Why do dog owners think it’s acceptable for their wet dogs to jump at people ?

Skydancer

I just don’t get why anyone wants a dog at all. To have one in a house is disgusting. They descend from wolves, wild creatures. Germ-ridden and slobbering- I don’t even want to touch one.

Each to their own, but you have missed out on years of unconditional love. Dogs (and cats) are amazing creatures. As are most animals and birds. Just my thoughts on the subject.

A few years ago on Christmas day my husband was wearing a new jumper I had bought him. He walked out of our house and a very excited dog next door jumped up and bit a hole in the jumper.
I was very angry and argued with the neighbour who tried to say claim on your insurance!! What a cheek. Fortunately I still had the receipt and I made her pay for it, it was £60 she tried to say she would only pay £30 due to wear and tear - he had only worn it for about an hour. She did eventually pay up and relations were very cool and fortunately she moved abroad soon after.

Glad it is not just me Mayal. How on earth can an owner exercise proper control with using a traditional lead. I know of a couple with a lovely dog but they treat him like a child! Doggy clothes and has his own Instagram page - what's that all about!? Other people have responsibility too and not allow their child to run up and stroke a dog they do not know. Think everyone needs to remember a dog is a dog and not a person !

We have a dog who was attacked by two dogs on extended leads and I was knocked over by them. It has taken me over two years to have the courage to dog walk again. I go out about once a week and only go to wide open spaces so I can see anyone else with a dog.
Our dog is very gentle and always on a lead it’s other dogs I now fear. I don’t ever get close enough to other people let alone dogs.

Yammy. I have had some awful experiences with dogs, including one which nearly ended in me having to give evidence in court against the owner. In a previous thread about dogs when I mentioned some of my experiences, a dog lover on here implied that I couldn't possibly have had so many bad experiences, so I must have been lying. I wouldn't do that.

I don’t know who said it; oh, I know it was Alexei Sayle in a podcast were he chats to people on a train. But he said that many people want to chat to people but having a dog means you can chat to other dog owners. The girl he was speaking to had a border collie with her and she said when he was little they couldn’t take him for a walk without lots of people stopping and asking about him. I know you don’t have to have a dog to speak to people but my favourite thing these days is having conversations with people about their dogs because I love seeing unusual breeds. And asking about different breeds characteristics etc. I do worry, however, that responsible dog owners seem to be in the minority these days.

My friend, a devoted dog lover and owner, lives in a tiny little house, with a very tiny garden. She walks her dog at least twice a day, every day. Her next door neighbour lives in the same size house, with the same size garden. She has a greyhound and 2 Jack Russell terriers. She works long hours, often out of the house for 12 hours straight, and the digs are just let out into the garden to do their business and then straight back in. They are never taken out to exercise. But when they escape, which is often, they jump up at people, charge at other dogs and run into the roads causing traffic chaos. Every one blames "those damned dogs." It isn't the dogs fault. They're bored, they have no stimulation, no exercise and no human company for most of their lives. A badly behaved dog is a direct result of a bad owner. It's them you should be tackling.

Folornhope - that’s not the life my dogs live

I find the notion of what constitutes a dog lover very odd. The poor creatures are confined in cars for long journeys, tethered under restaurant or pub tables smelling delicious food but receiving none themselves (dogs on laps eating off the owner’s plate is another issue), paraded down the street in silly dog clothes, yanked about on leads….. No wonder those with still a spark of life jump up at people, it’s probably their way of saying ‘Save me! Save me!’.

Kate1949

I am terrified of them. All of them.

So am I. An Alsatian jumped up at me when I was small and unfortunately one did the same when I was pushing a pram with baby and toddler on a seat on the pram.
Dh walks a lot and sees them roving all over the hills people throwing balls for them even among cattle and sheep.
In our village, people walk their dogs pick up their p.. put it in a bag and hang it on trees why bother picking it up.
The best is two people let theirs use our gate posts and they squat and while the dog is busy they give me a wave if I am in front of the window.
I bought a cat and dog repellant spray. Next doors cats like my garden better than theirs as it is cultivated with loose soil.
My BIL all 6 foot+ of him was rounded up and could not move in a park while he was jogging.
My MIL had a dog and it was under control. Why do people think we will all love their pets. I even get cards and e-mails from people with the dog included in the best wishes. I thought someone had got a new grandchild until I realised it was a dog!
I don't want them where I am eating or sleeping for that matter the smell of them makes my stomach churn.
Each to their own in the appropriate place.

I can remember years ago when we were in France being shocked to see dogs in restaurants. I thought it was incredibly unhygienic. Now we're doing it here.

I’ve had lab crosses but my teenager is my first lab. I’m glad he isn’t my first dog. My trainer friend also breeds and shows labs. She reassures me he’s a typical adolescent male, he’ll be excellent by age 4 ????.
We were practicing impulse control in our group last week. It involved walking to a row of hoops, sit, wait, through at each hoop. My boy was so excited by this new game, he took off at speed, taking every hoop out as he went. By third try, he was perfect.
Imagine if I let him off lead in areas where people are walking, children playing.

I don’t like any dog jumping up at me. My mobility is poor, my balance is dreadful and I could easily be seriously injured by these so-called ”friendly” dogs. Their owners should have them under control and train them not to jump up at people.

