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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Get your dog away from me!

168 replies

Mamalicious16 · 07/08/2019 22:47

I'm sick of dogs charging / jumping up at / barking at my dd.5. I'm.not a dog hater ( I used to have a Labrador) but why is it ok for dogs to approach / bark/ jump up at me) my DD? More to the point what can I do to stop this? Would a silent dog whistle help? I have NO issue with any other dogs, on lead / off lead but with perfect recall etc.

OP posts:
Pipandmum · 07/08/2019 23:34

I have a jumpy overly friendly dog. He’s on a leash unless we’re on our own and he can run after his ball. I don’t like it when other dog owners come up and see he’s friendly and say ‘oh he just wants to play’ (inferring I’m mean for not letting him). Yes I know that but he’s also going to jump all over you and if he sees a dog on the other side of the park that’s him gone.
My other dog is extremely well behaved and has excellent recall and is almost always off the leash.

ChristmasInJuly · 07/08/2019 23:35

Completely agree with a PP about how weird it is that so many people treat their dogs as equals. My mum’s partner was telling a woman in a park once to get her dog away from my toddler - she did the usual “oh he’s friendly” bullshit - but she also came out with a total gem - “don’t speak to him like that”!!!!! As if the dog was going to be offended!! Must admit we still laugh at that.

thenightsky · 07/08/2019 23:39

squee123 My mum taught me that technique back in the late 60s when I was a kid and dogs were everywhere. I remember my walk home from school was scary back then, as every other house I passed had at least one dog that would come tearing out of the gates and hurl itself at me.

PickAChew · 07/08/2019 23:41

It's not OK. Love a lovely dog but bad mannered dogs make me seethe.

chocatoo · 07/08/2019 23:44

I am not keen on most dogs and am terrified of ones who are not close to their owners. It infuriates me when people say don’t worry they are friendly/won’t hurt you!

QualCheckBot · 07/08/2019 23:47

Bicnod Completely not ok. I am scared of dogs and have now stopped running in my local woodland due to fear of being barked at, growled at, jumped at and chased by dogs who ignore their owners trying to call them back. All of the above have happened so frequently I don't feel safe running there anymore. Bloody hate owners who can't control their dogs.

Same here. Its just constant, so I no longer run in my local woods. I did find that shouting bossily at the dogs "No" worked really well, but unfortunately had a really bad incident with a dog owner who threatened me and started filming me on his mobile phone, whilst leaving his very large, untrained dog loose.

Why do people have dogs if they can't be bothered to train them? Surely that's part of the fun of having them.

PickAChew · 07/08/2019 23:47

@SomeAfternoonDelight HOW can’t you like dogs! It’s seriously unnerving

And there lies the problem.

PinkFlamingo888 · 07/08/2019 23:50

I wouldn’t suggest throwing treats in another direction because firstly why would you want to provide someone else’s dog with treats and secondly you’re rewarding their bad behaviour as they’ll learn that when they jump up a treat gets thrown. Also, and I know the dog’s owner should be doing a better job, but that dog may have allergies and that treat could seriously harm him. A dog’s bad behaviour is the owner’s fault, not theirs.

HappyLoneParentDay · 07/08/2019 23:53

@Bicnod Hmm

TwoPupsandaHamster · 07/08/2019 23:54

Dog lover here. Well...Dog lover until somebody else's dog jumps all over me or my dogs. If you can't keep your dog under control using your voice PUT IT ON A LEAD!

Same goes for kids who insist on running around my dog calling him "Waffle", whilst their parents look on and laugh. When my dog is walking nicely to heel I don't appreciate parents allowing their kids to chase him. He is a lovely natured dog but I don't know how he may react with half a dozen kids chasing and grabbing at him. If you can't control your little darlings using your voice KEEP THEM ON A LEAD!!

Sobeyondthehills · 08/08/2019 00:01

Using a policeman stop (so putting your hand up, when you see a dog charging towards you) and say stop.

Or, one of things I use to do was carry a spray bottle with water in it, however I only ever used it on one shitty dog, we had history who I know wouldn't like it, so I am not sure if that would work for every dog. However that dog stopped charging at my (then) 2 year old

fifig87 · 08/08/2019 00:03

I absolutely agree, one of my kids is petrified of dogs. It's drives me mad. Where I live some people just seem to open their front doors and let the dogs out and shit everywhere as well.
Can't to for a walk, picnic etc without dogs being off lead. Don't give a crap if your dog has excellent call or whatever, it's meant to be on a lead

HappyLoneParentDay · 08/08/2019 00:03

"Waaafffffflle Dogggiieeee! Waaafffffflle Dogggiieeee!" 🎶

Sorry

Setting3 · 08/08/2019 00:08

People are always trying to encourage my kids to pet their bloody dogs, my child has autism and it really makes me nervous. I offer to allow a child to stroke my dog because my dog is gentle and it would be a positive experience. My dd was terrified of dogs and it was through some very generous patient, dog owners that she finally managed to get over her fear (us getting a dog was the final step) - you can't win with some people - maybe you know people are just trying to be nice and friendly.
If you don't want dogs to approach, try not to make eye contact with them.

