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?

@TiddleyWink

I agree OP. I loathe dogs and am sick to the back teeth of them running around and jumping at me and my children when we’re simply trying to enjoy a park or woodland. Something massive has changed in the last couple of years and they’re fucking everywhere. It’s absolutely miserable if you don’t enjoy being jumped at and slobbered on all the time. I personally don’t see all that much poo around, it’s the unwanted physical contact that I have a problem with.

People aren’t allowed to walk up to me and jump all over me so why should they be allowed to permit that from their dogs?

And so many dog lovers are just so angry and aggressive at anyone who doesn’t agree their dogs should be allowed the run of the place to do what they want. They get so nasty on threads like this. I have kids, totally accept not everyone likes them - but guess what, I don’t allow them to jump all over strangers, lick them, and poo everywhere. Dog owners, however, seem unable to comprehend anyone who doesn’t love dogs like they do and many get horribly spiky and defensive.

Have a dog if you want, but keep it on a lead and away from me. The sheer arrogance of allowing a pet YOU chose to have, come into other peoples’ physical space, it’s just awful.

I can’t wait until tighter controls on dog ownership and behaviour are eventually brought in. Just makes me sad how many more people have to be killed, injured or simply annoyed and scared every day before that happens.

Isn't it funny that these dogs only ever seek out and jump up on and slobber over people who 'loathe dogs'.

I almost never have strange dogs even approach me, let alone jump on me or slobber over me.

Last time was several weeks ago - out of going to the park and encountering dozens of dogs every day.

@TeaKlaxon I was just thinking that - I love dogs and wish I encountered more jumping and slobbering, but alas none.

@TimeForPeace

I have a dog, she's off lead when I think it's safe. I've never left a poo anywhere, I put her back on lead if I see people or dogs. She's simply fantastic, so much fun and has zero impact on anyone else.

Loads of people on here seem to be massively impacted by rabid, barking dogs who jump into pushchairs or shit in their dinner.

The thing is, as a dog owner you’ll know that not every dog owner does as you do - far from it.

@MissChanandlerBong80

I was walking through a park the other day where there were big signs up saying ‘please keep dogs on a lead’. An off-lead dog ran up to my toddler, who had a stick, and started trying to take the stick. The owner then shouted at my son and knocked the stick out of his hands, accusing him of trying to hit the dog with the stick.

He didn’t. He’s two, he was just playing with his stick. But even if he had, who the hell lets their dog bound up to someone else’s toddler in a place where the dog should be on the lead - then thinks they’re in a position to shout at the toddler?!

I hope you said something. Entitled fucker.

@OMG12

I want to know where people are going that they’re hoping over dog poo at every step, being chased by giant drooling dogs etc. I travel around a lot and apart from the occasional incidence of dog poo, usually right at the side of the pavement, never come across any of this! Watching where my dog is walking because of broken glass or making sure she doesn’t eat something from yet another thrown away takeaway box is far more annoying.

Humans, on the other hand, murdering, raping both adults and children, going out of their way to hurt and destroy people, killing the very planet we rely on to Survive. Quite frankly give me a bit of dog poo on the side of the road any day.

I am not even a dog owner and I agree. But then I love dogs slobbering over me. Brings a bit of joy into this horrible world.

@OMG12

I want to know where people are going that they’re hoping over dog poo at every step, being chased by giant drooling dogs etc. I travel around a lot and apart from the occasional incidence of dog poo, usually right at the side of the pavement, never come across any of this! Watching where my dog is walking because of broken glass or making sure she doesn’t eat something from yet another thrown away takeaway box is far more annoying.

Humans, on the other hand, murdering, raping both adults and children, going out of their way to hurt and destroy people, killing the very planet we rely on to Survive. Quite frankly give me a bit of dog poo on the side of the road any day.

My school run involves running the dog poo gauntlet exactly as above

This is terrible. I have a foster dog who does the same when next door have visitors so I make sure he's not out unsupervised! I have reinforced fences and put trellis up etc , and it's not hard to put a soft muzzle on or put the dog on a leaf taking it out to wee etc. If they are reactive that much you need to speak to the owners about it, it's not fair you having to put up with that. They should also be doing something to distract them from barking . You could contact the council about noise. Or again speak to the neighbours. I know its not easy and you want to keep relations good but clearly they are inconsiderate dog owners.

