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?

I can see why dog parks might make dog owners feel that they were discriminated against but I do think that more dog free zones would be a good thing.

I don't know what the figures are but dog ownership has definitely increased recently, seems like as soon as I walk out my door I'm assaulted by the gruesome sight of shit oozing out of some dogs arse, and it does feel as if all the lovely outdoor areas as spoiled because you can't relax when there are big dogs running around everywhere

There are increasing numbers of dog-free zones Julia - you only have to visit Cornwall, Pembrokeshire or much of Somerset where I live, for example, to find that a significant number of beaches ban dogs either in the summer or all year round - I don't have that much of a problem with that TBH as I know that people don't all like dogs. Add to that the number of areas of town where dogs aren't permitted and it looks to many dog owners as if those who own dogs are being increasingly excluded. I am sure it doesn't look like that from your POV but that is why we have to compromise. Dog owners pay taxes and council tax too and are entitled to reasonable use of public areas. What constitutes ''reasonable' is the issue and that is what needs to be decided.

The law is very woolly and leaves a lot of room for interpretation. I googled yesterday and there are no hard and fast laws about dog control apart from the obvious ones about no letting your dog harm people, other dogs and livestock.

There are definitely more dogs about - when I was a child we always had at least one dog and there was never any bother about dog shit or dogs on leads - I can only assume that the lower dog population meant that clashes were minimal.

Why has dog ownership increased so much?
does anyone have any figures?

seems like as soon as I walk out my door I'm assaulted by the gruesome sight of shit oozing out of some dogs arse

JuliaJaynes, truly you are the new Christina Rossetti.

What you say is right though.

Yes dog owners play taxes
but dogs don't pay taxes
Yet we are asked to consider the dogs Right To Freedom and Happiness etc

Dogs are literally despoiling the outdoors, parks beaches seafronts, dogs swarming everywhere, shit smeared everywhere

Well I had to Google Christina rossetti and I don't know enough to know if I should be flattered 🙈but I'll take it as a compliment 😁

The dog is the emissary of its owner, in its role as conduit it allows the owner to say 'fuck you all I shit on you all' to the world in general

I don't know what the figures are but dog ownership has definitely increased recently

What I suspect is the dog ownership has increased proportionally to the increase of the population.

Our cities are overcrowded, there is more of us, and more dogs proportionally to that and we all have to share ever decreasing seem spaces.

The solution is to demand more parks and green spaces, not to divide and fight over the ones we have.

Having a dog has become a way of asserting yourself and dominating public space and of course leaving shit everywhere is a way of marking territory
The more dogs you have the more you can dominate public space

Having a dog has become a way of asserting yourself and dominating public space and of course leaving shit everywhere is a way of marking territory

You already made this post in your post above. It doesn't get any truer the more you repeat it. Still nonsense.

"Yes dog owners play taxes
but dogs don't pay taxes
Yet we are asked to consider the dogs Right To Freedom and Happiness etc"

Children don't pay taxes but they have the right to go to school, funded by those who pay taxes.

You don't like dogs - we get it. Nothing you keep ranting about will make dog owners give up their dogs. Info for you- dogs are not allowed in children's parks or playing fields. They are allowed in woodland areas, mountains and anywhere off the beaten track. Don't want to be around dogs, don't walk where they are allowed. Simple!

YABU, we walk through a park on school run as otherwise it would be an extra fifteen minutes on the journey.
I'm not too fussed by the dogs but I have a son with SEN that gets quite distressed at dogs jumping up on him or round him. I don't see why I shouldn't use the path though and thankfully most dog walkers walk with their dogs on leads

Children grow up into adults who pay taxes and contribute to society, by and large people who nurture and raise children are working to form the Next Generation.
That's why we spend time energy and Resources to make sure that the needs and freedoms and rights of children are protected.

Dogs are things that people have for their own pleasure and indulgence
their owners benefit from them but to other people they can be a nuisance and they are certainly of no benefit to anyone else apart from the owner.

So.. question

What do we do about problem dogs/dog owners?

Because last time I was in Cornwall I went to one of the beaches where dogs were allowed, and there was dog shit everywhere. A local beauty spot we tried to have a picnic on - shit everywhere. A local path (with poo bins at either end!) - you guessed it! Shit everywhere. It’s disgusting.

I know that most owners pick it up, but the mass of dogs is such that many places are covered. I guess you only need a few percent of lazy dog owners using places regularly and it builds up. I avoid those places now if I’m with my pre-schoolers. But I shouldn’t have to.

And that’s where my liking of dogs wains. We shouldn’t have to exclude them all, from everywhere but it seems that allowing dogs in places means other users can’t go there. So what’s the solution?

allowing dogs in places means other users can’t go there
They invade and seeing the shit strewn everywhere just makes the whole place feel dirty

There's a nature reserve local to me that I like to use it is also used by dog walkers, there are signs saying that dogs must be kept on leads because of the livestock but most of the time they are off

There's one dog bin at the end of the walk, most of the time it is overflowing with shit and there is shit strewn around underneath it

why can't they take the shit home with them?
For goodness sake there's a pile of shit and you add to the pile of shit do you think it's alright that there are piles of dogshit all over the countryside?

Julia... relax!

I can't understand why anyone, who doesn't like dogs, choose to go to one of the very few beaches where dogs are allowed through the summer months.

In our area we have 3 beaches next to each other. Dogs are allowed on one all year round, yet people insist on coming to that one beach and whinging that there are dogs on the beach. Use your noodle and go to one of the other beaches where you won't find a dog.

Nature reserves have signs stating dogs should be kept on leads around livestock and birds that are nesting. That does not include the wide, open spaces where dogs are allowed to exercise.

Nobody likes dog owners who don't pick up after their dogs - dog owners included.

There is no point in keeping on about dog shit everywhere. Those that pick up will still pick up. Those that don't, won't... no matter how much you keep on about it.

I'm beginning to get the impression that Julia doesn't like dogs much.

The 'pick up your dog's mess' initiative has had unintended consequences
It has contributed to the increase in dog ownership and amongst these 'extra' dog owners there is a higher percentage of bad dog owners

Use your noodle and go to one of the other beaches where you won't find a dog.

Did you read my post. I’m not complaining about dogs on a beach. I’m complaining about dog SHIT on a beach.

And I think your attitude is wrong. Beaches where dogs are allowed are just that - dogs are allowed. It doesn’t mean ‘dogs are allowed to do whatever they like here and anyone who doesn’t like them doing what they like must leave’

There is no point in keeping on about dog shit everywhere. Those that pick up will still pick up. Those that don't, won't... no matter how much you keep on about it.
Then my attitude will change to be one one that believes dogs should be excluded from most places. Which I know is a shame for the majority of owners.

The 'pick up your dog's mess' initiative has had unintended consequences
It has contributed to the increase in dog ownership and amongst these 'extra' dog owners there is a higher percentage of bad dog owners

How do you go from picking up to increased dog ownership?

Well if dog shit is seen as no longer a problem then it's ok in people's Minds to get lots of dogs

I don't know what else could account for this increase in dog ownership?
Also we have animal hoarding that didn't used to be a thing (or maybe it was just a thing limited to cats)
Back in the day more than 2 dogs was unusual now I regularly see people with four or five, presumably the actual animal hoarders don't walk all of the hoard at once?

I seriously doubt the connection between poo pick up and increased ownership.

What does increase the number of dogs is the increase in the population, the increased number of people living on their own who need company, the rise of popularity of some breeds as fashion accessories, the increased number of people working from home.

Poo, not so much.