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A few weeks ago, my mother was mauled by a dog. She has only just been released from hospital after having a four-hour operation including skin grafts. The dog that attacked her was a dog she had met many times before. This time, she reached out to pat it and, for some unknown reason, the dog didn’t like the cut of her jib. It got a hold of her left hand and didn’t let go. For minutes that surely felt like hours.
The daughter of the owner of the dog came to see my mum in hospital. To assure her they would ‘keep the dog out back’ from now on.
To be frank, I am so over so many dog owners.
Currently living in the English countryside, we are in dog central. Everyone here seems to have a dog (or two, or three) – mostly very healthy-looking black Labs who get a good amount of exercise. They’re beautiful animals and my kids have had great fun with them. My daughter spent a good hour in the park after a snowfall one day throwing snowballs for one of them to catch and both parties had the time of their lives. I have no issue with this. The owner was there, I was there, the owner asked if it was okay if she took her dog off its lead, assured me it had been around children all its life, and I’d said yes. Over the years, I’ve met many dog owners like this – respectful of my, and my children’s, personal space and welfare and of the law.
My problem is with the other dog owners. Over the past eight years (since my first child was born), I have had dog owners, strangers to us, coerce my children over towards them to pat their dog when I have already told my kids not to (‘But he loves children!’). I have had family members let large dogs, unaccustomed to small children, into the same room as my kids when I’ve specifically asked they be kept apart (‘It’s not fair that he has to stay outside!’). I have had a barking dog chase my kids across a children’s park (‘He loves to run!’). I have had a dog nip my son on the ankle (‘He didn’t pat him right!’). And then, just yesterday, again at the park, I had a German Shepherd who weighed more than me jump up on my chest and steal my daughter’s gloves from my hands (‘He’s only playing!’). Knowing what had just happened to their grandmother, my kids were so freaked out they wouldn’t come down from the top of the climbing frame until the dog had retreated from sight.
What truly amazes me is that if I had turned around yesterday and told this dog owner that her 70kg dog should be on a lead in a children’s playground, I would have been the psycho.
So, look, it’s nice that you have a dog. Yes, I’m sure he, or she, is adorable, obedient, great with kids, would never bite anyone and loves your family very, very much.
But that’s what the owners of the dog that mauled my mother would have said too.
It’s your choice to have a dog. Love it. Enjoy it. But keep it responsibly. Just don’t expect me to love it too.
Allison Rushby is the Australian author of 11 novels in the genres of women’s fiction and young adult fiction. She is writing a travel memoir and blogging here. You can often find her procrastinating on Twitter here.
Are you a dog owner? How do you feel about other people’s dogs?
Comments
377 Comments so far
I have the opposite problem. I just want to keep my dogs safe from people! I’ve had rather heavy-set 7-8yr olds try to ride them, kids in the park hit them with sticks (my dogs are so tame they just sat there and wagged their tails), parents rush their kids over so the whole family can crowd around and pat them so roughly my dogs actually yelp in pain. Last year I was walking one of my dogs and a woman kicked him in the stomach because she thought he was getting too close to her pram (he was on the leash, at least 2 metres away from the pram, and not the least bit interested in it). My dog had two broken ribs, was in pain for weeks and these days I can only walk him very early in the morning because he get’s scared and cowers everytime someone passes us.
I got bitten by dogs a few times as a kid, and I had it coming. It makes me sad that while my parents reaction back then was “Well what did you do to the poor thing to make it bite you”, today a lot of parents would probably demand the animal be put down.
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That’s disgraceful behaviour by that woman. I can understand being protective of your baby, but kicking a dog like that, especially one on a lead is uncalled for. Also stupid, if the dog had been aggressive, it would have only made it worse. I hope your dog recovers some confidence.
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Only the other night i got bitten by my dog because i was playfully shaking both his front paws. He didn’t like it, so he gave me a bit of a bite (not hard, but enough to get my attention, and it still hurt a bit).
My dad’s response? “Well you deserved that, you were annoying him.” And it’s true, i was annoying him so no wonder he bit me in retaliation.
Thats horrible about the woman kicking your dog! I would have probably shouted at her if she’d done that to my dog- that’s cruelty to animals!
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Gawd … the headline is dreadful
I’ve owned two dogs which I walk round the ‘burbs and beaches in dog-allowed areas on their lead. I don’t let anyone pat them, ever.
So sorry about your mum, Allison. Wishing her the best and no further tangles with dogs in the future.
