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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dog Owners

81 replies

GreyStars · 30/03/2017 23:29

To be fair I'm uncomfortable around large dogs, i am very scared of them

Today in vets I walk in see vet in consulting room is looking after a large dog.

Vet closes door

As I'm not good with dogs and I have a cat in basket who doesn't like dogs I put ourselves as far away as possible so when dog and owner walk out we are as far away from the paying counter as possible

Dog owner walks past, towards counter I say to him " sure your dog is lovely but i don't like dogs"

He rolls his eyes at me, his dog is on a rope, he lets it get closer to me

I say again "please keep your dog away from me"

Fifth time I tell him please move your dog and I'm feeling horrible, embarrassed and I want to burst into tears

The receptionist even asked him to move. Two foot towards the counter would have helped

His answer - well I had hands my full

I'm sure the actual dog was lovely, but shouldn't dog owners understand not everyone is comfortable with their dogs?

OP posts:
smallchanceofrain · 31/03/2017 01:01

I love my dog but understand that not everyone else will. She's a large and very docile greyhound. DS1 used to be scared of dogs so I know what it's like to spend your time trying to avoid them. However if I was at the vet's, with my well behaved dog, and a random person told me they didn't like dogs I would probably think they were a bit odd to blurt that out and I would wonder what they expected me to do about it.

crazycatgal · 31/03/2017 01:10

My vets has a separate dog and cat waiting area and there's always one idiot with a dog who comes and sits in the cat area even though the dog area has room. Some people are a little bit dim tbh.

Veterinari · 31/03/2017 01:17

If you 'dislike' of dogs is that strong you should probably make an effort to go to a vet practice with a separate dog and cat waiting area

Original poster
GreyStars · 31/03/2017 01:19

I'm really not a loon

i am just very uncomfortable around very large dogs

OP posts:
Original poster
GreyStars · 31/03/2017 01:24

I normally do go to my main practise, which has separate areas

Today I had to go to their sub practice, I take my cat every other week

It was more I asked a person with a very large dog to move him away from me and he didn't.

I'm sure the dog was lovely but coming towards me, scares the hell out of me

I think the owner should have at least said he is friendly

OP posts:
SpreadYourHappiness · 31/03/2017 02:01

GreyStars Don't worry, she wasn't calling you a loon; she was calling me one Wink

kali110 · 31/03/2017 02:13

Why did you say something straight away though?
Dog owner walks past, towards counter I say to him " sure your dog is lovely but i don't like dogs
The dog hadn't done anything at that point? Simply gone up to the counter?

Christmasnoooooooooooo · 31/03/2017 07:05

You could have waited in your car ..I have seen people do that in my vets .

BiteyShark · 31/03/2017 07:15

I love my dog but totally understand other people might not. He was not doing anything wrong walking past you but once you had said you didn't like dogs he should have put the dog on a shorter lead.

Saying that I find it hard to manage my dog and do things like pay at the vets when he is trying to investigate every smell.

Asmoto · 31/03/2017 07:21

Perhaps stick to the main practice with separate areas in future. I think all vets should offer these where at all possible.

In a setting other than a vets, I'd say dog owners would be expected to have their dogs under control - the problem is that in a vets, you'll have a disproportionate number of puppies which are still being trained, and dogs that are unwell so might not be their normal well-behaved selves. Owners need to do what they can, but ideally the vet practice should manage the waiting areas to minimise mixing of species.

HermioneJeanGranger · 31/03/2017 07:22

What I don't understand is why you felt the need to say "I'm sure your dog is lovely but I don't like dogs" when all that had happened was the owner had walked out of the consultation room.

What was the point? Confused

Lostwithinthehills · 31/03/2017 07:23

Why did you say something straight away though?
Dog owner walks past, towards counter I say to him " sure your dog is lovely but i don't like dogs
The dog hadn't done anything at that point? Simply gone up to the counter?

This is what I thought, the dog owner had to walk out of the consulting room to the reception desk. You have obviously placed yourself in a spot between the consulting room and the desk, so you knew that the dog would be walking past you. You spoke pretty bluntly to the dog owner, "I don't like dogs", when the dog was calm and under control and hadn't paid you any attention, I don't really blame the dog owner for rolling his eyes.

harderandharder2breathe · 31/03/2017 07:25

So he walked past you to the counter and you complained? If that's right YABU

HIBU to let the dog get closer to you after you said you don't like dogs.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 31/03/2017 07:35

I think YABU.

I am a dog lover. I have a dislike of cats. In a vets, I would expect to see cats. He had every right to walk past you. Your manner was prickly and didn't get much sympathy.

