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?

when you say that Sarah's dog has a right to be off the lead I think what you really mean is that Sarah has the right to let her dog inconvenience people

JuliaJaynes9

Oh lordy! You've pressed the button on this one now.

Of course you're right: no animals have rights. Nor should they have rights. In law an animal is a chattel. You might as well talk about the rights of kettles or wellington boots.

But the dog lovers will start their dog-child comparisons and say how much they prefer their dogs to people and on and on...

It doesn't matter if the woman's fear of dogs was irrational or not. The path was frequented by lots of people with dogs and lots of dogs off-lead, but the only person she spoke to, asking to put their dogs on the lead was OP...OP with the lovely friendly gentle bouncy giant puppy running off at a distance.
The woman has as much right to walk there are you or any other person. Clearly your dog didn't appear under control to her.
Fenton!

those with a fear of a dog (a perfectly legal and normal possession
What about cases where dogs have been 'weaponized' what about dogs which are very large and very powerful, should such a dog be a normal and legal possession?

you said a dog is a possession but other people are saying that dogs have rights
possessions don't have rights

The MN dog haters are out in force.

YANBU!!!!
It is a commonly used path with people walking their dogs off lead.
Your dog did not go near her.
She is a twat and should walk the alternative route.

Ignore her!

but the dog lovers will start their dog child comparisons
Except it's not just a comparison is it
In the mind of the dog lover the dog is exactly equivalent to a child

the only person she spoke to, asking to put their dogs on the lead was OP

How do you know that?

Plus the "I'm a dog owner but I don't like dogs that aren't mine" MNetters. Classic neurotic dog owners you meet on walks that create problems completely unnecessarily. Their poor dogs.

YANBU

Scared of dogs woman sounds bonkers. Just ignore next time.

BTW I’m so jealous of your dog! Labs are beautiful, gentle creatures

Fenton!

No doubt Fenton's owner would say the dog was well-behaved and well-trained. Excellent recall. It was all so out of character!

Basically, if you go out in public, there are things you should expect to encounter because they are largely accepted by general society. If those things irritate you or scare you (even if that's due to a genuine past experience) then you need to work on those issues yourself, not expect everyone else to change for you.

"Bouncy". Yeah right. . That's just a euphemism .

Why should someone be forced to use an alternative route? keep your 'bouncy' dog on a lead and stop being so unspeakably entitled and selfish.

Ruffina

Chattel get over yourself

My dogs are a huge and important part of my family. Oh and by the way, homo sapiens are animals

Wtf is a ‘bouncy dog’? Is that just another ‘‘he’s just friendly!’’

You can't tell her where she should walk. She shouldn't be telling you to put an under control dog on a lead where it is allowed to be off lead.
If you are letting your dog run ahead and not calling to heel when others approach then I could see why this would be annoying.
We have had people let their bouncy dogs run up to and jump up at/ paw at ds in his sn buggy quite a few times so when I see a dog away from it's owner I quite reasonably feel anxious.

and it’s generally accepted that you’ll meet several dogs on the way.

"generally accepted" doesn't mean anything, just because there are a few dog walkers doesn't mean anyone who doesn't like dogs has to avoid a nice woodland walk on their way to wherever they are going and dog walkers can treat them inconsiderately. If you want it classified for off lead dog walking speak to the council to sign post as such.

But, as long as your dog does not approach, or appear to approach (runs toward, then backs off) a walker, runner, cyclist and cause them any alarm then it is okay to say he is trained to not approach anyone. If he is not trained to not approach then you need to change your walking route to somewhere where you wont meet people, train him or keep him on a lead when other people are around.

Bouncy. Yeah right. hmm. That's just a euphemism

Wtf is a ‘bouncy dog’? Is that just another ‘he’s just friendly!’

Whatever it means, OP also said that he’s "well trained and doesn’t approach people or dogs unless I let him", so I can't really see the issue.

Mushroomsarehorrible

Animals are chattels, as the law puts it. Look it up. You may not like it, but there's nothing I can do about that.

I'm pleased you enjoy owning a dog. I hope it's properly leashed in public.

As for humans being animals, obtuseness is never a good look.

OP, Your dogs are gorgeous.

I don't think YWBU. And I think some people need to actually read the thread before commenting!

I think that as long as your dog is not approaching people, that’s fine. When my DS was little he had a completely irrational extreme fear of dogs. My view was that in life he will encounter them. Some even are not well behaved and may come belting up to him. So I spent much time getting him to overcome his fear - introducing him to calm friendly dogs owned by people I knew. In time we got our own dog.
I think if you have a well behaved dog, it is not reasonable for those who have a particular fear of dogs to expect you to use different routes or not let your dogs off lead. Of course no one should let a bouncy dog go belting up to others , but the OP didn’t do that.

Mushroomsarehorrible - are you a bit of an old dog then ?

'the rights of people not to be harassed by dogs?'

Define 'harassed' though. That's the nub of the issue. Being near a dog that isn't taking any notice of you isn't being harassed is it?

I somehow can’t see anyone coming round to one anyone else’s viewpoint on this one!
It really dosn’t sound as though you did anything wrong on this occasion OP (unless something happened at a distance that you were unaware of).
Past experience makes me actively avoid areas such as you are describing and that’s a shame for my dog as she misses out. I know her anxiety and high alertness in the presence of loose dogs are caused by bad experiences as a pup by dogs whose owners were either ignorant or just couldn’t care less.
Hopefully this thread has highlighted the many reasons why people may have good reason to be wary of loose dogs and it will make you more considerate as a result - as I can’t believe that a 4 month old pup is already bomb proof!
I think you are also finding out that large dog owners are treated differently from those that have small dogs!

@Irian, this is the crux of the matter what should we tolerate from dogs?
What if a large powerful boisterous dog is running around off the lead and other people are afraid of the dog?

She's bonkers. Smile, nod and otherwise ignore her. Just go on your way as long as your dogs are not racing up to her (or others) and bouncing up on them and are generally under control and behaving then I don't see the problem.

I know plenty on here won't agree, but I am used to that.