To be totally fed up with dogs?

[dogtroubl]

When we moved in, neighbours had an old dog that used to wander into our garden and leave poo everywhere. Couldn’t use garden with young kids due to mess and large dog.

Complained (politely), after quite a bit of unpleasantness fence finally fixed, dog died and they got 2 new dogs that were loud but contained.

Neighbours moved, new neighbours also have 2 dogs and fence is in a bad state of repair again due to the constant barking, snarling and scratching that happens every time we go outside. I always make sure I’m out there with the kids in case it breaks because they don’t sound friendly at all.

Their neighbours also have 2 dogs so the 2 sets are always setting each other off barking.

Family members also have dogs. One very old who soils everywhere and one very large, young dog who is very playful and jumps up and licks and dribbles all over you.

My daughter is terrified (the dog is easily as tall as her) and the family member always says dog will be shut away when we go over, but dog is always let or gets out soon after. I can tell my daughter’s fear of this dog irritates the family member but she’s genuinely scared after an incident when she was a toddler, plus this dog is like a horse to her and could do serious damage even with just a nip.

We’ve been to a few kids’ playgrounds over the holidays, dogs off lead and running all over the place at each one. Chasing kids in a “playful” way that scares them.

Dog poo all over footpaths and verges everywhere. Kids tread in it, I tread in it, buggy goes in it because I don’t see it until it’s too late.

I know it’s bad owners not the dogs’ fault etc but AIBU to just be totally fed up with dogs?

[quote Besttobe8001]@teaklaxon

That's really heartwarming and all but it's not going to make me feel any better the 100th time I walk dog shit into my house by accident or have snagged tights from a unknown dog jumping up my legs. We don't all have to sacrifice so you can have your Big Love with your dog! And yeah your dog might not jump up and you probably do pick up it's shit but I'm with op, I'm really sick of the (commonplace) anti social behaviour of dog owners in my densely populated area.[/quote]
I just think it’s remarkable that all these many awful anti social dogs seem to find people who hate dogs to jump up on, while ignoring those of us who like dogs.

It’s all a bit of a coincidence.

Unless of course someone’s existing dislike of dogs means that they are likely to massively overstate their experience with anti-social dogs. Because in my experience, I very very rarely encounter a dog who jumps up at me - and I am in a park with dozens of dogs pretty much every day.

I've never been jumped up on by a dog that I've not beckoned over and I go on two very busy dog walks a day

@Alexandra2001

I don’t mind that not everyone gets that for themselves. The people who cannot even understand that other people do get that from their dogs, or want to take it away, really are quite pathetic though

ah another bout of name calling!

No one is saying don't enjoying your dog or allow him to enjoy himself but why not try to understand that there are millions of dog owners (9 million households have ay least one dog) out there that don't give a shiny shit that other people do not want to be stepping in poo, having dogs coming up to them barking or worse and as the poll shows, people are getting more and more pissed off by entitled owners that do as they please,

Even on here we have people telling others "well its you and your DD problem if she doesn't like dogs, get her treatment, dogs aren't going away"

FFS How about stopping "your" mutt terrorising people who for what ever reason don't like dogs?

My dog doesn’t terrorise anyone.

It is the repeated attempt to pretend that most dogs do that is pathetic and just not true.

No one here disagrees that dog owners should train their dogs well, clean up after them, understand how they behave and keep them under control.

What people disagree with is the ridiculous implication that most dog owners don’t already do this, and that as a result dog owners should be curtailed from perfectly reasonable activity like their dog walking with them on a footpath in a park off lead.

As for ‘no one is saying don’t enjoy your dog’, there are literally people on here arguing that dogs as pets shouldn’t exist.

@Mreggsworth

I've never been jumped up on by a dog that I've not beckoned over and I go on two very busy dog walks a day

Yep. On last nights walk the most I got was a dog who kind of hung out near me for a while because they’d seen me give my dog a treat.

Of course if that made me uncomfortable I’d have just asked the owner to get it and pop it on a lead. Simple.

