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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To have shouted at dog?

89 replies

RubiMurray · 02/10/2021 07:08

I went for a walk along the riverbank yesterday. It’s quite isolated and peaceful, just farms etc - rarely see anyone. Suddenly a Dobermann comes running out of nowhere, no owner in sight. It spots me and stops dead just staring at me. I stop in my tracks hoping an owner is around. Then it bolts towards me barking. I shit myself and start move backwards knowing full well I’m not going to be able to outrun the bloody thing. It reaches me and stands in front of me barking and growling at which point I start shouting “help!” The dog gets more hyped and and is jumping around all heckles raised barking and air snapping. Finally a woman comes running shouting at me to stop shouting (!!??), she’s calling the dog who isn’t taking a blind bit of notice. She finally reaches us, puts a lead on the dog and starts to drag it away (it’s still barking at me) and as she turns to walk off she says “shouting at a dog will only wind it up!” I reply “well I’m sorry but having a big fuck off Dobermann barking and growling at you is rather frightening! Why isn’t it on a lead??” She replied “did he bite you? No so what’s your problem? Stop being dramatic” !!!

WIBU to panic and shout??

OP posts:

Nellle · 02/10/2021 07:51

YANBU OP. The dog was not under control.

The owner was correct that you shouting will have excited the dog further, but that doesn't excuse the fact that the dog was out of control in the first place.

Huge no to the pepper spray idea. Talk about making a negative situation potentially so much worse.

GoodnightGrandma · 02/10/2021 07:53

Don’t make eye contact with the dog and walk calmly away.
I was in the park the other day and I spotted a dog running full pelt at me from the other side of the park. I picked my dog up quick.
The woman eventually realised where her dog was and pathetically called it back. By now it’s jumping at me and my leg is wet and muddy from its paws.
In the end I had to walk over to the owner and wait while she chased it round and round me until she got the lead on it.
She didn’t even say sorry.

QueenOfDuisburg · 02/10/2021 07:54

Very similar happened to me - out walking in a remote area and a giant dog came running over to my three young children, barking and jumping up at them. They were screaming and even my husband and I were scared.

Owners came idling up to get it away in their own time, smirking as they did so. Still makes me angry to think of it now!

RickJames · 02/10/2021 08:03

I don't live in the UK but a quick Google suggests that there are other spray/ jet chemicals for deterring attacking animals.

This one has citronella -
www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-SprayShield-Animal-Deterrent-Spray/dp/B00MIP6X06?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Maybe blasting a rape alarm or something high pitched would intimidate them away?

echt · 02/10/2021 08:03

[quote Cheesepuff1]@echt what she was shouting for would be irrelevant to the dog though, it's just shouting which could have made the situation much worse.
yes of course the dog shouldn't be allowed to do that at all, but when in the situation anyway it's best to know how to stay as safe as possible.

you go quiet, calm, slightly turn away from the dog, no eye contact, arms down by your side. any movements are slow to get something between u and the dog if u can etc[/quote]
The OP wasn't asking for advice to the right thing to do.

She shouted for help when none was in sight.

CollieDug · 02/10/2021 08:08

Crap dog owners like this make me mad. You did nothing wrong - she did not have the animal under control. If my dog did this I’d be absolutely mortified. Your reaction is not the issue here - she was just deflecting her failings by putting blame on you.

Cheesepuff1 · 02/10/2021 08:10

@echt
the title is AIBU to have shouted at a dog.... so based on it being dangerous to have done so, the point is yes she is being unreasonable.

MakingM · 02/10/2021 08:13

YANBU. Some dog owners are very irresponsible. Untrained dogs with inexperienced owners can be terrifying and they never choose a tiny dog, it’s always some massive vicious Alsatian, Doberman, Rottweiler, Put Bull bitey thing that they can’t or won’t control. They should need to be licensed and pass a test in dog management and training before they are allowed to own a dog at all.

CollieDug · 02/10/2021 08:29

[quote Cheesepuff1]@echt
the title is AIBU to have shouted at a dog.... so based on it being dangerous to have done so, the point is yes she is being unreasonable.[/quote]
Ridiculous response - context is everything. The issue is not the shouting, it is the fact there was an irresponsible dog who let her very intimidating dog behave aggressively towards another person. The OP’s natural and understandable reaction was to shout. When humans are scared, we have a natural response. The fault is entirely with the dog owner and your victim blaming is not good at all.

