'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?!

Eldest nephew was bitten by a 'friendly' dog when he was 7. Despite everyone's best efforts, at 12, he is still terrified of dogs, so if one comes bounding up to him he automatically kicks out.

He has been called all sorts by irate owners who only see his self protection action and not the action of their off lead dog that provoked it.

I hate this 'he's a big softy!' while he comes bounding up to my baby in her pushchair. Yeah sure, he's a bit softy until he isn't and she's right at face level with him.

For the past few months I've been walking a neighbours dog every weekday (relationship breakdown etc, she's not really coping so I have been helping out). I'm not a dog person really, I have cats, and this one is going and quite energetic. So I never ever let him off the lead. He's not mine and I can't guarantee he will come back to me so I cannot take the risk. But I see so many dog walkers with dogs off the lead who have absolutely no recall whatsoever and when they come up to 'my' dog the owner is all 'oh he just wants to play hahahaa' to cover up the fact that they can't get their dog under control.

I personally don't think dogs should be off the lead in public places full stop, but I know that's not a popular view.

Absolutely with you OP.

My usually trustworthy git of a spaniel mugged a ten year old girl yesterday for the dog treat she was waving at her own puppy. Oh god, the shame. Back to the training sessions for us.

don't worry, he doesn't bite" while the dog had his teeth embedded firmly in my leg! Me:" he's biting me now, get him off!"

I’ve had this too. Small dog ran out of some bushes and dunk his teeth into my calf. Owner calling cheerily from afar ‘don’t worry he’s friendly’.

My dog (on a lead) instantly pounced on the attacker, got him by the throat and shook him like a rat. Owner was livid. I showed her the puncture marks on my leg.
‘You must have provoked him’

I said my dog nearly killed yours for that surprise ambush and she had the cheek to say mine should be muzzled!

Yes, I've definitely noticed this.

A not so friendly dog came flying at my daughter a while ago while she was playing in a quiet park, picking up sticks. I saw it from quite a distance and it spitted my daughter and just charged at her, snarling. I snatched her up instantly. The owners were completely inept - first of all they didn't even notice their dog had bolted, then the woman saw and called her dog to absolutely no avail. The man eventually called it and it stopped. The woman came runnning over, begging us not to hurt it.

No-one had any intention of hurting her mutt, my daughter (who was 3!) still had a stick in her hand from where I'd suddenly picked her up. We were both shaken and neither of us botgeted by dogs, usually.

Dogs are as much responsibility as children. Owners seem to be oblivious to their behavior and powerless to stop it.

One of my friends has a dog. She laughs ineffectually as it bounds over to people and sniffs around their picnics. Mostly, people seem not to mind, but I'm mortified. I wish more people would show this displeasure, so she would realise how unacceptable it is

A quarter of a million people end up in A and E with dog bites every year in the UK.
Let me just repeat that. A quarter of a million.
I bet the owners all claimed their fucking savage curs were “just being friendly”.

Now when I see an off lead dog coming at us I put myself between dog and DC and shout ‘no, leave it, get back, no’ in a harsh gruff voice. Most dogs turn back if you sound threatening. Stamping the ground helps too.

If it keeps coming I’ve no qualms in letting my dog step in to keep it away from my DC.

@OhRene Did it help?

I absolutely hate it. I’m terrified of big dogs and actually the same as MarianneUnfaithful I don’t want their muddy paws and their saliva anywhere near me.

We once had the police at our door asking (now Ex) H why he attacked an innocent dog for no reason at the local nature reserve.

After we stopped laughing we explained how the Staffy bit exH's ankle as he was cycling with then 18mo DD on the back of the bike in her child's seat. ExH kicked the mutt in the face once he'd freed his foot from its grip, obviously worried it would attack DD, and it scuttled away whimpering. Cue some meat head going absolutely spare and saying if exH hadn't been cycling so quick it wouldn't have gone for him as the dog reacts to fast moving things he followed them back to the car and reported ex to the police.

The officers soon left, armed with an official complaint against the dog (and annoyed they'd been sent to us with half a story) after exH showed them the bandaged ankle and doctors note he got from the hospital after he had to go get the wound stitched and cleaned. I can't quite remember how it panned out but we absolutely wanted the dog PTS. And I hope it was. Not sorry

As the owner of an extremely friendly and over enthusiastic dog, you are not being unreasonable! I’m always careful around young children as said dog is also extremely clumsy, he doesn’t jump up but the child might get knocked over as dog tries to get as much attention as possible from child! It’s never happened because I don’t let it, but I worry about it as he’s constantly knocking things over in the house! We actually have the opposite problem where little children always want to come up and stroke him and usually he’s just been swimming and looks like a bog monster and I’m thinking… if you really want to? 😂 but I always warn the parent that he’s just been swimming so is dirty!!

