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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who was BU - dogs on beach

12 replies

mummyrabbitpeppapig · 01/08/2017 15:21

Just back from mini break to Wales. 3 year old playing catch with bean bags. Dog ran up and barked at her so she screamed ( she doesn't like dogs). Owner came up and I said 'she doesn't like dogs ( dog also tried to grab bean bag out of her hand! DO had a right go at me saying there are no signs saying dogs aren't allowed) I replied 'i don't have a problem with dogs on a beach - I have a problem with dogs running up to my child and taking her toys! - surely dogs who don't respond to their owners should be in a lead??!!!!! DD v upset

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyrabbitpeppapig · 01/08/2017 15:21

Oops - omitted to say we were on a beach!

OP posts:
Notreallyarsed · 01/08/2017 15:22

Yes, dogs without perfect recall should always be on a lead. I have a dog and she's always on lead with me, but not DP because she recalls for him. DO was being a dick, especially since dog tried to snatch a toy from your 3 yo! Hope your DD is ok now.

Sirzy · 01/08/2017 15:24

As with anywhere else owners should control dogs. If the dog can't be trusted off lead it should be on lead.

As a side note we have taught ds who is scared of dogs to stand quietly and do "x factor arms" shows the dog he doesn't want to play and it gives him something to focus on rather than running and screaming (so dog may think playful)

Booboobooboo84 · 01/08/2017 15:24

Eurghghgh I hate DO like that. I have a big bouncy dog with zero respect for personal boundaries. That's why he's on a lead in public at all times. I'm sure he'd love to go roaming free but he can't be trusted. So I don't let him because of things like the above you DD deserves to feel safe on the beach

ConstanceCraving · 01/08/2017 15:25

Poor DD. Obviously you're not going to get anyone saying yabu. The owner was in the wrong and shouldn't have let the dog off lead when there's children playing if they know it might steal the toys.

But do keep working on your DD's fear of dogs because after this it would be easy for you to magnify them.

SquareWord · 01/08/2017 15:26

As the owner of two dogs I can categorically say that the owner was being unreasonable. People like her (as well as those who don't pick up after their dogs) are what give dog owners a bad name. Hope your dd is ok.

fairgame84 · 01/08/2017 15:26

As a dog owner I think YANBU.
If the dog doesn't have perfect recall then it should be on the lead.

happypoobum · 01/08/2017 15:31

OP doesn't say the DO called the dog so it may well have perfect recall - maybe the DO didn't bother calling it Sad

Definitely the DO fault. I have a bouncy lab and I walk him in our local National Park offlead. Every now and then he will come across a family with a picnic or similar, and being a greedy guts he will bound straight up to them and he nicked a sausage from someone once but as soon as I see him veering off towards people I will call him and he will come back.

It's much easier on a beach than in the countryside to see ahead to where children are playing and where your dog is, so the dog shouldn't have been anywhere near your DC. He should have called the dog and kept him or her on a lead until safely past you.

aaaaargghhhhelpme · 01/08/2017 15:33

I hate this. Hope your dd is ok

Unless you have perfect recall on your dog they shouldn't be off lead

There's a gorgeous fluffy bouncy Labrador near us. She loves people and runs up to everyone for a stroke. My dd is terrified. She is now (just about) taller than the dog but shes small for her age. She would scream and hide behind my legs whilst the dog owner would shout (from the other end of the bloody road) 'oh she's really friendly!'
I couldn't give a fuck if she's friendly. She's terrifying my dd! How would you like it if an animal that towers over you came running towards you. And what if heaven forbid she turned or something startled her and she snapped - the owner couldn't do a bloody thing as he's ambling along nowhere near her.

I don't blame the dog. I blame the owner.

MrsClegane · 01/08/2017 15:51

DO was BU.

I understand, being a dog owner, that sometimes they have teenage selective hearing, especially when they see something as fun as beanbags..... but my god, her dog tried taking something off a child she should have been apologising and telling the dog off NOT having a go at you!!

Our dog is still learning, he is good off lead and has ok recall.... but he's only going to learn by us teaching him.... but at the moment I have eyes like a hawk and as soon as I see anyone around I call him back and put on a lead. I would be so apologetic if my dog bounded up and scared anyone or tried to take anything.... We're lucky we have plenty of outdoor that he can go off lead and not see anyone, but at 8 months he is still learning. What annoyed me the other day was I saw someone coming, put my dog on a lead, she carried on with her dog off lead, who immediately came over growling at mine. the owner literally laughed "oh buster" (not dogs name, I can't remember the name it was some stupid thing) and carried on walking, it was a good few seconds of my dog cowering not moving for him to turn and follow owner.... some people need to get a grip and manage their dogs!!!

MrsClegane · 01/08/2017 15:53

oh we also had a dog on our road who would roam around, constantly jumping up at my children. My children have been brought up around dogs but all the jumping up started to make them scared of dogs.... we got the "oh shes friendly" comments but we were so p*ed off, the owner didnt do anything, in the end we phoned the dog warden cos she was letting it roam and poo all over.... though of course then they threatened us with a crow bar...visits from police, etc etc but thats a whole other story.....

even the "friendly" small dogs can scare a child....bloody women!!!1

ChelleDawg2020 · 01/08/2017 15:57

YANBU. If the owner can't control the dog to prevent it charging at innocent bystanders then they should not allow it off the lead.

Whether or not the beach in question allows dogs is irrelevant, it does not absolve the owner of responsibility for controlling it. Even the most friendly, docile of dogs can turn into a killer without warning.

Unfortunately it is incidents like this that can increase a child's fear of dogs.

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