'Don't worry, he's friendly'

[PraiseBee]

Too flippin friendly. Yet again, another dog running up to my four year old DC with a chunk of a branch in its mouth, firmly ignoring it's owners recall whilst they yell at me 'don't worry, Fluffyballs is friendly'. My DC loves dogs but hates dogs rushing up to him and is obviously scared. Large dogs are the same height as him and can easily knock him over. Imagine as an adult being rushed up to by a horse with a bit of tree trunk in its mouth trying to lick your face. I think most adults would be perturbed by this. It seems to be happening more often. Are dogs getting less well trained? I think the thing that makes my blood boil over is that the dog owners seem to think their dog is the most amazing thing ever so of course me and my DC want to bowled over by Fluffyballs. No we really don't and no, I give a shit what your dog is called. AIBU to be so annoyed by this happening every time we go to a children's park?!

YANBU. I hate it when dogs approach my clearly terrified children and the dog owners do nothing or say it’s ok it’s friendly. No. It’s not ok. Winds me up! Wish people would control their dogs. Also annoys me when people let dogs run free on dog free beaches and run over peoples blankets etc ..plenty of dog beaches..go there. We choose dog free beaches not to see dogs😡

@beentoldcomputersaysno If I were you, I'd report all such behaviour to the council/dog warden. The parks and play areas are generally their property and they need to up the rules / signage / CCTV / enforcement - a change in law night be necessary to do it - but ignorant owners won't change unless forced to, sadly.

Appalling attitudes!

Walked our Shih Tzhu last month (barker & nervous so always on lead)... old staffie bounded over... OH don't worry he wouldn't hurt a fly... my dog yapping staffie happy with me but then got tired with noise & attack my dog... luckily I could hold them apart while the embarrassed owner leased their dog and walked away.
no one hurt but could have been much worse.

@beentoldcomputersaysno

It has got worse this last year. I've only mentioned it once to the owners when two dogs were barking, running and jumping on a path by the playground. My reception son now has a fear of dogs due to how many have run up jumping at him or next to him off lead. Toddler got knocked over. I asked them if they could put them on leads on the path by the playground and was told they're only doing what dogs do. FFS.

My friend was having a picnic with her son - dog ran over and took his snack. Owner called over that he was friendly. My friend said "he's just taken my child's food and sniffed over everything. Owner went ballistic at her because dogs shouldn't eat that type of snack so why the fuck did she bring it to a park!!!!

Your dog may be friendly. As dog owners, can I ask that you respect other people?! I say that as someone who has had dogs and loves dogs. I wouldn't let my child come screaming and climbing on your dog and say it's friendly - please show us the same courtesy!

I don’t think that it’s got worse in the last year, irresponsible dog owners are not rare at all, people have noticed it much more the last year because people are out more and noticing it. Iv been doing a school run for 4 years which we walk through a little woods and through a field (in the summer) for a short cut and it happens almost every day, the kids get dog slobber and mud over them even the dogs jump up at the buggy, try to take the food they’re eating and the fucking licking I can’t bare it, licking the kids and their food 🙈 but it’s ok cos he’s friendly, he won’t hurt them 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Love dogs, had a dog myself.

When I was a child I was bitten by a dog belonging to a friend of my mums. Beforehand I was told he was "just being friendly" and then afterwards "oh he's never done that before". Well great. I don't like or trust dogs ever since...or their owners...

I just screech back that I'm allergic to dogs (which I am). Owners put their dogs back on a leash after that.

I've had a few times in both my pregnancies where I've felt nervous about enthusiastic dogs coming up to me. I actually used my dh as a shield once when I was about 6 months pregnant because a lady was letting her big dogs run around a churchyard like crazy as we were walking through it. I do like dogs and ordinarily wouldn't be nervous but it's different in pregnancy. Wouldn't want to be jumped up on.

This happened to me last week. Even as a grown up it was quite intimidating having a dog bound up and harass me and my dog who was on a lead. Owner absolutely oblivious to it all even when I shouted to her to call her dog back.

I have the biggest dog on the common and completely understand how people feel about dogs jumping up. Mine doesn't I'm glad to say and I spend time talking to people with children who are interested in him, showing them how to feed him a treat etc. It is a bit like feeding time at the zoo but rewarding when the children look so proud of being brave and gaining a small new skill.
Not everyone will agree, I know.

My dog is super friendly, only small & a complete nutter. She's also a total dick, reacts oblivious to any & all attempts at training & will try to jump up anyone. This is why she's kept on a lead. It's a retractable lead, so she can wander ahead when we're alone, but near roads, people & other dogs, it's short lead & pulled as close as possible to me. If other people want to pet her, they can, usually after asking first. But yes, I also get the "it's friendly" brigade & it p's me off too! I'm also disabled & walk with either sticks or crutches & have almost been knocked down by so-called friendly dogs. My dog made poor life choices when refusing to learn (she's chihuahua, Jack Russell cross) & continuing to be incredibly stubborn, but why should other people have to deal with it??

My daughter was knocked over at 3 by two spaniels and screamed. It was directly outside a playground. Woman let them off leads too soon. Owners response when I shouted for her to fetch her gods...." Control hour children!#. Oh my....