Yep, we used to have a rescue dog. He was not good with other dogs so had to be kept on lead, we were working on at least getting him to not freak out if he saw another dog in the distance. But it was so difficult because other people would let their dogs run up to him, always while shouting "Don't worry, they're friendly!".

We have a dog like this. So I always shout back, "but she's not, she's VERY aggressive". Usually makes even the most ineffectual owners rush to grab their dogs,

It may be getting worse but it isn't new. I remwmber being knocked over by an off lead old english sheep dog (Dulux dog) when I was about 6. This would have been around 1969/70. It wasn't being aggressive but having such a massive animal on top of you with an open mouth in your face was scary.

@TakesTheHindLeg

Now when I see an off lead dog coming at us I put myself between dog and DC and shout ‘no, leave it, get back, no’ in a harsh gruff voice. Most dogs turn back if you sound threatening. Stamping the ground helps too.

If it keeps coming I’ve no qualms in letting my dog step in to keep it away from my DC.

It also helps to put your hands up like you're surrendering. But being clear and gruff is a good tactic!

To be fair, OP, I get the opposite. My cute small fluffy adorable dog attracts the cooing of kids. My dog hates kids. They really scare her. It's the rushing around, high pitch noise. It leaves her shaking.

Yet almost weekly, I get a kid rishi go to her to pet her, usually with a hight pitch 'oh they're soooo cute', and parents stare despite my dog recalling. When I move away with her and explains that she is afraid of children, I get kids who totally ignore me and still try and parents who look at me with disdain.

I agree that dogs shouldn't rush to kids however friendly. Bad dog training is as prédominent and poor raising of children.

Drives me crazy. We have a very antisocial dog, despite the huge amounts spent on behaviourists and trainers, so he’s never off the lead. We have a long line for when we take him to a local park which is usually quiet and very open so we can see people coming from a distance and bring him back. Despite being hyper vigilant, we are constantly having dogs charging up to him while the owner either don’t try, or fail to recall. Even after we’ve shouted that he’s not friendly. It’s at least once on every walk.

Yep my 3 year old ds is petrified of dogs as his only real experience is dogs his size bounding up to him and getting in his face. We would be scared if a dog the same size as us came running over uncontrolled. Fed up of dozy dog owners shouting over ‘don’t worry he’s friendly’ as it runs full pelt towards my son.
I bloody love dogs but I do feel protective of my child - I don’t know you or your dog so keep them away from us!

It also helps to put your hands up like you're surrendering. But being clear and gruff is a good tactic!

Good idea. If I’m sitting on a bench and don’t have time to stand I put my foot out (not to kick, just to deter) works with geese too!

Also, does anyone enjoy getting licked and slobbered on by a friendly dog? I don't. We don't have a dog ourselves, but my sister's dog has finally come to understand that if he tries this with me, he'll be pushed away. Whereas if he sits nicely, he might get his head scratched .

Got my dog a few months before the pandemic so little interaction with other dogs. Is always on lead on a walk. And had an incident with a dog rushing over. She was on her lead so couldn't run away, so only could go for the defence and tried to bite the dog. I am sick to death of people saying Oh he just wants to play! I just shout back Well mine don't! One has terrible recall and owner don't care. Hers came running over yet again and said to me, I know what your going to say (ie should be on lead). I said and what if mine bites yours? She said Oh dogs will be dogs!! I mean what the hell can you do with that. And mine is way bigger than her scrappy little thing. Walking the dog is not relaxing.

I find dog owners in general the worst type of people, all fur babies this and oh yes child rearing is just like being up my dog or I love my dogs more than my children.

Ps dogs don’t love you unconditionally!

My DD’s are terrified of dogs, they always have been so I’ve had to deal with years of ‘friendly’ dogs running over to them. They just become hysterical and it further perpetuates the fear.

Oh it's horrible. I am not a dog person, used to be terrified of them but not as bad now but I still find their smell and slober disgusting. I don't mind being near them in a park, I quite like watching them play actually, but I am sick to death of them touching me, climbing up my legs with mud on their feet and licking me. I posted a while ago about a dog taking a mouthful of my 2yo hair and refusing to let go, and in that same park 2 or 3 dogs have physically jumped into my pram. I now feel I can't go to that particular park which is a real shame as it's one of my favourites.

occasionally runs and once he does that you've lost him.
I will say "he's friendly" because I don't want people to worry BUT I chase after him, put him on a lead and make clear it's not acceptable.
FFS. You’re exactly the problem! If he does this, he needs to be on a lead at all times. Chasing him and putting it on afterwards is bloody pointless.

I've owned dogs all my life, but the two I've got now will probably be my last, I am totally fed up of idiot owners and untrained neurotic dogs. Almost every walk is spoiled by unwanted dogs with no recall and sheep worrying and attacks on other domestic animals has increased dramatically.

I also miss seeing good old mongrels, every dog seems to be a designer dog now.