Please call your dog

whitewave, your dog is obviously well trained and a pleasure to know for you and your family and friends, and of course he should be free to run around in appropriate places, just as all our DGC should.

We have noticed when out running that you can quite often predict if a dog is going to be a problem by the body language of the owner. A confident owner, who knows her dog will come when called, even when off the lead, is quite different from the timid one who struggles to pull her dog in and looks as if she is going to have to let go of the lead and let it come and 'be friendly'.

It is not you who should apologise NotTooOld.

I regularly walk around our village for exercise and there are now lanes where I won't go for fear of coming across dogs, of which there seem to be increasing numbers. Even the ones on leads are not necessarily under control, especially if the dog is large and the owner is small. Many times dogs have jumped up, scaring the wits out of me and pulling threads on my clothes or scratching my legs. If I have to pass a dog on a lead I always smile briefly at the owner but ignore the dog and pass the pair of them as quickly as I can. As I approached one man down a local lane with a dog running loose he shouted at me to 'stay well out of the way - he's not friendly'. I just froze and luckily the dog ignored me but it could have been different. Sorry dog lovers - rant over.

I am beginning to wonder if it is the part of the country other people live. It isn’t honestly an issue that I’ve come across, or if it exists it must be a tiny minority?

We were in Somerset recently for a late Autumn break, and I have never seen so many dogs, but was also struck by how welcome they all were , it was a pleasure.

When my DS was little (early 1980s), he was extremely allergic to cat, dog & horse hair and dog saliva, any contact at all would result in big blisters on his skin where he'd been touched and he'd have to be rushed to the GP for antihistamine injections. One day I was pushing him in his pushchair, when a large Airedale terrier ran up to him, licked his face and ran on. The dog meant him no harm and was in no way vicious or uncontrollable; it was just being friendly to a small child. But the panic of having to run, as fast as I could to the GP surgery, with a 2 year old who's nose and mouth was swelling up, was very scary. He's still allergic to this day but he still strokes animals and has to use an epi pen to reduce the swelling!

I guess if lots of dog owners don't control their dogs and the dogs attack people, it will come to that white wave. The well behaved dogs and responsible owners suffering for those who are not.
I do regard rounding on someone, snarling, threatening, jumping up, scratching and damaging clothes as an attack as well as biting. Any physical contact that a person doesn't want in fact. It would be if a human did it!

As one who is afraid of dogs I will repeat that I fully understand dogs need to run and play. There is a field and woods near where I live, I know dogs are off lead there (although not an official dog area) so I avoid going there. All I ask is that dog owners keep their dogs on lead whilst taking them to that area (past my house). I have had dog owners allowing their animals to come into my garden and use it as a toilet, the owners merely walking on and making no attempt to pick up. If the dogs were on leads that would not happen.

But are you saying therefore that because you don’t like what comes with dogs , my dog should remain at all times on the lead? I simply think it s an overreaction.

It really is not a fear or a phobia. I just do not want all that goes with dogs - the licking, the slobbering, the jumping up etc. Why should this be forced on me?

I am sure your dog is well trained and under control. Sadly that seems a bit of a rarity just now.

Thinking about it, and this will bring out those who love a fight, but as long as my dog is under control I cannot be responsible for peoples phobias or fear of dogs. Nothing my dog has ever done has frightened anyone, and I will not curb his joy of life, when he is utterly blameless.

But you are missing the point - he comes back at recall if necessary he does not need to be on the lead. In fact he generally finds people boring, unless it is a family member which sends him into raptures. he is only ever interested in speaking to their dogs.

You simply can’t generalise, and to deny a dog one of his joys of running with the wind, swimming in the river, simply being, is cruel.

A word of support for whitewave's comments about the level of exercise dogs need. Lucky I take your point about dog owners showing respect of others, in fact I wish all dog owners would show respect for other dog owners. I'm so tired of having several off lead dogs run up to my on lead dogs with the owners shouting "it's ok, they're friendly". - aargh.
Dogs do need more than any ordinary suburban garden can provide. Mine have 45 to 60 minutes every morning, some on some off lead. They have a minimum of 30 minutes in the evening. Dogs benefit a lot from the doggy habit of sniffing things. It helps them to relax. Off lead exercise is great because they can sniff and run to their hearts content.
Like all responsible dog owners, mine are under control and on lead when its better for them and for others. The garden just doesn't do it. They need to walk with you, whether on or off lead.

