Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

A plea to dog-owners

284 replies

Dogsonleads · 19/04/2023 14:00

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
nomoredriving · 19/04/2023 18:44

mostlysunnywithshowers · 19/04/2023 16:48

On a good day, there is nothing more funny than seeing a hapless new dog owner running after their untrained pooch calling whatever ridiculous name they decided to give it, while it promtly runs off in the other direction. On a bad day, it gives me the shivers thinking about these animals on the loose all over our towns and countryside.

I always carry an ultrasonic torch (like an electronic dog whistle), it's been most useful for shutting up next doors barking twats. It even works just by having it in my pocket. I zapped a pug once after it just growled at me for walking past it, no contact whatsoever. It jumped, little shit.

Dog owners beware, people have had enough and we are entitled to defend ourselves and our children, and our ears, from your bloody mutts.

🙄

SoNoWrecksToday · 19/04/2023 18:49

You have my sympathy OP. I’m thoroughly fed up of managing other peoples pushy, overfriendly muts when I’m out with my calm well trained dog.

I think part of the problem is that people think their cute new puppy has to meet and play with absolutely everything that moves. Fast forward and their 40 kg adult dog considers everyone to be fair game for its fun. Socialization should be pups learning to ignore other dogs and people, not play with them.

ringoutsolsticebells · 19/04/2023 18:52

greenacrylicpaint · 19/04/2023 14:25

another plea: it's bird nesting season. don't let your dog off lead in open grassland and woodlands until mid june.

Nope

Saucery · 19/04/2023 18:55

Exactly, @SoNoWrecksToday I’ve lost count of the people who’ve head tilted at me and said “Awww, she needs to socialise, you need to let her say Hello!”
No, silly person, I need her to learn that every dog isn’t a play opportunity.

ringoutsolsticebells · 19/04/2023 18:55

MissMaple82 · 19/04/2023 15:44

Yawwwwn

Yep

Mark19735 · 19/04/2023 18:56

Dogs need space to exercise. Society needs to either a) allocate more space, so that dog owners can exercise their dogs in places separate from people who dislike dogs, or b) deconflict the existing spaces by timeslots, so that there are set times for exercising dogs and other times for dog-haters to do whatever it is they do in parks and woodlands, or c) people need to develop a bit more tolerance and recognise that we need to share the spaces we have, and that means compromise.

Original poster
Dogsonleads · 19/04/2023 19:15

Thank you for your sympathy- DS seems ok, I will remind him of behaviour around dogs and to never ever run away.
funny thing is I could see that the dog is friendly, lovely and not aggressive (I love dogs land have dealt with them most of my life - hence my efforts to educate my boy)
I was just upset that the owner completely failed to acknowledge that there was an issue (of course she may have done so out of earshot)

before I get more people’s backs up - I posted this while I was upset (never a good thing) mostly to ask owners of all dogs to be considerate.

the poster who questioned the integrity of the story - in real life I love dogs and get on well with them. Today just happened so fast I had no time to react with lab coming round the corner.

  • about 20 years ago I got bitten by a rescue when walking on the pavement not even acknowledging the dog beforehand (and the owner then cuddled their dog and told me I had an aggressive aura. My DH was in stitches)
  • About 2 months ago a dog that was passing jumped up and licked my hand - again without any acknowledgement or invitation from my side - the owner was delighted and looked at me like I was a mirage when I pointed out that I had given no sign that I wanted to be approached
  • today
as per your post, May today be the last time down /away/ no - deep voice is something I need to train to the kids and me.

of course humans need to learn how to behave around dogs too.

OP posts:
Richierich77 · 19/04/2023 19:15

I’ve said on a previous post that on the odd occasion some children have approached my dogs which I think is so unsafe as I don’t let mine, luckily my dogs don’t care much for fuss when walking (I never walk in parks only rurally as they’re working gun dogs) some parents attitudes are shocking as they literally argue that their kids love dogs like they should be allowed to pet them. When I say please can you ask your kids not to do that I’m met with arrogance & comments such as I shouldn’t be allowing them off lead if they’re not friendly..how about not letting kids approach random dogs 🙄

Original poster
Dogsonleads · 19/04/2023 19:17

Mark19735 · 19/04/2023 18:56

Dogs need space to exercise. Society needs to either a) allocate more space, so that dog owners can exercise their dogs in places separate from people who dislike dogs, or b) deconflict the existing spaces by timeslots, so that there are set times for exercising dogs and other times for dog-haters to do whatever it is they do in parks and woodlands, or c) people need to develop a bit more tolerance and recognise that we need to share the spaces we have, and that means compromise.

No one is disputing dogs need to exercise

but pls be mindful of children

OP posts:
Original poster
Dogsonleads · 19/04/2023 19:27

Richierich77 · 19/04/2023 19:15

I’ve said on a previous post that on the odd occasion some children have approached my dogs which I think is so unsafe as I don’t let mine, luckily my dogs don’t care much for fuss when walking (I never walk in parks only rurally as they’re working gun dogs) some parents attitudes are shocking as they literally argue that their kids love dogs like they should be allowed to pet them. When I say please can you ask your kids not to do that I’m met with arrogance & comments such as I shouldn’t be allowing them off lead if they’re not friendly..how about not letting kids approach random dogs 🙄

Clearly the other side of non acceptable behaviour - driven out of ignorance

i moved to the UK as I loved the good manners and kindness - surely we can all respect an another?

OP posts:
Ylvamoon · 19/04/2023 19:38

@Chasingadvicel- lucky she was street wise! She was found as a stray in a big city before I gave her her forever home. I can also reasure you that she went over the rainbow as an old lady.
@listsandbudgets - honestly, I had to see the funny side to some of her more peculiar behaviors- otherwise I would have been swallowed by the big black hole... and never lived to tell the tale.

