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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have REALLY shouted at this woman

180 replies

BMW6 · 10/10/2013 19:31

Was walking home along busy main road with my dog (on lead).
See another dog approaching (staffie) 30 odd feet away, on a lead BUT lead is in the hand of a small child (5/6 yo). Mother of child walking behind about 15 feet.

I knew what was going to happen and I bet you do too.

Yep, the other dog clocked mine and belted towards us, pulled child over and lead out of childs hand, of course.

I had to stop her dog attacking mine whilst the stupid bitch ran over to grab her dog. Child crying (fell onto grass so hope more scared than hurt)

I cannot recall exactly what I said to her, but was along the lines of what kind of fool is she to let a small child "control" a dog - esp a staffie.

Angry

Sorry to staffie lovers, but I have seen too many staffie attacks and am terrified of them attacking my westie cross, he's been attacked 3 times.

OP posts:
propertyNIGHTmareBEFOREXMAS · 10/10/2013 23:03

Yanbu. Only an idiot would let a six year old walk a staffie.

PansOnFire · 10/10/2013 23:06

I don't understand why people are angered by the OP's comment 'especially a Staffie'? They are powerful, beautiful dogs but in the wrong hands they can be killing machines, that's not an insult it's actually a healthy and realistic opinion for both us and Staffies. There would be fewer incidents with Staffies if people respected them for what they are and took action accordingly. They have a bad reputation because of idiot owners like the one the OP mentioned, you should be mad at the idiot owner not the OP. OP YANBU, she's put both her dog and her child in a horrible situation.

Altinkum · 10/10/2013 23:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bogeyface · 10/10/2013 23:43

What is wrong with saying "especially a staffie"?

They are very strong dogs, fully grown men can struggle to control one when it is on a mission, so expecting a child to be able to do that is beyond stupid.

And the fact that the staffie went to attack the OP's dog suggests that it hasnt been properly trained. So small child + untrained and strong dog = disaster waiting to happen.

phoolani · 10/10/2013 23:46

It's bonkers to be angry at this woman to be scared 'especially of staffies' just because you happen to own one that's 'lovely'. Of course it's not the dog's fault if they have a crappy owner, but it's a fact that large numbers of staffies are owned by irresponsible owners - as evidenced by the fact that staffie-types now make up some incredible percentage of dogs in shelters. It's an real shame for the dogs, as I'm sure they can be as great as any other breed if raised properly, but the fact remains that cooming across one, they're very possibly going to be owned by irresponsible owners and that they're large, powerful dogs, which makes it pretty reasonable to be particularly scared of them, compared to say a jack Russell, I've never met a jack Russell that didn't bite my arse, but (1) I don't see as many of them around and (2) I know from experience that I can pretty easily defend myself/my child/my dog against them if they attack. Staffies aren't so easy and they do particularly scare me for the reasons above. I used to own a Rottweiler-Alsatian cross who was dopey as buggery but I could perfectly understand people being wary of him - especially because at the time, Rottweilers were the staffies of today - I.e the dogs of choice for some unsavoury owners.

Scarifying · 10/10/2013 23:52

YANBU I am not a shouter at all but I think I would have yelled at her too.

embracethemuffintop · 10/10/2013 23:56

This really has me thinking. My 12 and 13 yo walks our Saint Bernard every day locally. She is a complete softy and very well-trained. I never saw it as an issue and something nice that they do with her, he has trained her (with our help) and she totally sees him as her handler. It never occured to me that people may deem us irresponsible. Mind you, where we live there are dogs everywhere, off-lead and wandering the neighbourhood. All nice, friendly dogs. If I had a dog that was lead aggressive, I wouldn't leave a child in charge of him, so the owner was BU. If I had a dog that was aggressive at all off-lead I wouldn't have the dog off-lead. Our dogs are always secured in the garden, walked on a lead, or they go to the dog park. I wouldn't let them roam like others do around because I wouldn't want them to get hurt, or lost, or for a small child to get scared by their sheer size. But for those who say dogs are unpredictable I don't agree with that. You know what your own dog is capable of, and I know 100% that my dog wouldn't hurt a fly, even if provoked.

NotDead · 10/10/2013 23:57

oh piss off. If staffies were safe fluffy bunny rabbit-hugging dogs then the twats that own them wouldn't beinterested owning them.

Can't believe there are staffy-status arseholes on here saying 'he wouwouldn't hurt a fly' and 'you have to know how to control him' bullshit. Honestly.

