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AIBU?

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Original poster

People walking their dogs early in the morning

191 replies

SinceWhenDid · 23/04/2018 06:39

All winter in the dark and cold I've been walking my dogs in the woods close by. All winter I met ONE person (plus some creepy, silent, hooded figure - I didn't go down that path again)

Now it's light in the mornings I meet so many people. I feel they didn't put the hard slog in over the winter so they shouldn't be allowed to spoil my solitude and enjoyment of these beautiful mornings...

Of course I know it is unreasonable to feel this way really Blush

OP posts:
LittleCreature · 23/04/2018 09:27

Quimby completely agree with the distraction advice. One of mine can be aggressive - lunging/barking. We got a behaviourist and started the 'look' at me technique. Google it. You essentially hold a treat in front of your face and say 'Look' - you start indoors in quiet, over and over again. When the dog makes eye contact, you immediately give the treat. Once they do this easily indoors, start outdoors - again when not distracted.

Overtime they get so used to looking at you when you say 'Look' that they are totally distracted from other dogs.

Works very well.

BitOutOfPractice · 23/04/2018 09:29

Cloaked? He was cloaked?! Shock

I get you OP. It's like when you really like an obscure band and they suddenly become popular and everyone likes them. Oh that makes me so cross. They're mine!

Noqonterfy · 23/04/2018 09:32

That sounds very frightening tattycat. Crikey.

ZibbidooZibbidooZibbidoo · 23/04/2018 09:37

I really really wanted to skulk about the woods in the dark winter mornings but my dog just wouldn’t oblige. I tried really hard to persuade him, I promise. I did go one morning without him. Wearing a hooded coat Wink Grin

Thanksforthatamazingpost · 23/04/2018 09:37

yabu

All dog owners who take their dog mess to the bin/home with them are good dog owners (even the ones who say "don't worry he's only playing!")

All dog owners who leave little plastic bags of dogshit to spoil my walk are awful.

Quimby · 23/04/2018 09:40

Thanks guys

Been trying the distraction and look at me, I just can’t find the thing that will keep his attention/he’ll find more interesting than another dog.

I’ve tried treats. Balls, teddies, plastic bottles, cheese
The search continues

Shattered04 · 23/04/2018 09:46

I feel the same about my lunchtime walks. First sign of sunshine and the place is riddled with other workers, and a lot more dog walkers. Some of which clearly have no idea how to control their dogs probably because they're out of practice and their dogs are so excited at finally getting out!

Whereas I've been out, rain or shine, all year round and despite the howling gales I do prefer the solitude over sunshine and crowds.

NoodlesLivesHere · 23/04/2018 09:50

@Knitjob my eldest is an apparent fairweather park run person...however they spend all of the cold wet weekend mornings on a football pitch. It's only now the season is over they can re-join park run but to the regulars they are only interested in exercising when it's nicer weather as a football mother I really wish that was the case!

PositivelyPERF · 23/04/2018 09:53

I walked along muttering "fuck off, just fuck off" under my breathe.

Brilliant!😂

Airfixkitwidow · 23/04/2018 09:54

I have trudged in wellies through the mud all winter. In the pouring rain. Then gone home and hosed the dogs down. This week people have been walking through my woods on the dried mud on my paths. I resent them.

SomeKnobend · 23/04/2018 09:57

Some dogs don't cope well with the heat (or cold), especially small ones, puppies or brachycephalic ones. Those you have to take out early and/or late when it's hot, and the warmest part of the day when it's cold. Sorry to ruin your solitude OP!

moosemama · 23/04/2018 09:58

I prefer walking my dogs in bad weather, as there are only other determined dog walkers, whose dogs are generally better behaved out there at the same time.

Unfortunately the younger of my two Lurchers has other ideas, despite having a selection of rather dapper coats/raincoat to protect him from the elements.

The thing is, he’s the reason we need to only walk around well behaved dogs, as he had a bad start and despite lots and lots and lots of work, is still petrified of other dogs and seriously panics if he sees them running towards him.

I used to have a perfect afternoon slot to walk mine in a particular park just a couple of minutes walk from our house. We would be pretty much guaranteed to get an hour and a half to ourselves for off-lead exercise five days a week. Then they built an enormous housing estate behind it and the park is now full of poorly trained dogs, whose owners are often on their phones ignoring them, pretty much all day every day.

I am seriously considering buying my own field nearby, just so we can walk in peace.

trixymalixy · 23/04/2018 10:05

Ha ha, i feel this about my lunchtime run. All through the winter we have slogged through the rain and wind (we do draw the line at ice and snow though for safety reasons!) with very few other hardy runners encountered. Then people have the audacity to come out and run when the sun comes out and get in our way!!

