The other day me, my friend and her baby brother went to the park. After a while we sat on the field and jack (who is a small 3year old) took a nap on the floor.

Then in came this massive German Shepard dog running around and barking, so we quickly got our things together, put Jack in his pram and headded for the fenced off play area because we did not feel it was safe for jack, as we did not know what the dog was like, and from experiance i know dogs can just turn on you.

We had just got to the play area, when the owner of the dog came over in a rage and started shouting at us because we moved as soon as she came in, ''why do you hate my dog, you idiots'' she yelled. We just ignored her at first, and felt a little sorry for her as we had put it down to being another crack head. But she kept on, and got more and more abusive, so we calmly explained our reasons to her, as we felt this was not on.
Then she went off her head, F this and F that, and we should respect our elders and just being purely offensive really. so due to the way we have been brought up (ie, to stick up for yourself), we told her in a more civil mannor than hers what we thought of her.

I have told this a few people, all of which think this was totaly out of order. Also if it had been the other way round (us starting on her), all the old ppl would of had an up raw about the youth of today, would'nt they???

just wundered what you would of all done in that situation???
cheers for reading btw

I think you were just unfortunate to come across a rather strange woman, Beck1e. You handled it well. I would have done more or less the same, though I don't think I would have tried to reason with her quite so much. One attempt, and then I would have made a quick retreat.

hi beckie i would have done exactly the same hun:) :)

That woman was dead wrong, and sounded a little off her rocker as well. You did the safe thing taking the baby to the fenced in play area, the hell with her and her hurt feelings.

One of my pet peeves is people letting their dogs run loose in public areas. (where leash laws are in effect) I cannot tell you how many near misses I've had with MY leashed dog being harrassed/attacked by someone else's dog who is running free.

When my son was younger, I took him to a local park. He was wearing his roller blades. Off in the distance, I hear yelling, then see him skating like the devil is after him. Hot on his heels is a crazed fox terrier. Following the dog, is an out of breath, middle aged man waving a leash and hollering the dog's name. (I wish I'd had a camera!) This merry chase goes on for a couple more minutes, when I scream to my son to skate to me, then stop. I have a feeling the dog has a problem with the skates, not my boy. My kid is a little apprehensive, but does what I ask. Sure enough, as soon as the dog catches up, he goes nuts biting the wheels and gnawing on the roller blades. The owner finally appears, and apologizes. He tells me his dog has a problem with bicycles, skateboards, etc, but really hates kids on roller blades.

This was funny, and no one got hurt (except the owner's pride) but it could have been avoided if the dog had been on a leash. And he should have been because there are leash laws in the park. :rant:

:) Sierra

cheers for your replies...good job it int jus me that thoughtshe was a looney lol
x

Sounds like shes got a bit of a cross between a guilt and an inferiority complex

I know exactly where you are coming from Beckie.
My friend and i took her two daughters (3 years and 6 weeks) down to Rother Valley last week for a picnic. We parked the car, started to get the stuff out but the little girl wanted to go on the rides so we put it all back in and headed up to the rides. The family next to us heard everything but when we came back 20 minutes later, child satisfied, they'd tethered their dog on the post in front of our car!
So we moved the car further along (wanting to get the picnic stuff out) but then they took the dog off the lead and kept throwing the ball in our direction. The dog kept running up and sniffing around us and if it was my dog I would have shouted it back. I don't know if they thought we were being funny moving the car and were doing it on purpose but we had to keep shooing the dog away and i was very conscious that there was a 3 year old and a 6 week old there. I am less tolerant than my friend who stayed very calm when her daughter's bun got taken from her hand by said dog!

I think you should have had a word or two with the dog for allowing its pet nutter to be off the lead myself.

Was this in Hillsboro' Park by any chance? I was bitten by a German Shepherd/Alsatian there a few weeks ago.

