Bare minimum dog ownership

[Luggagerackistopheavy]

I am a dog owner and a dog lover but as the tourists decend on my town at this time of year the appalling dog owners arrive.

Aibu to think this is bare minimum for dog ownership?

1. If your dog doesn't have bomb proof recall keep it on a lead or a long line.
2. Keep your dog on a lead next to roads. It's just idiotic not to even if you feel your dog is bomb proof.
3. Do not allow your little Fluffy to approach an on lead dog without asking. Your dog might be friendly but can you guarantee that the other dog is?
4. If your dog is off lead keep it in your sight at all times.
5. Do not allow little Fluffy to jump up at people. If you can't stop them, get them on a lead.
6. If your dog is playing with others for goodness sake supervise them and put a stop to it instantly if any dog appears uncomfortable or over excitable.
7. Your dog is not well trained just because they can give a paw, do a twirl, roll over etc. Good training is about recall, focus on their owner, behaviour while meeting others and behaviour while playing, stopping when told, not jumping up, not excessive barking etc.

Aibu to think this is bare minimum dog ownership?

Perhaps we should just rethink if people need to be owning pets.

Why does it matter?

I didn't say every local was a wonderful owner but there's a marked difference when the tourists decend.

Yep.

This!

Totally agree. I have one that is reactive due to his life before we adopted him, so he’s always on lead. At home, I can introduce any dog with no problem because he will follow my lead but when we are out and someone’s dog comes running up to him? He hates it and he will react. He is under control, the other dog is not. And you are exactly right, these are excitable dogs who don’t read his body language. What the “oh he’s friendly” brigade really mean is “he doesn’t come back because I haven’t bothered to train him”.

That’s why my reply is “I don’t care. Get your dog away from me and under control.”

Last said to my neighbour as her dog prepared to jump on me for the second day in a row.

You are the worst kind of human being, judgemental and full of hate for other people going about their lives, normally.

All the dog owners where I live are friendly and enjoy the interaction between their dogs. I am sorry that your life has made you so sour and bitter.

The sooner the owning of pet dogs is banned, the better. They cause nothing but misery and conflict.

This. Where I am dogs play and interact, share treats and have a great time. They welcome new digs and puppies.

Dogs are sociable animals, if you don’t like this spare a dog a lonely life and don’t get one.

I agree with you. Dogs are social creatures and the anxiety around letting them interact doesn't want to allow for that. I think it's heightened since the pandemic, the dogs picked up all the awkwardness and sadly some have become more reactive.

Then I am too 😂

If your dog is approaching on lead dogs then you clearly can’t control it so you should either put it on a lead or stay at home. You are in fact the problem.

I am bemused by owners of problem dogs who have to keep them on a lead who get upset when my non aggressive dog approaches their aggressive dog. It is not my dog that is the problem, its yours! Stay home if you can't control your dog

I don't think that's entirely fair. If my dog, who is always on lead, gets approached by an off lead Shepard or mallenois he will bark loudly but that's because he got attacked by one and is terrified of them.

This. Dogs are sociable animals. If you don’t like it don’t get a dog, don’t make the dog suffer.

Where I am dogs play and share treats. Owners talk and socialize. Get a cat if you hate interaction, don’t make a dog suffer from your anxiety and refusal to interact.

Yes, I think this conversation thread seems a bit too black and white. Like most social interactions, those between dog owners involve a lot of nuance and responsiveness to specific situations. If I see an owner looking nervous, I will call my dog away but in the 5 years I have had my dog, it has only happened a handful of times (and that is with 3x walks every day). Usually, a bit of eye contact or body language indicates when there might be a problem. Most dog owners like dogs and are glad for their dog to have interactions with others - when that is not the case, it can be sorted out. I just think people with problem dogs shouldn't make out that normal dogs are the actual problem, when they are not. This thread seems to have a lot of posters who dislike dogs and therefore dog owners, full stop.

I guess you are. Well done.

I’m not sour and bitter. You’ll be sour and bitter when your dog approaches a reactive dog on a lead and gets bitten.

Oh give over you loon

My rule of thumb. Reasonable one too I think

I agree with this.

@Luggagerackistopheavy what about people who want to acknowledge all the dogs? Should this interaction be allowed? Are the dogs allowed to respond?

I never have picnics now as there is ALWAYS a dog that comes over and tries to eat the food with the owner smiling indulgently as though it’s my fault, whilst offering a half hearted apology.

I agree. Keeping an animal at the end of a bit of string for your own amusement is unhinged.

You missed clearing up the poo

Oh yes the “oh you have food” as though I am to blame for eating when their dog arrives