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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have carried on running?

718 replies

OdettySpaghetti · 02/10/2021 08:06

Went for a run this morning. Ran past a couple of women with offlead dogs (cockapoo and a frenchie) which chased me as I passed them. They were not aggressive, more like running alongside me. The owners shouted of them but the dogs ignored them and carried on following me. I kept on running - before long we (me and dogs!) we’re quite a distance from the owners who were miles behind shouting and running (in a fashion) after us. I ran my usual route, off this path and into a wooded cut through, dogs still by my side. I’m getting pissed off at this point as I know I’m coming to a road and will need to stop so the owners can get their dogs. Sure enough I come to the road and stop. The dogs stop too and just start sniffing around but because we’re now close to a road I feel I have to take the dogs back before they dart across it so I head back the way I came, fuming that this has messed my run up. When the owners catch up one says “if you’d just stopped running we could have got them ages ago!” I replied that their dogs are not my responsibility to which they replied “no need to take them close to a main road though is there? Where is your common sense?” So livid now I say “get your fucking dogs under control, next time I don’t stop at the road”.

AIbU to have not wanted to mess my run up?

OP posts:
ClinkeyMonkey · 03/10/2021 15:56

@vivainsomnia I run regularly and have a lot of problems with dogs/owners. What do you mean by 'only on mumsnet''? It's not a world where people live. I live in the real world. Perhaps you live in an area of responsible dog owners. Lucky you. But just because it's that way for you, doesn't mean that everyone else is making it up. Come and have a run at my local playing fields and see how far you get without at least one dog dancing round your ankles, its owner a pin dot on the horizon.

Leibham · 03/10/2021 16:09

This case hasn’t to do with aggressive dogs, that’s a whole other matter and rightly so. Aggressive dogs should NEVER be let off their lead.

This thread is about two silly dogs running along with a jogger. They weren’t aggressive they just wanted to run with her.

Leibham · 03/10/2021 16:11

A dog ran away from its owner to chase my dog today, the owner was incandescent with rage “BAD DOGGY BAD DOG!!!”

I could see he was completely shocked that his dog hadn’t listened to him, he was on the verge of tears.

He didn’t seem like an irresponsible owner to me at all. I put my dog on the lead so he could come get him. Because I’m a decent person.

vivainsomnia · 03/10/2021 16:11

I run regularly and have a lot of problems with dogs/owners
You mean dogs that run along side you, don't go back to their owners when call and continue to do for miles? Really?

I never said no issues with dogs. Many pages ago, I said my worse issue is with dogs on leads when owners let the lead go loose and you find yourself with nowhere to go. I also fell once when a dog ran right in front of me, but then I also hurt myself most when a kid on his scooter was not paying attention and however much I tried to avoid him, he colided right into me and * fell and bruised my knee badly and couldn't run for weeks. No apology from mum who was too busy talking to her friend.

Runners get it quite bad overall, but dogs running along side me has been a rare occurence, certainly over 5 to 10 seconds and it's never been dangerous, just fun.

vivainsomnia · 03/10/2021 16:16

@deadleaves, and that is your experience. Mine is kids regularly trying to pet my dog or run loudly after it, when my dog is petrified of them. Each time I have to explain and ask them to stop. Parents are not around or when they do, they give me a dirty look. I had parents telling me not 5o speak to their kids.

It makes me annoyed at the time , but I don't berate all parents and call them irresponsible or worse. It's part of life in society. I could never imagine starting a post about it!

mbosnz · 03/10/2021 16:18

I would have said it's a thread about irresponsible dog owners with the responsibility to keep their animals safe and prevent them from annoying others, not doing what they needed to do, and then being aggrieved about others not doing it for them. And the others who were supposed to pick up their slack, getting pissed off at their aggrievement, and having to take responsibility for the 'silly dogs' until the 'silly owners' turned up.

But then I don't give a crap about calling myself 'a decent person'. I also don't think my opinion as to whether I'm a 'decent person' or not, is the one that counts, lol, as I could be slightly biased. . .

FixItUpChappie · 03/10/2021 16:28

Do you really benefit in the long run from being the type that has to put them in their place and be so unpleasant? But hey ho as long as you were right 🤷‍♀️

mbosnz · 03/10/2021 16:32

Do you really benefit in the long run from being the type of dog owner that abdicates their responsibility for their dogs, and then gets annoyed that others weren't 'nice' enough to stop doing what they wanted to do, to ensure your fur-baby's well being? More importantly - does your dear wee fur-baby? Maybe the next time it will be a far from 'nice' or 'decent' person, it might be a dog snatcher, or someone that truly and pathologically hates dogs and doesn't give a crap if they run them to play in traffic.

mbosnz · 03/10/2021 16:33

And vivainsomnia, I completely agree with you about parents who don't control or educate their children as to how to approach, or not approach dogs. In my opinion, that's just as bad, if not more so.

Silverswirl · 03/10/2021 16:34

Dogs should never be off lead unless on private property. Never.
I would have carried on running home and not looked back.

deadleaves · 03/10/2021 16:37

[quote vivainsomnia]@deadleaves, and that is your experience. Mine is kids regularly trying to pet my dog or run loudly after it, when my dog is petrified of them. Each time I have to explain and ask them to stop. Parents are not around or when they do, they give me a dirty look. I had parents telling me not 5o speak to their kids.

It makes me annoyed at the time , but I don't berate all parents and call them irresponsible or worse. It's part of life in society. I could never imagine starting a post about it![/quote]
I'm berating dog owners who are actually irresponsible by having inadequately trained unleashed dogs. If your dog runs off, that's on the owner for not training it or keeping it on a leash. I've no longer any patience with them and its certainly not my responsibility to put myself out, out of 'kindness' to make up for their failings.

