To expect people to stop their dog jumping up at me?

[NevertooearlyforGin]

I enjoy walking at our local beauty spot which is a very large forest and heath area, it’s very popular with dog walkers. The problem is I really don’t like large dogs running up to me and jumping up at me which seems to happen most times I go, usually the dog owner is some distance behind so they can’t see their dog jumping up at me.

This happened again today, and a large dog and two smaller ones ran up to me and jumped up, the big ones paws reached my armpits. For context I was attacked by an Alsatian at the age of 9 in our local park, I don’t assume all dogs are aggressive but I am nervous around large dogs.

Today I plucked up the courage to say something to the owner, I asked him to stop his dog jumping up at me because I am scared of large dogs. He was very arrogant and laughed at me and said then I’d ‘come to the wrong place.’ As if the countryside exists for dog owners and nobody else and I was being ridiculous expecting him to control his pets.

The area is managed through grazing by the local forestry commission (usually hardy breeds of ponies, sheep and cows), there are frequent incidents of animals being worried and often mauled by dogs, I’ve seen this happen and there are signs saying that animals that don’t have a string recall should be kept on leads.

AIBU?

I do get the frustration towards dog owners.

My child was walking as part of a school trip through a park once, so I immediately recalled and leashed my dog. Friend said I should let her run over and greet my child. That's not ok.

I walk through a conservation area and put my dog on lead (there are many signs), usually I'm in the minority with leashed dogs.

As a dog owner I do get frustrated at the constant anti dog threads though.

No it's not ok, buuttt one really difficult aspect is that makes it really hard is that when people are afraid of dogs they get anxious, the dogs sense it and decide to investigate further, which means dog owner who usually have a very reliable dogs are often shocked by the jumping up too. An example is when a lady walked by my dog glued to her phone, didn't even notice me apparoch with the my very gentle and docile dog. She only looked up when my dog and I walked past and immediately let out a high pitched scream which confused my dog and was very unexpected. So obviously my dog trotted over to get involved making it much worse. All I could do was apologise and run away with her. Absolutely not acceptable still, but sometimes the situation can just be really unfortunate.

No. Some of the pp on here are calling all dog owners out. It's not my job to educate anyone either.

Yanbu. I like dogs but don’t appreciate having one storming up to me because it can be hard to gauge if they’re friendly. The topic has become so divisive now that if you do say something, you’re in the wrong and an animal hater. 🙄

YANBU

I just say and repeat very loudly please control your dog and if they get arsey I insult then walk off.

If I end up with muddy paw prints on my coat I stew over it for hours later.

I walk my dog who has zero interest in people or other dogs in remote woods, it s just so much easier and peaceful.

My dog is off the lead in places like you w mentioned.
She does not run off or run to other dogs, nor humans.

She actively stays away from people.
Big uncontrollable dogs make me anxious too.

I dislike dogs and I do not want them jumping up at me. When I go on a walk I take one of my walking poles with me. My poles, like most others, have a blunt metal point on the end. When a dog comes towards me, I ask the owner to control the dog and lift the pole. The sight of the metal tip usually gives the owner some encouragement to control the dog. I usually walk with my husband and he would always use his boot if a dog came too close.
We once had a dog chase after us. It was not aggressive but the owner couldn’t control it or catch up with it! We just carried on walking very quickly with the owner trying to catch up with us, screaming for us to stop still! We gave it quite a walk.

Thanks to all the dog owners here who do recall their dogs and/or keep them on leads. I am asthmatic, and dogs cause a severe reaction. If one jumps up and their fur touches me, I am at risk of an asthma attack. This is the same if their wagging tail brushes against me, so I am very cautious around dogs.

My absolute favourite client is the one that puts her dog away when I go over as she's aware not everyone wants to be licked/sniffed/jumped up at etc by her enormous dog.

SOME dog owners are entitled and rude, and of course those will be the ones your remember.

If young have a dog it’s your responsibility to make sure it doesn’t approach anyone unless they positively welcome it. I’m not scared off dogs, but if I’m walking I’m often doing it to be alone with my thoughts, and that means I don’t want to interact with your dog. I want to keep walking.

You should always be able to see your dog, and unless it has perfect recall it should be on a lead.

