A neighbour has recently moved in, and I have to walk by their house to get anywhere.
We are a quiet road with mainly elderly people. I have had a life long fear of dogs ( from being attacked as a child).
Twice this couple have let the dog out and it has gone for me. Not biting, but leaping and barking and leaving me in tears. I wish they could at least close the gates.
Yesterday the woman laughed at me, I was left shaken and crying on my way to work.
It looks like a Lab, but aren't they supposed to be gentle?
The couple are both overweight,maybe the dog gets no exercise.?
I can't ask them, nor can my neighbours.
Should I call the RSPCA?

Why not just be upfront with the neighbours and ask them to close the gate.

The dog sounds excited but as you have a fear you will more than likely think its about to attack you, even if it just wants to say hello to you.

I was going to be sympathetic as we have a neighbour with a very aggressive dog too that is making our lives a misery but it's hard when you leap to the conclusion the owners are over weight so the dog is neglected. Some of us walk our dogs and live normal lives and amazingly we are still over weight

So the dogs not aggressive, but boisterous! I agree that's not nice if you are fearful if dogs, but perhaps a quick chat will help them understand why you are so nervous about it, and they can keep him behind the gate.

Ok.so maybe I said that wrongly. None of the neighbours have seen the dog being walked.
Is a dog normally boisterous to strangers? And I was snarky about the womans size because she stood there laughing and pretending "come back" while it was jumping up at me.The previous time the husband swore.
It wouldn't be the dog's fault, but it wouldn't be normal to race out of the house and go at someone it's never met like that would it? It jumped up my back, then both peed and pood.

BIB That sounds like either over excitement or nervousness.
You could contact an animal rescue or the RSPCA (I know I know) and report them for animal neglect and concern for teh dog's mental welfare.

It is fairly normal for a boisterous lab to greet everyone as its best friend, whether they've met them or not. It seems like your trying to add facts in to make your story sound better - he swore! At you? At the dog? In general?

Was she laughing at you, or at the dog being an idiot?

Like I said, talk to them, they maybe don't realise they are causing discomfort, some dog owners presume everyone wants to make friends with thier mutt.

There's no reason for concern though, the op doesn't know if it walked or not, it obviously has access to the outdoors for excercise, so why would any authorities be bothered?

Can't see the RSPCA being bothered nor the police if it doesn't bite.
Maybe you could try again with the people? Its very easy to fall out with neighbours but an olive branch can work wonders.
I'm not a fan of dogs myself but it does sound like its just being friendly - a pat on the head and 'good boy' maybe all it wants then it'll let you pass.

Not adding facts or embellishing thank you.Yes he swore at me. I would have gone straight to the council or RSPCA, but I thought I would come and ask dog owners first. Do you think I will go down their path to knock on their door? Not on your nelly! She was going into her home as I was walking past. The woman had the option to restrain the dog.

Many dogs are extremely bouncy and friendly that's why we like them, even at 12 Mollie will try to bounce and say hello to everyone, we try to make sure she isn't a problem to anyone but we have had occasional times when she has said hello to someone who hasn't been so keen.

I wouldn't be upset if someone spoke to me about her if she was being a nuisance but not everyone is the same. Knock their door and explain that you have a problem with dogs and see if they will be willing to help you with it, sometimes all a fearful person needs is a friendly dog to meet in a controlled way to get over their fear.

Yes,I get that Molliepops. Maybe I will try to approach the owners. Not looking forward to it though!
But you are obviously a responsible owner,I bet you don't let her out to run across the road unleashed?

No but we do meet people in the communal hallways so we have to always be aware not everyone likes her, the people who do get a good lick and a cuddle though LOL

But that is the world of difference that I meant. If I met you with your well behaved dog,with an owner knowing what to do,I wouldn't be in tears and shaking. I bet I would be stroking your dog. You would not,by the sound of it, allow your dog to race 200yds at someone and leap at them and soil all over the grass.

And maybe ,would you knock on your new neighbour's door to say sorry?

They sound like an extremely unpleasant couple. Did they clean up after their dog, if it did what you said?

If it happens again, I would call the police on 101 and say you were attacked by a dog which the neighbour failed to control. And you were attacked, if it left you in tears and shaking. Some people here don't seem to understand cynophobia.

(Don't bother with the RSPCA - they are pretty much useless.)

Racing out of the front door at any chance is hardly indicative of regular exercise. I don't know the breed of the dog, it looks a bit labby ,but I thought they were generally lazy. The dog is big and clearly wants to escape!

ps
They have a large back garden.

No,she was laughing at me like it was a huge joke,I was crying, the dog peed and was doing some pink looking poo as I scarpered. Poo was on the public grass.

I have never heard a definition before (cynophobia), but I have had a huge fear of dogs forever.
Dopey dogs are fine,barking dogs noooo.

You are taking the pi$$ right? Why would you say that you were attacked when you weren’t ?

1) A dog that weighs about the same as me races up the road to catch me.

2) The thing leaps on my back.

3) The whole time I am crying.

What part of fear don't you understand?

It may have been an undertrained mutt,but owners maybe should own up eh?

You could walk some dogs miles and they would still come home and try to escape or be boisterous.

It's natural behaviour and it's actually your fear that is making it seem worse.

I know the dog should be controlled but you are describing it rather as if you know nothing about dogs at all.

Both of mine display different responses to people walking past our front garden. We do have a front gate, so they can't get to anyone. On of them woofs, and if the person walking past is stupid enough to try and encourage him to say hello he will grrrrr. Most neighbours just walk past when he is out, but you get one or two who try and be friends with him - making baby noises and waving their arms around. We have told them, but if they just stood still and talked to us and NOT the dog, he would soon stand near them wanting a head tickle.

The other one just barks manically because she wants fuss and a snog.

I'm trying to work out who the issue is with, the dog or the owners.

But I don't ,never had one never will..We had Alsatians as kids,I was bitten and have been scared since.

Anyhow, I didn't want to insult you personally. Maybe just your pets.

I grew up with a german shepherd and was bitten on a fair few occasions - the look of shock on her face when I bite her back was hilarious!!

There's always section 3 of time dangerous dogs act 91.

http://www.bullbreedadvisoryservice....ion-three.html

I for one am tired of being mugged by rude Labradors that "just want to play"