'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?!

The arrogance of some of these replies is startling!!! For those who think their dogs trump children, the law actually states that your dog should be under control - if it is running up to people and jumping, it is not.

Rosalie, why should everyone work around your mutts? Your mutt comes up to me or mine, it might just get a ruddy good boot, if that's your attitude. Keep your pooch safe, you don't know who might not be friendly to your mutt, when it invades other people's personal space.

Why should everyone work around your kids? And no I’m not “trolling” just because someone has a different opinion to you doesn’t mean that person is a “troll” again the self entitlement is a joke.

Go away and live in the real world! Dogs exist, and there are children only parks which you should attend if you don’t want dogs on your primark clothes

Not in London they aren’t allowed everywhere and their are dog parts of the beach, my local park has two sections cornered off where dogs aren’t allowed.

Children should love animals not be scared of them and because you bubble your kids now everyone else must suffer.

Rosalie, the law actually states that you must have your mutt under effective control, and if you do not, your mutt is potentially going to be the one that suffers because you are a lazy, negligent dog owner, and it threatens or harms a human, child or otherwise. Yes, dogs are hard to train. If you are too lazy or dumb to do it, don't get a dog.

It's funny that you mention a horse running up to you with a branch in your first post op, as I've seen a horse do that. But I'm a horsey person and rather than frighten me, it made me almost collapse from laughing. But for someone else, yep that would be terrifying.

Agreed on dogs. Most people around here seem to have some form of control over their dogs, saw someone with a large dog that was off lead, but as soon as the dog saw me, it turned around and went back to its owner and stayed at his side until I was past. Thought that was very impressive training.

@rosalie11
I can assure you that if your precious puper ran up to me on a pedestrian walkway, a childrens park, a school bloody playground, a restaurant, cafe, a beach or even bloody OFFFICE (Yes all fecking places dogs now apparently 'belong')

It would be well and truly booted with force using either my crutch or my good foot.

My safety for my disabled body and the safety of any children near me, comes well and truly first. Your idiot dog jumping and running will knock me off balance, I'm not risking damages and more surgery because you are an entitled owner. My human rights come before your feral out of control animal

Unless you are in a dog park leash the bloody thing or it will one day get hurt by someone reactionary to it's harrassment.

Children should love animals not be scared of them and because you bubble your kids now everyone else must suffer.

Funny that. Maybe children wouldn't be shared of dogs if they were under control and strange dogs didn't run up to them.

If you think keeping your dog on a lead or under control is suffering for you, then maybe you shouldn't own a dog.

And why should children (or anyone of any age, for that matter) love animals? Some folks do, some folks don't. You love your animal - cool. But don't require other people to dote on them and indulge them. A bit like kids, really.

Go away and live in the real world! Dogs exist, and there are children only parks which you should attend if you don’t want dogs on your primark clothes

Not trolling, you say?
There's a difference of opinion and there's thinking dogs should roam free and children who worry about dogs should be kept in children only parks. How do you suggest children get to those parks? Or get anywhere?
And as for Primark clothes being the worry, it's just laughable.
The truth is that if you can't train your dog to stay with you, how can you possibly be reassured it won't bite a child who gets startled?
Children are the default. Dogs, in particular companion dogs, are nice add ons for some people.

@mbosnz

And why should children (or anyone of any age, for that matter) love animals? Some folks do, some folks don't. You love your animal - cool. But don't require other people to dote on them and indulge them. A bit like kids, really.

Yes. Except that kids keep us as a species going. They'll be our future doctors, engineers, carers, etc. Whereas dogs are nice to have around (for those who like them - and I do, I'm very friendly to dogs) but are not essential to our population. In fact, companion dogs just add on to increased use of resources (food, vets, toys...). Apart from some people who do need support from a dog or need them for mental health, most people don't need to have dogs at all. Just increase our carbon footprint.

@Flowerlane

Dog owner here, this annoys me! We have noticed more dogs running over to us when on our walks. My dog doesn’t want to socialise with you ‘friendly dog’ we want to get on with our walk in piece. It seems many of the ‘lockdown’ puppy buyers are the problem here, bought a pup couldn’t socialise it properly or go to training classes.

Totally agree. When two trembling small dogs (mine) hide behind their owner's legs and audibly cry as your huge dogs come bounding over isn't it bloody obvious that it's not their idea of fun to be chased all over the park by your dogs? Odd how many owners think their dog "playing chase" is great fun for the chased dog......

Do all the doggy apologists shrieking 'why should people accommodate YOU?!' not see the irony in what they're saying? They fully expect people to accommodate their dog, don't they?

Yeap totally agree.

People who need a dog and delude themselves it's genuine affection instead of food focused pack animal codependence are just deluded. I understand the companionship of a truly well trained working dog, like a sheep dog but they are not the average fur baby. The fact there are so many dogs just shows how messed up we are these days. I used to live overseas and in countries were people had real purpose and community in life and large supportive families with children around they simply didn't have as many pet dogs because they had more real human companionship.

The dog may be friendly, I am not. Your dog's need to run up and lick everyone it meets does not outweigh my desire not to be licked by your pet.

There are plenty of people who like dogs so associate with them and leave the rest of us alone.

Totally agree. Here liking dogs is seen as a sign of good character. It's total rubbish. I would never be cruel to an animal and I expect the same of my my children but no one in my family is a bad person if they prefer a hamster or a horse or anything they damn well like over a dog it's their choice. It doesn't make me a bad person just because I see it for what it is, a food focused poo machine with a human at the other end who probably has an emotional need that can't be filled. Personally I love cats but I never ever delude myself that they care about me, they care about their bellies but bring me pleasure because well they know how to manipulate me and look cute. On the other hand when I had children I learned what responsibility, worry, sacrifice, love really is and a dog (or cat) doesn't even come close. The job of raising children is much more important and once I had children it pretty much cured me of any delusions that any animal could be my fur baby. Only a few people really benefit from dog ownership, I agree working dogs, those with disabilities the rest is decadent wasteful consumption.

@vicarc what a horrible spiteful post.