To have pushed the dog with my foot

[AGreaterGrate]

I did not kick it, or hurt it, but pushed the barking, growling, yapping thing away with the side of my foot as it kept biting towards my ankles.

I'm SO fed up of dog owners not controlling their dogs!

I'm a runner and will go out of my way to give dogs lots of space, I stop and walk if one is wearing an 'I'm nervous' vest, I never run up behind a dog and their owner, I love dogs and have fostered many so I recognise when a dog may be triggered by a runner and I give space/start walking/Cross over the road etc.

But it's always little yapping ones on extendable leads, IF they're on lead at all, and owners not giving a crap, as they run towards me, with zero recall, nipping at my ankles. Yes, I will push your dog away if it's not under your control.

I am a small dog owner, I love my dog, but if he ever tried to attack someone in public I would expect them to kick him.

YANBU and were very kind only pushing. I would certainly have been more forceful if a dog was harassing me.

I'm not crazy. Thanks. I'm a responsible owner of a large dog who keeps him on his lead. As does everyone I know with a large breed. We live rurally so active breeds are common but are usually well trained and in leads due to closeness of livestock most of the year round.

Unlike most of the small dogs we see.
They cause the problem with my dog.

Whilst the problem is the owner not having control, I don’t really think it’s a good idea to do this. A nudge could look like a kick.

It's the owners fault if their dog gets kicked. If it's under control it's got no chance of getting kicked.

ChenPup is always on a tight lead - he only gets off lead if there are no other dogs or people about and even then it's for very short periods as we're working on his recall.

However - we use shared trails and we have had cyclists and joggers (runners - they're not jogging) barrel up behind us, and as someone who's partially deaf it can very disconcerting, esp when they run or cycle very close to us on a trail when they can't be heard. I will always apologise profusely if he barks or jumps (on his tight lead) in fright, but I do wish people cycling or running would be aware that they're sharing a narrow path with walkers and small children who might not be able to move immediately and slow down a bit when they can't get a clear sight ahead - or they can, but there are people walking.

I do wish people cycling or running would be aware that they're sharing a narrow path with walkers and small children who might not be able to move immediately and slow down a bit when they can't get a clear sight ahead

This I absolutely agree with - I can’t stand it when cyclists or runners ding or shout and expect you to leap out the way. If I’m cycling where there are also pedestrians I slow right down.

Come on then @VeniVidiWeeWee , enlighten us. What should OP have done? Stopped running? Smiled sweetly while the dog jumped up at her and the ineffectual owner tried and failed to control it?

We have ALL come across this type of dog and this type of "he's only playing" shit owner. CONTROL YOUR DOG. It is your JOB as an owner to stop your dog interfering with anyone else.

@MushyPeasPrincess i didn’t say you were crazy I said having a go at small dogs is crazy. I hate all out of control dogs but large out of control dogs are terrifying - and sadly my experience around here is that there are far too many that are not kept under control.

i wish dog training was mandatory - so many of them nowadays are a tragedy waiting to happen 😢.

Holy fuck the entitlement is strong with this one!

Runners (and some cyclists) are usually timing their runs and striving to improve on them. No, they bloody well don't want to slow down or stop while you get your unruly dog under control in a public place. If it can't cope with normal human activity without being a nuisance, it has no business being off lead in the first place.

Any runner or cyclists who is striving to improve their time by barrelling along a shared path can do one. Find a dedicated cycle or running track, or toad, and strive to improve your time when you’re not going to cause an injury to anyone who can’t get out of your way in time. Entitled? Oh, the irony.

Roads, obvs - the toads have done nothing wrong

We're not talking about "barrelling into" anybody though, are we? Running around other people so as not to have to stop is perfectly reasonable. This poster is complaining that runners won't actually stop and wait while she gets her poorly-disciplined dog onto a lead so it can't chase them. Why the hell should they?