How dare she react the way she did?
I would've reacted the same way you did but as soon as she started F-ing & blinding I would have said something along the lines of "I do the best to bring my child up, maybe you think its ok to swear & blind in front of small children I do not, if you want a proper conversation I am prepared to listen, otherwise get out of my face".
If she would have carried on, I would have left my friend with my child & moved to an area out of ear shot of children & treat her with the same attitude she treat me with. The problem with people like this is they aim for what they see as vulnerable, you with a child. But sometimes you have to let rip just to show them they can't get the better of you. I speak from experience after being in a simular situation.
I don't swear & go off alarming but I found I had to just to converse with an idiot like her & lower my mentallity temporarily.

You put the safety of the children first, that was the most important thing, you took completely the right action. However much an owner believes his or her dog is harmless, it can still be scary for the rest of us if its allowed to run about on its own. The woman sounds like she has some real behavioural issues, possibly even mental health problems if she thinks letting her dog loose near small children is ok.

I don't think behaviour like this is an age thing, right across society there are people who think that whatever they do is the right thing and sod the rest of us! She will never gain the respect she thinks she deserves with behaviour like she displayed.

I have always let my dogs off the leads and rarely even know if there is a keep dogs on leashes signs (that probably cos I have always had them in the countryside). Thats because I know they would all rather run away than bite people. This is generally the case but there are some really mental people out there that just don't care at all. Twice my dad has been on the common near our home in worcestershire and has heard the sounds of dogs squealing. The first time this crazy mans rottweiller had some poor womans yorkshire terrier round the throat going for it. The man was just stood there not doing anything and my dad went up to save it. Then a week later this man was there again this time with a rottweiler puppy who was being attacked, again he was doing nothing. I'm sure that dog will be put down one day all for having an ignorant irresponsible idiot owner. grrrrr:rant:

hi beckie i would have done exactly the same hun:) :)
what was you suppose to do sit there,and let the dog do as it pleases??
also why wasnt it on a lead,when people/kids are around??
grrrrrrrrrr

I think you did the right thing here, your children's safety is paramount.

The world is full of stupid dog owners, with badly behaved animals, who think everyone else should love their dog the way they do.

I might even have reported her to the police, who even if they couldn't have done anything, might have been able to issue her with a warning of some sort.

You should have said 'You're lucky I didn't break your dog's neck' because if any animal like that comes near my girls that's what I'll do to protect them.

And that includes those deluded owners who stress 'He's okay, he'll not hurt.'

No, he might not but believe me, I will.

These people simply don't understand how frightening these wild beasts can be. And their dogs aren't much better, either!!!

I'd have reported her to the police!!! What a crackpot!

My dog is never allowed to go up to people off-lead like that! If someone wants to make a fuss of him, they can do it whilst he is under my control, but never, ever off-lead, and without my control.

He's fussy, and friendly, and despite being a relatively old dog, now, I've never had a single bite out of him.

Even so, there's no way I'd be blase' and trust him not to bite kiddies, cos you never know if a kid (particularly "tinies" who don't get the idea that pulling fur/tails/ears hurts the dog, and could get them bitten) would have a crafty pull at his tail or ears, causing him to turn on them. and that's the last thing I'd want.

PT

I have to say I am on both sides of this debate being the owner of a daft dog and also a mum of a toddler.

I have had to defend myself several times when people have completely over reacted to my dog being near them in the park.

I'm a very responsible dog owner, If my dog was in any way a threat he would be on a lead and muzzled, but he isn't, and time after time I get a gobfull just because my dog runs by other people. I personally feel that people who have such severe phobia's of dogs would be better off staying out of the park. As a comparison if I had a phobia of being splashed bywater,I wouldn't walk through the Peace Gardens on a sunny day would I?

When it comes to parks we have to accept that these are public spaces that we all have to share. That means that everyone has to behave responsibly, but that there also has to be some give and take,if you can't share spaces in this way, then you should stay at homein your garden.

To Beck1e iwould say that it seems you behaved entirely reasonably, if all you did was move away from a situation, and this woman behaved in a completely unreasonable manner.
It might bethat she was an ownerwho is just sick of people misinterpreting her dog's behaviour as threatening, and you got the brunt of it, either way, it doesn't seem to be your fault and I would try and let it go over your head.

To ousetunes I would say that you are typical of those sorts of people who cannot share public spaces nicely nicely. Perhaps you should stay away.