Cheesepuff1 · 02/10/2021 08:32

@CollieDug if you bother to read the actual responses in the thread you will see I said whist it's not unnatural and understandable that she did it, its not the safest response and could have out her in more danger

Knickynackynoo · 02/10/2021 08:48

Terrifying, she'd do well to read up on what constitutes a dangerous dog......doesn't have to bite someone.

Of course she reacted like that though, dog owners are in the main d*cks, had incidents in that shpere but not quite as scary and I've never once been apologised to, in the main the owners have like this owner been aggressive towards me as well or have carried on like it didn't happen.

On the beach in the summer my two yo playing next to me happily head down concentrating on some game with shells this retriever comes out of knowehere and is quick as a flash up in DC's face....inches away with his mouth open, dc just starting to xry and looking terrifie, obviously swooped down to pick him up, Iooked up to see the owner stood watching only when I looked up did they start to recall the dog which obviously had zero recall, gave a word or two around with the he'll was she doing letting it go up to a babies face,has BP recall why isn't in a lead, she told me to 'wind my fing neck in'.

CollieDug · 02/10/2021 08:50

I did read the responses @Cheesepuff1 so don’t try that crap on me

As per the OP’s first post, the irresponsible dog owner blamed her. No apologies for her dog being out of control in the first instance.

The dog owner is victim blaming and you are too.

DancesWithTortoises · 02/10/2021 08:52

Report her to the dog warden, she won't be hard to find on social media.

Knickynackynoo · 02/10/2021 09:13

*NOWHERE

Yes I'd report

Cheesepuff1 · 02/10/2021 09:18

This reply has been deleted

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

Etonmessisyum · 02/10/2021 09:18

Dog is an arsehole owner a total dick honestly who thinks it’s ok to allow a dog who behaves like that off lead and out of sight with no training/recall THEN shout at someone their dog scared the shit out of I like dogs but it’s would be lucky all I did was shout at it. I have a very bouncy retriever hes 1 that’s what they do, but he’s kept on lead because people don’t want muddy paws and a licky dog face in their faces - he’s tall and loves people he’s much calmer but it’s a work in progress and he’s not allowed to practice bad behaviour so is under control.

Blah1881 · 02/10/2021 09:29

I’d be reporting this to the local police. Imagine if you were a child or young adult walking on your own encountering this. This owner is taking no responsibility for her dangerous dog and the dog will 100% do this again. YANBU. Sorry this happened to you, you must be shaken.

HelloChompy · 02/10/2021 09:38

I've been a lifelong dog owner and work with dogs now and I am of the opinion that a significant proportion of people should not own dogs. This woman is one of them. She clearly had no control of her dog and probably got so defensive because she was embarrassed.

echt · 02/10/2021 09:40

[quote Cheesepuff1]@echt
the title is AIBU to have shouted at a dog.... so based on it being dangerous to have done so, the point is yes she is being unreasonable.[/quote]
But the body of thread said something more nuanced.

echt · 02/10/2021 09:41

[quote Cheesepuff1]@CollieDug if you bother to read the actual responses in the thread you will see I said whist it's not unnatural and understandable that she did it, its not the safest response and could have out her in more danger[/quote]
She was calling for help. Read the OP's OP.

Or is calling for help provoking the dog?

Cheesepuff1 · 02/10/2021 09:53

@echt yes the dog doesn't know what someone is shouting for do they.. they just see shouting

DrinkingWishingSmokingHoping · 02/10/2021 09:54

@RickJames

Pepper spray. It will save you and doesn't injure the dog, just disables it temporarily. You can get the sprays from outdoor stores, its specifically for animal attacks - just remember to only carry it in the wilderness and not take it shopping, to pubs etc.

Im so sorry this happened. I'd have been terrified.

Pepper spray is illegal in the UK. What a stupid comment.

echt · 02/10/2021 09:55

[quote Cheesepuff1]@echt yes the dog doesn't know what someone is shouting for do they.. they just see shouting[/quote]
So what? The person was alone and needed help.

Cherrysoup · 02/10/2021 10:00

I’d shit my pants and I have dogs! I find Doberman’s very scary and any dog galloping at you barking sounds terrifying. I remember picking my two up from the kennels one day and the owner’s new Rottweiler pelting at me (for cuddles, as it turned out). I was very worried!

billy1966 · 02/10/2021 10:03

I hope you got a photo.
Definitely report.

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