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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to say something to anyone I see walking their bloody dog

222 replies

TooTTootY · 12/08/2020 14:39

In 30° fucking heat!

I live on quite a rural road which lots of people walk their dogs down. The amount of people I've seen nearly dragging panting dogs down the pavement today is appalling!

AIBU to think you're a lousy dog owner if you drag them out for a walk in this heat? I've felt like saying something to a few of them where there dogs have looked absolutely sweltering. How many times do people need reminding?!

I ran to my car to grab something before, I didn't have shoes on, just socks and I could feel the tarmac burning even through my socks so I don't know what a poor dog feels like being forced to walk on it for God knows how long.

OP posts:
Original poster
TooTTootY · 12/08/2020 14:40

Their*

OP posts:
RincewindsHat · 12/08/2020 14:42

It is ridiculous, I have no idea why people don't think. My two were walked before 7am, will be walked after 8pm and are currently chilling out in front of the portable air conditioner! I don't think I could induce them to walk in this heat even if I wanted to.

Blackbutler86 · 12/08/2020 14:43

People are fucking idiots! They shouldn’t be allowed dogs.

I’ve had to co ordinate early morning and late night walks with 8 dogs and during the day we’ve sat by the air conditioner and had the doggy pool out.

LemmysAceCard · 12/08/2020 14:43

I know what you mean OP, i live on a popular dog walking route (residential) and most people are sensible and dont walk their dogs in this heat but you always get the stupid ones that do.

They are dressed in shorts and flip flops to keep cool but their poor dogs are nearly passing out from the heat.

We took DDog out last night at 9.00pm as it was cool enough for him to walk and even then he came back in panting his head off! For the most part on very hot and humid days we dont walk him and he seems fine with this.

Ginfordinner · 12/08/2020 14:45

I cannot understand why 25% of posters think YABU Hmm

Walking dogs on hot hard surfaces is cruel. It hurts their feet to walk on pavements in these temperatures.

Original poster
TooTTootY · 12/08/2020 14:46

It's just annoying me more and more the more I see people walking up and down today past my house. Absolutely stupid.

I'm starting to think maybe if I was 'that person' who said something, they might think twice next time.

I saw a woman walking two golden retrievers before and the poor things looked like they were ready to collapse!

I've put some water outside my gate so they can stop for drinks if they are walking by but it is just so stupid.

The amount of things you see online too about people leaving them in cars for hours in the sun as well. Quite clear that so many people are completely irresponsible owners.

OP posts:
WitchQueenofDarkness · 12/08/2020 14:47

Ddog went out about 9am for a much shorter walk than usual and I let him soak in the river before the short walk back.

He's now sleeping in the coolest place he can find. I would fill his paddling pool for him but he won't go in it although the river is obviously fine.

TinySleepThief · 12/08/2020 14:47

Absolutely not unreasonable. As we xame back from food shopping earlier todya
today we passed a park with 4 dogs on it.
All 4 of them looked fucking miserable as their owners stood talking to each other. I was so tempted to get out the car and tell them how stupid they were but I figured if they didn't care enough to keep their pet safely out of the sun during a heatwave then they sure as fuck wouldn't care what a stranger had to say about it. Sad

Lifeisgenerallyfun · 12/08/2020 14:48

Whoever is walking their dog is an idiot. Mine is currently lying on her cool mat in front of a fan, what is going through people’s heads in this heat

Thewheelsfelloffthebus · 12/08/2020 14:48

While I 100% agree with you - a few years ago I lived in a flat - we had a communal garden but ddog absolutely refused to poo in it, so did occasionally have to take him out in hot weather so he’d go but literally to the corner of by road and for probably less than five minutes.
That said al pretty sure you’d know if they were your immediate neighbours just taking the of a few meters for a number two!

TimeTruthandHearts · 12/08/2020 14:49

Our house backs on to fields, some people are on there with their dog right now. And even in this heat our dog is gazing longingly at it Hmm.

Not a bloody chance. I've seen a dog suffering with heatstroke and it's awful. Poor sod just has to wait until tonight.

Original poster
TooTTootY · 12/08/2020 14:49

Mine are currently lay on cooling mats on the kitchen floor with a wet towel next to them and they are still panting. I just wouldn't dream of taking them out in this, they have long fur too so would be unbearable I imagine.