You should have said 'You're lucky I didn't break your dog's neck' because if any animal like that comes near my girls that's what I'll do to protect them.

And that includes those deluded owners who stress 'He's okay, he'll not hurt.'

No, he might not but believe me, I will.

These people simply don't understand how frightening these wild beasts can be. And their dogs aren't much better, either!!!

And you'd be lucky to survive many owners response if you attacked their dog with no provocation.
What a stupid thing to say.

They aren't wild, in fact it sounds like most dogs are probably more civilised than you are.

The womans behaviour was unacceptable and rather strange.
But most dogs are well trained and there's no reason they should be kept on a lead in a park.

Originally Posted by saxon51
I think you should have had a word or two with the dog for allowing its pet nutter to be off the lead myself.

This is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time :thumbsup: :hihi: :hihi:

And you'd be lucky to survive many owners response if you attacked their dog with no provocation.
What a stupid thing to say.

They aren't wild, in fact it sounds like most dogs are probably more civilised than you are.

You miss my point, Cyclone.

I've unfortunately encountered many a dog owner who has no idea just how frightening their animals can be to young children. It's all very well for them to say 'He's harmless'. Newspapers frequently carry stories about 'harmless' dogs who have turned on their family's children - often resulting in children who have been seriously injured or worse.

My argument is that if the dog's supposed owner isn't going to control his animal, then I will stop at nothing to protect my children. Too right, a huge dog would probably cause me serious injury - but rather me than my children.

Your final comment regarding my being uncivilised is somewhat unnecessary, but each to their own.

To To ousetunes I would say that you are typical of those sorts of people who cannot share public spaces nicely nicely. Perhaps you should stay away.

Thanks for your misdirected advice. (You couldn't be further from the truth.)

Control your animal and there should be no problems. Are we all to remain indoors so we don't come into contact with folk 'walking' their dogs?

Why, I'd be happy to oblige.

Like, yeh!

Maybe I did misread it, but the implication was that you would harm a dog that was doing nothing more than being friendly.
There's nothing more guaranteed to make a dog turn nasty than attacking it for no reason.

You'll notice in the infrequent and rare stories about such things that it's normally one of a few specific breeds, it's certainly not all dogs.

If by control you mean keep it on a lead and stop it running around and generally behaving like a dog then you will be disappointed as most owners wouldn't be cruel to a dog like that.

You should have said 'You're lucky I didn't break your dog's neck' because if any animal like that comes near my girls that's what I'll do to protect them.


I like dogs and, for the most part, they know it and there is no problem.

I have once had to attack a dog to stop it's attack on me. Kicked the sod so hard it lifted off the floor and landed a couple of yards away.
I took no joy in this but the animal had to be stopped. It was too big to take a chance on.

Cyclone - whilst I'm not what you'd call a dog lover, I certainly don't hate them (indeed when I lived with my parents we had an old English sheep dog and then my mum had a King Charles Spaniel).

By control I mean simply that, to control the dog. I don't mean keeping it on a leash but ensuring it doesn't go jumping up at three year old kids. And my post was in direct reference to owners whose dogs do just that - and more. I'm not going to provoke a dog or its owner in any instance - just protect my family and myself.

I'm okay with 'friendly' dogs, but I've never been too keen being covered in their saliva or their hairs (not to mention excitable male dogs).

if any animal like that comes near my girls that's what I'll do

Maybe it was that line that caused me to misunderstand.

Like that - meaning what? There was no indication that the dog in question was aggressive.

Maybe it was that line that caused me to misunderstand.

Like that - meaning what? There was no indication that the dog in question was aggressive.

But the thread is about a dog owner who turned nasty because their dog was 'out of control'. The people being inconvenienced by this dog moved away for the safety of their young child only to be confonted by this abusive, foul-mouthed individual.

Thus, I was referring to the OP.

i do think the decision to "be wary" was correct,

however in my experience with children & dogs,jumping up & running away will in the long run make the child fearful of all dogs. i see it every day with little children bursting into tears when our dogs just look at them or sniff at them.

and before you all jump to parents defence they can't all have been bitten.