In the small park near us owners stand in the middle talking and not even walking their dogs but just letting them run about freely. That’s so lazy, it really annoys me.

So, 6% of posters think it is OK for dogs to jump up on other people? Why?

Most probably because it's just a stupid question they think the OP is unreasonable.

And it's posted so bloody often!

So, OP thinks someone's going to come on and say, you are U, you should accept, avoid light colours or walk in a different area.....

Of course they're not, so why ask?

To get others frothing?

YANBU - my DC are all scared of dogs now because of the endless issues we've had with dogs running towards them, barking at them and jumping up. I normally hold my tongue, but last weekend was the last straw when we were at a farm shop and two people were chatting with dogs on leads. They were totally blocking the path, but we waited a few moments, until one of the dogs was pulling on the lead and jumping up at my 3 year old. The owner still didn't even look down - carried on talking! I said something like, 'so you think it's ok for your dog to jump up at my child who is terrified of dogs?' I walked off with her shouting she didn't know she was scared of them, to which I said she should assume people don't like dogs until they say otherwise. Then I was called rude. I'm just so sick of it.

I think its disgusting the way people don't train their dogs. Even my cats are trained, it's not difficult.
I went to A friend's house he had 6 giant huskies who were omlletely out of control they just leapt at me the whole time I was there barking and growling.
I didn't go again. I feared they would eat their owner one day.

What are your cats trained to do?

Didn't take long for the 'Not all Dog Owners...' brigade to arrive

Do any of the experienced dog owners here have any tips for stopping free range dogs jumping on you (and getting you muddy). I would like to know what might help but dont want to kick (or scare) a dog that is just overly friendly and badly trained

They can fetch, come when called, but more importantly not be a nuisance. They are trained to come back in and use the litter tray when they need to go. I dont need irate neighbours. Treat trained from kittens and also not to scratch the furniture and carpets.
I've had dogs in the past too but can't have them now because I work full time.
My neighbours report no cat poo in their gardens.

I carry a stick when I walk. Most dogs are instinctively wary of sticks and their owners smarten up around them too.

I absolutely cannot stand the entitlement of dog owners who think "he/she is just being friendly" justifies your mangy mutt jumping all over me or running up to me when out.

Keep your goddam mongrels on a leash. Not everyone cares for dogs. In fact, plenty of people have zero love for them.

I was pushed into a pond by a dog and nearly drowned, when I was a child. Had plenty of crappy experiences with dogs since then and I am absolutely over it.

Your dog is not like a human and it does not have the same rights as a human.

YANBU, owners usually smile indulgently and say ‘oh he won’t bite!’ or a vague ‘sorry!’ while doing very little to get their dog under control, expecting a smile and ‘oh it’s okay!’ in return.

i don’t indulge. I keep my face blank and say ‘please control your dog’ without a smile then continue on, brushing my leg as I pass.

so fucking rude, I actually don’t mind the ones who are clearly mortified and doing their best to prevent it from continuing. Though I still mind the being jumped on.

Based on facts

I never get threads like this when mostly reasonable dog owners come on and defend their own reasonable behaviour. They make out that it’s a minority and yet it most definitely a thing that SO many dog owners don’t give a flying shit about others - it’s just so commonplace. Go anywhere they allow dogs and there is always someone with a dog being an arse.

And this ‘… they’re only being friendly’ bollocks - why do dog owners say it? It doesn’t matter if the animal is friendly or not - there should be absolutely no assumption that you consent to, or welcome it coming near you. Let alone jumping up, attacking, growling at you or soiling your clothes. It’s just perverse how oblivious people are to the sheer bloody imposition of it.

Selfish and inconsiderate. Thats what many dog owners are.

Not based on facts no. Based on your experiences perhaps. That does not make them blanket facts.

I am a dog owner my dog does NOT jump on people. I have friends who own dogs. I have never seen their dogs jump on people.

I am not that stupid to think this = NO dog EVER jumps on people.

Hence the original statement is like I said a HUGE generalisation.

Do not take this to = I do not believe the OP... I do.
I see dogs do this. However, I also see plenty who does not. When I am walking my dog I see more dogs who do not jump on people than dogs who do...
This doesn't = I know the % in the overall nation. I try not to hugely generalise.

Perhaps you should try the same?