To want to walk my dogs with little kids?

[imamearcat]

I think I am probably BU but feeling frustrated. I'm not used to neighbours!! Just moved from rural abode to a newbuild estate.

Hard to explain but basically as the crow flies we are a few hundred meters to the good dog walks but the development have not made an official access so there is a fence to the track. There are two ways round, a mile round the road or maybe 3/4 round a quite track.

We climbed over the fence a couple of times but one of the residents didn't agree. Fine. Apparently he didn't want people climbing over HIS fence (it's not his fence but hey ho).

Ok so we walk round the track, had toddler in trike well behaved dogs off lead. Nowhere near anyone's house or property. Car comes behind me so I gather everyone up, wave past, all smiles.

Woman winds down here window, immediately aggressive. 'Can you not have your dog on a lead on MY drive!!?', me - 'oh sorry I thought it was a public right of way?'. Her, 'it is but it's MY DRIVE!! You are being so irresponsible!!!'.

So now I have to struggle my way round with 2 dogs, 2 toddlers. I think because people are stuck up and horrible. What do you think?

Don't let her dictate to you, if you are perfectly in your rights to be there. I've found people to be quite aggressive when it comes to "their" property.

Recently, my family and I were all sat round having a picnic behind our car and a woman comes bounding over saying "You better not be sitting on my car, GET AWAY!"

We were miles from her car - why the hell would we sit on it?? So we said "of course not, come over and have a look if you like" And she snapped back "NO" and then proceeding to swear, slam her door, beep her horn and keep locking and unlocking her car
Completely unnecessary and ruined the nice time we were having...and for what?! My Grampa had just lost his wife and he was a bag of nerves after.

Some people just cannot manage their behaviour and the only way to deal with people like that is to be assertive back and to not let it ruin your day.

If it is a public track, I would just carry on as you are and if she gives you abuse again, give her an assertive response or ignore her altogether. Or if you want to avoid confrontation, could you put your dogs on those long training leads until you get to the field? I don't know how you manage 2 toddlers and 2 dogs, I find one very pully dog hard enough 😂

I'd continue to use the public right of way. Maybe with thecdig on the lead in case of cars (Or that woman).

You have as much right to be there as she does. Tell her that as many time as needed.

People talk about manners and 'the youth of today' old people tend to be horrible!

I'm with you on this OP. If you were on a public highway and not her actual drive then I would just ignore it

Don't let her dictate to you, if you are perfectly in your rights to be there.

The woman didn't query OP's right to be there, just wanter OP to have the dog on a lead which seems reasonable as it's an access route for cars.

There was no reason for the woman to be aggressive but as I said before, maybe it's a regular problem and she was expressing exasperation.

Perhaps the woman has feared hitting a dog not under control of it's owner and so was stressed by another dog off lead.

Ignore the woman. It’s a public right of way - just because it leads to her house doesn’t mean she owns it.

I always find its better to be overly nice to rude people, it sometimes shames them and it keeps you in a good light if your paths (sorry HER path) ever cross again

I walk with 2 DCs and the dog.
I've found it easier to have Ddog on lead at the start/end as it's less to worry about. He's 100% reliable but still, it makes me worry less.

Then you will have more confidence to tell her to do one if she moans at you