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I have 2 biggish dogs. 1 is a staffy x and she is the most placid thing with my 2 kids and the other is a border collie who we’ve only had for 4 months but have known him his whole life (6 years). He lost his “mum”/ owner and we took him in, there were a few issues with our children thinking they could treat him the same as the staffy (laying on him etc) at first but I think that was because we had taken him from his home and he was adjusting to life with a family instead of just one person. He is now a wonderful part of our family and adores running around with the kids. I always walk both of them on haltis as they are big and I want to have as much control as I can. I bring them in close and steer them away from other people walking towards us and I’ve found that other people will generally put their dogs on the lead when we are approaching them. I’m alright with people having their dog off the lead if they put them back on before we get to them but as others have said dogs are unpredictable. My biggest problem is all the dog poo on the footpaths, it’s disgusting. Clean up after your dog!!!
I also make sure that people are ok with our dogs before we go out the back, I am happy to tie them up for a little while if it makes someone feel better. Neither of them are jumpers which is great but they do love to lick! We also don’t let them inside, they have a kennel and have plenty of fur to keep them warm and comfy at night.
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Want to know what I’m over? People that go to leash free dog friendly parks & complain that there are dogs there!!
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Are they complaining just because the dogs are there, or because of the dogs’ behaviour? Because leash-free is not supposed to mean control-free – but some dog owners seem to think it does.
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Spot on Lulu
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In my experience it has been the mere presence of the dog. We are very lucky that our council has provided such a wonderful park, it also provides plastic bags to pick up after your dog & water bowls. The majority of us are very appreciative & wouldn’t do anything to risk that. There are plenty of parks in our area, so if you are scared of dogs etc then you have the option to go elsewhere.
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I was asking because I used to live next door to a dog park, so I’d walk through it on my way to the bus, etc. Some of those dogs were not under their owners’ control & wouldn’t come when called, even repeatedly. I never had a problem (I’m used to dogs & I don’t mind being rushed as long as it’s friendly), but it might have been different for other people / kids/ dogs who are more nervous.
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Absolutely. I think it’s really important that your dog should only be off leash if they are obedient in being called back.
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Your council sounds great! I wish mine would start policing our parks and reinforce the rules. My area has one large park that also has playing fields, a playground and a bike/running track. There is a designated area and time limit for off leash dogs and unfortunately these are rarely followed. You can turn up at the park any time and there will be large dogs running around with no owner in sight, or supervising what they do. Which, for someone like me with a small dog and children is really off putting, because I would love to walk my dog on a leash around the park while my kids ride their bikes but the large off leash unsupervised dogs dont make it a very welcoming place to be. I’ve seen an U6 soccer training end in tears because large dogs were running around the kids and jumping on them and terrifying them.
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Yes we are very lucky, thanks Stonnington council! I feel for you in that situation, it’s a shame that a few ignorant people ruin it for the rest of us.
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I live in Stonnington near an off-leash dog park too – I wonder if it’s the same one! The one near us has a children’s playground (fully-fenced) within the larger fenced park. The park also has sport on the weekends I think as it has a little cricket pitch in the middle.
Anyway, I have only once had a bad experience there and it wasn’t because of the dog, it was the owner! The only way out of the fenced playground is through the off-leash park. The gate to the playground opens into the park and it is a short walk to the gate out of the main park. My friend and I and our (at the time) 3 children were making this short walk when a sweet dog came bounding up. It didn’t jump on the children and they wanted to pat it but my friend and I both controlled our children and reminded them (although they already know) “we don’t touch dogs unless we get the owner’s permission”. This was – I thought – the responsible way to do things. The owner heard us telling our children this and seemed to think it was a passive-aggressive dig at her dog control! And started lecturing us about how this is an off-leash park you know, and if you don’t want your children around dogs you shouldn’t bring them here/shouldn’t be here or something like that! Well for starters we were taking the only exit out of the playground and heading straight for the park exit, and for seconds we were in control of our children and teaching them about handling dogs responsibly. I guess this woman has a chip on her shoulder about children in dog parks!
I get super annoyed with people who let their dogs run around in playgrounds though. Not on.
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I am a mad besotted dog owner. I think my dog is one of the most beautiful souls on this earth but I get how not everyone feels the same. I don’t understand it, but I get it
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Hate the heading “I’m over dog owners”
I’m a dog owner
I am indifferent to about 95% of dog owners- and there are a LOT in my suburb.
