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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want to smack dog owners around a bit?

300 replies

smuggins · 15/08/2010 18:36

Just been for a walk with DD in the backpack.
Walking across a lovely meadow, we saw a woman walking her bear (might have been a large dog - looked like a bear to me) in the distance. As we approached each other, the bear sat down and awaited its owner. As we came closer, it stood up and took two (meter long) steps towards us. Naturally (evolution, survival instinct, etc) we shied away. The owner cheerily told us that the bear was 'a real sweetie' and meant nothing by it. The wife was a bit riled so said something along the lines of how the hell are we to know that, its a fucking bear and it was coming towards my child and its not on a leash. The response was 'well, you weren't to know, so have a nice day'.

Why do dog owners assume that we all love dogs. I hate dogs. And why were we made to feel bad for being threatened by the bloody bear. There are countless stories of 'real sweetie' dogs biting people - be they strangers / family / children. Do the dog owners know the law on such matters? Not sure I do totally, but I'd like to think that if an injury occurred because of a dog owners lack of control of their animal, they would be liable for that injury and the dog will be destroyed. Anyone know any different?

Anyway. I don't like dogs. Keep yours under control. Please.

OP posts:

Nancy66 · 15/08/2010 19:01

I'm always reading on Mumsnet that 'not all dog owners are inconsiderate' I'm sure they're not....it's just that in 40 years I've never met one that wasn't.

choufleur · 15/08/2010 19:04

All you non dog owners are actually being very inconsiderate not making a fuss of the lovely dogs who just want to say hello.

atswimtwolengths · 15/08/2010 19:06

MillyR: " What would be better for the OP's family is if they could go to places where they could be confident there will be no dogs, particularly when their child is not in a backpack"

Do you really mean this?

TheLadyOfTheGreenKirtle · 15/08/2010 19:07

wow, op. you sound charming!

splashy · 15/08/2010 19:08

The op seems to have issues.

Don't really understand what you are complaining about wrt to this 'incident'.

msyikes · 15/08/2010 19:09

OP, YANBU in my opinion, dog owners drive me nuts with all their 'oh he's only being friendly' nonsense. Some of us don't want your dog to lick our dc's face, sniff our trousers, bound up to us barking madly, friendly or not!
I HATE the fact that dogs are everywhere I want to take my dcs, running around off their leads, usually in places where the signs clearly say 'Dogs must be kept on leads'- no dog owner ever seems to believe that this sign applies to them!!!
Many dog owners appear to also be unable to read signs that say 'no dogs allowed on this beach May-Sept' or 'no dogs in the children's play area'
I LOATHE the fact that in all the parks we go to, huge dogs are running around and crapping all over the place, while the owners just seem to be looking in the opposite direction.
Of course not all dog owners are irresponsible, antisocial and ignorant of the fact that some people are not big fans of dogs, but it does only take a couple of dog owners who are to spoil a nice afternoon out in the way the OP described.

SoupDragon · 15/08/2010 19:10

So, why did you continue to approach the dog given you knew it was off the lead, it was huge and you were scared of it? Are you a bit thick?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 15/08/2010 19:11

bit about this but I have to say I can understand why you were scared, since a large and very poorly trained bull mastiff shaking the living daylights out of a traffic cone and growling suddenly charged towards me the other day and I could have died with fear..and I like dogs!!!

MillyR · 15/08/2010 19:11

ASTL, yes I do mean that. I don't see why we can't have some areas where dogs are not allowed to be exercised.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 15/08/2010 19:12

I wasn't pleased with THAT dog owner who was patently useless (he thought the traffic cone aggression was funny, then the dog ran out into the road) but wouldn't assume all are like that, far from it.

Wanttofly · 15/08/2010 19:12

Nancy i guess you havent meet me then

My dog was KC gold trained, i always carried poo bags and when ever we were out walking and someone was approching i always put the lead on my dog.

Why because i couldnt trust the person coming our way to treat my dog with kindness. My DB had a dog and it went to say help to strange people and the man kicked the dog its horrible. I wouldn't put my dog at risk.

Unfortunantly we had to give our dog to PIL as we had newbaby and we have a very small house there was just no room and i didnt want the dog by the baby just in case. Its always best to be careful than sorry.