Toddlerteaplease · 31/03/2017 07:40

I am quite uncomfortable round dogs. My vet has a separate waiting area for dogs and cats. I did have a polite word with reception when people with dogs were sitting in the cat area. Pity they can't sound proof them as well. A very yappy horrible jack Russell was terrifying my poor cat. Angry

BeaderBird · 31/03/2017 07:43

Dog owners shouldn't let them 'roam'?

The dog was on a lead, walking, under control but heading in the direction of the OP. Man alive, how unreasonable of the dog and owner Confused

hungryhippo90 · 31/03/2017 07:48

no, most dog owners would keep their dog away from someone who was uncomfortable.

I have a boxer, who looks rabid when we go for walks, big slobbery dribble hanging from his face! He has a fascination for anything with tyres, wants to lick every person to within an inch of their lives, and has been known to actually lunge at innocents in the park, for the love he feels he deserves from everyone he meets!

I love him, and do think hes the sweetest little woofer but I can well see why people would think he was a nuisance, if i left these behaviours unchecked.

If people ask to stroke him, they get a warning about what hes like, then its their choice. People tend to walk away covered in slobber after he has gained the maximum attention and love!...until that point he has to be walked on a very short lead, sadly. I would hate for people to feel uncomfortable, and im sure people would, if my boxer lunged toward them, mouth open, slobber hanging, and they were already unsure of dogs.

that being said, if you need to go to a vets like this again, I would call when in the car park to let them know you are waiting outside because of dog fear etc, and would you be able to go through a different entrance? Tell them your numberplate, they may even come to collect you when they are ready to see your pet.

my dog has had several appointments at a naice vets, because of eye problems. They have a policy that if dogs arent very good with others, (he isnt. its a jealousy thing. my boy "owns" all the people) he can go through an emergency exit which has made it much easier to attend these appointments. takes some of the anxiety away. Was especially helpful a few months ago when they told us that he had lost the sight in one eye, and couldnt be operated on. Was quite upset to say the least! and it helped to not have to dodge dogs that he may have wanted to try and fight (i know he is a bugger, ive tried to change these behaviours since having him!)

KinkyAfro · 31/03/2017 07:50

I also don't understand why you said anything if the dog was just walking past to the counter?

MabelFurball · 31/03/2017 07:53

Love your post HungryHippo - made me laugh.

GinAndOnIt · 31/03/2017 07:56

Whilst I do agree he should have stopped the dog coming closer after you'd said you didn't like it, I can sort of see why he got rolley-eyed. It sounds as though the dog was walking along as it should have been and whilst dealing with the receptionist, someone in the background just blurted out 'I don't like dogs' - he couldn't really have done anything else at that point and... I don't know. It just comes across a bit hostile.

Like the other day, a lady had a proper go at a friend and me when we were walking our dogs. We weren't actually doing anything wrong, but it wasn't ideal for her. Rather than asking us nicely to change what we were doing (and we would have straight away) she just got arsey with us both which immediately got our backs up and made us both eye roll.

Imamouseduh · 31/03/2017 07:57

To be fair if my dog was not paying the slightest bit of attention to you and you started carrying on like that you would have got an eye roll from me too. It's a vet's office. There are going to be dogs there.

NoParticularPattern · 31/03/2017 08:05

I fully agree that people should control their dogs when at the vets (or anywhere actually). We have four small dogs who are all fine individually, but if they need to go to the vets together for whatever reason they are a nightmare. Not nasty but they just need to be near each other.

However I think YAB a bit U since apparently all that prompted you to blurt out "I don't like dogs" was that the dog was walked past you on the way out. If I'm being honest, this would definitely get you an eye roll from me and I'd probably think you a bit nuts. Sorry- I'm sure you're lovely, but blurting things out like that makes you sound a little unhinged if there was no preamble associated. Maybe in future just do what we do if we ever need to visit with more than one dog- wait outside, tell them you're here and they will come and get you.

Casschops · 31/03/2017 08:06

While dogs are inevitable in vets all owners need to be courteous and keep their dog under control. I say this as the owner of a friendly collie but wouldn't subj ect other people or animals to her nosiness.

WayfaringStranger · 31/03/2017 08:07

YANBU and I'm sorry. I'm a small dog owner and we're often at the vet. I get so annoyed when people let their dogs wander and approach other dogs. It's a vet FFS, chances are many other dogs are ill and in pain, the may snap. Just don't. Ugh.

TaliDiNozzo · 31/03/2017 08:07

Sounds like your initial rudeness probably clouded the whole encounter, perhaps it would've been a better idea to wait outside if you knew this was going to present an issue for you?

I don't think dog owners should allow their animals near people who have said they don't like dogs (although saying you were frightened would've been better) but it was a vets and the dog was tethered, it's hardly a major crime.