[Closed] Dog, children, dog owner, park.

"Teach your son to run off in a straight line. The dog owner will soon call the dog back if it gets out of sight. I do this on my bike if a dog starts chasing. Just ride/run off and don’t look back. If it will stop at some point."

Don't do this!

Sorry TJ, you're right as usual.

Not much point arguing about the law and who's right if a dog is jumping on you or your kids.
Unless it's a violent breed I wouldn't kick it. You can tell a dogs intentions. That golden retriever (our nemesis for good behaviour from our young lab) was just excited and they're pretty harmless usually. As others have said keep everyone calm so it's not one big game and even distract it then politely imply that you're happy to help with its training.

Owner should really have it on a lead. Hopefully will do now and spend some time and effort training now. We've had to work really hard with ours and only just starting to get to the point where he behaves (very boisterous and only starting to behave properly, will be on a lead unless there's no one about or other big dogs to play with).

Hopefully your kids arent put off for life

Last time i was bitten there were zero signs at all.

There will almost always be some sign it was going to happen. Whether you have the knowledge and experience to read those signs is a different matter. As someone who has spent a lot of time with dogs I am positive I could read those signs wheras you, as someone who hates dogs, would probably struggle. Not saying that to be contentious, it's almost certainly true, because you have no desire to engage with dogs you have far less ability to read their behavour. I'm replying to you, but that is directed at anyone who has similar experiences.

It's not all that different from cyclists choosing to ride defensively. If they don't, they might get hit by a car being driven badly. A situation that is absolutely not OK, and it not the vitims fault - but the risk of which could be reduced with a bit of time spent learning defensive riding. Just one of many examples which could be used btw.

Should you have to do this? Absolutely not, as far as I am concerned I would be happy for the default to be 'dogs on leads everywhere unless designated otherwise' but considering the current laws are not enforced there would be no point. THe real issue is people in all walks of life can be entitled pr*cks and that is a problem as a nation we are never going to solve.

Unfortunately this is the way of the world and tars responsible dog owners, I have a mastiff puppy we walk through the kids play park on the way to the fields, there is no way would let him off around kids running around and playing football it is too exciting for him, he is soft as abrush but is a big dog, he loves playing football but you can't set him up for a fall.

Since the rise in WFH dog ownership has gone through the roof, really annoys me when dogs are off lead with no recall, the owner shouts they are friendly when they come charging at my on lead dog or worse they don't even notice as they have their head in their phone.

There is not much you can do but politely ask them to recall their dog remind them they should have full control over there dog at all times, I have had a couple of run ins With idiots who shouldn't be able to own a dog I walk a different when I see them now.

Best advice for your kids is to stand still, most dogs are friendly and are more interested in the smells on their walk, do you have friends with dogs that you could introduce your kids too?

No in this case absolutly no warning. I was stationary on my bike. Two dogs walking past me. One just turned and bit me. No warning at all.

The dog was just walking along.

It was worried that you were going to kick it, word travels, that why they bark to each other. "Watch out for the old argumentative bloke on the nice bike, he kicks out without warning. Get your retaliation in early"

No in this case absolutly no warning. I was stationary on my bike. Two dogs walking past me. One just turned and bit me. No warning at all.

If that is the case then you have been very, very unlucky. It is incredibly unusual behaviour for a dog to do something like that – why would it? You were stood still (and I assume making no noise) and straddling a bike so you would appear a pretty formidable foe. Did it attack you (ie, a sustained bite and hold) or simply whip round and nip at you (which a dog would do as a warning if it felt threatened).

More of a nip but broke the skin

Lolz at jonv

Last time I was bitten, the dog was on a lead.

TJ, you truly are the Mike Vanderman of dog threads. 🙂

My work is done then 😎

Imo the basic issue is what dog owners think is acceptable behavior isnot acceptable to non dog owners. Train yourdog properly and there is no issue.

More of a nip but broke the skin

Then you were very unlucky as I said before – had you done something to startle what sounds like a very nervous dog then I could understand (but not condone) the behaviour. I hope the owner apologised – I know I would have been utterly beside myself apologising if my dog did something like that.

If people doing fairly normal park activities, running, playing, shouting, generally larking

Since parks became mainly dog toilets these are no longer normal or safe activities.