TheLadyOfTheGreenKirtle · 15/08/2010 19:13

let me get this straight. you were on a public walkway. there was a dog whose owner had under control. the dog took 2 steps toward you (didnt touch you/wasnt aggressive in anyway) and your wife had a go at the owner. the entire incident has riled you enough to want to "smack dog owners around a bit" (gotta love casual violence)

have i surmised correctly?

Morloth · 15/08/2010 19:13

I think many people could benefit from a good smack in the head, this is not confined to dog owners.

In fact, I think it ought to be proposed as an official intervention, very cheap and yet effective.

rainbowinthesky · 15/08/2010 19:18

WHat a horrible op. You want to smack dog owners around because a dog stepped towards you?? Thank fuck I'm not married to you.

ifancyashandy · 15/08/2010 19:19

If you were on a public right of way and there were no signs asking people to keep their dogs on leads, then YABU.

Dog owners have the right to walk their dogs in such circumstances.

Yet again, a dog who is not walked and properly exercised (by being allowed to run), is of more danger to you long term.

LynetteScavo · 15/08/2010 19:22

I'm not a dog owner, nor have I ever owned one.
I think YABU, and your wife was being unreasonable to swear at the dog owner.

notnearlyasblondasiwas · 15/08/2010 19:25

YABU and pretty rude too

princesspuds · 15/08/2010 19:28

I think that YABU and if I were the dog owner and your wife had said that to me I would have suggested that you put your DW in a muzzle, what a great example to set to your DD swearing at someone else

DetectivePotato · 15/08/2010 19:28

"All you non dog owners are actually being very inconsiderate not making a fuss of the lovely dogs who just want to say hello."

No we are not. Especially when you are allergic to the bloody things and they don't go away.

LaaDeDa · 15/08/2010 19:28

Don't get this at all.
This seems like a total non-issue - but then i speak as someone who is not scared of dogs.
The dog was far away, it sat down, it took 2 steps - not exactly sounding out of control to me?

Don't understand what the dog or it's owners did wrong and if i had been that owner and your wife had said that to me she wouldn't have got such a polite reply back. If you were that concerned why keep walking towards it?

When i'm out walking with my dog i sometimes have to make allowances for people on bikes or horses and hold onto my dog for a time. When my kids are out bike riding people occasionally have to move to the side so they can pass. Give and take isn't it? No one has any greater right to be doing what they are doing in the way they want to do it so sometimes you just have to compromise a little. It can get tiresome having to hold onto my dog so a horserider can go past but i'm sure other people find it tiresome to move to the side for my children to ride past. Why should these people have put their dog on a lead because you are nervy of dogs more than you should have stood to the side and waited for them to catch up with the dog as it is you that had the (non) problem?

thesunshinesbrightly · 15/08/2010 19:30

I think you have got issues, the dog did not leap at you but stepped toward's you, you shouldn't pass your hate on to your DD.

rainbowinthesky · 15/08/2010 19:30

Missed the bit where the op's wife swore at the owner for nothing. Agree what a horrible example to set your dd.

Vallhala · 15/08/2010 19:31

smuggins, this is an over-explored topic on MN.

Unless there are any byelaws or other restrictions/legislation preventing the woman from walking her dog offlead, you'd have no case and thus she has as much right to be in the area as you do.

FYI the law relating to dangerous dogs is the ill-thought out Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, and 1997 Amendments

Lesser offences can be dealt with via Dog Control Orders. Laws can also be applied under the Animals Act 1971, Animals Act 1971, Town Police Clauses Act 1847. You would also have recourse to civil law and a host of other, not necessarily tailor-made but still applicable, criminal legislation.

Nothing in your OP indicates that the dog was out of control or a danger.

Most of us dog owners are perfectly responsible, with harmless dogs. The bad news hits the headlines, the millions of us who bring up kids and dogs together harmlessly don't. But I'm sure you know that.

Anyway, I don't like other people's children. Keep yours under control please.

DuelingFanjo · 15/08/2010 19:33

Welcome to Mumsnet.

thesunshinesbrightly · 15/08/2010 19:33

'Anyway, I don't like other people's children. Keep yours under control please'.

Well said.

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