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AIBU?

To be upset at peoples reaction to the muzzle?

484 replies

Doggydoggydoggy · 09/01/2019 11:56

Just that really.

Dog wears one because she has nipped a few people.

She is not people aggressive.

I had a woman today clearly frightened because she ran near her buggy.
Near as in running past it.
Not barking/lunging/acting aggressive/approaching the child etc.

The woman got really scared at the sight of my dog, recoiled pulling the buggy so my dog did what most dogs will do in response and looked at her and went to approach.

So I called her back to me immediately and put her lead on.
That didn’t stop the woman constantly looking back angrily at me as she was walking ahead.

I really don’t think my dog had done anything that would reasonably make anyone feel frightened.

I can only assume it is the muzzle making the mum think she must be some child mauling demon.

And I find it really upsetting.

I wanted to talk to her and explain that she has the muzzle for nipping dogs and that I was sorry she frightened her but she honestly poses no risk to her child and has no interest in her child.
But her constant looking back and glaring at me made me feel really uncomfortable so I didn’t.

OP posts:
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Doggydoggydoggy · 09/01/2019 11:57

nipped a few DOGS
Sorry.
Not people.

OP posts:
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CmdrIvanova · 09/01/2019 11:58

YABU. A muzzle shows your dog bites. How is someone to know whether its people or dogs? How do you know she hasn't been bitten herself in the past. Its natural she would want to protect her baby. You're being over sensitive.

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AhoyDelBoy · 09/01/2019 11:59

Yeh, I hate dogs approaching me so I’d probably be the same tbh. Not a massive dog lover and am sick to the back teeth of seeing dogs off leashes where they shouldn’t be.

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wineandcheeseplease · 09/01/2019 11:59

Some people have children who are petrified of dogs (me). I would hate a strangers dog coming up to my 2 year olds buggy purely because of her reaction, muzzled or not.

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Santaisfastasleepatlast · 09/01/2019 12:00

Imo if your ddog needs a muzzle it needs a lead.
My rottweiler sometimes has one on, as you say it's people's perceptions but out with a dc seeing a loose ddog with a muzzle will cause them anxiety - surely not responsible dog ownership behaviour?
Again imo.

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AhoyDelBoy · 09/01/2019 12:01

And I find it really upsetting.
Hmm
Honestly! Worlds tiniest violin.

I wanted to talk to her and explain that she has the muzzle for nipping dogs and that I was sorry she frightened her but she honestly poses no risk to her child and has no interest in her child.
How do you know his though? All dogs can bite in the right circumstances.

YABU

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AnneLovesGilbert · 09/01/2019 12:02

How would she know your dog (so far) only attacks dogs and not people? Why would she want to get close enough to a muzzled dog she was already afraid of to have a chat about it?

YANBU for being upset but YWBVU to expect anyone to give you a chance to explain the exact nature of the threat your animal poses and SWNBU to run away from you and your dog.

Some people are terrified of dogs and their right to be as far away from them as possible outweighs your desire to explain your dog isn't as scary as it looks. It's obviously dangerous. Expect people to be wary.

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CantWaitToRetire · 09/01/2019 12:03

The thing is, if your dog has nipped other dogs in the past, how can you be absolutely sure they wouldn't progress on to nipping a child or adult in the future? I think it's natural for people to assume a dog has a muzzle because it is aggressive. If an off lead dog with a muzzle approached my child, I too would be very cautious. It's a parent's instinct to protect their child (and I say all this as a dog owner).

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Lucked · 09/01/2019 12:04

My husband would react that way to any dog.

I might react to certain breeds. What sort of dog is it?

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SaucyJack · 09/01/2019 12:04

I love a nice doggy (as do my kids) but I think anyone would be wary of a muzzled off-lead dog approaching a defenceless child in a buggy.

Maybe keep your dog on a lead in public?

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PottyPotterer · 09/01/2019 12:04

YABU. A muzzle shows your dog bites

Nonsense, dogs are scavengers, I work in a vets and advise many many clients to muzzle their dogs to stop them eating crap/end up having surgery to remove foreign bodies. You don't know why a dog might be wearing a muzzle.

