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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parent went mental at my Ddog!

386 replies

WesternAmy · 30/04/2026 17:42

Can someone please tell me how Ddog was at fault here?! We were walking on a footpath close to our house earlier, and a woman was pushing her toddler along on a sort of bike thing.

As we were passing, the toddler dropped a cuddly toy. Ddog instinctively went to pick this up (it resembled a dog toy) and I stopped him.

The woman went mental, shouted at Ddog “NO, NO” and I hurried us away.

I can tell it has impacted him, he has been really subdued since which is not like him at all.

Am I wrong to think the woman should have had some restraint?

OP posts:
CtrlCctrlVForTheRestOfMyLife · 30/04/2026 19:33

I don't think saying no twice is such a big deal. That toy probably meant a lot to her toddler.

I think ddog and dlab is adorable. Just glad you didn't write dd instead of ddog because that would have been quite confusing.

Hope your ddog feels better soon.

RecyclingSal · 30/04/2026 19:33

@WesternAmy you cant tell us about your Ddog without paying the Ddog tax! Would love to see your darling boy (from a fellow yellow lab mum!) 🐶🐾

ToKittyornottoKitty · 30/04/2026 19:30

jetlag92 · 30/04/2026 19:28

Your dog is dangerous to a toddler and the toddler is not dangerous to the dog.

Poor mother, you should definitely have apologised

The dog had no interest in the toddler, and it didn’t touch the toy. Nothing to say sorry for.

SandMartins · 30/04/2026 19:30

Ophy83 · 30/04/2026 19:23

I can guarantee your dog has not given this a second thought.

Well of course dogs don’t “think” in the same way that humans do; they live in moment, but they are highly intelligent and they can absolutely be scared by shouting & aggression, and retain feelings & fears.

Gosh, some of the replies on this thread really remind me why I generally prefer most dogs over most people!

AD1509 · 30/04/2026 19:28

No the Dlady was completely fine in preventing her Dchilds Dtoy being slobbered over by a random dog

jetlag92 · 30/04/2026 19:28

Your dog is dangerous to a toddler and the toddler is not dangerous to the dog.

Poor mother, you should definitely have apologised

PistachioTiramisu · 30/04/2026 19:27

I am with you OP - rather have a lovely dog than a child. He/she was only being friendly. Why do so many people on this site think that dogs are dangerous - they are not if brought up correctly. Shame the same cannot be said for parents bringing up their horrible screechy kids.

Ophy83 · 30/04/2026 19:23

I can guarantee your dog has not given this a second thought.

SandMartins · 30/04/2026 19:19

WesternAmy · 30/04/2026 18:29

One thing this has taught me - there is something that (D)Mumsnetter’s hate more than having to sleep with their Husband’s. DDogs!

Mumsnetters can be v weird about dogs for some reason! I totally agree with you OP. Labradors are bred to retrieve! It’s no one’s fault you happened to cross each other’s path at that moment in time and a toy dropped in front of your lab. Absolutely no need for anyone to overreact or scare the dog. Labs can be very sensitive and hate to be scolded. They can usually be cheered up with a tasty treat though! 😊

Imdunfer · 30/04/2026 19:19

Was the dog on an extendable lead?

Was the lead extended?

If so YABU to allow the dog to get so close that a mother thought it was about to pick up the child's toy.

Bookloverforever · 30/04/2026 19:18

I absolutely love this 😆😆😆

the dog’s feelings are hurt

fucking hell I’ve officially heard it all .

Clockbook · 30/04/2026 19:14

Gallowayan · 30/04/2026 19:08

According to the OP the dog was prevented from picking up the toy so the toy could not have been slobbered over. On that basis the woman was being unreasonable.

Show quote history

Was she though? Or actually was this just a total none event that, prior to the invention of AIBU on MN, would have been forgotten about by both parties within the hour?

edited for spelling

Gallowayan · 30/04/2026 19:10

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 30/04/2026 18:53

You should have the restraint, not her.
I wouldn't want a child to handle something that had been in a dog's mouth.

Read OP dog was prevented from grabbing the toy by its owner. Woman with child WBU.

Gallowayan · 30/04/2026 19:08

Surprisednotusedb4 · 30/04/2026 17:45

She didn’t want your dog slobbering over something that would be likely going straight I. To her toddlers mouth

or

it was an essential comfy to him and she worried your dog would ruin it

or… she just didn’t want your dog around her baby

According to the OP the dog was prevented from picking up the toy so the toy could not have been slobbered over. On that basis the woman was being unreasonable.

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 30/04/2026 19:06

ChristmaslightsuptilJanuary · 30/04/2026 18:55

Better to leave any precious toys that might encounter these germs at home then, no?

Show quote history

Better to leave any DDogs at home that get triggered/impacted by a woman saying 'no' twice then.

TheHungryHungryLandsharks · 30/04/2026 19:06

It's a bit of a non issue from both sides.

The dog didn't touch the toy, so the woman overreacted. And quite frankly, most dogs I know won't respond to commands from people outside their family, so yelling 'no no' is pointless anyway. Although I am sure it was a reflex action and she didn't actually think a dog would pay any attention to her.

The dog won't care that someone yelled 'no' at him. I called one of mine a 'wank-waffling turd-bucket' earlier - if he can bounce back from that, yours can bounce back from being told no.

Funnywonder · 30/04/2026 19:05

WesternAmy · 30/04/2026 18:29

One thing this has taught me - there is something that (D)Mumsnetter’s hate more than having to sleep with their Husband’s. DDogs!

Not to mention rogue apostrophes.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 30/04/2026 19:05

Your dog will be absolutely fine. Mother slightly overreacted by nothing terrible.

Feduptryingusernames · 30/04/2026 19:05

I wouldn't want a strange dog picking up my toddler's soft toy either. Your pet is a dog not a human! Your analysis of its behaviour since the incident is puzzling. How do you know how a dog is feeling.

Lookholiday · 30/04/2026 19:04

Im going to take a wild stab in the dark but im guessing she saw you and your dog and when the dog went for the toy you midly said darling that's not for you or some variant of this in a soft baby voice so she took control of the situation and made your dog stop getting any closer so she could retrieve the child's toy. You dog will not be traumatised from a stern no.

blubberball · 30/04/2026 19:02

Not everyone likes dogs, so the behaviour wasn't really that bizarre

Meadowfinch · 30/04/2026 19:02

Surprisednotusedb4 · 30/04/2026 17:46

A) you would say that
B) they’d have slobbered all over the toy

Show quote history

This. You may like dogs, but some people find them disgusting animals. Some people have phobias around dogs. Some people have been attacked by dogs in the past and are afraid of them with good reason. Not unreasonable.

Teach your dog to leave when told.

Stnam · 30/04/2026 19:00

I imagine your dog can cope with someone shouting. Surely to him it would be a bit like slightly aggressive barking and all dogs have to be able to deal with a bit of annoyed yapping.

MSDOUBTFIRE · 30/04/2026 19:00

Surprisednotusedb4 · 30/04/2026 17:44

Breed?

that makes no difference !!

MaybeToxic · 30/04/2026 18:57

The phrase 'Ddog' genuinely gives me the ick 🤢