Unreasonable Fear ...

[reAllytee]

Yes silly crazy mummy on the loose again :o
Your all going to have a great laugh at my expense which is fine but also some advice would be great LOL !
Ok we live in a small townhouse which means we only have two tiny courtyards front & back with very little room for Boof to run around in. Now we have a local park down the road which is like an oval really & the local private school often uses it for their sports day.
Anyways my unreasonable fear is that i want to be able to take Boof down to the park to play & run wild but i cant manage to bring myself to do it !!!!!!
We often have a lot of mixed breed dogs running around & the idea that one could turn on him freaks me out !
Which is sooooo stupid it isnt funny :banghead: Where has this even come from its so stupid !!!!!!!! If its not one blooming issue its another for me !!!! Being a mother is too stressful !!!!! :crying:
Please dont turn this into a dog breed debate because overall i have no major problem with any breed & am not wanting to start that type of convo. I know all dogs can bite or attack & i think thats more the problem knowing what any of them are capable of & knowing how little ( errrr yeah ok little compared to an adult :p ) he is & the damage they could inflict scares the life out of me.
How can i overcome this fear that has appeared & take him to the park ????

[borntobemummy]

I don't think it's a stupid fear...I'm terrified of most dogs:o As for overcoming it, I think you can trust the nurturing/motherly instincts to protect Boof. You will no doubt be very vigilent and if anything happens, your adrenalin will take over and give you super-human strength to protect the little guy.
Or, another idea, I'm sure some of the Campbelltown mummas (me invcluded) would be happy to bring along our bubbas and play with you and boof....safety in numbers :D

[KarniF00l]

aww honey :hugs: i'm not too sure how you can overcome the fear of dogs but can i suggest finding and enclosed park thats fenced off so no dogs can get in ?

I hope someone is able to offer you advice on how to overcome it. :)

[Pixie]

Ally that is not an irrational fear it's a genuine one. Dogs can be dangerous.
Now most people walk their dogs early morning, and evening times, I would say take boof down to the park mid morning 11ish or around 3pm ish depends on his naps.

I use to own dogs, and train them so I know how easily a nice dog can go wild so your fear is a resonable one anyone especially mothers want to protect their kids, so don't feel silly!!

How about you just go for a walk with him get an idea of what time people are walking their dogs and just get used to seeing them and more comfortable with the idea?

[reAllytee]

Im not even scared of dogs infact most of the local dog owners know me !!!!
Its just i see a strange mixed breed & i freak when Boof is with me !!!
I love animals & if he is in his stroller i dont even care yet der he cant still be bitten there but thats ok ?!?!?! It doesnt make sense :confused:
I think whats not helping is we actually had a mixed breed come into our complex one day when Boof was 3mths & i was taking him out to the letterbox where it followed me growling. I did all the right things stayed calm didnt make eye contact etc then walked around the other way to return back home but seriously i did get scared but i figured i was in control & all was good.
We have a gated park down near the town centre but its a 20min walk which is fine but i would rather go somewhere close by so that we can go say before lunch for a quick run around *sigh*
I just need to get over it !

[reAllytee]

Ally that is not an irrational fear it's a genuine one. Dogs can be dangerous.
Now most people walk their dogs early morning, and evening times, I would say take boof down to the park mid morning 11ish or around 3pm ish depends on his naps.

I use to own dogs, and train them so I know how easily a nice dog can go wild so your fear is a resonable one anyone especially mothers want to protect their kids, so don't feel silly!!

How about you just go for a walk with him get an idea of what time people are walking their dogs and just get used to seeing them and more comfortable with the idea?

Thats the thing Nat its not the normal dogs im scared of as my pp says all the local dog owners know me & im always harassing them LOL ! Harry pats plenty of them etc so i have no major drama there.
Its the dogs that are wandering alone without owners etc that im scared of which yes is not exactly silly but seriously it doesnt make that dog more prone to attack than the dog we know on the lead with its owners, ya know ?

[Rainbowbrite]

Maybe if you could find someone to walk with you guys a few times it might make it easier???

I know what your saying though, the only place I trust MJ to play is in my backyard & only when DH or I are out there with her. I dont like her playing anywhere else, peoples places & yards included. If its not my home, i'm not comfortable & cant relax :hugs:

[Miaow]

I wouldnt call it an unreasonable fear - I also worry when i see loose dogs when I have EJ in the pram - you never know what might happen... I'm sure once shes able to walk and play I'll be even more worried also. I have a dog myself but still don't like it when a dog is too close to her.

