Should be made to wear bells.

That's all. 

(You can imagine the scenarios and consequent rants yourselves so I won't bore you with repetition.)

Bells. 

Or shackles.

I always give dogs a wide berth.
Not because I expect them to be viscous, but I dont want to startle them and put me and them in danger.
I cant understand anyone running past a dog close by for their own safety, but have had it done to me when I am oput walking dogs.
When on a path where you cant give dogs a wide berth, I do shout ahead so the owner knows I am coming, so they can move out the way or get hold of their dog before I run past :)
Lea :)

Should be made to wear bells

I could not agree more!
There is a guy in my village who jogs/runs with his dog. On many occasion he has appeared from nowhere and startled me and my dogs and he will run straight towards us on narrow footpaths sending my normally placid girls into a panic. He expects everyone to move out of his way!
What he fails to realise is not all dogs appreciate having a strange dog whether on a lead or not running towards them in such a cramped environment!

And all cyclists should have a bell fitted to their bikes!

On several occasions one of my dogs has nearly been flattend by a cyclist coming up behind us and whizzing past at breakneck speed.

I always try to be considerate to others when walking 5 dogs along a pavement and step in to the side with my dogs to let them pass by and try to keep a look out for cyclists but because they come from behind so quickly then they catch me unawares and then they throw me the dirty look!

At home in Sweden there is a lake just outside the block of flats. Lots of joggers run round it all day long. When my oldest daughter was something like 3-4 years old, we were in Sweden for a visit, and her dad took her down to the lake to feed the birds. When they came back in, daughter says excitedly: "We saw some joggers! They were bloody!" (Work out what her dad had said LOL!!)

And all cyclists should have a bell fitted to their bikes!

I had a bike bell fitted to all pushchairs my kids had -VERY useful!

thankfully my dogs are fine round joggers although they could easily be tripped up by one, but I have jumped a few times when ones come upon us unaware, usually results in a laugh and a joke, I do like the bell idea though.

What really narks me off is some ruddy cyclists (we cycle and run with our dogs so they are well used to it) but when a bike whizzes by at 100 miles an hour with no warning the dogs will naturally want to chase, and against all common sense a lot of cyclists speed up and eff and jeff at the dogs. Honestly use your brain SLOW DOWN and GET A BELL.

I live in an area that has great places to jog and cycle (i do neither!) - I too think bells should be standard, my terriers love nothing more than to keep up with a jogger or cyclist so obviously a warning that they are coming would be good so i can put leads on.

Excuse me, but I'm a jogger!! But don't worry, you hear me coming a mile off with my huffing and puffing!!

I run with 3 of my dogs and the looks I get would shock you.  All my dogs are off-lead but under total control and when I pass someone, I bring all the girls to heel and whizz past.  This, for some reason, annoys people who have dogs on-lead and are being swung aound by their own dogs.  Is it my fault that they can't control their own dogs? My dogs don't go near and neither do I but for some reason, because their dog is out of control, it's my fault! Nonsense.lol.

I did meet a man that I usually whizz past the other night and he complemented me on my lovely mannered dogs  =)

When I was walking my dogs last year heard foot steps turned round and fell down a 4ft ditch hanging on to two dogs it was a jogger all she said was are you OK and ran on didn't wait for an answer I had to scramble out of all the brambles do not move for joggers anymore. They think they own the paths over the wood including the bikers.

Think I have a police record thanks to a jogger. Out with the dogs & and I'm squatting down some distance from the pavement to pick up, both dogs at my side. A jogger flies past & the younger goes to say hello & the next thing I know is that shes hits the ground, swearing & yelling at me. I was mortified, offered to take her to hospital, home, or her home but NO she didn't want anything to do with me & my bloody dogs. She got up & walked away & I went home shaking, within a very short time I get a call from the local police saying I have been reported as having two dangerous dogs barking & snarling out of control & one on their PC's is in out patients. I explain the situation, she has reported me as having a dangerous vicious dog that went for her & she tripped over the lead, no way did this happen as we were too far away & if she had I would have been pulled over or felt it through the lead. Had the dangerous dogs act quoted at me, said yes one did bark, from behind my legs as he was uncertain of what was going on with her shouting at me. Saw her some weeks later in the distance an elderly man flattened against a wall clutching his dog as she ran straight up behind him in the middle of the pavement. Have not thought the same about the police since.

