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

But had nothing to do with what I was talking about! Screaming, running and neglecting/endangering your kids is obviously all stupid behaviour. And if PP had mentioned that, then I would have made an entirely different post. But all she said was that people who didn't want to be near her dog and took steps to ensure they weren't were annoying and "ignorant".

Are you both saying it is not ok for people to not want to be near dogs and to move themselves away from them??

@Draineddraineddrained

I bloody hate dogs. I'm not afraid of them per se, I just don't like them. Not a fan of any domestic if pets really. And no your little Fido is no exception. I don't like them, I don't want them approaching me or touching me. At all. Ever

Short of wearing a massive sign saying "I HATE DOGS" could dog owners please tell me HOW I can get this fact respected

You can't, because your preferences aren't rules or laws. I might not like children, but I can't expect society to keep me protected from them. It would be my preference, and therefore my own responsibility to keep my required distance from them, even if they approached me.

You have a right to not be attacked or endangered. You don't have the right to expect strangers and their dogs to understand you without explanation.

If I see an intimidating looking dog of course I avoid it, that's just common sense, I avoid anything which looks like it might do me harm.
But seriously the owners feel upset because people find large dogs intimidating?

See also "it's a dark night, I'm walking home alone and a lone man falls into step behind me". My usual instinct would be to cross the road and slow my pace so he can pass by me and I can keep an eye on him. I do this not because I am convinced this man in particular is an opportunistic rapist, well aware the vast majority of men I meet alone on a dark night will not be, but he might be and the risk assessment (likelihood v severity) is high enough I think it wise to take this step to protect myself.

Should I not do this because if this happens to this (likely innocent) man often enough it will "wear him down"?

Nope. I adore my dogs. I don’t expect anyone else to like them!

You don't have the right to expect strangers and their dogs to understand you without explanation.

And dog lovers shouldn’t expect strangers to understand their dog, their behaviour or how to deal with unwanted attention. (Crossing arms, avoiding eye contact, carrying treats to distract etc)

2 metres distance. You’ve been practising this for 9 months already.
Out of stick and kick range, everyone’s happy.

You only need to read the thread to find what I will do next
Good luck with that.
Aside from the fact I have a camera on order (after reading another post on a different thread) so can, and would report you to the police for assaulting an animal very clearly not dangerously out of control, just minding its business god forbid around you but not interacting with you and too big for your liking, if you genuinely would violently assault a 70kg+ dog that most likely weighs more than you do, that is truly breathtakingly idiotic.
You sound very much like a playground bully
So, so opposite.
But hey ho, you don’t come across at all nice in my eyes either!

@Thewithesarehere

Have you thought that your child is scared because your also fueling their anxieties? You mean the child who got run over by a dog from behind and got hurt? Yeah sure I am. That dog was within the park, right next to the playground and where my DC was standing. And was off lead with owners too far AHEAD, meaning they were not even looking at where their dog was going. Saw another one, off lead again, who was trying to get into the playground where there was some space between the fence and the ground. The owner called it back just as it put his body through the space and was half in.

Ever thought that if you don't react and set a example that it will help your child's anxiety? Your going to have to address it at some point. What happens when they want to go to a friends house to play and they own a lab or golden retriever? Your reaction to a situation plays a huge part in how your child will react.

My toddler had a puppy jump up at him yesterday we stood still then said puppy was saying hello and being silly (puppy was on a lead before you start on shouldn't be off lead stuff and owner apologised). My toddler carried on merrily despite initial being worried because of our reaction to it!

Thank god I live somewhere with leash laws

@Scottishskifun
I have said about five times already what my definition of too close is.

I know which thread and which post made you buy that body cam. What have you got to hide? You have a perfectly nice dog, don’t you?

@Eckhart

You can't, because your preferences aren't rules or laws. I might not like children, but I can't expect society to keep me protected from them. It would be my preference, and therefore my own responsibility to keep my required distance from them, even if they approached me

Several times on this thread people have been told if an unfamiliar dog gets too close to them they should stand still and turn their body away from the dog, but definitely not try to get away as this could provoke the dog to chase (not usually an issue with children). So how am I supposed to "keep my required distance", whilst also protecting my child who, being 3, may not robotically observe the protocol?

Also the difference is (a) children very, very, VERY rarely approach strangers, and of they do they certainly won't be touching them, stealing food out of their hands or wiping body fluids on them, not least because (b) parents are very rarely far enough away from them for this to happen before they do something about it, and (c) a human child cannot,generally speaking, main or kill you if it chooses to.

Honestly. It is the dog owner's responsibility to ensure their dog doesn't interfere with other people. It is NOT some collective societal responsibility for strangers to manage your dog, any more than it was anyone else's responsibility to change my child's nappy. Why will dog owners not accept this? And those that do accept it but say because THEIR dog doesn't do it, then placing any additional restrictions or enforcement on those whose dogs DO, isn't fair, you are also basically saying that for your convenience, the non-dog people just have to put up with the shitty dog owners.

@shamalidacdak

Thank god I live somewhere with leash laws

Count yourself lucky and never give an inch back please! It’s madness!

I know which thread and which post made you buy that body cam. What have you got to hide? You have a perfectly nice dog, don’t you?
Absolutely nothing to hide but that post was frightening reading.

