To think bad dog owners don't realise that they are bad dog owners?

[WayTooSoon]

Kind of a thread about lots of threads...

Every so often, threads appear on here saying someone's dog ran up to them/their child/their dog and how the owners respond with "it's ok, he's friendly" or similar. What usually follows is a load of posters saying "bad owners give us good owners a bad name". So is mumsnet entirely populated by "good owners" or are people oblivious to their own shortcomings as pet owners? Aibu to think that if someone is a bad owner, it seems likely that they have no idea that other people see them as a bad owner?

Are you now or have you ever been a "bad owner"?

Lockdown has resulted in a massive surge of people buying/wanting puppies...lots of those have been bought in a whim and are now ending up in rescues. Most of them haven’t been socialised properly either

Well yes, there has been a surge in lockdown puppies. Nobody is disputing that. However, there has always been and will always be people who buy puppies in a whim and have no idea what to do with them - or the inclination to train them.

Pretty much like those cat owners, who bring the cat - or, very often, several cats into the neighbourhood and expect the neighbours to put up with them. Nobody should own a pet and absolve themselves of all responsibility for the pet they chose to have.

There are good pet owners and bad pet owners - as has been stated many times on this thread.

I am not anti dogs at all, like I said, there is a lovely collier dog on my road whose recall is great and he never ever bounces up on you. He is great. You can mix in parks with dogs like that but 'no', I don't want your untrained fur baby taking my child's ball or our picnic, it is not endearing or cute it is highly annoying!! Use the park by all means but let me use the park how I want to and don't get in my space!

Come off it, that is disingenuous, the worst cats can do is shit in your garden.

'Several cats' in the neighbourhood? Where do you live, Top Cat's neighbourhood? If you are too young this is reference to a cartoon that features lots of cats in an alleyway.

@Goldenbear

Tenbananasaday, I'm sorry what? 'Compare' is the correct word to use. You must have misunderstood or need to revisit a dictionary as previous posters have stated they would judge poor behaviour of a dog or a child in the same way, I.e similar notes of behaviour is what they would judge. Please, please explain how this does not fit with their explanations?

'Arrogance'? It is your arrogance that asserts your ownership over another 'animal'. If you didn't believe this, you would not have a 'pet' dog to begin with.

You're making a ton of assumptions. I hate the term 'pet'. I prefer companion animal. All my animals are rescues. How about you explain why it is arrogant to give an abandoned animal a loving home?

Several posters appeared to get quite upset re the comparisons between dogs and children. I was pointing out that comparing isn't equating. I'm not sure what part of that you do not understand.

I have a “bad dog “ in that he is over friendly , can’t be trusted off the lead and yes I am very aware . He has been for training , but that was no help .

He is not aggressive at all . But if he sees a dog he wants to say hello to he would drag me down the road . So yes I know and sometimes am very embarrassed.

I never let him off the lead .well I did once but it was a disaster as he loves children and decided they wanted to play . And they didn’t . Lesson learnt .

'Several cats' in the neighbourhood? Where do you live, Top Cat's neighbourhood

I said “Those people who bring a cat - or several cats - into the neighbourhood”. Most homes around here have at least two cats that they throw out to shit anywhere they like. Never have I seen a cat owner pick up after the animal(s) they chose to have!

Irresponsible pet owners everywhere! At least a well trained dog with a responsible owner is a pleasure to have, great company and causes no problem to anyone.

I have owned dogs all my life. There are far more responsible dog owners than irresponsible dog owners out there. But you wouldn’t notice those. You’ll only notice the owners with untrained, unruly dogs because they impact on your life.

Frankly, argument in semantics, you prefer, 'companion animal' sorry, but how is that different from pet. They are not comparable in any sense so there is no point in pretending they are.

You wouldn't have to rescue dogs if people didn't hold the belief they had a 'right' to own an animal. I think it is great you rescue dogs but when it comes down to it, owning any animal is questionable.

