Please call your dog

I was delivering leaflets one year and, as I was walking away from a house two small terriers ran after me; it was only when I got back to the car that I realised the back of my leg was bleeding from where they'd bitten me. My ex was bitten by his BIL's dog, but I don't know the circumstances. My friends small daughter was bitten on the face by a dog my friend was looking after; they'd both been sitting on a sofa and the dog woke up and bit her. The dog was pts straight away, although I did feel the situation shouldn't have arisen. I remember a German Shepherd that used to jump out of it's garden onto a flood bank near to where I live; I think I'd been told it was dangerous; either way, I didn't walk that way for a long time; I've always loved German Shepherd dogs and never really been scared by them apart from that one. Everywhere I go I take photos of any unusual dog I meet and we have conversations all the time with fellow dog owners. But I'd forgotten all of the negative things about dogs till I read this thread.

Tegan is right. If you look at a dog it’ll think you want to be friends. Look away (difficult I know) and ignore it and it’s more likely to ignore you.

I think that there are two issues here.

The first is irresponsible owners who do not control their dogs in the proper manner. I think as I have posted on another thread, that you should tell the dog owner that you are very fearful of dogs and expect that they respect your request to be left alone by their inquisitive dog.

The second is the fear of canines by some people. Many of the instances described for instance your incident lovebeige almost 99.9% of the time means the dog is trotting over to give you a good sniff and say hello. It may help and give you a more pleasant time if you could perhaps address this problem. Make friends with someone who has a dog, go walking with owner and dog etc. It may well help your phobia.

A tricky one. I could take a short cut through a park but don't do so as the last time a dog ran up to me and I felt threatened and afraid. I've always been rather scared of dogs too. I make sure I have a shopping bag with me and put this between me and the dog so that the bag shields me, as it were.
Now my sister has a dog and I've got used to it, so much so that she sits on my lap during visits.

I am astounded by the number of people posting that they have been bitten by a dog on more than one occasion.

I have managed nearly 72 years and been around dogs the whole of my life and never been bitten once, except by the various pups, which of course doesn’t count.

I simply can’t understand it? How does the situation arise?

I also am nervous of dogs having been bitten a few times without provoking them as far as I am aware. Most times it was just nips although one broke the skin ( the owner said 'Oh, He's hungry - he's not been fed yet' which I assumed was a joke.) but the last time was what I would call a ferocious attack. The dog was crouched and growling at a gate I had to go through to get home. I thought, well I've got to go through , he probably won't actually attack me. How wrong I was - I got a bad bite on my leg and the dog held on for ages. My trousers were ripped and my leg poured blood (I had a tetanus jab and stitches) and my leg was black and blue for weeks. I was told by dog owners that I shouldn't have looked scared, 'they can smell your fear!' The owner, who I knew, apologised profusely and said the dog only usually goes for men, as if that is acceptable! Sh didn't know the dog was loose but he is a guard dog as she lives alone.
The trouble is, in my village almost everyone owns dogs and if I have to deliver leaflets door to door I'm nervous about dogs loose in the garden or even barking behind the door in case they nip my fingers. I can't use a stick every time I go out!!
I really don't like them, which most of my neighbours don't understand.

Dander (dead skin cells) is what people are allergic to in dogs, Marieeliz, plus urine and saliva.

Please don’t tar all of us dog owners with the same brush - a lot of us are responsible owners, honest! As always, it’s the irresponsible few who give us all a bad name..

So those of you who are allergic to dogs, what do you mean? Some dogs don't shed hair, so cannot cause allergy. I was recently invited into a small store with my Yorkie, who doesn't shed hair a grumpy looking lady looked at me and said "I am allergic to dogs". I just replied my dog does not molt? She had no answer to that one.

Just a though [and has probably been mentioned already] but, if you're scared of dogs you probably look at them when they're nearby which might encourage them to approach you [same thing happens with cat's, I think, in the opposite way in that they always go and sit on the lap of the person ignoring them!]. Could you sort of train yourself to imagine they're not there? A bit like the way I imagine all the mess in my house isn't there and sit at the computer writing stuff like this...

Well, off I went for a walk in the woods to test out turning my back, lifting my knee, waving my stick etc and would you believe it - not a dog in sight!
I posted for some advice and also to try to understand why some people won't call their dogs. I can see now that responsible owners do and that the others are never going to change, so it is up to me to manage it if I want to go on walking, even just across the green to the shops.

We are fortunate enough to live near the sea. Unfortunately the dogs have free reign on the beach for about 7 months of the year virtually making it a no-go area for everyone else. The real problem is the actual numbers, which the local council seem to ignore. There are sometimes around 80 dogs all running at will and it is really difficult to walk without tripping over dogs as they accelerate, in groups, towards balls or chase their ‘friends’ at speed. Regularly we have to contend with their ‘friendly’ advances. And yes, we do turn our backs on them but the grandchildren are still terrified. And don’t start me on bags of dog poo attractively arranged on bushes, excrement on the pavements or the number on dog owners who talk to their pets as if they are babies or children! I used to like dogs!