Control your animal and there should be no problems.
Like, yeh!


they didnt say it was out of control.you assumed it was.

they never said it ran at or jumped at the child in the original post - in reference to your later posts accusing differently.

it was running & barking -now could that be the excitement of having a walk in an open space where it doesn't have to be cooped up away from the general public.

how many chidren run around whooping & cheering when they get released in a public space.

Anyway, back to the point BECKIE's thread, I think scoop summed it up perfectly. This woman was clearly a nutter and had no right to lay into you the way she did.
However, there are lots of people who do get understandably fed up with people's negative attitudes towards their dogs.
It's difficult enough in Sheffield to find somewhere nice where you're allowed to take your dog to enjoy themself, made worse by a lot of non-doggy people making a big fuss about the fact their is a dog near them.

I'm a very responsible dog owner, If my dog was in any way a threat he would be on a lead and muzzled, but he isn't, and time after time I get a gobfull just because my dog runs by other people. I personally feel that people who have such severe phobia's of dogs would be better off staying out of the park. As a comparison if I had a phobia of being splashed bywater,I wouldn't walk through the Peace Gardens on a sunny day would I?

When it comes to parks we have to accept that these are public spaces that we all have to share. That means that everyone has to behave responsibly, but that there also has to be some give and take,if you can't share spaces in this way, then you should stay at homein your garden.

To Beck1e iwould say that it seems you behaved entirely reasonably, if all you did was move away from a situation, and this woman behaved in a completely unreasonable manner.
It might bethat she was an ownerwho is just sick of people misinterpreting her dog's behaviour as threatening, and you got the brunt of it, either way, it doesn't seem to be your fault and I would try and let it go over your head.

But most dogs are well trained and there's no reason they should be kept on a lead in a park.

It depends who owns the park and what rules are in force. I know of a few that state dogs should be on a lead at all times.

But the thread is about a dog owner who turned nasty because their dog was 'out of control'. The people being inconvenienced by this dog moved away for the safety of their young child only to be confonted by this abusive, foul-mouthed individual.

Thus, I was referring to the OP.

well, no, not really.
The thread is about a dog owner who turned nasty because the OP decided to err on the side of caution.
I don't think it said that the dog was out of control, merely that it wasn't on a lead.

It depends who owns the park and what rules are in force. I know of a few that state dogs should be on a lead at all times.

and I have no problem with that, I simply wouldn't walk my dog there.

Okay, okay.

Forgive me, purleeese. My chagrin - albeit mine, all mine - is doggy owners who presume we're all delighted to meet and get slaverred over by their 'ickle' doggiepoos. No offence to such people.

As the sign says 'Dogs should be lead'. Cast-iron, preferably.

(Hey, I'm sounding like some dog-hater. I'm not. Honest to God, I've watched Digby The Biggest Dog In The World loads and loads of times. Now HE's a dog you wouldn't mess with, huh? Imagine THAT after a bowl or eighty of Pedigree Chum.)

A dog can be totally different with its owner from people who they dont know. A good friend of mine had the sweetest dog in the world, so soft and gentle, then one day in the park he bit a little girl, which got him put down. Unless a dog is on a lead, you never know what it will do.

A dog can be totally different with its owner from people who they dont know. A good friend of mine had the sweetest dog in the world, so soft and gentle, then one day in the park he bit a little girl, which got him put down. Unless a dog is on a lead, you never know what it will do.

That's my point exactly.

and as i understand it, the dog in the original post was an Aslatian, IIRC? and the original postee was taking about his/her three year old toddler?

now a dog the size if an Alsatian, at the side of a three-year-old, is a bit dodgy:- the child could have been bowled over and been hurt by a dog considerably smaller than that, so I don't think the parent was being over-cautious in trying to get away, especially as the dog, and its temperament were an unknown quantity.

I had two Alsatians, and they were fantastic dogs, very well trained, and obedient, but I know as a breed they have a reputation for being, erm.. "Keen"... they are regarded as ferocious dogs.

A neighbour of mine, some years ago, had an aslatian, and it got out of their garden somehow.

