I hardly take my dogs for walks anymore.

[MaryOnACrossss]

Because I'm so sick of dealing with idiots.

I've honestly lost count of the amount of times my dog (a pug who is scared of bigger dogs or any dogs really!) has been run at/bitten/snarled at/pinned of just plain intimidated by other dogs.

First we stopped going to the playing field.
. Then we stopped going to the park.

This morning we went round the circle we live on. Just round the cirle and some guy come round the corner with 2 putty on steroid looking things. One on lead, one off. This is walking round avenues, not a park or anything. And of course the one on lead start dragging him over and the one off lead runs right across the road. I tell him my dog doesn't like dogs, please keep him away.

So he grabs the off lead dog by his back leg???!! Whilst trying to grapple the one on lead away from her too.

He drags the dog by the leg until they're back on opposite side of the road and I pick my dog up and hurry away whilst looking for a gate I can get into if the off lead dog manages to escape.

I'm so fucking sick of it.

Why wasn't it on a fucking lead?

I was shaking. I have anxiety and so does my bloody dog.

It feels like every time I take her out something like this happens.

So we play in the garden alot rather than go on walks.

Pitty* not putty.

I just wanted to take her round the Avenue. I feel like I can't keep her safe at all :(

Get a powerful water pistol!

One of my 2 yorkies got attacked (picked up and shaken) by an off lead dog 18 months ago.I had to get her from the dog on my own (owner was on the phone) meanwhile my elderly dog had bolted towards the road. Since then she has now taken to trying to attack any dog that she doesn’t know. When I warn people to control their off lead dogs that come bounding up to us, they laugh when I say she is aggressive. I have to pick up a snarling, wriggling ball of fury. My dog (now 8) used to love every dog or person and used to have no fear. She’s now terrified of everything and only gets to run off lead if there are no other dogs in sight. I agree with you, it’s stressful taking your dog for a walk.

I'm so sorry.

I had another dog get run over years ago because an off lead dog chased her and I dropped her lead.

I think I have some real issues around it and since then I've really struggled to walk them, especially alone.

I'm not exaggerating when I say almost every walk we've had this year, some dog has run over to her with no control from the owners.

Even the friendly ones scare the shit out of her. She tries to get away/wiggle from her harness or gets aggressive because of fear.

My old boy is blind and deaf, he's only on lead, has yellow warning patches all over his harness and lead. Twat dogs can't read.

I resort to recall your fucking dog, it mostly works.

I have the yellow lead and harness too.

People just don't care, dogs can't read as you say 😂

I’ve obviously been too polite 😂

What infuriates me is people with off lead dogs who let the dog roam up to mine while owner is on their phone not caring what is going on there seems to be so many idiot dog owners around

I hear you. I no longer walk my dogs in public. Too many idiots. The furthest my dogs walk in public is from the house to the car now. The rest is at secure fields

I hear you. Ours has been attacked three times now and snarls and barks and snaps at all dogs be perceived to be a threat. It's awful, stressful and he started life as a cuddly ".loves everyone " dog

If you are very anxious your dog will be too,so no wonder it’s not pleasant for you or your dog to go for a walk.I’m not sure a life just in a Gaddis fair in the dog either.is driving elsewhere a possibility or hiring a dog Walker who could take your dog out a couple of times a week somewhere more dog friendly? That way at least your dog gets some variety

or possibly get a dog trainer in who can help your dog feel calmer but you also need to feel less anxious too.It can he done as I have trained a f trained my dog after he was bitten by a wolf dog. It affected him really badly.Took a long time but now I’ve trained him to ignore other dogs-keep walking-and the other dog gi seem to lose interest.good luck and I hope you find a solution

I sympathise with your post OP. My last dog died 20 years ago and I never got another one for the same reasons. Those idiots ruin it for everyone else.

I go out early mornings. Highly recommend it. All the nice doggy’s seem to be out then.

She does ignore other dogs! Until they're in her space.

If people just kept their fucking dogs on a lead there wouldn't be an issue.

Of course I'm going to be nervous having strange dogs run over after watching one dog die and having her attacked multiple times.