[Foxy]

I am too scared to take DS to any park at the moment because of magpies..... :rolleyes:

[KarniF00l]

I am too scared to take DS to any park at the moment because of magpies..... :rolleyes:

:laughing: I'm the same, sometimes i can't even walk out and check the letterbox because of maggies :o

[misskittyfantastico]

I am widely known as a fraidy kitty....I find that what helps me to not so much get over the fear, but to live with it, is to talk to myself rationally(:laughing: ) about the "what ifs" and how I would deal with every worst senario I can come up with. I find that even though I'm scared I come to realise I CAN deal with it....I don't know if any of this makes sense:o

[Percy]

I am too scared to take DS to any park at the moment because of magpies..... :rolleyes:

So glad im not the only one!! They terrify me:eek:

[MrsMiggins]

I have had to confront a few dogs while taking DD out on walks occasionally. For the most part we've never had a problem (well, in fact we've never actually had a problem at all, in all honesty) but if a strange dog approaches too fast here's a good tip for you - stand between the approaching dog & Boof and look directly at the dog. In your most booming & commandful voice, say "STOP!" or "GET OUT OF HERE!" or even just "YAH!!", it also helps if you make a sudden move towards it. Unless the dog is completely feral (not something you should encounter roaming the streets all too often) this will be almost guaranteed to make the dog if not bolt in the opposite direction, at least be much more weary of you.

You can also console yourself with knowing that while there seem to be many dog attacks reported in the media, the chances of actually being attacked by a strange dog on the streets are very minimal.

If you are planning on letting Boof have a run around, make sure you can't see any stray dogs roaming about before you let him loose. I daresay you should be right! :thumbsup:

My pet hate (pardon the pun!!) Is people who walk their dogs in public off the leash!! Yes, Ok, maybe your dog is well behaved & well trained, but the fact remains it is against the law!! We have 2 large dogs - both of whom are very friendly and gentle, but adore the company of other dogs. We have to walk our greyhound in a muzzle, even though the thought to bite another dog or person would never even cross her mind. We know that she would never harm anyone (why else would we have her when we have small children around), but we still muzzle her on walks. When other people are out walking their dogs off their leashes, they always come up to our dogs and bark & carry on at them. Our dogs have no reaction other than to want to play with the dog, but not only does it make it difficult to control our two very large dogs (which is ANNOYING!!), but how do we know that the other dog is not going to have a go at one of ours??

(Also, just a thought, if roaming dogs are a problem in your area, you could always notify the council. They are bound to do something about it.)

[priya]

I have had to confront a few dogs while taking DD out on walks occasionally. For the most part we've never had a problem (well, in fact we've never actually had a problem at all, in all honesty) but if a strange dog approaches too fast here's a good tip for you - stand between the approaching dog & Boof and look directly at the dog. In your most booming & commandful voice, say "STOP!" or "GET OUT OF HERE!" or even just "YAH!!", it also helps if you make a sudden move towards it. Unless the dog is completely feral (not something you should encounter roaming the streets all too often) this will be almost guaranteed to make the dog if not bolt in the opposite direction, at least be much more weary of you.

You can also console yourself with knowing that while there seem to be many dog attacks reported in the media, the chances of actually being attacked by a strange dog on the streets are very minimal.

If you are planning on letting Boof have a run around, make sure you can't see any stray dogs roaming about before you let him loose. I daresay you should be right! :thumbsup:

My pet hate (pardon the pun!!) Is people who walk their dogs in public off the leash!! Yes, Ok, maybe your dog is well behaved & well trained, but the fact remains it is against the law!! We have 2 large dogs - both of whom are very friendly and gentle, but adore the company of other dogs. We have to walk our greyhound in a muzzle, even though the thought to bite another dog or person would never even cross her mind. We know that she would never harm anyone (why else would we have her when we have small children around), but we still muzzle her on walks. When other people are out walking their dogs off their leashes, they always come up to our dogs and bark & carry on at them. Our dogs have no reaction other than to want to play with the dog, but not only does it make it difficult to control our two very large dogs (which is ANNOYING!!), but how do we know that the other dog is not going to have a go at one of ours??

(Also, just a thought, if roaming dogs are a problem in your area, you could always notify the council. They are bound to do something about it.)

Very truly said. I don't know but after hearing all the stories on T.V. i feel the same way. I just want to share a funny incident outside the foodmarket. There was a man walking with a tiny dog and the very first reaction of mine was Oh No. Ria is in the pram. It may bite her. I rotated the pram.There was another lady infront of me who complimentedthe owner that the dog is so cute. I think its maternal instinct to protect the baby.:)

[jessgray]

i am scared my ds will be hurt by a dog too. he loves dogs and thinks all dogs need to be patted by him :laughing: its hard to explain to a 17 month old that not all dogs are nice and to not pat strange dogs.so i dont take him to the park much. too many dogs off leads in my aera :thumbsdown: