To expect dog walkers to keep their giant dogs on leash around other peiple

[Thewithesarehere]

I am still quite sick after seeing a dog, nearly my DC’s size, running after my DC knocking them to the ground and running over them.
DC is covered in mud. I was taking a picture of them running to me and it happened in a flash. I shouted at the dog owner who something like put your own children on leash.
Why the hell people don’t keep such huge dogs and then let them off leash in a public park around children? DV is covered in mud, shivering and complaining that their leg hurts where it hit a rock and that they are scared of dogs. I wish I had done more but don’t know what else I could have done.
AIBU in feeling bloody furious?

@Swaddlemeinplants

if I was really so afraid that your dog was about to attack me or my children that I whacked it with a stick, I'm hardly going to be put off by knowing you wouldnt like it The suggestions have been assaulting dogs ‘too close’, not attacking. Big difference

I have just defined my own too close so please check that post.

@LakieLady
Your SIL is an exception. I have no problem with dogs around me so long as they are fully under control.

How is a dog owner supposed to know the distance at which a dog becomes "too close to someone for THEIR liking"? My ex-SIL is unhappy if a dog is in the same postcode, while I wouldn't care if it had its paws on my chest while licking my face.
This, but no licking for me. I don't like being licked and mine get told off for it.

I had my dogs walking to heel at a park whilst we crossed to the next field and someone got all hysterical about minding the scary dogs, same for being in a queue for a food truck when a stupid man noticed my dog sitting by my ankle after 5+minutes so started yanking his kids and making a scene and my poor dog looked at me like 'wtf?'
On neither of those occasions were my dogs out of control. The definition of out of control isn't the preferences of someone with unresolved hangups.

If I witnessed anyone harming a dog I would go absolutely mental (I wouldn’t care if it was my dog or not). Unless that dog was attacking then I would try to help. But whacking a dog because it got too close to you and your precious dc is way out of line and totally extreme. I hope this thread gets taken down, you’re all nuts.

Dog should be kept on a lead at all times whatever the size. - end of.
I don't care how friendly or well trained you think your 'fur baby' is, it's an animal.
So no I don't want it jumping up at me or giving my 3 year a face wash as the enormous thing she came face to face with did the other week, it's disgusting and made me almost sick on the stop at the thought of what could have happened.
I also don't want to have to dodge the piles dog poo in the street or at the park or look at the bags of shit hanging on railings.
I find it unbelievable that an animal should take priority over the safety and well being of children and those going about their daily business in anyone's minds!

@rbmilliner have a read of the thread ay. I am doing nothing wrong having my dog off lead and until the law states otherwise my dog will continue to be walked off lead.

Regardless of opinion on MN, the law states:
Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
injures someone
makes someone worried that it might injure them.

I'm so fed up of off lead dogs bounding up to me whether with dgc or our dogs and causing issues, I wear a body cam and will and have reported to the police. If you cannot control your dog in public, put it on a lead. If the police act, you will be issued a warning, then repeat offences the dog taken and sadly PTS.

www.gov.uk/control-dog-public

[quote Whammyyammy]Regardless of opinion on MN, the law states:
Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
injures someone
makes someone worried that it might injure them.

I'm so fed up of off lead dogs bounding up to me whether with dgc or our dogs and causing issues, I wear a body cam and will and have reported to the police. If you cannot control your dog in public, put it on a lead. If the police act, you will be issued a warning, then repeat offences the dog taken and sadly PTS.

www.gov.uk/control-dog-public[/quote]
This. Farmers are allowed to shoot a dog if they consider it poses a threat to their livestock.

This a woman or man as we don’t really don’t know that is twisting everyone’s words she/he is good at what we’d call gaslighting did you know that.
If you don’t get the outcome you want sod everyone else and just twist their words to suit you.

Oh by the way it wasn’t even a dog Walker but owner by the looks of it
Read back the whole thread and bloody digest it and stop blatantly lying about your child being attacked. It was an accident and your reaction now has made your kid scared.

I for one would bloody avoid you if I was walking my dogs beside you because by your words that’s too close.

Now your being stupid plain stupid and I think you know it

What happened OP shouldn't have. The dog owner should have been apologetic and disciplining her dog. You'd be right to report them and the dog.

However, your generalisation of dogs is utterly ridiculous. I have a small dog, but a breed that needs a lot of exercise and running. Because they are small, they can get overwhelmed with many excited big dogs, so a dog only field would be overwhelming.

My dog doesn't bark and certainly won't harm a child. Sadly the opposite can't be said. When he was only 6 months old, two 3 year old or so started to run after him, screeching and totally scarring him. Since then, he will avoid any kids coming close, which is often as he is very cute.

