Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 28 29

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:

Blah1881 · 02/10/2021 09:09

YANBU - so many ineffectual dog owners born in the pandemic. Constant cries of ‘he won’t hurt you love, he’s only playing’ as I’m trying to make my way with my daughter to school. She’s petrified and I’m supposed to find these masses of out of control muscle and sharp teeth adorable so I don’t hurt the owners feelings.

Evesgarden · 02/10/2021 09:10

Sorry OP but this has just really made laugh!

sausagepastapot · 02/10/2021 09:10

I 100% would have kept on running. Fucking idiot dog owners.

HosannainExcelSheets · 02/10/2021 09:10

I think people saying you should have stopped don't really get running or maybe don't run themselves.

I would not have stopped at all for someone else's out of control pet if my run was a training run. I'd probably have stopped at the road if I was just out running for fun.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 02/10/2021 09:11

I’ve also taken to carrying my great-grandpa’s hunting whip on walks (coiled up it just looks like a short stick with a handle) but if a dog keeps hassling me or approaching my reactive dog I crack the whip in the air. It doesn’t touch the dog but makes a very loud noise. Most dogs pause and run back to the owner, or stop what they’re doing long enough to listen to me. Tone of voice is important so shouting ‘leave it’ or ‘get back’ in a gruff voice will deter most dogs.

The whip has a lash so could be used in self defence if a dog attacked you or your dog. I’ve never had to use it that way though, the noise gets their attention.

YourFinestPantaloons · 02/10/2021 09:12

@HosannainExcelSheets

I think people saying you should have stopped don't really get running or maybe don't run themselves.

I would not have stopped at all for someone else's out of control pet if my run was a training run. I'd probably have stopped at the road if I was just out running for fun.

Yea I thought this. People don't realise that running does not involve lots of stopping and starting, and that consistent running is key.

Obviously part and parcel of running is that you're not the only person on the pavement and things inevitably get in your way - kids, dogs, other runners. But slowing down slightly and passing quickly is usually achievable, two annoying dogs following you is different.

I must have a rotten human because I really wouldn't have taken them back

KaptainKaveman · 02/10/2021 09:12

You were 100% in the right OP. The dog worshippers are, as usual, out in force today - ignore them. If they had their way you'd have abandoned your run and offered to look after the dogs and clean their house for them as well.
Don't be a doormat.

KingsleyShacklebolt · 02/10/2021 09:13

Why can't dog owners get it through their heads that most of us are entirely ambivalent to their animals? Some people actively dislike dogs.

Yet a large number of dog owners appear to think it's reasonable to inconvenience us with their animals jumping on us, chasing us, barking or growling like the other thread this morning. Because they cannot be arsed to train their animals not to.

You may love your dog. Fine. I very much do not love your dog and would prefer it to be nowhere near me, thanks.

Lalliella · 02/10/2021 09:13

You were 100% reasonable OP. I’m scared of dogs and I would have absolutely freaked out if I’d been chased by dogs like that. If the owner can’t control them they shouldn’t be off the lead, full stop.

drumandthebass · 02/10/2021 09:13

Absolutely not. I'm a runner and a dog owner. I've had a dog nip at my ankle when out running and had to have a tetanus jab because it broke the skin. I'm always wary of dogs now when running and equally I'm always considerate of runners when I'm out walking my dog. They were bloody cheeky and I would have been pretty pissed off with the owners tbh

sausagepastapot · 02/10/2021 09:13

@HosannainExcelSheets

I think people saying you should have stopped don't really get running or maybe don't run themselves.

I would not have stopped at all for someone else's out of control pet if my run was a training run. I'd probably have stopped at the road if I was just out running for fun.

Absolutely agree with this

pictish · 02/10/2021 09:13

@vivainsomnia

Out of curiosity OP. If a 5yo started to run in your direction, not paying attention, their parents oblivious as talking to each other. The kid runs into you and with the speed falls down and hurt themselves. Would you keep running and shoot at the parents they are idiots for not controlling their kid.

Or would you stop, check they were ok, and just apologise to the parents but explain they ran into you in a pleasant voice however annoyed you are that the incident messed up your time?

Bit irrelevant isn’t it?

The OP is talking about the dogs running alongside her, enjoying the chase. She didn’t run into the dogs? I slow right down to navigate dogs, kids, prams, people who wander across my path. I don’t tend to collide with anything.
Dogs run after runners. Do you see?

Theluggage15 · 02/10/2021 09:16

As a dog owner, you did nothing wrong. I’m absolutely sick of all the badly behaved dogs of which there seem to be more and more all the time.

We have a puppy now after our old dog died last year, he’s six months old. We’re working really hard on training him, the amount of people who just don’t seem to bother with training is mind boggling. I’ve had dogs follow us and it’s highly irritating. Don’t blame you at all.

