To be fed up with irresponsible dog owners

[TheClaifeCrier]

More of a rant really.

I live in a national park. I have two kids and no dogs. We spend a lot of time hiking etc. Both my kids have developed a fear of dogs because over the years numerous dog owners have allowed their massive dogs to run up to the kids, which is pretty scary when the dog is bigger than you.

Anyway, we've worked on their fear, reassured them that the dogs are just being friendly etc, spent time with dogs of friends and family. Both are generally now fine, if a little nervous.

Today when out for a walk by a lake a dog came up and jumped at my three year old daughter, putting its paws on her head. Luckily for her she was wearing a hat so didn't get scratched.

The owners were sat on a nearby bench and were pretty slow to react. I picked up my daughter who was screaming and it continued to jump up at her whilst I held her. It was only once I walked away that the owners got it under control.

We later saw them shouting for their other dog who was running madly around the woods, totally ignoring them.

AIBU to think that if you can't control your dog it should be on a lead in a public place? We were lucky my daughter wasn't scratched or pushed over into the freezing cold lake.

She has since been talking about it and said she doesn't want to go back to the lake because of the scary dog. All our work into calming her fears and once again we have to start at the beginning because of an irresponsible owner. I'm so fed up with it. The national park is very popular with dog owners so there is no escaping it.

Of course dogs shouldn’t be jumping up children. I have noticed more and more dogs doing this. It doesn’t bother me but I’ve always had dogs, but if you don’t like dogs not good at all.

Dogs running round not really an issue, dogs running past not a problem

Unfortunately, many irresponsible dog owners either don't realise or don't care about the stress and downright fear that their dogs can cause other people, particularly children.

DP comes from a sheep farming area in a National Park and a while back there were a couple of incidents where farmers shot dogs who were worrying sheep. There was a big kerfuffle but in each case the farmer was deemed to be in the right. Warnings had been given to owners before the dogs were shot and on both occasions the dogs had actually attacked the sheep.

Yanbu. It is completely rational for small children to be frightened of an animal that is bigger than them, that has big sharp teeth, and is bounding towards them. Dogs have killed people, and not just children. I have a dog op and despair at the selfishness of so many dog owners.

Some dog owners just can’t seem to understand that people don’t want to be approached by their dog.
“Oh he’s friendly, he’s just saying hello” does not make it ok. I don’t know you, I don’t know your dog, get it away from me and my children.
Why is that so difficult for some people to understand?

Same here, OP. We live in the countryside, and DD (almost 5) has been traumatized by several dogs bounding up to her, nuzzling her, licking her, and in one case even knocking her over (it was bigger than she was). The owners inevitably say, 'Oh, don't worry, he loves children, he won't hurt', but that's not the point. At first I thought she would get over it, but as it kept on happening she didn't get the chance, and her fear got so bad that it really started to worry me, especially as it spread to include all animals, including our cat, whom she wasn't previously scared of. We tried talking it over with her several times, but it made no difference. What did help was finding a wonderful place locally which does horse therapy. On the side they do 'pony discovery' sessions for small children, with each child going at their own pace. The first time we went my daughter wouldn't go near her pony; the woman leading the session didn't push her, but just showed her how she could, if she wanted, put her hand on him, then pat him, then stroke him, etc. We have been three times, and her fear of all animals, including dogs, has evaporated; I can't say she loves dogs, but she tolerates them now. I am delighted to have found a solution, but very cross that there was ever a problem in the first place, because I believe those dogs should have been on a lead.