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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that this man was an utter twat?

111 replies

fgh · 05/05/2022 18:46

I took my 20 month old and my 10 week old baby for a walk today in a park, which is also a nature reserve. This park is very popular with dog walkers, but also popular for families with little children.

There are some signs that say that dogs should be kept on leashes. Anyway, noone sticks to it... Some dogs are on leashes, but a lot aren't. I don't really have a problem with this as I understand why dog owners want to allow their dogs to run a little bit.

I think some owners are also probably not aware of this rule.

Anyway, today a man came towards me and his big black dog came running to the pushchair and started sniffing my baby.

My toddler and baby are in the Joie double pushchair which means the legs hang low, so a dog can get a good sniff.

I don't feel comfortable with dogs running up to my baby or my toddler and sniffing them as I don't know the character of the dog and if it's friendly or dangerous.

The owner made no attempts whatsoever to call his dog back. He said nothing to assure me that his dog was friendly.

This annoyed me because people always call their dogs back and/or reassure me that they are friendly.

I then shouted "Can you call your dog back please". He answered in a rather annoyed tone "She's fine". I then replied:"I have a baby here".

He then said: "Don't walk in the park then". I replied :"You're supposed to keep dogs on a leash" to which he answered:"Where does it say that?".

I then pointed out to him that there's a sign outside the park that says so to which his reply was "utter rubbish!" and he walked off.

His face was really angry and red.

AIBU to think that he was an utter twat?

There was also nobody else around at the time of the encounter and I feel like he wouldn't have spoken to me like that if my husband had been with me.

My legs were shaking after the encounter and I feel like I can't go there on my own anymore.

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 05/05/2022 20:42

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 20:39

A public walking place that says dogs must be kept on a leash. Hmmmmm....I bet all the dog haters have made their way over here from the last two dog hating threads. Your legs were shaking OP? Drama llama encouraging the same behaviour. As for carrying a pepper spray from a PP...seriously. its getting very boring with reading about dog owners' entitlement when I see precious souls expecting their activities to be uninterrupted by nature. How about YOU staying out of parks instead of expecting the rest of tax paying walkers to revolve around you. YABU.

What a ridiculous post.

She isn't expecting dog walkers to stay out of the park.

She just wants her children not to be sniffed by random dogs.

Shitandhills · 05/05/2022 20:45

@Labscollie oh really? Dogs never bite hey?

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 20:45

planetme · 05/05/2022 20:34

This is what you took from this ?? The man was an arsehole

How was op meant to know if the dog was safe to be around her baby or not

Jeez

Show quote history

He was an arsehole because you say he was? How was the dog walker meant to know that drama queens would be in the park that day? His dog sniffed, probably in passing a toddler's legs, wow, well wasn't he a viscious one? Listen to yourselves.

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 20:47

Shitandhills · 05/05/2022 20:45

@Labscollie oh really? Dogs never bite hey?

So you're saying every dog should be held tightly at their owners' sides. Bore off. It's a question of taking each case on merit.

Shitandhills · 05/05/2022 20:47

@Labscollie its getting very boring with reading about dog owners' entitlement when I see precious souls expecting their activities to be uninterrupted by nature

Errrrrr you do realise that dogs are pets? Domesticated. And therefore not nature? The clue is in the word, nature, as in natural.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 05/05/2022 20:50

@Labscollie he was a twat because he let his dog off in an area where they shouldn't be and then let it go up to someone. That in itself is being a twat.

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 20:50

pigsDOfly · 05/05/2022 20:42

What a ridiculous post.

She isn't expecting dog walkers to stay out of the park.

She just wants her children not to be sniffed by random dogs.

Show quote history

And you call me ridiculous. What on earth do you think is going to happen from a dog sniffing? Here's a thought. If you don't want your toddler's legs to be touched, keep them in a darkened room, where no flies can circle round them, for example. Pathetic reactions from the entitled calling, yet again, dog owners the entitled ones.

Shitandhills · 05/05/2022 20:51

@Labscollie I'm saying that owners should have decent control over their dogs and should call them to heel if they run up to other people. If the dog is not adequately trained then yes, it should be on a lead when in populous spaces or where there are vulnerable people like small children.

Sparklybanana · 05/05/2022 20:54

Urgh, entitled dog owners are the reason my dd still actively avoids all dogs and will scurry to hide behind me even if one is on a lead. Apparently I shouldn't have been in the park with kids whilst dogs were off their leads. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't control his off lead dog that was chasing between both my kids and nipping their coats, but my fault for being in the park. Near to the children's play equipment. He was a twat and so is yours op. Yanbu. Its not as if its unheard of for dogs to attack or kill children so if you can't control your dog, it shouldn't be off the lead especially where there are children near by.

Secretlymadeit12 · 05/05/2022 20:55

He was an absolute d@#k!! so unbelievably rude too! I have a dog, he has selective hearing so us on the lead on walks. I just don’t understand how some dog owners assume all people love dogs! Inappropriate of him to allow his dog near your baby

PrincessRamone · 05/05/2022 20:58

@Labscollie you weren’t, by any chance, walking your dog off the lead in a nature reserve this afternoon were you? 😅

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 20:58

UnshakenNeedsStirring · 05/05/2022 19:24

I want to know who the idiotic 4 % who voted you are unreasonable are. the man was definitely in the wrong. I hate entitled dog owners

I hate entitled parents. The OP has said this was a place where dogs are welcome. So I think it's you who is the idiot. If I had a tenner for every screaming kid who ran round my table in a restaurant, chasing other kids. I'm not the dog hater. In fact, I don't blame the dog owner. He no doubt thought, oh here we go, another attention seeker. Public places aren't just for toddlers. There's a reason why I avoid ppl who don't like dogs.