Am I understanding this correctly? From what I'm reading, in the UK its ok for dogs to be off-leash out in a public place? That's crazy. Here in Canada, we have off-leash areas (a few parks, beaches, etc) where dogs can run free. Otherwise, when out in public, dogs must be leashed at all times. Non compliance results in fines first of all, then animal control steps in and a biting offence oftentimes results in euthanasia. People are more important than dogs.

And then the problem of taking DGC and DGC’s dog for a walk. DGC wants to go in the play area and the DGdog can’t and hates being tied up. Not to mention the people who don’t want to have children’s balls kicked at them! It’s a conundrum!

Public parks etc should be for all to enjoy. Unfortunately not these days. Children are in fenced off areas with their swings and slides etc. Which is fine as no dogs allowed inside. The problem is they have (in our area) space appx one quarter the size of the actual park some even less. The rest of the park is for dogs mainly, and walkers. To play football with the children outside the fenced in part runs the great risk of dogs jumping up, wanting to play with the ball, and DOGS POO! ( not all is picked up by responsible owners.)

I like the Danish idea of having dog walking woods and parks. Dogs do need to run free sometimes, especially those kept in flats. In Norfolk a lot of the beaches in summer time have a dogs to the left of the access and no dogs to the right. Seems to work well.

Totally agree with Luckygirl.
The problem is the dog owner who just assumes that another person might, in any way shape or form, enjoy the attention of their dog/s?

lemongrove "Then a woman said ‘don’t try and pat him’ ( the terrier) I said ‘I have no intention of patting him, but if he gets too close I may have to kick him’ and she grabbed him and put his lead one pdq."
I am very fond of dogs myself but was once bitten by a terrier who suddenly stuck his head through a hole in the owner's fence as I passed - it drew blood and jolly well hurt for days. Had I been a child at the time I'm sure it would have affected my view of them for life.

I always call any dog I’ve been walking back to me when people without hounds are approaching as I find an overfriendly dog, which most are, quite embarrassing to be associated with. They always seem to be even friendlier if they’re covered in mud and slime especially if the person approaching is wearing a light coloured coat. If the dog is unreliable it stays on an extension lead. My DGdog who’s deaf is kept on an extension lead all the time now. These leads are a boon.

I did have one awkward moment when walking with my DM’s Staffie on a path with a bank one side and a water filled dyke the other. A couple were approaching and about 50 yards away I could see the woman was afraid so called the dog back. She came straight to me (titbits in pocket) and was put on a short lead. Despite the dog sticking like glue to my heels (she was afraid of water and we were on the dyke side) I was still berated loud and long for not getting off the path and daring to even have the dog with me.

I want one of those dog dazers, then I want one of those things the police use to zap the bloody dog owner

I kept dogs for thirty years (including a German Shepherd) and each and every one brought me great happiness. They were fantastic with my children and grandchildren and visitors to the house. BUT (sorry to use shouty capitals) people ALWAYS come first. If your dog is likely to run at people/jump up on people/ be "friendly" keep it on a lead. I can't really understand why anybody is unwilling to do this. I have been bitten twice by Jack Russells and only got over my fear of them a few months ago when I stayed with a friend who has one. If I had been so afraid that I couldn't be in the same room as the dog it would have been kept in another room. What IS the problem with putting humans first? Just to emphasise that I am a dog lover (though no longer a dog owner) we've just had two lovely, lively Westies to stay!

There are many sensible reasons for not wanting to be approached by strange dogs, friendly or otherwise. There are no good reasons for allowing your dog to be nuisance to other digs or humans. I particularly hate professional dog walkers who let their charges roam around while they only pay attention to their phone. I never let my granddoggie off the lead, because he is very old & not very well, and I am terrified for him & me when loose dogs run up to us.

I have a dog dazer - battery-operated thingie that emits a high-pitched noise (above our hearing) that deters a dog heading your way.

Eglantine always carry a stout stick! I love a stick and even though there is never any intention of doing harm to the pesky dogs I've found it gives an air of being in control. Also, if you can face it, calmly offering the back of your hand for the dog to sniff has worked for me. I too was bitten as a child so am wary but find the stick method gives me confidence.

Sorry, I should have said, I entirely agree that it is not the person who is scared of dogs who "should do something about it", unless she wants to.

Dogs can be trained not to jump up at people, all my father's were and no dog we ever had ever bit anyone!

Here in Denmark it is a legal offence not to keep you dog on a lead, unless you are in a park or wood that is clearly signposted as being a place where dogs are allowed to run loose. This takes care of one problem, as any dog not on a lead anywhere else is a police matter.

In Germany you can only own a dog if you undertake to attend dog-training classes with it.

Perhaps you should start lobbying for similar
laws in the UK?