Protection against out of control dogs

[Ben Nachie]

I think the solution is to get a dog.

Why do I say that? Well, then you'll find out how hard it is to train a dog, and once it is trained, how hard it is to get it to remember that training and act consistently. Dogs are intelligent, living, breathing creatures just like us, and they have minds of their own, just like us. Some of them have stronger wills than others, just like us.

You'll learn that towns and cities are very unfriendly places towards dogs and dog owners. You'll learn what it's like to sit outside cafes in the rain because you can't take dogs inside. You'll learn that lowland countryside is little better, with many landowners actively antagonistic towards dogs and their owners. You'll find the hills to be the last refuge where dogs can be dogs and humans can be free.

You'll learn how a dog thinks, and how it communicates with other dogs, and with humans. You may even learn how to communicate with dogs. You'll learn that dogs are loyal, loving and lovable. You'll learn to love dogs.

I say that as someone who was attacked by a large dog as a child. I still have a three inch long scar on my arm to prove it, forty years later. I have subsequently been bitten several times by dogs whilst a postal worker.

Oh, and you'll learn that taking a dump at the side of the path is a very inconsiderate thing to do.

Yours sincerely,

Ben, Jarvis ("Dude") & Lucy ("Baba")

[Sunset tripper]

Not everyone can have a dog. The overpopulation of the world with humans is the biggest problem the environment faces. Imagine if everyone of them had a dog also. I understand some folk need a dog and that's fine by me. I love dogs but I doubt I will ever have one.

I like seeing dogs on the hills and elsewhere but not everyone does. It's a complicated issue because some folk are scared of dogs for good reason and unfortunately for dogs they dont have human rights.

I also was a postman in a previous life and dogs were a massive issue. It was pretty much all that was in the accident book and every week.
I had to flick one over a fence one day with my boot. The owner complained when she found it in her neighbours garden running about going mental and someone told the tail.

[al78]

I think the solution is to get a dog.

Why do I say that? Well, then you'll find out how hard it is to train a dog, and once it is trained, how hard it is to get it to remember that training and act consistently. Dogs are intelligent, living, breathing creatures just like us, and they have minds of their own, just like us. Some of them have stronger wills than others, just like us.

Hmm, I wonder if similar advice would work for those who complain about badly disciplined children, they should stop complaining and start a family, then they would realise how difficult it is to bring a child up.

"Dogs are intelligent", I question that. Like humans, their intelligence is vastly overrated. Like smart-phone-dumb-users, I question the intelligence of any sentient being that chooses to put itself in the most obstructive position for me because the edge of the visible universe has shrunk to a meter from their body, despite having a few hundred square meters of alternative space where we could avoid all path conflicts.

[Ben Nachie]

I think the solution is to get a dog.

Why do I say that? Well, then you'll find out how hard it is to train a dog, and once it is trained, how hard it is to get it to remember that training and act consistently. Dogs are intelligent, living, breathing creatures just like us, and they have minds of their own, just like us. Some of them have stronger wills than others, just like us.

Hmm, I wonder if similar advice would work for those who complain about badly disciplined children, they should stop complaining and start a family, then they would realise how difficult it is to bring a child up.

"Dogs are intelligent", I question that. Like humans, their intelligence is vastly overrated. Like smart-phone-dumb-users, I question the intelligence of any sentient being that chooses to put itself in the most obstructive position for me because the edge of the visible universe has shrunk to a meter from their body, despite having a few hundred square meters of alternative space where we could avoid all path conflicts.

Seems there are some people who should avoid dogs.

And paths.

And other people.

[JeanJean]

Firstly a thank you to KatTai. It’s good to see there are some responsible dog owners. I look forward to meeting you (and your dogs) on the hill one day.

I think the reason I haven’t been troubled by out of control dogs until recently is that it was rare to see someone with a dog in the highlands for most of my walking life. Now it’s rare to see someone without one!

As I said in my original post I don’t dislike dogs and I wouldn’t say I was scared of dogs in general. We had a dog in the family when I was a child and many of my relatives own dogs. However I do find it scary when a large, barking dog runs up with no owner in sight. If a dog is out of sight of it’s owner they have no idea what the dog is up to. It could be worrying sheep or ground nesting birds, eating someone’s lunch (yes, that’s happened to me too), or being a nuisance to another dog or person. And a dog knocking over an adult is an out of control dog.

