A plea to dog-owners

[Dogsonleads]

Please keep boisterous dogs on leads if you have no intention on controlling their behaviour

When walking in woodland with my 10 year old DS this morning pre school (because we were ridiculously early), a fully grown and very boisterous Labrador jumped fully up and put his paws on my sons upper chest. very exited dog, barking, more jumping. Before I can react, my sons runs into my arms and the dog continues to jump, now onto my son’s back.

At this stage the owner comes round the corner, the dog rubs off and I try to call out that this really is not acceptable. Calmly. I get a perfunctory sorry, the dog is being ignored, bounds back, jumps up my legs and manages to “Kiss me on the mouth”. Again, a perfunctory sorry and the owner walks away. Is this acceptable? (At this point I lost my calm 😞and shouted after them as I was upset at being brushed aside, no swear words though )
No attempt to reign in/ educate the dog?

It has taken me probably 5 years to get my son comfortable around dogs, had this happened only 2 years ago he would have been in an all out panic.

so my plea is to please please keep large dogs in sight if they have the tendency to jump, or at least try to mitigate situations that are difficult for others.

I have never ever approached a dog and neither have my children but on many many occasions we have had dogs running up to us barking, jumping up, scratching me and getting mud all over me, the children were bowled over like skittles when they were tiny, we have had dogs run all over our picnic blanket and eat food out of our hands and lunch boxes. It’s just happened way too many times.
Dogs should be leads at all times unless in a fenced off dog area. This includes in the countryside. I have seen countless times when dogs pop and it is just left there as “it’s just a field of grass” - it isn’t, it’s a crop; the grass is turned into feed for pregnant and young cows and having dog poo in it causes the cows to miscarriage and illness in the calves.

Totally agree. I'm just back from my dog walk. Hes a small bishon, walking on the lead past a primary school where the kids are in the process of doing their cycling proficiency lesson. So busy with kids on a public area. A woman on her phone walking towards me with a border collie well in front of her and not on lead. I cross over and the dog crosses road and goes for mine. Owner can't stop her dog, still on phone, and says he's fine he won't hurt your dog (he's growling at mine) I wish folk would keep their dog on a lead. They always say he's fine, he won't hurt you..

Like the Mumsnet Haircut is attracting them? Hmm….you might be onto something there. Or membership of the National Trust plus one of those vibrators MN have started flogging?

Totally agree . My friends 21 year old ds was attacked by a pit bull who latched onto his leg. He spent three days in hospital
The dog wasn’t on a lead
My neighbour a few doors down have this large dog which wanders around the neighbourhood barking at all and sundry.
Polite request to put a lead on this dog have fallen on deaf ears.
ALL dogs should be on a lead in public areas.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/birmingham-dog-attack-winson-green-b2322567.html
A man who was bitten by a pair of dogs four times in less than a minute has said the attack “felt like eternity”.
Six people were mauled by the animals in Winson Green near a primary school in Birmingham on Tuesday.
Simon Edge had to be treated in hospital for wounds on his back, arm and torso after his bitten by the “strong and vicious” dogs as he walked home from the dentist.
One of his neighbours and a teenage girl were also victims of the attack, Mr Edge told the Birmingham Mail.
Police have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of possessing a dog that was dangerously out of control.
Parents and carers at nearby Barford Primary School were warned the dogs could "kill a human" as their children were put on lockdown inside the hall, before later being released at 4pm.
They received a text alerting them to reports of "two potentially very dangerous dogs circling the school". It read: “The likelihood is that the dogs will kill a human.”
The children were released shortly before 4pm.
Six people were mauled by the animals in Winson Green near a primary school in Birmingham on Tuesday
Mr Edge said: "I got bitten four times, twice on the lower back, on the left arm and once on the left hand side of my torso. There was a car next to me with a lady inside and she was screaming with her hands up.
"As I went to City Hospital, I saw police going to Barford Road. When I got to A&E, the lady who I had seen in the car sat next to me. She said someone she knew had got attacked as well."
West Midlands Police confirmed one victim was elderly. Mr Edge said he saw one of his neighbours and a teenage girl whose arms were covered in bandages when he was at hospital.
He said: "I got the impression that my injuries were mild in comparison to hers. It was a shock. The young girl asked me how long the attack lasted. It felt like eternity but it was less than a minute.”
The breeds of the dogs are unknown. Police said both had been seized and taken to kennels following the attacks.
A police spokesperson said on Tuesday: "We have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of possessing a dog which was dangerously out of control after a number of people received injuries after being attacked by two dogs.
"We were called to Willow Gardens, Winson Green, shortly after 2.30pm today [April 18], following reports two dogs were on the loose and attacking people.
"An elderly man was taken to hospital with bite injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening. Five other people have been presented at hospital with bite injuries which are also not believed to be life-threatening.”

I've had dogs all my life, but modern owners piss me off most of the time these days. No training, no control over them, no interest, and they seem to think that just bleating a sorry makes massive dogs thundering at kids/people/other dogs is okay. I see people with huge dogs and no recall just standing there feebly calling the dogs name into the distance and thinking it'll work as if by magic. Nope.
It seems to have got worse post covid.

