Just fucking sick of dogs

[crazyaginglady]

Sorry but I am. I was cycling home from
picking up DS from school with him on the back and a dog came running up beside
me snarling and snapping at my feet on the pedals. I nearly bloody went over but managed to keep my balance and get past it (electric bike). Owner called an apology and I just rode on as it was still off the lead and I was worried for DS.

This is a national cycling path and much used school route so there are always bikes and children 8-9 and 3-4.

A sausage dog decided to bolt towards my 2 year old last month in the park for no apparent reason and I had to scoop him
up to avoid contact.

And don’t get me started in the ‘oh he’s just being friendly’. I don’t want your fucking dog jumping on me or my children or scaring my kids when we are just going about our day.

They should ALL be on leads unless they are in a dog park/field.

Agree While. It’s all abit odd. I don’t hate them I just don’t want them bothering me and don’t expect me to love them I really don’t! If that makes me an evil psycho well there you go.

I love dogs, always have, in fact I have two of my own but I truly hate what has happened to dog ownership since 2020.

You can’t move for fluffy-faced tearaways at our local park, they bound over all happy and waggy and I cringe inside. I have severe arthritis in my knees and if one of these dogs jumps up at certain places on them then I will fall down which is both embarrassing and painful. I ask politely for people to call their dogs, I explain I don’t want to be jumped on and most times I get ignored and end up having to shoo the dog away which can then lead to a mouthful of abuse from their owners. I’ve basically stopped going anywhere near where dogs are walked unless it’s very early in the morning when it feels safer.
This afternoon I popped into Starbucks with my son, I didn’t realise dogs were welcome in there but I was jumped at (and barked at) 3 times on my way to our table with our drinks. It now goes on my list of places I can’t go again because it made me so nervous (the thought of falling). I’m now actively looking for dog-unfriendly places to go for a coffee which feels very weird indeed.
By contrast, I was volunteering at Parkrun this morning and chatted to a man with a huge Labrador (who desperately wanted to jump up at me and wiggled in place to show me), his owner had him under control just using his voice so there was no threat and I got to enjoy both their company while there. It makes such a difference.

Yes, a lot of fervent animal lovers often casually and sincerely say they prefer 'animals to humans' but if you dislike dogs out of all the millions of other animals in the world you have psychopathic traits!

I always think if dogs could talk these people would change their minds! They like them as they can’t answer back. Which I have some sympathy with to be honest definitely easier than teens.

Yes indeed. There’s a reason there’s a lot of people pissed off about dogs, and it’s not because we all just fancy chiming in with each other. It’s because stupid irresponsible owners are a widespread problem.

I often say the same thing about OPCs OP - just keep your precious dc to itself please - he/she is rather lovely and sweet but I don't feel like randomly smiling and being nice right now. Thankfully, no matter how I'm feeling I'll still be nice to your dc.

Ditto OPDs, unless your dog seriously looks like it's going to harm me, my dc, my dog or anyone else I'll be nice to it too.

And if anything - man or beast - looked seriously ready to harm, then I'd be taking immediate safety action before I took it further, better be safe than sorry.

One thing that’s really interesting about these sorts of threads is that there are always a number of dog lovers who come on to say that they own and love dogs but cannot stand the increasing amounts of dog related anti-social behaviour. We should listen to these people. They give the lie to the ‘all you nasty people just hate dogs’ brigade.

I'm sick of kids harassing my dog, got a rescue puppy recently and two kids chased him down the length of my local park whilst the mother looked on yelling at me that my dog was "loving it" as he was wagging his tail. He was massively scared and irate and I had warned her I did not think he was yet socialised around kids and to keep them away. I agree some dog owners are shit, and the woman should've put dog back on lead immediately but it works both ways.

I really wish people would not let their dogs approach you uninvited. It is so bad when they jump up at you , my legs have a lot of scarred , tender areas on them due to skin grafts and surgeries. Really painful when you get dog claws scratching them.
Hate dogs in cafes too.
I like well trained dogs and their responsible owners and grew up in a home with dogs.

I do have some doubts about how many dog owners on MN genuinely have unsupervised children harassing their dogs. But I’m happy to accept your experience.

Even so, I think you carry a strict liability. If you have a dog you must expect annoyances to it, and if it reacts badly and causes fear or injury that’s on you as the owner. Pet dogs are a luxury, not a need or an obligation.

Completely agree with you OP. I am also fed up with people taking their dogs to shopping malls, garden centres etc - Carnt you leave the dog home while you shop? The dogs don’t even seem to be happy in these places either!

Dog owners please note the following - not everyone loves ur f……dog!

The majority of cafes and restaurants do not allow pets. Just avoid the ones that do. It’s not that difficult 🙄

But a lot of cafes and pubs where I live do allow dogs. Not too sure about restaurants.

My arthritis is very bad and I'm using sticks but people don't seem to realise that you could trip me up if your dog's lead wanders across my path when I'm struggling to just walk. I'm thinking of getting another dog and there are group walks locally in an area where they can safely run off lead and socialise. But I can see why people are wary.

Agreed. I just flipping hate them. So much noise pollution. Housing is too built
up for them now, it’s selfish to own one if your house is attached to another imo.

I see so many people carrying dogs, saw one tonight. Why are you carrying a dog that’s perfectly capable of walking?!

A friend and neighbour has 2 smaller dogs and never carries them.

I agree. It’s sad all the entitled selfish dog owners on here think that humans have no rights and dogs have more. Telling people to stay at home if they don’t like dogs, so I cannot go to the corner shop because some stupid dog will jump up at me? If a human walked up to someone else licked them and smeared mud on them it wouldn’t be ok?

😄😄😄 You must be fun at parties

A dog should not be in a clothes shop if it can dribble or leave hair or its smell over clothes. Disgusting.

I agree with you. I love dogs but my son hates them, my oldest son hated them as a kid so any dogs coming up to my kids was always really annoying, especially if the owners said stuff like "it's ok he's friendly". I'm aware of that. Just keep it away from my kid

Yes I agree. Dog owner here too. Dogs should always be under control in most public spaces, and only those with water tight recall in parks etc. My dog has crap recall so he's always on a lead unless I'm in a secure field.

I suspect some people are bringing their dogs everywhere because they can't leave the dog unattended at home.

My neighbour's dog yowls and barks itself hoarse for hours on end if left alone. I'm sure it's probably destructing, scratching, and chewing things inside. Never mind other things like urinating and defecating.

The only way I relax my resentment against my ASB neighbours is to think well they're the ones that have to live with this now for the next 10-15 years. I can see they're extremely stressed out having to pretend they haven't got a dog.

I can’t believe this has come up in AIBU again, it’s been done to death on here. Perhaps Mumsnet need to add a dedicated area for dog complaints.

Further to my comment I actually really love dogs and have a job where I look after one but cannot stand people who let their dogs jump up at my kids

Please don’t tar all dog owners with the same feather! I pick up after my dog every time, she doesn’t approach people, I sit outside or in dog areas if I go for coffee. She’s not allowed to bark at people for no reason, she’s trained and well behaved. My gripe is people allowing their children to try and pat her, she doesn’t like children and will walk away or Dodge children, I get “oh he/she was just saying hello”. My other gripe is people who don’t control their dogs and they run up barking, “they only want to say hello” WTF, no thanks. All I ask is if you are cycling and see a dog off lead, ring your bell, shout and let me know you’re behind and I’ll catch hold of my dog while you pass, I was born with many qualities but eyes in the back of my head isn’t one of them! Not all dog owners are irresponsible twats.