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?

And tomorrow’s a bank holiday, isn’t it? Swiftly followed by a weekend.

Im just looking forward to reading the one study OP has obviously found that finds a link between off lead exercising and increased aggression...

I mean, If OP is ‘astonished at the amount of literature out there’ and has found enough evidence to write to all these MPs and councillors about this issue, she’s obviously found loads of studies!
So providing just one study for everyone to read will be no problem
🤷‍♀️

You will get people telling you that the size of a dog doesn't matter while forgetting that most adults could fight off an aggressive small dog but that a large dog can kill a small child. There are loads of dog apologists who say their dog is soft/good with kids etc but who is going to come off better in an incident- a dog or a small kid?

Everyone is getting way too worked up over this thread. Not one law will change over this thread. One nobodies dog will be banished away to appease the dog haters nor will it make a blind bit of difference to the irresponsible dog owner who let their dog sniff/jump on/knock over strangers in the park.
I feel like Brick in Anchorman and shouting "I love lamp" as it would be just as effective as trying to get through all the shouting here.

Agree babbafett and those hurling insults at the OP are against guidelines

@Miseryl

You will get people telling you that the size of a dog doesn't matter while forgetting that most adults could fight off an aggressive small dog but that a large dog can kill a small child. There are loads of dog apologists who say their dog is soft/good with kids etc but who is going to come off better in an incident- a dog or a small kid?

This is not the point of this thread truly it isn’t

Op wants ALL dogs leashed at all times and if not she’ll spray, whack or what ever to the dog if it so much as approaches her or her kids.

What happened in her original post was an accident but she wants to report it to all and sundry for knocking her child over accidentally and laws changed because of it.

@PortiasPlumUpduffedPudding

Agree babbafett and those hurling insults at the OP are against guidelines

Ahhh but it’s ok for the op to do the same then no that’s against the guidelines too but her posts remain

So where did I say it was ok for the OP?

babbafett
Any rational discussion would have no effect on the OP.

However, it matters that the rational voices who are capable of realising the world doesn't revolve around their preferences and emotions challenge the ridiculous claims that most dogs are out of control / that when people (rightly and clearly) say dogs shouldn't approach people and should be under appropriate control this apparently makes them all apologists for poor owners.

It's concerning how many times people can say "dogs should be under appropriate control... dogs should not be approaching people... owners who don't have appropriate control etc" and the response is still 'you're all minimising, you're dogsplaining, you're always saying there isn't a problem, why are you sticking up for irresponsible owners, not everyone loves your dogs you know!'

No one has hurled insults at the op. She on the other hand has been throwing them out left right and centre.

Of course the size and breed of dog matter, (in addition to training) a Large muscle bound dog weighing more than a 4 year old is going to do a lot more damage than a chihuahua!!

I was going to respond but instead I'll say...LOUD WORDS...I LOVE LAMP.

Thanks for posting that @Yohoheaveho. I will have a look at it later.

For the rest of you waiting for me to reply to your questions, I have been working over the last few hours and still have loads to do in the next two days. Things are due to go to the client in the first two weeks of January and it seems I wouldn’t have childcare. So I must get as much done as possible.

As for the studies specifically connecting connecting off lead dogs to incidents, I am looking at the history of leash laws in specific countries where these laws have been introduced already.

A few of you sound quite paranoid when you say I will whack or hit or spray any dog ‘approaching’ my child. I have repeated told you what my definition of ‘too close’ is. You are refusing to listen to it so that is not my problem. I am quite happy I started this thread. It made me aware of the rights I have and the things I can do to prevent stuff in future.

Just for you, OP.

suzanneclothier.com/article/handling-lead-aggression/

and as someone else has pointed out if the dog hasn’t bitten they won’t get the response they are expecting.
I have said multiple times: parents don’t really need to report to and waste the time of police etc (applies to all parents or sheep/horse owners too) so long as they know the law is on their side in nearly all the scenarios so many posters have shared here. I didn’t know that and now I do. There is a lot of power in that knowledge.

Thanks for posting that @Yohoheaveho. I will have a look at it later
Australia has a problem with dog attacks.
Don’t worry, I was kind enough to provide screenshots showing just how effective the leash laws are in Australia...

