To have felt so nervous about dog off lead today?

[Lizzie523]

I felt so anxious about this situation today it almost ruined my walk.

Met 2 friends for a walk in the park. 1 friend has a lovely dog. She let's the dog off in the park and gives it free reign to roam. A few times it disappeared into various undergrowth.

It kept running ahead of us, so that any walker wouldnt have been able to pinpoint whose dog it was half the time.

Lastly, we sat near a play park and the dog approached a few times but didnt go in. When it approached a group of teens, who said they were fine with the dog, my friend let it stay with them for 10 minutes.

At one point as we passed the play park my other friend and I instinctively formed a wall where the kids were playing and kept on the dog other side of us!

AIBU to have felt wracked with nerves? I admit as a cat person I'm not used to dogs but I really struggled with this. Is it me?

Doesn't sound like the dog did anything inappropriate or badly behaved?

The way your describe it is a bit of an over reaction BUT I agree with pp that any dog out of sight can't be controlled, recalled or trusted not to get into mischief

My dogs recall is bulletproof but I don't like him out of sight. He has absolutely no interest in toddlers or children but if I see small people I'll guide him around unless the parent makes moves to suggest they are ok with dog walking passed

I think you're right to pull up your friend on the dog being out of sight but the other anxiety seems a bit much

@fistasledge I think the fact my other friend asked about putting the lead back on suggests it wasn't just me.

I don't know - in my admittedly limited experience with dogs, my friends have never allowed their dogs to go to various different people in a park and stay with them. In this case my friend allowed the dog to stay with the group of kids and then to go to over to a group of adults without shouting her back.

I think in future I'll need to suggest other activities as regardless of the reasons for my anxieties I did struggle with it.

@ClareBlue

All those saying what was OP worried about and what was the problem. Seriously? A dog off the lead out of site is a problem whatever its recall is. Fouling, other dogs, nervous children, small children, livestock, are just some of the potential issues. The walk was past a children's play area. Dogs should always be on a lead in public unless it is a designated area for them or you are so remote that they do not meet anyone else. Bounding dogs are absolutely terrifying to small children not used to them. Dogs are pack animals and you absolutely can not guarantee their behaviour off lead, what ever you think. Keep them on a lead.

Who says dogs should be on a lead in public? You?

Plenty of well behaved dogs are let off lead in the owner’s eyesight so they can pick up pop, manage them, call them back etc.

There’s a difference between off lead and off lead and out of sight.

I think you were completely right to feel concerned, and you were also considerate to other users of the park, who might not want a random unattended dog running up to them.

Dog should be in sight - owner has no idea what it’s doing / is happening to it otherwise.
Should have good recall before it’s allowed to play off-lead in public area.
And... must be v well behaved in rural areas in particular (livestock, game birds, hares...). I don’t understand why people think it’s acceptable to have a dog off lead with poor recall in a rural area but not in a town park.

I wouldn’t let my dog out of my sight-one potters by my side and the other walks ahead but not v far and always stops and checks in with me- they also have great recall and aren’t interested in other dogs or people- but in a busy space she should have had her dog nearer to her- as others have said- how can u pick up poo if I can’t see the dog? And with all the dog thefts you’d think she’d take more care.sounds like an inconsiderate dog owner.

Your friend probably walks her dog daily around that park so is a lot more comfortable and familiar with routine than what you are. I only walk my dog around a park when weather is bad because often deserted., My dog much prefers peace and quiet, and so do l.

I think you are overly worrying ed about normal behaviour of a dog under good control. It did not disappear, bother anyone, enter a playing area etc. There was no need whatsoever for you to walk on any particular side of it at any point.

You are nervous around dogs, so probably better if you meet your friend at other times.

OP that's ridiculous. Why would it being near a child matter, if its friendly and not interested in them? Did it run up to the child or touch them in any way? They don't carry the bubonic plague ffs.

It's cruel to keep them leashed all the time for no reason. They need to be allowed to explore and run and play. If they are trustworthy, what's the problem?

One of mine is kept on a long line around other dogs as he is reactive. The other isn't and frankly if told to put her on a lead because there are children near, I'd be . The world doesn't revolve around your kids. Unless they're going to throw her stick for her, she isn't interested in them. Live and let live.

People on here are so hysterical about dogs, you'd think they were the antichrist.

It doesn’t sound like there was a problem. Dogs should be trained not to jump up at strangers obviously and need to have recall if they’re off the lead but it sounds like this dog did come back and didn’t physically interact with or bother anyone. The teenagers were happy to have the dog around them from what you describe. I don’t think the mere presence of children is a reason to put a dog on a lead. It depends on the dog.

I'm not being hysterical @nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut. I plainly said I don't have a lot of experience with dogs, hence the question.

I agree the presence of children isnt necessarily a reason to keep it on a lead. But as soon as the dog was close to 2 toddlers I think the dog should have been brought to heel. Maybe that's just me.

It does sound like a situation where the dog should absolutely have been on the lead. Dogs shouldn’t be off lead in suburban parks.

OP YANBU, overreacting or being ridiculous. It’s very clear in your OP, the dog does not stay close to heel and disappears from the owner’s sight. If your dog won’t walk to heel and be in sight at all times, you should walk it on a lead. Off-lead walking actually requires more attention from the owner, not just letting the dog do whatever they want.

