To ask dog walkers to keep them on a lead

[HyacynthBucket]

It seems that although dogs cannot catch Covid-19, they can carry it on their fur if they pick it up from someone say sneezing. Therefore dogs need to be kept well clear of other people when out. Please dog owners, put others first, not your pet and do not allow contact between them and people. Only yesterday someone's dog bounded up to me, jumped up, and I heard the usual "He won't hurt you" from the distant owner. This sort of fatuous self-indulgence by dog owners has got to stop now PLEASE, for everyone's sake.

This outbreak really has brought out the very nastiest in human nature.

I am finding it so disheartening to see how quickly people are prepared to turn on each other - and how quickly they will use a crisis to push their own soapbox agendas.

There may come a time when if people do not comply with the 2 metre distancing rule, then their dogs will be impounded and put down. Think about that Good grief

Good to see everyone is staying calm and sensible.

Many people are feeling (me included!) stressed by the present situation. Some people are highly anxious and feeling a lack of control.

This will lead to heightened anger if people are put in a situation where they are frightened.

It's not entirely unforeseeable that a dog jumping up or approaching a stranger might be violently kicked away whereas normally that person wouldn't dream of hurting an animal.

The mindset would be
I'm scared of getting this disease.
The dog is petted and in the home of others who I don't know and might have it.
The dog jumps up at strangers and will be petted by strangers in the park.
I don't want the dog near me as it could have the virus all over its coat.
GET IT AWAY!
BAM! BIG BOOT IN ITS RIBS

I'm not saying this is rational thinking but it's this kind of thing that means we should all be more considerate of others.

And I don't care how well the 'my dog has perfect recall' dogs are trained. For two reasons
Every animal, like every human, has the ability to go totally off piste. If you don't accept that your dog might not recall because of some other factor- it is scared and running from something is an obvious example. A dog being chased by a lion will not be recalled for love or money. I get that there aren't lions on a countryside walk but you take the point
You may know your dog has perfect recall training but others don't. It's not fair to cause other people huge anxiety at the moment when all that you are being asked is to keep the dog on a lead for a few weeks.

We live in the middle of nowhere and our dog is an antisocial dick who avoids all strangers- human and canine - with bombproof recall (I can and have called her off chasing rabbits and deer).

I see no problem with her being off lead unless other people appear (unlikely).

However I do agree dogs in more populated areas, or those who cannot be kept under close control without a lead should be on one.

You're supposed to keep your dog on a lead at all times. It doesn't matter if it's in the countryside or an urban area. This was true before the crisis.

Wrong. You're supposed to keep your dog under control at all times. A lead does not equal control - plenty of pullers out there, and plenty of dogs that can be put on a six inch heel without.

’You may know your dog has perfect recall training but others don't. It's not fair to cause other people huge anxiety at the moment’
This is a really good point. Well put.

That doesn’t change my opinion that a completely isolated, open walk is absolutely fine to off lead well trained dogs by the way. But it is well put for average walking routine circumstances.

Another concern is parks.

Because many parks have play areas, fenced off from dogs, even before this crisis some dog owners felt entitled to let their dogs of the leads in the rest of the park.

Well now those fenced off play areas are closed, meaning children will only have the wider park area to exercise in and so I fear we will now see many more children attacked by dogs

According to my local borough by-laws proper control means:

a dog being on a lead or muzzled if the dog requires it, or otherwise being at heel/close enough to the person in charge that it can be restrained if necessary or responding immediately to voice commands.

I fear we will now see many more children attacked by dogs
That would be awful but I think you can reassure yourself that logically and statistically speaking these cases should actually be much lower now.

Do you live in a very densely populated area Flax?

Wrong. You're supposed to keep your dog under control at all times

And if any member of the public fears any dog is out of control and/or about to attack them or their family. Then they can take appropriate measures

Dogs should be on leads at all times unless on private land.
Couple of days ago I went at cycling on a local track used by walkers, runners cyclists, I saw groups of people with multiple dogs running about freely, some people automatically will restrain the dog so that I can pass by, others just leave the dogs to mill about and I have to navigate through them.
Numerous times I had to get off my bike and put my bike between me and the dogs to stop them from jumping up at me

if any member of the public fears any dog is out of control and/or about to attack them or their family. Then they can take appropriate measures
We’re not talking about ‘out of control/about to attack’ dogs though.