Dogs, unlike kids, can actually kept on a leash.

thebookworm1 · 03/10/2021 16:43

Something happened to me as a dog owner 6 months ago and I’m still mad at the runners. I was alone in a massive field and suddenly my tiny pup spotted runners in the distance and was gone.

There was no way I could catch the runners or pup and they ran across roads for about a mile as I shouted out for help to them in tears. Fortunately for me, my pup didn’t get knocked over crossing the roads and git distracted by another dog owner who caught her for me.

Did I make an error of judgement having my dog off the lead? Clearly yes and she hasn’t been off since. Were the runners completely selfish and cruel? IMO yes and so we’re you. Quite clearly people make mistakes but showing some humanity and compassion in life is necessary.

Leibham · 03/10/2021 16:45

@Silverswirl

Luckily for dogs your unbalanced and very silly view isn’t the law here.

MarshaBradyo · 03/10/2021 16:49

Yanbu

NotAnotherPylon · 03/10/2021 16:49

@vivainsomnia it doesn't have to be the exact scenario in the OP to be relevant. No dog has run beside me for miles - I'm not that fast and I don't have the stamina! But they have run beside me long enough for it to make me nervous. How the hell am I supposed to know the dog just wants to be playful? And even if it does, I shouldn't have to make that judgement. Dogs have jumped up, scratched me, dirtied my clothes, tripped me up, almost tripped me up, bounced around my knees/ankles etc etc. So if stuff like this happens on a regular basis, you get a bit fed up and a bit less inclined to 'be kind' at the very time it might matter more. It's like death by a thousand cuts.

vivainsomnia · 03/10/2021 17:17

it doesn't have to be the exact scenario in the OP to be relevant
I'm only commenting on OP's post and stayed that I didn't believe the situation she described was common at all.

We can right essays on the unreasonable behaviour runners face, then you can start adding the walkers, the cyclists.

But they have run beside me long enough for it to make me nervous
But that's your issue. Children make me more nervous than dogs because dogs are usually smaller and can be more easy avoided. My worse incidents have been with kids acting like idiots (because their parents let them). That does mean I consider that all kids should be on a lead. It's part of life.

99.9999% of dogs are not dangerous. If you get anxious just because a dog runs alongside you, which if it wanted to attack you would do exactly that, not run besides you, then you need to consider how you can build your confidence around dogs.

NotAnotherPylon · 03/10/2021 17:24

I don't need to build my confidence around dogs (slightly patronising). I am quite happy around dogs thanks. Just not dogs which may be unpredictable and decide to trip me up, hence my nervousness. This has happened. Dogs need to be under control. They are the responsibility of their owners, not society at large.

Karleeb30 · 03/10/2021 17:28

Nope not your fault. Not your fault their dogs have no re call. Yes often running just encourages dogs but again not your fault they aren't trained.

This is the exactly the reasons why my dog is always on lead cos she's been a nightmare to train 😅

VickyEadieofThigh · 03/10/2021 17:32

@MangoBiscuit

If they don't have solid recall, you either don't let them off lead, or you put the lead back on when a distraction is approaching. Irresponsible dog owners really tick me off.
THIS. As a dog-owner who only ever has my dog on a lead in public places, it irritates me beyond measure when others have their off-lead and it doesn't respond to recall - instead, comes bounding up to my elderly, deaf and disabled dog, who is terrified by this.

If you do not have cast iron recall, keep your dog on a lead.

TheOrigRights · 03/10/2021 17:46

Children make me more nervous than dogs because dogs are usually smaller and can be more easy avoided. My worse incidents have been with kids acting like idiots (because their parents let them). That does mean I consider that all kids should be on a lead. It's part of life.

In all my years of running (about 36) independently on the road or tracks, I have NEVER had an incident with a child. Where are you running? I've had kids run along side me for a bit - some as a little challenge, others just trying to show off and I soon shake them off.

99.9999% of dogs are not dangerous. If you get anxious just because a dog runs alongside you, which if it wanted to attack you would do exactly that, not run besides you, then you need to consider how you can build your confidence around dogs.

What is your definition of dangerous?
There is a big difference between what I would call a "dangerous dog" ie gonna harm me regardless, and feeling in danger or vulnerable because dogs can and do bite or jump up and tear your clothes or trip you up. WAY more than 0.0001% of dogs behave in this way and should be on a lead in public places UNLESS they have cast iron recall.

Reallyimeanreally2022 · 03/10/2021 17:53

@Leibham

This case hasn’t to do with aggressive dogs, that’s a whole other matter and rightly so. Aggressive dogs should NEVER be let off their lead.

This thread is about two silly dogs running along with a jogger. They weren’t aggressive they just wanted to run with her.

The dogs were unknown to OP

She had no idea if aggressive or not

I assume nothing with dogs I don’t know.

Romney981 · 03/10/2021 17:55

It wasn't your problem that the dogs didn't listen to their owners and I don't blame you for being upset you had to stop the run but I am pleased you stopped and didn't carry on and get them killed. Well done for basically saving their lives.

danishfootperil · 03/10/2021 17:59

As both a runner and a dog owner - YANBU. Those owners sound like a pair of wankers.

Macncheeseballs · 03/10/2021 18:01

Viva, its someone else's issue if their nervous of dogs? Are you for real?

Macncheeseballs · 03/10/2021 18:01

*They're

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