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?

Julia. You sound stressed. Maybe you should get a dog.
I love my giant hound. I want another. But I have worked bloody hard to ensure she has manners. She won’t approach strangers. She comes when I call her. She’s on lead when kids are playing football etc. I ALWAYS pick up mess. ALWAYS.
The problem isn’t dogs. It’s irresponsible people.

Thanks but I'm feeling pretty good today actually

Jeez. If this is you on a good day you need more than one dog.

Can’t imagine what a bad day would be like.

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

If I saw lots of dogs shit on a beach I wouldn't be impressed either. If I didn't have a dog I would avoid shit ridden beaches and go to one of many beaches where dogs are not allowed.

I walk my dog on beaches, woods, nature reserves, mountains, forestry trails, cycle tracks etc every afternoon, in all weather's, all year round. Never have I seen the amount of dog shit that MNs constantly complain about. Real life is far removed from the fantasy life some MNs seem to lead.

The beaches and picnic areas at peak season are absolutely litter ridden. Even worse people leave their babies stnking nappies strewn around the place, not to mention the intelligent species of creature that leave disposable bbq's, still burning, on the beach. I suppose they are exempt from being called out because...well...human innit!

Nobody is excusing people who don't pick up after their dogs. It's disgusting! Again it's the owners (The humans) that are to blame. Dogs shit, just like humans shit. It's the humans who are responsible for disposing of it. You can't blame dogs for doing what comes naturally. Exactly the same as untrained dogs, who jump at people... It's the human that's responsible. You can't blame a dog who has not been trained. Blame the idiots who think dogs train, and pick up after, themselves.

Why should all dogs be penalised because there are, and we all know there are, dog owners out there who shouldn't own a dog.

There is an article on fb at the moment about a little girl being bitten umpteen times at a soft play centre. Should we shut all soft play centres because some children can't use them properly? The biting child's mother kept shouting "All children do it"... yeah sure they do.

Every time someone attempts to use an analogy to further their argument... it's always an analogy with children

I don't know how to link the article from Facebook but here's the pic.

Kids... should be leashed and muzzled..

Yup, always with children. It’s so revealing.

This is a thread about Dogs but if you want to bring it around to children biting other children, lets look at how many children are hospitalised by Dog bites compared to how many Children are admitted after being bitten by another child?

Approx 1200 U9's admitted to hospital after a dog attack, great isn't?

Dog owners see their dogs in terms of children
numerous posts on here confirm that

OP - YABU. End of.

"Approx 1200 U9's admitted to hospital after a dog attack, great isn't?"

Is that this year or from since time began?
Does that mean all dogs bite?

Anyway I'm off to walk the beach now and see how many turds and viscious dogs I can count. Have fun 🖕

I’m not overly keen on dogs and am scared of bouncy ones. Dog owners really annoy me when they say oh don’t worry they’re just being friendly! I am willing to share walking areas with dog walkers but it is their responsibility to ensure their dogs are under control and to respect the fact that not everyone loves their dog as much as they do!

Approx 1200 U9's admitted to hospital after a dog attack, great isn't?

The number now seems to be higher than that. Add in the number of dog attacks on older children and adults and it’s a pretty grim indictment of dog ownership.

On here I wish the dog-o-philes would stop this pathetic ‘but I’m a really responsible owner’ response. No doubt all those who say it on MN are responsible owners. But many others in the wider world aren’t.

Laws and by-laws are made to protect against the harm caused by the irresponsible.

So we need strong restrictions - like all dogs on leash in public, a massive licence fee, a DNA database and lifetime bans on dog ownership for anyone caught in breach of any law, like dog fouling - and good owners need to accept the restrictions, contribute financially in a big way to pay for proper regulation, and generally suck it up.