If a cyclist (or runner) is striving to improve their performance then unless their performance time is really low then they're going to be going at a fair old lick - and certainly won't be able to stop in time if a child runs out in front of them or an on-lead dog on a shared path jumps on them.

Owners of off lead dogs with no recall and cyclists/runners who expect everyone to move out of the way immediately for them are all going to the same special place in hell.

Meh, it's the owners fault if their dog gets kicked IMO, and I say that as a dog owner and professional dog walker.

If you can't control your dog in public, then you need to expect other people to use whatever force necessary to keep your dog away from them. People have the right to run/walk/cycle around without being pestered by your dog, and they don't know if your dog is just going to sniff their ankles, or if they're going to jump, scratch or bite them.

My dog would chase a runner or cyclist so I keep him on the lead unless he's somewhere like the beach where I can see far enough ahead of me to call him back if necessary.

The OP does not seem like the latter and so she will be saved from the fiery pits - but there are plenty that are.

Most people who are running in public parks in the daytime do have very low performance - it doesn't mean they aren't striving to improve, nor does it mean they should have to stop and wait while some idiot with an untrained dog gets it under control. Using parks for exercise is one of their primary functions - of course nobody should have to move out of the way for a runner, the runner should run around other people and not inconvenience them. I am a shit runner, really slow, but I am slowly getting better - there are several parks near me that are shared perfectly amicably by walkers, runners, dog owners, families etc. I haven't seen anybody rudely barging into anybody else, and would take a dim view of anyone who did. Runners should be considerate of other people and if they need to overtake, they should be the ones to move off the path, not the people walking on it. But they shouldn't have to stop altogether because some fool has got an off-lead dog that will chase them if they don't wait for her to fumble about getting it on the lead.

re pp and wanting runners to stop or tell people they are approaching doesn’t mean they want to barrel into anyone instead

Just that they don’t want to stop or have to say anything, just to run at own pace which is normal

Expecting people to alter their running etc so pp can get dog on lead isn’t going to work. The dog owner should work out other solution

No, of course they shouldn’t have to wait for an owner to get their dog under control - but if they’re on a shared path (which is what my post was about then they need to be mindful of their speed and the space they give other path users, which they don’t always do. Both types of shared space users are a total menace.

I've also explained that if I see or hear anyone coming I will put the dog on a lead and move out of the way. It's when they're already passing me without any warning and I'm not able to grab the dog in time that I ask them to slow/stop to keep everyone safe. Will 5 seconds of my grabbing my dog while you jog on the spot really impact you that much that? As I said, it was thankfully rare this occured. I want to get out of your way and keep my dog, myself and you safe, please give me a few seconds to do that.

This dog has now died, it's no longer an issue with my current dog due to her temperament and life experiences. I would have had the same issue if the dog was on a long lead and allowed to roam (again, I'm walking them off the beaten track away from as many people as possible) and someone cycled/ran by at speed, she could easily have tripped someone is this scenario. It's the opportunity to get my dog in the safest position for everyone involved when I've been unable to plan ahead as I was unaware you were there.

The OP doesn't seem to have the same issues of being considerate to other trail users here and I fully support them in defending themselves when her cautious and understanding approach has failed.

I read that as crotch 😁

That’s one way of stopping them, I guess 😂

No, that absolutely isn't good enough. If your (former) dog wasn't properly under your control while off-lead - which she wasn't, was she - then she shouldn't have been off-lead in a public space. Nobody should have to stop and wait while you get your dog under control. Nobody should have to put up with being chased by an unruly dog because they didn't either announce themselves to a complete stranger or stop and wait while you put it on a lead. You, I'm afraid, are a nuisance dog owner.

@YarnHoarder If your dog wasn't safe in proximity of others (why she wasn't if you had to restrain her if people pass her) she shouldn't have been off the lead at all in areas that others are using.

@Yarnholder you shouldn't have you dog off lead if it is going to chase. Full stop.

And this comes from someone who always walks their dog off lead. He stops and drops on command