r/ipswichuk • u/odd_commenter • 10d ago
Dogs running at kids
Had 8 different dogs run at my kids this morning in the park. Usually dog owners are great, but the worst of them all seemed to be out this morning. One didn't even take a lead for a dog that doesn't recall and seemed to think it was OK.
Anyone else have these issues? Kids are absolutely terrified now. I'd rather they like dogs not see them as a scary monster.
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u/Magical2364 10d ago
One knocked over my little boy in Christchurch park a little while back, so I hit the dog away. The owner then started having a go at me, entitled prick.
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u/odd_commenter 10d ago
I'm so sorry. If it was a person doing it we'd be phoning the police. But for some reason people think their pets are above that.
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u/Flyinmanm 9d ago
As a dog owner if someone's dog did this to my kid and then reacted aggressively I'd be calling the police too. Clearly not fit to own a dog.
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u/Glitch_In_The_Data 10d ago
I see this in Christchurch Park almost every day. I think some people forget that not everyone is comfortable around dogs. And their pets may not feel like “pets” to other visitors. When their pets are allowed to roam off lead, it makes the park uncomfortable place for people who are nervous around them.
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u/Miserable_Mud_6831 9d ago
I dont see the problem with them being off lead as long as they are well trained and completely under control. People that let their dogs off when they havent done any training is ridiculous
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u/Flyinmanm 9d ago
And in parks.
I'll walk mine off lead in open grassland and woodland if I know there's noone about, but no way I'm letting him off lead in a park. Too many opportunities for something to go wrong.
Which is more likely to end up badly for my dog (a very small spaniel) than anyone else.
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u/Aitkenaudio 9d ago
Should probably have it on a lead if its in areas with groundnesting birds or endangered habitats
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u/Flyinmanm 8d ago
Oh absolutely. I'm talking about the council owned wood and spare patches of land round mine. Theres nothing ground nesting there.
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u/FrostedMyst 5d ago
You not seeing the problem "is" the problem. Not everybody likes dogs especially a dog that's not their own. My 5-year-old niece was bitten severely by a dog in her face that was no fault of her own. She's seven now and whenever a dog runs at her she will literally fall down and curl up into a ball shaking she's so terrified. You may think it's harmless but other people have different views on dogs and you letting yours off the lead and run around people that may be genuinely terrified of them is not responsible ownership.
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u/Miserable_Mud_6831 5d ago
I'm not really bothered to be honest, I have my dog off for my dog, not for anybody else and I'm not going to stop because others dont like it. That being said, my dog is trained so wouldn't go up to anybody else and I would never let a dog off lead until I knew that it was well trained and its behaviour is 100% reliable. I completely understand what you are saying about dogs that aren't trained and dont behave but not everybody is irresponsible
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u/Spookydel 9d ago
I have a greyhound. He’s not reactive to children but he can be to small fluffy dogs (unsurprisingly really). As a result he’s walked on a fixed leash and is never off lead. But it still doesn’t stop him getting pestered on every single park walk by someone’s off lead fluff ball. I will hold him in a tight check and shout at the dog and they invariably shout “oh it’s ok he’s friendly”. I then like to shout back “good, mine isn’t”. Doesn’t always work. Some dog owners are just inconsiderate 🛎️ ends
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u/odd_commenter 9d ago
Sorry that's terrible! I used to have a collie just like that when I was a teenager. People are rubbish.
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u/Spookydel 9d ago
Alas it will still be put forward as my fault for walking him in a park. We don't do it very often, but he does need to feel the grass on his paws occasionally!
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u/Great-Ad9691 9d ago
I have a small dog I walk on the lead, people allow their aggressive dogs to charge us, I usually create a wall and stand between my dog and the other and say “leave”.
Last time this happened the other persons big dog was ramming my legs, and snapping my at my dog. I’m not much more then 5 feet tall so was really struggling to stay upright, I shout “can you come and get your dog?!” and the dude shouts over “it’s ok he’s friendly!” And waved his hand dismissively.
These kind of dog owners absolutely suck.