@Mreggsworth Of course but somethings are optional.

Look, if people with dogs showed a little more consideration toward others, instead of expecting other people to fit in around our interest, then we could all rub along nicely.

@TeaKlaxon Really? so 8000 people who are hospitalised each year have all made it up? and that wont of course inc many others who are attacked but not bitten.

@TeaKlaxon I was recently socked in the head by an off lead dog carrying a large stick in Hampstead Heath. Owner apologised. I moved on with my life. If I went by this thread I should assume the dog was a secret ninja assassin..

We are not talking about teenagers or children though? We are talking about dogs. I don’t understand why people are getting so upset about other people’s ‘dogs behaving badly’ stories... If your dog is wonderfully behaved then this thread isn’t directed at you, unfortunately you can’t argue that there are not hugely irresponsible dog owners out there who really don’t give a rat’s ass about training their pooches. Lockdown has made this 100 times worse. Living in the Lakes where absolutely everyone owns a dog and 100s more holiday there with their dogs ( because it is so dog friendly here) I get to see a lot of rubbish behaviour. You can’t argue that this doesn’t happen. It absolutely does. If you want to start up a thread about how much you hate teenagers or toddlers then do it but don’t derail this one.

[quote JanisMoplin]@TeaKlaxon I was recently socked in the head by an off lead dog carrying a large stick in Hampstead Heath. Owner apologised. I moved on with my life. If I went by this thread I should assume the dog was a secret ninja assassin..[/quote]
Either an extremely tall dog or you are very short....

though if that stick had wacked a toddle in the head with this large stick, a different matter....

I was sitting down and reading the paper. People do that on the heath you know.If you have a toddler around dogs, presumably you will keep an eye on him or her.

[quote Alexandra2001]@Mreggsworth Of course but somethings are optional.

Look, if people with dogs showed a little more consideration toward others, instead of expecting other people to fit in around our interest, then we could all rub along nicely.

@TeaKlaxon Really? so 8000 people who are hospitalised each year have all made it up? and that wont of course inc many others who are attacked but not bitten.[/quote]
Link to your stats?

How many of that 8000 are hospitalised as a result of dogs who are out and about in a park, as opposed to in the home?

In general dogs that that are taken out, given proper exercise, exposed to people and other dogs from a young age tend to be better socialised and lower risk. So this myth of lots and lots of dogs that are out there jumping up and mauling people in public parks is pretty nonsensical.

I’m not claiming it never happens (or that it’s ok when it does) - I’m claiming it doesn’t happen nearly as often as people on here claim.

@TeaKlaxon that it happens at all is enough.

@Trixiefirecracker

It's because there are generalisations being made that dogs shouldn't be pets, that they are dirty, aggressive and shouldn't be allowed in public places.

I think everyone agrees that dogs with behavioural issues should be on lead. My dog chases bikes and scooters, so I put him on if there's loads of kids out on scooters, and I stay very alert. Otherwise my dog is absolutely fine off lead and doesn't bother anyone, and he brings so much joy to my life and others. I don't like dogs being referred to as a 'nuisance', it disregards just how loving and fun they are, and how much companionship they bring to people, I see an elderly man sat on the park bench every day with his dog, I imagine most of his daily interactions is from stopping people to pet their dog, and he laughs like an absolute loon when he sees his little dog trying to play with the big dogs, it brings so much joy.

[quote Mreggsworth]@Trixiefirecracker

It's because there are generalisations being made that dogs shouldn't be pets, that they are dirty, aggressive and shouldn't be allowed in public places.

I think everyone agrees that dogs with behavioural issues should be on lead. My dog chases bikes and scooters, so I put him on if there's loads of kids out on scooters, and I stay very alert. Otherwise my dog is absolutely fine off lead and doesn't bother anyone, and he brings so much joy to my life and others. I don't like dogs being referred to as a 'nuisance', it disregards just how loving and fun they are, and how much companionship they bring to people, I see an elderly man sat on the park bench every day with his dog, I imagine most of his daily interactions is from stopping people to pet their dog, and he laughs like an absolute loon when he sees his little dog trying to play with the big dogs, it brings so much joy.[/quote]
I’m sorry but you have to accept not everyone is going to feel the same about your animals. You will have to grow a thicker skin I’m afraid, if people think of dogs as a nuisance it’s not impacting your life…the world is full of people with different feelings about things.

