Come school holidays and weekends i avoid places at times i know that will be highly populated with non dog folks ...
There is always another time or other place to walk..

I agree too !!!!!


Brillian!!!! i love this

There's really quite a lot of trust involved, since the person who does not like dogs has to trust the dog-owner to have taken proper precautions (muzzles/harnesses when needed, proper recall training), whereas the dog-owner has to trust the leash to be in proper working order and trust their dog to react calmly to unexpected things like loud noises or accidentally getting tripped over.

Should a person who doesn't like something feel obligated to avoid any place that thing might be? NO. People have the right to enjoy public places no matter what their personal likes and dislikes are. If you don't like coffee, obviously you don't go to a Starbucks ... but that doesn't mean you need avoid the whole shopping center just because there happens to be a Starbucks nearby.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Very clever! Brilliant response!

*brackets mine

Dogs like this and their owners are the reason that there has to be a set standard of public behaviour. Societies often have "understood" rules and governments have explicit rules for this very reason.

As far as the woman who doesn't speak English and is afraid of dogs goes, I would make it a point to put your dogs through their paces once you see her, especially if they have any cute tricks. Perhaps when she sees your dog responds to your voice and does exactly what you tell it to do, she will see that your dog is not a threat.

People should keep control of things within their responsibility, whether that be a large shopping bag, a dog, or a child.
However, this person who doesn't like dogs should do his best to remove himself from places like dog parks which are specifically set aside for dogs and their owners.

However, I believe it is perfectly acceptable and polite for a person who doesn't like dogs to say "I don't like dogs, please shorten your leash while I pass." or some such, to which a gracious dog owner would say "Of course!" and restrain their dog by whatever means necessary to ensure the dog does not violate the space of the non-dog-enthusiast.

Here's the sticky wicket. IF someone is allergic to dogs, the dog-owner should not be offended at the request to remove the dog. However, the person who is allergic should also make an effort to move, rather than throw all the responsibility on the dog-owner. For example, "Would you kindly move a foot or so that way, whilst I slide this way?" No matter how cute Fifi is, everyone should be able to enjoy their day out and about without sneezing their heads off.

It's also very hard to know exactly how much control you have over your dog unless you proof him, and it's really hard to proof for situations like a busy street with a hot dog stand without actually being on a busy street with a hot dog stand.

I, personally, feel safer with my dog on the leash and would never let him off it even if the social conventions said it was ok. It's better that he under control and feel a little restricted than to be out of control and end up hurting someone or destroying something.

Really interesting dicussion. I have a friend who was terrified of dogs, and I mean wouldn't come in the house when I used to dog sit. But since meeting Axel and coming on lots of walks with me - she likes him. She's realised he's not dangerous at all. She even insists on holding the lead!
But she doesn't like strange dogs running up to us and literally hides behind me. She's been getting better since we've been doing more walks, but sometimes when dogs are very excitable, it does scare her. She's had some 'dog people' telling her she shouldn't be walking where dogs will be....but how can she ever get over her fears? She's doing so well, if she avoided all dog areas, then it wouldn't help!
So long story short (sorry!) I think people and dogs should be able to share the same space, but respectfully on both sides.

There is a walk that I really like to do, but it's also popular with none doggy people, cyclists, joggers and people on horseback. I would love my dogs to be able to be offlead, but they would be a nuisance to those other people (except Miss Perfect Rogue, who can go offlead almost anywhere) so I walk them on a lead. It's obvious really, I don't like strange dogs running up to me, as I've been injured by a dog running into me before, so I would let mine have the opportunity to be naughty. If I want them all to run off lead together, we go to the tennis courts. I bought these dogs knowing full well they may not have brill recall, so it's my responsibility to ensure they are not 'at large' in a public place.

really interesting discussion.

i think its fair that dog owners should be responsible for their dogs, but non dog people dont own the earth either!

i dont have much trouble where i walk, as we hardly ever see anyone, the only people we see on a daily walk is fishermen, which the dogs dont bother, we sometimes see the odd walker but the dogs ignore them anyway.

even when i went to macclesfield forest on monday, i thought it would be quite busy being a bank holiday, but it was virtually dead, we met a couple of people, and i put asbo on lead at one point, but they were fine, one couple called them both over to them, daphni sticks with me, shes a one woman dog, but i didnt even realise asbo was sat with them having a fuss until i turned round, he came as soon as i called him though, so id say i had him under control.

Round at De Vere's?? Yup, full of every member of the general public you can think of!!

It's always a shock to turn one of those blind corners and come face to face with 6 or 7 horses

No problem at all Rune - the problem is with YOU who cannot accept that not everyone thinks like you do. And, to be fair, like a good proportion of Dogsey folk. I know I am in the minority in my views, but I couldn't care a fig, having dogs is not a popularity contest.

It's a good thing that dogs are such good judges of character - dogs virtually always make, if not a bee line, then very positive signs when they meet me. There is no fooling a good dog or a good horse, so I can't be too bad!

I am always covered in dog hair - other dogs as well as my own!

Heigh ho---carry on fooling yourself that you are a responsible dog owner---you will never understand.

Sad really as you will do dogs as a whole and owners who are committed and responsible a lot of harm.

It only takes one.

rune

How very strange you are