As I walked past, it came towards me snarling and growling, and barking:- man alive! I was terrified. I really thought I was going to end up as it's supper.

I don't think it is wrong to exerccise caution where dogs and toddlers are concerned.

PT

i would have done the same thing if it was me, u read so many stories in the papers about how children are attaked by stray dogs. u can never be too sure! when my daughter was about 6 month old i was in town and waiting for the bus this old lady pushed past me and got on the bus first saying she needed the seat, i still got on the bus but the driver made me take down my pram, i was there with my baby in a car seat, the pram and my shopping and just to top things off a old man got on the bus in a wheelchair so i stood to let him get in the space and his friend sat at the side of him so i had to stand for the rest of the journey!!

many old people go on about the youth of today having no respect is it any wonder with the role models we are growing up with :rant:

no one has suggested that it is, and shouting at someone who does exercise caution is completely wrong.

Not allowing a breed like an alsation of the lead to run around though is tantamount to cruelty.

i would have told the woman to sod off, you dont need hassle when youre out for the day and certainly not any confrontations in front of boy. Most children do seem to like dogs but it should be their choice to approach it, not have it bounding over, scaring the little chab. Mardy woman hope she treds in dog poo

it sounds like that owd trout wants putting on a lead not the dog, & i would have told her so in no uncertain terms, punctuated with some choice words
just so she got the message.

Thanks for your misdirected advice. (You couldn't be further from the truth.)

Control your animal and there should be no problems. Are we all to remain indoors so we don't come into contact with folk 'walking' their dogs?

Why, I'd be happy to oblige.

Like, yeh!


No, everyone isn't meant to stay indoors to oblige dog walkers, but what you are meant to do if you use a public space is accept that other people are using it too, and that just because you don't like it doesn't mean you have a right to threaten other people's animals.

In response to what you wrote about dogs being frightening to children, well yes they are, but it's upto us as adults to teach children that they have no reason to be afraid, and being abusive and threatening animals and their owners is not the way to do this.

with regard to other peoples comments abut the fact that bylaws state that dogs should be on a lead when in some of our parks. Well, I recently had cause to have to discuss this matter with someone in the councils open spaces/parks department. It is generally accepted that this is an outdated bylaw as many people use the parks for the sole purpose of walking their dog and no one in the council is interested in enforcing this bylaw where the owner acts responsibly.

I take it that there's a lot of dog owners here who are passionate about their pets. I just want to add that, I'm not a dog owner, and I have not owned a pet. Maybe it will make me seem biased, I dunno. I still don't think that what the OP did was too wrong. If anything comes to it, I still put the life of a baby on top of a dog. (Maybe if I owned a dog, my view may change, I don't know...but until then. That's still my view.)

Reading this thread make me understand why there's a lot of people who come across as a 'nutter'. They're too overly personal when the social situation is uncalled for it.

The OP did nothing wrong with regards to moving herself to a safer area, but as mentioned previously before. I would also ignore that person too and move on. There is standing up for yourself, but then there's time to move away from the situation too. Not every battle have to be fought. There's no right or wrong about it, as long as you feel it's a good enough decision for yourself.

id have eaten her dog before burping and punching her lights out


errrrrm

I'm afraid of dogs, and it annoys me when people just let their dogs run loose, especially if they're big dogs. I can cope with a dog on a lead because I can walk round it out of the range of the lead.

What hasn't been mentioned here yet is that dogs can sense fear. I often find that if in a situation where a dog is off a lead, several people can walk past and it'll do nothing, but then I'll walk past and it'll start barking or moving towards me because it knows that I'm scared of it. It's a vicious circle because the fear of the person makes the dog bark, which makes the person more scared, which makes the dog bark more etc.

:(

So what do you want to happen? All dogs must only be walked on a lead because you're scared?
Not really fair on the dog, which needs to run around and have a look for some squirrels is it.

So what do you want to happen? All dogs must only be walked on a lead because you're scared?
Not really fair on the dog, which needs to run around and have a look for some squirrels is it.
or failing to find any squirrels, the next best thing......................toddlers

:P

So what do you want to happen? All dogs must only be walked on a lead because you're scared?
Not really fair on the dog, which needs to run around and have a look for some squirrels is it.

