To think big dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the bus

[idontlikedogsmuch]

There’s a dog on the bus that the owner literally cannot control. It’s snapping at people’s bags if it smells food, trying to run up the stairs and off the bus. It’s on a great big chain collar and still can’t be controlled.

AIBU to think this just shouldn’t be allowed? It’s made children cry as they’ve walked past, I’ve just seen someone who’s obviously very scared of dogs have to sprint past it and the owner has just laughed at them for being scared. It’s a big cane corso type dog, for reference.

Well-behaved dogs of any size should be allowed on the bus.
Poorly controlled dogs should not be on the bus and it doesn’t matter what size they are.

No, I don't think that "big dogs", or indeed any dogs should be banned from buses on the basis of the alleged behaviour of one.

It’s a vile thing. Big, and ugly to boot. It’s biting at people’s bags as they go past it because it smells food in there. The owner is doing nothing to control it, just laughing at it.

Great username OP 😀 that owner was an idiot.

Dogs shouldn't be allowed on public transport at all IMO.

I have to say I agree.

She’s talking to it like it’s a child - “because you’re jumping up you’re not going to grandma’s”. Like it can understand!

Yes I agree with this. It's not the size of the dog that is the issue. It's the behaviour of the dog and the way the owner controls it that is the problem.

I actually find it surprising now that whereas in the past drivers were quite strict about allowing only one dog on single decker bus,or 2 if it was a double decker and one of the dogs went upstairs, drivers now sometimes don't attempt to control the number of dogs they allow on board. I'm certainly not happy about being on a single decker bus with multiple dogs, as is sometimes the case.

I don’t like dogs much either but the only one that has annoyed me on public transport was a stinky one on the tube. And it was annoying only because of the stench - almost the whole tube carriage cleared out at the next stop it was so bad. I know dogs smell but I’ve never smelt one just by being near one! It was very well behaved, massive and just sat quietly.
It’s the behaviour which mostly lets down most dogs and indeed humans. I’ve been more pissed off by human behaviour on the tube than I ever have a dog.

It’s gone before I need to walk past it, thank god

I take my massive dog on public transport all the time. She sits perfectly and is very well behaved. My smaller dog gets a bit intimidated with loads of people around and gets yappy, and so I don't take her on public transport or everyone would be getting barked at.

It's nothing to do with the size, it's to do with the behaviour.

Can you advise the bus provider of this dangerous situation? Use all the detail you have in your post. It sounds like an accident waiting to happen so they may feel obliged to take action as they have a duty of care to their passengers. At the very least they could insist on muzzled dogs only over a certain height, that’s just common sense.

The owner sounds beyond dim.

It would be very difficult to impose a size-based rule - is the driver expected to measure the dog?

The only clear rule is either dogs allowed or assistance dogs only (and even the latter can be open to misuse).

However, it would be reasonable to allow drivers not to allow dogs on at their discretion, if the dog is behaving in an aggressive way (it wouldn't surprise me if there was already a clause to that effect in the conditions of carriage).

I would not support a ban of dogs on the bus - there are too many cars on the road as it is, we shouldn't be discouraging people from using buses, especially as rural areas (where people might be taking dogs for exercise) are always at risk of losing their buses if not used.

So how does someone with a guide dog use publictransport?

@idontlikedogsmuch well done for creating another dog bashing thread, one shitty owner shouldn't mean all dogs are banned. It does point to the fact that owners should require training before they get a dog, but we did away with dog licences because they weren't enforceable and nothing has changed on that front.

Dogs often find buses exciting if they're not used to them. Sorry you were afraid OP but I don't think what you're describing is aggressive behaviour, it's most likely excitement. But dogs need to get used to buses before they manage them without being a handful. A driver can tell a dog and owner to exit the bus if they're unable to travel safely. I think discretion makes sense.

In Vienna dogs have to be muzzled on public transport. That would prevent snapping and some of the barking but not the jumping up.
I was under the impression that all passengers are carried at the discretion of the driver. So anyone causing a disturbance could be asked to get off.

Well behaved dogs I have no problem with. In this case it shouldn't be on the bus. I have severe arthritis, if any dog jumped up to me it would cause severe pain for well over a week .

Things that never happened for £100.

The issue isn't the size. Would you be OK with a little yappy dog trying to snap at people as they go past and my 10 yo would be scared of any volatile dog regardless of size.

Had some gorgeous big dogs just sit beautifully on the bus, so much I've joked I need to send my kids to the owner for training!!

However the driver should be telling them to get off if the dog is being dangerous

This.

Im a dog lover and owner but my dogs are trained and behave well. They would lie at my feet on command and not move. Despite having a large breed, no one even realised he was there, tucked under my feet, last time I was on a train until we stood up to get off at our station.

The thread title will be a klaxon to all the dog haters on MN of course. I give it ten minutes until Oona turns up and says they should all be murdered.

i think the driver should have intervened and asked her to get off
one local company do not have dogs on buses
could you write to the bus company manager
i do not think dogs should be banned but there should be rules ie dogs on floor only; well behaved/controlled dogs only; banned dogs not allowed

MN Dog Hate Bingo Card
Dander
Jump up
Drool
Dog pram
Fur baby
Dog's anus
Licking bums
Waitresses hands
Nowhere is dog free
Ok except those 1,987 places you've listed, nowhere is dog free
But I don't want to have coffee in a Wetherspoons and don't see why I should
John Lewis
Running everywhere in the cafe
Cages
There were 5 dogs all sitting on chairs in the cafe wearing napkins and monocles
Everyone expected to admire their furbaby
Tie them up outside (like they do in Switzerland)
Perfectly ok shut in a car overnight
Dragged round shops

I woke up this morning wondering how long it would be before the dog hate thread and here it is.
How long before we get the "Grandmothers expected to provide care/grandfathers aren't" thread? Probably already up somewhere.

Dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the bus at all they are dirty and smelly

So are a lot of people on buses.

What is happening to MN, so many wind up threads🙄

😂