To be utterly exasperated with the ‘but she’s really friendly’ dog owners out there

[Flamingolingo]

You know the kind - the ones who holler after their bounding dog who barks and bows and jumps at you about how friendly they are.

I feel like since lockdown I’ve had multiple altercations with people and their marauding dogs. Especially either while out running or out with my small children who are terrified.

That’s not to say there aren’t loads of really responsible dog owners out there who do try and call their dog back/put it on the lead, but the few who make no attempt other than shout about their friendliness really get my goat. For clarity: we are mostly using city centre green space, that is quite busy, I think in a rural location it’s a little different.

So I guess my Aibu is about my being annoyed at people who assume everyone wants their ‘friendly’ dog to bound into their social space, and who make no attempt to call their dog back unless specifically asked to.

Walked past a family sitting on a bench and as we walked past the little boy (must have being no older than 3) said see daddy the dog didn't come near us, the dad then told him to be quiet and that it should be on a lead. it makes me sad that parents install fear into their kids.

Erm he's right, the dog should have been on a lead if you were in a park. Even my four year old is aware of this so I'm not sure why fully functioning adults are unable to grasp it.

I don't like dogs and don't want them coming up to me and my family when we're out in public. You might have the friendliest dog in the world, I don't give a shit. Keep them on a fucking lead.

I feel like since lockdown I’ve had multiple altercations with people and their marauding dogs. Especially either while out running

I think most people in this area are quite considerate - fortunately. But I would have thought it was common sense to keep dogs on short leads at the moment - for example I was forced much closer to someone than I wanted to be yesterday because their dog ran right towards me and cut off the space I was going to move into. No doubt they then wandered off muttering about "2m" and "virus shedding joggers" (though on this occasion I was walking with DH who was behind me, as unlike most couples we can walk single file when required) but not much you can do when a dog gets in the way.

The only other time was when a dog ran right up to me. "She just wants to be friendly". Hmm would you say that about your child? And why is a dog's want to be friendly more important than my want to be left alone?

Keep your dog on a lead around people. I couldn't give a shit how friendly he is, I don't want other dog slobber and shite all over me. Mine is on a lead so yours can too

I've seen off lead dogs causing hassles for on-lead dogs, too.

Where are all these marauding dogs?!

In my village because no fucker seems to own a dog lead apart from me!!

If I had a quid for every time an owner has shouted "it's friendly" as their unleashed dog bounds up to my leashed dog, followed with "ooh he's never done that before!" right after it's snarled/nipped at my dog, I could probably buy necker island

They're usually little terrier or toy breeds

It's a good job my boy is a big softie!

Yanbu. My son is terrified of dogs despite myself and husband reassuring him. We were walking the other day and a dog ran over. Cue melt down from son. Owner does the usual, he's really friendly etc, then walks off leaving the dog there! He then said that the only reason my son is scared is because I'm a crap parent and have taught him to be scared of dogs. The red mist descended quite quickly then.
I have also witnessed on a couple of occasions, dog walkers walking off in front of their dog resulting in poo being left in the middle of the playing field as it wasn't noticed.
Open spaces are there for the use of all, but we all need to be responsible. I keep my child 'under control' so you keep your dog under control. If I wanted a dog slobbering all over me and jumping up on me I would get one of my own.

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

MN hates dogs.

It's really strange, because puppies have been the best selling item this lockdown, second only to loo roll.

Just wait when all of them start going for walkies.

No, most of them will be dumped in a few months. Flushed away as inconvenient and no longer cute or required by their indifferent owners. Shelters have already predicted a mass abandonment.

Dogs do need to be excercised off lead

No they don't, it's just lazy owners who can't be bothered to put the time/miles in walking their dog far enough, they'd rather stand at the edge of a park and let them run loose.

Dogs do need to be excercised off lead

No they don't, it's just lazy owners who can't be bothered to put the time/miles in walking their dog far enough, they'd rather stand at the edge of a park and let them run loose.

As a dog owner, Yanbu. My dog is often on a lead because the drugs she takes can occasionally make her a bit dopey so it’s easier to keep her close to me to stop her wandering off. Last weekend a dog wouldn’t leave mine alone and started humping her despite me asking them to get their dog away. In the end I picked my dog up, their dog then tried humping me. I asked them to call him back, to which I got the classic “oh he’s playing”. They only came and got him when I said if they didn’t get him off my, I’d kick him (something I’d never do)
Some people are feckless and lockdown has made them a lot worse.

A lot of misinformation here: Dogs don't need to be on leads in parks, unless there is a byelaw that requires this. Dogs also do need off lead exercise, this is nothing to do with owners being lazy, but allowing dogs to run mainly, but also allowing some freedom. My dog can run faster than me, and a lot longer, and needs to do so to remain fit.

I had one the other day "oh, she's never bitten anyone!"

I had to reply "Yet! Please put your dog on the lead as my daughter is frightened".

He did, to be fair, but my little girl is never going to have the opportunity to get over her fear of dogs if her only interactions with them are excitable and in your face!

@Obbydoo

You are not being unreasonable in that owners should be able to control their dogs. However, as a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure your children act appropriately around dogs. A child that screams is likely to provoke a dog to bark at them and a child that runs away is fun to a dog so they will chase. So both parties are unreasonable - the dog owner for not controlling their dogs and you for not controlling your children.