There are a few idiots – but those who are idiots with their dogs are usually idiots in general. They aren’t idiots because they are dog owners, and that isn’t the only area of their life where they are morons (probably).
The headline is stupid and divisive. Is this what happens when someone goes to work with News Limited?
So many of the stories on here are like this lately – so Today Tonight, ACA, Telegraph – a lot of opinion, not a lot of fact, and all aimed at pitting us against each other.
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Haha love this! I agree!!
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You use the phrase “dog owners” like swear words. There are bad, stupid, unreasonable people everywhere. It is not the dogs fault if they are owned by negligent, silly people. Just as many people who own dogs are decent and intelligent.
A reasonable person knows that any dog (my sweetie included) needs to be controlled and watched at all times when with people. And do not get me started on people letting their dogs walk the streets off the lead.
I am a dog owner and I accept my responsibility. I have never seen my dog be aggressive, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have it in him, if he was frightened, startled etc.
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I think people need ro be respectful of the fact that n not everyone LOVES your pet like you do.
I have 2 cats and love them to bits, but am not the slightest bit offended if I need to put them outside. I ask people if they are ok/not ok with them. (especially when there are children)
my cats are close to me all the time, but they are ANIMALS, humans come first.
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As a mother of a 9 month old daughter, I am always hyper-vigilant when we’re out with her in the pram & a dog comes anywhere near her (even if on a leash). So I certainly relate to this article, and agree that far too many dog owners (though certainly not all) are not responsible enough about their pets.
But I do feel the need to point out (sorry to nitpick!) that the maximum weight of an adult male German Shepherd is actually only about 40kg – still certainly a big heavy animal though, no question!
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I originally wrote the same thing in my comment but decided to remove it for fear of opening up a can of whoopass. Not the point but yeah, 70kg would be a sight.
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Some dogs are nice, some aren’t, but it’s the owners who are the problem (not all owners are irresponsible of course, but many are). It seems people are increasingly humanising their dogs, allowing them to sit in the front seat of the car and slobber all over their owner’s face; sip doggyccinos with them at the local cafe; or give them names like Roger or Rebecca, rather than Rover Rip-Your-Hand-Off. Dogs are dogs. They have really sharp teeth. People who let their dogs roam free in public places should have to eat their own dog’s poo.
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I love dogs, so much. They make the world a happier place and they make those around them better people too.
I have also been mauled once, by a big brute dog that snapped it leash to run over and attack me. The owners just stood there watching while I screamed and my hubby had to pull its jaws off me and got bit himself in the process.
But that one-off experienced hasn’t changed how I feel about the rest of the canine world, I still love them. It is a very rare dog indeed that is violent and even though I live in the busiest city in Australia, I have never encountered a problem with all these rude dog owners that are supposedly everywhere!
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ditto to ladybug’s post – I totally agree. And I own a Rottweiller. I appreciate that not everyone likes dogs – some people just don’t like big dogs. I understand and would NEVER let my dog off lead around a playground or if someone asked me not to. No one knows what a dog is thinking or going to do, regardless of how lovely it is in the home. We have crate trained our dog and he is quite fine with spending time in his crate if we have children over and they are frightened of our dog.
I just hate irresponsible dog owners who have no regard for other’s personal space or feelings
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I totally agree. I ‘ve had big dogs run up to my toddler and be licking his face quicker than I can get to him and it scares the hell out of me. They could just as quickly be mauling him and he would have no chance of getting free.
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I am a dog owner and I am sick of irresponsible dog owners making a bad name for all of us. My dogs are very friendly, but there is always the chance that they might get angry (like any of us) and strike out. Jumping up, nipping and boisterous play are all unacceptable behaviour from our dogs around friends, family and strangers, and only allowed on command (not nipping) for us. Training is a daily, life-long event for my dogs. If my dogs had attacked your mother in such a way – or anyone else for that matter – that would be the end. People who treat their dogs like people are delushioned, THEY ARE ANIMALS and need to be treated as such. We adore our dogs, but safety and responsibity always comes first. I am sorry that your mother had to go through that, and I truly hope she recovered well.
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I am constantly amazed at how many dog owners think it is ok to have their dogs run around and swim at beaches where dogs are prohibited. Especially because there are usually lots of small children enjoying the beach.
I believe every dog has the potential to become aggressive and bite.
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I have a fear of big dogs — especially German Shephards!
When I was about 9, my cousin and I walked my little chihuahua around the block. We got about up the road (it’s a bit of an incline) and got to a house on the corner with two big german shephards. They started barking at us and we just kept walking past — it was fenced at the front but they found a way to get out!