JoeElliotsMullet · 23/04/2018 10:05

@runningbutnotscared

"generally behaving like it's a pubic park"

Shock

I can't begin to imagine what they are doing!

Chanelprincess · 23/04/2018 10:10

My daily dog walks are usually pretty solitary due to where I live but when we do venture further afield, I'm appalled at the number of overweight and obese dogs, particularly flabby labradors. I assume their owners are the ones that go into hibernation on a cold or wet day and allow their animals to pile on the pounds through their sheer laziness.

willynillypie · 23/04/2018 10:13

I hate this!! I walk late morning/early afternoon, but I am always so saddened when it's raining how there is NO ONE in the park. Once the sun comes out there everyone is - what about the rainy days (of which there are many in this country!) - poor little dogs.

ThisIsTheFirstStep · 23/04/2018 10:14

I really wonder about the dogs who are only out in the warm weather. Aren’t they a nightmare if they’re never outside in the winter? My dog is gnawing my arm off if he doesn’t get at least an hour a day.

We take him to the hill behind our house and have done so all winter. A woman today said to me ‘lovely to get them out for a nice walk finally, isn’t it?’

I judged and seethed and wanted to be alone.

BanyanTree · 23/04/2018 10:22

I am one of the early summer walkers. When it is cold my dog can go out any time. Now it has been really hot he gets overheated in the sun. He is a very fit dog and last year he nearly collapsed in the heat after a 45 minute walk. Now I take him out early so it is cool for him. By 10am it has been stonking hot where I live.

Caribou58 · 23/04/2018 10:26

YABU but as an early morning dog walker, I'm also BU about this exact thing.

Caribou58 · 23/04/2018 10:27

I really wonder about the dogs who are only out in the warm weather. Aren’t they a nightmare if they’re never outside in the winter? My dog is gnawing my arm off if he doesn’t get at least an hour a day.

Mine too! She gets 3 walks a day (EVERY day, rain or shine) and she can clearly tell the time, because she's moaning about it within minutes of the time at which we usually take her out.

UpstartCrow · 23/04/2018 10:28

Where my in laws live every single one of them will say ''hello'' whether they know you or not. At first it seems friendly, the 6th or 7th time I'm disrupted from my internal monologue its irritating, and by the end it feels like they are all Stepford Wives and I want to run away.

DidoAndHerLament · 23/04/2018 10:33

So glad this isn't just me. I'm not a dog walker but I live in a rural area and go for long walks 3/4 times a week. All winter the solitude has been wonderful and I've only met a handful of other hardy souls layered up in hats & fleeces and we nod smugly to eachother. Now there's loads of people clogging up the countryside in their spring walking gear. Flipping lightweights - if they can't make it through the winter, they don't deserve the pleasures of spring/summer walking AngryAngry

Idontbelieveinthemoon · 23/04/2018 10:33

I walk our dog every morning at 6am regardless of the weather/time of year. If we've time we'll walk DS2 to school and come home across fields, walk up at home time if it's my day off and DH usually takes her for a prance about 10pm. She's a spaniel so loves bouncing about outside and never gives a toss what the weather's doing. She knows when it's time to walk as she'll sit by the back door and give me a stinkeye til I give in.

The walkers around here are lovely, though, and always stop and say hello. I often read dog threads on here and realise how lucky we are to not meet dickheads when we're walking.

Ebeneser · 23/04/2018 10:34

I live in a tourist area and hate it in the summer. It seems to bring out all the flip flop wearing eejits that have no control over their dogs. My dog doesn't always react well to other dogs, especially on narrow footpaths, but she has good recall and if I tell her to stop she'll wait for me to put her lead back on her.
I find Labrador owners the worse. My dog has been attacked three times by out of control Labradors.
If I go early enough in the mornings (as in around 7am) I can get away with just meeting the regular dog walkers, other wise it awful. After work walks are the worst. I have to think of various non touristy walks to go on, and you still find at least one of 'em.
The winter is best as only the regular seasoned dog walkers with well behaved dogs tend to go out, and quite often no one will be about, especially after dark. We can wander about with our million lumen headtorch (she has a reflective harness and flashing LED collar) and only worry about getting eating by psychotic mountain goats.

BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot · 23/04/2018 10:38

Try having a dog reactive dog. This time or year is a bloody nightmare to find a time to walk them where all my previously safe and isolated walks are now full of shit heads with their off lead dogs with no recall. I can't go out at lunchtime for obvious reasons and my previously lonely am and pm walks are now chock full.

Hate it. My poor dog