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?

having said that I constantly see people being pulled along by large dogs that they can't control.
How dumb is that?!

You don't sound the least bit bohemian bohemianbint, more sort of..uptight actually

And calling the owner a stupid bitch is extraordinarily unpleasant

I've read a bit more of the thread now...and I am aghast at how many horror stories there are of killer dogs with big fangs running over and mauling your children in a friendly way. Agree - horrible and unacceptable if that happens...but I take my children to parks all the time, and have never once had a single experience like this. Am thinking I am living in a parallel universe.

Oh also agree wholeheartedly with expat's round denunciation of the posters who refer to hating dogs. Hate is such a negative and vicious emotion - and often quite irrational.

I tend to stay clear of people who are haters.

Agree with martianbishops earlier comment. It's a sad society where people are more careful of their dogs around sheep than small children.

As to the earlier comment that there is a huge difference between a dangerous dog and a 'friendly' one knocking into a toddler. Yes, obviously the outcome is different, but in the mind of a three year old who has been knocked to the ground by a (to him) enormous animal, the initial terror is the same.

I don't hate dogs, and I absolutely see the need for them to be taken to the park. I don't believe all dogs are dangerous, and of course I can tell which ones are being playful. But my children can't.

What I do object to is the idea that parents are making their children afraid of dogs. Sadly it's the unthinking dog owners who are responsible for that. Just try thinking of it from a child's point of view, rather than from the 'my dog has a right to be in the park' point of view.

Ok, imagine you are in the park and I came up to you and put a very large python around your neck. (Tarantula, rat, whatever, just subsititute your own particular phobia here.) Would it really make you feel so much better if I said it was just being friendly?

I looked after a snake for a while and I loved it to bits, but I didn't go around putting it onto people so it could get to know them because i respect lots of people don't like snakes. Why are dogs any different?

handlemecarefully; in my opinion the owner was a stupid bitch for letting a dog that size run around the park to the point where it took her 5 minutes to catch up with it. When she did catch up with it and found it bouncing all over all the kids at the pond, she laughed and made no effort to put the dog on a lead.

I'm sure even the most bohemian dog lover wouldn't condone that as responsible behaviour.

bohemian - excellent point. yes must remember to unleash my pet tarantula next time i go to the park, he is ever so hairy, but friendly, never mind all those who have phobias or allergies or simply don't like a tarantula crawling up their arms

i love animals, i just don't love them more than children !

I don't hate dogs, but I DO hate their behaviour

I love dogs and have been waiting to be living in a suitable property to own one.

Sadly in the time that we where living in a upstairs maisonette my DD1 was so traumatised by the neighbours dog (thank god we have now moved!) that I am still trying to undo the damage.

He was a huge thing, not sure of the breed but he would jump up every time he was out and they would just let him loose in the cul-de-sac. The first time he scared her she was only 1 and I was carrying her out of the car, he jumped up and his paws where on my chest he was so big. It didnt bother me so much but it scared her beyond belief.

After that she would literally scramble up into my arms whenever he was around. She is now 5 and through a lot of work she now can walk past a dog without freezing in fear.

I don't want her to be afraid of dogs, I want to own one, but I do worry that another dog will jump up at her and we will be back to the beginning again.

But even more than that I get really narked off with the guy who walks his dogs pass my house every day and lets them crap all over the path, almost every day there is a new trail of the stuff, its almost impossible to avoid with the pushchair and I am always having to clean it off pushchair and shoes.

kerry that is awful !

How long ago was that Kerrymum? It rings a bell. I heard a similar story a few years ago when I was at school.

I dont live anywhere near there but 8 years ago does sound about right to me. Maybe it was in the papers my way.
Poor boy, how bloody awful! The dogs get the blame for it but its the owners fault for not cleaning it up!
I think that when some people get dogs they forget that they come with poo!

there was this comment piece in the Observer last Sunday, written by Martin Newland, did any of you see it ?

