...to be cross with this dog owner.

[EvilTwins]

Have just come back from our local park with my DTs (3.4) We went to feed the ducks, and go on the swings. Whilst we were feeding the ducks, an enormous dog suddenly appeared (it did seem to come from nowhere - the duck pond is in a dip, surrounded by bushes, so we didn't see it coming, and anyway, we were engrossed in conversation about the ducks) My girls are not used to dogs, as we don't have one, and none of our family do. They are usually a bit wary anyway, and I try to deal with it with as little fuss as possible. Anyway the dog in question was huge (I'm not a dog person, so couldn't say what breed, but it was nose-to-nose the same height as the twins, and, on hind legs, would have been taller than me) and the first we knew of its presence was when all the ducks suddenly scarpered. The dog then tried to get the bread that my one daughter was holding in her hand. Not surprisingly, she thought it was trying to eat her hand. Both twins were pretty hysterical, so I was holding them both tightly, trying to to calm them down (and prevent them from flailing around and falling into the pond) Meanwhile, the owner of the dog was nowhere to be seen. I then spotted two women standing on the path above the pond, obviously looking for something, so I shouted "Is this your dog?" They meandered down to the pond, and despite the fact that they could see the twins in a state, did nothing to take the dog away. In fact, rather than grabbing the dog's collar, she grabbed one of my daughters. I got really shirty then - told her to let go of my child and take her dog away. At this point, another woman, who'd seen what had happened, came past and told me that it was ME scaring the children, NOT the dog. I was speechless. All three women and the sodding dog then wandered off,complaining loudly about what a hysterical so-and-so I was. I was livid. The twins were really shaken and both crying.

On the way out of the park, I noticed that the sign by the gate said "Dogs must be kept under control. Do not allow your dog to frighten children" so I did feel slightly vindicated.

Sorry for long post. AIBU to be cross?

Why would that be too expensive? training classes here are about £5 per class and are on weekly, if you cannot afford £5 per week then you cannot afford to adquetely feed a dog imo.

I do see this bad behaviour all the time. The owners are not just the verminous ones, they are simply indulgent of their pets. I have friends and family that think it's fine to have a dog leap up on kids and jump all over people. They think it's cute. One friend of mine that worships animals, researched which was the perfect breed for her son for 6 months, walks her dog devotedly regularly and when he jumps up on my legs tells ME I have to be firm with him. Mad bloody dog owners! it's not a child, it's not a babby, it's an animal, get it under control.

We've stopped inviting dh's best man and family over because they have to bring ickle westie over who jumps all over us. These are not scuttlers, these are people who sound just like you lot.

A well trained dog imo never jumps up. I know because our family had one of those dogs when I was a child.

It sounds like plenty of you have dogs that do jump up 'sometimes'. That's not good enough imo, and in the opinion of most people who are not irrationally pro their own personal dog needs.

If the majority of dogs behaved well and there wasn't shit all over the streets I wouldn't have a problem. But some of you are guilty of it but you don't mind because you love dogs!

Also how do you suggest those of us with small children identifying well trained dogs that are bounding up to our small children who are simply hoping to use communal public space to exercise too? Children having exercise 'needs' as well?

Shall we ask the angels to send down halos so we can identify the good dogs? Honestly how can I not pick up my child when so many dogs are allowed to jump all over people?

What should I do? Just take the risk that it is one of the 20% of dogs that might not knock my dc over?

Soupdragon am I talking poop? Is that an unreasonable question? If you think it is then I genuinely think you're the one talking poop.

I love dogs, my family all love dogs, but they do need to be trained, dogs should NEVER jump up on people.

My mother has to have an operation today on her broken leg and ankle because a dog bounded up to her from behind, knocked her over, my father chased after the owners who were walking ahead and they just said 'don't make such a fuss' and fucked off without giving any of their details.

As I say I do love dogs, but I think that strong words to owners of unruly dogs would be very much justified.

some guy, very risky to take anyone on anymore, they might attack you.
I got 5 minutes of verbal abuse from a yr 6 boy who I asked to pick up the litter he'd just dropped in front of ds's school. I was really shaken actually, he's from a very troubled home and could well be dangerous or know dangerous people.

I remonstrated once with the owner of an enormous labrador puppy when it knocked my son over and lickedd him all over the face, ds was very upset, it ruined a xmas walk etc. The owner just laughed, very well spoken well heeled woman, she laughed and kept saying 'only a puppy! no harm done!'
That's what so many dog owners are like - they decide what's offensive, they decide when Rover is out of order, they decide whose needs come first theirs bascially.

If somebody is liable for a major injury occasioning an operation, extended physiotherapy and possibly permanent mobility problems, then I'd risk being attacked personally. They should be up in court for having a dangerous animal.

