Please call your dog

A good news story, thanks Eglantine

Her dogs were fine. They wouldn't have hurt me. They would have frightened me badly if they had kept coming.
I am grateful that she responded to my need rather than insisting (correctly) that her dogs would do no harm.

And that’s how it should be Eglantine and in my experience it’s only a few (isn’t it always) who give the majority a bad name.

But sadly that’s what often happens isn’t it? Those with a dislike of dogs will use it as a stick to beat all dogs. In general dogs are gentle, loving creatures. Young ones, or some breeds can be boisterous and this should be trained out of them.

Sadly there are a few (very few) really nasty viscous dogs, usually owned by nasty viscous people, who really are a danger to people and other gentler dogs. Generally though there are too many dogs who suffer at the hands of so-called humans and suffer in silence

Gosh this one runs and runs. Didn't think that when I started it!
Can I just tell you what happened a couple of days ago.
I was walking down one of the narrow footpaths to town when coming towards me was a lady with two large dogs. I stopped still.
They started trotting towards me. She took one look at me, called them and held them by their collars. "Ive got them." she said. "Thank you" I said.
The dogs sat still. I patted them. We exchanged some pleasantries and went on our separate ways.
We were all happy. It doesn't take much does it?

Or you can get an ultrasonic device very cheaply on ebay. They do work.

MamaCaz, you could simply put small stones in a small, empty plastic bottle. Shaking the bottle, or throwing it on the floor makes a noise dogs don't like. It's recommended by many trainers as a means of distracting your own dog if the dog shows signs of lunging, snarling at other dogs. The positive only trainers disapprove of this, which is an aversive training method. The noise can't hurt a dog but it may bring it up short and reduce its inclination to leap on you as its new best friend, or worse - have a go at your own dog.

Never heard of those before, Iam64. I've just had a quick look at one online now and think I might send for one, though I do resent having to fork out money to train other people's dogs!

I carry a pet spray that makes an unpleasant noise. My dogs are accustomed to it so don't react if I use it. It doesn't spray anything at the dog, just makes the noise. I took it out of my pocket and aimed it at a large, out of control, young springer. The dog was off lead despite being on a lane from the fields I was heading for and he was leaving. My two dogs were on lead. I used the noise bottle, the dog ran off, my dogs continued to walk nicely at my side. The aggressive owner of the other dog shouted what I was doing ws illegal. Nope, it isn't I said - but what your dog is doing is illegal, it's out of control on a public road. He walked off and to be frank, I felt a bit relieved nothing more was said.

I thought part of dog training was to get them NOT to run up to strangers.

Grr! It's just happened again - I went for a walk along a local lane earlier, an off-lead dog spotted me and raced towards me. I avoided meeting its eyes, so as not to encourage it, but when it became obvious what was going to happen, I firmly yelled 'NO'. It paused momentarily and as always happens, the owner came out with the usual 'it's ok, it won't do anything' line. Well it did, it ran round the back of me and jumped up leaving great muddy footprints on my trousers. I am thoroughly p****d off now.

My mind is now made up: I am going to buy myself a strong walking stick that I can use to protect myself as and when necessary!

I am not a dog lover, but have a group of houses where I have to visit twice a year. Several of them have dogs, one a vicious brute who has to be locked up for visitors, but I have to say that none of the houses smells.

Anniebach, swans are indeed beautiful on the top, but don't you think they look more sinister when they're out of the water and you can see that under the ballet dress they are wearing black wellies?

Perhaps you have a solution Pink ?

Is all this sniping helping Eglantine21 with her problem?

Tonight's episode of The Apprentice should be interesting.

Doggy Day Care with that bunch of numpties?

I have an ad for a company called 'arty lobster' who will make a sculpture of my dog. Shame I don't have one.

Sorry to break this to many of you, but yes, many (most?) dog-owning households do smell to non dog owners, although some breeds are definitely worse than others. I presume that my own home was the same when we had a dog, even though we and regular visitors were totally immune to it. When our neighbours' front door is open, we have to close our own doors and windows, the smell is so strong. They have been known to bathe their dogs - at least I hope that is what the splashing sounds and enthusiastic exclamations of "you are loving this so much, aren't you?" that could be heard through the wall indicated. If not, the mind boggles! Despite that, the smell remains as strong as ever.

After all the reports on here about dangerous dog-walking situations in the UK i was beginning to dread our return soon. Our border ccollie is elderly but still enjoys her walks.
So I looked up the dog walking facilities in Priory Park Southend (where we'll probably go) and was pleased to see that they are well regulated.
Southend Council has published their Dog Control Orders on a pdf.

They are so beautiful, how can they be so graceful and so nasty

(We've got one or two black swans on the Broads, they're much more polite)

Our little boat is hire boat shaped and swans love her. They try to eat the rubber bumper strip around the sides to persuade us they're starving. I wouldn't dare feed them, they're like enormous black backed gulls.

First of all, Elegran is never sarcastic .

Nfk, may I suggest you do not try that arm movement with swans ?, if they have you in their sights tell yourself you are Mo farah and run

In their defence - they mate for life, so romantic ?

And no well brought up dog with good manners will ever lick your face. It’s horrible.

Apparently if you push one arm out slopping downwards holding your hand palm down and pointy like a gooses head and hiss they’ll back off. It works with geese but I’ve not dared to try it with a swan!

It’s the wings you have to be careful of, Friday - an angler friend of mine had his arm broken by a run in with an angry swan’s wing! They are nasty to each other too!

No, I wasn't being sarcastic. Why should anyone think I was? All my comments have meant exactly what they said. They put my point of view and my take on things.