Dogs off lead

[Crunchybanana]

I’m just posting this to try spread a little bit of awareness about having dogs on lead/ off lead in public places.

Sometimes it feels like (where I live anyway) there’s a real lack of awareness about keeping dogs on lead and away from other dogs. I have two dogs, they like some dogs but oftentimes they don’t like dogs, especially young dogs that are bouncy and want to play.

I appreciate that when you go to the park there are going to be dogs off lead. Sadly many don’t have good recall and owners think it’s fine for them to run up to other dogs - even dogs on lead - that’s a whole other thread that I’m not getting into right now because what I’m finding more irritating is the fact that many people do this even in urban areas/housing estates.

I often avoid going to the park with my dogs (to avoid dogs) however I’m finding that even walking them through town and housing estates in our area to be a challenge as we’ll come around a corner and suddenly there’s an off lead dog there.
On one walk last week I had to change route as there was someone throwing a toy for their dog out of their front door and the dog was running back and forth to get it, problem was their house leads straight onto the footpath so as we were walking it suddenly came bounding out of the house - their house is on a bend so I couldn’t even see the person, they couldn’t see me and they didn’t see that I had a dog and a pram that I then had to manoeuvre and quickly retreat as I was scared their dog would run over to mine. Then, same walk we continued down the path and suddenly another dog bolts out of its house chasing a cat that was sitting in the driveway across from its house - the owner casually strolled after the dog to bring it back inside - these people often have their door open and I’ve seen the dog out by itself in the estate a few times.

It’s just incredibly annoying that we can’t enjoy a relaxing walk and need to be on high alert at all times.

I guess I’m just trying to highlight to people who have friendly dogs that it’s not fair to assume all other dogs are the same, they are animals, they are unpredictable so for anyone who does this, please just keep your dog on a lead in these types of areas. It’s in your dogs best interest and for their safety too. Thanks

I hear you. We live in a rural area and we've had a few occasions where I've been with my young son and had my baby in a pram and dogs have come leaping and bounding up to my children and the owners haven't recalled the dogs - just the same old 'he/she's friendly!' One time a lab jumped up and put his front paws onto the pram my 7 month old was in

The problem is @Crunchybanana normal , good dog owners will totally agree with you and the sort of owners you are referring to who let their dogs wander out into the street etc will never change because they don’t care .

You can't change people's behaviour, only your own.

Best to change your walking rout if you / your dog can't cope with off lead dogs.

100% with you on this. It is a legal requirement that dogs be under control in public places, thus, without bomb proof recall, they need to be on a lead. We walk my girl in the woods just across from our house, off lead, but recall and clip her lead on when anyone is nearby whether or not they have a dog. She is often rushed and harassed by off lead dogs that either aren’t called to heel at all, or whose recall is completely ineffective. She’s not nasty but is stressed by it and reacts defensively. I would too, if I were her. ,y standard response to ‘It’s ok, he’s friendly’ is ‘Mine isn’t’ even though that’s not strictly true. Sorry, a bit rambling, but you’re absolutely right, many people don’t have proper dog walking etiquette.

I don't have a dog but I do have a phobia - I go walking every day and I like to walk around the green areas. I can cope with walking past dogs on leads but not the big muscly terrier type of dogs they really scare me. Luckily most people keep their dogs on leads but every time I go for a walk something happens to freak me out a bit. Yesterday for example a woman was walking two dogs, one of them was a small bulldog type and they stopped because the other one was pooping. As I walked past the bulldog type one started getting excitable and was making a low growling sound and the owner had to pull on the lead to stop it from coming at me. I continued walking and they started walking behind me with the dog still making noises and panting. I absolutely panicked and had to stop and walk over the grass to let them by me. She looked puzzled so I explained my phobia and she was very good about it. Dogs running out of houses has happened a couple of times when I walk around a new build estate. Now and then I encounter dogs off lead but usually they're what I call normal dogs as in don't have a bad reputation but if they actually approach me I freak out. Dog owners largely can't understand that people like me or people with other dogs feel intimidated and anxious. Oh he/she are fine, friendly, won't hurt you.

I would never have my dog off lead on a street, it's dangerous for her apart from anything else. But she's off lead on countryside walks, woods fields etc.. If another dog is off lead I assume they are friendly. My dog doesn't ambush other dogs, she approaches carefully calling out to them to let them know, she's good at reading other dogs body language too. And she has good recall. But if your dog is nervous of other dogs either have them on lead or let other owners know, we aren't all telepathic.

@juicydroppop it’s incredibly annoying and shows the level of ignorance considering people think it’s ok to allow their dogs to jump up and bound towards small children. The “but they’re friendly” comment makes my blood boil! Completely missing the point

@Floralnomad sadly this is true, there needs to be guidance to new dog owners around these things as unfortunately people don’t seem to have common sense

@Ylvamoon I have changed my route and I avoid parks so what’s left then, just don’t leave the house altogether and don’t walk my dogs because people are too selfish to consider others? And too selfish to consider their own dogs safety?

@JustBec its beyond infuriating! This happens so often to mine too. I got into a row with a woman one day as her off lead dog just came right up to my dog (on lead) and was up in his face (she seemed oblivious to the fact that we had basically been cornered on the path by her dog) - my dog snapped as in ‘back off’ and when I said if you see a dog on the lead you shouldn’t just let your dog approach, she got defensive and said that her dog was allowed off the lead in that park - again missing the point completely. They were technically allowed off lead where we were but that doesn’t mean they can just invade other dogs space as they please

@MrsSlocombesCat it must be very difficult for you dealing with these inconsiderate dog owners with your fears. I’m sorry people are so unaware. Thanks for raising your point as yet another reason why dog owners need to be more aware of basic dog handling rules! Not everyone likes dogs and everyone is entitled to feel happy and safe in public spaces

@MissyB1 I think in parks, woodlands etc once the dog has recall then fine but people should never assume that a dog is friendly regardless. Even on lead and with me turning around to walk a different way some people don’t read the cues and will keep coming towards us. It’s not expecting anyone to be telepathic it’s just expecting people to be vigilant and cautious, and realising that many dogs don’t want to play or be jumped on etc

This is 100% true.