@MarleyTheDog

'Several cats' in the neighbourhood? Where do you live, Top Cat's neighbourhood

I said “Those people who bring a cat - or several cats - into the neighbourhood”. Most homes around here have at least two cats that they throw out to shit anywhere they like. Never have I seen a cat owner pick up after the animal(s) they chose to have!

Irresponsible pet owners everywhere! At least a well trained dog with a responsible owner is a pleasure to have, great company and causes no problem to anyone.

I have owned dogs all my life. There are far more responsible dog owners than irresponsible dog owners out there. But you wouldn’t notice those. You’ll only notice the owners with untrained, unruly dogs because they impact on your life.

How on earth do you know that they don't have litter boxes in their houses? Often cats prefer to do their business outside. Do you mean you expect them in keep their cats inside so there is no chance they inconvenience you?

There are lots of cats round here too. I can honestly say I have never stepped in cat shit, not the same for dog poop.

I thought cats have a 'right' to roam though? In that sense is it irresponsible cat owners or just owners of cat exercising that right. I don't own cats by the way.

There are ways you can mitigate against cats shitting in other people's gardens. Obviously litter trays should be provided, but you can also make sure that there is loose soil in your garden where your cats can dig. Paving over a garden when you have cats makes it inevitable that they'll shit in other gardens. (Unless of course you have an indoor cat or secure your garden.)

I've never had any reason to think our cats shit elsewhere. I know that they do use our garden
(as well as the litter tray occasionally).

Let’s not derail the thread. @MarleyTheDog ‘that’s not the point of the thread’ now is it? (Just echoing your post earlier!) The fact is many dog owners seem to think they can do what they like and we will all think their dog running full throttle up to us or our kids is okay. It’s not. I really wish all dogs were leashed 95% of the time. And I like and have owned dogs.

Often cats prefer to do their business outside. Do you mean you expect them in keep their cats inside so there is no chance they inconvenience you

Cats don’t inconvenience me, personally. I have a dog. It would be a brave cat that enters my garden lol!

I feel for my neighbours though. Especially those with young children who are unable to use their gardens because of the amount of cat shit littered all over the garden and the neighbours who no longer grow their own veg or flowers because of the mess left by cats in their veg patch and flowerbeds 🤢

I don’t blame the cats. I blame the irresponsible people who brought them into our village, only to throw them out all day and night to torment the neighbours with their disgusting mess and mating/fighting screams at 3am. Also the neighbours who have had their summer chairs ripped to shreds. If people can’t take responsibility for their animals they shouldn’t have them!

Anyone who is thinking about getting a cat should cat proof their garden first. You want a cat, great! You put up with it! Nobody else wants to!

And before you bleat the usual cat owners mantra, “Cats are above the law. They are free roaming. You can’t stop a cat going out...blah blah” Plenty of cat owners manage to keep their cats in their own garden with the help of cat proofing. It’s only the skanky owners who don’t.

Isn’t it strange the number of threads on MN complaining about a dog off lead, a dog being a nuisance just for breathing or because someone managed to get shit over their pram wheels, yet it seems cats are exempt🙄

The fact is many dog owners seem to think they can do what they like and we will all think their dog running full throttle up to us or our kids is okay. It’s not. I really wish all dogs were leashed 95% of the time

I agree. I’ve never said any different. Out of control dogs are a bloody nuisance to dog owners and non-dog owners alike. And yes, absolutely, if someone can’t control their dog by voice - get it on a lead in public places.

You're arguing that we should be tolerant of animals because they don't know any better?
I'm not arguing that dogs matter more than kids, I'm challenging the reasons why dogs haters thing ALL dogs should be removed from public areas because THEY had a bad experience.

It's hard to accept the fact that indeed, the majority of people do like dogs or at least don't mind them and indeed have no had experience with them at all.

I'm not comparing dogs to kids on the basis of who is more important but on the basis that you can't draw generalisations and impose bans on all just because a few people had unpleasant experience with them.

You might not like dogs coming close to you and dog owners won't like things you don't care about. That's life in society. Your feelings don't trump others.

