Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To despair at dog owners

264 replies

Justmydarlinpet · 06/07/2014 20:46

Aaaaaaaaaaarg. Grrrrrr. Angry

I was sitting with dh and dc in the park sharing a pizza between us which we had got from a nearby restaurant. Suddenly dh leaps up and grabs a dog that was about to jump on us whilst we were sat on the ground eating our food. He had to hold on to the dog until it's owner a stupid fuckwitt cunt woman came (about a minute later). The woman made no serious attempt to call her blood pet (massive in size, some sort of mutt). She just meekly called whispered "emmieeeeee, eeeeeeemmiee" but unsurprisingly stupid dog didn't listen to fuckwitt woman at all.

She then proceeded to tell us the classic line "he's harmless" to which I responded "well I still don't want him jumping on me, the dc or our food.

She had the bloody cheek to answer back "the park is for everyone and that we should get used to dogs". I said "sure, i'lm used to dogs but still don't want one humping me, the baby or slobbering my food".

She went on to say some more tosh and I warned her that I would call the police as it was clear that she couldn't control her bloody dog.

She went off in a huff but not without lecturing me that I should not be rude to her in front of the dc.

Seriously, how can some dog owners be sooooooo blooooody stupid? I don't get it. I love dogs, hope to have our own dog one day but I will make damn sure to train the dog and not allow it to bother other people.

OP posts:
OwlCapone · 07/07/2014 07:57

What a surprise. Classic Bun Fight topic, first time poster.

PiperRose · 07/07/2014 07:58

The dog was 'about' to jump on you? How do you know?

The park IS for everyone

"Blood pet" ?!?!

Please don't get a dog in the future, I don't think you like them.

PiperRose · 07/07/2014 07:59

Shit, first time poster. Sorry shouldn't have replied.

VivaLeBeaver · 07/07/2014 08:02

my dog is more important to me than some random kid.

However my dog is well behaved and no way would he be jumping up at people, running at them or prancing on their picnic.

Years ago I was having a picnic in the park with dd and a random dog came and pissed on our food. Last week I was chased by an out of control Labrador while out cycling. The dog seemed so aggressive that other people walking past were shrieking as I was pedalling like mad to get away from it.

So I do get that some dog owners are twats. As a dog owner those twats affect me as much as they affect a non dog owner. I don't think such behaviour is fine just because I like dogs. I've also seen thousands of well behaved dogs this last week, thousands. Under control, on leads or not, having their poo picked up.

DontPutMeDownForCardio · 07/07/2014 08:04

She had a point. If there was a table available you should have used it if you've got a problem with dogs. I don't get why you would purposely sit on the floor with food in a place where dogs are known to run off lead. Nice flounce though.

merrymouse · 07/07/2014 08:15

In the OP's defence, apparently this all happened after the dog owner came out with the classic "he's harmless". This is tantamount to saying "what are you complaining about, stop making such a fuss".

I think the correct protocol is

  1. Call back dog and firmly take control
  2. If '1' has not worked run over
  3. Firmly take control of dog
  4. Apologise profusely and offer to make good any damage.

This is generally what happens on the 2 or 3 occasions a year that a dog snuffles around our picnic, taking into account almost daily picnics throughout summer. (Although to be fair if a dog approaches me in a friendly manner I generally start chatting to it/stroking it before it can reach the picnic, so there may have been potential picnic incidents that I assumed were all about my magnetic appeal to dogs, not sandwiches. Hmm).

I respond with "Oh, no, don't worry, what a lovely dog", because generally it is a lovely dog.

I think I have had the "he's harmless" dog line once in a non picnic related incident and I was not amused.

DontPutMeDownForCardio · 07/07/2014 08:21

She had a point. If there was a table available you should have used it if you've got a problem with dogs. I don't get why you would purposely sit on the floor with food in a place where dogs are known to run off lead. Nice flounce though.

VivaLeBeaver · 07/07/2014 08:36

To be honest I don't mind "he's harmless".

I was cycling at the weekend and I have a recumbent bike so I'm really low down. Doberman off lead coming towards me, owner was busy texting and hadn't seen me. Doberman goes into "stalking mode" towards me. I stop and am silently panicking. Daren't move and my face his head height.

Owner looks up as dog pounces. I was glad he said "he's harmless" to me as it did stop me shitting my pants.

MyFairyKing · 07/07/2014 08:40

I put fairydog on a lead if there are picnickers because he is a little fucker if there is chicken to be had and I wouldn't take the risk. On the other hand, I'd probably not eat a picnic on the grass on the off chance a hungry dog came bounding my way.

HappyAgainOneDay · 07/07/2014 08:59

I fear that the great British picnic might be dying out because people are sick to the back teeth of dogs having a free rein. Why should we sit 'at a table'? A proper picnic is on a tablecloth / blanket spread on the ground. Just keep your wretched animal away, please!