Golden retrievers are such loving dogs. Even grumpy Finn has fallen for one. His best friend is one called Oscar and has the most gentle, kind soul.

I think Labs are the teenagers of the doggy world?
Add to that golden retrievers! I have a very bouncy young boy who is testing my training skills. It's not that he jumps up so much but he bulldozes and doesn't apply brakes. It is all good natured but I do appreciate it is not really acceptable with those he doesn't even know. I'll crack on with the commands because it is important.

Oh Shelflife, those extendable leads are the bane of my life. I absolutely hate them.

A neighbour, (middle aged, middle class) allowed his dog to cross our front lawn and pee on a plant under our window. There is a large plot of public land adjacent to our house and there was no reason for his dog to be allowed onto our lawn. When I told him off, his response was that dogs are wild animals and can go where they want! My reply was, owners of dogs allowed to trespass on private property are not able to control their dog and can expect to be reported to the dog warden. He kept his dog on a short lead after that.

We have an old BC, he has arthritis and other ailments. Always kept on lead except in the dog park.
He is a rescue, mistreated by his previous owners, hit and locked in a room. It is totally the idiotic owners who are to blame not the dogs.
Our dog has never jumped up at anyone. He is very well behaved. Yet the number of other dog owners who let their dogs run up to him happens nearly every day. He doesn't like dogs unless he knows them and may growl, those irresponsible owners then get abusive with me, yet Finn is on a lead.
Also l might add, parents with young children also let them run up to him, which l also don't like. The parents are not paying attention, usually on their phones.

I agree completely with all that has been said . We don't have a dog but I do like dogs. However I do notice that many dogs are not properly trained. We had dogs as children, they have were on traditional leads and understood the command ' heel' Most dogs now are on those extendable leads so are really " running free" of course dogs need the freedom to run free in appropriate places , I recognize that. Many dog owners are responsible but those that are'nt must understand that some people are terrified of their adorable pet and people do not want dogs leaping up at then! They supposedly love their dog but other people don't!!! Surely am well trained dog is a secure and happy dog ! and don't get me on poo bags hanging on trees and bushes - how dare they!?

When I was little, I was knocked down and pushed around by a couple of boxers owned by a friends family. OK I was on their drive, but I have never liked dogs since. Even though I was assured 'they were only being friendly'

On the other hand, when my grandson was only a toddler, a little dog about the same 'dog' age jumped when she saw him and they both fell over. Skadi got a telling off, but it was funny really as that were both as surprised as each other. She was well trained through her life. Neither took any harm from the encounter.

I agree with everything that has been said.

There are so many dogs now, that even if it's only a minority that are a nuisance when off the lead (and some despite being on a lead), it's still a significant number.

I live in the countryside and walk a lot, so I cross paths with a lot of dogs, and I am not exaggerating when I say that as many as half of those that are unrestrained will race up to me fast enough for that in itself to be frightening ( though I'm not dog-phobic), and will try to make some kind of contact with me, whether it is jumping up, trying to lick my hand, wiping a slobbering mouth or nose on some part of my clothing, or running around me barking.

And we have had our belongings peed on by dogs on beaches. That's never acceptable, wherever it happens.

Something does need to be done. This situation is out of control, and there needs to be some easy legal way of holding irresponsible owners to account, including making them pay for any costs incurred by their animals, whether it is damage to clothing, or vets bills if they have harmed another animal.

This never seemed to be a problem when I was a child. Even the many dogs that were just turfed out of the house to take themselves for a walk never seemed to behave in this way. I don't remember ever being worried when a loose dog approached back then.
It seems that dogs were better behaved before they became so spoilt and pampered, when they were simply allowed to be dogs, rather than pretend children!

We have quite a dog walking community in our popular local park. Lots of shade and rambling walks.

There is one new owner with a golden lab - lovely dog but totally out of control.

Over the days and weeks the owner has gradually learned that her dogs behaviour is unacceptable from all other dog walkers, who have not been reticent to voice their opinion, and she has finally got the message and is now trying to train and control the lab.

Long job I fancy! But very necessary.

I think Labs are the teenagers of the doggy world?

DillytheGardener

I’m another one driven nuts by this. I tell other owners off at the park constantly for dogs that have no recall rushing me and rushing my dogs, to be answered with the infuriating “ my dog is friendly”. Idiots. If you can’t train your dog basic commands and manners, like sit, heel, ‘leave it’, and recall, then you shouldn’t own a dog, period.

We could start a campaign?. I’m so fed up of the ‘he’s only saying hello, he’s friendly - or worse, they’re friendly ‘. as 5 dogs race up to my on lead young lab.
5 dachshunds recently. In response to they’re friendly I said so I’d mine but he’s on a lead in training. If he stands on one of yours, he could seriously injure their long backs because he weighs 30kg

One of our neighbours actually picks her ratty looking Yorkshire terrier up and lunges it into people's faces so he can 'give them a kiss' ........... right after its been licking its own arse! NO THANKS!

I'm not a dog lover but I do understand why others keeep dogs, their choice. I totally sympathise with the OP and others who've had clothing and personal items damaged by dogs.

Is it possible to take legal action against the owners in situations like this? I do recall, some years ago, a neighbours dog was of leash, ran into the road causing an oncoming car to swerve to miss is and the car hit a wall. No one was hurt but the driver did take legal action against the dog owner. I realise the circumstances are a little different BUT the dogs are causing damage to property.