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AIBU?

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Original poster

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:
IHateUncleJamie · 27/05/2019 23:00

@Rousette It is my DB’s first dog and as DH and I have had ddogs for years we knew what to do. To be fair to DB his dog is still young and has now grown out of it - and it was always accidental but yes, it does sting when it happens.

Personally we have never let our dogs jump up at people which is why I said the owner was out of order in laughing it off - I would have been very apologetic. I still think the OP is overdramatising the incident though, calling it an attack etc. I wonder if her DH is vulnerable at all because neither my DH nor I have been “in shock” when badly trained dogs have jumped up or even accidentally scratched us. Cross, yes.

Dippypippy1980 · 27/05/2019 23:01

Rousetta I suppose we are all different. I fight my own battles, and would lose respect for my boyfriend if he needed me to stand up for him😬

Shenanagins · 27/05/2019 23:03

I can’t believe some of the responses on this thread from people downplaying this.

The husband shouldn’t have to understand what to do in this situation as the dog should be on a lead. Whilst many are saying it was friendly, it drew blood and that is not acceptable in any circumstances therefore should be reported so that the irresponsible owner understands this.

I love dogs, grew up with them and was an owner myself for many years but I’m increasingly getting very pissed off at the number of dogs who bound around up to me and generally being a nuisance, thankfully I’m not scared but it’s a complete pain in the arse and maybe dog owners should realise this.

Dippypippy1980 · 27/05/2019 23:04

Thanks ben! I should have ignored it🤣 always rise to the bait.

Roussette · 27/05/2019 23:06

My DH doesn't need me to stand up for him. But I can get cross on his behalf. I don't think that's odd. And the OP said she felt like going out with her DH. Not that she was going to.

Jamie I honestly think I might have been a bit in shock if a stranger's dog had scratched my face in 4 places after jumping up at me. And I'm no wuss. You have a dog, your DB does. I don't. Even though I actually like dogs believe it or not. Well behaved ones that is...

10percentbatteryremaining · 27/05/2019 23:46

There are some absolutely batshit people on this thread.

No dog should be jumping on people and scratching them, if your dog does that you shouldn't have one.

Drogosnextwife · 28/05/2019 00:12

Actually OP my child was jumped on by a fucking massive over enthusiastic dog, it was young and very excited and it knocked him right over. I wasn't exactly happy considering he was 2 but it didn't even cross my mind to phone the police! Do people think police have got nothing better to do with their time, ffs there's a shortage as it is without people wasting resources on something like this!

Evilspiritgin · 28/05/2019 00:27

Had the owner let the dog off the lead when she saw the dp? To be honest the second time the dog jumped on me I would have said something to the owner not let it happen time after time

BreakfastAtLitanies · 28/05/2019 00:55

Don't bloody post on AIBU if you refuse to accept you might be being unreasonable?

I think it's awful your husband got scratched but that's what it is. Scratched. Not bitten, not attacked, not "ambushed". You're making it sound like the dog carefully plotted this?

It was a one time accident. Your husband has not been scratched by this dog before. I pet strangers dogs all the time and I've been scratched by accident! Would never cross my mind to call the police, you're totally overreacting.

If your husband wants to speak to the owner about it then so be it. Not you, someone who wasn't even there to see what happened Hmm

HiJenny35 · 28/05/2019 01:13

I'm amazed by the amount of people justifying this. It makes no difference if you consider it an attack or excited playing, the owner didn't have the dog under control. I don't want a dog jumping up me or my children, if your dog might jump up people get it on a lead. Your husband has been hurt by someone else's lack of control of their animal, thank goodness it didn't catch his eye or jump up a child. Yes you should definitely report it. The owner needs a reality check.
You have every right to be angry, the owner should have the dog under control, this isn't 'playing'.

BrightBurn · 28/05/2019 01:19

Your husband was not attacked!

The dog was excited and jumped up, ACCIDENTLY hurting your DH.

The dog Owen should apologise and keep their dog on a lead.

But your husband wasn't attacked... What an exaggeration!

ClarkeMurphy · 28/05/2019 01:40

I'm amazed by the amount of people justifying this.

Totally agree with this! People should be able to go for walks without coming home bleeding. If the dog causes this much damage accidentally then it absolutely shouldn't be off lead. This dog owner, and the excusers, give decent dog owners a bad reputation.

Whatareyoutalkingabout · 28/05/2019 01:54

Okay so he wasn't attacked. A dog tried to say hello and was a little over friendly. Yes he should be kept on the lead. But you're massively overreacting.

Whatareyoutalkingabout · 28/05/2019 01:56

"Hello, police? This really friendly dog jumped up to say hello to my husband, forgot he had claws, and accidently scratched his face." Yeah I'm sure they'll be rushing out to arrest the owner.