Why is the dog looking for squirrels? How do you think the squirrels are going to feel when a dog comes straight for them. What about if a toddler has a squirrel toy and the dog sees that?

Parks are not designated exercise grounds for dogs, just as they aren't for other animals like horses. It's a privilidge, not a right.

The other day me, my friend and her baby brother went to the park. After a while we sat on the field and jack (who is a small 3year old) took a nap on the floor.

Then in came this massive German Shepard dog running around and barking, so we quickly got our things together, put Jack in his pram and headded for the fenced off play area because we did not feel it was safe for jack, as we did not know what the dog was like, and from experiance i know dogs can just turn on you.

We had just got to the play area, when the owner of the dog came over in a rage and started shouting at us because we moved as soon as she came in, ''why do you hate my dog, you idiots'' she yelled. We just ignored her at first, and felt a little sorry for her as we had put it down to being another crack head. But she kept on, and got more and more abusive, so we calmly explained our reasons to her, as we felt this was not on.
Then she went off her head, F this and F that, and we should respect our elders and just being purely offensive really. so due to the way we have been brought up (ie, to stick up for yourself), we told her in a more civil mannor than hers what we thought of her.

I have told this a few people, all of which think this was totaly out of order. Also if it had been the other way round (us starting on her), all the old ppl would of had an up raw about the youth of today, would'nt they???

just wundered what you would of all done in that situation???
cheers for reading btw

obviously a freak bex! :)

Why is the dog looking for squirrels? How do you think the squirrels are going to feel when a dog comes straight for them. What about if a toddler has a squirrel toy and the dog sees that?

Parks are not designated exercise grounds for dogs, just as they aren't for other animals like horses. It's a privilidge, not a right.

To chase them obviously. Fortunately (for them) they can climb trees and dogs can't.

Toddlers don't look much like squirrels, to me or apparently to my (parents) dog.
He's generally not interested in toys, although in the house he does keep a close eye on my neices little lion toy, he knows it's not his though.

Parks are not designated exercise grounds for dogs
Nor are they designated as dog free zones or toddler friendly areas.

can I poinmt out hat the LAW on dogs DOES actually say that a dog is to be under control, and I'd hardly describe lunging at toddlers as being under control.

I agree that a dog needs exercising,

So what do you want to happen? All dogs must only be walked on a lead because you're scared?
Not really fair on the dog, which needs to run around and have a look for some squirrels is it.

but dogs are programmed to chase small(-ish) things, that are running, whether that be a toddler or another animal, and, if the toddler is scared, because a large dog is coming at them, and it tries to run away, what happens when the dog, in it's excitement, has its "chase reflex" stimulated by the childs screams/ running?

PT

we're still makng assupmtions on this post.
THE DOG NEVER WENT FOR OR NEAR THE CHILD.
HE NEVER LUNGED AT THE CHILD.

once you all figure that out you'll have little to comment on - regarding the dog.

the dog was excited at being released after being forced to endure hours of "lock up" caused by anti pet people who don't want him in the park.

by the way parks are a privilege for everyone not a right.

can I poinmt out hat the LAW on dogs DOES actually say that a dog is to be under control, and I'd hardly describe lunging at toddlers as being under control.

PT

When was a dog lunging at toddlers mentioned?

Nothing wrong with the German Shepherd

The world is full of stupid dog owners, with badly behaved animals, who think everyone else should love their dog the way they do.

I agree ALL dogs should be muzzled and on a lead at all times when in public places. I for one am sick of hearing and reading in the press of the problems that dogs cause.
Dog fouling is a major problem in suburban areas "taking the dog for a walk" has no come to mean taking the dog up the street and letting it cr*p outside someone else's house. There are few things worse or more worrying for a parent than to find your child covered in dog mess and wondering if they are going to get some disease or other from it. Never mind getting it on your shoes and walking it in the house. And before all you dog lovers flame me and tell me how wonderful you are I don't mean you I mean the irresponsible gog owners, the ones who dont poop scoop and dont use a lead and are quite happy to let their dog run riot, barking and attacking anything that moves.