[quote Alexandra2001]@Mreggsworth Of course but somethings are optional.

Look, if people with dogs showed a little more consideration toward others, instead of expecting other people to fit in around our interest, then we could all rub along nicely.

@TeaKlaxon Really? so 8000 people who are hospitalised each year have all made it up? and that wont of course inc many others who are attacked but not bitten.[/quote]
Link to stats for the 8000 hospitalised each year would be good.

I don't mind dogs in the countryside but in my little patch of central London they're a fucking nightmare. Human nature is what it is, and most people who get a dog aren't saints or inordinately fond of dealing with poo. Besides, a lot of dogs near me seem to have near chronic diarrhoea, and I have no idea how someone is meant to clean that from the street.
If I had my way, I would make owning a dog in a city illegal without a special permit. This would be a) expensive and b) restricted to people who were able to prove they had some particular ability to look after a dog and/or reason for having one.

Having said this, I'm currently on holiday at the seaside and have been woken up every morning by dogs barking wildly on the beach outside. My five year old was frightened yesterday when a large Staffordshire bull terrier (I have owned one of these dogs as a child, and know that they can be gentle - but not always) started jumping up at him while the owner nattered on oblivious down the street.

Get a dog dazer.

@Trixiefirecracker

My skin is thick enough thanks.

I just think people who don't like dogs are a bit odd.

I get not wanting dogs to jump on you, i get being frightned by unfamiliar dogs, and would never expect people to fuss over my dog just because i think hes the best.

But to actually dislike dogs I can't help but think there is something not right in the head.

I think the ones who need a thick skin are the ones that can't handle their walk being slightly inconvenienced by a dog in their path. Just seems very precious to me.

In general dogs that that are taken out, given proper exercise, exposed to people and other dogs from a young age tend to be better socialised and lower risk. So this myth of lots and lots of dogs that are out there jumping up and mauling people in public parks is pretty nonsensical

Yes of course well trained dogs rarely if ever attack people but this thread isn't about well behaved dogs or responsible owners.

I just googled Dog attacks in public spaces.... the first on that came up was a woman mauled whilst walking in a park in Oldham - March 2022.

You do appear to be in denial about other peoples lived experiences

@JanisMoplin So, yet again, the parent has to keep their toddler under close control BUT fido can charge around with abandon, carrying a large stick... you see this is the problem.

...anyway, out to walk the hound now!

@HELLITHURT here’s link to an article with stats saying bites and attacks have definitely increased massively since lockdown, which is presumed to be a direct result of lack of training and socialisation. amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/apr/15/dog-bite-britain-the-problem-with-the-pandemic-puppy-explosion

But to actually dislike dogs I can't help but think there is something not right in the head.

I love dogs. I've grew up with all kinds of dogs. I don't have one now but I imagine I will have one again in the future. But I absolutely cannot wrap my head around it when people say things like this.

You think something is not right in someone's head because... they don't like dogs????!? That's the most bizarre statement I've ever read

But to actually dislike dogs I can't help but think there is something not right in the head.

This is such a strange attitude. I understand why some people don’t like children, cats, whatever - things which I like. Why does it make people somehow deficient if they don’t like dogs? What exactly do you think is wrong with me that I don’t like dogs? What traits or skills am I lacking?

@mreggs I’m sure there are things you don’t like. I think it’s fine you think other people are odd for not liking dogs, that’s your prerogative as it the dog-dislikers prerogative to be pissed off. The world is full of very different people.

@rainydogday

Get a dog dazer.

I’ve never heard of these, but I’m very interested- are they legal?

[quote Trixiefirecracker]@TeaKlaxon that it happens at all is enough.[/quote]
Enough for what?