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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Or was the dog owner? I'm not sure.

89 replies

IcingOnTheCake · 18/02/2011 12:38

Yesterday me and my friend took our dc out. We decided to sit down on a bench, in what you would call a walk (long path with trees and bushes eitherside leading from the shops to the seafront). In the middle of the walk is a bandstand with a grassed area. We were sat on a bench on the grassed area.

My dc are 2 and 4 and my friends are 11 months and 4. So we are sat having our lunch when a couple of dogs come racing over, one a black labrodore and the other a small bull dog type dog. They ran over and without hesitation ate my 2 years sandwich that was on my lap at the time then ate my friends 4 year olds sandwich that she was holding and putting in her mouth. The dog bit her finger as he did it and she cried.

The owner sort of came over, shushed the days away and muttered sorry to us and walked on. No "Is your dd ok" as she was crying and the dog had just eaten her lunch.

I don't know if you are supposed to have the dogs on leads and i don't want to be a killjoy to dog walkers. But surely if you know your dog is like that (will go and eat anything in sight) then you should be more careful. I was pissed off because the dog had come over and frightened the children and eaten their lunch. My children aren't normally frightened by dogs but they were so quick.

So aibu or was the dog owner, i don't know.

OP posts:

Vallhala · 18/02/2011 12:54

PS, and a disclaimer- I should point out that although my dogs are greedy, they do not steal people's lunches!

Original poster

IcingOnTheCake · 18/02/2011 12:54

I told the man that the dogs just ate my dcs sandwiches and he just muttered sorry and carried on. I wish now i had done more.

OP posts:

SpringHeeledJack · 18/02/2011 12:54

yes, what Val said

MrSpoc · 18/02/2011 12:57

I am not condoneing what the dogs or owner did, but why did you not pull them up on it?

the owner said sorry but may not of realised the full impact. i.e the dogs stealing the food. the little nip on the finger etc.

2babyblues · 18/02/2011 12:57

YANBU - however, sounds like the dog owner was embarassed and got out of the way asap. Maybe the dog owner didn't realise that there was anyone ahead. I suppose he/she said sorry so it was up to you to point out what the dogs had done exactly.

Very similar thing happened to us except the dogs were around us for a good 5 mins before owner rolled up. My mum was shooing the dogs away as my kids were scared as dogs were jumping up at them trying to grab their food and had already eaten some. Owner went off it with my mum accusing her of hitting her precious dogs (which she wasn't)! She was seriously unhinged though!!!

MrSpoc · 18/02/2011 12:57

Sorry Icing did not see your last post. you should of gripped the owner and frog marched him to the nearest shop and eplaced the lunch.

BeerTricksPotter · 18/02/2011 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crazyspaniel · 18/02/2011 13:00

I get really annoyed at how anti-dog this website is in general. But, in this case, you are absolutely not being unreasonable. If my dogs had done this I would have been completely mortified, offered abject apologies and then bought replacement lunches.

ChippingInFanciesCheeseOnToast · 18/02/2011 13:02

Exactly what Val said (thanks Val!).

Original poster

IcingOnTheCake · 18/02/2011 13:04

Whether you call it a bite or not, either way my friends dd was very unpset and kept saying finger hurt.

OP posts:

TheSugarPlumFairy · 18/02/2011 13:05

oh god i would die if my dogs did something like that.

YDNBU! If i had been the dog owner and there were not any shops nearby for me to replace the sandwiches then i would have begged for your address so i could send you some wine or chocolates or something to make it right.

My jack russell does like to find picnicers but only so he can throw himself upside down in front of them so they can rub his belly.

MrSpoc · 18/02/2011 13:09

bloody jackrussells but thats another thread altogether

BooyFuckingHoo · 18/02/2011 13:11

the dog owner was BU. he should have been able to call them back before they got to you. if he cant do that he should have them on leads.

stuffthenonsense · 18/02/2011 13:42

im not a dog fan myself, bitten as a child, but my family and i were all playing ball in a local park (known for children playing AND dogs running free, its an uneasy truce i can tell you) a couple of years back when a big strong rotty came and grabbed the dropped ball and burst the ball...no i was not going to argue with a dog that probably weighed more than me, the dogs owners came over and apologised, took our address and by the time we returned home, a brand new ball was sitting on the step. some dog owners really do get it right.

SpringHeeledJack · 18/02/2011 14:26

awwwww stuff that's lovely!

jasminetom · 18/02/2011 14:41

I can understand why you didn't have a go at the owner even though you were within your rights to. My most vivid childhood memory is of my dad having a go at the guy next door over dogs barking. It isn't fun to see your parents scream and shout. I hope your daughter won't be scared of all dogs in future because of one rude dog/owner.

RevoltingPeasant · 18/02/2011 14:44

When my golden retriever was a puppy, we took her to the train station to meet someone, and there was a lady with a baguette in her hand, just swinging it at hip level whilst she talked on the phone.

I turned around just in time to see our delighted puppy doing a Jaws at the sandwich which was apparently being offered to her.

Another time we were actually on a train and whilst I was sorting out my ticket, the dog put her face up the kneelength skirt of a woman standing next to us. What made it worse was, the woman didn't notice, so I had to extract the dog without looking like I was trying to feel up the woman...

So in conclusion, YANBU.

ChaoticAngelofAnarchy · 18/02/2011 14:47

RevoltingPeasant

RevoltingPeasant · 18/02/2011 14:53

Chaotic

There was also the time she tried to lick the speedos of a man lounging on a recliner on the beach.... He woke up in time, luckily for him (or not!).

coffeeinbed · 18/02/2011 14:55

Revolting Peasant - made me laugh!
had the same with my greedy, otherwise delightful dog-
except it was an apple and woman was swinging it between bites..
OP - no, YANBU at all.
Owner should have anticipated it, I very much doubt it was the first time her dogs stole food.

NellieForbush · 18/02/2011 15:05

YANBU. The owner was clearly not in control of the dogs.

ChaoticAngelofAnarchy · 18/02/2011 15:06

Even more

I'm sure he would have enjoyed it

Original poster

IcingOnTheCake · 18/02/2011 15:57

Oh my kids won't be scared of all dogs in the future, they love dogs. My friends little one though is alot more sensitive and will probably be cautious of them.

I wonder if that is why they ban dogs on the beach in the summer months? Not just because of dog poo but also dogs stealing picnics?

OP posts:

BeerTricksPotter · 18/02/2011 16:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

saffy85 · 18/02/2011 16:08

YANBU to be annoyed. You should have said something to the owner.

We were having a picnic in the park last summer with DD, SIL, BIL and the dog when all of a sudden a labrador came bounding over to try to help itself to our lunch. Not major issue as it soon realised our German Shepherd would make mincemeat out of him, but it ran over DD and hurt her. The owners response when she eventually caught up with the dog was "well what do you expect, sitting here eating food in the park?" erm, you to control yer bloody dog and actually be able to keep up with it when it's off the lead? So that my DP and BIL weren't having to hold onto one dog angry at her space being invaded and DD being hurt and the other do desperate to crash the party. Yes, the owner was right, how DARE we picnic in a public park?

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