Its joggers who wear head phones that drive me mad,because if I get caught out and dont grab my boy before he starts chase I can't call out a warning because they just won't hear me.
Cyclists a bit different,on the odd occasion my boy has chased a cyclist,they try to speed up to get away and its hopeless as being a saluki, he can out run most things,he can really give a look that says 'that all you got? !

> All my dogs are off-lead but under total control and when I pass someone, I bring all the girls to heel and whizz past. This, for some reason, annoys people who have dogs on-lead and are being swung aound by their own dogs. Is it my fault that they can't control their own dogs? My dogs don't go near and neither do I but for some reason, because their dog is out of control, it's my fault! Nonsense.lol.

I would be one of those annoyed people cracar.  My dogs may well react to 3 off-lead dogs running toward them.

I appreciate that's not the way you see it but dogs cannot rationalise in the way we do and you and your dogs could look very threatening

> My dogs may well react to 3 off-lead dogs running toward them

Mine too :( They wouldn't know that the dogs were 'under control' (nor would I)  :(

Joggers were always a problem with Tara, but if I could see them coming and was able to move off the path and get Tara to 'watch' me, it was fine. She would have flipped totally had a jogger plus three dogs run past her :( Fortunately there are no joggers where we live now :)

> All my dogs are off-lead but under total control and when I pass someone, I bring all the girls to heel and whizz past.  This, for some reason, annoys people who have dogs on-lead and are being swung aound by their own dogs.  Is it my fault that they can't control their own dogs? My dogs don't go near and neither do I but for some reason, because their dog is out of control, it's my fault! Nonsense.lol.

Please don't say you call out  'my dogs are alright', as you all pass on by?

> Think I have a police record thanks to a jogger......Had the dangerous dogs act quoted at me,

Same here thanks to two kids - old enough to know better - cycling on the pavement at breakneck speed, coming from behind with no warning, passing with less than a foot of space to spare!

No, Lacy, I don't need to.  My dogs stay by my side, all on the left, as I pass.  And I don't mean in close quarters either.  Where I run has a large path about 2 metres wide so their is plenty of room without needing to go on the grass but if I see someone who's dog is 'excitable', I will go onto the grass(leaving a bigger space) to pass them.  What am I supposed to do? Stop running? Or not take my dogs(even thought they don't go near other dogs/people)?  I don't understand, really, I'm not being smart just ignorant obviously.  I figure YOUR dog is YOUR responsibility.  I figure that, like me and mine, you should be able to control your own dog in 'outside' situations.  Dogs are a luxury not a right and it shouldn't be other peoples problem when yours mis-behaves.  I really think we are getting to a situation where we are owning breeds/dogs that are not suitable as companions due to their re-action with other people/dogs.  None of my dogs would 'attack' a person for running past or dog for that matter whether they we off lead or not.

When you think about how unnerving it is when a stranger runs up to you (attackers have been known to wear running kit, so that's no guarantee of safety) think how defensive dogs are likely to become with strange dogs running towards them ...

> What am I supposed to do? Stop running?

Well actually I would say yes. If you slow to a walk to go past a reactive dog then chances are the dog will calm down. You would only lose a few seconds. Dogs are much more likely to react to a runnning person and dog passing then than a walking one. It is common courtesy.

On several occasions one of my dogs has nearly been flattend by a cyclist coming up behind us and whizzing past at breakneck speed.

A friend of mines, young Bouvier  in a country park with sings saying ...no cyclists was hit by a cyclist ,  a while back, (cyclist ran into him)  frightened the life out of the poor boy and sent him running for the hills, trouble was the way he went sent him over a main  a busy road, and was found 2miles away by a lady when she had to stop as he was cowering in the road.

Friend was beside herself as1) the cyclist had a go at her, and 2)  for her boy as he ran off.

Took him straight to vets , for check up and glad to say he had no lasting effects of the incident.

On several occasions one of my dogs has nearly been flattend by a cyclist coming up behind us and whizzing past at breakneck speed.

