Dogs

[apresski]

We live down a country lane very popular with dog walkers (despite dog walking paths by river just adjacent). Our gates are open on to the road (not the river) and we have had repeated dogs run into our garden. I am from a dog family, my DH isn't (allergic). My daughter is also allergic but seems to be growing out of it, but as a result of allergies at an earlier age is petrified of dogs come running at her or are overly bouncy/friendly etc. Now.... AIBU to think of you walk your dogs up and down a lane or in public you should be able to control them going in to other people's gardens or property? DH and I had an argument about it today but actually daughter was terrified by three dogs running around chasing her and was screaming.....! Thanks all

But why should the OP have to shut her gates because of ignorant dog owners?
If your dog does not have 100% recall, it should not be off a lead on a road. Regardless of the speed limit, it is a hazard to other road users.
Her DD hasn’t been ‘brought up’ to be scared of dogs. She has developed a natural aversion to something that makes her unwell. And why shouldn’t she be in her own garden?

Using CAPS and typing ‘full stop’ at the end, does not make you right.

I am a dog owner and live in a house on a road leading into woodland, who is also sick of people letting their dogs run into my garden to shit and then leave it for me to deal with.

Old gates are heavy and awkward.
New gate are expensive.
The lane is public.
Her property is private.
Dogs, love them as much as I do, are no respecters of boundaries, be they geographical or personal.
It’s quite simple-the dog owners are in the wrong here... why op should spend £££s because other people can’t put their dogs on leads for a bit confuses me tbh.
My perspective is skewed though... all our dogs are and have been nutty rescue hounds/lurchers whose off lead recall abilities were never, ever to be trusted.

And dogs on leads on highways doesn’t equate to no dogs off lead in public spaces, surely.
I’d be hugely irritated by what the op has to put up with.

As I have said, OP stated she lived on a country track then later stated it was a road used by cars. Mine wouldn't be off lead on a road used by cars either especially one that has a national speed limit.

Agree that if a dog owner knows there is a garden with open gates ahead they should leash their dog but disagree that on a "country track" an owner may not have been down before ought to have their dog on a lead "just in case". No dogs would ever get sufficient exercise in this ideal world all y'all miseries are espousing.

the rat poison sign is a good idea - you don't actually have to put any down.

or a simple one 'private property. Uninvited dogs will be shot'. That should produce a miraculous improvement in dog control. You don't actually have to get a gun.

that reminds me, I must replace the 'please pick up your dog shit from my front garden' sign. It does work although it is pretty tragic that people have to be told.

If you have dogs who don't respond or run off then Shouldn't they be on leads?

Yes, they fucking should. But sadly, "shoulds" don't translate to "musts". If you live by a "should" standard you'll remain disappointed for the rest of your life and will achieve nothing in order to change it. You have 2 choices: remain pissed off, or get new gates. Second is inconvenient in the short term (like a bother of going out to buy and installing them) but will solve the problem for good.

I hope the sensible dog owners keep their dogs under control on a lane where the speed 'limit' is 60mph

Wow you let your daughter play in an garden with the gates open, adjacent to a road with a 60mph speed limit!!

@hannah1992 a big dog like that on an extending lead is a really bad idea. I hope it’s not clipped onto its collar.

Dogs shouldn’t be in gardens that aren’t attached to their own houses.
People shouldn’t have their dogs off lead along a road.
Some people are arseholes.
I would get automatic gates.

When I walk the dogs down a country road I put mine on the lead. Reason being, is that there are complete twats who think that the 60mph limit means that's what you travel at. Country roads are rarely reduced in speed, and it would be stupid not to (on my part) halter the dogs. It could be one of those roads that the traffic is relatively rare, but irrespective of that, there's always some nobber in a car who has no idea how to drive in the country. Same as if I had young children with me, they'd be close by and not running around.

Having said that, if it's a known and frequent problem, and I was the OP, then I would deffo think about new gates purely because there are stupid dog owners out there who don't think ahead, and also dogs CAN slip their leads, and follow a scent.

