I’m so tired of people with dangerous dogs ruining the park for everyone else.

[Purplehat123]

I’m so tired of people with dangerous dogs ruining the park for everyone else.

Every time I take my children and our small cavapoo to the park, there’s always someone with an intimidating dog off the lead. Yesterday it was a man with a huge German Shepherd (and I mean huge), a bully breed on a lead, and an Akita off the lead just wandering around.

This is a busy, very suburban park, full of families and young children. And there I am, trying to scoop up my two toddlers, push the pram with the baby, grab the dog, and move away as fast as possible because I am not taking the risk of one of those dogs attacking. And let’s be honest, if something did happen, I’d have to sacrifice my dog to protect my children.

Even the two dogs that were technically on a lead, if they decided to go for another dog or child, there’s no way he could have held them back. They were enormous, powerful breeds.

And don’t get me started on the Akita. It was off-lead, trotting around freely as if that’s totally normal. Akitas were originally bred to guard property and hunt large game, including bears. They are strong, territorial, and known for being aggressive toward other dogs. They can be incredibly unpredictable and are not the type of breed you let wander freely in a public park full of children and pets.

Today it was a woman with a giant Rottweiler off-lead, paying absolutely no attention while she scrolled on her phone. Again, no control, no awareness. Rottweilers were originally bred to drive cattle and guard livestock, and they are incredibly strong, protective dogs. They have a natural guarding instinct, which can easily turn dangerous when not properly controlled. It’s no coincidence that they feature in so many fatal dog attacks, especially involving children. The number of child deaths caused by Rottweilers is horrifying and well-documented. It doesn’t matter how sweet you think your dog is at home but when a dog like that turns, it’s too late to stop it.

Far too many times my own dog, who is a total wimp and literally gets bullied by a chihuahua, has been attacked by dogs whose owners claim, “Oh, they never normally do that.” It’s always after the fact, once the damage is done.

And honestly, it’s the complete lack of awareness that really gets me. You might think your dog is friendly, but when you’re letting it freely wander up to children and other dogs, especially massive, powerful breeds, it’s terrifying. It might not scare you, but to everyone else, it’s incredibly intimidating.

I love dogs. I grew up with them. But this constant anxiety when I take my children out is exhausting. I shouldn’t have to be on high alert every time we go to the park because someone refuses to take basic responsibility for an animal that could cause serious harm.

Some dogs are working dogs. They are necessary.

Ban any dog that is capable of killing a human being. And any dog capable of barking and disturbing the peace. People can have cats as pets. Or mini-pigs that do not bark or kill. Or maybe one of the new robot-dogs.

https://blog.dogsbite.org/2022/06/fatal-rottweiler-attacks-archival.html

Here you go, it's USA but there's no similar collection with links to victims from the UK/Europe. They have many more posts of dog fatalities and which breeds are doing it - they're what sensible people would expect.

I'm with the OP - I avoid people with power breeds and if a small dog runs up aggressively to my dogs I grab it by the collar or the scruff without worrying about losing my arm. A lead doesn't mean much to a power breed, it's more of a decoration and I don't know if the person holding it is capable. Especially when so many wear those stupid harnesses or nose loops. I'd only trust one in a properly fitted prong or slip when the owner weighs more than 70kg and even then I'd rather just walk the other way.

Completely agree.
Good breed choices btw! I have a collie!
We have an incident every single day we go to the park near our home, where rhe same two tiny dogs bark aggressively at my dog while hes on the lead, they ran at us so quickly a few weeks ago I dropped my phone and had to pay to fix my smashed screen 🙄

The official UK stats. You do this thing called google.

Surely the issue is the possibility that a child might run past /throw something/ do something unexpected and the dog reacts /fine if it’s a small dog but you wont get a large dog off - maybe kids should be banned from parks so the dogs get a free run

I’ve lost count of the amount of conflict I’ve had to deal with from dog owners who appear to think my toddler is fair game to be intimidated by their dogs.

literally the worst thing about being a parent of a young child is irresponsible dog owners and there are huge numbers of them.

Why can’t owners appreciate that not everyone thinks their animal is anything other than a potentially dangerous nuisance.

I really wish dogs didn’t exist.

Collies are lovely dogs!

That's an awful situation you're dealing with.
Sorry to hear about your 'phone.

So, just to clarify, none of these dogs did anything wrong or showed any sign of aggression? Your anxiety is based solely on the fact that they could? Because, by that logic, nowhere is safe. Any random stranger could attack you and in my area, that's statistically more likely.