If your dog is likely to bark at anyone, particularly a child, then chase them if they run away, then it is entirely your responsibility as a dog owner to keep your dog on a lead at all times when they could possibly come into contact with other people.

Children need to learn to behave appropriately around dogs.
Dogs need to be controlled around children - particularly those who can't be controlled around children who have not learnt to behave appropriately around dogs.

DDog is a reactive rescue - loves people, hates anything not human. I walk her in a hi-viz coat, with a muzzle, on lead. She's improved hugely in the time we've had her - as in she no longer tries to lunge but she will freeze and stare out of fear. I try and walk at really quiet times in really quiet places. A while ago a woman had her dog off lead where I was walking (local pedestrian/cycle path) and it was comming closer and closer. I called out thst DDog was very unfriendly and could she keep her dog away? She ignored me, DDog now frozen and staring, beginning to growl as dog is getting nearer. To be fair to the dog, it ignored us and was just ambling along minding it's own business, but DDog couldn't cope. I asked her to call her dog away again and said that DDog would go for hers if it got any closer. I got such a mouthful, which ended in, if you can't control your dog you shouldn't be out. So I'm thinking, my dog is wearing a yellow warning coat, she's muzzled, she's on a lead and she's really close to me because I'm holding her harness trying to distract her (she was past distraction at this point) - whereas you're making no effort at all to control yours! Apparently, it was her dog's right to walk where it wanted to.
Could have slapped her! Everybody else I've met since we resued DDog has mostly been lovely and very understanding of her (mind you, there is one other twonk - yes, wolfhound lady, I'm looking at you!).

@namechangetheworld
Sorry but your wrong there. dogs should only be on leads in big country parks where there are signs saying they should be. This wasn't a play park for kids.

@FrangipaniBlue

Dogs do need to be excercised off lead

No they don't, it's just lazy owners who can't be bothered to put the time/miles in walking their dog far enough, they'd rather stand at the edge of a park and let them run loose.

Yes they do. I walk mine miles. I can’t run as fast as she does and she needs to run. She covers twice the distance I do. Exercise is as much to tire them put mentally as physically. They need to run, jump, chase things. They can’t do that on a lead, which is why we walk ours in the middle of nowhere.

No they don't, it's just lazy owners who can't be bothered to put the time/miles in walking their dog far enough, they'd rather stand at the edge of a park and let them run loose
Of course it couldn't possibly be that owners know their dogs and know if their dog is better with a lot of running. It's just those lazy owners who can't run at full quickly for 15km (which is easily what mine must manage when we do a 10km walk each day with some off lead time).
I now consider myself told and realise that not running at the same speed my dogs do is nothing more than laziness.

I hate the hysteria about off lead dogs. They shouldn't be running up to people and the 'they are friendly' excuses are irritating, but there's always some people who seem to think any dog off lead is out of control, and/or pass on their own dog hangups to their children by either not teaching them how to behave around animals (looking at you people who allow your children to pet dogs without asking/shout at dogs), or by frantically tugging their child away from any dog that's within 10m regardless of it being on lead and utterly disinterested.

@FrangipaniBlue

Dogs do need to be excercised off lead

No they don't, it's just lazy owners who can't be bothered to put the time/miles in walking their dog far enough, they'd rather stand at the edge of a park and let them run loose.

What silly nonsense. Of course dogs need off lead time. It’s nothing to do with laziness it’s to do with wanting a healthy dog. A crowded urban park isn’t necessarily the right place for it though.

As a owner of a very nervous dog, this drives me crackers. Mine doesn't like being approached by other dogs, so I really hate the "he's just being friendly" thing.

My dog can run faster than me, and a lot longer, and needs to do so to remain fit.

My dog is very rarely allowed off lead and when he is he stays close. He's perfectly fit, in fact the vet frequently tells us he's one of the fittest, best condition dogs they see - so sorry but no, they don't need to run about off leash to stay fit.

If you absolutely insist that your dog is allowed to run free then take it somewhere there are not many people.

When there are lots of people, children and other dogs around then you keep your dog on a lead.

It's called good manners and having consideration for others.

Yanbu. My real hate is when dog owners let their dog run up to you and jump up putting their paws over your legs usually they have dirty paws, which is really annoying. Why do they assume everyone is happy to have their mutt leap on and around them?

My dog is very rarely allowed off lead and when he is he stays close

Poor bloody animal. What a miserable life.

I have it the other way!

Dog is pottering along, minding his own business yet people keep asking if he’s friendly and trying to pet him, or call him over. Occasionally even trying to pick him up.

He’s not not friendly, but he’s small and wary. He doesn’t like forced contact.

A good whack on the shins with a walking stick does the trick. The dog owner's shins not the dog. :)

My dog can run faster than me, and a lot longer, and needs to do so to remain fit. Pity you didn't think of that before you got it.

Yup.

It doesnt matter if the dog is going to "bound past". My toddler is terrified. Some dog owners just dont get that not everyone likes dogs!

Where I live you get bags of shit left hung in trees. Yeah bloody right you are "coming back for it" the same damn bag has been hung there 3 days.

A friendly dog broke my 3 year olds leg. Came over to say hello and have a sniff, then took off after its owners, barreling into my toddler and literally sending her up into the air. She landed head first on the ground and had a spiral fracture in her leg.

Even while on the ground trying to calm my hysterically screaming child, we had 2 separate dogs run up to us and get in our faces. Yet not one person stopped to check that we was ok and see if we needed any help.

People just don't give a shit.