Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
WhatAShilohPitt · 03/10/2021 18:01

YANBU. Dogs should be on a lead if owners can’t stop them from running off. This applies no matter what the distraction is, even if it’s a man running past waving dog treats. If they can’t recall them and there’s a road or other risk then it’s entirely on them. This degree of responsibility has to be applied as otherwise dogs will not recall from fights with other dogs, chasing ducks, stealing picnics in parks, running at toddlers etc etc. Of course, you’ll get other dog owners on here who let their dogs do what they like because they like the convenience of not having to bother training their poorly behaved dog.

IntermittentParps · 03/10/2021 18:07

Yanbu. People need to control their dogs.

Imissmoominmama · 03/10/2021 18:09

I have three dogs and have voted YANBU, but I do thou could’ve jogged back and asked them to control their dogs… just because it’s not the fault of the dogs…

Ginseng1 · 03/10/2021 18:09

@Sunshineandflipflops

I’m a runner and have stopped in this scenario before. Annoying but usually only for a few seconds. Most owners do seem to put their dogs on a lead when I approach or at least grab their collars until I have passed though.
Am the same. I stop the run & let owners grab the dog if this happens. Few seconds off my run doesn't bother me & rather that than have to drag them back later.
SparklingPinot · 03/10/2021 18:15

This has happened to me before and the woman shouted in my face “if you weren’t so concerned about your BLOODY run”. YADNBU. Dogs with poor recall should not be off leads (dog lover + runner here!).

TheOrigRights · 03/10/2021 18:24

@SparklingPinot

This has happened to me before and the woman shouted in my face “if you weren’t so concerned about your BLOODY run”. YADNBU. Dogs with poor recall should not be off leads (dog lover + runner here!).
Yup. I've had "Well, if you'd just stopped, the dog would have stopped".

I don't want to stop. It was her dismissive attitude, as if I was a bit stupid not to put HER DOG before everything else.

I've said it before, the vast majority of dog owners I see are responsible and courteous - we all manage to occupy the same public space while respecting each other.

calvados · 03/10/2021 18:31

This👆

Poptasmagorical · 03/10/2021 18:32

Entitled fucking dog owners. I'm so sick of them thinking their dogs are more important than anyone or anything else.

MumYourBabyGrewUpToBeACowboy · 03/10/2021 18:42

I’m afraid of dogs, particularly the unruly ones and I think it was 100% the owner’s responsibility to prevent this. It was not your fault and should not have happened.

lazylinguist · 03/10/2021 18:43

I'm a dog owner and occasional runner. I might have run back towards them if it were me, but you certainly shouldn't have felt obliged to. They should not be letting their dogs off lead if they're liable to run off after people like that. If tye dogs had been run over, it would have been their fault not yours. I wouldn't have said what you did about not stopping at the road though - that was unnecessary.

rosyAndMoo · 03/10/2021 18:51

I would be very p’d off and I don’t think YABU by being annoyed, but the owners certainly were by assuming you were taking responsibility for their dogs.

2ndtimemum2 · 03/10/2021 18:54

@LongDissidence

I wish dog owners would actually control their dogs. I'd say about 10% of dog owners do, and the other 90% let them run all over, poo everywhere, jump all over people, chase other dogs/ animals whilst they ineffectively call the dogs back.

You're kinder than me, I'd have kept on running.

I agree that the dogs shouldve been under control but are you seriously saying that you would've potentially caused a car accident to teach the dog owners a lesson?? You would would traumatise a car driver who would've hit the dogs just so.you could keep on with your run??
starlight13 · 03/10/2021 19:05

Not your responsibility, owners have no control over their dogs when they are off lead.
You should have kept going at the road as it hopefully would have jolted the community spirit of the owners who should keep their dogs on a lead at all times in public.

2ndtimemum2 · 03/10/2021 19:08

@starlight13

Not your responsibility, owners have no control over their dogs when they are off lead. You should have kept going at the road as it hopefully would have jolted the community spirit of the owners who should keep their dogs on a lead at all times in public.
Yes nothing like a car crash to jolt the community spirit Hmm op I would be well annoyed like you are but you did the right thing, hopefully the dog owners have learned a valuable lesson, but if it happens again I'd ring the police and say that there's 2 dogs on the lose and let the owners deal with the police
Topazmumma · 03/10/2021 19:24

@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. Exactly this.
Reallyimeanreally2022 · 03/10/2021 19:28

* And comparing dog owners with parents…. Ok then*
Well, both are in charge of potential dangerous beings if not looked after properly, so yes, there is some commonality.

Out of interest, how could a toddler be dangerous?

Reallyimeanreally2022 · 03/10/2021 19:30

Loving fact that tiny minority now if posters arguing that the OP was unreasonable

And the reasons now are quite humorous!

EverythingsSoComplicated · 03/10/2021 19:32

Dog owner here. Should have kept running would have taught them a lesson. Trust me these people need teaching. Perhaps not over a main road but if u could run round them in decent large circles, I would have grabbed some pop corn and sat and watched with my dog on a lead. Obviously Grin

Moulesvinrouge1 · 03/10/2021 19:37

Yes the dogs should have had better recall, but equally mistakes get made, but have a heart, please. It’s just a run who seriously gives a shit if you stop for two minutes?! Imagine how you look telling this story to someone unconnected - does it make you look like the elite athlete you feel yourself to be or like someone who would happily have beloved pets killed just so as not to mess up their strava for Facebook?

Reallyimeanreally2022 · 03/10/2021 19:38

@EverythingsSoComplicated

Dog owner here. Should have kept running would have taught them a lesson. Trust me these people need teaching. Perhaps not over a main road but if u could run round them in decent large circles, I would have grabbed some pop corn and sat and watched with my dog on a lead. Obviously Grin
Running circles… genius

None of the guilt of a poor driver feeling guilty about hitting a dog
All of the fun of watching an inconsiderate owner realising how bloody annoying their dog off the lead is.

Reallyimeanreally2022 · 03/10/2021 19:39

@Moulesvinrouge1

Yes the dogs should have had better recall, but equally mistakes get made, but have a heart, please. It’s just a run who seriously gives a shit if you stop for two minutes?! Imagine how you look telling this story to someone unconnected - does it make you look like the elite athlete you feel yourself to be or like someone who would happily have beloved pets killed just so as not to mess up their strava for Facebook?
All the posters are connected to the OP on this thread Confused
Reallyimeanreally2022 · 03/10/2021 19:39

And as is abundantly clear… most don’t think the OP was unreasonable and empathy and comrade ship is common!!

oakleydo · 03/10/2021 19:41

Dogs should be on a lead. Always. The end.

purplesequins · 03/10/2021 19:42

It’s just a run who seriously gives a shit if you stop for two minutes?!

on a day like yesterday stopping for 2 minutes would have me get dangerously cold.

purplesequins · 03/10/2021 19:44

@EverythingsSoComplicated

Dog owner here. Should have kept running would have taught them a lesson. Trust me these people need teaching. Perhaps not over a main road but if u could run round them in decent large circles, I would have grabbed some pop corn and sat and watched with my dog on a lead. Obviously Grin
I will keep that in mind for next time I pick up a doggy escort