You need some treatment for your anxiety, being you must be exhausting.

Only shit dog owners will have a problem with animal cruelty? Good owners will be fine with it?

Cars aren't necessary for either work or school as there's public transport available or good old fashioned walking.

Held captive? You think dogs would be happier living wild, scavenging like foxes and sleeping outdoors in harsh winter conditions?

From what you have said two out of the three dogs were on a lead, and the third dog was off lead but not bothering anyone (except by existing)?

Dogs absolutely should be under control in public, but it sounds as if these three were under control?

You sound unhinged.

We are not living in America , thankfully for lots of reasons

The point being made is that Rottweilers have been responsible for 6 fatal attacks in the UK in the last 25 years and whilst each of those deaths was a tragedy, those figures are not high.
The high level of cases that the OP has referred to have almost certainly been in America, where Rottweilers attacks are a problem, second only in number to the American Pitbull Terrier, which is not a banned breed.
These high figures could be down to different breeding and/or a lack of emphasis on the importance of early socialisation and obedience training. But it's most likely because the laws we have in place in the UK regarding dangerous dogs simply don't exist in America. Whatever the reasons, it isn't appropriate to quote American data in relation to the UK.

In day to day life, I find that the most untrained, irritating, neurotic dogs with clueless owners are invariably those ending in 'poo. Which makes sense because no self respecting, knowledgeable dog person would buy one.

I wonder why OP had to 'grab' her dog? Let me guess, it doesn't have any recall and doesn't know how to stay or heel, does it? They never do.

I feel the same OP. I would just like to be able to go for a nice relaxing walk without constantly being on edge and looking out for dogs, trying to work out their body language. I've got what someone described as a 'yappy rat' who thinks he's protecting me but just draws attention to us. Someone has an akita on our estate but luckily he's always on a lead....but the owner bought a second akita even though he received a fine because his first akita bit someone.

I love an on-lead country park or national trust estate but they're not that easy to find.

Your mentality, op, is really damaging tbh. This is why so few small breed owners bother training their "fur baby" - because they think it's harmless and only the large breeds need training. Meanwhile large breed owners (mostly) accept their dog has the potential to harm and make sure their dog is trained to the hilt.

Earlier this week 2 stupid Frenchies started barking aggressively at my (nervous rescue) giant breed. I deliberately steered my boy away and he was doing really well to ignore, talking to him as I did so, so it was obvious what I was doing. Only for 1 idiot Frenchie owner to then walk over to us, mere cms away when there was the whole green space to give a wide berth.

If a human did that - started shouting at you, then when you deliberately walk away, follow you and invade your personal space - you could legally use self defense. Yet if my dog tried to defend itself from the violent little Frenchie and it's shit owner, he'd be the one to be put down.

People probably want to go out for a relaxing walk without your dog barking at them. You need to work out that before being pissed off that people have dogs you don’t like the look of.

YABU, dogs should absolutely be under control, on lead if recall is not perfect, but there is nothing in your OP to suggest these dogs were out of control in any way.

You are describing these dogs as dangerous, but they have not shown any aggression so this is purely based on their breed.

A friend of mine has an ex-police dog which is a German Shepherd and he is the best trained dog I know. We have 2 staffies, both are super friendly and have never shown signs of aggression, one of them was on the lead when she was attacked by an off lead cockerpoo, she did not retaliate so your assumption based on breed is completely unfair.

I get annoyed when idiot dog owners think it is ok for their dog to run up to my teenage sons wheelchair and sniff around it and generally invade his space. No he doesn't want your fur baby poking around him. And it is not ok because the dog "is friendly" and there is no point in you saying that anyway because my son won't understand what you are saying.

My brother has profound special needs and a severe dog phobia, and I get annoyed when people allow their dogs to go up to him, and I have two dogs. He cant tell the difference between friendly and not friendly and can't articulate his concern. However this is not what the OP is on about. She is calling all dogs of a certain weight dangerous, being vague about her dog being attacked 'many times' and not providing clarity, and the only actual examples she gives is of two dogs, one on a lead, and the other not paying any attention whatsoever.

I saw someone walking their two perfectly well behaved dogs last year, something caught the one dogs attention and he ran straight across the road. A car hit him , it was awful to see this poor dog and the distress of the owner. The driver was really shaken up too.
Luckily the dog survived, but I still think about it and worry when I see dogs off lead coming out of the park.

Yes but those dogs are well trained / at work, not harassing people in parks and literally everywhere else.