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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dog attacked my husband! Feeling very cross about irresponsible owner

237 replies

BaitandSwitch · 27/05/2019 18:45

My husband takes a regular walk around the local park and fields and today he came home with some face bleeding.
What had transpired was that a regular dog walker had let her dog off the lead - which bounded up to my H and jumped up at him. In the process drew blood from 4 places - 1 claw clipped the inside of his nostril, and three sites around the nose and cheek. He naturally was in a state of mild shock. I asked what the owner's reaction had been. He responded he sees her and that dog regularly and the dog always makes a beeline for him and jumps at him. The owner laughed it off apparently saying, " oh he always goes for you".
I feel so angry and upset - how dare she have such a cavalier attitude and not keep her out of control mutt on a lead? I feel inclined to accompany my H on his next walk and give her a piece of my mind if I see her. I have just had to get this off my chest.

OP posts:
Veterinari · 27/05/2019 20:29

Your husband is a grown adult who was accidentally scratched by a dog he was interacting with.

You sound like a controlling drama queen.
Stop infantilising him and let him deal with it
A grown man doesn’t Need his wife to give another adult a piece of her mind. Get some boundaries OP

adaline · 27/05/2019 20:33

Surely a dog should not jump up at a person for any reason ever.

But dogs WILL jump until they're trained not to. No dog behaves perfectly 100% of the time.

Roussette · 27/05/2019 20:33

What's 'accidental' about a dog jumping up? If it was controlled, on a short lead, been trained... it wouldn't jump up.

So if it was a 10 year old who wasn't that keen on dogs,but coped with them on a walk, and then one jumped up, scratched her face in 4 places, that child would have a fear of dogs for the rest of their life.

Dippypippy1980 · 27/05/2019 20:33

I think cruella deville has infiltrates mumsnet!!😈

DaisiesAreOurSilver · 27/05/2019 20:35

Troll hunters are annoying. If you don't believe the OP report and bugger off. No one cares what you think.

mrscampbellblackagain · 27/05/2019 20:35

God, I don't care if the dog is being playful or not. If you can't control a playful dog then keep it on a lead. It is not hard.

And if a dog drew blood on me or one of my children, then it would be reported. Scars to the face don't discriminate as to whether it was being friendly or not.

I like well trained dogs but am not a fan of crap owners who play the 'he was just being friendly' card.

mabelsgarden · 27/05/2019 20:44

Why are some posters being so horrible to the OP? Confused

Basically calling her a liar, saying there was nothing wrong with the dog jumping up at her husband's face, saying it's laughable that she is saying he was 'attacked.'

Of COURSE he was attacked FFS! The stupid bloody woman with the dog who she clearly cannot control, needs the dog taking away from her, as she is clearly obviously an entitled, shitty dog owner who gives zero shits about what effect the behaviour of her boisterous mutt has on people.

People with no control over their dogs really fuck me right off, and I have also been subjected to entitled dog owners who think it's OK for their mutt to jump all over you, lick and scratch and drool all over you, and bark in your fucking face!

Christ on a bike, this site sometimes! Bet if a dog came at one your children, you wouldn't be so lackadaisical.

BenWillbondsPants · 27/05/2019 20:48

saying there was nothing wrong with the dog jumping up at her husband's face

Can you please clarify which post said this @mabelsgarden, I really can't see one, though I've had a look.

Fucksandflowers · 27/05/2019 20:57

Of COURSE he was attacked FFS!

Except that he wasn’t...

The dog was ‘out of control’ yes, that is true.

The dog should not be allowed to jump at people, also true.
The owner behaved disgustingly for sure.
I certainly would have been absolutely mortified and extremely apologetic had it been my dog.

But, it is still not an attack.

It is a friendly dog, who wasn’t properly trained by its owner and kept under control, who accidently caused minor injury.

Very, very different to a true ‘attack’ where a dog intends to cause harm and leaves, often horrific, injury.
Not a few scratches but deep bites and rips that leave life long scarring.

