To dare to think that the Cult of Dog has gone too far?

[MariLlwyd]

There is now not a single public space in my home town that is dog-free - and that includes cafes, restaurants and even the library. Local beaches, once a quiet escape, have turned into asylums for the fur baby/pupper brigade to inflict their poorly trained animals on others with children getting chased, people jumped on and tripped over and all to the sound of hysterical barking and frequent dog fights.
80 year old woman knocked over by uncontrollable dog? 'You got in his way'.
Ask politely that you take your dog away from our lunch table? 'Go fuck yourself'.
Sit on the most remote bench you can find? Peri-menopausal wild eyed harridan lets loose 3 dogs from her 4x4 to jump all over you and laughs that it's 'their spot' and turns unhinged when you push them away.
Yes, this is a rant and yes I hate most dog owners.
This weird cult that values darling dogs over human beings is actually pretty worrying.
I shall await the inevitable and hilarious 'incoming' from the emotionally stunted Doggo Nutters.

Wish they did as I hate having to tie my dog up outside while I nip in a shop I have huge anxiety about someone stealing him.

Can't you leave him at home when you go shopping?

I had a woman make a cross with her fingers (like you would to a vampire) at me when I said I didn't like dogs. Barking mad.....

There is a bit of a culture clash too, with Muslim teaching being that dogs shouldn't be kept in homes, or lick people, which can lead to many Muslims being wary of dogs.

''You'd like my dog''

No I wouldn't. If it has teeth and a pulse I'm going nowhere near it.

I was bitten twice as a child by both of my friend's dogs. On my hand and my face. Thankfully It didn't break the skin.

I'd seen these dogs regularly every week since they got them. Once the trust is broken it's not coming back. No one ever thought it could happen, after all they were 'friendly'. Until they weren't........

You might think it's unlikely but it happens. I was walking our dog and a kid ran up to her and smacked her on the nose and shouted 'doggie'. She understandably snapped at the little brat but she was on a lead so she didn't get him. I was ready to defend my dog but his Mum came up to me and apologised and said it'll teach him not to do that again. This was a long time ago, nowadays the dog would probably get the blame.

If my child ran up to a dog minding its own business and smacked it, I would be very apologetic and cross with my child. I'd expect a similar response from a dog owner who had let their dog encroach unwanted on our personal space. Mutual respect and consideration.

My cat used to eat venison, goose or pheasant cat food. It cost a fortune but he liked it. Maybe I should have fed him Whiskas and bought some random kid breakfast!

We joined the cult just over a year ago. Guilty as charged.
On the plus side my little mongrel (cavapoochon) is scared of people so doesn’t go near anyone. But you’re not wrong, we are completely obsessed with her. Take her everywhere, shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs. On the plus side, everyone else near me seems to have a variety of “poo”. they’re everywhere.

Oh I absolutely love her, Can’t describe it. Couldn’t be without her.

@Isobel201 I live on the coast. Most of the beaches used to be dog free over the summer (there were still some that weren't) but the dog-owning mafia, who outnumber those who don't have dogs, got the rule changed so now dogs are allowed on all beaches all of the time. It's so gross - I've seen them poo and the owners not pick it up - "it gets cleaned up by the tide" - yes but I, and my children, and lots of other children want to swim in the sea. Preferably, a sea that hasn't got dog poo really close to the shore. I don't actually understand how the law got changed. I reckon the councillors must all have dogs, too. And there are people who bring dogs to church - and they start scratching during the prayers or the readings and one of them is really smelly.

You feel entitled to manipulate the emotions of a child because you are angry at their parents? Really? And you feel this makes you the adult in the room?

Why can nobody here have a moderate opinion on anything? Why do people have to either hate dogs and call for their deaths, or think their welfare is more important than that of humans?

Can't anyone just quite like them, as I do? Or quite dislike them? Just to a normal, sane extent?

All these extremes of emotions are exhausting!

Yup! 100%. What else works? Do you have any other words for me that would be as effective in getting a dog to stop scoffing our picnic / knocking over our toddler, crapping nearvus? If so please share it.

We love to visit the coast but have to stay away the six months of the year that dogs are allowed on beaches as my children are scared of them. I find it so unhygienic that they are allowed there in the sea.

I am not a dog person, so agree with you, if I'm going to eat somewhere, I don't want to share it with dogs that smell (as I don't have them, it's very noticeable when they do) or are rude - I don't want to stroke Fido thanks

If its one of the what used to be fairly exclusive to pubs, dog friendly establishment, it isn't quite so bad, if the dog in question is curled up nicely under the table but having to navigate around them. Plus if it's a food place, what about potential germs, will the dog be titbitted using the cutlery etc

More and more places seem to be bowing to being dog friendly, it puts me off places if I see they are

They have dog friendly screenings at the cinema now.

We are all responsible for our own behaviour. Two wrongs don't make a right. People can be maddening, irresponsible and annoying but we owe it to ourselves and others to respond appropriately.

Worth remembering that the catch-phrase of abusive men everywhere is "she made me do it".

Sounds like it’s time for her to win a Darwin Award.

Are you the person that had a go at me a few years back for letting my dog pee in the sea?
The sea.... fucking hell.

I have to say I’m more concerned about the amount of human waste in the sea than whatever dogs do

I’m not saying it never happens. I’m saying that it’s very rare and, to be frank, completely irrelevant anyway.

Dogs are just ‘things’, property, chattels, stuff, whatever. Children are people.

I really don’t care about children misbehaving around dogs, except when the dog reacts and harms the child. Then the dog owner’s in the frame.

And TBH it just doesn’t matter that your dog got smacked by a child any more than if your car had got smacked by the child. If you have a claim for property damage, go for it.

Otherwise accept that your dog cannot be treated as a human.

I don't know why you think protecting your personal comfort makes you entitled to traumatise a child. I have no idea why you think this.

As to using children's emotions to manipulate adults goes, I understand that you think it is effective. You are probably correct. But I can't understand why you think it is reasonable.

Well you're the one that brought it up in the first place, I was replying to your post saying it's 'absolute bollocks' when it clearly isn't 🙄

It isn't completely irrelevant unless you think the sun shines out of your child and they can do no wrong. Guess what, it doesn't and they can. You might not think that some little brat hurting a dog or any other animal is important but the child needs to learn they can't go around hurting them. No wonder I've been reading about yobs attacking animals and wildlife with people like you around letting kids think animals don't matter.

Oh and where did I say my dog should be treated as a human? I just expect any animal to be treated with respect, especially when they aren't doing anyone any harm.

My dog being on my furniture is not going to bother you. You don't even know about it.

As a responsible dog owner, I completely agree with you, OP. I equate the kind of behaviour you’re talking about with people who sit in trains and buses playing music on their phone speakers. Rude, entitled and, frankly, soft of brain.