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?

Yanbu at all. A footpath is for all to use including dogs. Dogs need off lead time. If she has a fear of dogs it’s her problem not yours and am she should not go into an area frequented by dogs.

Bloody hell I know there are some weirdo dog haters out there but Jesus Christ blaming animal ownership which has been going on for 10s of thousands of years for Armageddon - I’ve seen it all now! No ones rights trump another. 99%of dog owners are responsible to train their dogs and they many ignore passing humans. My dog really couldn’t give a fuck about anyone apart from her family yet still has to cope with the odd badly behaved child who launch themselves on top of her. I have the right to let her run in the park. She is no bother to anyone apart from the odd squirrel. Dogs are to be expected in parks, just the same as kids, runners, cyclists etc. If you go into a shared space be prepared to share it with all these things or find somewhere else, if you can’t share a park with all the beings reasonably expected to be there.

Bugger me! I'll have a strict word with my dog when I get home for destroying the planet! There was me thinking that that was all down the human beings - you live and learn

Mind you the smell of my dogs farts could well have eroded the ozone layer!!!!

owners tie plastic shit bags to trees
stinking, disease ridden dogshit
swinging bags of shit-balls...little black shit-sacks

strewn across all the lovely outdoor places

Tell her to fuck off. Dogs can be off lead legally, so long as they are under control. Were yours under control? Then tell her to jog on.

Oh, and what Schadenfreude said.

Whether your dog is bouncy or not, if his recall is good then it's fine to have him off lead. Though when there are lots of kids around, I'd always keep my 3 on a short lead so kids don't approach them without permission!

YANBU to continue walking there off lead, and I don't think you're suggesting this woman shouldn't be able to walk there anymore, just that if she doesn't like dogs, then she should consider not using a common dog walking route.

fear of dogs is not irrational. Dogs are unpredictable and bite. Dogs should on a lead.

99%of dog owners are responsible to train their dogs and they many ignore passing humans.

I reckon it’s probably much nearer 9%.

There was me thinking that that was all down the human beings - you live and learn

It is. Including those human beings who choose to keep pets, especially dogs.

should be on a lead.

I am a devoted dog owner.I am also a reasonable responsible dog owner.I believe you have every right to walk your dog on or off lead so long as you control them.If someone is frightened im sure had they asked you politely you would have put him on a lead.A far bigger issue is for her to look at either avoiding anywhere that dogs frequent or look at confronting her fear

Yippee - you should ask my son about bouncy dogs off the lead - he is a postman.

Dog on lead. Sorry but dog owners do not have the right to let their dogs roam. Put it on a lead. That way everyone is happy. Bouncy doesn’t sound under control.

YANBU. I had something similar happening to me the other day. I would completely understand if your dog was harassing people but most dogs do need to run, socialise with other dogs, sniff and have fun. It upsets me when people think that healthy, well-trained dogs will have any quality of life being dragged around on a lead all the time. There is a code of conduct for dog owners. Never let your dog approach other people or dogs unless clearly being approached, always pick up after them, make sure you are aware of what they are doing at all times and be willing to put them on the lead when required. If I see someone looking uncomfortable around my dog, I call her and put her on the lead until we pass. So, I guess my advice is that if you see that woman again, call your dog and walk past her while your dog is on lead and then let your dog off when passed. Smile, maybe tell her you remembered that she was uncomfortable around your dog, and if she then tells you that all dogs should be on lead at all times you can just say that this small amount of exercise and freedom means that your dog has a decent quality of life and happy and safe around others. Same thing happened to me the other day. Another person's dog was running around, having fun, but being very energetic. The owner called her dog to her, and the dog responded by running to her owner, and ran past another walker who was walking towards me. The dog passed her about 15 feet to the side and wasn't paying any attention to her at all, and the walker threw her arms in the air and dramatically yelled "call your dog, call your dog" which the owner had done and the dog was obeying. Then when she passed me (and my dog was just walking beside me, off lead) she told me that all dogs should be on lead at all times. I think it's a miserable way to be. If you have an irrational fear of dogs, you should seek help. But people that own untrained or aggressive dogs and let them off lead and be out of control should be prosecuted.

Can’t believe someone has suggested people with dog phobia avoid places with dogs. Dog owning has become so prevalent this would be no public spaces. Wow!

Don’t give any of your time and energy to anyone who ‘doesn’t like dogs’. Their lives are empty, so of course they’re bitter human beings Seriously, don’t pay any mind to someone so rude and obnoxious, cuddle your dogs, you’ll feel better instantly! Keep taking the same route and keep your dogs off lead if you’re happy they’re under control.

Most fears are irrational.Anything could be a danger but we dont become fearful of everything.fear of trees , branches could fall on us . Strangers could kidnap or attack us, cars could hit us.We instead take necessary but reasonable actions to keep ourselves safe rather than become phobic about life

YANBU , the woman approached you about your dogs who were doing no harm, hadn't done anything to her either. I would have told her to f off and that the path is for everyone to use.

For those here commenting on a four month old lab being bouncy, good grief do you know how small a four month old lab is!!!! Kudos to you for having him off lead at four months.

Ah the dog haters are out clearly. I see it as you did nothing wrong I have 3 dogs and mine have no sense of personal space it’s actually embarrassing haha. I don’t believe you are being unreasonable. Yes the law states you need to have your dogs under control which clearly you do. If your dog never approached her and she went on to meet other dogs did she go on to tell them off as well? Maybe she was having a bad day shrugs honestly, the only time I leash mines is around enclosed spaces with other people (lanes/paths where there is no space for them to zoom off/near roads etc ) or if I see another dog.

Tell her away and hug a hedgehog

What @ jasjas1973 said.
Too many entitled dog owners.

I'm a dog owner. When we are out walking I let my dog off the lead if there's no-one around, but if there are other people or animals around she goes back on the lead. It's no big deal - and it seems courteous to the rest of the world. I don't think dogs should be bounding around unrestrained when there are other people about.

But brighteyowl it was presumably ok for someone to say people with dogs should only let their dogs off leads where there are no people. The majority of dogs,dog owners and others share public spaces perfectly well. Dogs need to be able to run off lead to be happy and healthy. I’m afraid that if you have a phobia it’s you issue not everyone else’s. Most people will be accommodating if you ask nicely. I have ptsd. Loud sudden noises are extremely triggering for me. Do I expect the world to operate in silence, should I have demanded all fireworksdisplays are ended or do I just avoid areas where I know loud noises are going to be a seek help to give me coping strategies. Dogs have lived alongside man for tens of thousands of years, this is likely to continue whether you like it or not. Be nice to dog owners and they will probably keep their dog away, but if you have a fear own it and seek to address it.

I often read the “right” answers to queries on here and wonder where all these perfect women live!
If you don’t like dogs don’t walk where there are lots...... end of!
Not pc, not holier than thou... just common sense.

It's all about consideration for others, isn't it? And you sound like a very considerate and responsible dog owner.
Maybe this woman has previously found herself on the wrong end of other lively dogs which weren't under such good control as yours, and she is rightly cautious now.
If this is public land, i suppose that everyone has the right to use it, dog owners have the right to walk their dogs, and everybody else will also have the right to walk unencumbered by bothersome dogs (or overly-assertive cyclists/runners!!).

Who does the land belong to?