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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To suspect the dog biscuits were poisoned?

56 replies

crunchymint · 14/03/2018 14:46

Just taken my labrador for a walk. He is an old dog, extremely friendly and even tempered, and like most labradors very very greedy. I have had to drag him away from sick on the pavement before, that he wanted to eat.
Anyway as we were walking slowly back from the park, a man stopped and stroked my dog - absolutely fine. He then asked if he could give him a dog biscuit. I said sure. He held the biscuit out and my dog would NOT touch it, even turned his head away. So I simply said oh he must not be hungry and we walked away.
He has NEVER turned down any food ever. I even caught him once trying to get in a deep canal, which he could not have climbed out of alone, trying to get bread that someone was throwing for the ducks. He eats everything.
So I strongly suspect the biscuits were poisoned and that he could smell this. AIBU?

OP posts:
k2p2k2tog · 14/03/2018 15:34

So I strongly suspect the biscuits were poisoned

With zero evidence. Are you generally an anxious/paranoid person because it's a bit of a leap from "the dog didn't want a biscuit" to "evil man trying to poison the dog".

CaptainCabinets · 14/03/2018 15:38

Would you let your child take a sweet from a stranger? No? Then why would you let a dogless stranger feed your dog!

I doubt it was poisoned but I still would be politely declining.

Original poster
crunchymint · 14/03/2018 15:38

Not not at all anxious, pretty trusting. Just seemed so out of character for him to actively avoid the biscuit.

OP posts:
sirlee66 · 14/03/2018 15:39

It's really odd that he had dog biscuits but no dog. He was out walking so if he had a dog, why wasn't it out with him.

I laughed way to hard at your Labrador trying to wade in the canal to get to the duck bread!!!!

Original poster
crunchymint · 14/03/2018 15:41

Yeah I couldn't believe it when I realised he was going to jump into the canal. He has arthritis and I would have had to lift him out, no way could he have got out himself. His favourite things in the world are food, cuddles and walks in that order.

OP posts:
MaddieElla · 14/03/2018 15:45

I wouldn't let my dog eat treats from a stranger because she is gluten free

She would also refuse cheap dog biscuits, as discovered when I had some photos taken of her and the photographer was trying to bribe her to sit still.

This is the dog who has eaten some seriously disgusting shit. Literally.

StormTreader · 14/03/2018 15:48

Could had had citrus in them, ie lemon - quite a few animals dont like citrus.

MichaelBendfaster · 14/03/2018 15:55

Why would I not let a stranger give him a dog biscuit? He routinely eats all sorts of dropped food outside before I can stop him.

The key phrase there is 'before I can stop him'. When someone ASKS to feed him, you have the opportunity to say no before he eats the food.

I doubt it was poisoned.

Tinkobell · 14/03/2018 15:59

Perhaps his biccies were really mank. I agree, wee bit odd having dog biscuits and no mutt. Mmmm.

GruffaIo · 14/03/2018 15:59

I generally don't let me dogs take treats from people without dogs.

The only exception was a lovely wheelchair-bound lady who we used to see in the park a lot who took treats for everyone's dogs and food for the squirrels and birds. (We have since moved).

agedknees · 14/03/2018 16:03

My dog also will eat anything except the dog biscuits at the till in pets at home.

Witchend · 14/03/2018 16:04

If he was going to poison dogs he would leave it on the pavement, not ask you permission to feed the dog hence full evidence he had.

ALongHardWinter · 14/03/2018 16:21

I can't help thinking that it's decidedly odd that someone who doesn't have a dog with them is carrying dog biscuits. Hmm

QuestionableMouse · 14/03/2018 16:25

I'll sometimes have dog treats on me if I've been out earlier with my dog and have forgotten them in my pocket. I don't think it's that odd...

gabsdot · 14/03/2018 16:54

Is your dog a Russian spy?

MasonJar · 14/03/2018 17:12

Agree its odd that a dog-less person had a dog biscuit, but bit of a leap to think it was poisoned.
I never let people give my lab treats. He's so food obsessed he'd go into a frenzy of excitement and try to mug them for more. I'd have to drag him off.

Original poster
crunchymint · 14/03/2018 17:19

Gabsdot If he is a spy, he is a very good one, as even I don't suspect him. Although if he had any state secrets, he would give them all up for a sausage.

OP posts:
Backtoblack1 · 14/03/2018 17:27

Was also going to ask if your dog was Russian! Personally, I find it odd that a stranger without a dog would offer a dog a biscuit as I can’t ever imagine myself doing this. It’s just weird!

YANBU!

patstar · 14/03/2018 17:28

I also have a yellow lab - eats anything but won't touch chocolate or peanut butter!!!!!
I also think it is odd that your dog didn't want the biscuit - but maybe it had a scent of of something on it that he didn't like

Rainbunny · 14/03/2018 19:26

It's very strange that this man was walking around with dog biscuits when he he didn't have a dog. It could be your dog didn't like the man himself so he wouldn't take a biscuit from him. My dog is very particular about who he will interact with.

ILoveAntButHateDec · 14/03/2018 21:00

There's this elderly man in my street who keeps dog treats in his pocket for my dogs. We always meet him on our last walk - 10pm. He goes to the pub for half a lager at 9pm (since he lost his lovely wife 😧) and walks home by 10pm. Two of my dogs will take a treat off him (and won't come into the house until he turns up). My spaniel has never taken a treat off him and she's a right greedy so and so usually.

I have absolutely no reason to think he has poisoned the dog treats, as neither of my dogs have ever been ill after accepting treats from him every night for the past year or so. I have no idea why dog number 3 won't accept a treat from him

Thehogfather · 14/03/2018 21:14

I have one that will eat anything that stays still long enough. I've also experienced the joy of lifting a wet dog that weighs 2/3 as much as me out of a canal that had bread in. But wouldn't touch anything that smells strongly of soap/cleaning chemicals. So that would be my guess.

Re carrying biscuits- there's a lovely lady locally who always had biscuits for her dog, and all of us who regularly crossed paths had dogs that came to expect them from her. After her dog died she continued with the walks and the biscuits, and I'm sure she'd also offer them to a new dog acquaintance. Possibly this man is the same

kerryelaine100 · 19/03/2023 13:02

I’ve just googled this as my dog has been really ill … she also wouldn’t take a biscuit and she is greedy wee girl too .. it was strange for me too …

OllytheCollie · 19/03/2023 13:19

Where I live loads of people give treats to my dog. It has never crossed my mind they would be poisoned. I usually have training treats on me and if I have one out for my dog and another dog comes up I'll check with the owner and ask if its ok to give to the other dog too. People who like dogs like giving dogs treats.

It must be pretty hard to poison a biscuit - most things that are toxic to dogs you can get hold of easily the dog would have to eat in large quantities like weedkiller or rat poison to come to harm. Plus biscuits are hard so presumably the most the guy could have done is soak the biscuit in some kind of solution. What's his goal here? To go around giving labradors stomach upsets?

OR and this is just a wild theory I'm throwing out but could the biscuit just be a bit stale and unappetising? My dog who like yours enjoys eating a good pavement pizza still needs something to tempt her to eat her kibble in the morning.

Grapewrath · 19/03/2023 13:33

My dog would eat literally anything from the floor but he won’t take a treat from a stranger, oddly