A friend of mines, young Bouvier  (in a country park )with signs saying ...no cyclists was hit by a cyclist ,  a while back, (cyclist ran into him)  frightened the life out of the poor boy and sent him running for the hills, trouble was the way he went sent him over a main  a busy road, and was found 2miles away by a lady when she had to stop as he was cowering in the road.

Friend was beside herself as1) the cyclist had a go at her, and 2)  for her boy as he ran off.

Took him straight to vets , for check up and glad to say he had no lasting effects of the incident, he still the same big sop , laid back hairy monster.

I was once walking my weimaraner along the towpath, he was in bushes to the side, a group of joggers suddenly appeared right behind me, no warning just a last second "excuse me" it made me jump, I let out a little scream/panicked breath and my weimy hearing this came flying out of the bushes to my side and stood his ground- I put him straight on the lead but because of this one incident it made him wary and very protective of me around joggers or anyone approaching at speed for the rest of his life.

I came to the conclusion the other day that dogs really are bottom of the pack. We have to move them out of the from joggers, walkers, cyclists, horses on footpaths and the like. When I have been out jogging of cycling I tend to pull over for dogs or at least really slow down..I wonder what would happen if I went to bikejor with mine, would others then get out of our way? I wouldn't as one is not built for it and the other is too young..

We walk a variety of areas, public footpaths, bridleways,pavements parks etc.. Joggers too jog on all these areas and on occasion we have met some very rude ones (and nice ones) they seem to think they own the "path" and rush past close by without any warning. If the path is narrow I feel it is the responsibilty of both parties to slow down, control dogs and be polite. If wide enough to keep some space then I am OK with joggers jogging past but still, myself, feel it unwise to run at speed past any dog and would preferr them to slow a little. My girls don't react but a person running past with little warning could look like a threat to a dog. I am quite happy to call the girls close and make them sit while a jogger goes past if I have enough warning, but on a narrow path even with them leashed they take a lot of room up and it can sometimes be a squeeze...I am sorry they are so big but like passing a truck on the road slow down and do it safely !
Cyclists however make my blood boil when they ride at speed on FOOT paths and Pavements niether of which are made for cycles. Even if they ring a bell to warn me I see no reason on earth to remove myself and 3 big dogs to the road so a cyclist can go past on the pavement. We do keep in to the side and are very aware of the room we take up and I will move for anyother ligitimate user.
Granny Pepsi is not very nimble on her feet these days and I do worry that if she is plooding along minding her own busness and a cyclist who should not be on the FOOT path comes up behind her she could well spook (She is a bit deaf) and be hit.
What has happened to common curtisy in our rush rush rush world?
Aileen

> I'm not being smart just ignorant obviously.  I figure YOUR dog is YOUR responsibility.  I figure that, like me and mine, you should be able to control your own dog in 'outside' situations.  Dogs are a luxury not a right and it shouldn't be other peoples problem when yours mis-behaves.  I really think we are getting to a situation where we are owning breeds/dogs that are not suitable as companions due to their re-action with other people/dogs.  None of my dogs would 'attack' a person for running past or dog for that matter whether they we off lead or not.

I don't presume or expect that any person or dog I meet is comfortable or at ease, so give space, attempt to read body language and try my best not to place them in a situation that could cause discomfort or reaction. I've never thought that my actions when out have president over others,  just because (& lucky you)  you & your dogs are secure in a situation doesn't mean that everyone else is and that your behaviour is not at fault should others react. Unfortunately my dogs will react in certain situations, people taking them by surprise from behind,  cyclists/ skateboarders coming towards them at speed on the pavement, one was 'supposedly' trained with a rolled up newspaper & will still shy or jump at sudden sounds. I make allowance for this & for other people, my boys are kept under control but I can't always predict others actions. The attitude of 'my dogs are alright' without thinking of others, is selfish & thoughtless. Just my opinion.

I really think we are getting to a situation where we are owning breeds/dogs that are not suitable as companions due to their re-action with other people/dogs.  None of my dogs would 'attack' a person for running past or dog for that matter whether they we off lead or not.