Put him on the lead please - I might want to walk by that river too!

lucky you are vastly underestimating the level of exercise a dog needs. Our dog is a Cairn and a small breed, and he goes out for a minimum of an hour twice a day, and would do more given the chance. Our garden isn’t nearly adequate! We’d need a small estate. He goes walking by the river, and on the Downs which are public spaces of course and is off the lead unless there is reason for him not to be. I think a bit of perspective is needed really, and I’m not getting at you luck just generally.

It is all so very simple to me - keep them on leads in public places.

Accept that not everyone loves your dog as you do - and no, they do not have a mental aberration, they just hold a different opinion from you.

Don't get a dog that needs more running around space than your garden can supply.

It is just good manners and common sense.

I am delighted that so many people enjoy their dogs; but they must do so in a way that does not cause trouble to others. When I was working as a hospital SW I often had cause to help a patient find care for their dog while they were in hospital - I did so happily and with no problem as I recognised what their pet meant to them and how it would help their recovery to know that it was safe.

But I( do not want to have to be troubled by their dog!

Yes, exactly when did cats and dogs become our babies? Our animals have always had a master and missus, but I notice our offspring now refer to their dogs as fur babies. (I have to confess we do now have Granddogs. I started calling them that sarcastically and it’s misfired rather and stuck.)

paddyann I so agree with you about the term "fur babies*. When we had a cat I took it to the vet one day and whilst examining him the vet said "Perhaps Mother could hold him"!!! I made it very clear that I was NOT the cats mother!

I have said before I accept people love their animals, I accept dogs need to be able to run and play, all I ask is that owners keep the dogs under control whilst in public areas. You may know your dog is friendly but someone who is afraid of dogs doesn't know that and quite frankly doesn't want to "make friends".

Day6 a nation of animal lovers.....apparently not.There are overcrowded centres full of unwanted dogs ,cats and any other pet you can name ...bought when they were cute .Abandoned when they grew or became a unmanageable or just boring..or too much trouble or too expensive .Then there are the ones that people treat as "fur babies" even the phrase makes me queasy..its and ANIMAL for goodness sake !! A sense of proportion is needed ,why take your dog to a restaurant? Why buy it CLOTHES....honestly I think some people need help.I do understand that pets are important for all manner of reasons but get real .People SHOULD be mre important than a dog.So keep it on a lead please .

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there WW. We wouldn’t let our children climb on restaurant tables or run wild in public, but some do. I bet they’re the same people who let their dogs rule the roost too. It’s just down to good manners and consideration. Both are going out of the window with the ‘Because I’m worth it’ mentality.

I know eglatine and I do.

The point is we wouldn’t allow our children to behave with such bad manners and the same goes for Duncan.

And a 90% plus chance of me having one when they run at me!
Just call your dog. Why not?

36% less chance of having a heart attack if you are a dog owner.

I can identify with the comments of dog owners have no thoughts of the humans who do not like them and do not expect to be bitten or put in a fearful position. All owners should have there dogs on a short lead when out in public places, in consideration for others. I also cannot believe owners think it's ok to leave a plastic bag full of mess. My husband does voluntary work at a local National Trust and says they have huge amounts left on and in the trees and kind hearted people like him who are interested in providing a nice place for members of the public and for the children to play and enjoy, are faced with this!! Disgusting!, who do they think they are, that others should have to clear up after them. Some dog lovers??? No way.

I blame this government for allowing mars bars to be made smaller.

What utter tosh, there has been puppy farms for many a year . The Dogs Trust - then the NCDL, fought for changes in the eighties, I worked undercover with a reporter from a Sunday Newspaper and went to many as a prospective buyer, there was a tightening of the laws, we still have puppy farms. There was break in last week, 13 puppies , cavaliers and Westies, some puppies a day old, two older dogs were also stolen. Beware anyone thinking of buying a Cavalier or Westie puppy please.

Elegran