Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

To be fuming/upset about this (dog related)

91 replies

BB2000 · 09/06/2014 11:32

This morning I’m sat in our local park enjoying the sunshine and reading a book while my lovely 10 week old baby sleeps in the pram. Then a black labrador comes over to our bench. Now I don’t like this anyway as am scared of dogs but say nothing as I realise I am a minority in this. I wait for the owner to call it off – they don’t.

As it starts sniffing the pram I ask them to keep it away from the pram – they call it away ineffectually and the dog takes no notice. The dog sticks its head right in the pram (bottom bit of a phil and ted so very low to the ground). I grab the dog by the collar and pull it away. The owner mutters sorry and wonders off.

Now I know that no harm was done and probably the worst the dog would have done really is lick my baby and wake her up. Buy why can’t I just sit in the park and enjoy it without being harassed by a dog – it has made me much, much less keen to do this again as I feel I have to keep a watch out for dogs all the time. This happened several times with my first DD when she was little so it’s not just one owner – how can anyone think this is acceptable!

Of course many/most dog owners are very responsible but a there always seem to be one of two who just don’t care/have no control over their dog and ruin it for everyone else!

OP posts:

EverythingsDozy · 09/06/2014 15:00

I love dogs, I used to let my dog off the lead in the park. She was very well behaved, would run around away from people and if she did look like she was going to go up to someone, a simple call of her name would snap her back to running away like a loon

However, I would also be furious had a strange dog done this to one of my children. It is not on! YANBU, it's really not okay for this dog to be allowed to wander close to your baby if you don't allow it.

LividofLondon · 09/06/2014 15:05

YANBU. Even as a dog owner I'd be hopping mad if some arsehole let their dog touch a child of mine without first checking we wanted the attention. I don't know what gets into some people if they think just because their dog is friendly that it's OK to go up to strangers. It's not. Train your dog to have a reliable recall (or something like a "wait" command) and until it has, keep it on the lead. Idiots that let their dogs run out of control give responsible dog owners a bad name, and I for one don't want to get tarred with the same brush

Rainbunny · 09/06/2014 15:07

I hate that too and I'm a dog owner. I always keep my dog on a leash except for "off-leash" areas of the park (where I live leash laws mean dogs are to be on a leash always except for specific areas in some parks). I don't like bigger aggressive dogs rushing up to my smaller dog and I've yet to meet a dog owner who let's their dog do this demonstrate any sort of authority over their dog. Sadly it seems to be the case that people who are too lazy to keep their dog on a leash are also too lazy to invest the time to train their dog as well.

My other concern are small children who run up to my dog and pet him (because I have the cutest mutt in the world!) Too often the parent just lets them do it and I end up being the one to gently remind the children that they need to ask permission to pet my dog first, my dog is wonderful around kids but they don't know that and it shocks me that the parents never seem to worry about their kids running up to strange dogs and petting them (which is more like an assault on my very patient dog given the hand eye coordination skills of a toddler).

Lanabelle · 09/06/2014 15:09

Its not unreasonable, and these dog owners are the ones who shout the loudest when one of us has to shoot their bloody mutt for sheep worrying on the farm. I like dogs, I have many, different breeds and different temperaments but all have impeccable recall and a high standard of training. You are right OP. Its people like that who make it harder for the responsible owners.

Revised · 09/06/2014 15:10

Thanks D0oinMeCleanin, I honestly didn't know that a half trained dog would take a sit command from a stranger. Even now I do, I'm not at all sure I'd have the presence of mind, or the confidence that it would work quickly to do it if I thought my baby was at risk of being hurt.

caruthers · 09/06/2014 15:12

Dogs are lovely but some owners treat their Dogs like children.

That's how problems develop.

Needadvice5 · 09/06/2014 15:16

I'm a dog lover with big Dalmatians, I can't let one off the lead because he's naughty and I don't trust him but the other is well trained and comes bounding back as soon as I shout her.

If we're on the park and there's a child I keep them both at my side because I'm conscious and respectful that some children don't like dogs.

I wouldn't be happy if a dog ran up to my baby!

Needadvice5 · 09/06/2014 15:20

I'm a dog lover with big Dalmatians, I can't let one off the lead because he's naughty and I don't trust him but the other is well trained and comes bounding back as soon as I shout her.

If we're on the park and there's a child I keep them both at my side because I'm conscious and respectful that some children don't like dogs.

I wouldn't be happy if a dog ran up to my baby!

Revised · 09/06/2014 15:27

caruters, i wouldnt let my child stick his head in a pram uninvited!

Pregnantberry · 09/06/2014 15:29

I would have pulled the dog off by the collar/however I could straight away as well, even if it could have got mad and bit me hard. Some dogs (not all, I know) give friendly/affectionate nips, and I would rather have it chomp aggressively on my arm than give it the chance to 'nip' (or even, if the owner were really irresponsible and the dog hated children, bite) such a young baby.

caruthers · 09/06/2014 15:30

caruters, i wouldnt let my child stick his head in a pram uninvited!