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 20:58

PrincessRamone · 05/05/2022 20:58

@Labscollie you weren’t, by any chance, walking your dog off the lead in a nature reserve this afternoon were you? 😅

Nope I'm a woman. Not a man, the easy target for MN.

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 21:01

Shitandhills · 05/05/2022 20:47

@Labscollie its getting very boring with reading about dog owners' entitlement when I see precious souls expecting their activities to be uninterrupted by nature

Errrrrr you do realise that dogs are pets? Domesticated. And therefore not nature? The clue is in the word, nature, as in natural.

Error, you do realise that dogs are not wild animals, and therefore enjoyed by many (normal) human beings? The clue is in normal as opposed to entitled snowflakes.

EmptyBites · 05/05/2022 21:03

My DD used to love dogs till one day a massive dog almost knocked her over and then licked her all over her face. Yes, a very friendly dog but it totally freaked her out. Since then she's scared of dogs. I love dogs and love stroking ghrm if the owner says it's ok and always encourage DD to do the same (if the owner says it's ok) but she is still hesitant and worries and tries to keep her distance or move out of the way. Too many owners get absolutely snarky and act hugely offended. They just can't understand that a little girl (who in many cases is smaller than the dog) could be scared of their dog. I'm quite wary of them now (the owners, not the dogs). I know not all dog owners are like this but too many are.

EmptyBites · 05/05/2022 21:03

My DD used to love dogs till one day a massive dog almost knocked her over and then licked her all over her face. Yes, a very friendly dog but it totally freaked her out. Since then she's scared of dogs. I love dogs and love stroking ghrm if the owner says it's ok and always encourage DD to do the same (if the owner says it's ok) but she is still hesitant and worries and tries to keep her distance or move out of the way. Too many owners get absolutely snarky and act hugely offended. They just can't understand that a little girl (who in many cases is smaller than the dog) could be scared of their dog. I'm quite wary of them now (the owners, not the dogs). I know not all dog owners are like this but too many are.

frostedfruits · 05/05/2022 21:04

I once stopped to sit on the beach and a dog ran up to me and stole my entire sandwich from my hand. The owner did not apologise. When I said your dog just stole my sandwich, she said, well you shouldn't be on the beach.
Some dogs owners think they own public places and that if their dogs rampage around it's somehow someone else's fault. These types of people are, as you say: utter tw@ts.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 05/05/2022 21:04

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 20:58

I hate entitled parents. The OP has said this was a place where dogs are welcome. So I think it's you who is the idiot. If I had a tenner for every screaming kid who ran round my table in a restaurant, chasing other kids. I'm not the dog hater. In fact, I don't blame the dog owner. He no doubt thought, oh here we go, another attention seeker. Public places aren't just for toddlers. There's a reason why I avoid ppl who don't like dogs.

Show quote history

Dogs were welcomed ON A LEAD

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 21:04

This reply has been deleted

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

Antarcticant · 05/05/2022 21:05

I am a dog lover and former dog owner (my beloved dog passed away nearly two years ago).

However - if you are in a place where there is a sign saying dogs must be on a lead - you put your dog on a lead.

I can't believe anyone would disagree with that.

Autumnscene · 05/05/2022 21:06

Yes he was a twat, and red with embarrassment. I bet he went to see the sign afterwards, hahahaha

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 21:07

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 05/05/2022 21:04

Dogs were welcomed ON A LEAD

Show quote history

No, dogs are welcomed, so long as you clear up after them. They do NOT have to be on a lead. If somebody shouted at me, they would be responded to in kind. Talk to me in a civilised manner, and I would say, my dogs won't bite. I'm not going to put my dog on a lead to revolve around princesses.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 05/05/2022 21:08

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 21:07

No, dogs are welcomed, so long as you clear up after them. They do NOT have to be on a lead. If somebody shouted at me, they would be responded to in kind. Talk to me in a civilised manner, and I would say, my dogs won't bite. I'm not going to put my dog on a lead to revolve around princesses.

Show quote history

Have you read the op?

The dogs had to be on a lead. The man was a twat for having his dog off a lead.

Labscollie · 05/05/2022 21:09

Antarcticant · 05/05/2022 21:05

I am a dog lover and former dog owner (my beloved dog passed away nearly two years ago).

However - if you are in a place where there is a sign saying dogs must be on a lead - you put your dog on a lead.

I can't believe anyone would disagree with that.

Aside from playgrounds, there are not signs which say dogs must be kept on a lead. Play areas within parks, yes. Not in parks full stop.

PrincessRamone · 05/05/2022 21:10

@Labscollie It was a WILDLIFE SANTUARY with signs up for dogs to be on leads. The world doesn’t actually revolve around dogs. There are times they need to be controlled, like when required to protect wildlife 🙄