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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think crying over a puppy snapping at your heels is a bit pathetic?

466 replies

outofthefryingpan · 26/01/2018 22:32

We have a 7 month old pup. A small breed which will never grow higher that knee height. A friend came round unexpectedly with her 9 yo boy and because husband thought it was our daughter he let the pup down to greet her when he opened the door.

Pup ran outside and started snapping at ankles of the 9yo boy. Pup chased him a bit until husband managed to pick him up. Boy crying hysterically in floods of tears. Mother (friend) then storms off in a huff and apparently then arrives home herself in tears. Friend’s husband then demands we “do something about that dog”.
I’ve apologised profusely but they’re still all really upset about it. AIBU to think they’re being a bit pathetic about it? They’re good friends and I really value our relationship as I’ve always thought of them as really sensible people. Can’t believe the drama over this 5 second incident! I could understand it if it was a big dog but honestly- it’s tiny!

I suppose if you’re not used to dogs you don’t know how to deal with them but am I really BU to think it’s a daft drama over nothing?

OP posts:
EstaVino · 27/01/2018 13:54

I was bitten by a yorkshire terrier.

I think it could smell that I wasn't a fan of its breed but I was giving it lots of fuss as it was my potential boss's dog.

I crouched down to this small puppy and it bit my knee and drew blood. A dog the size of a rabbit drew blood, and it bloody hung on as well. I just laughed it off as it was an interview but the owners were horrified.

Some people hate dogs and we have a reason to. All the things you find cute we find hellish. What you see as typical dog behaviour we see as the devil.

P.s we have had numerous family dogs but they've been trained to high heaven. But then again we have poodles so in my eyes I have sheep that can bark.

DancingOnRainbows · 27/01/2018 13:57

I think it's more pathetic when people get dogs, can't be bothered to train them properly then blame others when they don't appreciate being chased/snapped at/slobbered on.

I often wonder how said dog owners would respond if I let my young children run at them, jump on them, lick them or bite their ankles Hmm

UgandanKnuckles · 27/01/2018 14:01

^then anyone who complained would be shot down with rants about autism/ special needs/ something else, and that you just need to accept it with good humour.

SomewhereInbetween1 · 27/01/2018 14:07

Why are you still letting a 7 month old dog nip people? Why have you not yet trained him to not run out the door or bite people? YABU

gamerwidow · 27/01/2018 14:10

Tiny dogs can be the worst for spiteful behaviour because people don’t bother to train because they’re ‘only little’. Small dogs can have nasty bites too and at 7 months you should have stopped this behaviour. What are you going to do to train your dog properly. If he did to a postman what he did to that child you’d find your property blacklisted.

tabulahrasa · 27/01/2018 15:05

"do people really think a pup can be fully trained by 7 months old??"

There's no such thing as a fully trained dog...

But do I think a 7 month old puppy can be trained to not run out just because the door is open, not try to bite people it finds out there and recall fairly reliably... yes.

Or at least for the owner to realise they have a training issue and manage the dog.

I mean nevermind the biting (which is the bigger issue, but easier to avoid) if your dog has no recall it's completely irresponsible to open the front door without shutting another door in between the dog and outside.

What if it was a delivery and it got on to the road?

Malemakeup678 · 27/01/2018 15:49

Yanbu. The other woman is a smother-mother.

Bhtstt · 27/01/2018 15:59

When I was younger a small dog attacked me in the park. The only way to stop it was to boot it flush in the face. That did the trick.

eggofmantumbi · 27/01/2018 16:05

This summarises exactly how i feel about dogs!

I often wonder how said dog owners would respond if I let my young children run at them, jump on them, lick them or bite their ankles

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 27/01/2018 18:43

MiaowTheCat except no one’s talking about dogs on a lead who are under control are they? They’re talking about the door opening and a small dog bounding round unexpectedly and nipping at a child’s ankles.

Not sure how some people are interpreting people not wanting this as ‘hysteria about dogs’.

