Dogs jumping up. What to do?

polly123

I am not a dog person and don't enjoy finding them inside cafes and restaurants. There seems to be a growing trend to treat dogs as if they are human (point has already been well made) but they are animals. I am fine with a well behaved dog but hate to see untrained and uncontrolled dogs out and about. What on earth is wrong with their owners.

I AM a dog person and I agree.

I don’t like to see dogs in shopping centres at all ever (unless their vets or groomer are based there)

We would never take our dog into a busy shopping area.

I have no issues with well behaved, well trained dogs in hotels, cafes and restaurants but can understand those who don’t like it.

Chestnut

Welshy

I was in Cornwall last week and the amount of dogs there was unbelievable. Also nearly every cafe & some shops we passed or entered dogs were allowed.

I wouldn't like them jumping up on me either.

As I said, 1 in 3 households have a dog now, which is why they are everywhere. 15 million dogs is 3 times as many as the 1980s.

.... and many have more than one!

It really isn’t dogs who are the problem, sadly it’s dog owners!

My son has a new puppy.

A dog trainer is booked to come to the house for the next six weeks, just two a week and already into his second week of living with my son and his gf (& their very grumpy two cats), little pup knows not to go upstairs, poos only in the garden, can sit and come.

I rather enjoy it when a dog owner assures me that the unwanted attentions of their unruly dog is because "he's friendly", is to reply "I'm not" and walk purposefully away.

I had lunch out today with a friend and it was ruined by a barking dog at another table. It’s a dog-friendly place with good countryside walks nearby but this particular creature went bonkers when there was any other dog in the vicinity. Why would you take a dog where there are likely to be other dogs if your own dog is so reactive? After about 30 minutes one of the party of three took the dog away but they should have done it much sooner. My friend is an experienced dog owner. She was sitting facing into the dining area and could see a lot of people were not happy at all the noise.

My daughter & I booked a table at a cafe we had never been to before. It turned out that was a dog friendly cafe too. The smell was off putting and dogs hairs all over the floor, where food was being served. It even put my daughter off and she's a dog owner.

I’m not a dog person, much prefer cats.
I’m appalled how precious some, quite a lot of dog owners are about their dogs and cannot understand that I don’t really love their badly behaved, slobbering dogs. I’m made to feel very privileged that their dogs want to jump up at me and put their sharp muddy paws on my nice clothes. I don’t.
I also find it truly disgusting that more than occasionally owners don’t clear up after their dogs and a happy to leave behind a steaming pile. I know what I would like to do with it !

I know it is said it's not the dog it's the owner. So what does everyone think should be done about it? You can't fine or punish the dog. I wonder if really clear messages should be given from the government down to local councils and the police. I'm also at the point of saying there ought to be strong public health type messages given using TV and radio. It is getting to be more than a nuisance. It's serious. During lockdown so many stupid people bought a dog and apparently afterwards abandoned them or dumped them on charities. It's cruel and mindless..Well cared for dogs can be a lovely addition to a family. But they do require time dedication and good training. A lot is required of the owners and I know a few who have regretted it. People really need to understand the breed, it's temperament and especially the patience and dedication it takes and commitment. More education at a national an local level to help people understand what they are letting themselves in for and their responsibility as an owner.

Turn your back on the dog. Or if too late and dog has reached you and jumping up, bend your knee, and use as a barrier between you and dog. Give a little push with knee to let dog know they are not allowed to get jump on you. Think the park needs signs saying dogs MUST be on kead at all times. And, pemalty for failing to clear dog fouling will be applied. You are doing far too much, and the errant dog owners will just carry on. I've had 40 years of dog ownership and still take friend's dog when she's on holiday. What you are experiencing is awful.

I would tell them that it is illegal for their dog to be out of control and you have a duty to report it in order to protect the other people in the park.

Hold a flat hand down and outward as they approach. Shout SIT! Then if they jump, bring your knee forward into the dog's chest to tip it backward.

If you see the dog often, then is the time to say DOWN or repeat SIT. If they obey then praise them with a fuss. They will learn that they get a fuss if they don't jump on you.

FranP, it isnt the OPs job to train sit or down or to make a party for an off lead, out of its handlers control dog running up, jumping on random people

I'll try the knee trick as I am struggling with my stick, absence of balance, inability to lift one knee or stand on one leg!

I would much rather the darned dog was on a lead! Why should I have to put myself at risk of a fall?

Agree with the last two. Why should we have to defend ourselves from other people's dogs? That's the owner's job, to protect other people by controlling their mutt.

