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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To report this dog to the police?

53 replies

DogAttack · 10/03/2020 19:00

I was out cycling and was chased by a Doberman which was snarling and lunging at me. Owners were out of sight slightly down the path. I was terrified and screaming. Booted the dog hard, managed to get off my bike and had the bike between me and the dog while still screaming at it. I love dogs and am not scared of them at all but I honestly thought this was going to end badly. Full on teeth out, nasty snarling and lunging. It turned round and ran back.

I went to the bend in the path and saw the owners and screamed abuse at them. They waved. I was too scared to go up to them, they were little dots in the distance.

I posted on the local fb group warning people to be careful if using that cycle path. He’s responded saying it was his dog. It wasn’t been nasty but was being friendly or someone. He’s only had it six weeks but it often runs after cyclists and has never bitten anyone. Says I’m exaggerating. He’s lied and said he wasn’t out of sight and if I haven’t been bitten I haven’t been attacked.

So he obviously doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong and will continue to let his dog chase cyclists. Kids use this path to cycle to school. If he’d said sorry and that he’d keep it on a lead I’d have been fine but doesn’t sound like he will,

Will the police take it seriously? Obviously my word against his and his wife.

OP posts:
GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 10/03/2020 21:37

Those are the sort of dog owners who get the rest of us a bad name...

k1233 · 10/03/2020 21:37

I don't think your situation was acceptable. Off leash dogs shouldn't pursue anyone. You squealing didn't help things, but dog shouldn't have been chasing you in the first place.

That said, a cocker I got as a 3yo dog sounds utterly terrible when she plays. Sounds extremely vicious - snarling, growling etc. If I'd had her from a pup I would have stopped it, but she engages in play too infrequently to teach her to behave differently. I do explain to people at dog park that she sounds awful, but her body language says she's just playing. I keep a close eye on her and let them know if they're worried we'll leave. It's rare she plays with other dogs and on the odd occasion she does engage, people have been fine.

Original poster
DogAttack · 10/03/2020 21:45

The dog was snarling and lunging at me before I started screaming. Proper full on screaming, not squealing. I actually think it helped the situation as I seemed to frighten the dog and it did hesitate Slightly at that point.

OP posts:
Original poster
DogAttack · 10/03/2020 21:46

I heard it before I saw it!

OP posts:
user1494182820 · 10/03/2020 22:00

Yanbu and the police will take dog issues pretty seriously. It doesn't need to have injured you, if it has frightened you, that is enough to report it to the police. And handily, you now have his name and written confirmation that it was chasing you.

Mumtothelittlefella · 10/03/2020 22:01

When I was 11 I was chased across some public fields by the postman’s two Doberman. They were snarling and growling as they chased me. I remember the Postie shouting ‘stand still and they won’t attack you!’ WTF! No chance I was going to stop until I got the road. Eventually I lost them but I still remember them now. Terrifying.

I’d absolutely report him, and record your commute should it happen again. Do you have use of a GoPro or similar?

StoneofDestiny · 10/03/2020 22:09

A thumping great Doberman chasing you? I defy anybody not to be frightened by that.

Reginabambina · 10/03/2020 22:14

@Wolfiefan if you live rurally they probably are accepted everywhere. You have to get in your car and drive into town to escape them and even there the vast majority of cafes and restaurants accept dogs. I’ve never seen a dog turned away from anyway where and have seen dogs in almost every cafe, restaurant or pub I’ve been to in the past six months. One of my children is scared of them (after being constantly jumped on by dogs that belong to arseholes like those described in the OP) so going out for a baby chino is like a cake of Russian roulette.

thequeenoftarts · 10/03/2020 22:21

I don't care if he is jesus christ or his twin, tats facts are, a ) dog is a restricted breed and should be on a lead and b) should be muzzled in public. Never mind attacking cyclists and roaming free

TaighNamGastaOrt · 10/03/2020 22:30

Definitely report. about 10 years ago, there was a german shepherd round here who attacked people in the local park. he bit the local PAT dog, a lovely black lab and his owner. the park was next to a school, several kids were scared by the dog, snapping at them. Dog warden was good, went to police and issued with a control order.
GSD had to be muzzled and on a lead in public. Credit where its due, idiot owners were seen walking round park with a muzzle and a lead and dog loose!
Enforcing the control order was a problem, but it certainly lessened the attacks. not ashamed to admit I was glad when the dog died, bloody scary big thing.
hope dog warden can help you

Cherrysoup · 10/03/2020 22:32

A Doberman is not a restricted breed (in the U.K.) Confused Out of control dog is clearly against Dangerous Dogs Act, police should definitely act.

