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?

@julie no we all have the issues with free runs I’m not sure how you want people to get around it!

Do you want e.g, every blind person to have a 4 acre field?! Just for example.

I'm not well up on guide dogs but I thought they had to be calm placid dogs?
Is it the case that guide dogs need a 4 acre Field in order to properly do their jobs as guide dogs?

@julie I give up it’s not about having a large dog that needs to run every day!

I feel the same, I see large active breeds bored and frustrated cooped up.

It’s actually nothing to do with the size at all my issue. I could have a small dog but because it is working it needs a stress release which means a very big area.

These working dogs need a very specific, short, free run.

They aren’t really the nuisance ones that people talk about though tbh as they are highly trained in recall and non aggressive. I’m still mindful though and I’d like to not be disturbing anyone. I’ll get onto the council.

See this all the time, fat spaniels, stressed out Collies and out of control jack russels!

Some breeds are just not meant to be cooped up in a town environment and needs hours of exercise and interest, which then causes friction with non dog owners, especially the shit issue.

Its very cruel and why i ve not got another dog, as despite living in the countryside, leaving it indoors for hours whilst i'm out at work is totally unfair, when i give up work, that'll be another matter :)

Too many dogs
too many big dogs
too much shit
that's what it boils down to

I must admit, knowing how best to care for a dog has given me a new perspective on how many dogs aren’t cared for properly. I really agree so many dogs are overweight or very stressed/bored it breaks my heart.

Also many quite aggressive dogs, probably do not have good bonds, left alone for too long and as puppies were not socialized. Where I live I have dogs barking every time I take mine out for a walk, they are left alone all day.

There are also dogs that owners don’t have on a lead that they think they can control but they can’t.

Vegetablegarden do you think there is a way to make things better for dogs but at the same time not inconvenience people?

Yes some areas have very out of the way safe dog areas so you’d not inconvenience anyone. Some dog designated spaces too, in more built up areas, signed so people can avoid them. A lot of people I know travel for a free run as it’s not a daily need. I do as well when I can to a totally out of the way place.

Better care of dogs in general and restrictions on licenses, and total crackdown ban on puppy farms etc.

I’d like it if every dog was happy and healthy - and our dogs never inconvenienced anyone. I’d like that and really I’m going to try and do that myself. I’m 99.9% but I want to 100%.

and the odd cyclist all usually use the route

Haven't read the full thread but if there are cyclists you should keep your dog on a lead unless you are 100% sure it is under control.

A running dog under a cycle wheel is dangerous for everyone.

A friend of a friend was killed (as was the dog) when a small dog (one of two dogs chasing each other out of control) ran under his wheel out of nowhere. The dog was killed. He fell of the bike and suffered a severe head injury and died later.

Definitely would never use somewhere with a path that cyclists ever used.

I’m so sorry about your friend of a friend. That is tragic.

Yes I have seen this too people let their dogs mill about in cycle paths🙄

A dog chasing after a girl who was jogging, it bit her ankles she is crying
the dogs owner laughs that she should run faster

If you truly love dogs you should be working to make sure that irresponsible people nasty people who give dogs a bad name don't have dog's
Over and out

A girl making daisy chains in a lush meadow, the sun is shining, birdsong fills the air
The shadowy figure of a cocker spaniel lurks behind a weeping willow
A butterfly floats past, the girl smiles, gives chase
The spaniel gnashes its teeth and bears down on the girl, she can see the evil glint in its eye
The owner cackles wildly and tells her "don't worry little girl, he's just being friendly"
She closes her eyes and prays

This thread so hateful I feel sorry for some of the posters.

Clean up after fido, keep on a lead whilst on busy paths etc, train your dog to behave.

All will be good BUT most owners don't, hence the beach bans and the growing calls for dog licences and muzzling.

Dog owners are their very own worst enemies.

couple of times I've been attacked by a dog the very first thing the owner said was 'oh he's never done that before

To be fair I think this is true. But it's also why I don't believe you can say a dog is ever completely under control. They are sentient beings, they are not predictable robots and they may well do something out of character. Which is why you take great care in public places.

Re the cyclists, as it’s a shared footpath it’s pootlers, in fact I don’t think cyclists are technically allowed so it’s not somewhere the fast people go. I cycle to school myself sometimes and we all make rom for each other.

Room.

Why is the hatred always one way: from dog lovers towards anyone who dares question their right to impose dogs on everyone else?

On here the Doghouse is a temple of hatred towards anyone who’s indifferent to the charms of dogs.

I suppose there must be a lot of guilty consciences among dog owners.

Why is the hatred always one way: from dog lovers towards anyone who dares question their right to impose dogs on everyone else?

Lol. That's quite a statement considering that this thread has been almost entirely dominated by you and JuliaJaynes complaining about the evils of dogs.

I never thought I’ll feel like using one on MN’s favourite sayings, the one about the glue, but I’m seriously tempted now.

This is barking mad.

LasMeninas

A girl making daisy chains in a lush meadow, the sun is shining, birdsong fills the air
The shadowy figure of a cocker spaniel lurks behind a weeping willow
A butterfly floats past, the girl smiles, gives chase
The dog sees the butterfly and gives chase
The dog is intent on chasing the butterfly
He doesn't see the girl
The girls parents call the girl away "Come here now. Get away from that dog. He'll bite you"
The butterfly floats up, out of reach of girl and dog
The owner calls the dog and they resume their walk.
The parents growl, "Dogs should be always on lead" (if MN is anything to go by. This doesn't happen in real life).

That would be a more realistic scenario.

Re the cyclists, as it’s a shared footpath it’s pootlers, in fact I don’t think cyclists are technically allowed so it’s not somewhere the fast people go

A dog under control where there are cyclists is not about fast cycling. It's about a fast dog unexpectedly under a wheel. It's dangerous to come off a bike like that even slowly - cracking a head on the ground or a fallen tree can lead to a serious injury.

This isn't about a dog off a lead per se. It's about a dog off a lead that is not under control and has good recall.

Juliajaynes, dogs have been bred to perform various tasks, the majority of dogs that’s frequent our local park (and in winter we make up 99% of park users) are very well behaved happily running round playing with other dogs, dog walkers chatting amongst themselves old people walking their dogs and saying it’s good to be out talking to people (often the dog is their only companion). All dogs need to run/exercise, every animal (us included) needs exercise and meandering sling on a lead doesn’t cut it. I’d be interested to see how you could breed a dog that didn’t need exercise. My dog provides me with a great deal of help dealing with ptsd. She loves to run. But would never approach a random person. It’s usually the other way round which is v annoying! Dogs provide a great community for people to interact, a great incentive to exercise everyday, companionship. I think dogs are amazing but understand not everyone thinks this. But people need to accept dogs off lead in places like parks, yes unless they have good recall dogs shouldn’t be offlead for their own safety as much as anyone’s. I hate it when our family and dog is nearly mown down by some kid on a scooter whilst tgecparent dawdles behind in their phone, I hate walking my son past people smoking weed/adults stood there swearing. People tripping you up with remote controlled cars. I hate people sotting there having a picnic blaring out music in a peaceful park. All of these things impair my enjoyment of the park but I wouldn’t dream of telling them to stop because it’s a shared area for everyone to enjoy. The only thing I object to in our park is the increasing numbers of crime involving teenagers threatening others with knives. Far more of an issue than someone’s cockerpoo trotting past!