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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

about dog jumping up

79 replies

biscuitkumquat · 18/03/2016 12:20

First foray into AIBU so please be gentle.

Was in Pets At Home this morning picking up bits for the cat, and hadn't really been aware before that pets were allowed in (it's a pet shop, makes sense), but there was a young girl with her dog, which was on it's lead, standing in front of me at the checkout.

Her dog jumped at me, not in an aggressive way, but because I couldn't move backwards out of it's way, I did a kind of sideways shuffle to try to get out of the way, because she couldn't stop him.

The parents of the girl came over and controlled the dog, and said, oh, he's just being friendly, he's just a puppy, and I said, oh no he hasn't hurt me at all, but he has made quite a mess of my coat (light grey & covered in dirty paw prints), and they just gave me a nervous smile, and it was their turn to be served.

I let them finish paying for their stuff, and smiled & said my coat's actually dry clean only, and I will have to get it cleaned. Again, nervous smile from both, but no offer to pay for it, then turned to leave. So, I had to say again, again with a smile, my coat's dry clean, and your dog has made an awful mess of it, I think you should offer to pay to clean it.

They were NOT HAPPY. Mum & daughter left, Dad then starts shouting at me, saying I have ruined his daughter's birthday present, and what do I expect in a pet shop, then stormed out.

I waited a bit, then followed him out & took a photograph of his car registration number. Went back in & assistant apologised & offered to get a cloth & some water to see if it would make a difference. it didn't

I'm not really sure if there's anything I can do, but AIBU to be pissed off that I was shouted at & now have to pay to clean my coat, all for a couple of packets of buggering Dreamies.

OP posts:

RockUnit · 18/03/2016 14:32

You could also have kept your distance if you were that worried about it.

It's the owners that should keep the dog at a distance from people if it's likely to jump up.

is in the nature of dogs to want face to face contact and they do love people

It's in the nature of people to not want a dog's face right in front of them.

TeamSteady · 18/03/2016 14:47

In theory i think yes, owners should absolutely be responsible for any damage caused by their pets...

However, if the puppy was being walked in a shop, i assume was it was pretty clean? So really we're talking dust marks? You said yourself you've brushed the coat down quickly and they've come off.

The man's reaction WBU but I think you sound rather precious.

However, if we are talking filthy mud splattered wet hound then YANBU.

Canshopwillshop · 18/03/2016 14:57

He shouldn't have shouted but I do think you were being a bit precious. Yes, it's a bit annoying to get your coat mucky but it's life . I hate the whole blame culture in our society. A little puppy being over enthusiastic would have made me smile and I wouldn't have cared about the coat - it will probably sponge off anyway. Try not to be so uptight.

Twitterqueen · 18/03/2016 15:50

You are being somewhat precious IMO. It's a pet shop. There are pets. Puppies will jump up - they're like young excitable toddlers.

YANBU for being pissed off about your coat getting dirty.
YABU to wear a dry-clean-only coat in a pet shop near a puppy.
YABU to take a photo of the dad's number plate and make such a big deal out of it.

I always smother a smile when I see people in white trousers walking dogs in the park or on the common... I mean - come one! Do you really think you can walk in a park/common without getting the odd splash of dirt etc?

Keep it real.

RockUnit · 18/03/2016 15:54

It's a pet shop. There are pets.

There are fish at a fishmongers. Should customers expect to be covered in fish?

Twitterqueen · 18/03/2016 15:55

What a silly comment Fish! I would hope the fish are dead. And that the pets are alive. Bit of a difference....

trixymalixy · 18/03/2016 15:59

YANBU

RockUnit · 18/03/2016 15:59

There are customers in all shops. Should they be allowed to jump up at people?

Owners should control their pets. Being in a pet shop doesn't mean an animal should annoy other customers.

Why bother keeping any of the animals in a hutch, why not just let them run around biting people? After all "it's a pet shop, there are pets".

It's just selfishness to think that someone else's badly-behaved pet trumps the rights of other customers.

Redderred · 18/03/2016 16:09

Yanbu at all
And don't listen to anyone that's saying you are.
People should not take their pets into shops if they are likely to do that. You should not have to expect it, or put up with it.

LeaLeander · 18/03/2016 16:13

YANBU. I would always offer to pay if my dogs created any mess or damage. It's the decent thing to do.