I quote:

"I am baffled by the capacity of many (but by no means all) dog owners to assume that everyone shares the same deep regard for their mutt as they do and I am upset by the tendency of many of these same people to rank a dog's happiness, rights and quality of life as just as important as a human's"

also:

"and does any one else share my revulsion at the sight of an animal that spends large parts of the day with its face buried in its own or other dogs' nether regions licking the faces of children?"

spot on really !!

hiya, sorry not had time to read it all

my dad was attacked recently by a bloody huge dog, cant remember the breed, lets just say my dad's over 6foot and when it pinned him against the wall to bite his face, it was taller than him

he called at this persons house (work reasons) and when the owner opened the door (yes, my dad had an appointment and they were expecting him) the owner had the dog on a lead. err, how about shutting it away in another room? then it just went for him.
guess what? the owner was "really sorry" blaa blaa blaa, whatever, i think the mutt had done this before though or else why feel the need to have it on a lead inside your own house? SHUT IT IN ANOTHER ROOM,twat.

my poor old dad couldn't drive or anything, he went into shock with the fear of it all and he's not normally like that at all.

owner was so scared that they called an ambulance, which led to the police automatically being called: but guess what, the dog's still alive and well: dad daren't press charges because it was a work situation and he can't affor dany hassle, owner didn't volunteer to have it put down, so it lives another day to attack maybe a child next time, or someone more physically vulnerable than dad.

when a dog's attacked someone, it should be automatically destroyed imo, sorry if not pc but once they've got a taste for it etc.

cannot stand it when they are lolling round the park, jumping up and running at you, especially little children to whom they must seem like giants. can't stand even more the fckwit owners who roll up an hour later and expect you to be thrilled about it. i only go to parks where the playground bit is fenced off (not that that's any guarantee )

bakedpotato - snap (sort of): we live in Berlin, which has many absolutely marvellous parks, but the blimming dogs (or no, not the dogs, rather the owners, some of whom don't seem to have bothered to buy a lead) and the dog poo - . So we took care to move near the Botanic Gardens (huge, lots of woodland-type paths and most importantly no dogs) when we moved back here, and shelled out on a yearly ticket.

Berliners are nuts about dogs, and let them run all over and foul all the parks, even those few where there are fenced-off areas for dogs. You are considered very ureasonable indeed if you object. A lot of playgrounds aren't properly fenced off either - we only use those that are. (The other problem with Berlin playgrounds is that all the best ones have sand down - everywhere, not just in a pit - which is nice, but makes it difficult for me to take ds to them as I'm pg and toxoplasmosis-negative and Berlin also has its fair share of cats).

If a person came as close to you as some dogs, salivated on you, sniffed your fanjo etc etc you could do them for assult, get them arrested, possibly put in prison!

If this was the consequence for dog owners, they'd make absolutely certain their dogs were under control, whether on a lead or not! And that - is all I want!!!

Did anyone watch Loose Women today cause they were talking about dogs today.

Have not read thread as it is too long, but I take my dog and dd to the park as I always incorporate a dog walk with a trip to a park. All the parks do not allow dogs into the area, and I presume as a risk for pooing and also safety of children, but I have no option to take dog into the area. I have her on a lead very close to me, and never allow her to poo. I also do not allow children to approach dog, without parents permission.

I think this is reasonable,I usually check with other parents and they are 100% so far positive.

I do however disagree with the op calling dogs a giant bastard. the bastard is the owner NOT the innocent dog.

I don't like the attidude nowadays about kids/dogs in the park. What gives anyone the right to determine who get priority of the park. Everyone should be allowed to enjoy it whether your a dog owner or a parent, its about being responsable on both parts. Parents should never let their children aproach a strange dog or let them run around so they are out of site and dog owners, if the owner knows their dog is a danger and knows it may bite, its the owners responsabilty to keep the dog on a lead when there is people about. They should also always pick up the dogs mess and put it in the bin. If everyone did this then parents and dog owners could both enjoy the park without this silly debate.

Here here Icingonthecake

This thread wasnt about dogs attacking and biting people. It was about dogs in the park with kids playfully jumping up at them. Whats that got to do with savage dogs??? Thats a completely different situation!
Also, some comments about dogs sniffing eachother etc... Its nature. Nearly ALL animlas do it! Domestic and wild. Thats just the way animals are in this world. Animals cant talk so sniffing, calling etc is their way of communication and sussing out whats what. It is all very normal!
Typical snobby comments by people who just have no idea about nature and cant think of anything else to say!

Icingonthecake - Nice one! That is the most sensible, obvious and mature comment I have read on this thread!