Think I’d put up my own fence, even tho you shouldn’t have to.

[quote Tulipblacksmith]@TeaKlaxon

Oh your sentence tells me all I need to know about you.

You’re an entitled dog owner.

If dogs are in a park they should absolutely be far away from the playground and the paths (if they are off the lead). That way everybody is happy. Children get to play safely and dogs get their exercise.

But people like you are too entitled to see it that way turning the thread into a dog v human argument (ridiculous?).

People and their pampered pooches hey. Bet yours jumps up on people too, but hey it’s okay dogs have the same status as humans and all that…..

Sheesh.[/quote]
Nope. My dog ignores people. He'll merrily sniff out other dogs and play with them, but doesn't really care about people.

And why on earth should he not be on a path?

You know you don't own the park, right? My dog comes off the lead when we get into the park and are safely away from traffic. He stays off the lead until we're leaving. The exceptions to that are (a) if he bothers someone - which almost never happens; (b) if the park is too crowded for him to have a clear run when I throw his ball; or (c) if another dog - or child - is getting too close to him and I'm not comfortable.

He's not even slightly pampered. He's a well behaved, well mannered dog who, like most dogs, have absolutely no interest in other humans whatsoever.

@Alexandra2001

Exactly if you haven’t got access to adequate space then perhaps do not get a dog. So entitled it’s shocking.

I don’t think you’re BU. I have a dog and always make sure I pick up after him, he’s never off lead unless it’s suitable environment and he’s well trained. I take him out with my baby and the amount of dog mess we see is atrocious (we live in a tourist area) there’s so many out of control dogs that come running up to him and the pram and the owners do not care, even when they can see I’m struggling. The amount of dogs that just bark constantly is awful too. I’m probably more sensitive to it because of a napping baby but my goodness, it definitely seems to have got worse with the lockdown puppies. I’d be fully on board with licensing and mandatory training for sure!

I hate dogs. No childhood trauma, I just can't stand them...for all the reasons others have posted. Main one being, dogs absolutely stink. Even when freshly washed, they stink. Their owners just don't smell it.

@TeaKlaxon

I used you as a general term for anyone who has a large dog, i realise yours is smaller.
Dogs do go off lead, shit 50 or 60m away and it can be extremely hard to find it! if the owner even bothers & and we all know it happens... so no making it up.

There you go again, the right of the Dog to charge about off lead, when the owner has zero idea whether it will run over to someone having a picnic or not is all ok in your world, other people just have to put up with it.

I ve German Pointer, i ve got 5 acres of private land available to exercise her in, i don't take her to the Pub or exercise in the local park where there are people about, its on a lead when we go for walk.

Something has definitely changed, there seem to be so many people around now who can’t control their dog and think they are doing their job by ineffectually telling it not to accompanied by an indulgent smile when it jumps on you. It’s like they don’t realise that actually training a dog so it doesn’t do that is a possibility rather than an impossible ideal that nobody can be seriously expected to manage.

When I lived in Germany a lot of people had massive dogs who were very well trained and had perfect recall. The family I lived with had just got a Labrador and they took it to dog training as a matter of course. I know dog training classes exist here but they can’t be anything like as much the norm - I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say ‘oh I can’t come out tonight, I’m taking the dog to training.’

@OMG12

I want to know where people are going that they’re hoping over dog poo at every step, being chased by giant drooling dogs etc. I travel around a lot and apart from the occasional incidence of dog poo, usually right at the side of the pavement, never come across any of this! Watching where my dog is walking because of broken glass or making sure she doesn’t eat something from yet another thrown away takeaway box is far more annoying.

Humans, on the other hand, murdering, raping both adults and children, going out of their way to hurt and destroy people, killing the very planet we rely on to Survive. Quite frankly give me a bit of dog poo on the side of the road any day.

Trouble is we go on lots of country walks. You only need one dog (not hordes of them, just one sets it all back again) yapping at my son, off it's lead and up for a play, to scare the wits out of him. He also appears to be a dog magnet. Not sure why but they are always really attracted and interested by him, I'd be really happy if they came to me but they always make a beeline for my DS.

I really like dogs, and would like to have one, I'm not anti dog or anti responsible dog owner at all.

But I don't think dog owners appreciate how scary a dog is for small children regardless of it "just being friendly".