Nothing wrong with the dog at all, but the woman does seem a bit bonkers.

I had a similar occurrence at Lodge Moor with a couple and a German Shepherd on a lead. The difference was that when my equally big dog trotted over to have a look at the other dog the bloke immediately started swinging his bag around his head and kicking out at my dog. :o

Naturally my Doberman thought that this was a great game as the man span around in amusing circles, and she was having lots of fun dancing with him and yapping to tell him how much exciting it was as his wife / girlfriend shouted "get away" (doggy translation "let's play some more".

The poor German Shepherd just sat there cowering at this couples antics, looking a bit sad that he couldn't join in. I don't think he was a happy dog. :(

There really are some odd people out there.

I agree ALL dogs should be muzzled and on a lead at all times when in public places. I for one am sick of hearing and reading in the press of the problems that dogs cause.


You haven't really thought that through have you.

How does muzzling a dog stop it crapping (as you so delicately put it).
And why exactly should it be necessary?

I agree ALL dogs should be muzzled and on a lead at all times when in public places. I for one am sick of hearing and reading in the press of the problems that dogs cause.
Dog fouling is a major problem in suburban areas "taking the dog for a walk" has no come to mean taking the dog up the street and letting it cr*p outside someone else's house. There are few things worse or more worrying for a parent than to find your child covered in dog mess and wondering if they are going to get some disease or other from it. Never mind getting it on your shoes and walking it in the house. And before all you dog lovers flame me and tell me how wonderful you are I don't mean you I mean the irresponsible gog owners, the ones who dont poop scoop and dont use a lead and are quite happy to let their dog run riot, barking and attacking anything that moves.

I am a responsible dog owner.

My dog is never let out without him being under my control on his lead. (I can count on the fingers of one hand the times in the last 13 years when he's "escaped" but thankfully he was caught, almost immediately) he's always on the lead when I walk him.

I, for one have always got a bagful of scoopy bags with me just-in-case my dog has an "accident" when he is walked. I clean up after my dog.

I normally make him "go clean" on my own garden before we go out, so there's less risk of him poo-ing on the street, which makes it far nicer for the general public who walk up and down my street.

PT

when does he get to have a run then, if he's always on a lead?

Im not a dog owner but think it is ok for dogs to be off their lead in the park. My aunt walks her dog daily in the park but as soon as other dogs walk by or a person is near she puts her dog on its lead which I think is the right thing to do.
The only thing I dont agree with is dogs loose in the steet. Im afraid of dogs as when I was about 10 I was walking to my friends house and this alsasion (not sure on spelling) took a chunk out of the back of my leg. I did not know it was behind me until it bit me so I did not have chance to be scared or try to run.
From then on I have been weary of dogs and If I happen to be in a park (very rare) I walk away from dogs and I dont even have any kids. If people let their dogs come up and sniff me I tell them that Im scared and could they please get it away from me.

when does he get to have a run then, if he's always on a lead?

He has my gardens to run in, and can chase after his toys (and our cat lol j/k) and play, in safety, without causing nuisaince to others, to his hearts content.

PT

fair enough.
My parents dog needs a lot of space to run in, he couldn't get that in a garden unless it was as big as a football field. But since he won't fight other dogs, is perfectly fine with children (or scared of them) and ignores adults, I have no problem with him being off the lead in a park.

my dog isn't a large dog, and the garden is fine for him to play in outside, and "let off steam" apart from any walks he gets.. (when I can persuade the little tinker to get off the sofa he seems to have claimed as his bed, that is! lol)

not everyone likes dogs, some people are very frightened of them & dog owners should bear this in mind when out with their dogs. common sense is all thats needed

not everyone likes dogs, some people are very frightened of them & dog owners should bear this in mind when out with their dogs. common sense is all thats needed

Not everyone likes people, some people are very frightened of them, should all people be kept muzzled and on a lead?!

Not everyone likes people, some people are very frightened of them, should all people be kept muzzled and on a lead?!

some of them