AlexaCanBuggerOff · 10/03/2020 22:44

I've been physically attacked by dogs twice and I have also been rounded up/penned in by two rottweilers (but no physical contact). The latter actually scared me far more than the physical attacks did, so this attitude of "oh he will chase you but he won't actually bite you, don't worry" is bollocks.

Oh and special shout out to my favourite arsehole comment, "oh that's just his way of being friendly" (plot twist: no it isn't. I can see gums).

No sir your dog is aggressive and you are a crap dog owner!

OP, please report. I still love dogs surprisingly but dog owners who buy huge animals and then put in no effort to train/control them really terrify me.

june2007 · 10/03/2020 22:53

DEf not in owners control but kicking out at a dog is more likely to scare the dog and may msake them more aggressive. I had a dog that hated bikes after a cyclist knocked her claw off. But in this case why was dog chasing you with no owner.

QuestionableMouse · 10/03/2020 22:57

Honestly my dog would go ape if you started screaming at him. All you were doing was winding it up more.

changeforazog · 10/03/2020 23:03

@june2007 @QuestionableMouse

So what are you supposed to do when a dog attacks you? Most people will respond by instinct, that doesn't necessarily mean doing the most sensible thing but doing whatever comes to mind. If a person attacked you, you would probably scream and kick out and nobody would victim blame you. Why is this any different? Why do dog owners expect everyone else to know how to manage THEIR dog's aggressive behaviour?

Klonda · 11/03/2020 01:34

QuestionableMouse
Then maybe you could train your dog?

k1233 · 11/03/2020 02:14

Generally, with rushing dogs, I have had success by stopping, drawing myself up and giving the dog a command eg "get home" like I mean it.

Best response was when I was riding my very spooky horse and an off leash dog was eyeing him off. I patted the horse and said "don't worry buddy, if he runs at you you can kill him" never seen a dog get put on a lead so fast. Reality was if dog ran at him, I would have been deposited as an offering whilst horse high tailed it home.

Original poster
Dogattack · 11/03/2020 05:28

I’ve cycled commuted for years and had my fair share of dogs rushing at me, etc. I’ve never once felt the need to scream or kick at one until this. I 100% agree that normally stopping and talking to them resolves the situation. But this time I knew it was beyond that.

OP posts:
Booboostwo · 11/03/2020 05:46

The Dog Warden is your best bet but agree with others that the way you behaved increased the danger you were in. If you keep cycling it encourages the dog to chase, if you scream you either encourage chasing instincts or scare the dog and if you put out your leg to kick you give something to the dog to bite.

This is not victim blaming, the poster above is deeply confused. Dogs are not morally to blame for their behavior, they are dogs. The owner was clearly to blame. Draw a line under that and think, given that the owner is irresponsible, which behavior will keep you safest? Stopping, standing still and keeping quiet is the safest option when faced with an aggressive dog.

frillyfarmer · 11/03/2020 05:51

It's so unreasonable to blame to OP's response and I say that as an avid dog person. No one should have out of control dogs in public, that really is all there is to it. The dogs behaviour was very worrying, but even if the dog had just chased her "playfully" that's still not on. Dogs can and do bite people.

Honeybee85 · 11/03/2020 05:56

Definitely report! The owners were VERY irresponsable. Esspecially if they haven’t had this dog for a long time, they have no idea how it might react to others.

Plus, the dog didn’t bite you, but it was a dangerous situation that could have made you fall from your bike and seriously injure yourself. I knew someone who died after falling from their bike, this isn’t a risk they should take.

Wolfiefan · 11/03/2020 07:39

@Reginabambina I’m so sorry that happened to your child. We do live rurally but there’s a balance here of places that accept them and places that don’t.
Sorry to derail but the dogs trust do some good sessions aimed at giving children knowledge and confidence around dogs. (We went to one in our local library. And they don’t bring a dog! Well just a stuffed one!)
But of course you wouldn’t need to help your child over a fear like that if people just controlled their dogs. Grrrr.
And yes. I have dogs.

GabriellaMontez · 11/03/2020 07:50

Sounds terrifying. Glad you've reported. Ignore him and his friends on the fb group. It would be a different story if it had attacked a child.

SarahInAccounts · 11/03/2020 07:57

You did the right thing in reporting. Let the police and dog warden judge if it's dangerous. Also let's hope the owner has had a wake up call and will keep in under control if he's allowed to keep it.

OldEvilOwl · 11/03/2020 07:59

You can turn off comments on your Fb post so others can see it but people can't comment on it. Sounds terrifying

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