Should I say that all kids should be on leads because my well behaved dog deserves a relaxing walk in the park? Of course not.

My dog means a lot to me and I want the best for him like I did for my kids. I certainly consider that my dog as much right to enjoy the local park as kids.

Ultimately how would have reacted if it had been another knocking yours?

@Whammyyammy thanks. That’s so clear.
Hope some on this thread actually read it.
Dogs do NOT have to be on a lead at all times.
Dogs DO have to be under control at all times.
And that doesn’t just mean they won’t bite someone. It means they mustn’t jump up, knock kids over etc etc.
What a shame that dog owners can’t be responsible and ensure their dogs don’t menace others and non dog owners can’t go about their business in peace.

Because they are small, they can get overwhelmed with many excited big dogs, so a dog only field would be overwhelming.
That is an excellent point. I am currently trying to research how this can be resolved. One obvious thing would be to create separate areas for smaller vs larger breeds. But I will report back if I see something else (e.g. the way rescue centres deal with this problem?).

My dog doesn't bark and certainly won't harm a child. Sadly the opposite can't be said.
I could reverse the words dog and child and this statement will become true for me and lots of other parents who have posted on this thread.
This is why I think designated off lead areas are the way forward.

@wolfiefan I havent seen a single poster saying otherwise? Where has someone said its ok for their dog to go up to other people causing a nuisance?

*What a shame that dog owners can’t be responsible and ensure their dogs don’t menace others and non dog owners can’t go about their business in peace"
The issue is that a dog, just like a kid, can be well behaved and suddenly do something out of character.

However, you would expect the owner to be massively apologetic which they are not.

What amazes me is that you get a similar thread every few months, yet in all my days of walking my dog every lunch in the local park full of kids and dogs, I've never once witnessed any incident.

@op give it a rest with the 'dogs only areas' christ you sound like my 6 year old going on and on and on.

@LST one instance? The blaming of a parent for creating fear when they find their child under a dog and saying they should volunteer at a shelter.
Bonkers.

@dontdisturbmenow I have the same experience. I have had a teeny number of dogs coming over to my dog in the time I've had him (9.5 years) and a dog has not once jumped up and knocked over my kids! They go out at least once a day too.

@wolfiefan yeah the op wildly overreacted and instilled fear into the child. The poster was giving a solution to the fear and get to know dogs. They didn't say that the dog jumping up a child in the first place was ok. So, I do not accept that as an example

[quote LST]@wolfiefan yeah the op wildly overreacted and instilled fear into the child. The poster was giving a solution to the fear and get to know dogs. They didn't say that the dog jumping up a child in the first place was ok. So, I do not accept that as an example[/quote]
You are again trying to turn this thread into a bun fight so it gets deleted.

@Thewithesarehere what next after large vs small dogs...... My dog is terrified of collies.... Will there be a collie only exercise area? Or a black dogs only area given dogs don't tend to like black dogs due to not being able to read their expressions easily.... (I own a black dog BTW) Or can we have a sight hound only area for those of us whose dogs reach 30mph?!

Your going to need a bloody big space in every park and outdoor area!

@op me!? Haha 😂 ok then dear. I bloody hope it gets deleted! Its nuts.

Sorry haven’t read the whole thread but I couldn’t agree more with you OP. We went to the park today and it was full of people with their dogs running wild (even on the part it specifically stated “keep dogs on leads”!)

3 separate occasions dogs ran at my DS (who is autistic and terrified of dogs - we have worked really hard with him not to “instill fear” but being autistic, he doesn’t have the same thought processes as NT children. There is no reasoning with him when he has got an idea in his head) The last time it was a small jappy dog and the owner had zero recall. The dog literally charged at my child. Owner didn’t even apologise when my DS was crying trying to get away from it.

With Christmas, lockdown and autism, DS has been struggling to get out of the house. He is suffering with the lack of routine. He was looking forward to the park, to play on his scooter and jump through puddles. After the third dog chased him, he just wanted to go home.

Honestly, how have we got to the position where some dog owners think their rights to exercise their pets (in a park surrounded by families) outstrip my sons right to scoot in the park, not harassed by dogs?

I hope it gets deleted too.
It’s absolutely vile. MN should be ashamed of themselves and it’s really changed my opinion of one particular poster.
Any decent person should be absolutely aghast at some of the horrific suggestions on here.

You need to read the whole thread @Crazycatlady83

It’s not the thread that’s nuts!

It’s not the thread that’s nuts!
No, that would be the people who suggest various ways of violently assaulting dogs and the people who refuse to say a word calling it out for the despicable behaviour it is.

Not even actual attacking dogs, that I could understand.
No, we have calls to pepper spray, legal spray, kick, hit and stone dogs for being ‘too close’.