a bit cross (long sorry)

We took my son to the park after school thanks to the snow!!!
Anyway, we had a couple of the dogs with us, including the Biffters, and we put them onlead when we were in an area with a lot of small children holding snow...as the Biffters thinks any snow is fair game!!! (He was taken home in the end as he then screamed whenever me and my son wandered away form him and OH )
Having been responsible and had parents of the kids smile at me and tell me to let my obviously mad, but well behaved dogs off the lead as they were obviously okay I was annoyed when I saw one particular lady....

My OH had headed off to take our dogs home and then come back and I was building the obligatory snowmen ...a woman walked past with some sort of terrier X and a collie X the terrier X was everywhere...and looked a little...uptight lets say. Anyway, a man came past with his 2 kids on a sledge and him pulling them along (as you do in the snow)the youngest was about a year old and the oldest about 4...the terrier goes up and sniffs the baby (it was at terrier height but still ). The man wasn't best pleased and looked round for the owner (as I did) this woman had NO idea where her dogs were...she was too busy talking on her mobile. The dog went off.then came back and did it another 3 times!!!!!!!
No...the dog didn't hurt the baby...but it did freak the baby out...I just think it was totally irresponsible, it was clear there were a LOT of children around (it was by the only decent hill in the park) and she didn't give a d**n. I was so close to going up and reading her a riot act about responsible dog ownership, especially given the current anti dog climate. She had no idea where her dog was or what it was doing.

When we were leaving the park later and pulling my son on his sledge we went past an off lead rotti ...his owner was in complete control and knew where his boy was and told him to wait to let us past...which he did despite being some distance form the owner.
So..this woman...is ruining it for other dog owners,but if it had been the rotti that had ambushed the child it would probably have been all over the papers. Thing is this rotti would never have done that as his owner was obviosuly responsible and didn't have a mobile stuck to his face....grrrrrrrrrr

Sorry rant over...just seems so unfair.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr silly bl@@dy Cow!! why go out in the fresh air for a lovley walk and then stick a mobile phone to your ear.......walk your dog, watch your dog, play with your dog......... it's not hard is it?????????

Thats what I thought!!!!!
Thing is...the dog could have run up to an agdog aggressive dog onlead and been torn to shreds and this woman wouldn't have noticed. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Like you , I would never allow my 2 off lead round small children all those snowballs ,sledges, would have had mine going nuts.

Some peopel will never learn no amount of education will change that.

but like the Rottie, the key word is control the bloke had his dog under control whether it be on or off the lead.

I agree it does make you so mad.Small children around = Ossie onlead,he would never hurt them but just gets too excited by them,and wants to play.he has it in his brain that because my kids play with him all the time,all kids want to play.So you have to be responsible,some people just are not,and it makes things extremely difficult for those that are.

Stamford that's it exactly...our dogs think all kids are great fun and want to play, buti am aware that there are a lot of kids out there that are petrified of dogs and could get really freaked out just by a friendly sniff. I just feel, especially at the moment, all dog owners need to be more aware and responsible.

It's the idiots like this that give all responsible dog owners a bad name. I hate to think what could have happened to the baby. Stupid woman!

I just hope the baby doesn't grow up to be petrified of dogs...
Why walk your dog if you're too busy to pay attention to it?????? Why have a dog if that's how you walk them...I am seeing more and more people like that.

Totally agree with you Ramble Ollie was kept on his long line yesterday as there were so many Children about and he is not use to them.He still had a good time prancing around and was safe.

stupid foolish women . luckily the child was un harmed but this said how wud she have felt if the dog had biten or snapped at the child . how important wud gassing on her mobile have been to her then
my girls all love the snow esp my eldest she actually tries toi bite it as it falls so there is not a chance in hell that they would be allowed of the lead in that sort of situation incase she missed the snow an god forbid got the child instead