That would be awful but I think you can reassure yourself that logically and statistically speaking these cases should actually be much lower now.

No what we will see now is even more dog owners going to the parks and letting their dogs off leads. Because the fenced off play areas for children are shut. More children will be attacked by dogs

Why is this so hard to understand ? Why can't people just keep their dogs on a 2 metre lead at all times?

We’re not talking about ‘out of control/about to attack’ dogs though

You don't seem to understand the concept.
If any member of the public believes ANY dog is out of control then they can take appropriate measures

No I will not keep my dog on a lead. He does go on one the minute we see anyone within 50 m of us though and we will go in the other direction.

’You don't seem to understand the concept.
If any member of the public believes ANY dog is out of control then they can take appropriate measures’
I do understand. But we’re not talking about ‘out of control’ dogs here. We’re talking about all dogs. The majority of dogs are not out of control.

I absolutely do not dispute the fact that you believe you can act if you feel a dog is ‘out of control/about to attack’.

Yes all dogs should be on leads.

While there is too many people in my borough who have no idea what the requirement is for having their dogs in public as evidenced by most days I am out. The majority does thankfully.

Nearly 90% of my runs along a city tow path that is 2.5 - 3 metres wide (3 times a week before social distancing suggestions) have an encounter with dogs that are in no way in control and should be. The amount of times I am chased, tripped up, even bitten once. Always with the owner having the attitude that I am in the wrong, despite the dog being off leash and not under control, usually no where near the dog.

Yesterday, under social distancing, there were still dog walkers who do not have their dogs under control . These are the owners who are on their phones, or are walking with others in a group. and who let their dogs walk on the other side of the path to them, meaning that anyone coming has to pass between them to keep the 2 metres.

Sadly, it is the same with the parent who is running/walking with their teen or child but not falling into single file to pass.

But again, there are the plenty who do the right thing and I try to always thank them (always keeping two metres away). I am always impressed at those dogs that have been well taught to come immediately when called or the owners who look to see someone coming and recall them.

If any dog comes within 2 metres or looks like it will be about to, of my young relatives. I will go to any lengths I can to defend my young relatives

Defend them from something that is metres away?

Why?

Surely if you start attacking a dog that isn’t anywhere near you, you are going to just get bitten and probably punched by the owner for attacking their dog.

The only one out of control in this situation sounds like you

Oh god it's not hard is it?! Even if you want to carry on as before and let your dogs off their leads when this is over (selfishly and irresponsibly, imo), for the next few weeks, unless it's on your own land, for the good of everyone, KEEP YOUR DOGS ON LEADS.

No, you are not a special case. Neither is your dog. There is no justification for it. I don't care if Fido needs a good run out. I 'need' a slab of cake from my favourite coffee shop and a saunter around town followed by a few pints at my favourite bar. But I can't and that's fine. It's only for a few weeks ffs. Do your bit and stop whingeing.

dogs will be impounded and put down.

No, I really doubt that.

Yes all dogs should be on leads.

As much as I come across dogs who are in the 'out of control' category, I must disagree. It should be as per the borough's by-laws as some parks and areas are for only dogs on leads. I come across well behaved dogs who are off leash enough times to know that it can be done.

I do agree though, that there are owners who have an inflated idea of their dog being 'under control'. I keep asking my borough to do an information campaign about it but they feel it will not solve anything anyway.

I don’t understand why you can’t just put it on a sodding short lead for a few weeks.

It’s not hard, it won’t do any harm and you’ll be doing your bit for society.

I feel really upset today. One of my children is ill and all I can do is sit and wait. I don’t blame people thinking about taking matters into their own hands about you stupid irresponsible fools.

No I will not keep my dog on a lead.

There you have it OP. There is your answer.

So expect parks, now that childrens play areas within them are closed, to be dog exercise areas only. Because every dog owner is entitled to do what ever they they want and to have their hound running around wherever they want.

If people are walking their dog in the street or other well used route it should be on a lead. People are stressed enough without thinking wondering where the dog is going. If it is somewhere isolated then off lead with good recall is fine.

In a similar vein don't let children run towards other people either.