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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not put my dog on his lead when asked?

62 replies

jinglemel · 28/12/2013 23:07

Was walking the dog with my dc today, they'd stopped on a bench on a hill and were chatting about the view with our dog laying down under the bench without his lead on. A woman came round the corner with a larger dog and shouted: 'leash your dog! Mine doesn't like small ones.' Our dog is obedient, not to mention old and uninterested in other dogs, hers was off its lead. Her tone irritated me as it was as though my dog was doing something wrong when he hadn't moved, so I said pardon? She said: 'put your dogs lead on now! Mine doesn't like small dogs and could attack.' I said that if her dog is aggressive it shouldn't be off its lead, particularly in a family park. Her dog was nowhere near our dog or the dc and I wasn't sure it'd actually noticed our dog so I didn't want to draw attention to him by putting his lead on and entice it towards the dc. She stormed off after her dog muttering about how rude I was. Wibu?

OP posts:
AndHarry · 28/12/2013 23:09

YANBU, she should have had her dog on a lead.

Beavie · 28/12/2013 23:10

Yanbu. She sounds like a right fruit. Her dog should have been on a lead if it has a thing for savaging small dogs.

coffeeinbed · 28/12/2013 23:10

No.
Unless it was a general Dog on the lead area.

VonHerrBurton · 28/12/2013 23:11

She sounds extremely odd!

If her dog was on a lead there would have been no problem.

So no, YANBU!

Xoticdreamz · 28/12/2013 23:12

She should have hers on a lead. My rule was off lead until I saw a dog with one on then I would put hers on .

Wolfiefan · 28/12/2013 23:13

If her dog was on a lead YWBU.
As it is she sounds strange (and unable to control her dog.)

ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 28/12/2013 23:14

She's more barking than the dogs - ignore. If her dog has an issue, her dog should be on a lead - end of.

superlambanana · 28/12/2013 23:17

Depends. If her dog was off the lead she was unreasonable. If it wasn't, I'd say you were a bit unreasonable as she was probably trying to avoid a doggy clash - though she clearly shod have asked more politely. I get antsy when mine is on a lead and others don't put theirs on as mine isn't always great with other dogs. Obviously I try to avoid them but it's a bit stressful wondering whether their dog will come up to mine.

TheWitTank · 28/12/2013 23:18

How peculiar! If your dog had been approaching hers and she had it on a lead, then yes, she would have been reasonable to ask you to get hold of yours. If her own dog is aggressive and she has it roaming free then she is a dick head.

ilovepowerhoop · 28/12/2013 23:19

The op said the other dog was off its lead

Elsiequadrille · 28/12/2013 23:19

Yanbu of course

YoureBeingASillyBilly · 28/12/2013 23:20

Her logic is flawed. Your dog being on a lead wouldnt hve prevented her dog approaching. Only her dog being leashed could prevent that. Idiot!

punny · 28/12/2013 23:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AwfulMaureen · 28/12/2013 23:21

She sounds nuts. We were in a park today...loads of dogs...one large dog ran up to a child of about 5 and stood there staring...his owner called "It's ok! He wants your stick! He likes sticks!"

The poor little lad handed it over as he was scared! A minute later, another woman with a tiny dog walked past about 20 metres away and shouted bossily "Don't let your children stroke my dog!"

They weren't going to thanks! What an oddball!

Original poster
jinglemel · 28/12/2013 23:39

Agreed Maureen - you meet a hell of a lot of odd people when walking/around dogs. I love dogs, but do pity some of them for their idiotic owners Smile

I have the same rule about my dog stays off his lead unless I see a dog that's on. I thought it was just common sense. Apparently not!

OP posts:
Bowlersarm · 28/12/2013 23:41

YANBU.

I am a dog person. But many dog people are rude, bossy and odd. Stupid woman (her, not you!)

AnnieLobeseder · 28/12/2013 23:45

So her aggressive dog was off the lead and you were apparently being rude for not putting your dog on its lead, thus making it a sitting duck target for her aggressive (unleashed) dog?

She's an utter fruit loop!

HeartShapedBox · 28/12/2013 23:47

yanbu

her dog should have been on the lead if he was aggressive- if you'd put yours on the lead and her dog decided to attack, all that would achieve is preventing yours from trying to escape to safety.

DoYouLikeMyBaubles · 28/12/2013 23:48

Idiots like this give dog owners a bad name.

I won't let my boisterous boxer off his lead in dog parks because it can be quite distressing for small dogs and their owners when he's galloping at them - only wanting to play but he looks like a dog possessed.

YANBU

eurochick · 28/12/2013 23:49

She's an idiot - it's clearly her aggressive dog that should have been on a lead.

LuciusMalfoyisSmokingHot · 28/12/2013 23:51

Im sure a lead would be protection from a big dog wanting to attack.

What a bloody idiot.

mrsjay · 28/12/2013 23:54

yanbu her dog should be on a lead if it didnt like other dogs she sounds like a loony old bat

mrsjay · 28/12/2013 23:54

my dog is never off lead he is too unpredictable it only makes sense to keep your own dog safe

MidniteScribbler · 28/12/2013 23:55

Unless you were in a designated off lead area, then BOTH dogs should be on lead. I'm sick of my dogs on lead being rushed at by little dogs whose owners think they are far too cute to adhere to the laws.

Jolleigh · 28/12/2013 23:58

My dog is aggressive (he's a rescue and other dogs terrify him). He's always on the lead and muzzled just in case.

I have a huge bugbear about owners who think they have control over their dog despite the dog approaching mine without them stopping it. Or dogs with extendable leads on and owners paying no attention to what their pet is doing at the other end of the lead.

I have met some extremely well behaved dogs who stick by their owners and don't approach other dogs despite being off lead. Your dog sounds like this. I'd have no issue your pup being off lead providing you've managed to train a reliable recall.

YANBU.

Though if she has a large aggressive dog and was dim enough to take its lead off, maybe she was just panicking a bit? Or worse...she's gotten in the habit of only putting the lead on when there are other dogs around and has effectively trained the dog that the lead means there's a dog about to react to?