To think one of the rules should be dogs on leads at this time?

[ShesGotBetteDavisEyes]

Went for a walk as a family today down some country lanes near us. We knew we would pass a few people but the paths are quite wide so it’s easy to keep your distance, as we and most other people did.

Except three separate lots of dog owners who allowed their dogs to run over to all of us, repeatedly jumping up at us and pawing at our clothes.

One of the women was letting her two dogs run around our feet and not calling them away (in fact was laughing indulgently) so I shouted “you know, usually we would pet them but the virus can live on dogs fur so could you call them away?” She and her companion looked a bit surprised and said “oh, we haven’t heard that?” They STILL didn’t call them right away.

It actually really annoyed me. We are taking the care to lecture our kids about not touching anything, keeping their distance moving to the side to let people pass etc. and then dogs are just running and jumping up/brushing against us whilst their owners smile & laugh ffs! What is the actual point of doing all this if it can be passed on by a dog? We have to keep the kids away but dogs are allowed to run rampage?

AIBU to suggest Boris puts a “dogs on leads” rule in his next speech?

@TrainspottingWelsh

Very true, it is the idiotic people that spoil it for everyone. We will never be able to stop them though, there's far too many.

@LimitIsUp

No you're right we can't, and we do need to be more tolerable. It's sad that others can't be, and think that the world is theirs alone. It's them I don't trust and can't trust, they are too dim to see anything other than their own wants.

The only possible thing that can still go wrong in an open field like that is if a dog smells or hears something, like a rabbit, and takes off after it. Has happened before and usually why people end up on FB with posts asking people to look for their dog. They are animals, you can't be fully certain they will listen, they have instincts. I can't be certain my horse won't try and throw me off one day. Hence why I wear a hat. It's the one bad part of owning an animal, you're never in full control. Can only try and minimise it. Most of the time though yeah your dog is safe in those situations so it's your risk to take. You know your dog better than me. If it's trained well and isnt going to run at people or animals, fine. It's the ones that will i don't trust. And I don't know which ones will and which ones won't because most people don't bother to train them right. They think it's cute. 🤦‍♀️

Well, we could stop them sudoko but apparently man traps are frowned upon

we do need to be more tolerable

I’ll try

Ive got three dogs who will pass other people and dogs with no issues. However Im sick of other people's dogs jumping up at them and me. I'm wiping the dogs down when I get back, people are a pain and common sense seems to have gone out of the window.

Well, we could stop them sudoko but apparently man traps are frowned upon grin

That can always be changed

@NiteFlights

Oh dear my bad tolerant I shouldn't reply on here late at night

Yes!! Definitely OP.
So many people let their dogs run up to me and my kids, barking and scaring both me and the kids, getting mud and dog slobber on us.
We are just having so many people coming out to where I live walking their dogs. They should be on leads at all times if they are prone to running up to people.
Another problem with them being off leads a their owners don't see them pooing and so just leave their dogs poo there. Some even leave it on purpose because, "It's the countryside".

consider the picture of my lone dog in the middle of empty acres of countryside (this was taken at lunch time today) and give me a good reason why he should be leashed?

Because he's more likely to have an accident or eat something he shouldn't and you might not be able to get veterinary treatment. We had a dog in on Friday who was off lead in the country and got caught on a barbed wire fence. Tick season is coming which is a risk to human health and most vets have stopped prescribing tick and worming treatment.

BlueGheko I am not keeping my dog on lead because of the infinitesimally small risk he may have an accident (how / why is he more likely to have an accident here than in the garden at home). Maybe we should all stay in bed all day in case we have an accident falling down the stairs - or in the kitchen - that's a hot spots for accidents

What on earth is he going to eat that will cause him problems?

I have a 6 months supply of tick and worming treatment left

And my dog is well accustomed to barbed wire fences and knows not to attempt to go through them

This has already been said but whilst you aren’t unreasonable at all not to want a dog jumping up at you, at any time (that’s poor training), that’s not a reason to put dogs on leads now.

The risk of transmission from animal fur is, apparently, low.

This time is very tough on dogs as well, and animal welfare does matter, as well as yours. Lots of breeds of dog NEED two walks a day with exercise off lead (they simply don’t get the same exercise and stimulation on a lead). My dog is really suffering with only one walk a day, it’s awful. If that walk had to be on lead only, I think it would cross the line into animal cruelty.

Also, dog walking spots that were once deserted are now suddenly inundated with people taking their ‘exercise’. That’s not terribly easy for a dog to understand. They will naturally be curious and unsettled. I’m not saying that makes it ok for them to jump up at people, but I’m saying that it’s a massive change for dogs as well as humans. We went out on a route yesterday where we’d normally see noone, and we saw more than 20 people.

I think a potential solution to avoid bringing people and dogs into so much contact and to avoid putting pressure on local parks etc would be to suggest that everyone takes their ‘exercise’ locally (ie without driving anywhere, as per the current guidance) but with an exception for dog owners - ie if you’ve got a dog, you’re permitted to drive to to a more rural area to walk it.

Exactly @Monkeynuts18 - dogs' welfare matters too

And a bit of toleration and give and take is required.