They came round the corner and started chasing us! I scooped up my dog and we RAN back home.
It’s a pretty busy street and somebody pulled over beeped at the dogs which was enough to stop them and we just kept running without looking back.
OMG. I still get scared whenever I think about it.
I have no idea what happened to the dogs or what the man did, but I was so grateful we got home safe and O K.
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I am a dog owner and I have one of those wonderful dogs who is gentle, patient and loving with my own children and just loves anybody who will give him a pat. He truly doesn’t have a mean bone in his body and is just a big, dopey pile of loving devotion.
However I would never let him off the leash around other people, when we are walking I make sure I keep him on a pretty short lead when we pass others and he lives outside. He is allowed in for periods of time but only in the one room and never when other people are over. I feel it is their choice if they would like to interact with him and I’m certainly not offended if they don’t…even though he can do the best sad eyes at the back door and I’m not sure how anyone could resist.
ALL dog owners should be responsible and be considerate of other people. No matter how much you love your dog and feel they are part of the human race just remember that most other people don’t feel the same way.
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I don’t blame you.
I am an avid dog lover. I have two and I love them to pieces, they are a part of my family. I take them to dog school but they are not perfect. They are big and what we as their owners enjoy as rough and tumble in the back yard would scare the bejeebers out of someone who didn’t know them. Which is why we keep them on a lead unless we are in a designated dog park. And then, if there are kids around, or other dogs that seem edgy, they are on lead. They are never allowed in the house, there’s plenty of yard for them to enjoy. And if visitors with kids want to go outside or don’t really like dogs, they are put in another fenced area of the yard.
I work in civil liability law. I get many dog attack queries (to sue the owners in negligence, not to prosecute them – the local council does that). When an individual is sued for negligence, their public liability insurance attached to their home insurance often kicks in and we can get moderate compensation for an injured person. With dog attack claims this rarely happens – either because the types that own dangerous dogs and don’t contain them are also the types to not take out insurance, or because their insurance fails to indemnify them on what is basically the ground that they were just irresponsibly reckless. Which often leaves dog attack victims in the cold.
Dog owners – you need to contain your dogs. Even great dogs can attack if they feel threatened or scared. And at the end of the day it is an innocent bystander who will usually pay. And your dog – councils almost always put a dog down straight after an attack. My heart goes out to those dogs and my anger goes out to their owners for their failure to train, socialise and control their dog.
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I am a dog lover, not currently a dog owner, but definitely a dog lover.
That being said…. Any responsible dog owner should take into account the fact that not everyone likes dogs. They should also take into account the fact that some people have a fear of dogs.
My sister has a dog that I would trust with my daughter completely. My brother has a dog the same. My Grandmothers dog, I would not leave alone with my daughter in a pink fit.
I have grown up with large dogs my whole life. No properly trained dog would ever jump up on someone. I can’t stand irresponsible dog owners. They should not be allowed to have a dog if they can’t properly train or control the dog.
No dog should ever be off their leash around a children’s play area.
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Hope your mum makes a speedy recovery.
I always wonder why dog owners don’t get that dogs are animals, not humans.
Therefore:
- they don’t need to be taken on every single outing to cafes, restaurants, shopping etc
- they should obey national park and council rules and signage
- they should respect other people’s feelings about having any size of dog running around off the leash, particularly with children present.
Why do dog owners (and I won’t generalise and say it’s all of them, before anyone has a go!) think that they are different and can do what they want?
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I finally get it.
Mia you respond to people when they say they don’t like the turn that this site has taken in recent months. People comment that they dislike the us and them fighting and rudeness that is becoming more and more common on nearly every post.
You say you understand and yet you are actively encorouging it.
This post originally had a cute picture of a little dog getting pampered. It had its fur in bows and looked cute and harmless.
I come back to the site 10 minutes later and the photo has changed to the one above. A shot of a clearly vicious intimidating dog.
I can only assume that the story was not getting enough hits or enough fighting was happening in the comments so you decided to change the photo.
This is out and out manipulation of your readers.
I even remember reading a post the other day and throughout the day the tone of the comments changed each time you changed the title of the post or the photo.
If you can’t stand by a story on its merits without trying to manipulate your readers, why post the article at all??
I am over this site, the negative replies to peole, the lack of any willingness by the mm team to respond to suggestions, the continual and single pursue of money over everything else.
I know all businesses evolve and change over time, but when things are not changing for the better it might be time to reasses your goals.
