I agree as much as the next sane person, people should be in control if their dog when required.
However I strongly disagree with shotgunning dogs in the face to make the point.
Think of dogs as children, their owner is at fault.
Countryside is beautiful but dangerous. People can still enjoy it but should use common sense and know the dangers to protect themselves and family and the wildlife in them
Pets can get lost in the woods, get in trouble on hard to reach or steep hillsides, or fall into strong currents in rivers where owners get in trouble or killed trying to save them. They can eat by accident a toxic plant or attack rare animals nests. Farmland can be dangerous too, if the farmer had sprayed pesticides recently, farming equipment, livestock stampedes or livestock becoming maimed by dogs, and farmers with guns.
Pets are family but you really need to be thinking of their safety over picturesque moments. Like you wouldn’t or shouldn’t let your child chase cattle, play on farming equipment or run alone in the woods or a remote hillside without safety in mind. As much as older gen talk about ‘back in my day we did x’ they also have stories of how a childhood friend died or was maimed. We changed attitudes to protect children with safety and we should do some for pets on wild or rural areas
It could be a call that more areas need big dog parks that’s fenced off and maintained so people have a safer alternative. So people can give their pet free run exercise without risk. While enjoying wild spaces with their dog on a leash when it’s safe for wild animals too (like not during key breeding seasons)
> Dozens of cases across the country of wildlife and livestock being damaged by dogs have been documented by the Wildlife Trusts. In Little Woolden Moss, Salford, dogs chase away curlews, lapwings and little ringed plovers, sometimes killing chicks in their nest. In Kent, there were at least eight dog attacks on Wildlife Trust staff and livestock, with 13 sheep killed. Dogs jumping in ponds can disturb wildlife, while their flea treatments pollute and poison ponds and other waterways.
>“Dogs are not the problem – it is the owners that are the problem,” said Duncan Hutt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s director of conservation, who has a cocker spaniel. “Whether it is through lack of knowledge or lack of care, their dogs come first before anything else, including wildlife.”
On side note we should acknowledge that wildlife barely surviving in reserves too is the fault of industrial farming and logging. Controlling dogs can help on reserves but not the root cause of why some wildlife became endangered
I love dogs. But I am fed up with dog owners who think their dog is the best dog in the world and therefore they can let them roam free even though they have terrible recall. When I’m out walking with my kids in our local area without fail we will have at least one dog run and jump up on my kids. The dog is being friendly but is also often the same size as my youngest who as a result is scared shitless. If the dogs would come up slowly with their owners my kids would love to say hello. The owners rarely do anything to stop this and then get angry at me for getting in between the dog and my kids. Drives me up the wall.
I doubt those dogs do as much damage as the children. My local woods have been wrecked by their digging to make Bike ramps, discarded bottles/cans, fires, snapping newly planted saplings for shits and giggles, as well as shooting wildlife for fun with air rifles and unlicensed fishing in the river along with the discarded line/weights etc.
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I’m never not going to be supportive of better trained dogs. Irresponsible owners are a pain for all involved. That said, there is so little joy in a dog living perpetually on a lead.
Perhaps if the natural areas available to the uk hadn’t been so reduced, that everywhere you can walk is inevitably home to either livestock, or a rare species who’s land we have reduced to a tiny parcel of nature reserve, the impact of dogs wouldn’t be so keenly felt.
If they could pick up their dog shit in the city as well, that would be nice.
If your dog doesn’t have a recall, then it should be on a lead everywhere
A dog should be on a lead at all times except on your own
land
Other issues aside, anyone whose dog has ever ‘bathed’ in fox poo knows this tbh.
I bet no fox hunter ever gets fined for their vicious packs of killer hounds
I used to love using my local nature areas. A real sanctuary during lockdown, but the last few times I’ve gone I’ve been chased by aggressive barking dogs twice while the owners just stand in the background like lumps. I just don’t go much any more, especially on my own.
I’m often in a deer park with signs at every entrance saying out dogs on a lead to stop them chasing deer. They mostly do. But occasionally you get the odd dickhead who doesn’t. It’s so arrogant and self centered even when there’s loads of parkland right next to the deer park with lots of dog walking off lead and zero roads right there. Maddening
I do semi-rural hiking and I like to keep a count of “curious dogs”. They come up to me, but they usually stop once called back by their owner. I think my record was six.
“BUT I AM IN CONTROL OF MY DOG IT’S JUST BAD OWNERS THAT CAN’T HANDLE A DOG OFF THE LEAD!!!”
I’m sick of reading things like the above, get over yourselves, your dog is an impulsive animal, you cannot predict what ANY dog will do.
The amount of people who have their dogs roam freely, but can’t recall them….
I do some leisurely fishing in a place, where a lot of people walk their dogs- 95% off leash. At least 10 dogs come every time- they bark at me, growl, nose through my gear.