CorusKate · 07/07/2014 09:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CorusKate · 07/07/2014 09:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PeachyTheSanctiMoanyArse · 07/07/2014 09:46

'Just as it's not right to bother or disturb other people in any other way.' oh what I could do with that post

Absolutely adore dogs, don't have one but that's hugely circs over desire. As someone who tends to welcome dog intrusion, and who tends not to be scared by large dogs, these things never seem to happen to me. Strange or what?

PeachyTheSanctiMoanyArse · 07/07/2014 09:48

And YY to seagulls; Dh couldn't use his office for visiting customers for a few days last month as there was a seagull nest with babies by the front door and they were attacking people.

Staywithme · 07/07/2014 09:49

To be honest, given that dogs, foxes, birds, mice, etc, do their business on the grass, there's no way I'd put a picnic on it. But each to their own I suppose.

Staywithme · 07/07/2014 09:51

Lmao. Sorry Peachy, but I'd love to seen him trying to explain that to his clients. Grin

JaceLancs · 07/07/2014 10:03

I was sat inside a local cafe which is next to a small stately home type place (cafe is in the old mews) there is also a park area which local dog walkers use
I was peacefully reading whilst having breakfast when a dog jumped on my table scattering all the crockery - I narrowly escaped scalding as the tea pot just missed my leg
Dog then landed in my lap covering me in mud! I was more in a state of shock to do/ say anything
The dogs owner was nowhere to be seen - a few people sat nearby stopped to check I was ok and waitress ran outside to look for dog/owner
30 minutes or so later I was in car park on way out and saw this dog again with its owner, not on lead and owner was ineffectually trying to get dog to get in car
I went and 'had words' politely but firmly and was met with a torrent of abuse!!!!
I got in my car shaking - then decided that further action was needed - I photographed her car reg etc, and contacted my local council who promised that they would pass on to police, dog warden and park rangers to speak to this dogs owner
Within next couple of weeks I was contacted by park ranger who had spoken to her, I then received some kind of apology and a voucher for dry cleaning
Hopefully she will look after her dog better in future and also not assume that if she doesn't it is likely to be challenged or reported

mistlethrush · 07/07/2014 10:14

I have to put my dog on the lead if I see a picnic as I don't want her introducing herself and telling the picnickers what a nice dog she is and how she is half starved at home and would really like some proper food...

I thought I would check the issue of increase in dog numbers - according to the sources I've found, between 1981 and 2001, the number of households owning dogs has dropped.

saintlyjimjams · 07/07/2014 10:17

Lmao. Sorry Peachy, but I'd love to seen him trying to explain that to his clients

Anyone who has ever been dive bombed by a seagull would understand. I'd rather have a meeting in a cage full of pit bulls than dodge a dive bombing seagull with babies. Dh's head was quite badly cut!

ChelsyHandy · 07/07/2014 10:18

I was bitten by a dog in a park. I'm with the OP etc on this one. It was terrifying, painful and resulted in a visit to the hospital for stitches and antibiotics. In fact, two dogs were involved and I'm pretty sure this was why they attacked (pack mentality = braver). They ran up on me from behind, I had no idea that they were even there. I thought I was going to be knocked down and mauled, and I'm a strong adult - imagine if it was a child. "They've never done that before" said the totally ineffectual owner. Absolutely terrifying. Its so easy to see the difference between well trained, well kept dogs and dogs owned by ineffectual idiots. If you are the former, keep your dogs on leads in parks.

ChelsyHandy · 07/07/2014 10:20

CorusKate And TBH I'd vouch for the cleanliness of a dog's mouth over a (depressing, municipal-feeling) picnic bench any day

You've obviously never experienced deep puncture wounds from a dog bit - the bacteria makes them really sting. Its a very distinctive type of pain.

CorusKate · 07/07/2014 10:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

salsmum · 07/07/2014 10:40

If I wanted something to eat in the park and it was a park used by dogs I'm not sure I'd actually want to sit on the ground anyway...I'd opt for a bench, table etc to sit on knowing that a dog hasn't fouled there (which you couldn't guarantee on the ground) and I am a dog lover/owner who is a responsible person and cleans up after them and has them on a lead.

DontPutMeDownForCardio · 07/07/2014 10:58

By all means sit on the floor with the picnic. It just doesn't display any kind of common sense to sit on the floor with food in an area where dogs are allowed to run off lead then whinge and bitch because a dog showed interest in your food. Surely, surely, it's just a case of using your brain? If dogs off lead bother you, use a table or eat somewhere where dogs are on leads. Dog owners shouldn't have to keep their dogs on lead constantly where they are allowed to be off if they aren't aggressive. I'm not sure why dog owners are second class citizens on mumsnet. And I'm not a dog owner.

Staywithme · 07/07/2014 11:22

Sorry Saintly, didn't mean to sound uncaring towards your DH, I missed that bit. I would never mock someone being hurt, just thought it funny from perspective of clients reaction to a bird making an office out of use. Thanks