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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be furious over what has just happened?

652 replies

DippyDiplodocus · 15/01/2019 09:46

Out Walking our dogs and my 6 month old baby in carrier. I have four dogs and look after one of my friend's dogs while she's at work occasionally. My four are quite large, the biggest being big German shepherd size and the smallest is a pug (friend's dog).

Before I get flamed for having too many dogs, two were mine, two my DH's before we met, so obviously we now have four. We aren't the kind of people to get rid of dogs just because we had a child - dogs are family too and we treat them as such.

We live in the countryside, very quiet rural area.
Coming to the end of our walk over the fields (where I never usually see any other walkers) I see another dog approaching - muzzled Siberian husky with a bloke.
At this point I already have four on leads ready for the road back to our house and bent down squat position to put pug on a lead.

I thought man would stop when he saw me bent down but he carried on approaching. I was struggling to get wriggly pug back on lead so I called out to him "can you just wait there a sec so I can get this one on the lead?" - No response and continues towards us.

Still trying to get dog on lead and my dogs are now getting a bit twitchy and unsettled that this bloke is approaching them, so one of mine barks.
Just to add here, our dogs are all very well behaved but they are protective over me and DD and will act accordingly if they feel threatened.

Man takes no notice, I call out again and say "can you just give me a second?" Ignores me completely.

He decides to squeeze by my dogs and I with a stupid smirk on his face. He can clearly see I'm struggling and baby is now crying and the others are pissed off. One of mine pulled forward and I dug my heels in and sat back so as not to land on my daughter.

I shouted at him and called him a fucking arsehole.

If he could have waited one second, I'd have been out the way and that wouldn't have had to have happened.

FFS Angry I just despise people at times.

OP posts:
Mayrhofen · 15/01/2019 10:24

I don't think it is particularly safe to walk 5 dogs (4 large) whilst also having a baby with you.

TranmereRover · 15/01/2019 10:24

@nois showing why I wish there was a "like" button here sometimes.

Dixiechickonhols · 15/01/2019 10:24

He may have been thinking most courteous thing was to walk by quickly and leave you in peace. You don’t know him or his dog’s history at all but it sounds like he was able to pass you with his dog not reacting or barking.
If you are insistent on walking all 5 (and your council doesn’t have regulations preventing it yet) it sounds like it would be safer for you to keep them on leads.
Or hire a private dog walking field? One near us is £8 an hour for 1-4 dogs.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 15/01/2019 10:24

People are dicks (as seen on this thread and on your walk).

Did you really just call everyone on the thread who is concerned that maybe handling 5 dogs and a 6 month old alone on a walk a dick? In which case I'd rather be a dick that possible injure a child with such an unnecessary risk.

IceRebel · 15/01/2019 10:26

He was an arse and not a good dog owner.

The OP had 5 dogs, one who she couldn't get on a lead, one who barked because he felt threatened and another who almost pulled her over.

Yet the man with a single dog, on a lead, muzzled, isn't a good dog owner? Confused

LowbrowVictoriana · 15/01/2019 10:26

what gives you the right to do this and demand that he wait on you?

She didn't, she ASKED.

Original poster
DippyDiplodocus · 15/01/2019 10:26

I did ask. Nicely as well, twice.

OP posts:
dustarr73 · 15/01/2019 10:27

Well he could be deaf,i am.I wouldnt have heard you either.

You cant walk 5 dogs and have a baby in a sling.Thats too many dogs.Plus if you fell your baby would get the full force.

But of course blame somebody else,never yourself.

wooster16 · 15/01/2019 10:28

Completely agree with you OP, he sounds like a very irresponsible dog walker who probably got a kick out of the situation. I’d be furious too. Flowers

Bowchicawowow · 15/01/2019 10:28

Well you asked but he didn’t respond to that request. That doesn’t automatically mean he is ‘twat.’

Yulebealrite · 15/01/2019 10:29

I think the man was a twat, however the world is full of twats and I’m concerned that you may be potentially putting your child at risk with 5 dogs. Might be best to stop taking your friends dog out as a starter.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 15/01/2019 10:29

I did ask. Nicely as well, twice.

And he clearly didn't hear or understand you. You will likely meet many people on walks who cannot hear or understand what you are asking for a multitude of reasons. That is why it is up to you to not put yourself in a dangerous situation where your child, dogs or yourself could get hurt.

I am however curious as to why mine and many others suggestion of walking them in smaller groups has been ignored. Surely that would be the sensible thing to do?

TheOrigFV45 · 15/01/2019 10:30

He doesn't sound very courteous, but I'm afraid you sound like you are ill-prepared to deal with unpredictable situations so I think it's down to you to change your routine.

NotGoodieTwoShoes · 15/01/2019 10:30

You had quite a lot on your plate, he was not considerate, you got upset.
That is not unreasonable. Had anything else gone wrong that day? Last week I was really upset that my gym class was altered from body balance to horrible core exercises, i was upset all day, but that was really because of the other shit going on in my life. It does hurt when someone shows you a total lack of consideration.
He might just have been deaf though (unlikely)

mirialis · 15/01/2019 10:30

Unless you stood up and made eye contact with him as you called out "just wait" or "give me a minute" how is he supposed to know you're talking to him and not the pesky dog you couldn't get on the lead, the other ones who were starting to bark and crying child?

