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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be upset at peoples reaction to the muzzle?

484 replies

Doggydoggydoggy · 09/01/2019 11:56

Just that really.

Dog wears one because she has nipped a few people.

She is not people aggressive.

I had a woman today clearly frightened because she ran near her buggy.
Near as in running past it.
Not barking/lunging/acting aggressive/approaching the child etc.

The woman got really scared at the sight of my dog, recoiled pulling the buggy so my dog did what most dogs will do in response and looked at her and went to approach.

So I called her back to me immediately and put her lead on.
That didn’t stop the woman constantly looking back angrily at me as she was walking ahead.

I really don’t think my dog had done anything that would reasonably make anyone feel frightened.

I can only assume it is the muzzle making the mum think she must be some child mauling demon.

And I find it really upsetting.

I wanted to talk to her and explain that she has the muzzle for nipping dogs and that I was sorry she frightened her but she honestly poses no risk to her child and has no interest in her child.
But her constant looking back and glaring at me made me feel really uncomfortable so I didn’t.

OP posts:
jade19 · 10/01/2019 17:34

YABU A muzzle shows they have bitten before. She didnt know if it was dogs or people. She did what she thought was right for protecting her baby.
I personally would have given you the look just for not having a muzzled dog on a lead whether I had my children with me or not.

Wrongintherightway · 10/01/2019 17:35

I sympathise as had to muzzle one of my dogs, not because she was nasty but to stop her eating anything/everything whist off the lead and getting a bad stomach!

Smile and carry on walking as you can't change people

TheGirlWithAllTheFeathers · 10/01/2019 17:36

Actually I have met many muzzled dogs and most of them are in a muzzle because they eat carp off the ground and incur vet bills. There's someone round here leaving poisoned sausages near a local beauty spot so mine will be muzzled next time they are out.

minniebirdy · 10/01/2019 17:46

I can’t believe I’m reading some of this nonsense. If a dog has a muzzle on for whatever reason it CANNOT bite you, your precious child or anyone else. Unfortunately some stupid people don’t understand that. No you are definitely NBU but the woman you encountered is. My experience is as a very experienced dog breeder that many people will tell you that you are cruel to muzzle dogs. Really you can’t win with idiots.

FairyFlake45 · 10/01/2019 17:49

I’m with you OP...the fact that you had a muzzle on your dog shows you are a responsible dog owner and anyway, how can the dog pose a risk if it’s muzzled? Yes, if an aggressive, unmuzzled dog ran up to her pram then her reaction would be a bit more understandable but a safely, muzzled dog just running past, minding her own business.....🙄

Jeepy · 10/01/2019 17:51

You often find that people are nervous when strange dogs approach, whether wearing a muzzle or not. Some of the headcollar type harnesses have the same effect. It can be very annoying/intimidating from their point of view, she or her child may have had a bad experience.

You sound like a lovely responsible owner. Next time your see this lady smile and talk to her and tell her it's ok. She's only a nervous human that needs reassurance...

Mol5 · 10/01/2019 17:55

OP I do not think YABU but some people are narrow minded and non-dog people without experience can make assumptions.

I wouldn’t just assume a dog was muzzled was for being violent. Probably that it ate things off the ground. But I am a dog owner with common sense.

If your dog is well behaved and friendly with great recall you shouldn’t feel disheartened and you/your dog have done nothing wrong.

Live and let live

JoroL · 10/01/2019 17:56

My rescues all wore muzzles while I was getting to know th for everyone’s safety.
Loki was a mastiff Cross, she wore one whenever off lead to stop her picking things up because she was always picking up sticks and getting them stuck in her teeth.
She never bit anyone.

flyingspaghettimonster · 10/01/2019 17:58

I have a great pyr and a great pyr-siberian husky mix. Both are big, beautiful dogs. Where i live people are terrified of the dogs, and even though they are always leashed and completely friendly dogs, everyone crosses the street rather than walk past us. Even if we wind their leashes in and hold them at our side and make them sit so people can walk past, they go into the road to avoid my dogs. At first it made me sad because the dogs love to be made a fuss of and in other communities they would be loved on like the snuggly fluffballs they are. Now i am quite gkad, though. Our neighbourhood isn't very safe (philadelphia) so knowing nobody will try to rob us or hurt the kids even if we walk them after dark is really nice. I don't even need to lock my door

Mishappening · 10/01/2019 17:58

Why anyone would want to give house room to an animal that needs to be muzzled is quite quite beyond me. What madness is this?

pfwow · 10/01/2019 18:00

I feel nervous around dogs. All of them. So a muzzled dog would make me feel just as anxious as any other. I hate being jumped on, even writing about it makes me feel anxious. This woman clearly wasn't about to jump on you, and if your dog had been on a lead in a public place she wouldn't have looked at you in all likelihood and you'd have been saved the horror of being looked at.

bengalcat · 10/01/2019 18:05

Mishappening most dogs are muzzled because they pick up and eat crap that us lovely humans have thoughtlessly dropped and even the minority that might demonstrate behavioural issues in unfamiliar surroundings are all ‘pussy cats ‘ at home . Most people ask if they or their kid wants to touch a dog but some don’t - to some dogs this is unsettling so their owners may muzzle to protect the dog . As I’ve said before vets use a muzzle in some cases when a dog in pain or sick and therefore more likely to get the hump and nip - a muzzled dog can’t bite .