Chocolateflapjack01 · 02/10/2021 09:16

YANBU. I had exactly the same thing last week except I was walking my own dog, not running. I walk in the middle of nowhere and never normally see anyone but bumped into a lady with a cockapoo. Not only did she let it crap everywhere whilst she just stood and watched and made no attempt to pick it up it had absolutely no recall. It started playing with my dog, fine. She was chatting away to me, I made conversation for about 5-10 mins whilst they played but then wanted to get on with my walk so I say must go, got to get dinner on and begin to walk off with my dog, her dog starts following and she says ‘you’ll be lucky. you’ll have an extra dog with you I think.’ I carry on walking. 2 fields this fucking this followed me for, with the owner half heartedly calling it back. In the end I knew I was going to be coming to a country Lane to head towards home and I just wanted this dog to fuck off so I turned around and shooed it away firmly and shouted in a firm voice ‘GO’ and started chasing it and it ran back to its owner finally. But fucking hell I kept thinking to myself do I stop and turn round, but I thought no, why should I?! My well behaved dog is trotting along beside me getting fed up of this yappy cockapoo who just wouldn’t leave her alone in the end. If it didn’t have recall it shouldn’t have been off the lead.

Don’t feel guilty OP, these 2 berks shouldn’t have had their dogs off leads, they clearly have no recall. (Doesn’t surprise me with the breeds though )

DragonMamma · 02/10/2021 09:17

YANBU but it would have been kind of you to stop to help them catch up.

I have dogs - I only walk them off lead on a path that has no cars nearby and their recall is pretty good but cyclists still prove tricky. I either grab their collar or put them back on their leads when I spot a cyclist approaching but occasionally they are stealthy and I don’t hear them. On these occasions I’m very grateful if the cyclist slows for me to grab them and 9/10 they do.

OneTC · 02/10/2021 09:18

I think people saying you should have stopped don't really get running or maybe don't run themselves.

I would not have stopped at all for someone else's out of control pet if my run was a training run. I'd probably have stopped at the road if I was just out running for fun.

No I understand it really well which is why, knowing I'd lack the mettle to just carry on at the road, I'd look to resolve the situation as quickly as possible

gannett · 02/10/2021 09:18

I wouldn't have stopped. Stopping and starting your run is incredibly annoying, the key to a good run is maintaining consistent momentum.

But I don't think I'd have realised the dogs were following me and wouldn't go back to their owners for quite a while. I've had dogs run alongside me (which I love) but only for a minute or so max before they go back to their owners (either when called or of their own volition). It wouldn't occur to me that a dog who wouldn't do that would be off-lead.

Subbaxeo · 02/10/2021 09:18

If it were my dog, I would have been very embarrassed and profusely apologised to you!

sunflowerdaisies · 02/10/2021 09:19

@HosannainExcelSheets I'm running the marathon tomorrow and totally disagree, stopping for a few seconds or even minutes won't mess up the run.

Eddielzzard · 02/10/2021 09:22

Dog owner.

If a dog has no recall it shouldn't be off lead.

Miyiam · 02/10/2021 09:24

@sausagepastapot

I 100% would have kept on running. Fucking idiot dog owners.

There are some dream community members on this thread. Your neighbours are winning with you.

anon12345678901 · 02/10/2021 09:25

@vivainsomnia

Or would you stop, check they were ok, and just apologise to the parents but explain they ran into you in a pleasant voice however annoyed you are that the incident messed up your time?

This maybe a shock, but dogs are not children.

HoppingPavlova · 02/10/2021 09:25

YANBU. These people won’t apologise and anything you do will be in the wrong. The only correct thing in their mind is 100% centred around their dog child. Anything less is mind-blowing to them. Entitled fuckwits. #Yeahnotalldogownerssupposedlyintheoryonly

westcountryboy · 02/10/2021 09:26

I absolutely agree that the dogs shouldn't have been off lead without good recall but I also know that sometimes dogs will just go rogue and won't listen.

I would have stopped. I'm a dog owner and similar happened to me once when I was training my boy. He'd been doing really well so I let him off and he decided to follow someone running with his dog.

I am not a runner so was really struggling to catch up and still the person kept running, knowing that I was chasing and calling.

Once a dog gets into that state of arousal and excitement it can be really hard to call them back unless their recall is bomb proof.

They're wrong to blame you but it really would have taken nothing to stop to let the owners catch up.

Stoppochoco · 02/10/2021 09:26

I don't think you did the wrong thing in carrying on running, but I do think you did the right thing in stopping before you crossed the road.
Its an inconvenience and maybe it breaks your flow, but I don't think that justifies crossing a road with the dogs following you, like some posters are saying. Its not the dogs fault and stopping was the decent thing to do.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 28 29

Swipe left for the next trending thread