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Original poster

Dog ate my picnic

711 replies

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 20:36

Had a picnic with my child today in our local park. Random dog (Shar Pei) appeared out of nowhere and ran over to us. I stood up and picked up my child and ran in a panic and stood behind a tree (probably looked like a total fool doing so but there was nowhere else to go without running towards the dog!). No idea where the owner was at this point. Watched the dog eating our food and also drooling all over our lunch box. Owner suddenly appeared from a path that lead into the park screaming at her dog to 'get here now'. Dog totally ignored her and she had to grab it and literally drag it away and put the lead on it. She apologised but when I asked her if she was going to pay for our food she actually had the gall to say 'you should have picked it up when you saw him coming' !!! I have just got home and this literally only happend 45 mins ago so am still fuming. She did not pay for our food and despite initially apologising, was incredibly arsey and walked off in the opposite direction. My child is very upset and the worst bit is, he has SEN and made everything in the lunch box himself (spread the sandwiches, cut up the apples, broke the chocolate into pieces to fit it in the container, etc). This was quite a big thing for him and he's really upset. I am also on a low income and spent a lot on the food. I took a photo of her and it clearly has her face in it. Not sure why but I just felt like I had to do something. I am not going to name and shame, but I'm just so angry.

Not sure what I want from this thread. Just rather pissed off.

OP posts:
Elephantiner · 13/07/2025 07:29

abouttogetlynched · 12/07/2025 22:14

Haven’t RTFT, just the first page so apologies if repeating.
Maybe if you’d have sat and guarded your food instead running and hiding, the dog wouldn’t have eaten your picnic. Yes the owner might’ve supposed to have had the dog on a lead, I don’t know, but if you’re walking a dog off lead and say a sausage was in the path, the dog is going to eat it. If however someone is sat holding the sausage/eating a hot dog, it’s unlikely the dog would make any attempt to eat it.
Unless the dog was bearing its teeth and running at you in menacing way, I find it strange that you would get up and run and hide.
I’m not a dog owner by the way and am actually not very fond of them, so I’m not defending dog or owner.
Also you might want to be careful you’re not giving your DS an unhealthy phobia of dogs.

Where are those scared of dogs allowed to have picnics? Have dogs taken over public places such that people cannot be allowed to picnic in peace?

BunnyLake · 13/07/2025 07:27

DarcyProudman · 13/07/2025 06:52

I’m not even sure I believe any of this story. Amazing that you just happened to have grapes AND chocolate in your picnic, all unwrapped.

I’ve no idea if it is but my dog ignores grapes if one has been dropped on the kitchen floor, must be instinctive, as she’ll gobble up most dropped things in a second, and certainly chocolate (which she is never given).

Very poor form of the dog owner, I’d be mortified if my dog did this, and very apologetic but in this mostly cashless society how would she have paid for the food, was there a cashpoint close by?

Chungai · 13/07/2025 07:11

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 06:50

@Lavender115
A Shar Pei is a small to medium dog breed, it is not by any means "huge", it isn't even as big as a Labrador. Please seek help for your phobia. Carrying a weapon in a public place is neither normal nor acceptable and your mental health issues are going to adversely affect your child. It doesn't sound as if this dog behaved aggressively, it was the owner at fault, not the greedy dog.

My sympathies lie with the OP and her child, who should not have had their picnic ruined. I agree that there are far more irresponsible dog owners around these days, the problem is that they give the rest of us a bad name. My dog is never off the lead in a public place but I still feel that the effects of the lockdown dogs is having an impact on how she is perceived. I hope the child won't become dog phobic as a result of this, because it was clearly the owner at fault, the problem does not lie with the dog.

Sharpei can be aggressive though, I would probably be wary of them based on my own experience.

Chungai · 13/07/2025 07:06

Middlechild3 · 13/07/2025 06:15

Why did you run away, why didn't you just shoo the dog away?

Read the OP's posts

I have tried to shoo a dog away in the same circumstances and it did nothing.

When I told the owner to call it off I got a mouthful of abuse for having a picnic in the same area dogs are allowed.

Thing is there are virtually no (free) areas where they aren't these days.

Luluissleeping · 13/07/2025 06:59

Gardeninrags · 12/07/2025 21:24

You should pay the vets bill if the poor dog is taken ill because you left dangerous food lying around. Really irresponsible of you OP

Honestly, what a stupid comment.

shirtyshirt · 13/07/2025 06:58

Imagine blaming a woman for saving herself and her child from a strange (and obviously untrained) dog, instead of stopping and picking up any potentially toxic food. It's actually hilarious.

It's standard with the dog nutters on MNs.

shirtyshirt · 13/07/2025 06:54

The dog wasn't going to die from a small pack of buttons! . I feel sorry for any pet who has a stupid owner but it's not my responsibility to educate them.

rwalker · 13/07/2025 06:53

Gardeninrags · 12/07/2025 21:24

You should pay the vets bill if the poor dog is taken ill because you left dangerous food lying around. Really irresponsible of you OP

Absolutely outrageous to suggest this OP has done nothing wrong
it’s 100% the dog owners fault for not having control of her dog

the entitlement of some dickhead dog owners is breathtaking

DarcyProudman · 13/07/2025 06:52

I’m not even sure I believe any of this story. Amazing that you just happened to have grapes AND chocolate in your picnic, all unwrapped.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 06:50

@Lavender115
A Shar Pei is a small to medium dog breed, it is not by any means "huge", it isn't even as big as a Labrador. Please seek help for your phobia. Carrying a weapon in a public place is neither normal nor acceptable and your mental health issues are going to adversely affect your child. It doesn't sound as if this dog behaved aggressively, it was the owner at fault, not the greedy dog.