Bit of a sweeping statement this is it not?
Do you suggest then we cull all gaurding breeds/fighting breeds etc... and those dogs who have not had the best start in life with little or no socialization but live now with people who are working hard to save thier lives. Are 100% sure your off lead running dogs would not react to a frightened child throwing a tamtram ? a spooked dog reacting with a snap, an attack by an out of control dog owned by a numpty?
No one can have 100% surety that in a rare and unexpected situation thier dog will not act out of character.  Some of us are not so lucky and have dogs that we would rather not have put into situations they cannot cope with and for some, a jogger with 3 off lead dogs may just be that. Please if you meet other dog walkers, children, people who have dog phobias do them all a favour, slow down and give them space. It is not too much to ask.
I had an aquaintance a few years ago (now sadly dead) who had a huge dog phobia, he would do all in his power to avoid dogs, crossing the road, turning round to head off the other way etc.. to have met him in a narrow footpath with 3 off lead dogs could well have brought on a panic attack. Not his fault any more than an unnatural fear of dentists, spiders,worms etc.. but he did not have a sign on his head to warn anyone and expected (rightly so) for others to be polite and allow him his space and the  right to walk a footpath without fear of a jogger suddenly appearing from behind and running past at speed with 3 off lead dogs. Manners cost nothing

Aileen

What am I supposed to do? Stop running?

Now  theres a thought!!

it sounds like six of one and half a dozen of the other. Why cant everybody (joggers / dog owners / dog owning joggers) all just show a bit of consideration??!! Nowadays that seems too much to ask.
If i am walking the dog and a jogger approaches i will call my dog back or put him on the lead. The last thing someone out running needs is a dog hassling them, no matter how friendly or good their intentions are.
When i am out running i would try (where possible) to keep out the way of people with dogs as its common sense that someone whizzing past will cause a reaction - be it positive or negative - from the dog

Jackbox, I love your thinking!! And although I would love to as I absolutely hate it, I have a very unconfident, slightly over-weight daughter about to start secondary school and wanted a running companion so now I have to drag my big butt off the sofa 3 times a week (with a happy face).

Merlot, I didn't mean any fighting or guarding breeds as I do/have owned both but I just mean dogs that are unable to live in our time.  We are all rush, rush, rush.  That's just the way it is nowadays.  And can I make a point, I would never rush past anything!! I'm barely running for goodness sake!lol.  And I don't sneak up either as I call all my girls to heel from about 100 yards and I repeat the command to the little 'un to remind her that she needs to keep in her place.  I don't think that we shouldn't all be able to do 'our' thing but I just think it's not OK to think that because your dog is a bit nervy, others should need to think of that.  We need to take responsibility for our own pets, it's not up to others as I know many non doggy folk that wouldn't give my dogs feelings a second thought so I do.

My dogs are all on the left in a row, the path is 2 metres wide and my dogs are usually so far over that they are on the grass leaving a space of more than 2 mts between them and anything else we are passing.  I don't think it's too much to ask if I am able to keep pace, especially as we are training at the moment, stopping/slowing is not allowed.

> I figure YOUR dog is YOUR responsibility. 

Couldn't agree more.  I never see the point of these threads about the public/other dog owners should do this or the public/other dog owners should do that because it creates difficulties with my dogs. 
They won't and why should they, they are just going about their business.  Whatever problem it creates with your dog you just have to learn to deal with it one way or another because you are never going to be able to change the rest of the world.  It is was it is.

> They won't and why should they, they are just going about their business. 

Some of us take the responsibility of dog-ownership past just having a well-behaved dog and go out of our way to ensure, even the mere presence, of our dog(s) is not a hinderance to others. My dog is perfectly well behaved and non reacitve, yet I will move myself & the dog off  a path to allow another person (with or without a dog) plenty of to pass without being forced to share the same space as my dog. I don't feel put out by doing this, I feel it is the responsible thing to do as a dog owning individual and as a dog owner in general.

If ALL of us dog owners put effort into being responsible AND courteous to ALL others it may help stop the growing trend of anti-dog feelings in the general public.
As it is at the moment there are the out-right irresponsile, then there are the ones that ensure their dogs are undercontroll but don't give a flying fig who they may upset by their presence, giving ALL dog-owners a bad name :(

> then there are the ones that ensure their dogs are undercontroll but don't give a flying fig who they may upset by their presence, giving ALL dog-owners a bad name :-(

If you have your dog under control why should anyone be upset by your presence, asuming you are not somewhere where dogs should not be, and how can that give dog owners a bad name?
I do agree with dog owners being curteous but this thread is about people wanting other people to be mindful of their dogs foibles.  That is never going to happen even if we had a right to wish it.  We just have to deal with sorting our own dogs out be that training, watchfulness, on lead whatever, but it is not the other persons responsibility if they are doing nothing wrong annoying though it may be at times because we cannot change the world.