YANBU My DS was at the beach with my sister when he was knocked over by a large dog. Fortunately a very friendly dog, and also fortunately DS is not afraid of dogs. Unfortunately for the owner my sister is a very assertive person so he had to put with getting a comprehensive telling off

The training classes could be self financing once up and running, possibly, I suppose, but for the system to work properly there would need to be proper regulation to make sure all dogs/owners are getting the required amount of training to the required standard. Its this that would take up a huge amount of money to start up across the country. The government would also need a team of dedicated inspectors who were able to go out and check that the system was being carried out correctly and standards being maintained. In addition to that there would be costs implicated in the set up and running of a new database of registered dogs/owners and this would need to be centralised (like the DVLA) so it would be possible to check whether individuals were registered and had been through the required training.

Its not as simple as it sounds. Its a really good idea, but also really complicated when you start really thinking about it.

Nigelslaterfan, I most certainly have not ever let my dogs jump up on or run up to anybody - let alone a child. All three have excellent basic training with spot on recalls, and instant 'downs' and 'leaves'. With those three commands you can stop them doing just about any unwanted behaviour. Two of my dogs have also been through advanced obedience training.

I do not appreciate your assertion that some of the 'incidents' of dogs causing fear or worse have been caused by 'YOUR' (meaning my) dogs. It is quite simply untrue and deliberately inflammatory to say so.

Plenty of people on this thread own dogs and agree with greater regulation and control if a feasible system could be introduced. Not one has referred to their 'baby' or 'ickle darling' or whatever and absolutely no-one on here condones dogs being allowed to frighten, or worse, injure a child or anyone else for that matter.

Your childhood dog was not the only dog to have gone through its life being well trained and well behaved. Could it be perhaps that you only notice the badly behaved and poorly controlled dogs because the well behaved dogs that are under control do not call attention to themselves?

Chrysanthemum5, that's lucky for you, but it's not acceptable is it?
Dogs like that need to be on leads all the time if they're out of control.
Unfortunately so many of them strangely, grow from sweet ickle pups to enormous, oops! full grown dogs which the owner and family can't control.
Oh Dear!
That wasn't meant to happen when I imagined having a lovely ickle puppy!
Oh well, everyone else will have to just deal with it, I certainly can't!
SomeGuy it's awful your mother went through that, I hope she is well soon.

moosemama, sure there must be owners like you and I have no issue with you if your dogs behave that well, then fantastic but I do see some well behaved dogs but I see a huge number of out of control ones. It really is a big problem for many of us who have no say in the matter.

I suspect some of the posters on here do accept jumping up. I know a lot of owners that do. It's just so rare to see impeccably behaved dogs. Would that it weren't.

Long may people like you live and thrive and own dogs.

But let's face it you're not the majority.

Just take the risk that it is one of the 20% of dogs that might not knock my dc over? >>>>NSF really where the hell do you live with all these out of control dogs knocking over children left, right and center???????

If you pick your child up every time you see a dog it is little wonder he is afraid of them.

I would you suggest you move to a more normal neighboured, where the majority of dogs are trained.

Where do you suggest? We live where we can afford to live. You must be fortunate if you can choose.

You only have to have a child knocked over once to be anxious don't you?

NSF - where are you getting your statistics on the number of well-behaved dogs in the country? At one count it was only 400 in total, and now it is 20% - it sounds to me as if you are just making them up, which does nothing for your credibility.

And when you say that the streets are full of dog shit but "..some of you are guilty of it but you don't mind because you love dogs.." - which of the posters on this thread are you referring to?

I'll ask again - where on this thread have any of us said that we condone dogs being out of control, bad owners or people not picking up their dogs' poo? Is there no chance whatsoever of your acknowledging that the dog owners who have posted on this thread are genuine about their concern for other people and the impact of their dogs on people and the environment?

Or are we going to get more snidey comments about halos and us being smug and snooty.

"I suspect some of the posters on here do accept jumping up...."

When will you stop making things up. No-one on this thread has either said or implied this.

No one has any of those figures obviously, I used hypothetical numbers clearly, who on earth knows how many there are. Maybe in very wealthy areas you don't see the appallingly behaved dogs as often as we do in and around London. So you can afford to think it's lovely and it probably is in Richmond and Surrey.

The reason I suspect some of the posters have dogs who probably do occasionally do a poo they then can't find or sometimes jump up on people is that I have friends and family who talk just like you do and yet tolerate anti social behaviour in their dogs. I think it's dog lovers blindness.
My own father's dog bit my stepsister;s child on the face and my father still thinks it's the child's fault and says the dog was being pestered!
If you all have dogs that never ever jump up on people and you clear up ever shite your dog does than fine. But when you live near a forest most of the dog walkers consider it a dog toilet and don't even bring bags. That is my experience. So you can take offence but if your dog doesn't do those things then great and I don't mean you.

one poster did say a dog was still jumping up but was about to go for training.

And if all your dogs are perfect then I take it back. But in my experience dog lovers are much more tolerant of dogs behaviour than non dog lovers.

My mum was knocked down in Surrey, as far as I can tell the difference between Surrey and inner London is that in inner London the dog shit is left on the streets rather than hanging from trees in plastic bags, and here are fewer Staffie-type dogs.