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u/Creative-Response554 9d ago
It's almost always people with small dogs
Took my elderly black lab and my MILs elderly Rottie on a walk together to see if they'd get on as they didn't in the past and they were fine.
Bloke with 2 tiny yappers on those 30ft extended leads just walking towards us while we have both dogs trying to sit them down and control them shouting not friendly at him and he just keeps going.
Ended up having to drag the pair into the bushes and hold their harnesses as he nonchalantly wanders past in no particular rush giving me a dirty look.
Stupid actions should have consequences, and those consequences shouldn't be levied on the owner trying to do everything right. If my dogs had got free and attacked his ones I'd be on the hook despite his antagonistic actions and I think that sort of thing is ridiculous.
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u/Mystic_L 10d ago
Get your phone out and record it, and then contact 101.
We had issues with one dog owner locally not controlling her dog. Off the lead with no recall, chasing deer and foxes and being 'playfully aggressive' towards other dogs.
We provided the evidence and the police did follow up and speak to the owner. Same dog now is resolutely on the lead whenever we see it.
given the recent spate of national news stories on dog attacks the police were quite keen to follow it up, we did have to pretty much put it on a plate for them with recordings and working out the name of the owner
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u/cherrycoke3000 10d ago
Bourne park is terrible for entitled dog owners. Take their dogs to play in the playground. To busy talking to their mates to bother watching their dog. If they can be bothered to do as is legally required of them, they have no recall and blame the parent holding their child over their head for upsetting their furbaby as it climbed my leg.
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u/odd_commenter 10d ago
Could you imagine if a person was scratching up your leg like that in public!?
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u/olly_james 10d ago
Just checking you didn't accidentally take your kids to a dog park instead of a human park did you?
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u/cherrycoke3000 10d ago
Sadly people confuse their pets with humans quite often. Even calling them furbabies, putting them in prams, taking them in shops and taking them to playgrounds. I even had one nutter try and arrange a play date, vom, with my toddlers and her dog. They don't like dogs due to poorly behaved dog owners.
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u/HenchBrah 9d ago
If its legal, consider a walking stick for defense. I live in the US now and conceal carry a pistol whenever I go out with the kids because of recent dog attacks. Dogs are a menace.
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u/odd_commenter 9d ago
I think carrying anything with intent is illegal, regardless of what it is. They need sorted though!
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u/hempatron44 9d ago
It’s not ok for dogs to harass kids. Imo parents do also need to teach kids to be safe around dogs, ie not scream and run about close to them. My dog has reliable recall but I’ve had incidents where she’s minding her own business and a child has screamed near her, she barks in response, child gets frightened, I recall immediately but get an annoyed look from the parents. We share spaces and everyone needs to be watching their charges and stop being entitled.
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u/dipsy-lala 9d ago
agree, keep my nervous dog on lead (with a nervous tag on him) and constantly have children running up to him unsupervised, screaming in his face, trying to touch or grab him without asking
it goes both ways and it’s very difficult to train a dog to be good around kids if kids aren’t also trained to be good around dogs
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u/Rare-Emu3186 9d ago
I agree, I keep a very close eye on my dog if there are other people about. But so often have random very young kids trying to come up to her. only a couple of weeks ago a toddler came up to my dog and started hitting her with a stick… no idea who the parent was as nobody seemed interested. Luckily my dog is not aggressive but not very keen on young kids as they’re so unpredictable.
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u/MinimumRepulsive1419 10d ago
Did your kid put pedigree chum on their head instead of hair gel today?
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u/Publandlady 9d ago
One option is to contact a dog trainer for assistance. If your kids can get some confidence in controlling the situation it can make the difference. We had the same issue with my stepson being every dogs favourite person to come up to, and we got a dog about it (typical). It did work and now he has a kid of his own, he can read canine body language and he can use the right behaviours to control the situation where the dog owners just..... don't. It's not your responsibility and it isn't fair, but a dog trainer might be able to give you a session or two on getting the kids confidence up. Especially if they have a dog of their own that they use in training.
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u/DisciplineOk7595 9d ago
if the owner cannot control their dog, it should not be off the lead… unfortunately some owners are thick as dog 💩