Rant Alert!! why do people take dog's off leads??

[ranter]

grrrrrrrr walked onto estate when group of people with two dogs took them off their lead and let them run around. ds1 had jumped a mile off hte pavement and nestled into me.
I asked them why they had taken them off their lead and the silly woman said "cos I live here"!!! arogant so and so!!
"I said well there's kids around and he's scared"
" oh they wont hurt anyone" she said walking on. I told her she should have some sense. One of the dogs came running up to ds2 buggy and came up on him so I just shouted at him/her to move as the group weren't bothered. poor doggy looked quite upset and I'm sure he/she was only trying to say hi to ds2.
I was so cross and just mumbled under my breath like a mad woman.
I actually love dogs well the non violent ones and our cuz has one who is just part of the family.

But why do people let their dogs of their leads when not in places where they should be?!!

how mean is that? I only let my sog off leads in the park when theree's no other dogs/ ppl about just incase. how rude of her.

dogs* even.

yeah i know!! have calmed down now. but still think they were rude!

it's just common sence really, even with my two dogs - children running/walking about = them on leads as on'es a sheppard and likes to chase ppl (only in a playful chase me way) and the other's a staff who loves to jump up and say hello. so for u. give the rest of us a bad name.

nice to hear from the other side tho and to know that there are dog owners who are kind hearted.

That makes me mad as well. Actually its OK if the dogs are off the lead so long as they don't run up at, bark or jump on people. Most people don't like it and some people are scared of dogs and the dog owners are inconsiderate.
And I can rant about this for ages, I got bitten by a dog and had to go to hospital a couple of years ago. Had to have a bit cut out of my bum where it bit me, I have a nice scar there. It happened in a forest and by law where I live dogs must be kept leads in forests!

There are some (not all) dog owners who are just plain inconsiderate. Between letting them off their leads and allowing them to jump up on you, or not picking up after their dog has c**pped, or letting them bark at all hours of the day and night - their self-centredness is astounding.
You were quite right to challenge her

Leogaela, what a horrid thing to happen, were the owners prosecuted?

paolosgirl, grrrr dont get me started on dog poo!! hate it, always have to manouver buggy and have eyes at back of head to guide ds1 who as boys do is to busy looking elsewhere. And now ds2 is walking and still wobbly have to be even more careful that he dont put his hand in it. why dont they poop scoop??!!

wouldn't normally say anything but was so cross that they had made ds so scared!!

on another level I really hate when I hear the poor doggy crying and whinning from over the way because it has been left bahind or locked outside. must belong to same people as I saw the direction they went to their house.

I think it's okay to let a dog off a lead, but a dog owner should also be mindful that small children may be intimidated and call the dog to heel when a small child is around.

kama, I know exactly what you mean.

handlemecarefully, yes I can understand where you are coming from and if the dogs were kept in order I wouldn't have said anything but thet were running up to ds' and fighting and jumping about, they were rob just excited to be of there lead to be honest.

I hate seeing loose dogs too.

So many people walk untrained dogs off the lead (getting it to sit occasionally doesn't mean it's trained!) that I avoid parks (streets/roads/most public places ) because of it.

I've had dogs in the past, I do like them, honest!

If you saw me do my Hyacinth Bucket every time next doors large GSD decides to do an "AAWWWOOOOOO" over (yes, over, our five foot high) front fence, you wouldn't think I'd ever stroked one in my life!

I like seeing well-trained loose dogs. My friend has one who knows when to stop at kerbs, who is not distracted by other people or other dogs, will come the first time he is called and is just generally brilliant. If she sees kids, she'll call him back to her because they will generally run up to him - people really ought to train their kids not to do that. And she picks his crap up.

I just wish all dog-owners would actually take their responsibilities seriously and if they are going to have a dog, train them to be as obedient and well-behaved as this one. Sometimes I feel more nervous about dogs on leads, because it implies to me that the owner doesn't have as much control over it as one who doesn't need a lead, iyswim -especially when it's a kid in charge of a rottweiler. (Although my friend often puts a lead on her dog just to reassure other people in a busy area - it's just really basic good manners, imo.)

I could rant for hours about this subject. Why oh why do people think its acceptable to let them off leads at children's playareas? I saw one this morning being let off its lead, straight over to a long piece of grass beside the swings and do a wee. What also gets me is the usual phrase "He/She won't touch him/her" - thats why your dogs chasing my child then is it? I am not anti dogs - I have two sides of the spectrum - one child who screams and runs for miles at the mere sight of a dog and another who squeals in delight everytime he sees a dog. My fil was brought up on a farm and says dogs are natural hunters and you have to be cautious around children as even with the most gentle dog - you just don't know..........

This is one of my pet peeves. In Denver, CO, USA where I used to live there were some dog mauling incidents involving children in local parks. So the council clamped down. There are two 'no leash' parks in town where dogs can roam free, but in all other parks they very actively fine people who allow their dogs off leads. They're also really good about fining people who don't pick up after their dogs.

I have nothing against dogs, I just am a 'cat' person after watching my dad be attacked by an Alsacian when I was 8 - he required surgery and took months to recover.

Nooo - don't get me started on this. Uncontrolled dogs and dog sh*t all over my children just makes me boil.

A dog with no apparant owner came bounding up to my twins pushchair recently and launched itself at the children in it. The were very scared. I grabbed the dog and kind of shoved it to one side. Don't think it liked it much and nor am I bothered if it was 'only being friendly' or whatever line gets trotted out. I never did see the owner, which was perhaps a good thing.

kama IKWYM I never feel comfortable in parks, always looking round to see where the next dog is coming from. I wish there were some parks where dogs weren't allowed.

All th swingparks round here are supposed to be dog free - but there are always dog owners who ignore that because THEIR Rover would never jump up on a child. Yeah right...
It's the same as it now being illegal not to clear up after your dog - there will always be those who ignore the rules and do what suits them

As a dog owner ( a georgeous chocci lab) who is extremely well trained I just want to say, he is walked off a lead but if people obviously do not look too sure - he goes on his lead (willingly puts his head inside the loop!) I certainly would never walk a dog off a lead if there were any risks involved.

As for the subject of dog poo - always picked up with my nappy sacks and deposited in bin - what really makes my blood boil is when I come back holding my dogs waste and have walked in somebody elses!!!