OP posts:
Dugsbollox · 12/08/2020 14:49

It's sheer stupidity, YANBU.

AriesTheRam · 12/08/2020 14:50

Its bad.I had to take my dog to the vets yest.I carried him half mile to vets and back as I didn't want him to overheat.

Ickabog · 12/08/2020 14:50

YDNBU OP

There's no excuse. Anyone who is walking their dog in this heat is a fucking idiot, and MN wouldn't publish what I think should happen to anyone who leaves their dog in a car in this weather. Angry

Original poster
TooTTootY · 12/08/2020 14:51

@Thewheelsfelloffthebus

While I 100% agree with you - a few years ago I lived in a flat - we had a communal garden but ddog absolutely refused to poo in it, so did occasionally have to take him out in hot weather so he’d go but literally to the corner of by road and for probably less than five minutes. That said al pretty sure you’d know if they were your immediate neighbours just taking the of a few meters for a number two!
Yeah I 100% get that, I don't judge anyone who lives in a flat or whatever and needs to take them out to the toilet of course.

But I live very rurally, there are only 3 cottages on our row and there are no flats around here. The road doesn't really go anywhere for at least 5 minutes in a car either way so you'd have to have been walking a while to get to my house.

OP posts:
Porcupineinwaiting · 12/08/2020 14:54

It does, to an extent, depend on the breed and where you walk them. Mine was a skinny thing with short hair and was fine romping through woodland in the height if summer, as long as there was water available. Likewise quite a few dogs playing on the beach today, in and out of the water then flopping in the shade.

Thewheelsfelloffthebus · 12/08/2020 14:54

@TooTTootY I used to soak his paws before and after - but always felt guilty! Luckily now we have a garden and a nice cool river just behind itGrin.

Bergerdog · 12/08/2020 14:55

I live at the entrance to a national walk.
Today I’ve seen dog after dog go past, including a pair of border collies chasing balls for over an hour and even a pair of pugs being dragged along by 3 children Hmm

None have mine have moved all day!

CentrifugalBumblePuppy · 12/08/2020 14:55

That’s awful. My boys are sprawled in front of the air con, with the back door open so they can dip in & out of their paddling pool. And cool mats scattered across the patio if they’re daft enough to flop down outside. I test the patio barefoot every hour & adjust the umbrellas as the sun moves. Anyone walking dogs in this heat is an idiot. Pop them into grass to go to the loo, but don’t walk them, not on pavement without shade during daylight.

Collaborate · 12/08/2020 14:56

@Ginfordinner

I cannot understand why 25% of posters think YABU Hmm

Walking dogs on hot hard surfaces is cruel. It hurts their feet to walk on pavements in these temperatures.

25% of posters must have dogs and either can't be bothered to think about it, or are callous as fuck.
Collaborate · 12/08/2020 14:56

*mustn't

JustCallMeGriffin · 12/08/2020 14:57

My eldest and I do the couch to 5k attempt at running at 7am in the park. Unsurprisingly we had a lot of dog walking companions this morning making the park much busier than normal (no one needs to see my fat arse attempting to run) but DD was delighted to see so many people walking their dogs before it got too hot.

If a 13 year old non pet owning child understands that's a necessary action/sacrifice in hot weather there's zero excuse for dog owners to not understand!

By the time we'd finished at 7.40 the temperature was at 21C already.

Original poster
TooTTootY · 12/08/2020 14:58

@Porcupineinwaiting

It does, to an extent, depend on the breed and where you walk them. Mine was a skinny thing with short hair and was fine romping through woodland in the height if summer, as long as there was water available. Likewise quite a few dogs playing on the beach today, in and out of the water then flopping in the shade.
It's a road, so tarmacked which changes to cobbles in one section. Definitely not wooded or next to a river Sad I've been out in my socks before and it was hot then, that was about 2 hours ago!
OP posts:
joystir59 · 12/08/2020 14:58

Took my dog out on the train to a local market town and we sat outside a cafe and had tea and water and cake and sausage roll. Then back home on the bus. We got home at 1.15pm and yes it was a hot day but he was in the shade for most of it, or sitting in a breeze. He had plenty of water to drink and we had a great time.