Are there still any responsible dog owners left?

[Cla7]

I just got attacked by three dogs in our local park when I was out with my toddler. Knowing what might happen, I always stay right at his side so I was able to lift him up when the dogs charged at him. They started to jump up at me and nipped me, luckily not him. I screamed at the dog owners but they weren’t even that bothered, just half heartedly called them back. No apology, apparently it’s fine because they only nipped me and ‘had they actually attacked I wouldn’t be standing here talking anymore’. I have red bite marks but no broken skin. They doubled down saying that toddlers reassemble prey and that everyone with a brain should know that, so why would I take my toddler to a park where dogs are around.

Am I really expecting too much wanting to walk in the park with my toddler and not get attacked? Sadly this is not the first time it’s happened. Where have we come to and in the light of dog owners not being responsible, is it time for stricter rules?

It's just luck, and you've got a biased view as a result. Read the stats - dog bites happen often and numbers are rising.

I know three people who have scars from dog bites, none from their own dogs.

'Attack' is a strong word. Sounds like those dogs were over aroused and out of control I.e. they dont have the skills to make better choices and their owners are feckin useless.

Report to the dog warden. Nothing will happen but if repeat offenders get logged eventually something might be done.

Most of us are actually quite responsible owners, but like with anything the minority are total dickheads!

I’m not denying that dogs bite, I’m questioning whether it’s plausible that OP is attacked by dogs “all the time”.

I have to say I believe I am a very responsible dog owner. I mainly walk my dogs were there are no children (and not many other people or dog walkers either) but my dogs are always under control and if I see someone who from a distance seems concerned I always call them close, put them back on leads etc they don’t jump up but they will bark so I make sure they aren’t a worry to others. I’ve said all of that because I have a sneaky suspicion that my husband is not a responsible dog owner. The number of times he has said “we don’t need to put them on the lead” or “why are you bothering” etc. It really upsets me when we are together and worries me if he ever takes them out on his own (which thankfully doesn’t happen often). My neighbor text me a couple of months ago asking if I could ask him to put them on leads when he walks past their house because there was a barking match with their dog through the fence (I always have them on leads past this neighbors home as I’m aware of the issue).

I am not sure how you fix it as some people don’t listen no matter what you do or how much you tell them they think they know better.

In nice parks now dogs bother people all the time.
On buses too.

Attacked to me means actual aggressive behaviour or biting.

But bothered I would say 'all the time' is pretty accurate.

Dude I don’t even have a dog, I’m just trying to show you how stupid generalisations are. Sorry it went over your head!

Wow! really sounds like you are calling OP a liar!

Have you reported this to the police and/or council dog warden?

It's not true that "Nothing will happen". I reported an off lead dog attacking my (on lead, all the time) dog via the council website. I was called by the warden who took more details and she told me that others had reported the same dog and they now had enough to refer it to the police as an irresponsible owner (they had been given the name and address of the owner - I live in quite a small town).

Sorry this happened to you. My dog would never do this but if he did, I’d apologise profusely. And I ALWAYS pick up his poo.

There’s a huge nature park behind our house. The kids can’t run in it and be children because dog owners have their dogs off the leads and the dogs run at the kids. Also a football pitch next to it where twice in the same day we had 2 different dogs run off with our football the second dog jumped on our daughter to get it out her hands. To answer your question where I live it’s 50/50 irresponsible dog owners.

Yes this is standard now.

It used to be that dogs were trained not to bother people.

Now dog owners expect parents to train their children to get out of the way of dogs.

I have a friend with two small dogs that are friendly enough, but they do have a habit of jumping up on my legs, a couple of times sticking their claws/nails through my trousers.

The friend tends to shout "Stop that! You know Weary/Aunty [Seriously.] Weary doesn't like dogs!"

The thing is, I don't mind well-trained dogs. I don't want muddy paws on my clothes or claws through them. (I thought that only happened with cats. Wrong.)

I just think they should be better trained.

I've only recently realised too that my friend hasn't had her dogs neutered and still takes them out when they're in oestrus, so that's caused a few problems at times. I'm assuming she plans to breed from them at some point - she does comment about the appearance of dogs and so on.