People who say that is to be expected in a pet shop -- what if it were an ice-cream shop and a toddler rammed an ice-cream cone into the OP's coat? Would one feel obliged to have it cleaned then or say "You have to expect children and mess in an ice-cream shop" ???

Mia1415 · 18/03/2016 16:19

To be honest I think your reaction was way over the top! Yes the dog should have been under control, and yes the Dad shouldn't have shouted, but its a coat! It's outdoor clothing. It could get dirty in any manner of ways.

And going to take a picture of the car number plate was really over the top.

CreepingDogFart · 18/03/2016 16:23

I think you are precious.

Greyponcho · 18/03/2016 16:24

Sterophonically challenged - actually yes, if you are splashed by someone driving through a puddle then you can report them as it against the Highway Code - people have failed driving tests for not stopping for that.
OP - YANBU. It's fair enough to take a dog into the pet shop but it should be under control, which the girl clearly couldn't do - same as if in any other public place IMO. The dad was a tit.

Wolfiefan · 18/03/2016 16:29

YANBU
Dogs shouldn't jump up.
Kids shouldn't be left in charge of a dog they can't handle.
Twitter the OP said she didn't know the shop let dogs in.
What if the dog jumped up and scared a child or knocked over an elderly person?

FreeSpirit89 · 18/03/2016 16:31

Imo they should have left there child in charge of the dog. Yes, should pay for it.

Ameliablue · 18/03/2016 16:40

Yanbu. As a dog owner, I would do what I could to prevent my dog jumping up, particularly if muddy but I would also offer to pay if they did.

Branleuse · 18/03/2016 16:44

i think youre being a bit precious. If you have a light coloured dry clean only coat, then youre going to have to get it dry cleaned sometimes. Thats your lookout

of course the child should have kept the puppy under tighter control, but it hasnt hurt you or damaged anything. Just made your coat a bit dirty

Original poster

biscuitkumquat · 18/03/2016 16:46

I was pretty sure I wasn't being unreasonable, and I was also pretty sure someone would tell me I was being.

YABU to wear a dry-clean-only coat in a pet shop near a puppy
Aaaah, y'see I live in Scotland, and it's a bit chilly up here, so in early Spring I like to wear a coat that keeps me, errrr warm. And, given that I wanted to pay for my Dreamies, I don't know where else I could have stood other than in the queue for the cash register. But maybe I can invest in a going to buy Dreamies outfit that I can keep in the boot of my car, for such situations.

I'm not precious about my coat at all. It gets dirty so I have it cleaned. I was pissed off because I honestly didn't think it was reasonable that someone should be in charge of a dog that they're not in control of, and for them to then make that my problem because it costs me money.

But when I took my coat to Morrisons to drop it off to get it cleaned, there was a 3 for 2 offer on So all is not lost

OP posts:

dogsnotsprogs · 18/03/2016 16:50

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Twitterqueen · 18/03/2016 16:51

It was a little girl and her puppy
It was her birthday
A coat is intended to protect your clothes and you. Maybe you need another coat to protect the other coat?

Really - please lighten up. No one here is saying YABU for being annoyed. Live and let live. Shit happens - it doesn't mean you have to make it shit for other people too.

dogsnotsprogs · 18/03/2016 16:55

Re-read the thread and have seen that some dog owners are talking about their dog 'not jumping as they've been trained out of it'.

^Really?
^
Personally, any dog/cat is part of the family. I don't own a dog currently but my old dog slept in every bed of the house and under the covers, whilst being cuddled and kissed.

mynameissal123 · 18/03/2016 17:00

I'm a dog owner & when my dog was young he pinched a plastic football & burst it from someone on beach. I apologised & offered to pay. It was one of those cheap ones from poundland but he said it cost £7. I didn't quibble though apologised again & paid up. My dog, my mistake. Still feel bad now.

ArgyMargy · 18/03/2016 17:02

"Any dog/cat is part of the family" - what on earth does that have to do with it?

YANBU

Branleuse · 18/03/2016 17:04

my dog looked at someone a bit shifty once.

I still self flagellate daily about it

ArgyMargy · 18/03/2016 17:04

The dog wasn't trying to move out of the way, the OP was. Dogsnotsprogs perhaps you should get that dog hair out of your eyes and read the OP's post.

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