You have projected quite a lot onto this person (the smirk, deliberately making your life hard so you despise him).

I bet he would be completely clueless if someone asked him about this incident that has taken on such a big thing in your head.

Of course he could have been an out and out twat who deliberately wanted to wind up someone who was struggling OR he could have just been a man who took the "don't worry about me, just ignore me" stance when passing a lone woman and a baby in a very rural deserted open space OR he had a load of shit in his life and was completely lost in his own tragic thoughts and "the smirk" was an attempt at a polite smile OR he had airpods in/doesn't speak English etc. etc.

Let it go.

treaclesoda · 15/01/2019 10:31

I don't really see what he did that was so awful. He was walking his dog, he didn't abuse anyone, verbally or physically, he was just minding his own business. It might have been polite to hold back for a few seconds but it's not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things.

Nothisispatrick · 15/01/2019 10:31

He sounds like a dick but I didn’t actually know that someone stopping to put their dog on a lead automatically meant you had to stop and keep back? At the park near me you would be stood still the entire time as there are dogs off lead everywhere.

Tbh walking 5 dogs and a baby in a carrier sounds like a recipe for disaster, sorry. Would baby not actually be safer in a pushchair?

needsleepzzz · 15/01/2019 10:32

She shouldn't be out with that many dogs and a baby???!!! How the fuck is she supposed to walk the dogs and look after her baby if she doesn't? Big dogs need long walks, if she did it in batches she would be spending the whole day walking! And she was walking in a rural area where there aren't usually any other dogs.

The holier than this attitude on these threads is bloody disgusting.

OP, he was an arsehole. Don't let him get to you though.

THIS ^

OP he was a twat, don't rise to the PP's blaming/having a dig at you.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 15/01/2019 10:32

I bet he would be completely clueless if someone asked him about this incident that has taken on such a big thing in your head.

This is probably very true. He probably thought nothing more about the OP and her dogs once he had passed her.

mobyduck · 15/01/2019 10:33

Never take dogs out unless you feel you can be always in complete control of them. Too many people have been killed or injured through uncontrolled dogs. Let this be a lesson to you.

TheOrigFV45 · 15/01/2019 10:33

Oh and I think you ABU to be furious. Instead you should be looking at the situation and working out how to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Regardless of who was right or wrong, if there are dogs and people (including children) involved in a situation you have to keep everyone safe.

It's a bit like being run over and killed on a bike. It might not be your fault, but you're the vulnerable one if you're on a bike, and you can't say "Well I was in the right" if you're dead.
Rather than think the car driver has seen you because you've got your high-viz and lights on, if there's any suggestion that driver hasn't seen you then it's best not to veer into the middle of the road to turn right.

Didiusfalco · 15/01/2019 10:33

Sounds like the pug needs to stay on a lead if you can’t get him/her back on the lead without nearly being yanked over with your baby.
It’s impossible to really judge the guy. Could be deaf/not speak English/wearing AirPods or if the wind is in a certain direction shouting can be carried away so he could not have heard you. Loads of reasons, plus you can’t really tell if someone you’ve never met is smirking or smiling - you’re projecting. Suffice to say his muzzled on the lead dog and his carrying on walking didn’t really deserve verbal abuse from you.

TrickyKid · 15/01/2019 10:33

I don't understand what you wanted him to wait for. You can't expect everyone to keep out of the way while you put a dog on it's lead. Good job you don't have to walk your dog in a park or anywhere else busy. Maybe take them out two at a time if you can't cope. Yabu.

AGrumpyNewYear2019 · 15/01/2019 10:34

Entitled?! What a pile of crap.

You sound reasonable OP. If you feel you can manage 5 dogs and a baby that's for you to know, not anyone else here (not sure if everyone commenting is actually a dog owner even). A hand held up is a universal sign. Struggling with a wriggly small dog is also a universal sign. Having a baby strapped on your front = consideration and courtesy, a universal sign. He was a ignorant twat. Air ear pods/language barrier etc, he should have enough visual feedback to have waited for you to get sorted.

Looking on the bright side it could have been worse. Your biggest dog could have just pooped as well and you were just attempting to pick it up when the bloke appeared on the horizon...

Brigante9 · 15/01/2019 10:34

Well he could be deaf,i am.I wouldnt have heard you either

What part of her putting up her hand-pretty international sign, I'd say-did you miss?

Trouble is, OP, you're walking a pack. I used to walk all of mine together but one of mine needs one to one attention after he was attacked and is now wary of other dogs. I was really pissed off at meeting the dog who attacked him-loose, my lot going mad, the owner refusing to recall her dog. She's an idiot.

I had another scenario walking my 3 across a narrow footbridge. A guy with a collie let his dog off to run past me, there was no room. One of mine lunged at her, I was blamed! Why he couldn't have waited 10 seconds for me to get off the bridge, I dunno!

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