And it is matter of perception. Actually experienced a poorly behaved dog on our Sunday walk. Came bouncing towards my small dog and quickly overpowered her so I had to pick him up and even then he continued to jump on me trying to get to him. He was t aggressive, just annoying. His opener finally got to him and pulled him away. 2mns later, out my dog down again, and there became again starting again.

The thing is, I had totally forgotten about it ironically because it was just an incident, no big deal. This incident was no more memorable than that kid that came running to my -very cute so popular- dog screeching. My dog is pretrified of screeching kid so started to run far away. I had to run after him and spend 5mns to xom him down do he stopped shaking. The parent were emphases by the incident.

Again, no big deal,part of living in society and sharing common space. I don't hate the kid, don't think it's adult behaved and that it should be kept away from all small cute dogs just because mine is scared of them.

@MarleyTheDog you’re an idiot, a massive fucking idiot, how the hell do cats inconvenience you 😂😂😂.

Cats don’t shit on the pavements, in children’s playgrounds outside school gates, and (please explain to me why in a civilised society someone should have to clean dog shit of the wheels of their baby’s pram). Cats also don’t get out of control and they don’t run up to people terrifying them by jumping on them and providing unsolicited contact and they don’t do these things:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/baby-boy-remains-hospital-details-19791492.amp

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-girls-aged-2-3-23464999.amp

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/first-picture-of-woman-mauled-to-death-by-dog-she-rescued-b918874.html%3famp

Or are these cats faults as well, never heard of a cat mauling a toddler to half death for daring to play on the swings. I’m sure you’ll be blaming the human babies though or even a cat, wouldn’t be the dogs fault.

The above is just in the past 3 days as well.

That’s why there’s these threads, the devastation that dogs can cause is incomparable.

Ah another dog attack apologist @dontdisturbmenow for the last time people don’t hate dogs they just don’t want them near them and in law that does trump anything else you might feel. Keep it on a lead and under control!!

I DO NOT WANT DOGS JUMPING UP AT ME how dare you tell anyone they have to find this acceptable.

And leave it off with the absolute pathetic of comparing it to a child squeling - you are literally pathetic.

Haha this thread is great! I am hated by all. My dog goes off lead on every walk (though he is under control and has never gone up to other people or dogs) and I am a skanky cat owner who let's her cats out as well!

@LadyMayoGoodway,you are being ridiculous.

A dog jumping is annoying but unless they try to bite you, it is not sn attack.

I'm not saying that it is right and should be accepted, I'm saying it's not the dramatic big deal some people make it out to be.

And leave it off with the absolute pathetic of comparing it to a child squeling - you are literally pathetic
And you are being totally close minded and a tad agressive. To my dog and therefore to me, it is as unacceptable. Why can't you see that we all have different triggers for stress and annoyance?

@LST yet....your dog has never gone up to anyone yet, you can never, ever be certain that won’t happen. Dogs are animals they can be unpredictable.

What if it attacked a baby as per the story above, just interested to know what you’d do and how you’d feel. No doubt your dog would be destroyed.

@dontdisturbmenow again how dare you designate what is and isn’t a big deal to someone....the point is dogs do bite attack and kill.....how does anyone know that a compete strangers dog won’t do this. And imagine the perspective from a child or a baby something 2,3,4 times the size of you bounding up on you barking and baring teeth, it must be utterly terrifying. It is not an inconvenience it is flaming well unacceptable.

Again you cannot compare a child squealing to being attacked by a dog......it is beyond pathetic. And exactly what this thread is about ‘bad dog owners who don’t realise they’re bad’ you are exactly who the OP is talking about!

@LadyMayoGoodway I would never put my dog in a position that he would attack a baby. Jesus. What a ridiculous comment.

@LadyMayoGoodway

I'm afraid you're the one being ridiculous and the only one being aggressive. Okay, you don't like dogs, you've made that clear. But not every owner who challenges you is a bad owner, and that's a fact. Quite the opposite. I suspect the majority of owners are responsible, as I said before; you just don't notice them because they don't trouble you.

Legally, a dog owner has a right to take their dog for a walk. It's also legal for a parent to take their child to the park. End of story.