I am reassessing mine and they are taking me away from this site and off to more quality writing. It is a real shame that this is happening because once upon a time you had a really supportive interesting thing going here.
So sad to see it all turn to shit.
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see, 5 minutes later and the photo has been changed again.
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Easy does it, Lost. I think you’re over-thinking this.
I reckon the MM team do an amazing job of balancing all the criticism they get with providing us all with entertainment 7 days a week.
Keep it up guys. I’ve been enjoying the mix lately. Lots I want to read. If the comments bother you – don’t read them!
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Hey Lost, that pic is about to change again (was done before your comment was noted) – not because off traffic but because it sometimes takes a bit of tweaking to get the tone right. I’ve just joined the team and the pace behind the scenes is frenetic. Pics change all the time because of how they look, what communicates best and how the mix of images looks on the homepage. Never to inflame.
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Then don’t run the story until you have got everything right.
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It’s the Internet, everything’s changing all the time
Thankfully. Makes it far more alive than newspapers and magazines.
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But sometimes the image or headline changes a couple of times within an hour or so. Usually it’s on an article like this, not any sort of exclusive or breaking news story. So why not just take an extra few minutes to try out some different pictures and headlines before you post and get it right the first time.
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Because sometimes, we change our minds
What feels right at 10am might not feel right at 10.11am. And because it’s the net, we can change our minds. It’s not doing anyone any harm to tweak a headline or an image, else we might think twice 
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This is a business.. it’s their job to make you click on stories.. I don’t think there is anything deceptive or wrong with that. I seriously doubt having the picture change multiple times is drastically changing the way people comment. People are commenting on the entire story, not the picture. Personally I like it, keeps it interesting.
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I know what you mean. The title is deliberately inflammatory. It should read “why I’m over irresponsible dog owners”, but that wouldn’t be so sensational would it. And don’t even get me started on the Twitter feeds, they’re so annoying I have unfollowed all of them. It’s sad this site has become an online version of That’s Life magazine. I know it’s a money making business but you can still have class.
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Hi Lost,
We don’t always get the images right.
I didn’t see the first two images but neither sound right to me.
Sometimes the person who chooses the image has one idea of the story and I as the publisher/editor or Lana as managing editor have another.
The image is about to change again based on my understanding of the story.
But I think you may be looking for a conspiracy theory here.
If you’re suggesting – which I think you are – that we choose images to inflame posts then I will assure you that’s not the case.
Finding the right images is much more difficult that it looks for reasons I won’t bore you with.
But with the one we’ve just published – I’m comfortable.
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But Mia, surely as the publisher/ editor this is run by you first? It is your name on the blog’s tittle…
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I think the images and the headlines need to be considered carefully. They are the first thing people see, and it colours the tone of the post. The writers are doing beautiful work and putting the wrong headline or image is doing them a disservice.
I know it can be really hard to do this, but it is really important, especially on a web forum.
Love your work! xo
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I’m not currently a dog owner.
I do get annoyed with the occasional dog owners, like the ones who don’t pick up their poo and the ones who laugh and say ‘oh, he’s friendly, he just wants to say hello’, while their dog is jumping up on a child who is screaming with fear. Not OK!
I have one friend who has 2 large dogs and my kids are petrified of them as they jump all over them (they are taller than my youngest child) and bark all the time. When my eldest daughter asks if they could be put down the side of their garden while all the kids play outside, she just says ‘no, get over it’.
Now, I get that dogs (and other pets) are part of people’s families. I really do get it. I’ve been there myself. BUT, I would never ever want a child to be frightened in my home. And I would do whatever I could to make guests feel safe and comfortable.
That said, nearly everyone I know personally who has a dog is a very responsible owner. The dogs are walked every day, fed well, cleaned up after, taken to the vet, have been to obedience courses etc.
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Shouldn’t this story read ‘i’m really over irresponsible dog owners’.
I have a labrador and 2 small children. She is trained, walked daily, we always clean up after her, we rarely take he to cafes, we only have her off the leash in off leash areas.
When friends with children come over I always put her around the side of our house as it’s more comfortable for everyone including the dog.
I can appreciate that not everybody likes dogs and she gets a little excited when we have guests. We sometimes check with our guests and kids if they are ok with her and let her out to play, kids have lots of fun getting her to do tricks for treats (always supervised). I love the fact that our kids have animals in the life but I have realized lately that I need to teach them that not all dogs are as friendly as ours, as they are quite fearless around dogs.
