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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dog snatched babies sandwich

342 replies

IsithormonesoramIamadcow · 02/04/2017 20:40

AIBU to think that it's not unreasonable to ask someone to put their dog on a lead....

When it's just come over to a family sitting on a bench having a picnic and chomped the sandwich out of a 17month olds hand - the whole of DS arm was inside the dogs mouth although the dog didn't actually 'bite' him.

I jumped up, shouted at the dog and asked the owner to put him on a lead. Explained he had just taken my DS hand as well as the sandwich. Dog owner paid no attention until DH lost his shit and threatened to deal with the dog himself... by which time our lovely relaxing afternoon had evaporated. Am I supposed to just be glad that DS still has all his fingers?

I am fed up with people saying their badly behaved off lead dogs are 'really friendly'. How am I supposed to know which ones are and which ones aren't.

OP posts:
20nil · 03/04/2017 11:19

Cannot believe some of these responces; thieving dogs having the 'right to a good time' and people being advised to take extra sandwiches for any random dog who wants some of their picnic, Shock
Ummm, I don't think so.

Slightly different, but what do people think about dogs being taken into the sea at beaches while people are swimming? I've seen this happen in the UK and abroad and was pretty annoyed. I don't like dogs and don't want to swim with yours. Neither do my terrified DCs.

ArseyTussle · 03/04/2017 11:26

I live near a beach, and the number of dog owners who ineffectually call out to dogs who then ignore them is rage inducing. I too would have lost my shit had that happened to us.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 03/04/2017 11:38

Well most beaches in the U.K. ban dogs in the summer months. If my dog was perfectly entitled to be there though I'd just keep him out of your way. It's not our fault that you are scared of dogs and I'm not a mind reader.

MadMags · 03/04/2017 11:38

aurynne if your dog came at my child and I kicked it away, I'd like to see you try to "put me on my arse".

I own the world's most gorgeous dog (to me). But kids trump dogs. Every time.

Don't be a shit dog owner and your dog won't get kicked.

user1490817986 · 03/04/2017 11:45

Madmags If you kicked my dog you'd' get a swift kick in the chops back.

DoodleFunker · 03/04/2017 11:46

But kids trump dogs. Every time.

Agree, although I am kind of over people thinking it's OK to let their child hit my dog because "it's a child". Fuck that. My dog, by the way, get's removed in such situations...

Still can't see how an entire arm of a toddler fitted into a dog's mouth though... Anyone?

I mean, we have a large dog, and there's no way it's possible...

ThouShallNotPass · 03/04/2017 11:46

This thread really should shock me with the number of people blaming the DH for getting pissed at the dog and apology-lacking owner, or those saying the dogs can't help it, or "it's only a sandwich!" or disbelieving the OP about the animal taking the child's arm in its mouth as well as the food (something which my own dumb dog would regularly do when accepting tidbits.) but when I see all the dog shit lining the pavements (both sides) surrounding our local primary school, including the nursery garden, I'm reminded that yes, there is a high number of god awful dog owners who really should have THEIR noses rubbed in their dog's shit.

Your dog should never steal food from a child but when mistakes are made and they do, at least apologise profusely and offer to buy a replacement!!!

ZigAZigAhh · 03/04/2017 11:47

YANBU. My animal loving toddler DS is now absolutely terrified of dogs thanks to an encounter with an off-leash "don't worry she's friendly" Maltese a few weeks ago. The dog was let loose near a children's playground, came racing up to DS, bowled him over and was barking and snapping in his face before I had a chance to scoop him up.

The owner was quite a way away and to her credit was apologetic when she (finally) ran up, but she clearly wasn't able to effectively control her dog. I didn't see anything in the dog's demeanour to indicate that it was friendly, either, despite the owner's "assurances".

Poor DS now clings to me in fright every time he sees a dog and I'm trying to work out how best to help him overcome his fear.

MadMags · 03/04/2017 11:50

user well if you're that way inclined, that's your look out.

Personally, I think a parent who kicks out at a dog attacking his/her child can be forgiven for acting off instinct.

And, as I said, if you can't control your dog it's you creating the danger, not the parent.

LoupGarou · 03/04/2017 11:52

I have the solution. OP can LTB so her red flag raising, shit losing DH won't be a concern anymore, and then she can pack extra sandwiches, and possibly dog treats too and be like the bird lady from Mary Poppins. Problem solved.

YANBU, I don't think a dog's mouth should ever be within food snatching distance of a child as that is also within biting distance.

BadTasteFlump · 03/04/2017 11:53

Still can't see how an entire arm of a toddler fitted into a dog's mouth though... Anyone?

Ok I'll bite. Why are you so fixated on this detail? Maybe only half of the arm was in the dog's mouth - would that make it acceptable to you? Would it be ok if the baby was only at risk of potentially losing half it's arm?

How much of your baby's arm would you be happy to see in a random dog's mouth? Hmm

AwaywiththePixies27 · 03/04/2017 11:57

Sounds like the issue is the dog owner

I don't usually agree with this on the face that animals act on instinct but I do in this case. I felt so sorry for a bloke the other day. He was training his dog, testing his recall, getting him used to his commands and obey and was using a time when the kids were in school. He held his dog on a short leash and was really trying with it. Cue a lady come sauntering along with her two giant dogs off the lead making a beeline for the dog on the lead. He just kept shouting go to the dogs that clearly weren't listening. He went straight off the park afterwards and I heard him say "sorry we have to leave here now".