NotDead · 11/10/2013 00:00

oh and I love the 'history of the breed' bollocks. Burberry might have been worn by twiggy but it still was a badge of ' stabby twat' in the 2000s

PeppiNephrine · 11/10/2013 00:03

If you truly think you can tell 100% that your dog would never ever hurt anyone, you are not a responsible dog owner. Any dog can hurt, there are physical reasons (brain tumour for one, but there are many) for a start that can change a dogs behaviour, sometimes suddenly. You should ALWAYS be aware that your dog could possibly pose a danger to others. You might say 99% sure, but not 100.

PresidentServalan · 11/10/2013 00:09

Hope you and your dog are okay Flowers

And the child was the responsibility of the mother, so if it fell over (because of the mother letting it hold the dog in the first place) it's not for you to be concerned. I don't normally condone shouting in the street but you were fully justified.

Altinkum · 11/10/2013 00:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bogeyface · 11/10/2013 00:24

But for those who say dogs are unpredictable I don't agree with that. You know what your own dog is capable of, and I know 100% that my dog wouldn't hurt a fly, even if provoked.

Thats the point, YOU know. Other people dont. To everyone other than a dogs owner, every dog is unpredictable.

embracethemuffintop · 11/10/2013 06:59

Bogeyface yeah and because other people don't know that I always make sure my dogs are on a lead with me (unless at dog park), because people can be wary. I breed Saint Bernards so have owned many, and I do believe the breed is predisposed to gentle temperaments but there is always the exception to the rule. We have had a couple with aggression issues and those dogs we would never be put into situations where they could potentially harm someone. I think all dogs, regardless of breed, have the ability to be gentle or aggressive, and no dog should be let off-lead or in the charge of a child unless they have undergone extensive training, have been put into numerous situational tests, and are 100% reliable.

kali110 · 11/10/2013 07:37

That woman should never have let a little child walk the dog in the first place. Her child fell over because she was irresponsible.
Do think bu for the staffie comment.
Any dog can attack. They do get a bad rep but many have shitty owners.
My mums dog used to bite and he was a terrier, to a child he could still have done damage.

Fakebook · 11/10/2013 07:42

Yanbu, the dog should've been on a lead held by the adult. I would've shouted too.

I never realised you can be a "dogist" for not liking a particular breed of dog...Confused

AKAK81 · 11/10/2013 08:19

The Kennel Club only recommends two breeds for children, one of which is the Staffie.

AKAK81 · 11/10/2013 08:19

The Kennel Club only recommends two breeds for children, one of which is the Staffie.

MiaowTheCat · 11/10/2013 08:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pianodoodle · 11/10/2013 08:20

YANBU

Silly woman. A dog like that held by a child that age may as well not be on a lead at all.

Here's one from the dog's point of view :)

www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/environment/stocky-dog-disagrees-with-owners-claim-that-it-doesnt-bite-2013100480091

NotYoMomma · 11/10/2013 08:22

I like how all the 'how dare you not like staffies' staffie owners and a lot shouting about breed discrimination then go on to say 'fucking Jack russels' or some such

I don't like staffies because they are too powerful for me and whispers and hides really ugly

pianodoodle · 11/10/2013 08:30

It's not that I assume a staffie will bite me it's the thought of the damage they could do if they chose to that worries me.

If a Chihuahua bites me I've got better odds of fighting it off and not ending up on life support.

Preciousbane · 11/10/2013 08:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
BMW6 · 11/10/2013 09:15

Thanks for the messages of sympathy / support.

On the positive side, I am sure the child was not hurt, just scared, and the Mother will have learned a valuable lesson. I doubt that the child itself would want to have the dog's lead after this either.

OP posts:
Mojavewonderer · 11/10/2013 09:49

I have 2 very friendly cavalier King Charles spaniels and my 6 yr old loves to hold their leads. Obviously she's too young to do it and I let her hold one lead while I hold the other lead and we hold hands so if the older more sensible one pulls she won't fall over and get hurt. Luckily the old boy doesn't really pull and certainly wouldn't go for another dog but I still wouldn't risk my daughter getting hurt or worse.
I think the breed of dog was irrelevant in the op's post but I can see why the op would be scared after whats happened to her dog and not just once.
When my youngest dog was a puppy he was attacked by a staffie, right outside my front door. He had puncture wounds to his eye and the owner just walked off without saying a word. My poor dog had to have veterinary treatment and he was scared to out for awhile. He's fine now. Barks at every dog though which is annoying.

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