I trust her 99%, but the fact that she is a dog with doggy instincts always makes me cautious. Eg: My 18mth old loves to feed the animals but I will never leave her alone during their meal times and make sure she well out of the way when they are eating.
In saying this I’m sick of the looks and comments I have got when I’m walking the dog on a leash past people or have her off the leash in a off leash
park. The other day my dog did a wee on the road while on a a walk, a women called out to me to clean it up, when I told her there was nothing to clean she just walked off, no apology.
While there are many irresponsible dog owners which really annoys me there are many who are fantastic and responsible. I’m over being treated as a threat to society when just out on a walk with my leashed dog!
Slightly off topic, from my experience it’s often litte dogs that are snappy and aggressive. For some reason many of these owners just laugh it off as being cute. Enough of the big dog bashing.
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Big dogs get a bad name for being aggressive when too often little dogs are encouraged to be aggressive by e.g. their owners picking them up when they get growly. It obviously rewards their aggressive behaviour and makes them feel (falsely) more dominant than the other dog. Little dogs too are allowed on the couch or bed too which makes them more badly behaved. I’m not a dog owner but I often see big dogs being better behaved than little dogs. But I suppose when big dogs behave badly, it’s more noticable.
ETA: I don’t mean to dump on little dogs or generalise about their owners. I just wanted to compare some observations I’ve made to say that I think big dogs’ general bad rep is unfair.
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I agree with everything in this article, not many things piss me off more than the self-righteousness of dog owners who feel that leash laws don’t apply to them, my dogs are always leashed in public areas, I respect that not all people are dog people and that dogs are unpredictable. I don’t like other dogs who are off leash running up to my pair in a public area, because surely most people can imagine the possibility of what could happen if two dominant male dogs who are strangers happen to meet?
I also have an issue with parents who allow their kids to walk up to strange dogs for pats, this happens to me all the time. My dogs haven’t really been around kids much in their lives and although they have never displayed aggression the looks I get from people when I politely ask their children not to pat my dogs bothers me, but you just never know what may trigger a dog. I was raised not to approach a strange dog ever and can’t believe how complacent some parents are these days, children are face height to dogs and scars are forever. Don’t take that risk with your kids, no matter how friendly and exposed to children the owner claims the dog to be.
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Totally agree with everything you say here. My kids are timid around dogs but are still interested and sometimes keen to say hello. We have taught them to be cautious and ALWAYS ask the dog’s owner if they can say hello.
Parents who get annoyed at you for asking their kids to not pat are being irresponsible child-owners
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I agree. A child needs to ask an owner first. I have taught my daughter that, but she already has a (healthy) discomfort around dogs she doesn’t know. Dogs she knows & trusts are another matter.
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My 4 year old loves dogs and often runs up to people with dogs to ask if she can pat their dog. We have 2 large and friendly dogs that she has grown up with so I’m not sure that she understands that some dogs may not be as friendly as ours. I’ve taught her to ask first before touching a dog, she says “is your dog nice?” and waits for an answer before touching it. A couple of times though she has approached dogs tied up in public (outside the supermarket etc) and patted them when the owner has not been around. She knows she is not supposed to but does it anyway.
I don’t know what the solution is. I think if you suspect your dog may become aggressive around children it’s best not to take your dog anywhere with children. I believe all dogs have the potential to be aggressive but some dogs do seem to be better with kids than others. I don’t think it is realistic to expect all children, or their parents, to be as cautious as they should be. I think ultimately it’s up to the dog owner to ensure everyones safety.
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I absolutley think its fantastic your girl knows to ask before approaching the animal and I wish the kids I’m talking about did that too but unfortunately the ones I’m dealing with just race up and try to pat them without so much as a glance at me while their parents watch on. I do avoid places I know kids will be – kids playgrounds, schools, ect. But I can’t stop walking my dogs all together just to avoid the small possibility of coming across children.
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I do it from the other side of the fence.
I have this huge 50kg rotty cross who absolutely LOVES kids. He always wants to “say hello” to kids AND adults.
If I see him interested in kids, I will ask the parents if he can say hello, and keep him on the leash.
I often take him to the park and let him off the leash, but always away from people. I have 3 dogs, and he’s the only one that I really trust off the leash because I know he has perfect recall… but I also know that other people don’t know him, and he’s a big black dog that could look pretty scary if you didn’t know him.
I live in a small regional city that does not have designated dog parks. There are a couple of “off leash” areas, but these are still shared with other users.
