WIBU to have a go at this dog walker?

[crispysausagerolls]

I am not sure if this guy was in the wrong or if I massively overreacted (or both) and now I’m feeling bad. Prepared to be told I was being a hormonal nightmare.

I’m 9 months pregnant. I was walking my dog today (to heel) in the park and someone’s puppyish (but still MASSIVE) retriever (up to above my knees) rammed into me. I was off balance but didn’t fall over, but the whole thing shook me up a bit and made me emotional (definitely the hormones). The owner was absolutely ages away, and when I caught up to him and explained what happened he was very “he’s just playing”. I was quite rude to him and explained I don’t want other people’s dogs ramming into me and I had nearly fallen over. My tone wasn’t great but equally he didn’t apologise and was very “shoulder shrugging” which riled me up.

WIBU because it’s a park and there are dogs there, or was he in the wrong because he should have control over his dogs?

Dogs should be under control. Too many people let them run wild.

He should have control of his dog. Hope you’re ok and feeling better.

Accidents happen. If it’s a dog waking kind of place, I wouldn’t have had a go personally, but then if it was my dog I’d have apologised. A lot.

He should be in control of his dog. The dog shouldnt be so far away with no recall.
And playing 'knock people over' isnt a game.
He should have apologised.
What if it was an elderly person and they had #a hip? Or a child?

No YANBU. This man is a yob without manners. Don't give a shit.

Yanbu he should at least have apologised and made sure you were ok.

YANBU. It's not acceptable anytime but you feel even more vulnerable because you're pregnant. Try and put it out of your mind and hopefully you won't come across him and his his dog again.

It's a puppy by your post. Unfortunately they get super excited and even if normally good and told no are bosterous. He should have been nearby and apologised though. I'd be mortified if mine when she was little had knocked someone over

YANBU
Dogs like his who are "just playing" put my autistic son off going out for a walk.

YANBU! If that was a small child it could've been worse. Or a disabled person who had difficulty walking/balancing. Or of course a pregnant woman who could fall over. I have a dog and would never in a million years let it get that close to someone without them making it clear they were happy with it. Some people are simply just terrified of dogs! You did the right thing. He should have total control over his dog or at least apologise without being prompted.

We encountered a dog today, out on a walk, whose owner had it off the lead. It’s not a very populated area, so he might have thought it was OK, but the problem was that the dog took absolutely no notice of his calls and was running further and further away from him.

It was a feisty terrier ad he’ll bent on doing what he wanted. I suppose it serves the owner right if he lost the dog.

Karma might come back to him you never know!

The otehr dog walker was out of order not to apologise or keep a closer watch on his boisterous dog.

A woman with a great big red setter was reported to the dog warden for letting her dog off the lead on a field and letting it jump up and scare children and a few adults too
The dog warden visited her house
I'm not sure what was said but she now has it on the lead most of the time and doesn't walk it at school pick up and drop off anymore
Dogs should always be under control
So yanbu

I agree. I remember being terrified of falling on my bump when I was pg. The dog walker should have apologised. I think the fright probably made you react strongly. I hope you are okay. Which is what the man should have asked you!

My friend snapped her tibia in half when a labrador ran into her while she was jogging. So no YANBU

Ha you are not in Hampshire are you Crispy as I met the rudest man ever walking a golden retriever that flattened my little dog making her yelp, but apparently they were being friendly and 'only playing' my dog wasn't playing as she doesn't like other dogs and never plays with strange dogs, but he was so nasty and became really threatening and horrible when I stood up to him and called him out on his behaviour, but you weren't in the wrong at all.

You weren't overreacting at all! The dog was out of control and too young to be off the lead. If you'd fallen your baby could have been harmed. If he'd rammed into an elderly person they could have fallen and broken a hip or worse. Parks are supposed to be safe places for children, elderly people, pregnant ladies etc to enjoy without fear of being knocked over.

I would have been tempted to take a photo of him and his dog and report to the police. It's about time irresponsible dog owners had a wake up call!

GreyHare

No I’m not, but that sounds awful! It’s especially unpleasant that he turned threatening if you were out walking alone with no one around!

Feeling a lot better that people seem to think I was NBU! I think it’s because I wouldn’t usually have said anything and this just got my back up so much and wasn’t like me to just “tell off” a stranger.

Gretol

How horrible!!

jojobelles

Yes, it might turn out that way 😂 we do get a lot of idiots here who let their dogs go dangerously near the deer, which is also a concern as obviously if they are nervous they could all charge off/into someone.

Thanks everyone for being so sweet - I am feeling much better now! 💖

I have spent quite a bit of the afternoon imagining what might have happened if that were a small child or an elderly person with even less balance - they really would’ve gone flying. I have a dog and I understand puppies are playful, but that’s why you make sure they are trained before letting them run freely. Especially when they are big and can do some damage.

No you weren’t being unfair.
I have a particularly bouncy dog. She jumps up at strangers with such sheer enthusiasm and friendliness that she almost knocks them off their feet. Visitors to my house are prepared for this but random people out and about aren’t.
After seeing her in a fenced off dog play area nearly knock a man over on his crutches with her very vigorous ‘greeting’ I now walk her on the lead. I apologised profusely to him and certainly didn’t shrug it off as it could of been disastrous! It’s called being a ‘responsible dog owner’. Something this guy clearly isn’t!

You did great I think! Why shouldn't he get a telling off for being a selfish arse?! He might have shrugged at the time, but he might behave differently in the future. We can only hope.

Dogs need to be under control to protect vulnerable people just as you say. Any decent person knows that.

Similar the bag happened to me once and I got exactly the same reaction from the owner. I did realise the dog was playing. Trouble is, it wasn’t my kind of fun.

Dogs should only be off the lead of the owner is in full control.

Really do not understand dog owners like this. I have a (small for breed) shih tzu. He’s the most kind gentle dog you could meet. He loves people, but I’m aware many people do not love dogs, so he is on a lead when ther are people around.Wish I could say the same about other owners. One who lives next door to our local park, thinks she owns it. She has 3 lab cross dogs. One she keeps on a lead, the other two are roaming and twice ganged up on my little chap and terrified him. She just said ‘oh they won’t hurt him’. Well actually they had terrified him! This happened twice the my dog wouldn’t go there.

We walk in the cemetery now. You meet a better class of owner there!