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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not expect to be snarled at to keep my dog out of someone's way?

58 replies

Preggersone · 14/02/2008 16:29

took my labrador to the shops earlier. Had to cross the footbridge back home, stupidly had gone at 3 so school was just out on the other side of the bridge.

Parents with kids were all crossing the bridge walking about 5 abreast in the same direction, leaving no space for people to walk the opposite way.

I stop with my dog til the big crowd of them get past me (could have just pushed past but didn't) and a woman snarls at me "keep that dog away".

Wtf? I was keeping out of their way anyway, plus, had it ever occurred to them not to take up the entire bloody footbridge to themselves??

OP posts:

Catkin08 · 14/02/2008 16:30

YANBU. I hope you told her to piss off!

LadyOfWaffle · 14/02/2008 16:34

People are weird with dogs. We went to a dog walking beach the other weekend and you had pants oldies with their terriers picking them up as soon as they saw our very dozy, wouldn't hurt a fly german shepherd.

minouminou · 14/02/2008 16:37

I've had this kinda reaction with a springer....you know.....well known for savagery.
My response was "You're the one that needs the F**king muzzle".

Spidermama · 14/02/2008 16:37

Silly woman. Some people have an unreasonable, hysterical fear of dogs and sadly they pass it on to kids quite often.

I hope you're dog is OK. It must have been quite traumatic having to walk past such a hostile mob in an enclosed space.

SpaceHopperHayls · 14/02/2008 16:39

That's ridiculous. I always stop if I am walking my dogs on their leads and people are coming towards us with kids. It's just easier to make them sit and distract them with a treat, rather than have people get all agitated about having to share a pavement with a pair of rotties.

LadyOfWaffle - this happened to us in a wood once. Some mad bint actually picked up her teeny little dog and start to scream because my dogs approached her, tales wagging...people are weird .

Original poster

Preggersone · 14/02/2008 16:39

Yeah, I'm very live and let live when it comes to dogs. I love mine, but I know some people hate dogs so I keep her control. Just hate this attitude from some people that it's almost like dogs don't have a right to exist just because people don't like them.

Actually, reminds me of something I saw on another thread where a MNetter told someone to "bin the dogs" as she was having a baby.

Each to their own, I say.

OP posts:

lucyellensmum · 14/02/2008 17:07

You should have said, yes, i'll keep her away, you are clearly insane and a danger to her!!

OrmIrian · 14/02/2008 17:12

Some people are genuinely terrified of dogs. I guess it makes life difficult for them. But there is no excuse for such aggression when you were already keeping your dog out of their way.

sdr · 14/02/2008 20:37

Perhaps there's something in the air today. Walked past a lady today going in opposite direction with her dog. Mine is a 1yr old Lab, so very excitable and pulled at the lead to go over. I held him back and the other dog-walker gave me a very filthy look, we were 5 feet away from each other for goodness sake.

beeper · 14/02/2008 20:42

There has been that spate of maulings over the last year and I think people have been whipped up by media fear.

My dog is meduim sized and we have to keep her on the lead round people, not because she would bite, just because shes so bloody thick she runs into peoples legs from behind and we would have a lawsuit on our hands

clur79 · 14/02/2008 20:45

I have a German Shephard, and always walk him with my 7 month old. He didn't do anything (is a soft old thing) and someone said that I should be ashamed to keep a dog like that with a baby! I was speechless!

Chequers · 15/02/2008 08:50

Message withdrawn

Mungarra · 15/02/2008 09:37

I think that some dog owners feel that everyone should just know that their dog is lovely and won't lunge at them. How is someone supposed to know that about a dog they don't know? They are animals and can be unpredictable.

DH and my 3 kids were walking along the street and DS1 was scooting ahead of us. A woman with a dog on a lead just let him jump at DS1's feet. It was quite a small dog and this woman obviously thought it was cute that he was jumping all over my son's feet, but my son was clearly not happy about it and she just kept letting the dog do it. DH told this woman to control her dog and they had a bit of a row.

Another time, a dog knocked DS1 over in a park (when he was about 2 or 3 years old). DH told the owner that she shouldn't have a dog which attacks children. She said that it wasn't an attack. DH said 'if I pushed you over, you'd call it an attack.' DS1 was scared of dogs for a few months after that.

I think that dog owners can be very inconsiderate. They love the dog, but they should keep them away from other people, especially other people's kids.

And don't get me started on the dog owners, who pretend not to notice when their dog has pooed...

Chequers · 15/02/2008 09:41

Message withdrawn

motherinferior · 15/02/2008 09:43

But dogs are absolutely terrifying. However much the owner reassures you that theirs is an absolute poppet whose slavering is only playful.

Having said which I do actually thank people who've kept their dogs out of the way.

peanutbear · 15/02/2008 09:44

I think that if a dog is on a lead and the owner is standing by to let you pass then the owner obviously can control the dog and is being polite

Beeper your dog sounds like my sister's we all shout bend when ever she runs to us so we dont end up on our arses, there has been fantastic fun at the site of my sister on the floor

I own labradors too and I get upset by how many people take dislike to any dog I was shouted at for my dog walking past a man on a bike, in a very big public park, in the woods, but I smile sweetly and say sorry its to much bother to argue with them

Desiderata · 15/02/2008 09:46

YANBU. You don't have to look far to see where kids get their manners from, do you?

morningpaper · 15/02/2008 09:47

I am scared of dogs, I don't think it is an unreasonable or irrational fear. They are large and noisy and bitey.

For a lot of children, dogs are large and noisy and bitey AND bigger than them, so I think it's an understandable fear.

Lots of dogs ARE dangerous. There is always a huge muzzled alsation tied up outside my school - I think he looks terrifying!

Chequers · 15/02/2008 09:50

Message withdrawn

TheFallenMadonna · 15/02/2008 09:52

I was lying on the beach on Monday, and a dog jumped on me and licked my face. I'm not scared of dogs, but I'm not keen on being licked by them and it was a most unpleasant surprise.

I was awfully polite and said it was fine though

Chequers · 15/02/2008 09:53

Message withdrawn

TheFallenMadonna · 15/02/2008 09:54

Yep - Norfolk.

Not in a bikini or anything , but it was a beautiful day.

I was reading.

foxythesnowman · 15/02/2008 09:57

She was rude and unreasonable. You sound as though you were considerateand probably should have sent your dog chasing her for that.

I'm a dog lover, 2 of my 3 are, but my oldest who is 6 has a fear of dogs. He was bitten by a yappy thing in the park which was unattended and not tied up properly.

I get so angry at dog owners who see their dog bound up to him (and they are generally bigger then him) and shout "don't worry, he won't hurt you". Well lets see how you react if an animal bigger than you are wants to play . I object to people who walk their dogs in the street without leads.

Upwind · 15/02/2008 09:57

Mungarra - my DH accidentally knocked over my 2yr old nephew yesterday. It wasn't an attack any more than that clumsy dog's knocking over your ds was. Your ds was probably scared because he was given the impression the overly friendly dog had attacked him. Not that the owner shouldn't have prevented her dog from approaching you ds but it just wasn't that big a deal.

I don't understand the story about the woman with a small dog on a lead who kept letting him jump at your ds' feet. Was she following your ds or was your ds following her? Surely, in passing your ds the little dog could only have had an instant of opportunity to sniff him?

Chequers · 15/02/2008 09:59

Message withdrawn

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