My dogs have total free reign of my house – and everyone who wants to come over is told this in advance. If they don’t like dogs, they don’t come over. That doesn’t bother me. I can take them out for coffee or a meal instead.
I am on the autistic spectrum, and dogs are my obsession (and if you know anything about autistic obsessions you’ll realise that makes me pretty much an expert
. These three sillies are my whole life, my best friends… even my “kids”.
I get that not very many people feel the way I do about dogs. But… don’t I have the right to treat my dogs the way I want? As long as I’m respectful of you, why should you be allowed to disrespect me and my life choices?
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I’m sorry Renae I don’t understand your question. There was something in what I wrote that makes you feel disrespected?
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I’m sorry… it was more of a rhetorical question aimed at everyone else…
And yes, jess88, Luuk is pretty amazing
Part of the reason that I feel so comfortable having him off leash, and also letting him “talk” to people is that he and I have a VERY close bond. We *speak* each others language. If he is uncomfortable, I know it straight away.
Luuk has been my rock through some serious battles with mental illness, and I can in all gravity say that if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be alive today.
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Your dog sounds amazing. I’d be more than happy to let him say hullo to me
(if I was sans dogs myself at the time)
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THANK YOU, ALLISON! This post pretty much defines my entire life. I am an adult who is scared of dogs. It’s slightly irrational, I know, but so are fears of spiders, snakes, the apocalypse etc.
I often politely ask people if they could put their dog – read: 75kg saber-toothed fiend – outside when I come over, because watching a grown woman having a nervous tantrum is uncomfortable for everyone. My friends have learnt to oblige, but nearly (because there are, of course, some wonderfully courteous dog-owners out there) everyone else still responds with a hearty “don’t be silly, he’s sooo fwiendly” before either picking the dog up and shoving it in my face, or happily giggling while the dog puts its paws on my shoulders and knocks me to the floor. Adult tantrum ensues.
The embarrassing fact is that, in Australia, it is borderline more acceptable to admit to not liking a race of people than not liking dogs.
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Or children!
My mother in law will hold her dog, pure bred staffie which I have no issues with but gives you an idea of size, while grabbing my daughter (whome I mention in my comment below) by the wrist/forearm and dragging her over to “Pat Lucy. See, she’s friendly. She likes pats and wants you to rub her belly.”. Meanwhile my daughter is crying, squirming, screaming and trying to rip her Nans hand from her arm to get away. What a great way to get her liking dogs.
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“The embarrassing fact is that, in Australia, it is borderline more acceptable to admit to not liking a race of people than not liking dogs.”
I reckon this is true as well. Sad but true!
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But still no one would ever write a story with a tittle “I’m really over black people”.
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My daughter has a pathologic fear of dogs. She walks as far to the other side of the footpath as possible when we walk past them. Some owners are great, they see this and hold the dog closer on the lea and move away also. We thank them and keep goin. Others just let their dog drag them over to my daughter where she is petrified trying to escape. Nowhere to go because of feces and roads “It’s ok. He loves kids.” Our reply is standard “he might love kids, but she is petrified of all dogs.” they just look at us. Move your dog away from our kids thanks. Not to mention the ones that walk their dogs off leads on public walking tracks that pass children’s playgrounds.
I am probably more sensitive to it than other people, like you I had a family member mauled by a dog. My brother, when he was around seven. By the dog my mums friend had since she was a child. The dog he had been playin with the exact same way not five minutes before it whipped around and attacked his head. 14 stitches in his scalp. One bite just missing his eye. Surprisingly, he has no issues with dogs, but it has stuck with me all my life.
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I have had this experience several times in a local park where some dog owners have become immediately belligerent and snarky as soon as I or other members of my family have asked that they put their dogs on a leash whilst walking them. We have always asked politely and explained we are worried about the dog running up to or hurting our young child. We have had leashes that are being carried over the owners shoulders etc shaken at us whilst exclaiming “look I have one!” while telling us if we don’t like it we shouldnt come to the park. I just don’t see why a leash is considered so unreasonable by some owners when they are in a public space? Especially ones with children’s equipment that ate expected to have young kids about. Surely public safety is more important? I know there are dedicated dog friendly parks where there are fenced greens where dogs can be let off leads and there are council signs there warning of this. This is fine and I just don’t take my kid there. But in a shared space surely it’s not unreasonable to leash your pet, as you are supposed to? I don’t want to have to call the rangers all the time because then our experience of the park that day is already ruined. It would be nice if the kids, especially young ones could be out in these public places to stretch their legs without having to worry about some strange dog charging at them.
