To think if you don’t like dogs, don’t walk this route?

[YippeeKayakOtherBuckets]

I’ve just been told off, aggressively, for having my dogs off lead.

We walk to school down a woodland path that is used by literally dozens of dog walkers, I counted fifteen other dog owners just on this walk, the vast majority off lead. There is nowhere on the length of the path that can’t be easily reached by a faster route, the path runs a winding way alongside a quiet road with a wide path.

Anyway, dogs, joggers and the odd cyclist all usually use the route along with pedestrians and it’s generally accepted that you’ll meet several dogs on the way. This woman, who I’ve not seen before, got right in my face and said ‘put your dogs on a lead, I don’t like dogs’.

I’m terrible at confrontation so just apologised and moved on.

But it’s really rattled me. Am I being unreasonable? One of mine is a bouncy 4month old lab, he’s well trained and doesn’t approach people or dogs unless I let him, but he is, as I say, bouncy and large so that might be why she picked on me and not the other dozen people she must have passed.

If I see her again (and have the nerve) wibu to suggest that she walks the other way round?

Dogs need to be off lead though. They can't run around the house very well and most gardens aren't that big.

I have to show dc1 I'm not scared as I don't want him to be bothered. Even when a very energetic puppy knocked him over in excitement, I was calm and made sure he was around calm dogs immediately so he didn't develop any fear.

I perfectly understand the dogs being seen as children. I have two cats who I think of as siblings with my children, and I don't care if people think that's stupid, it's how I feel and how I imagine some/most dog owners feel.

It is illegal to allow your dog to frighten or intimidate someone

my severely disabled son should be able to go to places he loves even if it means he may behave in unexpected ways if someone doesn't call there dog back quickly enough when it runs towards him.

FFS. How many times has it been pointed out that the OP's dog was NOT approaching this woman or even anywhere near her? It was her who chose to approach the OP.

Spikeyball, the OP and her dog's behaviour here bear ZERO resemblance to the stupid individual you came across. I really can't see the relevance of your post.

"It is illegal to allow your dog to frighten or intimidate someone".

This goes back to my earlier post - define 'frighten or intimidate'.

I am rarely frightened by a dog unless they are running towards me growling and slathering! Other people are terrified of all dogs anywhere near them. Does that mean that the people who are scared of dogs get to dictate to everyone else? There has to be a compromise that allows some discretion that forces dog owners to act responsibly and keep their dogs under control, but does not allow the phobic to prevent people exercising their dogs sufficiently.

Why are people obsessed with having dogs off lead it's like my mils obsession with weaning babies early 😂 is it some sort of symbol of how good an owner you are?

I'm sorry but cat siblings that has made my day bwahaha

DarlingNikita if you read my posts again you will notice I was directing them towards a poster who thought that those people who cannot always behave appropriately should not be going to woodland areas.
I have no issue with under control dogs being off lead in woods. Likewise those who take their dogs into woods should accept people who shout and shriek ( for whatever reason) have the same right to be there.
I also pointed out that some of the shouting and shrieking is caused by the minority of dog owners who can't or don't want to keep their dog under control and gave an example of the sort of thing that goes on that leads to people becoming distressed about approaching dogs.

My dog has a great fear of children and, when we see them coming along a path towards us, I make sure she is on the lead and we step off the path as far as we can get from the nearest child (if they rush up to her she will assume they are about to hurt her and will defend herself). However, the vast majority of parents will see me do this and make no effort to stop their children coming close to the dog. I usually have to put her behind me and get ready to ask children to keep away. There are others who let their children rush up towards any dog, sometimes waving sticks and shrieking. We could do with more of the sensible parents, who teach their children not to do this and to ask the owner first if it is OK to approach the dog. This happens to me sometimes and I always explain why the child can't come near the dog and congratulate them for being sensible enough to ask.

I had a dog that never had a day off lead in it’s life *lbecause it was savage

Plenty of ways to exercise on lead. I used to run him for miles muzzled and leashed.
You can also hire secure fields if your dog has no recall.

Absolutely no excuse for a dog bothering strangers imo

The needs and rights of children should always come before those of dogs.

Children are people, when they grow up they contribute to society, they are the next generation and they should be a priority.

Dogs are cute and fun for dog owners but they do not grow up and contribute to society, the dog owner has the benefit of the dog everyone else has to put up with the shit and the nuisance

if you choose to be a dog owner then it is your responsibility to exercise your dog in such a way that it doesn't impinge on other people
don't take your dog to an area which is used by cyclists or runners or where there are young children, people need places where they can exercise, run freely walk freely where children can run around without having to worry about what dogs are up to

If there is nowhere where you can exercise a dog without getting on people's nerves then don't have a dog

Those who say 'I prefer dogs to people' of course you do!
Dogs have been shaped by humans to satisfy human needs, dogs can provide us with unconditional affection and loyalty who wouldn't like that?
They don't have the cognitive ability to deceive and lie and get one over on us but that doesn't mean they are morally superior to humans, morality is a human concept dogs don't have the capacity to make moral choices.

Not RTFT , but at this
But honestly, if you don’t like dogs this is the wrong route to take. It’s probably the wrong village to live in tbf, there’s at least fifty percent dog owners here, but that’s by the by and I’m not suggesting she move!!

don't take your dog to an area which is used by cyclists or runners or where there are young children, people need places where they can exercise, run freely walk freely where children can run around without having to worry about what dogs are up to

??? Where would that be then? As soon as I set foot outside the front door there are all 3 of these in every direction. Do we have to stay indoors?

I can't control other dog owners Spikey - all I can say is that you wouldn't have that problem with mine.