It’s normal for dogs to get curious by the various smells and overall weirdness of someone crouched on a riverbank with smelly stuff around him, but if the owners have to come and physically pull them away from me, because they don’t react to a recall command, they shouldn’t leave them off the lead.
I’m okay with dogs having a sniff, without them getting overly-comfortable, but there are people who are scared of dogs, and this could petrify them.
But they don’t. I go for a walk in the woods every day. I have at least one off lead dog running up to me every single day. Sometimes barking and growling sometimes not. But never welcome.
Wherever a human is ok to act however they want the same is true for a dog.
Certain breeds are just bad business for everyone – so why not ban them?
I have a husky and I keep him on the lead at all times. His recall is awful and although he’s soft as muck I still would never trust any animal. I keep him on a lead because I know I’d never be able to stop him if he did something wrong. Wish other dog owners were as considerate as me. Every week at least one dog attacks him and then the owner gets upset when I lecture them about keeping their dog under control.
I went to the beach to see migratory birds around Christmas. Did not see any birds. Saw hundreds of dogs, including dogs being allowed to run inside the specific part of the beach roped off with signs all over saying ‘no dogs, migratory birds’…
I find it very frustrating what people let their dogs do.
I’m a dog owner. My dog is a small breed, incredibly friendly and has never shown aggressive tendencies towards humans, other dogs or any animals (apart from her squirrel toy 🧸). She’s been trained, and we spent a **lot** of time working on recall and commands.
I still keep her on a lead in situations where I need full control of her.
The amount of people that just let their dog run around aimlessly, jumping up at people, stealing their food, jumping on kids, chasing wildlife etc…
It’s incredibly frustrating. Not only does it “sour” the public’s view on dog ownership (and I can empathise and understand why), but it also puts my own dog at risk.
A number of times I’ve had to pick up my dog, on lead, because someone hasn’t had control of their dog and it’s started being aggressive or trying to be very rough. Usually accompanied by screams of “ITS FRIENDLY” and “COME BACK”. In the moment, I often will raise “Hey can you get your dog to back off”. Unfortunately, many a time this has resulted in **me** becoming the target of the owners own aggression…
I realise this is anecdotal, and this doesn’t happen everywhere, but myself and the other dog owners I know have had this happen fat to often.
There needs to be a big conversation about dog ownership and training in particular. Im not sure what the answer is, and not really sure what this comment is apart from some empathising and venting of frustration.
People finally waking up to the realisation that “dog culture” is friggin weird and unhealthy. Too many animals, too many dodgy breeds and too many bad owners.
23 comments
I agree as much as the next sane person, people should be in control if their dog when required.
However I strongly disagree with shotgunning dogs in the face to make the point.
Think of dogs as children, their owner is at fault.
Countryside is beautiful but dangerous. People can still enjoy it but should use common sense and know the dangers to protect themselves and family and the wildlife in them
Pets can get lost in the woods, get in trouble on hard to reach or steep hillsides, or fall into strong currents in rivers where owners get in trouble or killed trying to save them. They can eat by accident a toxic plant or attack rare animals nests. Farmland can be dangerous too, if the farmer had sprayed pesticides recently, farming equipment, livestock stampedes or livestock becoming maimed by dogs, and farmers with guns.
Pets are family but you really need to be thinking of their safety over picturesque moments. Like you wouldn’t or shouldn’t let your child chase cattle, play on farming equipment or run alone in the woods or a remote hillside without safety in mind. As much as older gen talk about ‘back in my day we did x’ they also have stories of how a childhood friend died or was maimed. We changed attitudes to protect children with safety and we should do some for pets on wild or rural areas
It could be a call that more areas need big dog parks that’s fenced off and maintained so people have a safer alternative. So people can give their pet free run exercise without risk. While enjoying wild spaces with their dog on a leash when it’s safe for wild animals too (like not during key breeding seasons)
> Dozens of cases across the country of wildlife and livestock being damaged by dogs have been documented by the Wildlife Trusts. In Little Woolden Moss, Salford, dogs chase away curlews, lapwings and little ringed plovers, sometimes killing chicks in their nest. In Kent, there were at least eight dog attacks on Wildlife Trust staff and livestock, with 13 sheep killed. Dogs jumping in ponds can disturb wildlife, while their flea treatments pollute and poison ponds and other waterways.
>“Dogs are not the problem – it is the owners that are the problem,” said Duncan Hutt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s director of conservation, who has a cocker spaniel. “Whether it is through lack of knowledge or lack of care, their dogs come first before anything else, including wildlife.”
On side note we should acknowledge that wildlife barely surviving in reserves too is the fault of industrial farming and logging. Controlling dogs can help on reserves but not the root cause of why some wildlife became endangered
I love dogs. But I am fed up with dog owners who think their dog is the best dog in the world and therefore they can let them roam free even though they have terrible recall. When I’m out walking with my kids in our local area without fail we will have at least one dog run and jump up on my kids. The dog is being friendly but is also often the same size as my youngest who as a result is scared shitless. If the dogs would come up slowly with their owners my kids would love to say hello. The owners rarely do anything to stop this and then get angry at me for getting in between the dog and my kids. Drives me up the wall.