If you'd like to test out my theory, get hold of a very interesting looking stick. And some dog treats. Look out for the next large, drooling, reactive dog with very big jaws about the size of your own head plus a non-aware owner. Then get down on your knees and so you are at face height with the dog and wave the stick and treats about.

You are not allowed to stand up.
It's only being friendly really.

I don't like dogs. I've been bitten by 2. One of the biters was a tiny ratty looking one. Owners let them run up to you and if you move away some say, "they won't hurt you!" but I am not taking a stranger's word for it! Get the animal away from me! I just wish there wasn't this assumption that everyone must love having them run up and lick or sniff your face/ hand/ food. It's not ok.
YANBU

@TimeForPeace

I have a dog, she's off lead when I think it's safe. I've never left a poo anywhere, I put her back on lead if I see people or dogs. She's simply fantastic, so much fun and has zero impact on anyone else.

Loads of people on here seem to be massively impacted by rabid, barking dogs who jump into pushchairs or shit in their dinner.

This is mainly how I deal with mine too. But I don't keep him on lead when we see people or other dogs - that would mean he was always on lead.

He'll go on lead if there's a dog I feel uncomfortable around, or if he behaves unacceptably (though that hasn't really happened since he was a puppy). He'll also go on lead when we're walking through an area with, e.g. horses, to be safe.

YANBU. The dog shit all over the pavements has become ridiculous since so many lockdown puppies were purchased, not to mention bloody dog poo bags abandoned everywhere. There does have to be a clampdown on bad owners as it’s getting out of control. It’s a shame because there are lots of responsible owners out there and they must find it annoying too.

The thing is, many different pets and children can all be annoying. But it’s really only dogs that shit all over the pavement. I’ve never once see a child or any other pet do a steaming turd in front of me in the street. The sight of a dog crouching and shitting in the street makes me want to throw up every single time.

@TeaKlaxon

He can be on the path, on a lead. I don’t own the park no which is why I take my dog elsewhere. It’s BECAUSE i KNOW I don’t own the park that I choose to do this.

You and your dog however ….

Blanket rules that all dogs should be on leads at all times in all places are just silly. The park is there to be shared by everyone, including children and dogs. I see loads of kids misbehaving in the park but nobody expects their parents to come and tie them up! Firstly it's cruel to the dogs as they don't get the exercise they need, but also it normalises bad dog ownership. My dog is trained to walk by my side, to recall, to ignore other people, dogs and distractions. It took a lot of effort to train her, but all owners should put in that effort. That should be seen as normal dog ownership, and dogs that are ignoring their owners and approaching every distraction should be seen as bad dog ownership. Only dogs that haven't been properly trained should be forced to go on leads, and it's still not their fault they weren't trained properly.

[quote bostonchamps]@TeaKlaxon I was just thinking that - I love dogs and wish I encountered more jumping and slobbering, but alas none. [/quote]
Me too!:) I will take all the slobbery dogs. where are they? Certainly in my local London parks every dog appears to be on lead or well trained.

[quote Tulipblacksmith]@Alexandra2001

Exactly if you haven’t got access to adequate space then perhaps do not get a dog. So entitled it’s shocking.[/quote]
Yet again, most dog owners do have access to adequate space.

It's just that some miserable sods think they shouldn't be able to access that space.

@Alexandra2001

Same. I drive my Spaniel to open fields as I live in a built up, urban area.

[quote Alexandra2001]@TeaKlaxon

I used you as a general term for anyone who has a large dog, i realise yours is smaller.
Dogs do go off lead, shit 50 or 60m away and it can be extremely hard to find it! if the owner even bothers & and we all know it happens... so no making it up.

There you go again, the right of the Dog to charge about off lead, when the owner has zero idea whether it will run over to someone having a picnic or not is all ok in your world, other people just have to put up with it.

I ve German Pointer, i ve got 5 acres of private land available to exercise her in, i don't take her to the Pub or exercise in the local park where there are people about, its on a lead when we go for walk.[/quote]
Marvellous. While you enjoy your 5 acres of private land, I'll continue to enjoy my local park that my council tax pays for just as much as yours.

And my dog will have caused precisely the same level of disturbance to others as yours has, because he will simply ignore people who are not approaching him as he has done for the last five years.