PatricksRum · 28/05/2019 05:35

Batshit replies.
Stop getting caught up by one word.
The dog harmed someone. Dangerous.

yiskasha · 28/05/2019 05:49

So a dog accidentally scratched your husband and you're saying he's been attacked? How do some people leave the house in the mornings being this dramatic? It was an accident, these things happen. Move on with your life and stop being so childish.

Raindropsonroses27 · 28/05/2019 06:01

I had an incident recently where my young dog was off the lead in a remote place (no people around) and for some unbeknown reason just ran off. Never done it before and recall is usually really good with him. I ran after him and he'd gone into a park and was excitedly jumping up at people as he does. I was beyond mortified especially when a woman went ballistic at me. Nobody was hurt and he certainly never would attack anyone but I've learnt my lesson and he will always be on a lead now even in the usual remote places we walk him.

I think the dog owner should have been a lot more apologetic. I also think you could be a bit understanding of the fact that accidents do happen and even responsible dog owners can make the odd error of judgement. It doesn't sound like your h was attached as much as jumped up on. Which still isn't ok but I don't think the police will do a great deal and maybe a helpful 'please keep your dog on a lead unless you can control it' would be more useful than a piece of your mind.

captainpantbeard · 28/05/2019 06:03

Who the fuck wants a dog - friendly or otherwise - to jump up and claw their face? Accident or not it’s completely unacceptable!

MythicalBiologicalFennel · 28/05/2019 06:13

I've recently been abroad and noticed how many dogs there were and how they were all under control - lots of leads, owners always within sight, NO dog mess on pavements, no fights, no darting through busy parks or beaches at 50 miles an hour etc. It's made me realise some dog owners' attitude has got quite bad and entitled over the last few years in the UK - look at the comments upthread!

Oh and OP YANBU and this warrants at least a call to the dog warden.

Piglet89 · 28/05/2019 06:27

Usual dog apologists out in force on the thread, I see. Their precious pooches can do no wrong.

Roussette · 28/05/2019 08:20

Dragonsnextwife The OP never said she was going to phone the Police that was other posters.

Okay so he wasn't attacked. A dog tried to say hello and was a little over friendly. Yes he should be kept on the lead. But you're massively overreacting

Bloody hell. This says it all. If I came home with a bleed from the nose and in 3 other places on my face, I would be fucking overreacting too.

I presume most of the apologists on here are dog owners. You have done yourself no favours whatsoever. You honestly put everyone off the well behaved dog owners, you really do. When your 15 year old daughter comes home wailing that she's been scratched in the face and up the nose and it's never going to heal and she'll be scarred (being dramatic like 15 yr olds are) just make sure you tell her to stop making a fuss and that the dog was just being playful, and she should've turned her back and folded her arms, so it was her fault really.

One thing I've learnt too... put just ONE word that posters don't like in a heading and it's what they'll drone on and on and on about, (attack) without actually looking at the facts and what happened and talking sensibly. Makes it easy to lay into an OP I s'pose. MN at it's worst.

If I were you OP, I'd not bother coming back. However, there are some sensible posters on here who actually understand.

Lizzie48 · 28/05/2019 08:57

Roussette That’s true, the OP never said she was going to the police, other posters said that she should do that. She was just angry and venting, which is what posters often do on Mumsnet. You then always get other posters telling them not to be so melodramatic and make a complaint when they actually haven’t done anything of the sort as yet (and often have come on here instead).

And whenever someone complains about an over exuberant dog jumping up at them and hurting either them or a family member, you get some dog lovers telling them they’re complaining about nothing.

These threads are so predictable. Hmm

Roussette · 28/05/2019 09:06

Aye, predictable indeed. Some posters pick bits out and make it up as they go along, just to have a dig at the OP.

I'd love to know if the DH had to go to the eye hospital because the claws had damaged his eye, if it would still be 'a playful accident'.

TheRedBarrows · 28/05/2019 09:08

The dog owner is unbelievably stupid.

If the dog does this to a child and the parents report it the results could be serious for the dog.

However much she bleats that favourite refrain of irresponsible owners “he’s only being friendly “

And your DH is being wet. He needs to say to the owner “I did have scratches that drew blood and I think we need to put a stop to his enthusiasm “. And say ‘no!’ Loudly and firmly every time the dog approaches him.

A claw in the eye is not a good prospect.

AllInADay · 28/05/2019 10:57

Not related to this particular incident. I was in a lovely leafy sunny park the other day with my young grandson. A runner came by doing circuits of the park. A man came in with a dog and paused close by me. He took the dog off the lead, bent down and whispered in its ear "Chase 'im!" and the dog set off at speed after the runner, barking at him, encircling him and jumping up at him. I grabbed my grandson and left out of the nearest gate. Dog apologists, there are some real dog-owning nutters around. Those are the extremes. Yet also, attributing human traits to dogs like "being friendly" and "wanting to say hello" can also colour judgements to a complacent level where they can't foresee danger when it presents itself.