Mine goes off lead on the beach, but I walk him early when theres nobody about and if im walking him where there are other people or animals then hes on a lead. If I see someone coming then I call him back and stick his lead on until they've passed/gone. Not a problem.

Hes small and sweet so I do get a few people asking if their kids can say hello or stroke him and I say yes to that because hes a total sap who likes both children and attention so everyones happy. They initiate it though, he doesnt and I dont which is how it should be imo.

'seen as more intimidating'
they are dangerous predators, they kill people on a regular basis, but yeah keep telling yourself they're fine and it's just those annoying little dogs that are a problem

This. Since lockdown you can't move for badly behaved dogs and owners with those bloody extending leads. I am not interested in your dog. I don't want it in my space when I am eating/ chatting/ wearing non muddy clothes. Just fuck off.

Our locals parks are horrendous for this. I'm working so hard to deal with my kids' phobias and this seriously doesn't help. And every single time I've politely tried explaining this to the owners I've received an absolute gob full of abuse about it.

The local council just posted this on our Facebook. I think someone has had enough. There are signs all over the park saying to keep them on leads, but they don't.

I hope the dog poisoner comes to my town, life would be so much better if all dogs were kept on a tight lead

I get a lot of kids approach my pug without asking, it gets so irritating. I’ve had a couple of kids try to pick him up as well. I’ve got no problem when people ask and I will happily let them fuss him as much as they like. Thankfully he’s not interested in running up to people and he goes back on his lead when we see other dogs. He’s been dragged around by a number of off- lead dogs, so I don’t take any chances.

I was just thinking the same thing!

Unfortunately since lockdown, lots of people got dogs who they clearly are too lazy to train hence the amount of off lead, uncontrollable dogs about at the moment.

Didn't need to teach my children not to go near dogs. The fangs are off-putting enough.

Yes, the dog should be on a lead. Looks like the owner let the dog run free in the woodland because there didn’t seem to be anyone else about. I dislike aggressive dogs but labs are known to be friendly and gentle.

The lab jumped up on your son and then you and gave you a kiss on the mouth. What a scene. Lovely to some and apparently horrific to others. I and my son at that age would have laughed and enjoyed the enthusiasm and friendliness of the lab. It would be a funny and lovely story to remember.

My son grew up with our springer spaniel who was very boisterous and jump up too but very very gentle, and no, I didn’t allow him to jump up on people. But sometimes it accidentally happens as it did to you, I’m sure the owner didn’t mean for it to happen as she thought no one was about. Your anger and wrath took her aback. At least the dog wasn’t a potentially dangerous one like a pit bull or various ‘attack’ dogs. Labs and retrievers are two breeds that truly, you don’t have to be afraid of, generally speaking. But yes, you’re right, all dogs should be on leads.

I just don’t know why people can’t be considerate members of the community.

I never let my kids approach/hassle strangers.
I don’t listen to loud music on public transport.
I don’t eat smelly food on the Tube.
I help people who look lost in London.
I don’t put my feet on seats.
I don’t drop litter.

Why do some dog-owners think they are exempt from the normal considerate expectations of society? Why is it ok to scare kids and spoil picnics? I don’t get it.

We all have to live together. Why not be a bit considerate towards others around you?

the tide is turning....time was when I'd have been banned for that comment👀

clueless. Loads of people are repulsed by dogs, don’t want to be touched by one, let alone slobbered on by a mouth that’s likely just been in some other mutt’s ass.

Exactly. Mine only goes off lead if in a situation where I can fully control. And not near dogs like you describe. I really hate owners like you describe.

YANBU and I say that as a dog owner. I was walking mine, lead on as requested by signage through a local nature reserve. Hear a shout of pick you dog up as a large Alsatian runs up to me, there I am small dig in arms with this Alsatian trying to get at her, no apology just puts the dog on the lead and goes

I do think alot of these dogs are lockdown puppies

I had to stop walking my reactive dog during the day in lockdown, because of the amount of out of control puppies, that will now be out of control dogs.

We have had to start all over again and now only just getting back to where we were with him, being able to sit and look at dogs

I used to have dogs (giant breed, well trained) and so have no actual dislike of them, but untrained ones interfering in your day are a PITA.

What pisses me off most are the ones on the beach in summer. They're meant to be on a lead - but no, there they are charging up and down the beach into the sea and out again and then rushing across your blankets near your food and belongings and shaking all dripping fucking wet.

And there are the gormless owners - either oblivious of the signs to say keep dogs on leads or know full well but don't give a shit - saying ''Oh! Sorry!'' when you glare at them, as if you're the one who's being unreasonable! 🙄

Why do some dog-owners think they are exempt from the normal considerate expectations of society? Why is it ok to scare kids and spoil picnics? I don’t get it
I think they become strongly emotionally bonded to the dog and can only see it through a 'golden haze', it's a 'love is blind' phenomena, that's my working theory.

I loved my kids. But when they were little, I didn’t want them harassing strangers. I cleared up after them in restaurants. I didn’t let them shout or run around in public indoor spaces. Did I not love them enough?!

I just can’t imagine how anyone could justify a ‘dog kiss’ on a stranger. Truly disgusting.