I could have written this myself. Had the same issue this morning as well. The owner was like it's ok she's very friendly and won't bite but yet the dog had his teeth out and my kids were hiding behind me screaming because they were scared. You would have thought the owner would pick the dog up or pull it away but no he just stood there and watched fgs

Does it matter if a dog is friendly or not? Isn’t it about infringement of personal space? I’ve had loads of incidents, snatched food out of my child’s hand, owners letting their dogs lick unattended water bottles at sports matches and not owning up so the child owner who then tries to use the bottle afterwards (yuk except I said something in time), dogs pooping next to us eating our picnic on the grass and the smell wafting over, dogs ransacking picnics, balls thrown at me and dog charging at me chasing the ball crashing into my legs (“it’s not his fault it’s only a dog”), large breeds refusing to leave my crotch alone and feeling violated having their snouts up my dress, being chased by a dog while out jogging, dog stopping to poop right in the doorway of a shop in a High Street and having to wait for it to finish before I could enter, smirking owners letting their dogs chase ducks we’re feeding enjoying the disappointment in my children’s faces…the list goes on and on. If I complain online locally I get the usual “conversion therapy” response like “you’re welcome to meet my dog if you’re scared”, no I’m not scared of dogs, i don’t need to be “brought round to the idea of loving dogs”. I don’t love them and I don’t hate them, I just don’t want to spend every waking minute sharing my space with them or disciplining your dog. There used to be fewer dogs because it was seen as something that required time and attention that few people had as one upon a time people had real friends, family, holidays, careers, hobbies and other things to keep them occupied but now everyone is so damn lonely. The sight of so many people walking aimlessly swinging dog poop bags or stopping to chat to other bored dog owners holding dog poop bags is quite depressing really, where’s the glamour in life gone?. I have one middle aged couple going past my house every single day, a dog each, “his and hers” dogs, swiping on their phones continuously not talking to each other even, not looking at their dog, glued to their phone, what’s the point honestly in having two dogs then if you’re not going to spend the time chatting to your spouse? I won’t even start on how I feel about the amount of money and resources people waste on dogs, school might have been closed during the pandemic, but the doggy washing super van still shows up, whilst half the world struggles to eat.

Go to places where dogs aren’t allowed

Common sense.

Why should everyone change their routine or bow over for your child?

Surprised at the replies

Nobody cares about your kid. Go to a kid only park or go in the part of the park dogs aren’t allowed

It’s not lack of training for owners it’s the entitlement of people and thinking others should bow to Their kid.

My dogs I would not give a ish either not acknowledge you

I recently took my dog/3month old pup to the beach and ran up to someone man on the dog side of the beach I could not care less. Go to the part where dogs aren’t allowed

My nephew is not fond of dogs but my sister encourages him to get over this fear not wrap
Him in a bubble expecting others to bow down to him.
It’s hard to train a dog and they exist get over it.

@rosalie11

Go to places where dogs aren’t allowed

Common sense.

Why should everyone change their routine or bow over for your child?

Aren't dogs allowed pretty much everywhere?

I inadvertently found the solution to this increasing problem a last year.

We’d been considering a dog for a few years, so is always at home and the dc are old enough now so we started researching.

I was put off the idea during lockdown when it seemed everyone suddenly got a (badly trained monstrosity) dog. Suddenly we couldn’t even go for a walk in the local woods/street/park without being scared by a badly socialised dog (or three) growling/running at us and the dc. I didn’t want to add to the new pandemic of dipshit owners who never bothered to train properly or put their antisocial dog on a lead.

But then we saw her on the local dog rescue charity’s Facebook page. An adorable Staffy who had had a terrible start in life and would be perfect for our family.

She is the softest daftest smiliest thing, and I was always terrified of them! But she completely won us all over and is now a family member.

Anyway, all those other useless dog owners? They suddenly flinch when they see us walking down the road/forest (ddog does look intimidating bless her, set like a mini tank!) and put their dog on a lead/drag it away from us! No more dogs running up to us since.

She’s the loveliest dog in the world and would most likely lick them if they got too close, but it is an unexpected bonus!

Last week I had three separate experiences of this. All on footpaths through the woods. On one occasion, three dogs jumping all over me and my dog - no owners to be seen. When they eventually appeared, I asked them to control their dogs, to which they responded "they are friendly". I said they had jumped all over me and my dog and was told "they don't jump". It's the arrogance I struggle with! An apology whilst putting the dogs on leads would go along way! On another occasion, a father and child were playing football on the green. The was a dog wandering around but they had no interest in it, until it jumped at my 7 year old. He called it half heartedly but it didn't return to him. My DD told the dog to sit, stay and try to walk away. Eventually it followed us home,up the drive trying to jump at her. I called the owner but again, no apology. I wish I had let it in the garden and phoned the dog warden!

@rosalie11

I recently took my dog/3month old pup to the beach and ran up to someone man on the dog side of the beach I could not care less. Go to the part where dogs aren’t allowed

My nephew is not fond of dogs but my sister encourages him to get over this fear not wrap
Him in a bubble expecting others to bow down to him.
It’s hard to train a dog and they exist get over it.

Do I understand correctly that you allow your unleashed dog to run up to people with no concern whatsoever?

"It's hard to train a dog"?!

So, keep it on a lead and learn how to train it. I.e. be a responsible dog owner.

Why should everyone change their routine or bow over for your child?

Because children trump dogs. And dogs can seriously harm children, and have.

Responsible dog owners keep them under control around people and other dogs.

Nobody cares about your kid. Go to a kid only park or go in the part of the park dogs aren’t allowed

You'll find that the law does care about the kids.

Given a strange dog or a strange child, guess who most people would worry about?

It's a strange world indeed if children have to stay in kids only places whereas dogs are allowed to go anywhere unleashed.

I hope rosalie is just trolling, because their attitude stinks.