Thanks stooge, you put in two posts, exactly what I meant!! I am so illiterate;)

Mastifflover, I understand what you mean too having owned Akitas for years.  You do get tarred with the same brush regardless of how well behaved your dogs are but on you must plod, one of the few decent owners, making the rest of the world see it's not a breed thing but an owner thing.

Jackbox, I love your thinking!! And although I would love to as I absolutely hate it, I have a very unconfident, slightly over-weight daughter about to start secondary school and wanted a running companion so now I have to drag my big butt off the sofa 3 times a week (with a happy face).


I don't mean stop running altogether, simply, if one is out running and you are about to encounter others  on the track, why not stop running /slow down/jog on the spot till everyone  sorts themselves out.

But the majority of runners  do not take other people or their dogs into consideration, they feel once they start running everyone has to get out of their way, that includes cars /pedestrians, any one that gets in their way

The amount of times you see joggers running on the edge of a road, dont stop at a junction /crossing , they seem to think once they put their running shoes on , they become invincible and own the roads/paths.

I walk my two dogs in our local park which always has joggers and cyclists out and about, sometimes even in the dark (usually with no lights on the bikes) and would love for them to have to wear bells!! Have lost count of the amount of times that cyclists have nearly crashed into my Cardis (despite the fact that they wear Leuchtie collars in the dark!!) and I always point out that the park is full of ducks, dogs, kids and old people and would they kindly refrain from moving so quickly on a FOOT path.
As for the runners, if they managed to sneak up on my bat-eared dogs and scare them (or me), I'm afraid I will let the dogs bark, grumble and tell the runner off because I would rather be aware that I was being snuck up on.
Totally different when they do it when I'm out on the horse though, the bigger the shy they cause the bigger the telling off they get...

Running, particularly with dogs, past other dogs IS likely to trigger a reaction even in very well behaved dogs who have no issues.

I think we do ALL need to consider others, so if I am approached by a jogger (or cyclist or horse rider or person with pushchair or toddlers), I give them as much space as possible...

In return though, I expect THEM to do the same, to reduce the risk as much as THEY possibly can too. So i would not expect horse riders to gallop past, or joggers to fly past etc etc.

I can appreciate that when running and training, the speed you are going at and keeping that speed constant is an important part of the training - BUT, it is an important part of my dogs walk that they get to go offlead - yet I am expected (and willingly do so) to recall them and put them on a lead if necessary to avoid disrupting other peoples activities.. even though that disrupts MINE too.

So, yeah, slow down and go past people with dogs slowly - that is somethign YOU are in control of, and quite frankly, IF you want to run undisturbed at the pace you choose without stopping - go run on an athletics track where you are guaranteed to be able to do that.

If you want to run, exercise your dogs and run through interesting scenery, then the fair compromise IS that you have to consider other peoples needs to, and may not be able to achieve a consistent pace at all times.

That seems pretty fair to me!

It has just occurred - if you are taking your dogs .. then surely you HAVE to stop whenever they do a poo? So by taking the dogs you already accept you will not be able to run at a consistent pace without stopping.

> if you are taking your dogs .. then surely you HAVE to stop whenever they do a poo?

Unless you command them to do it in the garden before you go out, as the Guide Dogs do :)

> So, yeah, slow down and go past people with dogs slowly - that is somethign YOU are in control of, and quite frankly, IF you want to run undisturbed at the pace you choose without stopping - go run on an athletics track where you are guaranteed to be able to do that.
>

Who are you talking to?  I can promise you the vast majority of the population, including other dogs owners are not hearing you and if they could hear you they wouldn't be listening :)
This is my point, there is nothing you can do other than have a strategy for controlling your dog as others go about their legitimate business.
The world is how it is and if we want to keep dogs our dogs have to fit in with it.

But that doesn't mean you can run for however long absolutely guaranteed no one will do a poo - blind dog owners are exempt from picking up poo in case their dog does have an accident - joggers definitely aren't!