I think the OP mentioned there was a shoot nearby too - with the best of intentions, even trained to the max gun dogs get excited by a random wildfowl / deer / pheasant scent and can go 'astray'. Sorry to say, but that's what living in the country can be like.

Shut the gates

Because dogs are animals. They can never be truly, 100% trained. They can be very, very well behaved, but if they decide to not obey, then they won't obey

Which is surely an argument to keep them on a lead?

But closing the gates is the obvious solution. Can't post(wo)men and delivery drivers open them when they need to?

Good idea SeaToSky!!

YNBU at all OP. I am a huge dog lover (we have numerous) but it bugs the hell out of me that people think that everyone should welcome their dogs with open arms and be as mad about them as they are!! I would be as utterly pi**ed of as you OP! Defo shut the gates though!!

Lots of dogs are allowed off lead on a 60mph road? Ok then..

Wolfie. No it's not attached to his collar it's attached to a harness. It's a heavy duty lead too on did those made for larger breads. Plus he's quite good on the lead he doesn't pull so as soon as you press the button to stop the lead extending he just stops he doesn't try to pull it.

No dogs would ever get sufficient exercise in this ideal world all y'all miseries are espousing.

Then the owner should train their bloody dog.

My dog has 99% recall when on the lead. Off lead this drops to about 5%. Therefore he is not off lead anywhere that is not secure. His recall and thus exercise is my problem, not other people’s.

Dog would be running ahead of me getting exercise and would run into garden/drive to explore

And if your dog gets run over? Or bites someone?

She wouldn't though

Don't be daft. You can't possibly state with conviction that an animal will not bite.

Yanbu, dog owners should have enough control over their dog so it doesn’t run anywhere they don’t want it to, whilst off the lead, and into someone else’s garden is most definitely off limits to a dog that isn’t the gardens owner.

However, just shut your gates and you won’t have the issue

My dogs are nosy and would definitely want to go into a garden like this.
They’d look at me first though for permission and wouldn’t go without permission.
They’re ex racing greyhounds and it’s taken (and still takes) work to maintain their recall but I want them to go offlead and I want them to be safe and pleasant to be around.

I’ve had dogs before who I couldn’t let off lead in public. I walked them for hours every day, leashed so they weren’t a bloody nuisance.

I’m amazed people think it’s ok to let their dogs wander into someone’s garden. No wonder so many people hate the poor creatures.

YANBU

YABU.

Shut the gate.

(I seriously doubt people are letting dogs off leads on a 60mph country road, don't know what to make of this)

Many small rural roads are National Speed Limit, but you can’t actually drive at that speed due to width of road or bends etc. Plenty of people take chances with their dog’s life, letting them off on these type of roads. Of more concern is the risk they take with the drivers lives. Most people will instinctively sweve to avoid an animal as large as a dog, and may well end up crashing. Having a dog off lead on a road, regardless of the trespass issue, is just plain selfish and dangerous.

As a dog owner, I think dogs should always be on a lead, unless in an exercise field/similar open field area.

Certainly wouldn't allow my dog to go onto someone else's property uninvited.

Ex dog owner here - OP YANBU - it is the height of bad manners to let a dog go into someone's garden even if the gate is open!

Hope you get it sorted.

Yanbu to expect dogs not to come into your garden. But I wouldn’t let a child play in a garden that’s next to busy road without gates to secure her. But yabu to have left your. Did to become that frightened of dogs she runs round screaming. The uk is a dog prolific place, she will always com across dogs, what if she runs into the road screaming cos a dog sniffs her? Get gates to secure your child and get therapy for your dd so she wound have this worry anymore

Dogs should be under control everywhere, on leads if they aren't under voice control.

However you need to address your daughters phobias, just saying 'she has a phobia' or 'she is terrified of...' isn't acceptable, that can be fixed and its your job to fix it, not expect the rest of the world to fanny around to suit her.