And what with people like you claiming that dogs too close to you, bearing in mind that that definition will be different for everyone, just trotting past on a path may be ‘too close’ for some for example might be kicked, sprayed etc, I should think it wise to be able to have evidence to press charges against such individuals?
And yes i do.
Very soft and gentle, never showed any aggression to anyone and doesn’t approach people.

@Draineddraineddrained

So how am I supposed to "keep my required distance", whilst also protecting my child who, being 3, may not robotically observe the protocol

Perhaps a special magical forcefield? So that all creatures know that you are not to be approached because you are different from the majority who say hello to approaching dogs, or ignore them if they don't like them or aren't interested?

No responsible dog owner will let their dog hang around you if you've made it clear that you are uncomfortable. Irresponsible dog owners are unlikely to obey rules, and should have their dogs taken off them. Nobody will be able to intuit that you don't like dogs, and nor should they be expected to. You should not have to put up with a dog hassling you if you've told them you're uncomfortable.

Your differences between children and dogs aren't relevant. Children often whizz past people on scooters and skates. You said you didn't want to be approached by a dog. You didn't say anything about being attacked, exchanging bodily fluids or stealing of food. Where you've got the idea from that parents are usually 3 feet away from their children is beyond me. Parents often stay at home when children go out to play.

Yes, Staffies, great with children until they maul them to death.

Yes, and women, great with children until they emotionally abuse them. And men, great with children until they hit them. It happens all the time.

Best all be banned really.

@Eckhart

Yes, and women, great with children until they emotionally abuse them. And men, great with children until they hit them. It happens all the time.

Best all be banned really.

Did you mean to post on the relationships board 🤔

@Eckhart

Yes, and women, great with children until they emotionally abuse them. And men, great with children until they hit them. It happens all the time.

Best all be banned really.

Also Eckhart.....a bit of topic but I wondered if you're named for Eckhart Tolle?🤔

@Eckhart

I can't just "ignore" a dog coming up to me and my 3yo because I don't know what it's intentions are. And it has the capacity to hurt her.

By approach I don't mean "pass by". I mean come at us and either nose us, lick us, jump on us or attempt to snatch food out of our hands. If it passed us by, it's not a problem. If it engages with us, it is a problem. Just like a man walking past me is no problem, a man groping my arse or rifling through my handbag is.

And I don't think the onus is on me to demonstrate I don't want to engage with the dog. It's on the owner to keep the dog from engaging with me unless I make it clear I would like to interact with the dog. Just as the onus isn't on me to make it clear to a gang of builders that actually I wouldn't like to have sex with any of them, rather it is on them not to solicit me as such as I walk past their site.

[quote Draineddraineddrained]@Eckhart

I can't just "ignore" a dog coming up to me and my 3yo because I don't know what it's intentions are. And it has the capacity to hurt her.

By approach I don't mean "pass by". I mean come at us and either nose us, lick us, jump on us or attempt to snatch food out of our hands. If it passed us by, it's not a problem. If it engages with us, it is a problem. Just like a man walking past me is no problem, a man groping my arse or rifling through my handbag is.

And I don't think the onus is on me to demonstrate I don't want to engage with the dog. It's on the owner to keep the dog from engaging with me unless I make it clear I would like to interact with the dog. Just as the onus isn't on me to make it clear to a gang of builders that actually I wouldn't like to have sex with any of them, rather it is on them not to solicit me as such as I walk past their site.[/quote]
I have been trying to explain this for a very long time now.

So nosing you, licking you is to close but the dog isn’t being aggressive or even out of control only to you and the other dog haters on this thread.

You’d report said dog for that seriously!!! You’d be laughed at by the police and the dog warden if you have one in your area.

@Dullardmullard

So nosing you, licking you is to close but the dog isn’t being aggressive or even out of control only to you and the other dog haters on this thread.

You’d report said dog for that seriously!!! You’d be laughed at by the police and the dog warden if you have one in your area.

You still don’t get it! How disrespectful of you to think of police and dog warden and to think of someone reporting this and the outcome. There is no mention of what this person prefers! It shows how little respect and care you have. And if your dog tries to bring its face closer to my child in a buggy, I would first do exactly what a previous poster’s father did, and then will think of police and dog warden.

@Feathersinthehead

You don't have the right to expect strangers and their dogs to understand you without explanation.

And dog lovers shouldn’t expect strangers to understand their dog, their behaviour or how to deal with unwanted attention. (Crossing arms, avoiding eye contact, carrying treats to distract etc)

2 metres distance. You’ve been practising this for 9 months already.
Out of stick and kick range, everyone’s happy.

Would you kick a cat that walked too close to you?

@Ritasueandbobtoo9

Yes, Staffies, great with children until they maul them to death.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is one of only two from over 190 breeds that the UK Kennel Club recommend as being suitable for children, the other being a Chesapeake Retriever.

Sorry @Ritasueandbobtoo9 but I am pretty sure the UK Kennel Club has a better understanding and knowledge of dogs than yourself and The Daily Mail...

[quote Thewithesarehere]@Scottishskifun
I have said about five times already what my definition of too close is.

I know which thread and which post made you buy that body cam. What have you got to hide? You have a perfectly nice dog, don’t you? [/quote]
I don't own a body cam and haven't bought a body cam so no idea what post your on about! The only people who wear bodycams in my part of Scotland are the police and traffic wardens.

Yes I have a wonderful rescue dog who has had intense training and we practise every day. She is amazingly trusting of people which is a miracle given how badly she was treated in the past and often gets children approaching her if stood with her due to her funky warm coats and gentle face and nature.