out of control dogs off leads on Clapham Common Post Reply

[deckchair]

I am the only person who that thinks that dog owners should make sure that their dogs are properly trained before they allow them off the lead. I am just back from Clapham Common where a largish dog bounded over to us at speed knocking over my little boy and in the process scaring him half to death. When the owner eventually showed up all she could say was 'I promise he's very playful and he won't bite' I was gobsmacked. She could see my son was scared and that her dog was jumping up at him despite me having picked him up. I appreciate that it probably wasn't a violent dog but I don't expect dogs to be knocking children over either. Is it just me?

[coffee cake]

I couldn't agree more. I am constantly appalled that dog owners are so lax with their discipline. On what planet is it ok for a dog to jump up at a toddler or pile into a picnic and start eating the food. Who's job is it to enforce that unruly dogs should be on leads? Parks police?

[yankee]

I find the dog situation here very strange. In the States, well in my State anyway you have to keep your dog on a lead at all times. I don't think anyone would appreciate having their child knocked over by a large out of control dog.

[addled]

I find the dog situation here very strange. In the States, well in my State anyway you have to keep your dog on a lead at all times. I don't think anyone would appreciate having their child knocked over by a large out of control dog.

I find the comparison with the United States very strange; its hardly a utopia. Gun laws and rampant gun crime being a prime example, laws that exclude minorities from voting is another. Should we adopt those laws too?

[yankee]

fair point regarding gun laws, just trying to add a perspective.

[LagerNotBitter]

addled wrote:
> [quote=yankee post_id=272371 time=1632488902]
> I find the dog situation here very strange. In the States, well in my State
> anyway you have to keep your dog on a lead at all times. I don't think
> anyone would appreciate having their child knocked over by a large out of
> control dog.
> [/quote]
>
> I find the comparison with the United States very strange; its hardly a
> utopia. Gun laws and rampant gun crime being a prime example, laws that
> exclude minorities from voting is another. Should we adopt those laws too?

Have a coffee, love.

[Kirstie’s Mom]

I have 2 very large dogs and walk them off the lead on the Common . They have never knocked any toddler down or taken food as they are disciplined . In fact all the dog owners I know and speak to on Wandsworth Common are very responsible . It is not acceptable behavior . But what also isn’t acceptable behavior is having toddlers stroking a dog without asking the owner - or seeing a dog and running away screaming which also makes a dog owner anxious because to a dog they look like giant squirrels which they like to chase. It goes both ways - always ask an owner before letting a dog. A child frightened of dogs is a behaviour learned from its parent.

[Kirstie’s Mom]

As a fellow American I’d say stay in your State