To expect dog owners to keep their dogs under control?

[topher40]

My son and I were on the beach the other day when a dog came charging out of nowhere and almost knocked him flying .I asked the owner to be a little more considerate and she did apologise BUT 20 minutes later the same person was with another group who had 3 dogs which all came running over to where we were. Now I am not paranoid about dogs, I grew up with them, but I think it is a little off to allow your hound just to run around where there are small people especially when they are obviuosly not in the control of the owner. When I got a little testy with this person they gave me a look as if i was at fault. I have no problem with people walking their animals but is it unreasonable to expect them to keep them under control?

Of course you should control your dog and not allow it to harass other people.

But i think noleads is an idea that goes toofar- I'd be morekeen on areas where dogs can be exercisedof fhtelead provided in aprks /on beaches etc so peopleknow where they are.

We've not got a dog (rental rules) but the dog we had as kids simply woudln't have harmed a fly ever unless we were at risk- the only evertime she growled was when somebody threatened my siter. IMO the perfect dog.

Goblin, it's a faultless plan. Genius.

The key word there MrsC is many what about the others?

Mrsc2010 - I was saying about the policy for no dogs off leads in Germany - I didn't mention the dog parks/areas but having lived in Germany know all about them. The policy I spoke of wasn't 'my own' it was only saying the same as BlauerEngel. I didn't just didn't go into every detail about the rules in Germany. The point is that all dogs in Germany should be on a lead in public places which are not designated as dog walk areas.

no my dog would never bite, he never has and never will I am am completely delude as to what sort of animal it is, this is the sad fact of the dpog that does bite - this is why the dog is able to bite cos the owner doesn't actually do anything to protect the victim.

that so many think that there dog will not do what dogs do - that is a problem

no it is not deluded.

It is fair to say that any dog can bite given the right provocation.

If a child climbs on/pulls/pokes a dog then the dog might one day get fed up and bite. If that happens then it is the child at fault, or the parent for allowing the child to poke/pull/hurt the dog - not the dog's fault for retalliating.

If a dog gets older and slightly deaf or is in pain then there's a chance the dog could startle one day and snap, or bite if it gets hurt even though the person hurting it doesn't know they've done so.

But dogs do not just turn from docile family pets one minute into vicious monsters the next. By that token you are essentially saying that I might be sitting here typing this post and one of my dogs mmight suddenly, for no reason, just jump up and savage me to death. Which is frankly bollocks, and anyone who believes that happens is deluded.

Ivy my last dog copudn't have bitten, for the last few years he was toothless and had severe arthritis and a heart condition:lying aorund in the park and hobbling slowly off the leadwashis great joy.

If any child had tried to stroke him we would have said no,we had and have a blanketr 'don'ttouch dogs you don't know withouta sking'rule. he couldn'texactly run away so why should he have been denied a break?

Specific areas work on casites etc, so why not rl?

Am loving all the dog whisperers on this thread.

Yes, my dog has a very powerful set of teeth and jaws designed to tear flesh from bone, but I know he'd never use them as nature intended, that would be ludicrous, and besides, he's promised me he wouldn't

I'm not sure a child being bitten by a dog and possibly scarred for life is a fair punishment for poking a dog, TBH wannaBe.

Can't imagine you'd be stood over said bleeding child saying "well, it was his own fault"

But dogs son't have to be vicious and biting people to be bloody annoying.

I regularly hear the 'don't worry, he's only playing..' shouted cheerfully from half a mile away. He may very well be. He may be the most playful, lovely dog in the world; not vicious or likely to bite. Great, if you like that sort of thing.

But...he has also left a big friendly playful muddy skid down my coat. Or ploughed headlong into the dc.

And then there's the dog poo all over the place.

Probably most dogs aren't likely to bite. It's the other stuff that owners think isn't a problem, that is.

Arent our teeth designed to do similar things?

The main problems we had when we used to take our littlest out when he was younger (he's a Westie so V cute etc) was that children and adults alike would come up and stroke and pet him without checking it was ok. I'm not precious about my dogs at all, but this seemed a little silly, and a little rude. Most of them wouldn't even address me while doing it, I even had parents bringing their toddlers over so they could stroke the pretty puppy...without even checking that I minded, or that he was safe with/used to children...or even acknowledging I existed. I thought this was highly irresponsible, but you can guarantee that if he had have snapped out of fear or whatever (sometimes these people could be quite firm and insistent in their petting) it would have been my fault. (Yes, he was always on a lead.)

I was always polite and friendly, but to the parents in question I would normally make a point of telling them that it was normally best to check that dogs were used to children before bringing their toddlers over for a play. This got mixed reactions.

I know this is the opposite of the thread, but I find it very rude...I wouldn't just walk up to someone's child and start petting them! (Now that is a whole other thread!!)

Mumsnet never ceases to amaze me how dog hating it is.
Most dog owners clean up after their dogs and train them properly. Object to the ones who dont (as we all do) but dont assume every one who has a dog lets it shit every where and chase small children.

But dogs aren't people. They have precious few reasoning skills.

Besides, I'm not sure I would want a person rushing up to my child in a park and jumping on them either.

Yes, because people never start wars, rape others, mug people, stab people, torture people etc etc.

rainbow are you comparing humans to dogs for any particular reason? PMSL

Yes Rainbow, I agree. It is the irresponsible owners out there (and there are many) who let us all down. We never leave without a pocketful of bags, and have never left a turd anywhere. In fact, I remember taking our pup out to the shop and forgetting a bag (we'd only had him a week so I was a little novice!) and being so desperate I emptied all of the sweets in my pocket out of the roll and used the paper and a tissue to lever the poo up! Minging...

Yes, I am and no, I'm not a 100% sure why.

Actually i'm confused as to where anyone said that all dog owners are the same?

Yes rainbow, you're right.

Let's let the dogs rule us.

Or is that not what you meant?

(Dogs don't commit rape? Are you having a laugh?)

It is a common assumption, and certainly not an attack on the posters here. There are many comments, along the lines of 'bloody dogs, shitting everywhere, never getting cleared up' etc etc that permeates not only this thread, but all of the dog threads I've read so far on here and other sites.

Well, maybe that was a silly comparison - the rape. (remembers childhood visions of interesting position village dogs were in).

No, I wouldnt want dogs to rule however they would probably do a better job then humans. We've pretty much fucked up the world have we not.

Christ on a bike.

I'm really not sure what to do with that nugget of wisdom, rainbow.