So there I was meandering around Lyme Park working on my navigation and map work and trying to better understand contours and re-entrants and the like. I was approaching “The Cage” when a little yappy Terrier type dog came hurtling towards me and circled me twice before biting me on the calf. I have to confess I am not a fan of dogs at the best of times but this has done little to improve my perception of them or the owners who allow them to run loose without any control. The owner of this miscreant mumbled an apology and mentioned something about “the wind gets her excited…..” but it’s not really on, is it?
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I think the owners have to take the majority of the responsibility as they are the ones introducing the dog to the situation where there are humans. I at least expected some kind of genuine apology rather than an “Oh, I am surprised that happened” type of response, without resorting to cliche “What if I had been a child?” or an angry 6ft 10 dog hating nutter…..? 🙂
I was once bitten by a Jack Russell in a chip shop, and its owner, who had it on a lead, finished ordering her chips before pulling it off me. Are the owners to blame? Or is that like blaming the parents for everything children do?
Cheers, Alen
Thanks for the comments Jules. It’s interesting that a lot of my friends assume I will love dogs because I love walking, not always the case!
The trouble is we live in a country where to criticise someone and/or their dog is considered the social equivalent to admitting to buggering babies. If we don’t like dogs, it is somehow our failing. Or we do like them actually, we’re just pretending.
TBH, dog walkers are often their own worst enemy – and often the brush by which conscientious walkers are tarred.
When I went out a couple of years ago with one of the Peak District Rangers it was amazing the abuse he got trying to ask people to put their dogs on leads around the sheep and in areas where ground nesting birds were….
I share your feelings about dogs. They come running up to you at summit cairns when trying to eat sandwiches. On at least 3 occasions I have seen people shouting and chasing their un leaded dogs as the dogs run after sheep on the fell. No wonder some farmers are anti walkers.
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