@IForgotMyUsernameAgain - well IF I would have been able to stop her, my day would have been ruined- but as it stands, it was purely down to the dog who had a ruined day! And as she was mine ... 😉

OMG12 · 19/04/2023 19:47

UWhatNow · 19/04/2023 14:16

I sympathise. Lots of dog owners are completely inconsiderate selfish cunts. And you can’t go anywhere now to avoid them. Depressing.

I would love a dog owner to tell us what we do in those situations to successfully avoid being physically accosted like that. If it were a human doing that it would be classed as common assault!

If it’s a “ friendly” dog say “no””down” in a very firm voice perhaps with your hand on its chest. If you feel the dog is aggressive don’t touch it.

I agree that it’s shut when people let their dogs jump up although seems a minor problem round here.

what I find worrying is the increased number of massive powerful dogs where the owners would have no hope of controlling them

Richierich77 · 19/04/2023 19:50

Dogsonleads · 19/04/2023 19:27

Clearly the other side of non acceptable behaviour - driven out of ignorance

i moved to the UK as I loved the good manners and kindness - surely we can all respect an another?

Show quote history

Huh? My dogs have impeccable recall as they’re working dogs so I cannot have it any other way, I wouldn’t have it any other way but some parents don’t understand that dogs don’t want to be fussed when out on a walk. Parents whose kids just expect them to want fuss is odd imo

Thesharkradar · 19/04/2023 19:53

Tinkerbyebye · 19/04/2023 18:23

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

dog wars have started, 'I am the owner of the big dog, obey me or your small dog gets it'

mybeautifuloak · 19/04/2023 20:35

KateyCuckoo · 19/04/2023 14:19

Equally, please teach children not to approach my dog.

Bet you are an 'all life's matter' person 🙄

mybeautifuloak · 19/04/2023 20:35

Lives grr.

XenoBitch · 19/04/2023 21:15

Maybe you should have posted this on the Doghouse board, instead of on AIBU where you will get dog haters posting their vitriol.

VincentVaguer · 19/04/2023 22:11

mostlysunnywithshowers · 19/04/2023 16:48

On a good day, there is nothing more funny than seeing a hapless new dog owner running after their untrained pooch calling whatever ridiculous name they decided to give it, while it promtly runs off in the other direction. On a bad day, it gives me the shivers thinking about these animals on the loose all over our towns and countryside.

I always carry an ultrasonic torch (like an electronic dog whistle), it's been most useful for shutting up next doors barking twats. It even works just by having it in my pocket. I zapped a pug once after it just growled at me for walking past it, no contact whatsoever. It jumped, little shit.

Dog owners beware, people have had enough and we are entitled to defend ourselves and our children, and our ears, from your bloody mutts.

You genuinely sound mentally unwell.

nomoredriving · 19/04/2023 22:53

XenoBitch · 19/04/2023 21:15

Maybe you should have posted this on the Doghouse board, instead of on AIBU where you will get dog haters posting their vitriol.

Which is exactly why it was posted here...

OneFrenchEgg · 19/04/2023 22:57

what I find worrying is the increased number of massive powerful dogs where the owners would have no hope of controlling them

I agree. There is no meaningful oversight at all of this - not if breeding, selling, training, nothing. I remember the sheer terror of walking to my car and a huge muscly dog breaking free from its owner and hurtling across the road towards me as I ran the last couple of steps and got in.

Even today I was gardening and suddenly a dog being walked past noticed me and came up the drive, across towards me (extendable lead) barking and growling. Luckily the owner appeared to regain control and carried on, getting the dog back asap.

Thesharkradar · 19/04/2023 23:50

XenoBitch · 19/04/2023 21:15

Maybe you should have posted this on the Doghouse board, instead of on AIBU where you will get dog haters posting their vitriol.

I'm not a dog hater, lots of them are decent polite and friendly, when they're not it's down to the owner.
I get that dogs are an important human companion animal but I think ownership needs to be regulated & controlled. Of course I have NO IDEA how this could be brought about, the pet industry is lucrative and will lobby hard against anything (such as restrictions on pet ownership) that might squeeze it's profits.
All decent dog owners should be concerned about the rise in dog attacks because these weapon dogs are terrorizing the nice dogs too

lfYouLikePinaCoIadas · 20/04/2023 00:14

Just being friendly!

A plea to dog-owners
nomoredriving · 20/04/2023 06:15

lfYouLikePinaCoIadas · 20/04/2023 00:14

Just being friendly!

What was the point of putting this, apart from being antagonistic?

Shall we all Google photos of dogs that don't appear to be snarling, to counter act this?

Saucery · 20/04/2023 06:30

It’s such a shame when a reasonable OP’s thread is derailed by the more extreme end of the Don’t Like Dogs brigade.
No one is denying that the behaviour of some dogs is problematic and that the blame for that lies squarely at the feet of the owners of those dogs.
However, dogs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, so we need to find a way that the needs of all sections of the community can be happy. Unfortunately, the more <cough> rabid dog haters will never be satisfied and that’s a shame for them, as all that frustration and hate must take a physical and mental toll on them Sad

VincentVaguer · 20/04/2023 06:39

nomoredriving · 20/04/2023 06:15

What was the point of putting this, apart from being antagonistic?

Shall we all Google photos of dogs that don't appear to be snarling, to counter act this?

Show quote history

I'd post a picture of the two friendly dogs currently laying on my bed but I wouldn't want the weirdos coming for them.

Swipe left for the next trending thread