I doubt those dogs do as much damage as the children. My local woods have been wrecked by their digging to make Bike ramps, discarded bottles/cans, fires, snapping newly planted saplings for shits and giggles, as well as shooting wildlife for fun with air rifles and unlicensed fishing in the river along with the discarded line/weights etc.
[removed]
I’m never not going to be supportive of better trained dogs. Irresponsible owners are a pain for all involved. That said, there is so little joy in a dog living perpetually on a lead.
Perhaps if the natural areas available to the uk hadn’t been so reduced, that everywhere you can walk is inevitably home to either livestock, or a rare species who’s land we have reduced to a tiny parcel of nature reserve, the impact of dogs wouldn’t be so keenly felt.
If they could pick up their dog shit in the city as well, that would be nice.
If your dog doesn’t have a recall, then it should be on a lead everywhere
A dog should be on a lead at all times except on your own
land
Other issues aside, anyone whose dog has ever ‘bathed’ in fox poo knows this tbh.
I bet no fox hunter ever gets fined for their vicious packs of killer hounds
I used to love using my local nature areas. A real sanctuary during lockdown, but the last few times I’ve gone I’ve been chased by aggressive barking dogs twice while the owners just stand in the background like lumps. I just don’t go much any more, especially on my own.
I’m often in a deer park with signs at every entrance saying out dogs on a lead to stop them chasing deer. They mostly do. But occasionally you get the odd dickhead who doesn’t. It’s so arrogant and self centered even when there’s loads of parkland right next to the deer park with lots of dog walking off lead and zero roads right there. Maddening
I do semi-rural hiking and I like to keep a count of “curious dogs”. They come up to me, but they usually stop once called back by their owner. I think my record was six.
“BUT I AM IN CONTROL OF MY DOG IT’S JUST BAD OWNERS THAT CAN’T HANDLE A DOG OFF THE LEAD!!!”
I’m sick of reading things like the above, get over yourselves, your dog is an impulsive animal, you cannot predict what ANY dog will do.
The amount of people who have their dogs roam freely, but can’t recall them….
I do some leisurely fishing in a place, where a lot of people walk their dogs- 95% off leash. At least 10 dogs come every time- they bark at me, growl, nose through my gear.
It’s normal for dogs to get curious by the various smells and overall weirdness of someone crouched on a riverbank with smelly stuff around him, but if the owners have to come and physically pull them away from me, because they don’t react to a recall command, they shouldn’t leave them off the lead.
I’m okay with dogs having a sniff, without them getting overly-comfortable, but there are people who are scared of dogs, and this could petrify them.
But they don’t. I go for a walk in the woods every day. I have at least one off lead dog running up to me every single day. Sometimes barking and growling sometimes not. But never welcome.
Wherever a human is ok to act however they want the same is true for a dog.
Certain breeds are just bad business for everyone – so why not ban them?
I have a husky and I keep him on the lead at all times. His recall is awful and although he’s soft as muck I still would never trust any animal. I keep him on a lead because I know I’d never be able to stop him if he did something wrong. Wish other dog owners were as considerate as me. Every week at least one dog attacks him and then the owner gets upset when I lecture them about keeping their dog under control.
I went to the beach to see migratory birds around Christmas. Did not see any birds. Saw hundreds of dogs, including dogs being allowed to run inside the specific part of the beach roped off with signs all over saying ‘no dogs, migratory birds’…
I find it very frustrating what people let their dogs do.
I’m a dog owner. My dog is a small breed, incredibly friendly and has never shown aggressive tendencies towards humans, other dogs or any animals (apart from her squirrel toy 🧸). She’s been trained, and we spent a **lot** of time working on recall and commands.
I still keep her on a lead in situations where I need full control of her.
The amount of people that just let their dog run around aimlessly, jumping up at people, stealing their food, jumping on kids, chasing wildlife etc…
It’s incredibly frustrating. Not only does it “sour” the public’s view on dog ownership (and I can empathise and understand why), but it also puts my own dog at risk.
A number of times I’ve had to pick up my dog, on lead, because someone hasn’t had control of their dog and it’s started being aggressive or trying to be very rough. Usually accompanied by screams of “ITS FRIENDLY” and “COME BACK”. In the moment, I often will raise “Hey can you get your dog to back off”. Unfortunately, many a time this has resulted in **me** becoming the target of the owners own aggression…
I realise this is anecdotal, and this doesn’t happen everywhere, but myself and the other dog owners I know have had this happen fat to often.
There needs to be a big conversation about dog ownership and training in particular. Im not sure what the answer is, and not really sure what this comment is apart from some empathising and venting of frustration.
People finally waking up to the realisation that “dog culture” is friggin weird and unhealthy. Too many animals, too many dodgy breeds and too many bad owners.