>What am I supposed to do? Stop running?

Now speaking as a runner (10k's to marathons) then I would NOT be able to stop running when on certain training runs!!!!! If I am running 15 miles, then I would not want to stop running every time I see a dog, because my 15 mile training run would end up a shorter run because I had lost my momentom.
Runners CANNOT just walk at the drop of a hat, they have to keep going.
As I said, I shout out before I get to someone with a dog.
The person who said we should just walk past them, we are NOT engines, we CANNOT just slow down and walk, and speed up again :o  Yes joggers have to be careful around dogs and should be, but we are not all the same!!!
I used to take my Rottie out running before she got bad with HD, and Yes she used to pooh and I had to pick it up, but I would run in a circle until she had finished, picked up her pooh quickly and ran on my way!!!!!!
Sorry I dont like dissing us runners, we have as much right to run the same places that you lot walk,
But saying that, I do know some runners that expect everyone to move out there way, even jumping into rivers to move out of runners way!!!!!! So I do appreciatre the horrible ones, but 90% of us are not like that!!!
Lea :) :)

> But that doesn't mean you can run for however long absolutely guaranteed no one will do a poo - blind dog owners are exempt from picking up poo in case their dog does have an accident - joggers definitely aren't!

Of course they would stop and pick up, at least I would hope so :), but you can certainly reduce the chances.  It's something we have always done with our dogs.

>So, yeah, slow down and go past people with dogs slowly - that is somethign YOU are in control of, and quite frankly, IF you want to run undisturbed at the pace you choose without stopping - go run on an athletics track where you are guaranteed to be able to do that.

Mmmmmmm, I can run at a constant SLOW pace for 800 meters on an athletics track and thats my limit, where as tonight I have run 1.5 miles further than I have for a long time on the streets, and have done it quickly. Running on an atheltics track is not the same as road running or cross country So thats certainly a statement from a non runner!!!!

>If you want to run, exercise your dogs and run through interesting scenery, then the fair compromise IS that you have to consider other peoples needs to, and may not be able to achieve a consistent pace at all times.

I agree with this one, you do have to, and giving dogs a wide berth, or if you cannot because of a narrow path then shouting ahead for someone to control their dog as you run past is a no brainer,
Runners should NOT just run up behind anyone without making them selves known before hand.

I was out tonight and a guy didnt see us and was just about to walk out a gate. I shouted coming through, so ...
A. I didnt run into him and knock him over
B. If I had stopped when I realised what he was doing I would have had to stop dead, and going from the speed I was doing to a dead stop, I would have been out of running for a while and probably hospitalised"!!!!!!

He stopped for a few seconds until we had gone through.
Now a through seconds calling your dog to you and the runner going past is alot differenet to the 10-20 seconds for a runner to slow down to a walk, walk past and then start running again!!!! A few seconds for a dog walker, over a minute for a runner and then lost momentum = 16 weeks of training down the pan for a marathon runner!!!!!!!

So its give and take!!!
Lea :) :)

> have as much right to run the same places that you lot walk,

With 'rights' come responsibilities. In any public place hope to be able to enjoy the space along with everyone else, but if that means I have to modify what I'm doing for others then I'll do so. My actions are not a right or more important than anyone elses, I keep an eye out for others and accommodate those less able. Got shoved to the ground some years ago by a jogger who ran into me from behind. head down, listening to music, he then got shirty that he had to stop as he couldn't get by till I got up!
If jogger are going that fast that they can't stop then they are out of control.

I wasn't suggesting that joggers in general ought to stop dead and walk past, I was suggesting they slow down a bit, then speed up again once they are past. The person on here who jogs WITH their dogs though will have to stop and pick up poo from time to time, so I see no difference in needing to do that and in needing to slow for passing people with dogs.

Calling out from behind IS very helpful (most I encounter do not do this) but even so, as the jogger coming up from behind you can usually (not always) see the dog walker in the distance LONG before you can shout to them, so that would give you the opportunity to slow down to pass at a more sensible pace.  The dog walker is not blessed with eyes in the back of their heads...