Longlongsummer · 08/08/2019 00:15

I’ve stopped letting my dog off lead during after school hours as I particularly don’t want it scaring other children. In fact I find the quietest time of the day. My dog is super well trained, and bred very well, however she’s medium sized and loves women and children! I actually hate letting her off the lead now and do it very seldom.

I also find other people’s dogs to be quite aggressive surprisingly often. My dog is very over friendly, and not scared of other dogs, very socialized, so goes up to all other dogs to play. Most other dogs are not socialized at all and will really growl at her even though she gives off no dominant or aggressive signals herself.

It makes me even more scared of letting my child near the average dog, as I realize how quick to temper many of them are. And how many owners let them off the lead. I go out to parks with my dog and child and keep my dog on the lead, so that they bother my dog, not my child. And my dog can handle them.

NomDeQwerty · 08/08/2019 00:17

Mine completely ignores people except her family. Kids, cyclists, joggers, other dog walkers - she just walks on by. When people want to fuss her and she ignores them I have to explain that we trained her to do it. Sometimes they seem quite huffy about it.
Other dogs are what she's interested in and she likes to ask them for a play.

Longlongsummer · 08/08/2019 00:20

@PennyPitStop19 I agree it’s a bit silly of other people to get children to pet dogs. It’s actually more healthy for kids to have respect for them as animals and give them space. They aren’t toys.

Lucafritz · 08/08/2019 00:24

YANBU. I hate dog owners who can't or won't control their dogs. Worst ones are the ones who talk to the dog in a baby or normal voice while trying to get them to behave Hmm or the dog doesn't even respond to its name because its too busy jumping and licking you !! I think all you can do is pick your child up and turn your back to the dog to shield them from scratches or bites etc. But most likely the owner will just come out with some BS like "oh their just saying hello" " oh she's friendly don't worry" fucking knobs the lot of them. Im an animal lover but allergic to the saliva and fur so having a dog come at me is my worst nightmare

Setting3 · 08/08/2019 00:26

I agree it’s a bit silly of other people to get children to pet dogs. It’s actually more healthy for kids to have respect for them as animals and give them space. They aren’t toys It definitely is a bit silly if your dog does not want the attention - but maybe you might know that as the dog's owner? Lots of dogs work well as therapy dogs, they like the attention - what's the difference?

justasking111 · 08/08/2019 00:27

Dog whistles are so cheap. Buy a couple, keep one in the car one at home. Plenty of you tube tutorials. You can both have fun learning recall and other instructions. Shouting at dogs is useless when your dog is on a mission, the whistle on the other hand works.

www.amazon.co.uk/ACME-717668121052-210-5-Black-Whistle/dp/B004DYIOI4/ref=sr_1_15?s=gateway&crid=1SH7RJUT66KC4&keywords=dog+whistles+for+recall&sprefix=dog+whistle%2Caps%2C150&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1565220246&sr=8-15

ErrolTheDragon · 08/08/2019 00:29

It’s not ok but others will tell you it is

No they won't. This thread is pretty unanimous, from people who own dogs as well as those who don't, that it's not ok.

jessicawessica · 08/08/2019 00:35

YANBU
The dog owners who claim "He wouldn't harm a fly" do my head in.He might not harm a fly but he could very easily rip my DCs throat out.
Get it on a short lead with a muzzle and I might walk past you.

TwistyTop · 08/08/2019 00:35

I don't think a dog whistle would help. YANBU. I'm a dog person and I don't mind if dogs got overexcited around me, but I wouldn't allow my dog to do it to other people unless they were clearly encouraging the dog. Surely it's just manners?

justasking111 · 08/08/2019 00:43

Twistytop. I have been training dogs for 40 odd years, it does work when they are trained correctly.

skybluee · 08/08/2019 00:43

I've had major problems with dogs recently.. I have an issue with my foot so when I go to parks I often sit or lie on the floor. I have sunglasses on and if it's sunny often have my eyes shut. The amount of times I've had dogs jump on me or jump on my face has essentially ruined one of the biggest pleasures I have (being outside like that). So many times now I've jumped up or it has truly, no exaggeration, somewhat scared me to be half asleep or sunbathing and have a dog jump on me when I don't know what it is. It's horrible and I don't know what the answer is. I asked one lady to please keep her dog away from me after it did that and then half an hour later when they walked back it did the exact same. I'm also allergic and it means I have to wash straight away anything they touch which is a pain in the arse quite frankly. I don't know what to do about it because I love going to parks. I thought about taking a water gun but that wouldn't help really as I want something to prevent it not to react after. Is there anything that makes a noise that would keep them away? Ideally I would like to have a one metre radius around myself that is my own space and they don't enter.