And Ruffina - ALL living creatures have rights - they aren't just there for people to use and abuse. That is the sort of attitude that has got this planet to the state where our children and grandchildren may not even be able to live on it!

self indulgent people who see their dogs as equivalent to babies

My dogs aren't babies - they are dogs. I don't regard them as babies. However they do have physical, mental and emotional needs, and as their owner it is my responsibility to ensure that these are met.

Children are people, when they grow up they contribute to society

Of course they do. Every single child will grow up to contribute to society, that’s why there’s no crime. 🙄 I have to laugh when I see this trotted our. Not all dogs behave, but most dogs that are of lead, DO! That’s why this nonsense of demanding all dogs to be put on lead is just silly and counterproductive. Some dogs need to be let off lead to get enough exercise. It helps prevent negative behaviour from lack of exercise. I keep my dogs in sight and often walk six at a time, OFF the solid paths. See earlier post, when people that can take a cleaner, easier and more direct path, but decide to wander amongst all the dogs, while tutting loudly, approach, I call the dogs to make sure they walk close to me. The people entitled dick heads insist on continuing to barrel through me and my dogs instead of waiting for me to get them on lead or to heal.

Dear Greyhorses, thank you.

And Ruffina - ALL living creatures have rights - they aren't just there for people to use and abuse. That is the sort of attitude that has got this planet to the state where our children and grandchildren may not even be able to live on it!

No they don't. Humans have some (basic) obligations towards animals (depending on which country you live in) but animals do not have rights.

In any case, pet ownership is, IMO, one of the greatest sources of cruelty to animals.

And pet ownership is a huge contributor to global warming and the unnecessary consumption of resources. If coastlines submerge, weather becomes extreme, crops fail, and famine sets in, you and other dog owners can reflect on the environmental damage you've all done by indulging your dogs. So please don't pretend that dog lovers are somehow environmentally more conscious. (And that's without the public nuisance that dog owners produce with their pets' behaviour, dog shit on the pavements etc etc.)

WOW! Who knew that dogs were going to bring about world destruction? Mind blown 🤯

I thought others were overly dramatic, but you win the prize! I take you’re a vegan and only eat locally grown produce, then?

@PositivelyPERF

Well, they produce about 1000 tons of shit every day from the 8 million dogs in the UK alone, eat a very heavily based meat diet, fart constantly, their owners tie plastic shit bags to trees (which takes 1000s of years to break down) and their owners often drive to walk their pets.... none of which is environmentally friendly.

Plus the methods used to produced pure breeds are often cruel and the resulting dogs can have severe health issues.
More and more cattle are picking up horrible infections from the amount of shit left in fields when off the lead and attack sheep, leaving them to die terrible deaths.

You cannot deny any of the above and no whataboutery

You cannot deny any of the above and no whataboutery

Why no whataboutery? You’re claiming dogs are bringing about so much destruction, but you continue to support the meat industry that destroys rainforests in order to produce enough animals and feed for those animals for human consumption. Those animals are transported by trains, boats and road, which increases pollution. The products that are grown abroad cause damage to their environment by intensive farming and pollution by being transported. The plastic bags that wrap the products you buy, the chemicals that are used in the production of the items you wear and use, cause yet more damage. Let’s face it, we’re ALL complicit in the destruction of the environment. Most of us are not arrogant or stupid enough to blame one group of people.

You hate dogs, why don’t you just say that, instead of spouting sanctimonious bullshite, in order to justify your hatred.

Neither of you should demand that the other person desist from a perfectly legal activity

The same goes for runners & cyclists (I am both)
We have to allow for - and give a sufficiently wide berth to - pedestrians, dogs, horses etc if they are legally entitled to be there

A shared space means noone is "top dog", allowed to order the others around / off

Let’s face it, we’re ALL complicit in the destruction of the environment. Most of us are not arrogant or stupid enough to blame one group of people

THIS

PERF is spot on - any and every one of us is complicit because we put our own comforts before the needs of the environment. And i do include myself in this.

I try to minimise my footprint on this planet, but I'm well aware that as someone who occasionally eats meat, I am contributing to massive pollution and unspeakable animal cruelty.

And Jas - not all dog owners hand bags of crap on trees - most of us would like to "fill in" the small proportion that do and bring us all into disrepute. Most of us agree that there is a lot of cruelty in dog breeding, too, and do our best to avoid it, and that ideally every pet would be in a loving home that respected the integrity of its species and give it a good and fulfilling life.

I would say the same about every child.

But sentient animals do have the right to live on this planet whether you like it or not - they aren't just put here for the convenience of humankind. We steal their environments to plant food crops for cattle to please our pallets, and then become irate when they encroach on our homes in their desperation to find food.

If you think that only people have rights, perhaps you'll think of the responsibilities that go with them - to care for the environment, to waste as little as possible and to treat other species (and peoples) with respect. Indigenous tribes living in the rainforests are having their lands taken from them as the forests are destroyed. Or do those people not have rights either?

We live in a huge interconnected web, and all are dependant upon each other. When one species is made extinct eg polar bears are on the way out, or another becomes too numerous eg us it creates an imbalance and the repercussions are tremendous.

*palates, not pallets

Sorry

Yeah, PostivelyPERF, there’s just one little problem with your outburst. I was responding to a PP who’d accused me of ...the sort of attitude that has got this planet to the state where our children and grandchildren may not even be able to live on it! (which is over-blown nonsense and why I answered in similarly melodramatic terms).

I’m not the one saying that those I disagree with are ruining the planet - I’m pointing out that that accusation is hypocritical bullshit coming from a dog owner.

I’m not a vegan and I don’t hold myself out as an environmentalist. I just defend myself against silly attacks.

And jasjas is right.