"Imo the basic issue is what dog owners think is acceptable behavior isnot acceptable to non dog owners. Train yourdog properly and there is no issue."

But if there were no signs, as you say, and if we presume the dog has never bitten anyone before (obviously we don't know), how would training have helped?
As has been said, it sounds like you were just very unlucky.
I had a staffie coming running down the hill at me barking at me aggressively. It came and stood right next to me (I was sat down), stared at me and nipped very close to my face. Owner told me it had been abused and I probably reminded it of its abuser. I can't say I was best pleased at the time but if we are to believe her, and it had never happened before (don't know) then I guess it was just one of those things.
Didn't get a word of apology which might have been nice.
I did a bit of research and learned that I shouldn't have held eye contact with the dog because that was me challenging it and I should have moved away calmly and quietly.

Since parks became mainly dog toilets these are no longer normal or safe activities.

Yes this angers me massively - my regular walk takes me past a playground with an open patch of grass just outside where kids play football and stuff (no ball games allowed in the playground) and there is always dog mess there. I have challenged more than one person about it and handed out poo bags when their defence has been 'I forgot my poo bags'. I have now started picking it up when I see mess left behind – it's just not acceptable.

I have a lab / pointer cross and she is a lovely dog with good recall.
But I wouldn't let her off the lead in a park with kids in it, it's not fair on the dog or the kids.
I guess I am lucky to live beside fields that I can let her off the lead on and the only other people I meet are walking dogs.

In my instance, the people were tourists and came to a park they were unfamiliar with and let their kids start rolling down the hill shouting and laughing.

Apologies if I'm just being dim but, what would familiarity have changed? Local people would have known better than to let their kids play in a park?

They did nothing wrong but behaving in such an unusual way (to a dog) is going to get the majority of dogs excited.

It's going to get the majority of uncontrolled dogs excited.

But leads aren’t the answer to everything. People drop leads, they get pulled out of their hands and leads snap.

If you hold a lead properly it's impossible to be pulled out of your hand short of your wrist detaching.

Leads snapping must surely be vanishingly rare? In any case, a dog riving away at its lead so hard that it snaps the lead raises larger concerns.

We experienced this many many years ago. My 5yr old son was chased by a little terrier who was off the lead. The dog had absolutely no nasty intentions, it was just my sons reaction unfortunately. I tried my best to speak to him but in that instance he ran, which encouraged the dog. I looked at it as an opportunity to get my son to understand why the dog thought he was having fun.

14 yrs later he is an absolute dog lover. He is so comfortable with dogs and i imagine at some point he will own one himself. Our two are off the lead when i deem it safe to do so. If kids are about, no. One of them has zero interest in other animals or people. In fact he will go out of his way to avoid both. I would let him off the lead and be happy i was being responsible. My other one is different. People no, dogs a big yes. Not in an aggressive way but he loves any other dog. He just wants to say hello to them all (Mini Schnauzer, very vocal). I am 100% on the alert with him trying to ensure he doesnt run up to them and as i walk them in a wildlife park really early and late on, its quite easy. BUT my wife had an incident a few months ago. He ran up to a big dog who was on the lead with a female owner. He ran up to say hello and this dog slipped its lead and attacked him enough to puncture his neck and draw blood.

My wife called me in tears to come and i rushed down (No explanation). The other dog had gone by this time and i asked what happened. My response was that i would have apologised to the lady for our dog. Completely understandable for her dog to be protective. My wife couldnt understand but in my eyes the other dog did absolutely nothing wrong. I did hope my dog would learn from it but alas, he hasnt but on a positive note i was worried he might get aggressive too which he hasnt.

It's a dog park. Not officially but it's often empty or most people you see are dog walkers. It's unusual to see kids there. They took me and doggo by surprise. If your kids are going to play excitedly, it's not a bad idea to take a look round the park, perhaps tell the dog owner the kids were nervous and ask them to put the dog on a lead.

Any dog can get excited.

Not true re the points about leads.

It's about judgement. I made the wrong call because I forgot it was the easter holidays. As I said, dad was great, doggo is super friendly, little girl got a bit of a fright which was unfortunate.

