Now before I get lambasted I would like to state I love dogs, my 4 year old little girl loves dogs we have dogs in the immediate family and intend on getting one in the not so distant future. However, today my nipper and I went to fly a kite on the hill opposite our house, Lardon Chase at the top of streatley hill if anyone knows it. So after unsuccessfully launching the kite (4 year olds and power kites aren’t compatible 😉 ) we are heading back to the car and ahead of us are a couple with 5 dogs having a run out, all fine although they should of been on leads as the sign states clearly at the gate due livestock roaming about. My nipper see’s them and asks me to give her a carry as 2 are mature grey hounds and quite tall compared to her and are generally bounding about a fair bit. I explained they are fine and wouldn’t harm her but she got intimated so I carried her. One of the grey hounds came up and had a sniff, still bouncing about they called him back but with no luck, nipper started getting a little upset no biggie just a bit tense, I looked at the owners and just said calmly “come on control your dog a bit better you can see she’s a little nervous” he retorted his dog has done nothing wrong (a posh clearly educated gent sorry turd) I explained she was nervous as he’s a big dog and then his mrs pipes up with “you shouldn’t instill an irrational fear of dogs” wtf!!! I explained she hadn’t and that they should control their dogs and be a little more thoughtful to others ( how does she know of any experience i or my daughter have had with dogs!) sorry but I thought the attitude was all wrong if my kid is pissing some one off I apologise and tell her what she’s doing wrong! Apparently if you’ve got a dog it’s free to do what the **** it wants sod every one else, to boot I then tripped over a massive dog egg( I’m not tarring all dog owners with the same brush but this couple gave owners a bad name. IMO. Thoughts please still angry now

Some folks just walk around brewing their rhetoric, going over it in their internal dialogue, ever ready for a fight.

Pity them, move on, try not to be angry.

Funny that’s the impression I got, that they were almost pushing me for a reaction

There are lots of angries about, they’re everywhere!

Cheeriness always wins.

I struggle with long sentences, summary?

I agree with some of the things you say mainly that when thedog was called it should have returned to the owner, but:

Dogs do not need to be on a lead because a livestock sign is up, that sign could of been there months and even if there was livestock in the field as long as they’re a respectible distance and not chasing or playing amonst them then no harm done.

Maybe the dog owner was right to mention your reaction with your child. Maybe a better way to deal with it would have been to crouch down and talk / introduce the child and dog aas apposed to give the impression that if your dogs are loose then they are scary?

I maybe wrong but you said it was just sniffing and not being aggressive and just maybe your daughter needed reasuring.

I generally see worse behaviour from children in parks than dogs. Sometimes I wish all parents would use those leashes.

Amazing how I chunter on after a couple of glasses of red apologies!

21 I know what you mean about introducing etc. but she’d of shit brick he was a big lad she’s a short arse and being a grey hound a bit flighty if you see what I mean? The sign specifically states dogs on leads but that wasn’t my bug bare but I will try the introduction thing next time.

Deadlyfarcy I also agree with that sentiment, but I used a choke chain from an early age and always carry poo bags when out so she’s well behaved generally…..

deadlydarcy – Member

I generally see worse behaviour from children in parks than dogs

I have never had a child steal my picnic or sniff my crotch nor jump up and try to lick my face – let alone run up and bite me

I have never had a child steal my picnic or sniff my crotch nor jump up and try to lick my face – let alone run up and bite me

Clearly I have some misconceptions about Scotland. I’m going to blame Mel Gibson in this instance.

Maybe the dog owner was right to mention your reaction with your child. Maybe a better way to deal with it would have been to crouch down and talk / introduce the child and dog aas apposed to give the impression that if your dogs are loose then they are scary?

That’s for the OP to decide, not some dog owner when they can’t control their dogs. Extremely inconsiderate IMO.

EDIT: Can’t be bothered.

OP: I was merely taking the mick…but I think you got that. It would appear it’s too much for TeeJ though.

Do NOT wreck this thread TeeJ. Behave for once. TJ, HEEL!

I struggle with long sentences, summary?

Woof, waaaah, handbags

As a dog owner I’m very conscious that even though he’s good and obeys commands, someone else doesn’t know that. So I always make sure he’s with me if we’re passing other people because I don’t know if they’re nervous around dogs. It’s just respect and courtesy.

Scarypants thank you, was trying desperately to come up with something like that!

It is a difficult one. I have 2 Boxers. One young and one old.

I will put them on the leads if I see young kids because of the sometimes negative reaction. Generally it’s fine but I’ve had one incident where the women went mad. The dog was no where near her child. I’m sorry to say she got the full vented anger and with her being the best part of 25stone it was her negative side I emphasised

I’m afraid to say, generally, kids, unlike in my day, seem to have this fear of dogs.

I’ve also had the opposite which is nice. Recently outside a cafe one day the woman asked if her young son, in a pram, could come and stroke the dogs. It was fine by me.

Also, I have a park locally. If it’s sunny, or weather that brings families out I’ll take them to the Forest. Once you are 500m away from the parking its nice and quiet.

I have never had a child steal my picnic or sniff my crotch nor
jump up and try to lick my face – let alone run up and bite me

Sounds like a normal afternoon with my 2 Year Old…

All dogs are thick. Dog owners (all of them) are worse…
How can anyone really care about a retarded Quadraped with a panchant for wiping its arse on your carpet and chewing toddlers faces off…

I know I’ll get flamed – but I agree with the dog walkers. They didn’t really do anything wrong. Really, their dog should have returned when called, if it didn’t return, then they should have walked over and returned it manually.