My aunt trained working dogs so I know how difficult and time consuming it can be to train a dog. (Incidentally she also ran dog training classes for dog owners and found the dogs easier to train than their owners!) However I think that those people who own a dog (and a child for that matter) have an obligation to train it so that it’s not a nuisance to other people. If a small screaming child ran up to a stranger, jumped up at them, scratched their legs and drooled over them we would think it appalling and their parents were doing a bad job. I wonder why some folk think it’s OK for a dog to do the same?

I think the reason that towns and cities are unfriendly places for dogs is probably because they were designed for people, not dogs! And don’t get me started on why some folk think it’s OK to take dogs inside cafes and food shops!! My dog-owning relatives would definitely think that was unacceptable.

[Ben Nachie]

And don’t get me started on why some folk think it’s OK to take dogs inside cafes and food shops!! My dog-owning relatives would definitely think that was unacceptable.

[Marty_JG]

You'll learn that towns and cities are very unfriendly places towards dogs and dog owners. You'll learn what it's like to sit outside cafes in the rain because you can't take dogs inside. Ben, Jarvis ("Dude") & Lucy ("Baba")

Dude & Baba,

You need to get your owner to take you to better pubs and/or cities; lots of options in Glasgow, my favourites include The Ben Nevis (whisky & folk music), The Three Judges (real ale), and the Arlington (cheap drinks, strong smokes), but those are just a few of many.

Love

Pixie.

Time for the pub, daddy?

[johnkaysleftleg]

And don’t get me started on why some folk think it’s OK to take dogs inside cafes and food shops!! My dog-owning relatives would definitely think that was unacceptable.

Errm? Because it says well behaved dogs allowed on the door?

[StevieC]

And don’t get me started on why some folk think it’s OK to take dogs inside cafes and food shops!! My dog-owning relatives would definitely think that was unacceptable.

What do you and your relatives think is going to happen if a dog enters a cafe? Whatever it is, I think it would have happened by now, as well-behaved dogs are allowed in thousands of cafes up and down the country...

[al78]

I think the solution is to get a dog.

Why do I say that? Well, then you'll find out how hard it is to train a dog, and once it is trained, how hard it is to get it to remember that training and act consistently. Dogs are intelligent, living, breathing creatures just like us, and they have minds of their own, just like us. Some of them have stronger wills than others, just like us.

Hmm, I wonder if similar advice would work for those who complain about badly disciplined children, they should stop complaining and start a family, then they would realise how difficult it is to bring a child up.

"Dogs are intelligent", I question that. Like humans, their intelligence is vastly overrated. Like smart-phone-dumb-users, I question the intelligence of any sentient being that chooses to put itself in the most obstructive position for me because the edge of the visible universe has shrunk to a meter from their body, despite having a few hundred square meters of alternative space where we could avoid all path conflicts.

Seems there are some people who should avoid dogs.

And paths.

And other people.

Not at all, I just don't have time for militant attitudes, idiots or thoughtlessness. I am perfectly capable of getting on with the vast majority of people. I suspect that at least some dog owners with the more exteme misanthropic attitudes are like that because their personality prevents them forming relatioships with other people, because those people won't tolerate crappy nonsense, so they get a dog which they can have power and control over, and will never call them out when they are being unreasonable.

[bootsandpaddles]

I had an absolutely typical dog encounter this morning while out running. A woman with three dogs was coming towards me, one on a lead and two running free. As soon as one of the dogs saw me it came running at me barking. It totally ignored its owners attempts to call it back and was soon snapping at my ankles. I shouted at it and she informed me that it was "only a puppy". Eventually she managed to grab hold of it and I carried on with her shouting after me "Say thank you next time". As if I had anything to be grateful for!

[Landsoul]

And don’t get me started on why some folk think it’s OK to take dogs inside cafes and food shops!! My dog-owning relatives would definitely think that was unacceptable.

Ah you're just not used to the highland way. Many establishments here allow dogs into their bars etc and why not? Dogs have just as much right to be out and about as you or I. Aye, these folks/visitors are just getting too soft nowadays.

[Ben Nachie]

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[CharlesT]

It's the dogmatism of the arguments that gets to me.

[Marty_JG]

It's the dogmatism of the arguments that gets to me.

Are you suggesting they're barking up the wrong tree?