Onecabbage · 10/01/2019 18:05

Even as an adult, large dogs scare me to a degree. Your dog might well be the gentlist, most affectionate, sweet natured dog, but if he’s big and wears a muzzle I’m not going to come near enough to find out.

Can’t say I blame anyone for getting out of the way of a large, scarey, potentially nasty dog as fast as possible.

BobLemon · 10/01/2019 18:06

YABU

Shitmewithyourrhythmstick · 10/01/2019 18:07

Nobody needs to understand the fear of muzzled dogs to be aware that it exists. The nature of phobias is that they aren't necessarily rational- millions of people in the UK are afraid of spiders even though there's none here that would do you much harm. It's just how some people feel. There are also people who aren't afraid but just don't want a dog near them or their child: a muzzled dog with no lead could still potentially knock over a small child.

The OP made a choice to let her dog off lead in public and that has consequences whether she likes it or not. She's being entitled.

delboysskinandblister · 10/01/2019 18:07

please keep your dog on a lead in public. you are being too sensitive.
we had a dog and he was the love of mum's life a border collie. Gorgeous lovely nature but other people do not know this if they've never met your dog before. Even then, the kindest dog can turn. For that reason we were always told that any dog is essentially a wolf and can turn on a whim so he was never left in a room alone with us as kids.

Try and see it from the other persons point of view. You know your dog. But she knows her child.

Keep the dog on a lead.

SlowlyShrinking · 10/01/2019 18:08

Why do you care about what someone you don’t even know thinks about your dog, op? Confused

MummyMayo1988 · 10/01/2019 18:09

If I was the woman with the buggy; I'd do the same!
You can't assume anything about strange dogs and strangers in general! She didn't know your dog was harmless - all she saw was a muzzled - potentially aggressive - animal coming near her baby.
If YOU don't trust your dog out for a walk without a muzzle; how do you expect anyone else to?? 🤔

Aridane · 10/01/2019 18:09

If Imsaw a muzzled dog, I wouldn't think, hey, that dog , must be a shit eater, I would think it a biter!

livs1987 · 10/01/2019 18:10

Sorry but you’re making this too much about YOU and how ‘upsetting’ you found this.

Your dog isn’t a poor sweet kid being bullied at school - it’s just a dog that you happen to dearly love. You have to understand that there are many people that are afraid of dogs or are just otherwise not fond and that’s okay - they don’t owe/you and your dog anything.

I sort of grew up with a dog (from the age of 15-18). I knows dogs can be amazing and harmless, but at the same time I don’t necessarily trust every dog/dog owner that I come across and so I don’t necessarily want random dogs approaching me. I have come across some really aggressive and scary German Shepard and husky types so if I see one, i instinctively want to pass it as soon as possible. No offence to the owner but I have had bad experiences in the past so I will naturally be on edge.

You placed a muzzle on your dog which will unfortunately give off the impression that your dog is aggressive. The poor woman just probably wanted to avoid her/her children from being potentially injured? Also your dog would probably NEVER bite you, however you can never be 100% sure of how it will react to other people and it’s tolerance levels.

AllTakenSoRubbishUsername · 10/01/2019 18:11

YABU for letting your dog run off the leash near a small child.
I hate seeing dogs off the lead, especially when the owners don't know how to control them and can't stop them coming up to my kids.

bengalcat · 10/01/2019 18:13

For those of you frightened of , in your perception , aggressive dogs bear in mind that most muzzled are canine greedy f***s and even if a genuine wolf was wandering around town wearing a muzzle it couldn’t bite you - anyway most wolves would quite rightly give a human a very wide berth

Aridane · 10/01/2019 18:13

she recoiled pulling the buggy so my dog did what most dogs will do in response and looked at her and went to approach.

and

I think most social animals will investigate something odd or interesting

What is so odd about pulling a buggy sharply? She was hardly doing no cartwheels or dismembering the baby?

Chocolate50 · 10/01/2019 18:13

If your dog is ok around people why not try one of those collars & leads that explain with colour & words the dogs temperament? Or just muzzle when there are other dogs. Or train the dog not to bite?

Jenniebenniebob · 10/01/2019 18:14

My spaniel had to wear a muzzle following 2 major operations to remove corn on the cob that he had eaten and got stuck in his gut. We lived near a corn field and couldn't risk a 3rd operation. People did react anxiously. It did make me feel a bit sad, but I understood why, they do look scary.