Twice today, TWICE. Out of control dogs, yapping round my ankles, jumping up & chasing. Feeble expressions of "sorry" from owners. Fed up with it. Told one of them that if he couldn't control his dog he shouldn't have one. Told the second that if that dog bit me he'd be talking to the police. All received as well as I expected it would be! Pah.
And, yes, I know it's just dogs doing what dogs do and the real problem is lack of control by the owners. But it's the bladdy DOGS yapping round my ankles, not the bladdy owners. Grr.
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Had the same problem here, but they're massive great sheepdogs who live with their flock. They've gotten used to me now and just lie there with one ear up and a quizzical look on their face. As they're working dogs, they want to save energy, not like little yappers out for walkies... But what can you do, short of carrying some doggy biscuits to distract them?
Poor you! How frustrating! Even the little yappers have teeth and can bite through fabric. The owners need to have a stern talking to...other then it probably wouldn't sink in... We (thankfully) have leash laws in the city we live in. We still at times have a few owners who try to "push" the law and not keep their dog on a leash. Very frustrating! Gayle
well said! it drives me mental getting slobbered on or just tripping over the stoopid muts. I asked one woman what she's think if a child behaved like that to her! Lol!!
'I fantasize about hurling dog in river, followed by owner!' Love it Ned!! I fantasize about kicking them, does that make me a bad person? Probably yes, but running does mad things to a person
This really maddens me too- and I own and run with a dog! If I can run, keep my dog under control (on a lead) and poop a scoop at the same time, why can't everyone else. We were chased by an out of control Boxer, scaring us half to death, whose owner told us " he just wants to play" , why aren't there any laws about this? Or are they just not enforced.
I can't believe how many people have their dogs off-leash where I run. What boggles my mind is there's all this wide open lawn along both sides of the cement path in most parts, yet I still have to be careful I don't step in dog-doo.
I had a large lurcher-dog stick its nose in my crotch yesterday. I was on my warm-up walk but pushed it away quite hard and the owner told me that the dog didn't mean any harm. I said that I didn't mean any harm either but that its behaviour was unacceptable, and she just sniffed and walked away. I love dogs, but mine were always well-trained and on the lead where necessary. I haven't yet suffered from small dogs round the ankles but would have no compunction at all in kicking them away.
Don't get me started! When I started I used to run around our local cemetery, which has numerous signs around saying 'Dogs must be kept on a lead', as I didn't want to run around the streets. That is until I was 'attacked' by a flippin' wolfhound type thing. Now, I'm only 5'1andateacake tall and this thing jumped up at me and actually bit me on my head!
First it tried nipping my feet and jumping around me. I'm afraid I don't like dogs and tried to nudge it away as I ran. That didn't work so I did start to kick out at it which probably wasn't a good idea I know, and shouted for his owner to call it off. In the end I had to stop and stand still as I was sure it was going to turn nasty.
The owner just stood back and feebly tried to call it off, without any success, and gave the usual 'he won't hurt you' speech but he did hurt me and scared me and almost knocked me over. I'm afraid my language wasn't very ladylike...but then I never was a lady!!
Thank goodness there are good responsible owners who realise that we don't all love their little Fidos, but so many times I'm the one who's made to feel it's my fault Fido is out of control!
Unladylike language was definitely in order; that sounds awful. The owners just don't get it do they. But a good burst of shouting at them, the more public the better, is just so cathartic!!
I run with a dog, and he is well behaved, even when he does his poo I will stop and pick it up and continue.....with the hot poo till I find a bin!!
Interestingly enough he never runs after other joggers when he is off lead!
What I have realised with other dogs though is your just like one big GIANT cat or rabbit for them to chase. So am afraid its their instinct . I know that does not help.
When I run towards a dog I slow down if they are off the lead, till I get passed them.
Burstcouch, I run with a Muksak (sadly I think these are now in limited supply, but you can get snazzier and more expensive Dicky Bags) which I can pop the bags into and it seals in the pong. I have zero tolerance for poo - that's all about the owners. Unfortunately some organisations such as the National Trust and the Forestry Commission now seem to be condoning just kicking it off the path or engaging in the ridiculous sport of flicking it away with sticks, presumably under the impression that the kind of people who leave bags lying or hanging around or who never bothered anyway will do this instead. I doubt it.
However most dogs need off lead exercise sometimes for their brains as well as their bodies and most dogs are at least semi-trained in recall but few will be 100% reliable. My dog trainer whose expertise gets her collies to do amazing things has problems with hers sometimes.
My Dad used to bang on and on and on about dogs when he was running - one of the things that did not give me a good impression of runners. The incidents didn't actually happen often (the moaning did) and he always handled it badly. The issue was *both* parties thinking they had a divine right to go about their business without any modifications for the consideration of others - yes, dog owners who make no attempt to call their dog away and just focus on the dog's intention (only playing, he won't bite etc) and put it on a lead if necessary but coupled with a runner who is unwilling to alter his course or speed (and yes I know we have goals and stopping can really mess with being in the zone etc) and with poor impulse control and communication skills.... no it wasn't a happy result. (I did eventually say to him would he rather be right or happy)
I really resent the way that dogs/dog owners (bearing in mind the health benefits of dog ownership...) are always bottom of the pecking order, always the ones who are supposed to modify their behaviour, often without acknowledgement. I hold no brief for irritating people who think anything *their* dog does is OK, even when they are not being pushed into defensiveness by the attitude of other people, and I know there are some areas of the country where a lot of people are having to engage in different activities in the same space, including professional dog walkers with too many clients. But whatever happens to mens sana in corpore sano?
No-one should have to modify their own behaviour simply because they are feeling threatened by the uncontrolled behaviour of the dogs of those who should know better. Consideration for others starts with ensuring that others don't feel threatened. And I'm sorry to say that, not exclusively but more often than not, it is uncontrolled dogs causing runners to feel threatened and not the other way round. I'm afraid that's why some dogs/dog owners are always bottom of the pecking order.
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We (thankfully) have leash laws in the city we live in. We still at times have a few owners who try to "push" the law and not keep their dog on a leash. Very frustrating! Gayle
Running with the dog 
Inconsiderate dog owners
Chihuahuas...and other dogs
Almorr's neighbours dog Holly 
Taking your dog running 