As for the studies specifically connecting connecting off lead dogs to incidents, I am looking at the history of leash laws in specific countries where these laws have been introduced already
So you couldn’t find any then 🤣🤣🤣🤣
What a surprise...

@babbafett

Everyone is getting way too worked up over this thread. Not one law will change over this thread. One nobodies dog will be banished away to appease the dog haters nor will it make a blind bit of difference to the irresponsible dog owner who let their dog sniff/jump on/knock over strangers in the park. I feel like Brick in Anchorman and shouting "I love lamp" as it would be just as effective as trying to get through all the shouting here.

I have walked away from this thread to have a think and I feel (I could be wrong but I don’t think I am much off the mark!) that the posters defending off leash know they can’t fully guarantee anything and that there are far too many incidents for police to control. Combine this with the increasing incidents and awareness of the laws around off lead dogs (majority of out of control dogs in public spaces will fall into this category), there is a point after which parents are bound to lose patience.

Australia has a problem with dog attacks.
And U.K. hasn’t? 😂😂 did you read my very first OP or any of the other incidents any poster shared here?
FFS.
Have a great new year. I am sure we will see each other again on the next thread in AIBU.

And U.K. hasn’t? 😂😂 did you read my very first OP or any of the other incidents any poster shared here?
I agree the UK has a problem.
But the crucial point here is you seem to think random dogs pose a risk but actually in most cases they don’t as the vast majority of bites are in the home and you think the solution is to leash when outside.
But Australia proves that banning off leash does NOT fix the problem.
So I’m really not sure why you are still pressing for it
It won’t help the problem.

Have a great new year
Doubt that.
Corona, Brexit, I anticipate 2021 to be even shitter than 2020...
😖

i am sure we will see each other again on the next thread in AIBU
I don’t know about that.
This has been intense.
I may scroll past dog hating threads in future...

@Swaddlemeinplants

Looks like Australia’s leash laws are doing a great job yoko 👍 Perhaps because leash laws don’t affect family dogs at home (where the vast majority of dog bites) and bad breeding (a massive factor in dog aggression) ....

This is quite a null post. What really is the point you are trying to prove?

For you to nullify my point, you will have to show that leash laws haven’t prevented anything. These data most certainly don’t show that. They simply show incidence Just because something is on the rise, it doesn’t mean the measure hasn’t worked. It could mean the measure has slowed down the rise. but you simply have no way to prove it based on the snapshot.

Thread summary

• most people agree that dogs should not be approaching people or bounding up to them. This includes dog owners and non dog owners.
• OP thinks that responsible owners are a 'minority', so therefore the majority of dogs are attacking people and out of control. We've had no evidence for this. There's over 10 million dogs in the UK so for the majority to be attacking then that's over 5 million dogs attacking and out of control. If you point out this is the logic consequence of claiming only a 'minority' of dogs are under control then you apparently need to read the thread and not make numbers up, and instead read links to statistics that show majority of dogs are perfectly fine (I don't follow this logic either).
• If you acknowledge dog attacks are up in the last decade but also that it's still a minority then you are wrong because the OP says so. (Don't even begin to suggest breaking down bites or injuries by location and how many were family injuries vs strangers as that doesn't fit the agenda)
• Even if you agree that dogs shouldn't approach people and should be well trained you're a militant dog owner.
• The OP's way is the only way and if you say otherwise then you're paranoid and think the world should love your dog.

This is quite a null post. What really is the point you are trying to prove?
That your whole viewpoint is entirely wrong.
That it is a minority of dogs that are out of control, an even smaller minority that are actually dangerous.
That most dog attacks happen in the home by the family dog so dogs on leads doesn’t really have much impact at all on dangerous dogs
That banning off leash exercise plain doesn’t work to reduce aggression.

Anyway, that’s it now.
We know your view, you know ours.
Your understanding of what you think your rights are/what constitutes dangerously out of control is false but you don’t believe it and no one can make you.
It’s highly unlikely that off leash exercise will be banned and if it is it’s largely unenforceable.
I’m cracking open the cherry brandy now.
Happy new year.
🍷 🐶

Swaddlemeinplants
👏👏👏👏👏

My child is massive,g frightened of dogs after my friends dog....I’m so cross

Anyway some Great Dane cross lunged at her. Twice her size. I said to the owner. An you call your dog please. My child is frightened of them....he replied

Why. Did you make her that way....then ignored the dog and just walked off