How can you be a more responsible dog owner? Readers gave us their dos and don'ts

Dogs are ubiquitous in public spaces, from our parks and cafes to our workplaces — even on some plane routes.

This means the way their owners choose to handle them affects everyone.

Whether you're inseparable from your fur baby or would rather anything with four legs stay away, one thing's for sure: many of you had a lot to say when we asked you to share your dog owner pet peeves.

Before you get stuck in, this story isn't intended as a comment on dogs — who are obviously perfect and have no say in the way they're managed.

With that out of the way, you said you dislike it when owners …

1. Don't follow on-lead or off-lead etiquette

"Dog owners walking their dogs on extendable leads and letting them walk the length of the lead on public footpaths with other pedestrians." — Michelle

"Bringing dogs who require leads to a park where all other dogs run free." — Katrina

"Not realising that even in an off-lead park the dog still needs to be under 'effective control' and not run up to people…" — Sue

"As someone who has rescued reactive dogs, letting your 'friendly' dog come up to mine when mine are leashed and yours is illegally off-leash and won't recall to you. A rescue dog has all sorts of triggers and issues and I can't take them to a dog park, obviously, but even walking the streets becomes an issue. Goes double for small children." — Katelin

But also, see …

2. Don't consider their dog's needs

"Leaving them on the back of a ute on a hot day, burning their feet on a hot steel tray." — Craig

"Walking their dog on a hot day when the pavement temperature would be searing under their toe beans." — Rebecca

3. Make outside time all about themselves

"Runners — not allowing their dogs to sniff and explore. Their noses are their eyes. It's so sad to see that." — Frederika

"Walking a dog while doomscrolling — should be in the moment and aware of surroundings." — Lynette

"People who yank their dogs away when they want to say hello to another dog or when they don't allow them to sniff trees etc … Don't get a dog unless you want to spend quality time with it, have it be part of your pack and basically just be its best friend like you are theirs." — Tina

4. Disrespect service animals

"Putting a label on a dog's harness ... when it is not a trained, accredited assistance dog, and then taking it into shops and restaurants. Makes it hard for the real assistance dogs as security guards are getting sick of determining who is genuine." — Mandy

"Owners letting their dogs distract guide dogs who are working to help their handlers navigate the world." — Melea

5. Assume other dogs want to meet their dog

"Thinking that just because their dog is friendly … it's OK to let your dog approach another!" — Chiara

"I am sick and tired of having to say: 'Well, my dog isn't friendly'. You can tell from their reaction that they had never even considered my dog may not be approachable. When we are approaching other dogs out in public we take a wide berth to allow as much distance as possible to the other dogs and make sure our girl is on a short/firm leash. So many other dog owners can't read the room, they don't control their dog or give space and let their dog pull on the leash and approach us." — Meg

"Dog owners who, despite being told that my dog on a lead is not friendly and will snap through fear or aggression, insist that theirs is friendly and that means their dog can approach my dog." — Jemma

6. Assume other people want to meet their dog

"Telling people, 'Oh don't worry, he's just being friendly, he wouldn't hurt a fly', after you have a clearly uncomfortable reaction to their dog jumping up on you with dirty paws and licking and sniffing you." — Jacquie

"The owner telling everyone else present that I don't like dogs when all I've said is that I'm allergic." — Rosalie

"When I'm out going for a walk and suddenly a dog approaches me without warning. The owner yells out from a distance: 'It's a friendly dog, don't worry, it doesn't bite.'" — Lefkothea

"Not calling their dogs back when I have small children and children are uncomfortable and scared … I don't care if he's friendly, the dog is the height of a toddler and if you came across a dog the same height as you, you'd be terrified too." — Lauren

7. Don't put poo in the right bin

"Full poo bags left on fence posts, tucked in trees, hidden behind a rock … anywhere but in the bin!" — Stoli

"People who think it's perfectly OK to not pick up after their dog when they've pooped." — Lea

"Tying your dog's poo bag to their collar and allowing them to roam so it just drops off 'somewhere'." — Joanne

"Leaving plastic bags of poo in the park. Great. Now there's poo AND PLASTIC!" — Belinda

"I often don't bring my freshly emptied wheelie bin in as early as most of the street, and so it's often used to drop off poo bags by the many dog-walking pedestrians that pass by. And it's only annoying if they leave the lid open in the rain and the bin ends up filled with water AND poo bags. As long as they close it, I'd rather they use the bin than leave the poo." — Daniel

8. Pick their dogs up unnecessarily

"People who pick up their little dogs when they see any other dog in the history of dogs coming near them … It's not teaching them anything." — Laura

9. Take their dogs on unnecessary excursions

"The piece of fluff in the Bunnings trolley." — Carolyn

"Owners trying to humanise dogs and expecting others to do the same. Dogs like being dogs." — Tony

"Bringing your dog to every place known to man. Bunnings allows them and you obviously need to walk the dogs, but do they REALLY have to come to the auto shop, your kid's school or Woolies?" — Albert

"I kid you not, I know a dog owner who has insisted the dog attend a wedding AND a funeral." — Chris

10. Disregard rules for protecting flora and fauna

"Dogs not where they should be, affecting our native fauna and flora at [for example] beaches … national parks, walking tracks." — Helen

"Off-lead dogs on a beach which has endangered little tern and hooded plover nesting areas, despite multiple signs on the beach." — Lachlan

11. Allow their dogs to bark as much as they see fit

"Letting them bark at the wind." — Dean

"Leaving dogs outside all day on their own — lonely and barking at everything that passes." — Frederika

12. And finally … don't show their dogs the love they deserve

"A dog that is just kept outside, never interacted with, never played with, never trained, never given work. Watered and fed well, maybe even kept groomed. But treated like a hedge rather than a living animal." — Travis

"Do treat your pooch with respect. After all, they are part of the family and don't give up on them when circumstances change or just don't get one in the first place!" — Andy

Some quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Watch Dog Park free on ABC iview.