Thanks for all the replies. Seems it's a pretty hot topic and quite controversial.
For clarity my son has had plenty of interaction with dogs in his life, but I think this particular situation was a bit unique. Excited dog, bigger than my son would be normal to encounter off a lead and then chasing him round.
He seems pretty happy today and I'll probably see if I can speak with the lady owner if I see her again and see how it goes.

It’s a dog park.

its not.

there is an actual dog park at the top of my road. its fenced in and you pay for it...

Also, I'm not going to kick a dog unless I see it would be a genuine threat. This was an excitable dog looking to play

I've had a talk with my kids about not trying to run off if it happens again and they understand the drill.

Shame it needs to be like this really, there are plenty of dogs off leads in our park and I can see this being something that must happen regularly.

Try reading the next sentence @jam-bo

the Mike Vanderman of dog threads.

Im guessing you didn't hear the latest news

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/guess-whos-back-mike-vandeman/

Obviously I meant magically omnipresent with a somewhat controversial stance, rather than a child molester. 🙂

It’s a dog park. Not officially but it’s often empty or most people you see are dog walkers.

Because everyone else has decided that it isn't worth running the gauntlet of being barked at, slobbered on, bitten, or getting shit on your shoes so they've given up going there. The loss of our dwindling green space to entitled dog owners and their ill controlled animals is a tragedy.

It’s a dog park. Not officially but it’s often empty or most people you see are dog walkers

Which means it is not a dog park. It is a park where entitled dog owners have decided to make it a place where people don't go due to the dogs (and probably the dog crap).

We have one near us where, unless you are a part of the clique of irresponsible dog owners, you basically go somewhere else between the hours of 08:30 and 10:00 on weekdays. They claim it is common land and they can do what they like but the reality is their pack of off lead dogs of varying tempraments mean no-one else can use the space while they are there.

I say this as a dog owner and lover, the problem with dogs is always the minority of entitled pr*cks who choose to have them.

Try reading the next sentence @jam-bo

i did, i just thought I'd focus on the important bit.

I've nothing constructive to add to this thread only to state that since having kids the owners of dogs who aren't under control have elevated themselves to a level of contempt I'd never previously held.

I could list dozens of individual incidents of dogs utterly terrifying my kids. I don't believe there's a single incident where the dogs owner admitted they were in the wrong. Generally, they seem to blame us - some highlights were the lady whose dog made a bee-line for my son on a beach and whilst she blamed my son said dog was off destroying another family's picnic; another was the lady with two uncontrolled dogs who again implied we were in the wrong as 'she lived in a house on (i.e. facing) the park'.

Yeah, could be that one wheel or it could be that the town is mainly inhabited by older people who have dogs and there aren't many children about. The kids who do go there usually hang out at one area which we avoid. Never get any shit on my shoes but find plenty of discarded food and rubbish.

I feel your pain rikk and am choosing not to react negatively to what is implied but the park I talk about is not like that. I live in a low populated area where it rains a lot so you often don't see many other people about. You do get some hassle sometimes with off leaders running at my dog but it's not too bad.

Anyhow, this has descended into the usual shit show which always happens when dogs are mentioned and that is a shame.

Nah, you were just having a pop jam-bo and that's fine, you do you.

if that's how you want to take me pointing out the misplaced sense of entitlement, i'm fine with that.

Explain how I am an entitled dog owner. Be interesting to hear.

@ThePilot apologies for being somewhat grumpy about it all today. I had a visit to said park cut short this very morning by the same group of people I mentioned and their collective pack of hooligan canines (which with the exception of a couple of proper little tw***y ones are all really nice individually).

Genuinely happy your local park has a better vibe, still important to note that it's never acceptable for dogs to be off lead and not controlled enough to leave on lead dogs or other people alone.

If your kids are going to play excitedly, it’s not a bad idea to take a look round the park, perhaps tell the dog owner the kids were nervous and ask them to put the dog on a lead.

😂

How very dare kids go to a park and play without consulting the other users. Ask the dog owner to put their dogs on a lead? Where do you start with this shit? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

“Imo the basic issue is what dog owners think is acceptable behaviour is not acceptable to non dog owners. Train your dog properly and there is no issue.”

Agree and why these threads always end up as they do.