People just don't listen. I say stay away and they say 'oh he's friwndly/he just wants to say hello'

water pistol is your friend. My husband is heading back up to canada on wed and he is buying a holster for his hahahahahaha. seriously here its the cats that tease them that is more of a problem and also the burning hot pavements. We tend to walk very early and very late as pavements are cooler. unfortunately that is when the cats are around. and stupid pigeons that our young boy just wants to chase hahaha. They do great with the beach dogs though

I'd probably get battered if I squirted one of these people's dogs with water. There hardly nice people

I hope all the posters with dogs who say 'keep your dogs on a lead', don't keep their dogs on a lead ALL the time? How would you like your whole life away from home tied to a lead? If you don't have open countryside to walk in and let your dog have some bloody freedom, don't own a dog. It's also a well known fact that most dog fights happen because at least one of the dogs is on a lead. Its pent up fear that causes it.

Did you know that dogs are really sensitive to how their owners are feeling. If you’re anxious on a walk they will be too.
Dogs needs to know their pack leader (you) is confident and in control.
your dog picks up that you’re not in control and is therefore nervous and worried.
can I suggest taking your dog out of the area for walks rather then just round the block or local.
take it to the beach or forest. Try somewhere new with less dogs perhaps.
walks Aren’t just for exercise it’s for mental stimulation so they can sniff and explore. The garden probably isn’t enough.

This 100%

That’s because most dogs don’t attack other dogs or snarl or bark at them because they’re been properly socialised from puppyhood.
The only dogs I’ve witnessed attack another dog are dogs kept on the lead.

One in three households in the UK have a dog.
That's a LOT of dogs.

When you go out you need to expect a LOT of dogs will be around and you need to be able to control your dog for the sheer amount of all the millions of dogs there are.

When you can't stand dogs, whether you're a dog who hates other dogs or a person who hates dogs, going out can become a massive ordeal when all you want is some fresh air and exercise, but all you get is dogs coming at you.

We all share this planet with each other and millions of bloody dogs so I do not tolerate uncontrolled dogs.

They need to be kept on a lead and controlled or don't get a bloody dog. Too many people get a dog and can't look after the thing properly.

What a load of bollocks from both of you. When you have a small dog, keeping them on a lead keeps them close to you and able to scoop them up if there is danger. I'd rather have my dogs on a lead than risk them running out of reach and being pursued by an aggressive dog and attacked or run over as happened to the poor poster above. With so many untraid and aggressive bully type dogs about these days it's delusional to think otherwise.

Aggressive dogs should be kept on lead and muzzled. Full stop.
But op, most dogs aren’t aggressive. Most dogs, when they approach your dog are not looking for a fight. If your dog is scared and snaps at then, most dogs will get the hint and go away. This is how dogs are. It’s how they communicate. Your dog is anxious and it’s probably made worse by your own anxiety. I feel for you, it must be super stressful, but you simply can’t expect all dogs to be permanently kept on lead because you and your dog are anxious.

I have 2 small dogs. One of them I adopted 3 months ago and he’s already off lead on walks, has great recall and enjoys a happy active life. He would never bite or growl at another dog.
if your dogs aggressive that’s because you haven’t socialised it properly and it senses your lack of confidence. If that’s not an issue you can be bothered to resolve then you need to muzzle your dog. Saying otherwise is like saying I’m going to go round with a big knife and if anyone runs into the big knife it’s their fault.

I have a nervous nelly dog and then one who thinks every single dog is his friend. I'm in Ireland and we don't seem to have the same rampaging dog issues over here as are discussed on mumsnet but I do occasionally come across it, its usually a 'dont worry they are friendly as their dog comes over for a sniff. Just the other day a blokes dog slipped his lead and ran over to mine. He sat and watched. I shouted out that mine wasn't friendly, he saunters over and puts his hands in my waist(?) and tells me not to worry his dog is friendly as my dog is snarling and growling at his. I was completely taken aback by the situation tbh.

My nervous nelly dog is a rescue, she was treated like shit and came to us as a shaking, emaciated little thing, we've tried training her and she is OK with little dogs now but she just gets so scared that everything goes out the window when a big dog approaches her.