Shout OFF in a loud voice or raise a knee as it tries to jump

Rosie51

^The best advice I can give, is to stand completely still when a boisterous (untrained) dog approaches, hands wrapped around one's upper body, and as already mentioned, lift up one knee to ward off the dog, avoiding eye contact, and refraining from speaking or touching them. The dog is expecting a reaction, any reaction, positive or negative.^

I can stand on one leg with the other knee raised and remain relatively stable but my DH would topple before the dog had even breathed on him so this advice is far from universal. Many posters have pointed out their fear of bouncy dogs approaching them is because they have mobility or stability concerns.

Exactly.
For older people, bending a knee to dog chest height just isn’t on, especially if the dog has already launched itself upwards.
A recipe for disaster.
My own warding off recipe which has worked so far apart from one over excited poodle, is when seeing the dog running towards you plant your feet well apart which braces you, stay facing the dog but with no eye contact do a hand blocking stop gesture which dogs do seem to understand.Stay quiet too.

Chestnut

Agree with the last two. Why should we have to defend ourselves from other people's dogs? That's the owner's job, to protect other people by controlling their mutt.

You’re dead right but since a lot of dog owners are useless at controlling their dogs and just don’t…then we need to work out the best thing to do.

I’m afraid my best thing with my can react boy is to take him to classes where he mixes well with dogs he knows and enjoys exercises
He’s walked on a friends acre field with wooded area attached - it’s private so I don’t need to worry about random dogs upsetting him

And yes I’m working with a behaviourist. He’s a lovely boy gentle with grandchildren and dogs he knows but his reactivity caused by irresponsible people. He’s a sensitive soul 🐕

I will definitely store the ways posters have mentioned on how to deal with with jumping dogs.

Whilst on a beach one such dog broke the skin on my legs several times with his claws.
The owners laughed and said he's only being friendly!

Graeme Hall would probably have said my jigging around trying to get away would have sent play signals to it.
Next time if it happens, knee, hand and very loud voice will come into play.

I too dont like dogs running at me and jumping. I am on blood thinners and always worried that theyll start a bleed.
Our friend has one of those smaller dogs which wont stop jumping up and as a result my good clothes have had threads pulled .
The owner does nothing and its torture being jumped on all through coffee.
We stopped visiting as I couldnt take it anymore.

Was out in a nearby park with my young GS, he is just two and a half, and a large poodle type dog ran and jumped up at him knocking him over. The owner didn’t seem bothered and just said that the dog loved children. Well my GS didn’t love being knocked over and cried lustily until I took him home. I did say to the owner that her dog might be very friendly towards children but that she might want to train the dog to stay back until the child has given consent to be jumped up at or perhaps put the dog on a lead. Could see her rolling her eyes at another passing dog owner.
What is it with these people??
I’ve had dogs and never let them jump up at strangers, let alone small children, they were always trained and mainly kept on a lead when necessary.
Why oh why should allowances be made simply because the dog owner feels so entitled to do as he/she pleases.

Wishes

I will definitely store the ways posters have mentioned on how to deal with with jumping dogs.

Whilst on a beach one such dog broke the skin on my legs several times with his claws.
The owners laughed and said he's only being friendly!

Graeme Hall would probably have said my jigging around trying to get away would have sent play signals to it.
Next time if it happens, knee, hand and very loud voice will come into play.

Dogs need to be trained not to do this from being puppies. A well trained dog is a joy to be around.

Sorry that was in reply to Prancer 🙄

Why oh why should allowances be made simply because the dog owner feels so entitled to do as he/she pleases.
Because that seems to be the order of the day. People are entitled in every way, to do what they want when they want, and that includes their children and their dogs too. Society seems to be getting more and more about me me me, it's very sad.

I was always of the mind that you don't annoy or upset other people. That includes your child annoying others in waiting rooms (we always took a book or toy to keep them occupied for medical appointments). It would include your dog annoying anyone in any way! I would never do that. Society seems to have changed.

gransruleok

I don’t like dogs - there - I’ve said it. I am not afraid of dogs, I just don’t like them. Why can’t dog lovers understand that? Many assume that I am afraid of them - wrong. I don’t like to be jump at or slobbered on. Keep them away from me.

Oh thank goodness there’s someone like me. I dislike dogs with a vengeance. And I don’t want to be sniffed, jumped at or slobbered over either. Dogs are everywhere. I can’t go out for a peaceful walk without seeing them doing their business on grass where toddlers walk. Disgusting.