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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU bloody “dog people”

711 replies

mumof2exhausted · 03/06/2018 17:05

Ok so I know there are some decent, responsible dog people out there but AIBU to say that there are some absolute arseholes who genuinely don’t seem to understand that not everyone loves dogs?? My 4 year old was recently bitten by a random dog so understandably is little nervous around them. A huge dog has just ran after him in the park (double the size of him) and he was petrified. Dog obviously thought he was playing game of chase. I don’t blame the dogs, I blame the owners. They didn’t call him off immediately just laughed and shouted “oh he’s just being friendly”. This happens all the time. Another big dog jumped up and pushed over my 2 year old couple of weeks ago. And no sorry or anything. Again a “he’s just being friendly ha ha” and off they walked without so much as a backwards glance to check my crying 2 year old was ok. I don’t have a dog but if I did and this happened I would be mortified and would apologise immediately and dog would go straight on a lead. Nearly lost my shit today with the owners but honestly don’t think they would have even cared.

OP posts:
ChardonnaysPrettySister · 09/06/2018 11:15

How did it come to him saying his dog just ate another child?

Just like that?

aaronburr · 09/06/2018 11:19

Yep.

DD was scared of a dog off lead whilst we were queuing for an ice cream.

The owner saw, laughed, and said "don't worry, he's not hungry, he's just eaten another small child."

I try my best to help DD with her fear. I explain over and over that running and screaming doesn't help as a friendly dog will think she's playing. But when things like that happen it undos everything.

brighthouse · 09/06/2018 11:24

YANBU, I have a dog that I would never let near children. Unfortunately he looks like a cuddly teddy bear so children are attracted to him. Luckily he is good natured, but as somebody up thread you just don't know. Some people just think its their given right to let their dogs run freely in places they should be on a lead, frightening children and other dogs. It just annoys me.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 09/06/2018 11:24

I’m not making excuses for him, bit while people have been complaining here that they don’t like it when a dog owner says ‘don’t worry, he’s friendly’ the same way I don’t like it when people keep asking ‘do they bite’.

Newerversion · 09/06/2018 11:25

He was trying to make a joke, he just misjudged the extent of your dd’s fear. I mean of course he knows dogs don’t eat humans and of course she knows the same but her extreme fear means she can’t rationalise. The owner wasn’t being wilfully nasty.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 09/06/2018 11:27

Also, you do call posters here ‘ piece of shit’ so do wonder how exactly that conversation went.

aaronburr · 09/06/2018 11:28

A really bloody stupid joke. She was only 6 at the time, a very obviously scared small child. Who the hell would make a joke like that to a little child?! He didn't misjudge, he was an absolute arsehole.

aaronburr · 09/06/2018 11:30

Are people really going to defend that man and make out like I was the one in the wrong?

This is exactly why I think some - yes, I should have said some, not most - people are a piece of shit.

mrcharlie · 09/06/2018 11:32

Just typed in "dog mess statistics in uk"

Got this and others

www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2009/feb/11/dog-fouling-britain

....1000 tons of dog shit per day

Hmm, quality eh

For those that don't know, dog shit cannot go into normal public sewage due to the enzymes that sewage plants are unable to remove, I wonder how much of that 1000 tons per day gets flushed or washed down with sewage waste

What a delightful thought

Newerversion · 09/06/2018 11:41

Dog mess, plastics, nappies, fossil fuels. The human race are destroying this planet however you look at it sadly.

Newerversion · 09/06/2018 11:42

Aaron burr, you weren’t in the wrong at all with that man, not at all.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 09/06/2018 11:43

I only asj d how the conversation went, Aaron, no need to get defensive and resort to personal insults. Again.

Colbu24 · 09/06/2018 11:45

We live next to a huge park but we never visit. Not long ago and elderly man was walking in the park and a dog jump on him. The poor man list his balance and feel hard he died as a result of the fall.
Nobody knows who was the owner. So irresponsible.
I hate that we can't go to the park without being afraid.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 09/06/2018 11:45

Oh yes, dog mess is just as destructive to planet as plastic and fuel pollution.
Of course.

Slanetylor · 09/06/2018 11:50

This conversation SHOULD be, “ done dog owners are horrible”. And all the nice dog owners jumping in to agree. But it’s not, there’s too much justification.
I have met a horrendous number of horrible dog owners who couldn’t care less that they are tramatising a small child. Not their problem their little angel dog just wants to play, and he’s better and more important than any human.
I would have thought that in a parenting site that most people dog owners and not would agree that that behaviour is not on.

aaronburr · 09/06/2018 11:52

No @ChardonnaysPrettySister you didn't, you are being deliberately goady on this thread with comments such as

Go stroke a dog, it helps with stress.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 09/06/2018 11:55

It does help.

It’s been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure and to release oxytocin.

Also, such accusations are a it Hmm coming from someone who calls posters pieces of shit.

Lethaldrizzle · 09/06/2018 11:55

Chardonnay so would I read that as a defence for dog shit?Shock

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 09/06/2018 11:58

How do you mean that?

Dog shit is a biological fact, every living creature does it.

Responsible dog owners pick up, I always do.

It’s not as destructive as plastic and fuel pollution though.

aaronburr · 09/06/2018 12:11

So somebody is clearly stressed over their child's phobia, recounts all the bad experiences they've had, and your reply of "go stroke a dog" wasn't goady, it was actually well meaning advice to help me reduce my blood pressure?

Okay. Thanks for the help.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 09/06/2018 12:44

You’re welcome.

Gottagetmoving · 09/06/2018 12:50

My daughter's dog 'would never bite anyone' Then it bit her son.
Any dog owner who says 'my dog doesn't bite' 'would never bite anyone' is seriously too thick to be allowed to keep a dog.
Dogs are brilliant but many dog owners are not.
As for dogs being more nervous on a lead...that's not our problem and that's why there are dog behaviour specialists...You are supposed to train your dog.

Thesearepearls · 09/06/2018 13:50

There's an interesting article in the Times today about a school that has a therapeutic dog.

There's so many more mental health issues in children nowadays - self-harming, eating disorders etc. The school found that the children became very much less anxious with the dog around.

Dogs are tremendously good for both physical and mental health

And it is possible to be certain that a dog would not bite. Think about guide dogs etc. You can be sure that a dog with a good breed temperament that is well trained that it won't bite.

IamPickleRick · 09/06/2018 16:47

And it is possible to be certain that a dog would not bite. Think about guide dogs etc. You can be sure that a dog with a good breed temperament that is well trained that it won't bite.

Someone upthread has already said they were bitten by a guide dog.

Gottagetmoving · 09/06/2018 17:44

You can be sure that a dog with a good breed temperament that is well trained that it won't bite

It may be unlikely but you cannot guarantee it. It's foolish to think otherwise.
You can't guarantee a placid human will never snap so why would you think a dog wouldn't?