There is no difference in the number of owners capable of training their dogs not to jump on people - it might be worse in Surrey even, because there are more Labrador+ sized dogs as people have got bigger houses.

NSF, that was me, I said my dog tries to jump at people, but is kept on a short leash so at not to be able to. We will be adressing this issue in obedience classes. Can I also point out that I said my dog was a rehomed dog.

I have not allowed him to become this way.

I don't live in Surrey or Richmond. I live in quite a rough town. There are many, many Staffie owners, my children have never been knocked over by/jumped on/or bitten by any out of control dogs.

There are two gorgeous GSD further down the road that wander about with no leash, ubder the supervision of their owner. One went to approach my dd2 in her buggy and immediately stopped and went back when it's owner called it. I said it was fine if the dog was okay with children as dd2 loves dogs. They allowed the dog to approach her, it laid its head in her lap and let her stroke it. It was clam and patient even when she lifted it's ear to whisper "I lub you". Those are sorts of dogs we get around here. Even the smack heads bother training their dogs to some degree.

I don't just want dogs NOT to jump up at my DD. I don't want the bloody things to jump up at me either. I want to go for a walk without having to push a dog off of me and to go for a jog without having a dog run after me and try to nibble me.

It's simple. Not all of us like dogs so please owners, keep thm under control and don't assume that because you love and adore them others will too. This is simply not the case.

I happen to live in a not so unpleasant Caribbean Island, but one thing that is unpleasant about it is that dogs owners here tend to let their dogs loose to roam. They chase cars (if I run over one I will not feel one ounce of guilt), they chase joggers, they bark when you walk past their home, they lick and nibble. I hate it but unortunately I have to put up with it as this practise has been going on for far longer than I have been here.

But in the UK dogs should not run wild especially when other people (adults or children) are around. It is a sign of respect to not assume that everyone loves dogs.

When I was back in the UK over the summer I saw a Retriever pooing in the middle of a large playing field and the owner just walking away in a daze. I couldn't believe it. Either she didn't know what was going on or didn't care. I ran after her and told her that her dog had just done a hige poo in the middle of the field and that she ought to go and pick it up as children play there. There were other people around and she was mortified (so she should be) and bumbled her words a bit, apologised and walked back to her dog. She knew what her dog had done - I'm sure of it. It wasn't just a small poo either. It was a large, squitty type poo - urghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I HATe dogs, but I hate dog owners even more.

If the dog's about to go for training, then the owner clearly isn't tolerating the jumping up - they are doing something about it. There is a big difference between having a dog that jumps up, and accepting that this is wrong and tackling the issue, and having a dog that jumps up and thinking that it is cute and friendly and OK.

My puppy still jumps up - but we are training her not to, and I apologise every time she does it. She is only off the lead in places where it's suitable - in other words places that are frequented pretty much solely by dog walkers and not by children or other people wanting to walk etc.

For what it's worth, too - I don't live in Richmond or Surrey, or anywhere wealthy like that, and I have yet to see any dog poo on the pavements.

With regard to the forest that dog owners see as a dog toilet - if the forest is used by other groups, then the dog owners should clear up after their dogs, just as they would on the pavements, and I would be just as cross as you, if I lived there.

Where I walk the dog, the biggest problem is avoiding the cow poo, though at least now I don't have to stop the dog eating it, as she did when she was younger.

Well I wish I lived near all of you, you sound like my parents were with our first dog. My father is no longer like that though, he grew out of being a good dog owner into being a demented dog worshipper. Even his wife forgives the dog that bit her grand daughter's face.

If I've given offence forgive me. I do really deep down love dogs, I just feel so angry at the numbers of out of control dogs we have in our area and I feel so powerless about it. I'm really sad our friends have got this dog so we don't feel happy about inviting them, it's really hard to tell people not to bring their dog, people are so sensitive. I clear dog poo off pram and bike wheels all the time, I nearly wept last time. It takes a minimum of 20 minutes to really clear up a wheel full of sh**.

You all sound wonderful owners, I just wish that there were more of you and fewer of the bad ones. And I am really nervous if a large dog bounds near my child now, I don't know how I'm supposed to trust people when ime so many of them seem to think their dog's behaviour is fine.

I'm really ranting at the bad owners, not you, but if one owner is more sensitive in future and more thoughtful then maybe a bit of shouting will have done some good.

Unfortunately I think you are preaching to the choir here, NSF - but I'd be more than happy to see your message get out to those that need it.

And my puppy's no angel, I know that, and threads like this do help to keep me on the straight and narrow, if I were to think of straying.

Have not read the whole thread, but OP - total sympathy - same thing happened to me when Ds was tiny, I was upset that he was knowked over by a large dog that licked his face- he though it as trying to eat him - ignorant owners thought a huge joke - still really upsets me today, then they said it was me upsetting my son...
Entertained evil thogut of leaving suasages laced with laxatives around the park for their scummy dog to eat, but obviously the owners who are low life, not the animals fault.