To have carried on running?

[OdettySpaghetti]

Went for a run this morning. Ran past a couple of women with offlead dogs (cockapoo and a frenchie) which chased me as I passed them. They were not aggressive, more like running alongside me. The owners shouted of them but the dogs ignored them and carried on following me. I kept on running - before long we (me and dogs!) we’re quite a distance from the owners who were miles behind shouting and running (in a fashion) after us. I ran my usual route, off this path and into a wooded cut through, dogs still by my side. I’m getting pissed off at this point as I know I’m coming to a road and will need to stop so the owners can get their dogs. Sure enough I come to the road and stop. The dogs stop too and just start sniffing around but because we’re now close to a road I feel I have to take the dogs back before they dart across it so I head back the way I came, fuming that this has messed my run up. When the owners catch up one says “if you’d just stopped running we could have got them ages ago!” I replied that their dogs are not my responsibility to which they replied “no need to take them close to a main road though is there? Where is your common sense?” So livid now I say “get your fucking dogs under control, next time I don’t stop at the road”.

AIbU to have not wanted to mess my run up?

So many dog owners have entitlement issues
Two weeks ago it was cyclists. During lockdown it was runners!

Every group have a sense of entitlement. Many mothers certainly do. It's always the others though!

@vivainsomnia

I think it was really generous of you to have stopped at the road! As opposed to crossing and then risking the dogs finally turning back crossing the road and getting bit by a car?

Yes, very generous

Maybe the owners would have leaned a lesson if something had actually happened. You’re too kind OP - I’d have just carried on running. Animals running beside me isn’t my problem.

Sunshineandflipflops

I’m a runner and have stopped in this scenario before. Annoying but usually only for a few seconds. Most owners do seem to put their dogs on a lead when I approach or at least grab their collars until I have passed though“

Responsible dog owners will do exactly this. After an embarrassing chase in the woods when our terrier was barely 6 months old, I trained her to come to me and stand up at my knees whilst the runner passed by. She got her ears tickled and a treat. Learned the routine very quickly. Did the same when we heard children approaching.

People saying runners should stop in these circumstances, really? On a 5 mile run in our area, that would mean hundreds of stops!

@vivainsomnia

What about the OP stopping prior to the road and returning the out of control dogs was 'unkind' ? Because according to OP by then the owners were moles behind and obviously out of sight.

So why is that her problem? Why was her behaviour unkind? Or are you suggesting that a woman who doesn't entirely abandon her run to return out of control dogs to irresponsible owners is unkind?

What about the owners - where's their responsibility to be 'kind' enough to ensure their dogs don't bother strangers, respond to recall or cause traffic accidents?

So many dog owners ideas about 'solid recall' involve shouting their dog's name about 50 times, running around after them, shouting at other dogs and anyone in the vicinity who's not actively helping to catch their hound and eventually, when they've finally got the dog saying something like, 's/he doesn't like runners/children/leaves blowing/people on bikes/grass/trees'.

IMVHE.

I once had a confused dog running with me. owner was running as well and for a while we were running together but at a crossroad the dog stayed with me rather than it's owner.
that was rather cute though when the dog realised. but this dog was clearly used to running and very polite, not getting into anyone's feet, head down with an occassional look to it's owner.

She could have easily stopped and the situation would be remedied, that’s just common sense
And just the nice thing to do.

@TractorAndHeadphones not that I’m saying kids and dogs are the same because obviously they aren’t and I’m not even a dog person so not trying to compare the two but would you let a strangers toddler/young child run into the road just because their parent hadn’t taught them bomb proof road safety yet and they’d managed to run ahead?

I totally agree dogs should be on leads etc but I don’t think we always have to be teaching people lessons, it’s ok to help others out even if it’s their own silly actions leading to a situation.

You weren't exactly wrong but it really depends on how you want to exist in the world, sometimes people's nice non aggressive dogs will join you for a run. They're dogs! Yes, people should have better recall but often with nice dogs they don't. Would have taken you 30 secs to stop, jog on the spot, say good morning to fellow human beings, and saved you the hassle of returning them once you got to the road. If you ask me arrogant runners are as annoying as dog owners without perfect recall. We all gotta share our outdoor spaces!