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SnuggyBuggy · 09/01/2019 12:05

I think you have very unrealistic expectations OP. A lot of non-dog owners are nervous of any dog that gets too close and will probably assume that it's muzzled for a reason. They don't know that it's only nipped other dogs

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Madders45 · 09/01/2019 12:05

If a dog needs a muzzle then it needs to be on a lead.

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AgathaMisty · 09/01/2019 12:06

YABU, sorry.

I love smaller dogs and I'm not scared of them in general but sometimes large ones are bigger than me and certain breeds look particularly aggressive and if they are not on a lead I tend to move away instinctively.

Seeing the muzzle would make me think you are a responsible dogowner but that your dog has the potential to be aggressive so I wouldn't want it near me.

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CantWaitToRetire · 09/01/2019 12:06

I also disagree that a muzzle 'shows a dog bites' or means a dog has to be on a lead. My dog is a scavenger and eats anything and everything which is not good as she also suffers occasionally with pancreatitis. I've sometimes put a muzzle on her when she's been poorly to stop her picking up stuff in the park or accepting treats from other well meaning dog walkers.

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Doggydoggydoggy · 09/01/2019 12:06

She wasn’t ‘approaching’
She was ignoring and running past.
The woman responded by recoiling and pulling the buggy THEN my dog went to approach so I immediately called her back to me.

I choose to have her off lead but muzzled for the following reasons:

  • she has good recall
  • she is not human aggressive
  • she generally doesn’t approach dogs
  • while she has nipped she doesn’t chase dogs trying to bite them or lunge or anything so I don’t worry about them being injured by her eg muzzle punching.


I just find it upsetting because I don’t think it would have got that reaction if she hadn’t been wearing her muzzle.

I know that people obviously don’t know exactly what she is like, whether it’s dogs or people.
And I know people can find it scary, I always call her back if people look scared, just like I did today.

I just find it upsetting.
OP posts:
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kaytee87 · 09/01/2019 12:06

For most people a muzzle on a dog indicates that it bites. She was probably wondering why you didn't have an aggressive dog (in her mind) on a lead.
Also lots of people are afraid of dogs.

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AgathaMisty · 09/01/2019 12:08

You don't know why a dog might be wearing a muzzle.

You're right, but as most of us don't have the time or inclination to ask every dogowner the reason why, the safest bet is probably to keep our distance just in case.

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Madders45 · 09/01/2019 12:08

If you choose to have her off the lead, then you can’t get offended when people are scared of her.

They know nothing about your dog - they just see a muzzle and think aggressive.

You need to develop a thicker skin.

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BunnyColvin · 09/01/2019 12:09

YABU. You can only control your own reaction, not anyone else's.
See a shrink?

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Bluntness100 · 09/01/2019 12:09

She was probably worried, what breed is your dog?

I am a dog lover, and one of my fathers partner's had a German shepherd that needed to be muzzled in public, because it would attack people, so I also find my first thoughts are a muzzled dog is because the dog is a risk to the public.

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Villanellesproudmum · 09/01/2019 12:09

Your dog ought to really be on a lead, if it’s reactive to other dogs it could make aggressive noises, enough to scare another dog to run off and potentially get lost, go into a road etc.

The mum just went into protective mode, understandably.

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icannotremember · 09/01/2019 12:11

She probably wondered why your dog, which needs a muzzle, wasn't on a lead.

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kaytee87 · 09/01/2019 12:11

I just find it upsetting

And she probably found it upsetting that an 'aggressive' dog approached her small child. A muzzle does have the affect of making a dog look like they bite. She's not to know if it's humans or animals the dog bites.

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GobblersKnob · 09/01/2019 12:12

Hide this thread now OP. Never ever ever post about dogs again in AIBU, is carnage.

Repost in The Doghouse where lots of people will know exactly where you are coming from.

But trust me,vront read any more responses on this one. It'll just wind you up.

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