I didn't mention you why are you being defensive?

wobblyweebles · 09/06/2014 15:31

You tell the dog to sit. All dog owners, even crappy ones, teach their new dogs to sit during the honeymoon phase when they're determined that they're going to own the next Pudsey and take over the world

I love the idea that you just say 'Sit' and every dog will automatically sit. Yeah right - tried that yesterday. The dog just bit me.

MothershipG · 09/06/2014 15:34

From the OP - Of course many/most dog owners are very responsible but a there always seem to be one of two who just don’t care/have no control over their dog and ruin it for everyone else!

Isn't this so true! And it extends to everything, there will always be one or two rude/inconsiderate parents/cyclists/customers/dog owners/drivers/teenagers/whatever that give the rest a bad name.

Often the most regular park users are dog owners, out everyday in all weathers, and I think that because so often they have the place to themselves they forget that it is a shared space that other users have the right to enjoy without the attention of their dogs.

Revised · 09/06/2014 15:39

You said dogs been treated like children is the problem but if it is is iit's inconsiderate dog owners behaving like inconsiderate parents

Trooperslane · 09/06/2014 15:39

Oh God op.

I was changing my 2 week old dd's nappy in the park on out wedding anniversary (we had been out for a lovely long lunch and wine) and our neighbour's very bouncy new lab came flying over.

Both of us had out backs to the main park and didn't see him til it was too late.

He was going for the muslin just above dd's head and tried to give her a lick and nipped her head.

It didn't break the skin but it scared the shite out of us.

So, YAnbu. We were very very lucky.

caruthers · 09/06/2014 15:40

You said dogs been treated like children is the problem but if it is is iit's inconsiderate dog owners behaving like inconsiderate parents

Yup...and I still stick to what I said.

Why do people treat Dogs like children and impose their 'Little ones' onto other people?

weegiemum · 09/06/2014 15:54

Nothing would stop me pulling a dog away from my child.

When ds was a toddler and dd2 a tiny baby a lovely looking border collie ran up to us in the park - no obvious owner about. It bounded round the buggy then lunged at ds, grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him.

I pulled the bugger off and when it lunged again I hit it very hard on the muzzle with a stick.

The owner was close by but obviously in no contact with the dog. When I hit the dog, though, he went batshit, screaming he'd have me arrested, then stormed off.

I'd have followed but you know, I was too busy dialling 999 - through a winter waterproof my ds had damage to a shoulder vein and was bleeding.

He's a rather terrifying 12yo now, but had surgery on the vein then plastic surgery on his scar and it doesn't bother home now. A lovely elderly neighbour helped ds to overcome his fear of dogs and ds used to take Dougal on walks and groom him.

He still stiffens when a border collie is in view. But then, so do I!

In all but dedicated dog exercise areas in parks, dogs should be on a lead.

weegiemum · 09/06/2014 15:55

And ds was distraught when Dougal had to be pts and attended his funeral, and made Mr Mac (an elderly widower) a condolence card!

LtEveDallas · 09/06/2014 15:56

Why do people treat Dogs like children

For some people they are child substitutes. My friend has 5 dogs. She is infertile and got the dogs after 15 years and nearly 30K worth of fertility treatment.

They are her children.

caruthers · 09/06/2014 15:57

LtEveDallas

Dogs are pack animals and they need controlling.

fledermaus · 09/06/2014 16:04

YANBU, I hate this.

Two incidents recently - picnic in the park with my baby lying on the blanket, three dogs come bounding over jumping all over the place while I'm trying to protect food and baby and the bloody owners just look on smiling! I had to shout "call your fucking dogs away" before they even starting doing that ineffectual "ooh come here Millie" that they all seem to do.

Second incident, in a park with friends, babies and friend's small, very well behaved dog. A big puppy comes over jumping all over everything and making the small dog nervous, friend is trying to calm the dog, we're trying to stop the monster puppy from taking out a toddler and when they owners do appear they basically shrug and say "naughty puppy, what can you do?".

JonesRipley · 09/06/2014 16:05

You should look out for dogs, and you will have to for evermore, but the dog owner should also be looking out for children and be effective at calling the dog back.

YANBU

LtEveDallas · 09/06/2014 16:06

Caruthers,

Pack Theory was discredited years ago. Don't use that to try and win an arguement, it's bollocks.

All dogs need controlling. Never said they didn't. I have no idea what you are talking about . My dogs are supremely well behaved and well controlled. I'm a great dog owner.

JonesRipley · 09/06/2014 16:10

This may sound weird, but it's not until fairly recently that I realised that well trained adult dogs should do what they are told, and that a fair few dogs are not well trained enough to be off the lead. I've always been a bit scared of dogs and didn't realise that responding to recall is a reasonable expectation - even if the dog doesn't do anything dangerous whilst it is ignoring its owner

JonesRipley · 09/06/2014 16:11

^^ that was to all the dog owners

Flip

1 2 3 4