I'd be curious to know how many of those stats are children bitten in their own homes by the family's dog. Not that that makes it OK. Just a very different problem than out walking and indiscriminately biting passers by, which I would think is extremely rare. For example, this article states that experts believe the increase in dog attacks are the result of children treating dogs like teddy bears, and dog owners not exercising their pets. As a dog owner this makes sense to me, and I think education for all is the key. Dogs aren't going away, and require proper exercise and care. People who can't train and look after their dogs shouldn't own them, and parents who own dogs should make sure their children are always supervised with the dog, and that the children don't think it's OK to torment them: www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nearly-2000-children-savaged-dogs-7635027

the pet industry will lobby against restrictions imposed upon dogs, they are the ones actively promoting the dog=child theme because this is an effective way to make owners spend more on pets

Laws and by-laws are made to protect against the harm caused by the irresponsible

Correct. But the time and money spent writing and enforcing those laws should be proportional to risk/benefit. There are many things that present low risk in day-to-day that we do not legislate for, because it's not worth the time or money. Dogs walking off-lead is one of them. The risk is extremely low.

Regarding fouling, it's already a crime and at least where I live, it's pretty well-enforced. I know various people who have been fined for it. Whether that's the case nationwide I don't know, but then if it's such a major issue (as it obviously is for JuliaJaynes) I suggest lobbying your local MP about it.

*You have been very unfortunate Grrrr (sorry if that sounds sarky - it isn't meant to).

This may be interesting to you
www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/animals-and-us/201802/why-certain-people-are-more-likely-be-attacked-dog

I've always owned multiple dogs (between 3 and 6) and have only been bitten once in my life, and that was when I was breaking up a dog fight and got accidentally caught in the melee. (3 stitches and a needle in my bum).*
I actually consider myself very lucky, my permanent scars are to my arms, although the dog went for my face. I've seen many worse dog bites during the course of an old job.

And nor do I think I'm neurotic, and apparently therefore prone to dog attacks. Whilst I was dog-phobic as a kid, I spent a lot of time helping out in a dog shelter and really came round to liking dogs.

The first incident I didn't even notice the dog, which was a small dog on a leash. As I walked past it bit my knee for no apparent reason.

Incident number 2 involved a dog with bad recall. It's owner was calling the dog's name; I saw it some meters away, looking at me and gave it a cheery hello. It ran up to me, lunged at my face and ultimately bit my limbs a few times.

Interesting that, based on the article you posted, 25% of people suffer some sort of dog bite in their lives. I'm surprised we tolerate that.

the pet industry will lobby against restrictions imposed upon dogs

As will too many vets. There was a time when vets were professional (and highly skilled) technicians, rather than advocates for animal ‘rights’. Now a lot of them are just cheerleaders for the animal rights fools.

YANBU at all! If she doesn't like it she can move on!! My puppy is off the lead at any possible opportunity, she loves exploring too. As long as he isnt jumping up people etc I wouldnt care what she thinks!

do people actually get fined for dog fouling?
I've never know it to happen, how do they enforce it?

As you say Ruffina there is £££ to be made, various groups (breeders, pet foods, vets, dog walkers, dog life coaches) for whom more dogs and a lack of regulation means more profit.

These groups are in effect working against the 'responsible' dog owners

Not rtft but the law is on the side of the dog in this case -

From the blue cross website-

All domestic animals have the legal right to:

live in a suitable environment
eat a suitable diet
exhibit normal behaviour patterns
*be housed with, or apart from, other animals
*be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease

For a dog .. exhibiting normal behaviour patterns would be running off lead and socialising with other dogs.

If your dog is well behaved and in control she's being unreasonable - her behaviour is unreasonable anyway, but sentiments I mean

do people actually get fined for dog fouling?
I've never know it to happen, how do they enforce it?

It's enforced by the local council via the police, dog wardens, council officers, etc. Some councils can fine you simply for not carrying poo bags while walking your dog. If areas are particularly bad, councils often send wardens there regularly to catch people and fine them. It's really not that uncommon. But it does of course differ from one place to another. If you think things are bad in your area, you should complain regularly to your council and maybe they'll do something about it.

From the blue cross website-

All domestic animals have the legal right to:

I couldn't care less what Blue Cross says, or whether you've inserted the ideas of rights yourself...animals do not have rights. Their owners have some (limited) obligations in law, but that is not the same as animals having any rights. I have an obligation to have my car MOT'd but that does't mean my car has rights. A dog is no more a holder of rights than a car.