Please call your dog

Not keen on rabbits, Whitewave - they are too ungainly to pick up and carry around, they scrabble about in your arms, have sharp claws and they poop camouflaged little raisin-sized pellets all over the carpet that get trodden in.

None of what you say ww makes up for the simply awful cavalier dog owners that some of us experience REGULARLY.

If it's of any use there was a round robin on FB yesterday advising on how children should approach strange dogs when they want to pet them. It included the instructions on how to avoid dogs approaching them. Stand still and quiet, look away and fold your arms across your chest. I've tried it with over-exuberant dogs and it does usually work. (Although a dog lover I don't want or enjoy other peoples dogs jumping up me and ruining good clothes).

mary did the dog break your ankle and rip your trousers

It is odd when thinking of this love/hate relationship, especially when you understand that canines have been our longest most loyal companions since before homo sapien. Canines and homo erectus shared living accommodation and hunting trips.

You would have thought that we as a species would have pretty much come to terms with such a long term companion.

Perhaps we can all start saying how much we hate cats next, then move on to another species. How about the vagaries of the rabbit?

And those of you who keep dogs will inevitably be more confident around dogs- as are riders around horses or farmers around cows

But can’t you see that if you have negative experiences re dogs, as you’re lying on the floor with your ankle broken, you trousers ripped you are hardly likely to say. ‘Oh bad luck, most dog owners would have controlled their dog better than that? Or if you’ve sat in casualty with your dd after she’s been bitten with NO PROVOCATION at all and had to be admitted overnight?

As always, the minority give a bad name to the majority - but that doesn't excuse those who think the victims of the minority are wimps or making it up. They should imagine themselves surrounded by giant "friendly" spiders, or with "furry cuddly" bats flying round their heads, or whatever turns their guts to jelly, to get an idea of what it feels like, even when you are not particularly afraid of dogs, just overwhelmed by their exuberance and sheer physicality.

I have to say we can't group ALL dog walkers as a bad bunch the same as not all dog owners are bad, not all dogs are badly trained not all people who don't have dogs hate them.

It is the minority of all those groups.

I know of a dog walker who walks up to 5 , in an appropriate place, is insured, transports the dogs in a specially modified van where they all have their own cage, its air-conditioned etc. She doesn't just walk the dogs in her care, every walk is a training session.

Every dog is taught 'the rules' or they are not clients.

I have personally seen here drop every dog into a down position form 20 metres whilst others walk by. I wish that I had the control she has , and I work hard with my one dog to make sure in times of need he knows to listen and do as I ask.

So , whilst I know there are bad apples out there- don't forget the good ones.

That's the point Nls isn't it. Its owners like that who are contributing to this great rift between those of us who are responsible dog owners and those who don't know about dogs. I had a "professional" dog walker whose 7 off lead dogs raced up to my on lead dogs shouting at me that if I couldn't let my dogs off lead, they shouldn't be on the park. The shouting was aggressive and accompanied by foul language. I told him his dogs were the problem not mine, that he'd absolutely no control and was a menace every time he appeared with several assorted dogs.
As for the proliferation of dog walkers, its because people are less likely to leave their dogs alone for several hours when they're out at work. They are supposed to be insured etc but having several dogs bouncing around in the van, then off lead in public spaces would surely invalidate their insurance. I volunteer for a specific breed rescue. Our fosters are all insured but we are clear that if off lead and involved in a scrap/incident, the insurance is invalid. I wonder if the people paying £10 an hour realise the risks they're taking. Also, it isn't helping their dogs to behave calmly.

I was walking my dogs yesterday both off lead on land owned by the army, anyone can walk here, my dogs, a border terrier and cocker spaniel are not interested in other dogs at all, or indeed people, they like each other, out of the blue hurtled one of the biggest rotti I have ever seen, tail upright on high alert, made a beeline for my spaniel nearly knocking her over, she responded by lying down whimpering, owner moving slowly towards us saying it's alright "jaeger" ??? is friendly, ah but I am not, call your dog off please I yell, my dogs do not want a play date, his reply, your dogs need to go to socialising classes or have them on a lead!! I was nearly speechless, but not quite, his dog approached us, we were minding our own business, he had no control over his dog, no recall at all, I can't write what I next said, but this dog owner and many others like him give us respectful dog owners a very bad name. I gave as good as I got, but inside I was shaking like a leaf, walking my dogs is not as pleasurable as it was.

Why has there been such a growth in ‘professional’ dog walking services?

You made the sarcastic comment about living in different countries - your post therefore clearly implied that we were making it up. You could just have left it that you never had any problems - that would have sounded different.