Interestingly I walk my dogs currently from an off road mobility scooter - I can do up to 12 miles per hour (I don't except on private land where I have permission) - I am trying to bring my wonky deerhound back up to fitness and I run her from the scooter. Suddenly stopping or slowing down is incredibly bad for her too, so shall I just shout and zoom on past groups of people on the path? Is MY desire to get my dog fit and not damage her joints and muscles MORE important than someone elses particular needs?

After all, your jogging is your hobby, your choice - if you choose to do that in a place where other people will pop up, where you may have to slow or stop, is it really fair to expect everyone ELSES needs to take second place to your own?

> Now a through seconds calling your dog to you and the runner going past is alot differenet to the 10-20 seconds for a runner to slow down to a walk, walk past and then start running again!!!! A few seconds for a dog walker, over a minute for a runner and then lost momentum = 16 weeks of training down the pan for a marathon runner!!!!!!!
>
> So its give and take!!!

Yep, dog walkers 'give' by putting there dogs on-lead and joggers 'take' full advantage and expect everybody else to fit around them ;-)

I don't meet joggers very often but when I do there is a group of about 20 of them. Some will carry on running along the narrow path towards me & Buster before I have chance to get him on a short lead, others will veer off the path while giving me a dirty look even if Buster is on-lead, sitting & off the path himself, others will slow down and nod their head/smile in a 'thank you' for me getting the dog on a lead & out of their way.
Joggers vary like the rest of us, some think the world should revolve around them, others are grumpy gits no matter how much you try to make their life easier and some are grateful of the courtesy extended to them :)

When I walk my dog, it's not just about my own personal enjoyment, his walks are designed to a set distance and pace in order to manage his displasia, changes in pace (including stopping for 5 minutes to allow a team of joggers to pass) can actually cause a set-back in his mobility. Too much of a set back in his mobility and he will have to be PTS. I don't actually expect anybody else to care about that - my dog= my choice = my problem, and of the same token why on earth should I care about how much training a jogger will loose by having to slow down for 5 yards? - Thier training=thier choice=thier problem.
However, every individuals reasons for being in a public place are equally important, to the individual. That is why courteosy should go both ways. I will always be courteous, although I never expect it back and rarely actually receive it :(

doubt anyone meant stop running altogether, just slow as you pass........
From my point of view, I accept that you may be entitled to run past as a jogger without dogs at full speed but expecting people with or without dogs to be happy with a runner with 3 dogs approaching at speed is IMO unfair. If its another dog walker, from the dogs POV if a pack of dogs runs straight up, at speed with no hesitation or circling away then that is a very threatening or aggressive act. The other dog doesn't know that your dogs are only acting on your command. 
Even if the other person doesn't have dogs, what if they are less than confident around dogs? I would think it would be quite intimidating, there's no time to assess the body language of the approaching person or dogs, it's generally unsettling. If it was me alone, I wouldn't be bothered by your dogs but I do find runners approaching at speed less than pleasant. especially when they (and this bit isn't aimed at you esp, only the horrible ones! :) ) seem to feel they are too important to acknowledge other peoples presence! I don't want a long chat. and I appreciate they may be too breathless for a casual greeting but a smile and nod of thanks for moving aside wouldn't go amiss.
(BTW, your running speed sounds similar to mine, except I have to drop back to a hyperventilating walk with distressing frequency! :)

mine would too, cracar,definately,theyd see it as a threat.

Maybe I look at it from the way I run and act,
I always thank someone if they have step aside, I call ahead if I am running near someone, I slow my pace if needed to let someone via a pram out the way etc, I apologise if I run round a corner and nearly run into someone (there is a tight corner on our training run that you cant help doing that)
I thank car drivers that give us a wide berth when we are on the roads (although last night a car deliberatly got as close as possible to me us)
But I as a runner, have had faster runners expecting me to move right out the way so they can go straight past.....ugh nope!!!
Or dog walkers that see you coming and still leave their dogs on an extendable lead straight across the path so we have to run into the nettles!!!! Or the dog owner that sees you running up to them from a distance and lets there dog on a longer lead bark like mad and try to get to you, not even trying to control it!!!
Our running club is very friendly so I suppose I am biased about the runners I run with because we are in the main polite and try not to inconvenience everyone else, but I do agree there are some AWFUL runners out there that give us all a bad name, the same as there are alot of dog walkers that give us all a bad name :) :)
Lea :) :)