She thinks she's a good owner. I'm not so sure.

I understand what you're saying, but saying 'one of the worst thing you can do..." is on the one hand nformative and possibly helpful - I wasn't aware of any of this until I came on Mumsnet since I've never been a dog owner - but it does feel that the onus is being placed on passers-by to modify their behaviour to suit the dogs rather than the other way round.

Maybe if you didn't tar all of us with the same brush people would respond better.
If what you claim really happens why didn't you call the police and have the owners arrested.
Oh BTW no toddler looks like prey so I very much doubt anyone would claim that especially not a dog owner.
This post is pure dog hating rage bait

What happened was completely and utterly unacceptable and even moreso with a small toddler. You are not at all wrong to be upset and angry and scared. If a dog bites you then it can be put down as clearly it’s out of control and unsafe around people. A park is a public place. The clue is in the word public. That means everyone can go there but the expectation and the law is that dog owners should keep their dogs under control and on a lead if they are unable to be recalled instantly, especially where a young child is concerned. It is a minimum expectation to be able to walk safely in a park with a child and not have to ever think about being attacked by any dog let alone 3. I’m sorry you had to go through this. And I would feel outraged if the owners attitude was that it’s you that should not be there. What utter bollox. They need to be reported to the police and the dog warden as this could be far worse next time. I am also a dog owner of a spaniel who is intact. He would never bite a human but would stand up to another dog who was aggressive and unsocial towards him so I am careful to take a wide berth around dogs I don’t know and owners that look they their dogs are bigger/ aggressive or, not in control of them. If I come across a toddler situation I get my dog on the lead and he will sit as family passes and if the toddler and mum is happy, I’ll offer a dog treat for the toddler/ child to hold out. My dog has been trained to take it carefully and not snap it out of a small hand. If a child approached my dog aswell without asking to pet him I would always step in front and get down to child’s level and gently explain it’s important to ask the owner first in case the dog is reactive as not all dogs are friendly or line children. Then they can play / stroke him. I do all of these things because I went to puppy training at a good puppy training school and also read about my breed and then built a strong connection with my dog so I keep him under my control at all times. He is always exercised regularly and cared for properly to meet his needs. I know my dogs quirks and body language well because it’s important to be able to read a dogs signals when he is unhappy and act accordingly. This to me is what responsible dog ownership is. I think you make a good point that there are some pretty shitty irresponsible dog owners who couldn’t care less and are very ignorant. Equally my experience is that there are also some very good responsible ones. A bit like parents! ! Perhaps the answer is not just strict rules but a pre requisite of attending some education around dogs ( and children) before being able to have either of them. How to meet their needs, do’s and don’t and the etiquette of living in society where the world doesn’t just revolve around you. Unfortunately the scumbags of this world ruin it for those that do take responsibility seriously.

I’m with you, OP. I’m also sick of people letting them shit all over the pavement outside my house, outside my child’s school, outside my toddler’s nursery. Every. Single. Day. It’s disgusting and too many people aren’t taking responsibility for their dogs. The owners telling you it’s somehow your fault because your toddler “looks like prey” to a dog is beyond madness.

A few years ago, I had a dog owner screaming at me that I'd 'nearly killed [his] dog'.

The dog was not on a lead at all - the owner had let it off, in anticipation of walking up a path that leads to a football park.

As I always do, I'd crawled my car out of my driveway and had plenty of time to see the apparently unaccompanied animal on the pavement/dropped kerb area in front of my driveway and had stopped - no emergency braking required.

The middle-aged man went ballistic. I pointed out his error in not having his dog on a lead and said "It's the dog that's important - not you."

He now uses leads so long on his current dog that it makes no real difference to his control. Some day, there's going to be an accident.

I do see many more dogs being taken to the football park than used to happen prior to lockdown and I'm aware of more problems. I was working in my back garden last week when I heard one dog attacking another. It was evident that the attacking dog's owner was unrepentant.

Overzealous? If the dogs nipped the OP, then they were clearly out of control.