They have a huge back garden, but when they come home from work the dog bursts out of the front door,leaps on anyone available and pees and poos on the grass verges because it has been locked up all day. I have been called names by the man because I cried when his dog jumped on me, yesterday the woman laughed. Surely dog owners don't usually open the door and let the dog go wild?

Thanks, that is interesting. I did think it was just certain breeds.

I doubt anything will be done about a dog that just wants to play, what has been described isn't an attack it's play, rude play I grant you but not meant to hurt you.

It can and does cover any dog that gives ground for fear and apprehension. A rude barging Lab would certainly be a danger to the elderly or young children. Or an unsuspecting person of any age.
Sick of rude, ill mannered, yobby Labradors injuring myself in my line of work as a veterinary nurse, and it being looked at as amusing or "part of the job" while mild mannered sweet dogs are villified and persecuted because they look a certain way.

Hoping you are not our vet nurse, she has been loved by Mollie a couple of times over the years and she always assures us she loves dogs that are happy to come to the vets, she says it makes her day when they are so willing to have anything done to them. She can never wait for us to bring our Chihuahua in either she leaps from her chair and dashes out to take her from me for a chichi cuddle, never manages to keep her glasses on as Betty licks her to death.

It is pleased to see you. Ideally you should read a book about canine body language. If a dog wags it's tail then you are safe. If it shows it's teeth and growls, then something is wrong. Dogs know who is not used to them as they look at body language too.

The dog should be on a lead in a public place.

I would say that if the dog is alone in the house all day, they shouldn't have a dog. It needs someone in the house.

I would call it animal abuse to leave a dog that long. They need stimulus, comfort and care.

Although I agree it's good for non doggy folk to know a little about canine vary language, in all fairness it's not their responsibility, that lies in the hands of the dog owner to train their dog and not allow it to frighten people. Or annoy them, as I stated earlier, as a dog lover, I cannot abide it when dogs jump up at me without permission and mug my dog when out on walks etc. it's a simple matter of common sense and good manners.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...50dc683275.jpg
The result of trying to handle a "boisterous" Lab for an examination of its ear, its owner was utterly unable to control it as per usual. But its alright, he's friendly, its what Labs do!
Ill chuck in that I dont hate ALL Labs, as per another FM who has a grudge with all the large muscular dogs out there. I know of one delightful working type bitch, who is so polite, so sweet. A real special dog. One Id take home in a heartbeat if I could.

there is a huge difference between a dog being friendly and invited to lick etc, and a hulking great Labrador mugging you for goodness sake.
I am getting a Chi of my own tomorroww, and I can safely say WOE BETIDE the Lab that tries to mug him. My Stafford is always being mugged by "friendly" Labs, he can handle himself, but my tiny pup will be vulnerable, and if I think he is in danger, that rude mutt charging over is soon going to regret it

Where has my post gone!! I met a lovely working lab the other day - just beautiful.

Valeter we have had a misunderstanding in this thread my fault I worded my post wrongly, for some reason my explanation and apology has been removed.

So I won't try again as I don't want to be banned if that was out of order. But please stop as I never meant what you think I did.

I have a golden retriever who is over boisterous. When people come to our door I hold her by her collar. If it's someone we know who doesn't mind dogs then she can then greet them. But not everyone likes dogs or wants them jumping up at them so I keep hold of her otherwise. I'd never let her out the front door to run about and "greet" neighbours or strangers unless they had said they were OK with that. It's just rude! OP it is natural for a dog to be excited when it's owners come back, to jump up even, but that does not make it OK for their dog to jump on you. They should at the least have apologised. Perhaps you could write them a letter explaining you have a fear of dogs and you'd very much appreciate that they could bear that in mind when their dog is allowed out the front? If they'd allowed their dog to greet a child that way it could push the kid over quite easily!

And if it's pooing on public land they need to pick up; I hope they did!

And as for dogs on/off leads, we were taught in dog socialisation class that if you're in a park you should leash your dog if you are approaching a dog that is leashed. If the dog is unleashed then you can leave your dog unleashed. I do however leash my dog if the dog approaching is a small toy breed, mainly because my dog engages in play by bouncing on other dogs and obviously to a toy breed that could cause injury. We do however walk regularly with a Jack Russel, and a terrier mix (as well as a boxer, cocker and schnauzer), and the dogs all get on fine. I always have my dog on a lead though when walking in public on the street.

I actually feel sorry for the OP.

If she is scared of dogs and doesn't have one herself, then she shouldn't have to be leapt upon by someone else's dog.

The owners' response was out of order. Instead of laughing, they should have retrieved their dog, and seeing that OP was upset and crying, could have explained to her that their dog was just boisterous and friendly (if that was the case) and put her mind at rest.

After that first time, they should have made sure that their dog can't run off like that again. What if it knocked over an old person, or pushed a pram over?

I've got a couple of dogs myself, so I'm not anti-dogs or anti-dog owners at all - but if you don't own a dog, you shouldn't be inconvenienced by anyone else's.

What I would do, OP, even though the neighbours don't deserve it, is to pop around with a dog treat, and ask them nicely if they can make sure that the dog doesn't leap on you again, as you have a big fear of dogs and its making you very nervous. If they can't accept your gesture (with treat for their precous dog), and it happens again, I'd look into who you can report it to.

Breath of fresh air to read this! A responsible owner at last made my day! My dogs not perfect, he is after all a Stafford, and if mugged may take things further than is maybe needed, which is why he isn't off the lead in public and I walk with eyes on stalks. He's no bother if he meets polite dogs, and no threat at all to the most pushy of toy breeds, he knows his own strength and ignores the little snappers.

Yes that is how we are with our overly friendly girlie, and neither are ever off lead for various reasons. It's only with people who love her she is allowed to be boisterous and huggy.

Thank you for all the replies. I don't HATE dogs,they just scare me.
Anyway, it's out of my hands. I was going to have a word with the owners, but another neighbour says he has complained. This is the old man who said my cat was pooping in his garden, when she was indoors for months after an amputation.

I did always think that Labs were just the fat and docile type. I guess I learned a bit .

That's what some are like, trouble is there are huge differences with behaviours within breeds depending on how they are treated and what sort of family they come from, our Chihuahua is every much not Chihuahua like and more like our dopey Retriever cross as she has learned how to be a dog from her.

See that sounds funny. Titchy thing trying to be a big bounding dog

A wagging tail does not always mean a friendly dog. Take a look at this.

A growl doesn't always mean aggression either. A lot of dogs will growl when they are playing and there is no aggression behind it.

I just hope that dog is taken away from those people. They don't deserve a dog!

Was just about to post the same thing, tails and vocalisations can mean a multitude of things and it'a a common misconception that a friendly dog wags its tail.