My sympathies lie with the OP and her child, who should not have had their picnic ruined. I agree that there are far more irresponsible dog owners around these days, the problem is that they give the rest of us a bad name. My dog is never off the lead in a public place but I still feel that the effects of the lockdown dogs is having an impact on how she is perceived. I hope the child won't become dog phobic as a result of this, because it was clearly the owner at fault, the problem does not lie with the dog.

ThejoyofNC · 13/07/2025 06:49

Imagine blaming a woman for saving herself and her child from a strange (and obviously untrained) dog, instead of stopping and picking up any potentially toxic food. It's actually hilarious.

LandSharksAnonymous · 13/07/2025 06:44

shirtyshirt · 13/07/2025 00:26

A dog ran up & took a sandwich out of one of my dc's hands. Dc had filled said sandwich with his choc buttons though. I felt better imagining the dog shitting himself later on & the owner having to clean it up.

Aren’t you a charmer for wishing pain and a possible painful death (if it had consumed enough and didn’t get to a vet on time) death to an innocent animal.

Ladydish · 13/07/2025 06:29

nightmarepickle2025 · 12/07/2025 20:50

If the dog ate grapes then RIP dog

They are toxic but in relation to the dog’s body weight. A Shar Pei would likely have to consume more than was in an average picnic.

Charlottejbt · 13/07/2025 06:21

TomatoSandwiches · 12/07/2025 20:43

If you have a local dog warden you can pass on the photos to them, but not sure what else you can do, she was definitely rude in what she said and the poor training of her dog.
Side note, just in case, please do not run from an approaching dog, it can easily set them off to chase and attack.

Silly comment. The dog wasn't going to attack the family because it was distracted by the picnic. That's the whole point.

LochKatrine · 13/07/2025 06:19

Chickenwing2 · 13/07/2025 06:18

This is insane to me- didnt you do research on what is safe for dogs before getting your first dog? Have you never done dog first aid? There are many things poisonous to dogs you should probably google. It’s irresponsible not to know these things!

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It's quite a picture, isn't it? The ignorance of some dog owners is astonishing. No wonder we have a problem with dog behaviour.

Chickenwing2 · 13/07/2025 06:18

Andoutcomethewolves · 12/07/2025 22:30

Gosh I'm a lifelong dog owner (on number 4 now) and had no idea about grapes! Thankfully my dogs have never been particularly interested in fruit or veg.

I do hope the dog is fine OP but also hope you and DC are fine. I like to think I'm a responsible dog owner and would never have allowed this! My dogs have always had perfect recall and I've never allowed them to bother other people

This is insane to me- didnt you do research on what is safe for dogs before getting your first dog? Have you never done dog first aid? There are many things poisonous to dogs you should probably google. It’s irresponsible not to know these things!

Middlechild3 · 13/07/2025 06:15

Why did you run away, why didn't you just shoo the dog away?

reversegear · 13/07/2025 06:13

Personally I’d post on Facebook. Idiot owner.

LochKatrine · 13/07/2025 06:12

What a shame your picnic was ruined. Like pp have said, unfortunately there are so many bad dog owners out there, it's really problematic. Your child will be scared of dogs for life, probably.

DBSFstupid · 13/07/2025 06:03

shirtyshirt · 13/07/2025 00:26

A dog ran up & took a sandwich out of one of my dc's hands. Dc had filled said sandwich with his choc buttons though. I felt better imagining the dog shitting himself later on & the owner having to clean it up.

Nice.

Bebee1 · 13/07/2025 05:54

Petesbowtie9 · 12/07/2025 23:10

It won’t die from grapes and chocolate , this is just scaremongering

Exactly this.

So many (stupid) dog owners believe this and take their dog to the vet before they even become unwell. They have unnecessary treatment and the dog would have been totally fine. (See stories above)

Vets must see the £££ signs coming 😂

DBSFstupid · 13/07/2025 05:53

Buggysy · 12/07/2025 22:09

Yes absolutely. Bloody entitled 'modern' dog owners. Absolute bunch of dickheads that think everyone should welcome attention from their untrained, lockdown furbabies.

At least half of all dog owners are not bright and responsible enough to own a pot plant let alone a dog.

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Agree 100%.
It is mostly 'Lockdown' dog owners.
They have no idea how to look after their dog properly.
Poor dogs.

DBSFstupid · 13/07/2025 05:49

frecklejuice · 12/07/2025 22:00

Hopefully the dog ate the chocolate and she ends up with a massive vet bill. Fucking irresponsible dog owners puss me off.

So the Dog suffers??

ColinOfficeTrolley · 13/07/2025 05:45

Dog owners very rarely understand the real fear that some others have of dogs

No. Replace the words 'dog owners' with 'twats' please.

There are plenty of responsible dog owners. But twats will be twats.

DBSFstupid · 13/07/2025 05:44

InThisTogether · 12/07/2025 21:28

Oh I'd absolutely be this petty...

'As the owner didn't give me any contact info , I thought it best to put this on here in the hope that she can take the poor dog to the vet...'

I am not a dog fan at the best of times, but some of them do at least have decent owners.
This woman deserves it all.

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But the dog doesnt does it.

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