If your child doesn’t like dogs, don’t walk in an area popular with dog walkers? Kind of feel your initial comment was a bit OTT.

All dogs are thick. Dog owners (all of them) are worse…
How can anyone really care about a retarded Quadraped with a panchant for wiping its arse on your carpet and chewing toddlers faces off…

🙄 Well done.

Ta

Apparently if you’ve got a dog it’s free to do what the **** it wants sod every one else,

you now understand 80% of dog owners psycology

for the other 20% they actually make sure their dog doesn’t spoil your day so you don’t even know they are there

to boot I then tripped over a massive dog egg

sorry it must be some other animals as all dog owners pick them up 😉

I have a park dog toilet locally

FIFY 😉

everyone knows that public parks are dog toilets, the provision of child play space, sports pitches etc is secondary to the primary purpose of giving dogs somewhere to sh1t

their dog should have returned when called, if it didn’t return, then they should have walked over and returned it manually[i]had it on a lead as they clearly have no control[/i]

FIFY 😉

cookeaa – Member

“I have never had a child steal my picnic or sniff my crotch nor
jump up and try to lick my face – let alone run up and bite me”

Sounds like a normal afternoon with my 2 Year Old…

I do hope you keep your child on a lead then 🙂

I think, as always in the things, the middle ground would be most acceptable. Clearly, their dog should have returned when it was called. Your initial comment was probably a bit OTT and wound them up a bit. And their response (and really, in whatever accent) was a bit OTT too.

I would, however, counsel that you get your kids used to dogs – because TeeJ’s dog-free utopia isn’t going to happen anytime soon. I see people instilling fear of animals into their kids all the time – but as a parent, it’s up to you what you decide you child should and should not be afraid of. I wouldn’t ever question your right to do that.

Fair enough to pick her up if she was distressed but once you realised the dog wasn’t going to eat her face off, maybe let her stroke the dog and see that it’s not some scary animal. “She’s a nit nervous and because your dog didn’t come back when called I was just being cautious”. If someone said that to me, it would get the message across very quickly that the person wasn’t happy that my dog had approached his or her child.

Let’s all just be nice to one another. 🙂

As a dog owner I’m very conscious that even though he’s good and obeys commands, someone else doesn’t know that. So I always make sure he’s with me if we’re passing other people because I don’t know if they’re nervous around dogs. It’s just respect and courtesy.

Rickos has it spot on for me.

Just to reiterate Amelie is used to dogs and loves dogs especially her grandmas it’s just BIG bouncy dogs she gets nervous around, which is justified, I would probably be nervous of something bouncy around me trying to lick me that was bigger than me! She certainly isn’t wrapped up in cotton wool she had a tough start in life so she’s made of sterner stuff.

OP, I understand what you’re saying and I wasn’t insinuating that you wrap her in cotton wool. You’re her parent – it’s up to you what you do with her.

Some folks just walk around brewing their rhetoric, going over it in their internal dialogue, ever ready for a fight.

This ^

Personally, I dont think you should have called them out on their dogs behaviour, that you said was initially fine, just because your daughter was slightly more nervous than before.
The owners could and should have retrived their dog at your request… but your opening statement to them seems to be the most aggressive in the bunch.

a posh clearly educated gent sorry turd

Here’s your problem.

Yeah see this is the problem with writing on forums, difficult to express my tone but I can ensure you there was no aggression in my tone more defeated in their poor analysis of the situation

Yeah see this is the problem with writing on forums,

Should I suppose that “turd” is a term of endearment in your part of the world too?

I apologise. I did not mean to say you were being aggressive. (darn forums) But.. as the dog owner, I would have asked “what do you want me to do?”
-which would have been thought as I go get the dog-

But his lady friend went a little out of control.
I’m with Don on that one.

I referred to him as a turd I didn’t call him a turd to his face!? Though I maybe should have

“come on control your dog a bit better you can see she’s a little nervous”

Instead of, ‘you couldn’t grab your dog could you please, just that she’s a bit scared of big dogs thats all, thanks!’

Dogs do not need to be on a lead because a livestock sign is up

Thats fine, ignore the sign if you want.

But, if your dog and it is an ‘if’ decides to play tag with a new born lamb don’t expect the farmer to give your dog a further warning before he showers it with red hot lead! 😯

What is it with dog owners not taking responsibility? I don’t understand how it is that a child does not have a right not to be intimidated by uncontrolled dogs.

My daughter loves animals, including dogs, but we often get dogs bounding up to her in the park and frankly she is sometimes terrified when they are the larger breeds.

If you have a dog it is your moral responsibility to stop it intimidating and frightening other people, especially small children.

I would suggest that just as we MTB’ers should expect to cycle considerably when around others, maybe owners of dogs that do not respond to commands should expect to keep then on a lead when around others. Most dog walkers I see are in control of their animals, but there’s always the 20% who aren’t.

I referred to him as a turd I didn’t call him a turd to his face!? Though I maybe should have

It’s a question of attitude though, isn’t it? I find it difficult to believe that you were Mr Cordial when talking to the dog owner when you are less than objective when retelling the facts. Three sides to every story and all that…
You don’t need to convince me of anything, I am a dangerous dog owner and know what it’s like when confronted with a difficult situation.