Believeitornot · 27/01/2018 18:48

I think people have read the OP and thinking the puppy is a little andrex one. When it isn’t judging by the age!

MadMags · 27/01/2018 18:49

This can’t be real!

I see OP disappeared...

PearlyGatesMontenegro · 27/01/2018 19:10

I don't think YABU, and I say this as someone who was bitten on the FACE by a dog as a child, TWICE.

I'm still not scared of dogs btw.

It's a tiny little thing. the kids hardly going to lose a leg of the dog bit him, but the way I've read it, the dog didn't actually bite him anyway 🙄

I reckon the mother has projected her own fears.

wildbhoysmama · 27/01/2018 19:11

YADNBU OP. You've had a really hard time on here. Whilst we all recognise that some kids are scared of dogs, I do think that crying hysterically ( both child of 9 and mother) is indeed a touch ridiculous. It's a small pup and they came over unexpectedly.
I'm not a dog owner, but this would really annoy me. My 3 DC will pretty much get on with stuff, cope with new experiences and try to face situations positively because they've been taught and shown how to ( one also with SEN). I know it may have nipped but not a huge danger for hysterical crying.
My sister has a special snowflake child and it drives me insane!

Ironfloor · 27/01/2018 19:13

Does anyone else think the OP has come on here under several name charges to respond to heg own thread? 😄

wildbhoysmama · 27/01/2018 19:22

Ironfloor, I'm definitely real!

Spikeyball · 27/01/2018 19:28

"My 3 DC will pretty much get on with stuff, cope with new experiences and try to face situations positively because they've been taught and shown how to ( one also with SEN)."

Mine also sn can't do that.

Nikephorus · 27/01/2018 19:29

Another OP who doesn't like what she's heard and so is sulking
Nope. I reported the thread this morning as being a goady OP & Mumsnet came back to me and said OP had already deactivated her account. Take from that fact what you will (I took it as OP having come, stirred, and left)

Willow2017 · 27/01/2018 19:32

striker
Oh well that makes it ok then. If it was biting his ankles on their property i doesnt hurt i suppose.
Silly child should have known.
Ffs!

Oysterbabe · 27/01/2018 19:34

Surprising that she's flounced as she's been posting for 6 years or so.

Pinga · 27/01/2018 19:40

PearlyGatesMontenegro
A friend of mine now has half a middle finger thanks to a dog about the same size. Not a leg but still........ as humans we dont grow new fingers!

claraschu · 27/01/2018 20:15

I think people have been really horrible to the OP. I have been shocked by the responses to this thread. She didn't flounce, just chose not to answer.
I will quote my own earlier response-

The OP apologised profusely to the family.

No one was hurt
The OP never says that the 9 year old has a dog phobia. In fact, if he had such a phobia, the parents wouldn't call unexpectedly on a friend with a dog.
I think the parents and the child all overreacted in an absurd way.

Idontdowindows · 27/01/2018 20:22

The OP apologised profusely to the family.

And then came here to call them pathetic and dramamongers behind their backs.

Fitbitironic · 27/01/2018 22:47

The OP never says that the 9 year old has a dog phobia
And would she know if he had a previously upsetting encounter with a dog as a small child? No. So that's irrelevant. You deal with things as they occur - child was upset by her dog, she doesn't know the reason why (apart from it being a snappy little mutt that chased him around!), any decent person (friend?!?) would be concerned about the son, rather than coming on here to whine about their behaviour, surely? I have no sympathy for any 'mean' comments she gets.

52FestiveRoad · 27/01/2018 23:02

Situations like this are why I have a horrific life long phobia of dogs which really effects me and made my childhood very hard as Icouldn't go to beaches or parks where dogs would be...
Desperately trying not to let it rub off on my kids but when dog owners do things like this I'm fighting a loosing battle!
So yeah... yabu massively

This is my experience too. These days I can 'fake it' that I am not afraid, but I think my children and dogs definitely can sense that I am not at ease . All down to a selfish owner who let their dog escape and it bit me, and that was over 40 years ago, I still remember the fear.