by dogs (mine, and other people)
• getting bitten on numerous occasions when feeding pet rabbits/hamsters etc, normally due to me not handling them properly.

Far from being traumatic incidents I look back on them fondly. Children who have healthy relationships with animals have healthy relationships with humans. There have been countless stufies published on the benefits for children of interacting with animals - health-wise, relationships, development, self-esteem, responsibility etc.

Can any of you who are scared of dogs because of a harmless childhood incident remember how the adult with you at the time reacted? (I am NOT of course comparing someone getting bumped into by a friendly dog to a savage dog attack). I wish people would think more carefully about how their reaction to small incidents affects their children.

Also, really in the grand scheme of things, is getting licked/bumped by a dog all that bad? Think of all the REAL dangers that are out there.

caz, getiing licked/bumped for ds make him have an asthma attack. Not being able to breath isn't much fun! We control it with inhaled steroids, but if he gets in closr contact with a dog, he needs his reliever.

Call me fussy, But as a mother I would rather than not happen when I take my child to the park!

But god forbid that dog owners should have the hassle of keeping their dogs on leads while in parks frequented by kids. It is on;y ds's lung function after all.

YANBU
DS1 was knocked over twice by big dogs in Richmond park - the second time we had stopped so I could BF DS2, so was in terrible state trying to de-latch DS2, while pulling the dog of DS1. Natch the ignorant owner thought it was a laugh. And both time the patronising ownere said - 'he's just being friendly' like anyone should enjoy being terrorised by a big anmal - and yes, for a two year old it is terrifying. After that i carried a bif stick to wahck any dog that tried again, mostly to reasssure DS1, but would deffo have used if it I had had to - othe dog AND the owner!
We also used to go the Terrace Gardens in Richmond, parlty becuase dogs are supposed to be kept on leads ( big signs at the entranceas tot hat effect. But very often they weren't - and you'd be amazed at the language that comes out the mouths of even sweet looking little old ladies when you point the signs to them!!

Why not take him for a walk where dogs aren't allowed?

Connie - 'Well, it's not me that's got the problem though is it?'

Well I do wonder?

MartianBishop that must be terribly difficult to deal with. Can see that you have a major problem there. So are you supposed to keep your kid inside so they get really fat so Connie can walk her dog unfettered?

I agree with zoned dog areas myself, if you go into them, you take your chances, but in a public park, surely those up the food chain get to make that choice. Most of us like humans better than dogs.

Connie, why should the needs of a person ie my son, come second to a farking dog?

And where do you suggest I take him for a walk? Since dog ownders often ignore signs, and none of the parks locally ban them?

I can think of a rather nice beach in Scotland, but that is a 7 hour drive?

Why do dog owners take precedence over my child?

and they could use the bloody park ,just keep their animals on a leash!

mb: is it worth getting one of those electronic gizmos that emit a noise painful to dogs ears at a certain distance? I remember them being advertised a while back and some posties having them. Wonder if they're still available?

Its not just people who can get in to trouble when a big dog comes running up to them.
Dogs can also attack other dogs as well. My friend's labrador was attacked by three dogs running in a pack - all of these particular animals were off their leads with no owners in immediate sight. The dog that was attacked needed a vet.

I have no problem at all with dogs being on leads in parks, at least such animals then are supervised. I certainly have a problem with dogs who come bounding up to my child (not just to say myself) baring teeth. Invariably as well the owner is nowhere in the immediate vicinity but when said owner does arrive drags the dog off saying, "Don't move, he's just playing!". Yes this has been said to me. These people also forget that some of these animals can look enormous, not just to say terrifying to a small child - my aunt was certainly not aware of this. They treated this animal like another person - small wonder dog was confused because it did not know who was boss (i.e the owner).

I would think employment of dog wardens in parks would be a good start.

martianbishop I said harmless clearly your child has different, special circumstances than many others. But are you going to give any thought to how you are going to teach your child to respect, enjoy and understand animals if you instill fear into him from an early age? Or do you not agree that he should respect, enjoy and understand animals?

I don't think anyone takes precedent over anyone else, not dogs, not children, not anything. It is about sharing space together responsibly and with thought to others. Of course you get irresponsible dog owners who don't pick up after their dogs, don't train them well enough, let them off the lead in the wrong place etc. But you get just as many irresponsible parents who let their children get away with doing some truly antisocial and disagreeable things.

I don't instil fear in him.

We are all rather fond of animals. He'd love a dog, but it would put him in hospital.

We sponsor a guide dog, ffs.

I'm not anti dog. I'm anti selfish dog owners. I have no problem with them being in a park, but they should be on a lead.