Our local council has a limit of 6 dogs under the control of one handler. That's too many. Guide Dogs only allow their handlers to walk four on lead dogs at any time. Too often recently, I'll meet up with two dog walkers from the same company, with several dogs each, all off lead. The dogs become an unstable pack. They don't know each other and become over excited, barking and racing up to any dogs they meet. One of my dogs can react to this by running and barking in an attempt to scare the other dogs away. It doesn't of course and the risk is that a fight may take place. My fearful dog has never been in a fight and I don't want him to. I have found these two in particular, to be rude and careless about the impact of their dozen off lead dogs on other people and dogs. Additionally, its impossible to clean up after 12 off lead dogs, you can't know where they have left their pooh.
Phone calls to our dog warden have been ineffective.
If my post was the one that irritated maryeliza I wonder why some posters get to very angry. I have made negative comments about irresponsible dog owners and so called professional dog walkers several times. I simply made the point that despite negative experiences like the ones listed here, I have been fortunate in simply walking through the packs of 12 off lead out of control dogs, my own dogs on lead and breathed a sigh of relief that a major dog fight didn't break out.

Nana you should have read the post I was responding to - there was a very clear implication in it that those of us attacked or sniffed at or knocked over by dogs were making it up. We are not - there are truly dreadful dog owners out there - people are bitten and even killed every year. Most dog owners are responsible but that doesn’t take away the truth of the badly behaved dog and the cavalier attitude of owners who think public spaces are for their dogs benefit only and that there dogs are ‘only being friendly’ or they ‘don’t bite’.

If they have brought them to a walking area in a car or van, take their licence number.

Apparently The Control of Dogs Act 2010 allowed local authorities to set the limits to numbers or if leads required or to ban dogs from specific areas eg childrens playgrounds.

A limit of four dogs seems common, but it varies. Anyone who worries about walkers with numbers more than that can find out their local by-laws and report them if they are over the limit, or don't have them under control. A photograph would be a good idea, as proof.

I've often wondered about those 'professional' dog walkers. They are often seen in this neck of the woods, sometimes one young woman with up to six dogs on leads. What do they do if one dog decides to run off and the others follow? I've heard it is quite well paid, something like £10 an hour per dog, so six dogs equals £60 an hour.

"Professional" dog-walkers who have no idea how to control their charges or clear up after them are a menace. Can just anyone set up to go around with several dogs that don't actually belong to them or do they need a licence and training? Managing a couple of family dogs doesn't necessarily prepare anyone for managing a dog-pack, which is what a group of dogs running free without a human they all recognise as the leader soon becomes.
This report was in the news just today.

Crikey maryeliza you hate dogs then ? Are you saying that those of us who are responsible dog owners, whose dogs are well trained and who do clear up after are making it up ?

I think if we’re honest there are good and bad dog owners you cannot seriously tar us all with the same brush?

And that’s before I get started on the yapping barking dogs that ruin a peaceful evening in the garden or wake you up in the middle of the night

I don’t actually care what anyone says on here about how well their particular dogs behave. I and many others have felt scared and threatened by badly controlled dogs and that is our truth and our reality. Or are you saying we are making this up? Lucky you to live in an area with such perfect dogs and owners.

I can't afford a country estate. I assume you don't have dogs maryeliza54, I do and can assure you they love running free and swimming. they do not jump up at strangers, they ignore people on our walks and come when they're called.
I've complained here about so called professional dog walkers walking several dogs off lead but I have never had one of those dogs , or indeed any other strange/random dog, jumps at me, sniffing and slobbering and I've never been knocked over or bitten.
Do we live in different countries.

I dislike anthropomorphism and in addition would never put a dog’s right (?) to enjoy themselves over and above my ( and others ) rights to walk safely about our streets and parks without fear of being sniffed at, slobbered over, and even worse knocked over or bitten. If anyone wants a dog to be free to run and frolic and swim etc etc then take them somewhere isolated or buy a country estate.

when thank you. We always start from day 1. When they are pups they remain on the lead and trained to “sit” as people walk by. We always request that they are ignored as people find it very difficult to ignore adorable pups. This continues until we can initially be satisfied that the pup / young dog understands that humans unknown to them are boring and will provide no stimulation. Finally they can remain off the lead when passing people as the dog will hardly glance at the person even if in my current dogs case they speak to him ,, he might give them a wag but that is all. If someone looks nervous he goes onto the lead.

Family entirely different he can jump wag and lick and have fun to his hearts content.

But don’t take the joy out of his life by restricting his natural need to run, and swim and enjoy a level of freedom he’s worked so hard to achieve.