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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU (sorry its another dog and toddler thread) or was this parent irresponsible

40 replies

ashamedandconfused · 18/02/2011 13:08

Dog tied up outside large supermarket, minding its own businees, watching people going in and out of the door. not barking or whining or anything.

toddler aged about 3 approaching with father/male carer - not holding childs hand, and child is on side nearest to dog, on target to pass within inches of dogs face

most of us would have held our childs hand and made sure they were not close enough for the dog to reach them, or to stop THEM approaching the dog, right? but this bloke let his kid brandish a stick right in the dogs face! with a sort of sword fighting motion! fortunately the dog did not even bat an eyelid, in fact i am sure it rolled its eyes in disbelief, but me and another shopper exchanged a "look". the man just sniggered and said come on X

why let your child do that? the dog could easily have snapped sat the boy with the shock!

and then the dog would have got the blame when it was the child/parents fault!

OP posts:
RealityIsKnockedUp · 18/02/2011 13:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CalamityKate · 18/02/2011 13:09

Yep, people are stupid. That's one reason I never leave my dog tied up outside a shop. I trust her, but I don't trust people.

winnybella · 18/02/2011 13:09

YANBU, plenty of idiots around, though.

jaffacake79 · 18/02/2011 13:10

The man sounds an utter idiot!
Good job the dog didn't react. This is the exact reason I don't take my (good and reliable with kids) dog to the shops or school unless there is someone he knows to wait with him.

People are so flipping stupid sometimes, because if that poor dog had nipped that child it would have had to be put to sleep.

ThePosieParker · 18/02/2011 13:11

Probably the sort of person that would insist the dog was put down if it did biteSad.

JamieLeeCurtis · 18/02/2011 13:12

People are stupid.

My mum taught me never to approach a dog that is tied up, because they are likely to feel vulnerable and threatened in circumstances where they can't get away. Not sure if this is the case with every do (never owned a dog myself)

JamieLeeCurtis · 18/02/2011 13:12

every dog

MrSpoc · 18/02/2011 13:12

the man may have been a little silly but how do you know that he did not know the dog?

Original poster
ashamedandconfused · 18/02/2011 13:13

thats another thing - we have a few dogs tied up outside school every day, and loads of kids run up to them and hug them and stuff, when the owner or their paretn is nowhere to be seen. its just silly - never seen them agressive and they seem to enjoy the kids' attention, but one day a child may be too loud, or rough, or tread on its paw...

OP posts:
JamieLeeCurtis · 18/02/2011 13:14

yes, ashamed - was just about to post that before. I have seen a child getting a nip from a dog outside school.

Lucyintheskywithdiazepam · 18/02/2011 13:15

What Calamity said.

Original poster
ashamedandconfused · 18/02/2011 13:17

Mr Spoc thats a good point, I guess he may have known the dog (I think he was more than "a little silly" though")

he did not act like he knew the dog, didnt pet it or say x leave fido alone, didnt react like the kid had done anything inappropriate/dangerous

Even if they saw the same dog there every day and never seen it agressive, the kid should still not be doing that

OP posts:
ChaoticAngelofAnarchy · 18/02/2011 13:18

YANBU Even if you know a dog you should never let a child poke at a dog with or without a stick.

BooyFuckingHoo · 18/02/2011 13:21

well the dog owner is UR for tying the dog up outside teh shop but teh parent of that child was mega UR for allowing the child to do that. i would be furious if my dcs did that to a dog.

comeandsitbythefire · 18/02/2011 13:37

YANBU, he's asking for trouble.

and you cannot give dogs a bowl of water outside supermarkets without one of them yellow plastic folding signs that state quite clearly ?Caution slippery when wet?. I might have made that bit up, but it wouldn?t surprise me...

curlymama · 18/02/2011 13:44

YANBU, especially as this dog was alone.

But some parents are unbelievable, they quite often allow their children to come over to my dog, whether he is on a lead or not, and then just stand their and watch as their child tries to wind my dog up when they haven't even asked if they can say hello.

Thankfully, our dog is incredibly passive, but he's still a dog, I can never be 100% sure that he won't get upset and snap one day. These parents wouldn't do it if the dog was big, or not so cute and fluffy, so why do they assume that just because he is that he can't be capable of biting?

GrimmaTheNome · 18/02/2011 13:44

well the dog owner is UR for tying the dog up outside teh shop

Oh FGS shops have rings especially for the purpose, and anyone with an ounce of sense knows to leave the dogs alone.

BooyFuckingHoo · 18/02/2011 13:47

grimma as has been proven in the OP, not everyone has sense. i wouldn't trust the general public to leave my dog alone. i value my dog and i respect his right to live a painfree life. tying him up outside a shop leaves him vulnerable to fuckwits who fancy a bit of fun with him.

MillyR · 18/02/2011 13:49

At the supermarket the other day, a woman went in and left her 4-5 year old child outside holding a dog by the halti. The child was continually twisting the halti and hurting the dog's face. There seems to be quite a few people about who will are irresponsible parents and/or dog owners.

JamieLeeCurtis · 18/02/2011 13:52

What do you do with your dogs then? I don't have a dog but I feel (a bit) sorry for dog-owners

BooyFuckingHoo · 18/02/2011 13:53

i dont take him if i have to go to the shop, i make a separate journey.

giyadas · 18/02/2011 13:53

Booy - I was going to say what Grimma said. You should be able to leave your dog outside but I totally understand your point. It's sad that people can't be trusted to treat dogs with respect.

Rhadegunde · 18/02/2011 13:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BooyFuckingHoo · 18/02/2011 13:55

i agree, in an ideal world tehre would be no risk in leavingour dogs outside teh shops. it would be great to be able to trust people enough to do so. but humans being what they are, not all can be trusted to leave them alone.

GrimmaTheNome · 18/02/2011 14:06

Ok, see what you mean Booy. TBH the only place I ever tie my dog is on playground railings (away from the gate) where I can keep an eye on him.

But I don't think its unreasonable that people who don't want to leave the dog at home or in a hot car do tether dogs and trust that most people arent idiots.