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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have jogged past dogs from behind??

204 replies

cmac76 · 18/10/2019 10:34

I know the topic of dogs/walkers/joggers is covered a lot on here but in this instance I'm wondering if I should have behaved differently so would appreciate opinions especially from other dog owners.

I have just come back from a jog in a nature reserve which is very popular with lots of people - dog owners, joggers, walkers, families etc. I was approaching a woman who was walking in the same direction as me (so I was jogging behind her) and she had 3 dogs off leads - one really large dog and 2 smaller ones. As I was approaching she moved over to one side to let me pass so I assumed all was fine and carried on past her. As I got further on I could hear her shouting so I turned around and could see all the dogs chasing me! I stopped still and all 3 surrounded me barking up at me so I couldn't move.

She carried on shouting but none of them came back to her so I asked her could she please put them on the lead and this is where she kicked off at me shouting that I should never run behind 'a pack of dogs' and 'would I run behind a horse?' I was very wtf at this point and unfortunately did raise my voice back which I do regret as it escalated and of course the dogs probably picked up on this and carried on barking at me. I pointed out how they are not horses, how I should be allowed to go out for a jog in a public place and how her dogs were not well trained if they couldn't be recalled - she got so irate at me and started to get quite close and in my face shouting that they were well trained and not dangerous as they were literally still barking at me and I couldn't move. She also yelled at me, "who the fuck do I think I am...do I think I own the fucking place"

Eventually she put their leads on and I carried on but felt I had to warn some mums coming in the other direction who had toddlers running loose as they were about to cross paths with her.

So Aibu for jogging behind dogs? Should I stop?? I know I was being unreasonable for getting into a shouting match with her but she was so irate from the moment I asked her to put her dogs on the lead. Am I making a mountain out if a molehill? They didn't actually bite me - just barked at me but I felt scared especially as there were 3 of them.

OP posts:
TeaStory · 18/10/2019 10:35

She’s bananas.

TooTrueToBeGood · 18/10/2019 10:36

She's an idiot. Her dogs were off lead and out of control. End of story.

AryaStarkWolf · 18/10/2019 10:37

wtf? what else are you supposed to do? If her dogs can't be trusted around people they shouldn't be off lead. YANBU

*I'm a dog owner

sqirrelfriends · 18/10/2019 10:38

She sounds unhinged

ThatMuppetShow · 18/10/2019 10:38

She shouldn't have dogs if she can't control them. She is a very dangerous idiot.

Baguetteaboutit · 18/10/2019 10:39

Yanbu. She is being an unreasonable idiot. If you can't control your dogs in a public space keep them on a fucking lead, it's that simple.

IfIHadAPenny · 18/10/2019 10:39

Batshit. She wasn't in control of her dogs, you did nothing wrong at all.

adaline · 18/10/2019 10:39

She's bonkers! I have a dog who would chase a runner so - shock - he's on the lead in places like that so I have total control over him.

You did nothing wrong.

Quellium · 18/10/2019 10:39

I don't think you were unreasonable at all. She sounds awful and her dogs should not have been off the lead if she doesn't have recall.

SissySpacekAteMyHamster · 18/10/2019 10:40

Dogs who can't be controlled shouldn't be off lead. She was very much in the wrong.

I have 2 dogs who I walk on lead but anyone running past us is ignored by them.

ArthurEyeTits · 18/10/2019 10:40

Of course you weren't BU.
Wtf says you shouldn't come up behind dogs?
The woman sounds deranged and needs to be on a leash herself.

WatchingFromTheWings · 18/10/2019 10:41

I'm a dog owner. I have 3. I'd have held onto all 3 until you were well away as they would all join you in your run! If I had seen/heard you in advance they'd have all been on their leads before you got close. That's no matter what direction you were running.

DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 18/10/2019 10:41

Jogging dog owner here.
She's crackers, her dogs have awful recall and she should not let them off if she can't reliably get them back to her!
(mine have shit recall so don't often get let off in places like that!)
She was probably shouting at you because she was embarrassed and flapping.
Yanbu.

Beagled · 18/10/2019 10:41

It’s her fault. I always stick mine on a lead when there’s a jogger as he’ll think it’s a game and run with them 🤦🏼‍♀️

AmIThough · 18/10/2019 10:42

I'm a dog owner and if your dog is off lead it is your response to ensure they behave appropriately when commanded and around other people.

You were kind enough to stop to stop her dogs running any further. If she can't control them that's her issue.

Beautiful3 · 18/10/2019 10:42

Of course she should have put them on their lead, as they were out of control! Yanbu. Next time dont stop, keep running and watch her run!!

Disfordarkchocolate · 18/10/2019 10:42

What did she expect, all the people in the park to slowly walk behind her like she was the Queen? She was very unreasonable.

willywillywillywilly · 18/10/2019 10:42

She was BVU, however when I'm out running I often come across dogs in situations similar to what you describe - if you call out "hello" or "good morning" or something when you're still a reasonable distance from the owner, it gives them a chance to put dogs on the lead or grab their collars.

She does sound like a total dick though, and should have been able to control her dogs.

Bythebeach · 18/10/2019 10:44

Eh? My dog is a bloody idiot, now aged 2. For her first year, she had a propensity for chasing joggers and I would keep her on lead if joggers around and occasionally one from behind might catch me by surprise and I’d have to grab dog and apologise profusely if I wasn’t quick enough. She’s now trained out of it but still gets a bit wiggly and excited if jogger goes past (no chasing) and it was hard work to train and distract her to get her to the point where she didn’t. But it most certainly isn’t YOUR fault-she should have been apologising to you!

bloodywhitecat · 18/10/2019 10:48

Should dogs even be off the lead in a nature reserve, most I go to ask for dogs to be kept on leads. She was completely unreasonable, dog owners should have them under close control at all times.

powershowerforanhour · 18/10/2019 10:48

Yes it's instinctive for dogs to chase running people and animals but they should have recall well enough trained into them to stop and return on command, no matter how many of them there are. If she hasn't got verbal control of them then they should either be on leads or at least she shoukd have apologised and clipped them on till you were gone.

You should not have to stop your run every time you go past dogs that's just silly. If I was passing a horse I'd probably call a good morning well in advance to let horse and rider know I was there, pass out of kicking range and slow down if the horse looked upset but it is the rider's job to get the horse's head in the road and bum in the hedge if necessary. If I got kicked or barged and knocked over by the horse it is probably the rider's fault unless I went right up behind the horse's hocks.

PenelopeFlintstone · 18/10/2019 10:49

A jogger came up very quietly behind my DH who had our young medium-sized dog on a lead, on a narrow footpath. Our dog got a fright and jumped up and nipped her on the elbow.

Sweetpotatoaddict · 18/10/2019 10:49

In this instance I find the statement “ aggression is the best form of defence” and carry on.

Her dogs were out of control, end of. I’ve had two instances with dog owners yelling at me when there was no debate that they were in the wrong.

ginghamstarfish · 18/10/2019 10:49

She was an entitled twat, as are lots of dog owners.

tealady · 18/10/2019 10:49

Dog owner here. She was massively unreasonable. Dogs can be unreliable even if well trained but that should be her problem not yours and she should have been massively apologetic for them behaving in a way that was scary for you.

The law is quite clear and says:
"Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
injures someone
makes someone worried that it might injure them"
Although it is tricky when people appear out of nowhere for dogs off lead - I would expect her to apologise and start getting them on lead immediately.