I’m not a runner but have come across this a lot when walking my own dog (on lead). Off lead dogs follow us. I just stop. I think it’s a pretty dick move not to.

You really only gave yourself more work and pissed yourself off by not stopping.

But this kind of thing happens all the time. If runners (and others) keep bringing dogs back then owners will never see how important it is to get their dogs properly trained. Good on the OP for showing her feelings.

@Leibham

You could have got the dogs killed.

Recall, when when solid, can out of the blue stop if the distraction is strong enough. All owners face this moment where they trust their dog and out of nowhere they have a ‘moment’

So it is really common sense too.

Then don’t let the dogs off the lead. Simple. If you have the sort of dog that needs a lot of running around exercise and you don’t live in an area that allows it then … don’t have that breed of dog.

Maybe the owners would have leaned a lesson if something had actually happened. You’re too kind OP - I’d have just carried on running. Animals running beside me isn’t my problem
I'll take being too nice every minute of every day over teaching anyone grieving for their loss a lesson for an unfortunate accident that could easily have prevented.

I guess we are very different!

MrsRobbieHart

I’m not a runner but have come across this a lot when walking my own dog (on lead). Off lead dogs follow us. I just stop. I think it’s a pretty dick move not to.“

To be fair, it’s much easier to do that when you’re out walking with your dog (when if it’s anything like our old girl was, you’d be frequently stopping anyway) than it is to stop/start as a runner, especially if you’re in training for something. We used to pass hundreds of dogs on our route (she’s no longer with us ) and for a runner to stop for them just wasn’t realistic.

Or are you suggesting that a woman who doesn't entirely abandon her run to return out of control dogs to irresponsible owners is unkind?
Abandon her run? You mean add 10s to her run by turning back at that stage. Yes, terrible hardship it would have been!

vivainsomnia

“I'll take being too nice every minute of every day over teaching anyone grieving for their loss a lesson for an unfortunate accident that could easily have prevented“

It ought to be prevented by the owners, with adequate training, don’t you think?

But OP did have to stop anyway. so not unrealistic at all. She either stopped when the started following her, or stopped when she got to the road. She chose to stop later.

[quote Hotelhelp]@TractorAndHeadphones not that I’m saying kids and dogs are the same because obviously they aren’t and I’m not even a dog person so not trying to compare the two but would you let a strangers toddler/young child run into the road just because their parent hadn’t taught them bomb proof road safety yet and they’d managed to run ahead?

I totally agree dogs should be on leads etc but I don’t think we always have to be teaching people lessons, it’s ok to help others out even if it’s their own silly actions leading to a situation.[/quote]
A child doesn’t run after people and scare them.
Dogs do. There are lots of people who are allergic to dogs/have a phobia for fear of being jumped at. So it’s very important to teach dog owners a lesson.

But this kind of thing happens all the time
And more standard MN drama! I've been running for 30 years in many different places including seafront where many dogs are off lead. I had the occasional dog running next to me. It makes me smile. Never have O come across OP's scenario!

The safety of the dogs would have trumped the anger at the owners for me, but maybe theyll learn to control them now.

Eventually, yes. It ought never to have come to that, though. The dogs ought to be on leads if they don’t have reliable recall.
This was 100% not the runner’s responsibility.

Why should everyone else take responsibility for untrained dogs and their stupid owners? I was walking with my 80 year old mum last week when a large dog came running up to us and jumped straight up my mum and nearly knocked her over. The owner wasn’t even in sight and when he diid eventually get to us, the dog took no notice of him and continued to run around us barking. He then said those classic words “He’s the friendliest dog you could ever meet”. When I said that it had almost knocked my mum over and he should keep his dog on a lead if he had no control over it, he told me to shut the fuck up. No apology, just a typical dog owner who doesn’t take any responsibility for the actions of their dog.

A child doesn’t run after people and scare them
I had many more near misses with kids not looking where they are going than dogs.

I am a dog owner and a runner. Yanbu op! Up to the owners to control their dogs!