Nicecupofcoco · 27/05/2019 20:57

I agree op!
Silly dog owner! If she knows the dog jumps up at people, or at least tries to, then the dog shouldn't be let off the leash while there's people about.
Talk about irresponsible!
It does annoy me when dog owners let dogs go bounding up to people, not everyone feels comfortable around dogs when off the lead!
Hope your dh is OK, could be a small child next time! Dog owner should have more control over her dog!

mabelsgarden · 27/05/2019 21:01

@BenWillbondsPants

Are you kidding me? You seriously cannot see people on here trivialising the attack on the OP's husband, saying the dog was just playing/accidentally jumping up, and did no harm? FGS! Hmm

If you can't see it, (from several posters on this thread,) then you need to look a bit harder!

Fucksandflowers · 27/05/2019 21:05

Are you kidding me? You seriously cannot see people on here trivialising the attack on the OP's husband

That would be because it is not an attack...

It’s a poorly behaved dog that is not under adequate control but that is very different from a dog attack.

Roussette · 27/05/2019 21:10

I honestly think it's wrong to fixate on the word 'attack' from the OP's post. Where's the sympathy?

If I came home after a walk with my nose cut and my face scratched in 4 places from a dog jumping up at me, and decided to start a thread about it, I would be calling it an attack.

BenWillbondsPants · 27/05/2019 21:10

Goodness @mabelsgarden, I politely asked you which post you referred to when you said 'saying there was nothing wrong with the dog jumping up at her husband's face'. I can't see anyone say that so asked where you did. I was not rude to you in any way, I'm not sure why you feel the need to be so rude to me.

Littlechocola · 27/05/2019 21:17

It is a friendly dog, who wasn’t properly trained by its owner and kept under control, who accidently caused minor injury.

Ahh, a witness! That should help the op. Thank goodness you were there @Fucksandflowers

Fucksandflowers · 27/05/2019 21:32

Ahh, a witness! That should help the op. Thank goodness you were there @Fucksandflowers**

There is nothing in any of the OPs posts that suggests the dog was in any way aggressive.

OPs posts strongly suggest it was a friendly dog who always jumps up at her DH.

redcarbluecar · 27/05/2019 21:33

If dogs in public spaces can’t be stopped from approaching people (friendly, attacking, or anything on the continuum between), I think they should be on a lead. I’m sometimes surprised by people who think you won’t mind their dog running at you. In this case (OP) I’d be pissed off and a bit freaked, and would say something sharp to the owner - not sure if I’d report it to anyone tho.

Firstimpressionsofearth · 27/05/2019 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Comefromaway · 27/05/2019 21:39

The dog should be under control and I’d be tempted to report it. If it had been my dh (who looks normal but actually suffers from a vestibular disorder) it could have made him quite poorly.

BaitandSwitch · 27/05/2019 21:42

"Your husband is a grown adult who was accidentally scratched by a dog he was interacting with."

No he was not interacting with this dog and is not interested in his attention. He has tolerated the dog bounding up to him on previous occasions (when at least he was not scratched on his face). But today the dog went too far.

And I have no interest in exploring whether the use of the word 'attack' was reasonable or not -

If I came home after a walk with my nose cut and my face scratched in 4 places from a dog jumping up at me, (to borrow words from another poster) I would certainly feel I had been attacked.

OP posts:
mabelsgarden · 27/05/2019 21:45

He WAS attacked OP. Ignore those saying he wasn't. Don't let people trivialise it for you, mock you, or call you a liar.

MrsHormonal2019 · 27/05/2019 21:46

Jumped and acreages his face? Either your husband is very sorry or dog very tall!!

Roussette · 27/05/2019 21:46

Where on earth does it say it was a friendly dog? The OP hasnt said that Fucksandflowers. She does say this...

"He responded he sees her and that dog regularly and the dog always makes a beeline for him and jumps at him"

That doesn't mean the dog is friendly. It means the dog is out of control and jumps up.

I love not how people make out this is all friendly when it really isn't.

Roussette · 27/05/2019 21:47

Totally agree OP. I said upthread I would be posting the same if I came home after being clawed in the face by an unruly dog.

Squigglesworth · 27/05/2019 21:47

The dog shouldn't be allowed to jump at unsuspecting people, though it hardly sounds like an "attack". The dog should have been kept on its lead. However, if your husband didn't see fit to talk to the woman about it at the time at least draw attention to the fact that he'd been scratched that's his own business. As for coming along with him to confront her on his next walk... Wouldn't he find that incredibly embarrassing?

You could go with him in the hopes that the dog jumps at you next time, I suppose, and then you could give her a piece of your mind about that incident.