Dog owners, control your pets

[Murphy Jnr]

Fair enough, you've done what you can to ensure their enjoyment and safety.

I don't think I'd want to be on that bike if a squirrel ran across at 90 degrees though!

 

It's a robust connection thankfully but yes it has it's moments but at least both hands are on the bars, i've seen many holding a lead in one hand.

[Murphy Jnr]

The idea that he might be dangerous to a person is completely laughable though, which is why I react strongly to people who suggest that all dogs should be on a lead all the time.

 

This I blame squarely on the shoulders of the media coupled with a total misunderstanding of dog behaviour. It's all very well saying that you don't like dogs but how can you possibly identify and distinguish the behaviours of them. Play fighting can be a pretty vocal affair and to the unknowing perceived as aggressive. I'm sorry but it ticks me off when the slightest movement is viewed as dangerous or aggressive when it's playing and mouthing, there is a difference. Sometimes it's subtle. Even some dog owners fail to separate the two.

[llamatron]

That's a very silly analogy. We don't read daily reports on the news of children attacking people in parks, do we?

 

If someone came up to you in a public place, lunged at you, grabbed hold of you and started screaming in your face you wouldn't stand for it, so why should you if they let their dog do the equivalent?

 

I would say that is more common actually.

[cillav]

Some times its the owner that ought to be on a lead

[RosyRat]

2 weeks ago we were walking along a suburban street on our way home when we saw 3 large dogs, off lead with their owner. 1 of the dogs, a lurcher cross, bared its teeth and ran at me. I shouted "Down!" as it reached me and my OH stepped in front of me. The dog stopped. My OH said to the owner, who was totally unconcerned, "Why isn't your dog on a lead in the street and why didn't you try to stop it going for my wife?" The reply was "It won't hurt you, it's as soft as a brush".

Well, excuse me for thinking a big dog running for you with its teeth bared might by a little bit of a cause for concern.

As for the lead, the owner's response to that was, "I always exercise my dogs here".

My OH tried to explain that most people are afraid of large dogs running at them in the street, panting and showing their teeth. The owner wasn't in the least bit bothered about that. As far as he was concerned, this was his daily routine and we could put up with it or walk home another way.

Thank you to all those posters who keep their dogs on a lead in public places. I love dogs and would appreciate yours, because I feel safe and can admire your dog for being well-behaved and you for being responsible. I can also walk in the street where your dog is and not be frightened or have to cross the road to avoid it.

[bladesman123]

This really annoys me, i often take my dog through Rother Valley Country Park on a lead and i am sick of other peoples dogs running up to me and my dog, my dog doesn't like it and neither do i, some people don't even bother to call their dog, if your dog doesn't come to you when you shout it (ie it's untrained) then it should be on a lead if you are in a public park, there are signs saying dogs must be on a lead but a certain section of people seem to think the rules don't apply to them, it is rude and inconsiderate, i have even considered buying one of them electric fly zapper thingys and modifying it into sort of a cattle prod to give any out of control dogs a little zap.