The woman didn't even attempt to recall her dogs or put them on a lead and that situation could have turned very nasty very quickly. She seemed to literally not be able to realise what the problem was. Confused

DoodleFunker · 03/04/2017 11:58

I'd be more inclined to think this was based on truth if there wasn't some serious exaggeration in the post.

Why not just make the first post truthful? No one is going to change their views on it.

ExConstance · 03/04/2017 11:59

SignOnTheWindow - We have compulsory chipping now. Can't see the point of the rest, the country is covered in CCTV anyway. Would you give a DNA sample so the police could check more easily if you were up to no good?

DoodleFunker · 03/04/2017 11:59

Sounds like the issue is the dog owner

There are plenty of shit dog owners around. Sadly. Look at what has just happened in Manchester.

ArseyTussle · 03/04/2017 11:59

MsAdorabelle, I'm not frightened of dogs at all but I don't want to be jumped up on or slobbered on. Unless you are adult sized, a dog bounding up to you is intimidating, particularly if it's barking. Plus those dog walkers who do have their dogs on leads have their animals harassed by other dogs whose owners can't control them.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 03/04/2017 12:01

My animal loving toddler DS is now absolutely terrified of dogs thanks to an encounter with an off-leash "don't worry she's friendly" Maltese a few weeks ago. The dog was let loose near a children's playground, came racing up to DS, bowled him over and was barking and snapping in his face before I had a chance to scoop him up.

Zig we've had that too. With a black Labrador of all breeds! We'd only just got DS over his phobia of dogs. The man looked me up and down and went "my dog dont bite" and walked off!! Shock too bloody right I rang the dog warden on him. Put DS right back at square one. Sad

SemiNormal · 03/04/2017 12:04

Same thing happened to my son when we were having a picnic on the beach. Dog came over and stole his packet of crisps from his hands!! Wanker owner said/did nothing. His dog then did a massive shit right where we were sat so I said he might want to go clean that up. He reluctantly came to get it and ended up toppling down the steep bank of rocks roly-poly style, I only wish he'd landed head first in his dogs shit.

Ellybellyboo · 03/04/2017 12:06

YANBU

My dog once stole a sandwich from a child in a pushchair. Dog was on a lead (and in busy places I always wind it round my hand so it's pretty short) but child was waving sandwich about and dog managed to swipe it as we walked past them. I was so embarrassed, apologised profusely and bought them another sandwich from a nearby cafe.

Drives me mad when people let their dogs bound all over the place. We've worked and worked on recall and walking to heel, sometimes the dog's brain flies out of his head and he chases after leaves if it's windy but he goes straight back on his lead

MadisonAvenue · 03/04/2017 12:06

The dog owner was a twat and people like that give others a bad name.

I have a greedy dog and there's a picnic table on the common next to our house. Walk one way and we can see if people are there eating and if that's the case then we take a different path. Walk another way and we don't see the table until we're 10 yards away from it so he immediately has to go onto his lead. In fact, if he's walking slightly ahead of me he comes back to me as soon as he spots the picnickers and waits for me to put his lead on him before I've even said his name.

I wouldn't dream of allowing him to run over and invite himself to someone's picnic.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 03/04/2017 12:11

Oh well that's alright then ArseyTussle because my dog wouldn't be the slightest bit interested in jumping up at you or slobbering on you. He doesn't really do slobber. He does love a swim though so assuming you didn't come too near us if the kids are that scared, we'd probably just get on with our swim in peace and nobody would be offended at our presence.

SecretNetter · 03/04/2017 12:11

Madmags If you kicked my dog you'd' get a swift kick in the chops back

What a ridiculous comment considering that poster was saying what they would do if a dog 'came at' their child.

Mmm, so hypothetically your shit dog control skills (which they must be if your dog is in a position to bound up in the face of a child) have forced a parent to react to protect their child. Your response would then lead to you being done for assault. Winner Hmm

I love dogs and so do my dc. But if one bounded up to us and for whatever reason I thought it was a risk to the dc or likely to attack due to it's behaviour, it would get frightened, kicked, stones flung at it or whatever it took to get it the hell away.

ArseyTussle · 03/04/2017 12:17

MsAdorabelle, you don't have to be so defensive. I'm ambivalent about dogs until they become a pain in the arse for humans by leaving shit for us to step in, jumping up on us, barking at all hours and scaring kids. Dogs and humans can of course co-exist perfectly happily unless the owners let these things happen.

I like a good swim in the sea myself, so I suspect I'd get on perfectly well with your non-jumpy uppy, minding his own business pooch.

Ebbenmeowgi · 03/04/2017 12:19

It's not just dogs. When my brother was a toddler he'd make a beeline for any random group of people having a picnic, plonk himself down and start helping himself to whatever food was on offer!

Zaphodsotherhead · 03/04/2017 12:20

I'm not sure any Labrador has good recall when there is food about. Even the best and most reliable dog in the world can get a bit overexcited at the thought of free food.

I own terriers. Pair of little bastards (though I love them dearly) and wouldn't let them loose near so much as a packet of chewing gum.