It’s unlikely there is livestock in a country park but that doesn’t mean it’s not disturbing bird nests or eating something it shouldn’t eat, pooing... There are number of things that dog could be doing out of sight. Your friend then let’s it go up to a group of teenagers and sit with them for 10 mins but it’s ok ‘because they were ok’. Absolutely not OK for a whole host of reasons including if one of the teenagers was anxious but wasn’t prepared to say so in front of a group of their friends, the teens giving the dog something it shouldn’t have without them realising it’s bad for them and your dog shouldn’t bother other people sat down away from you. I’m a dog owner by the way, before I’m labelled as being of the anti-dog brigade. If I’ve sat down somewhere with my dogs, they will be on lead and expected to lie down. I’ve often left pubs and cafes with the dog after our meal for people to comment that they didn’t even realise a dog was there.

I can see both sides of this.

If the dog wasn't approaching anyone else, then he hasn't done anything wrong as such, but i do think dogs should stay close in busy areas. Especially play areas where there's lots of children.

I must admit in certain areas I do let my dog head into the bushes, but I regularly recall her to make sure she is still listening. I do expect her to stay by my side when children are around though, if she doesn't, she goes straight on the lead.

YANBU OP. I have a dog and would never let it out of my sight.

Owners are responsible for their dogs. That means that they need to keep them away from people who may not want them to say hello, reactive dogs that are being walked on lead, children who may be scared, and potential dog thieves/other dangers. They also need to see where the dog poos in order to pick it up...

Your friend is massively irresponsible and people like her give other dog owners a bad name.

my dog runs all over the local woods, she likes to go explore. more often than not were the only ones in there but she's in her element exploring. She even has set places where I know she does a poo so i can keep an eye and pick it up. She is doing no harm to no one (except the squirrels she chases which is also a sin according to mumsnet)
too many nitpicking threads about dogs these days.

YANBU your friend should have had her dog on the lead in that situation. If not it should be in sight (so as to spot a poo) and close by with reliable recall especially in an urban park

Op you seem to think that dogs are pre-programmes to eat toddlers or somthing.

My dog has no interest in children and would not approach one or even go near enough to knock one over.

Children on the other hand often harass my dog - with out any reaction from the parent.

My dog sometimes hangs out with a group of ld adults who like to throw his ball for him to fetch, you wouldn't know that if you walked with me but he goes over to them because he knows them. My dog also nips in the river for a swim, again a bit unusual. My dog has as perfect a recall as you can get (even around animals, food etc). Dogs vary but this one you describe seems fairly responsive, your anxiety is making you upset

@ItMustBeBedtimeSurely

Prior to covid, there was no more than a dozen people in the park for 9 months of the year, 12 people spread across many acres of parkland and woodland in our suburban park. Small recs aren't suitable for dogs but big parks have space for all (the sports fields are fenced off as are the kid's playgrounds, picnic area, tennis courts and outdoor gym - all are no dogs)

Dog owners should have their dog under control at all times.
If the dog is out of sight and hearing, it is not under control. It may be being a nuisence by leaving shit around or distressing people. (I don't mean tracking it as it moves through bushes for a moment)

My children fear dogs entirely because of feckless owners who've let their animal jump up and cause distress. I accept that slip-ups happen and if an owner reacts by getting the dog under control properly and is appologetic, I find that forgivable. Those owners that are not to be seen or get arguementative because I've had the audacity to bring young humans to a public space (I train my children to stand still and wait for the dog to pass. One has zero interest in approaching a dog, the other rarely gains the confidence to ask the owner to consider approaching their dog).

Sniffing around picnics is another nuisence behaviour that's pretty likely to occur in present circumstances.

If your friend wasn't worried, she should have been - you were right to be nervous. I rarely let my dog off the lead and if I see a child he's straight back on. I don't let my dog be a nuisance to anyone, and top of that list is not letting him wander around children.

@Lizzie523 YANBU, and ignore @nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut and their patronising and misogynistic accusations of you being 'hysterical.' That diatribe is always trotted out to shut a woman down. No-one would say this to a man.

@Lizzie523 YANBU, and ignore @nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut and their patronising and misogynistic accusations of you being 'hysterical.' That diatribe is always trotted out to shut a woman down. No-one would say this to a man.

@ClareBlue

All those saying what was OP worried about and what was the problem. Seriously? A dog off the lead out of site is a problem whatever its recall is. Fouling, other dogs, nervous children, small children, livestock, are just some of the potential issues. The walk was past a children's play area. Dogs should always be on a lead in public unless it is a designated area for them or you are so remote that they do not meet anyone else. Bounding dogs are absolutely terrifying to small children not used to them. Dogs are pack animals and you absolutely can not guarantee their behaviour off lead, what ever you think. Keep them on a lead.

This. ^ Dogs should ALWAYS be on a lead. It's the fucking law anyway!

And apart from that, the vast majority of dog owners do NOT have full control of their dogs. No matter how much they think their little pooches are so perfect, and their shit don't stink, not a single person I have ever met has full control over their dog.

I live in a rural village, and am sick to fucking death of going for a walk in the woodlands (or designated walkways in the fields around the village,) and meeting someone with their dog loose, having the dog bolt up to me, bark at me, bear his teeth at me, and sometimes jump up and knock me backwards.. You always get the usual cunty 'he won't hurt you' trope peddled out by the useless twatting owner too.

I am often shaken up, scared to death in case it attacks me, and have my clothes muddied or ripped where the little fucker jumped up me.

Keep your dog on a LEAD. No-one else is interested in interacting with it, and they don't want to be knocked off their feet by it, and they don't want to have to walk a mile out of their way to avoid passing it, in case it goes for them, because the stupid fucking entitled owner, has let it loose, and off its lead.

Some dog owners are such thoughtless twats. And don't anyone start garbling about the 'evils' of cats. This thread is about DOGS! And their useless owners!