Off-lead dogs are everywhere - even on/next to roads. It's impossible to avoid them.

I own a cane corso and a poodle cross, both have AMAZING recall so I do walk them both off lead but not on roads/nearl child play parks. If there isn’t enough space for me to move both dogs and I can sense the person walking towards me isn’t overly sure, I will put both on leads. Especially as I know a cane corso can look very intimidating.

on a daily basis I have to deal with OTHER DOGS running up to my cane corso specifically, owners not bothered, barking at my dog, running around her, generally just winding her up! Thankfully she is the calmest dog I’ve ever met but I still make sure I tell the other owner to get their mutt on a lead before I deal with it myself

My dog is reactive when on lead and an off lead dog comes up to him. I think he feels threatened and restricted. It is annoying.

Neither of my dogs are reactive on or off leash thankfully but what people don’t understand is if your unleash lab bites my leashed cane corso and get a serious injury back, it’s your lab who is classed as a dangerous and out of control dog and the owner facing possible legal repercussions, not mine just because she can be perceived as dangerous

The percentage of dogs who have perfect recall is infinitesimally small. They need to be able to return even under the most enticing or stressful conditions. Realistically, dogs just need to be on leads if not contained in a private or off lead area. Pretending people have their dogs trained sufficiently is part of the problem.

@Ponderingwindow neiyher of my dogs will leave my side off leashed unless commanded but I’ll always keep them leashed if it’s busy, children close by, other dogs on leash, sports happening around etc

my dog off lead in a field doesn't appreciate dogs running up to her but i tend to think they sort it out themselves
they look at her and know
recently a man did the proverbial he's friendly
i said she's not
but they went on their own way, i guess because his breed of dog, lurcher understood

If another person (stranger) came running up to you full pelt and then jumped around you - how would you react?

My dog has amazing recall and doesn’t go far when off lead and will always check back to make sure she can see me, A couple of years ago a dog ran up to her and hurt her - since then she is very nervous of other dogs that run up to her and will often give a piss of growl. We have now trained her if another dog is around she returns to heel and we pop her on a lead… ..you would think the other dog owner would recall their dog…..& is surprised when my dogs growls while their oflead dog is all bouncy around my on lead dog …..don’t worry it’s friendly…no it isn’t your dog isn’t trained is usually my response

I meet numerous out of control dogs - who jump up at me and hassle my dog. Either that or they are on an extending lead as they have never been taught recall - which would be okay if they were reeled in when approaching us! It is annoying to hear the "he is friendly" - as he is in my dog's face or putting his dirty paws on my clean clothes. Luckily my dog can handle it, although she doesn't want anything to do with bouncy, in her face dogs.

Not all dogs are on extended leads because they haven't been taught recall. My girl was taught recall and was brilliant until she turned 3 and then for some reason she has decided she doesn't like certain dogs. I found it so stressful making sure the dogs she didn't like weren't about so I just got her an extended lead just to be sure. If I see another dog on a lead approaching I reel her back in and have total control of her. Smallish breed though so easy to control.

Reading everyone’s experiences makes me so mad, it’s such a common issue, sadly it seems it’s the majority of dog owners that do this.

As well as the “don’t worry they’re friendly” comment I’ve had the “it’s ok they need to learn” comment a few times when I’ve said “mines not friendly” - so they think it’s ok to put my dog in a position where they are forced to react because your dogs not trained and has no manners? A. It’s the owner’s responsibility to train their dogs, it’s not up to other dogs to do it! B. Why should my dog have to put up with being rushed at if they don’t like this!??? Is my dog not entitled to feel comfortable and safe? C. I do not want my dog to practise their reactive behaviour as the more it happens the more of a habit it becomes

Would a parent let a young child run and jump at an elderly person in the hope they’ll get told off because they “need to learn”??? Of course not, because that would be ludicrous, so why oh why does common sense go out the window when it comes to dogs?

I go walking with a friend who is terrified of dogs. The number of dogs that come hurtling up to us, off lead, is unbelievable. So I stand in front of my friend, between her and the dog, while the owner either walks past oblivious, on their phone, or shouts out "He's friendly!" at us from half a field away. Not the point! People should be more considerate.

I so relate to the 'he needs to learn' thing.
I have a small reactive terrier and I warn the owners of approaching off-lead dogs accordingly. And that's how they respond, 'he needs to learn'.
They usually, but not always, look sheepish when I reply, ' maybe so but I would really like mine to learn that she doesn't have to snap to get left alone'.

I understand where you're coming from. I live in a rural, wooded area and often don't leash the dog. There are trails in the woods which are used by dog walkers, hikers and horseback riders. Nobody leashes their dogs on the trails. However, when I do see another dog approaching I immediately restrain my dog in case the dog is not friendly or the owner does not want the dog to meet other dogs. Only if it's a dog she knows or if the owner says it's okay will I let her approach.
So there's a way to do it without being inconsiderate. In a park I would not let her off leash because there are too many other dogs and people around for me to keep her from approaching them.
I get jumped on by dogs when I'm out walking or running all the time, but I love dogs so much that I don't mind. Sometimes they get me dirty from their paws, which is a bit annoying.