Some dog owners take responsibility, i.e. me. My dogs are not trained properly therefore the only time they are off the lead is in the garden. They are not a threat to people as they are not bothered what people are doing but are VERY reactive to other dogs so they stay on leads for as much their own safety (they are tiny and would never come out of a dog fight well)

But mistakes happen! In all walks of life. And many many things happen which are not acceptable on a daily basis.
Bizarrely, as if to prove a point, Neil Parish has come on the TV!

Explain how I am an entitled dog owner. Be interesting to hear.

i'm only going on the examples and stories that you have relayed on this thread. have a read back maybe..

Where do you start with this shit, IdleJon. Well you could start by growing up and try not being a dick.

From experience I know you like to have the last word jam-bo so I'll let you have it but I feel no need to re-read anything I have posted.

I agree the owner was in the wrong and should be in control of her animal. As for the dogs rights - they will be trumped by human rights. She sounds like a careless and entitled bellend.

This might be the only time I have ever found a post by TJ to be objectionable.

Injuring any animal unless you are really being attacked does not make any sense. In fact it is likely to have a negative affect on the child, the animal, the owner and the perpetrator.

Where do you start with this shit, IdleJon. Well you could start by growing up and try not being a dick.

Grow up? How mature! But at least my dogs were always properly under control, and I didn’t expect others to take responsibility for their/my actions. I might be a dick on the internet, are you one in real life?

Well, i reckon this is heading well into its traditional late stages now

i hate to disappoint. glad I've made an impression..

I have no useful contribution to make

Excellent, they've got it on the swear Filter:-)

But i was.

You've got me there Jon. Good work. Another one outed.
I am glad to hear you are all so perfect and never once have made a mistake. I am off to buck my ideas up. Thanks for your help.

Read the first post yesterday, just popped in to check stw is unchanged.

Having one instance where your dog was off the lead and you couldn't control it is a mistake. Have it happening every time you walk the dog is not really a mistake is it.

Of all the hassles I have with useless dog owners do you seriously think that is the first and only time it will happen with that dog/owner?

These threads always go so poorly.

To the OP, I hope your kids get introduced to a well behaved dog soon that helps them realise there's lot to love about dogs.

I have a dog, if mine had approached your child and upset it, I'd apologise, so I don't think you did or said anything wrong. Also, if the park is anything like those local to me, playing fields = dog ban lead or otherwise.

My dog is imperfectly trained as a reactive rescue, so she's off the lead occasionally not regularly and if I were to see someone with kids I'd put her back on the lead just in case.

It's actually great when people ask if they can say hi to her as kids love her and she'll sit and let them stroke her even though when an adult tries she usually ducks the stroke.

Excellent, they’ve got it on the swear Filter:-)

But i was

It’s a stw tradition being cancelled. Bloody woke snowflake types - bah!!!

In before the close?

Other people shouldn't have to deal with other peoples dogs or their poo!!

Telling a child to be still while a dog runs at or around them and jumping up, I'm sure that you would be happy doing that if you where the same scale as a 4 yr old and a dog at head height.

Would you stand still if a dog was the same height as you (Imagine a horse size creature) and it was running at you, no chance.

The owner in the original post should be reported simple.

So just to clear up a few points. My dog ran up to a child once. I posted about the incident because the OP is bound to have what happened to them and his kids happen again and I thought it might help.
I never said it was right. I never said it has happened since. It was 'king mistake in unusual circumstances.
As for the park being a dog park, that is what it is used for in the main for reasons already given.
If you want to conclude that I am an entitled dog owner then you are free to do so.
All I will say is I was trying to help. Seems like there's a number of posters whose only motive is to declare how much they hate dogs/have a go at someone/tell what wonderful individuals they are.

Not much anyone here can do but it sounds to me like the owner actually just needs to be a bit more involved with her dog on a walk. It was clearly looking for fun and wasn't getting any from her as she uses the time to make phone calls. Maybe not in the incident in question, don't remember, but she's clearly not involved. And making phone calls when you are walking your dog is the height of entitlement.

Oh and if you see me here again, please would someone tell me to go to do something more interesting with my time. STW has become like a shit partner. Don't want to be with them, can't quite leave.

And done.