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If there are unleashed dogs at our local park I’m always the first to ask the owners to put them on their lead. I am always polite about it and most people do it without question. I do sometimes get the “but he’s great with kids”, “he needs to run around” and, at times a rude, “well, keep your kids away from my dog then”. All animals are unpredictable and this later response is not acceptable. You have a dog in the park, you control it. I have my kids in the park and I control them. I can tell you now, that my kids won’t be biting your dog. Can you guarantee that your dog won’t bite my kids?
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I totally agree.I have a small dog and nearly everytime we take her for a walk on her lead some dog comes running up to us and we need to pick her up as she becomes very frightened.The owner,carrying the lead in their hands sings out all the things you said.Thats doesnt help my dog.
For once I would love to be able to go for a nice walk where everyone is respectful and keeps their dogs on a lead,as there are plenty of off leash areas now where people can go if they choose to interact with dogs that way.I wont get started on the not picking up the doggy do dos
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Im a dog owner, and yet I really get jack of other people who are more or less owned by their dogs.
My dog is always on a lead (a double lead with a halter because he is 70kgs), has completed several obedience courses and is well socialised.
I have been chased, bitten and mauled by other peoples dogs while both in the view/company of the owner, or in the street because ‘he/she doesnt like the yard’.
I grew up around dogs. I was raised to know what often triggers them, but also how unpredictable they can be.
The bottom line is that dog owners have to be responsible. They have to be legally responsible for what their dog does. This responsibility should mean that owners invest time and money into making sure their dogs are well behaved and well socialised, and to understand the possible risks they are heading towards if their dog causes harm.
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I wish dog training was compulsory.
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Allison, I’m very sorry to hear about your Mum.
Fortunately not ALL dog owners are irresponsible. You are welcome to be “over” dog owners. That’s fine by me.
As I say, it just ain’t wise to generalise. And generalise is what you have done.
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The title generalised, but if you actually read the article, she says that some dog owners are respectful etc and she has no problem with hose – it’s the irresponsible dog owners she is over.
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To be fair, it’s actually only the headline that is generalising. In the article Allison says ‘To be frank, I am so over so many dog owners.’ but spends the next paragraph outlining a positive and respectful experience and goes on to say ‘Over the years, I’ve met many dog owners like this – respectful of my, and my children’s, personal space and welfare and of the law.’
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Read the whole article, she doesn’t generalise anything.
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I don’t think that Allison has generalised. She talks about being over “so many” dog owners, not all of them; she talks about the dog owners she has met who are respectful of her space and the law; at no point does she make any sweeping statements about ALL dogs or dog owners, which would be a generalisation. Sure the title is a bit inflammatory, but having written for MM myself I know the contributor doesn’t write the title. Overall I thought it was a very balanced opinion piece.
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Whoa, I’ve just reinvented the wheel! None of the 3 comments above mine were there when I wrote mine, so sorry for the repetition- but very glad to see that others feel the same way.
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Trouble is, you can’t tell a responsible dog owner by looking at them. When it comes to strange dogs, you HAVE to generalise. By the time your hand – or toddler – is in a dog’s mouth there’s no such thing as ‘the benefit of the doubt’.
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My opinion was incorrect.
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Ive been around dogs all ny life. And I have no issue with going up to strange dogs. However, I know that dogs can snap and thats a risk i willing to take for myself. But i never let me dogs off their leads around people they don’t know really well. And they’re never alone with kids. It’s common sense. Yes, kids need to learn how to treat and respect dogs, but they also need to be protected. dogs can kill, we need to be mindful of that
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But you shouldn’t go up to ‘strange dogs’ without the owner’s permission. I don’t care if you feel cofmortable with it; the dog might not.
The dog might be in training, or have anxiety around strangers, or the owner might want the dog to be focusing on them at the time, not passer’s by.
I HATE it when people approach my dog without asking. He’s a 9 month old pup and Im training him important manners when out and about, and don’t want anyone and everyone coming up to him and getting him ramped up every 5 minutes, encouraging him to jump up at strangers or think every passer by is something to get hyper over. People are welcome to come and pet him, but only if they ask first.
People need to remember that just because THEY like dogs and don’t have a problem with anything a dog does, the owner might not want your intrusion at that point. Someone’s dog isn’t public property and people, and children, should learn to ask before they come up and mess with them, like they would anything else that doesn’t belong to them.
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