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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Fennel · 15/02/2008 10:16

I love dogs but my dds do get scared when huge dogs bounce up at them barking and licking them.

We were on the beach the other day too and several dogs bounced up and nosed around in our picnic bag. The owners tended to apologise a bit helplessly. It wasn't nice, even if you like dogs

katierocket · 15/02/2008 10:21

Some people don't like dogs. Yes she was rude but dogs and small children make me nervous.

DS1 was bitten by a labrador puppy when he was 2. We were in the park and it came running over and just jumped on him. Only a nip but his nose was bleeding and obviously the whole thing was very scary.

katierocket · 15/02/2008 10:23

And I do believe that dogs can just "turn". Some very good friends of my mum and dad's had a german shepherd, they'd had it for years and years and it was very docile. One day the kids (teenagers) were playing around with it (not in anyway taunting it) and it suddenly bit one of them.

OrmIrian · 15/02/2008 10:24

But all of you who don't like dogs, surely you can see that the OP (and her dog) were doing nothing wrong in this situation.

katierocket · 15/02/2008 10:25

Yes she was doing nothing wrong but we're trying to just say that perhaps if woman had been through an incident previously with a dog and her child that she's just really nervous.

Chequers · 15/02/2008 10:29

Message withdrawn

Blu · 15/02/2008 10:29

yes, the OP was being considerate and a model of dog-ownerliness, so should not have been snapped at like that.

Not fair that she nore the brunt of resentment against the many incosiderate dog owners and jumpy, slobbery, bitey, barky unpredictable dogs.

WiiMii · 15/02/2008 10:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

katierocket · 15/02/2008 10:32

No indeed I agree, being nervous is no excuse for being rude. But I also think if your child has been biten/knocked over etc in the past it is understandable (not right but understandable), to become resentful of all dogs generally, .

I'm not BTW, despite DS2 being bitten, but I can see that it would be easy to become that way.

katierocket · 15/02/2008 10:32

I mean despite DS1 being bitten

newmoniker · 15/02/2008 10:35

I agree that OP did not deserve that remark. But would never walk a dog on a footbridge or enclosed space if young children crossing the other way - even if they hadnt been taking all the space. My DD is terrified of dogs, with good reason that I wont go into but involved a friend's supposedly harmless dog. Now, at the very sight of a dog she has once run onto a busy road - luckily unharmed but had me termbling the rest of the day and I am always on alert for dogs in case something else could happen.
Just to say again, this is not to say that the OP deserved those comments that were made to her - she was clearly doing the right thing.

cory · 15/02/2008 10:35

Sounds like you were indeed being a model of dog-ownerness and she had no business taking out any previous aggro on you.

Sadly, most of us have met dog owners of the other type- but that is no excuse not to notice when somebody has their dog under control and is behaving considerately.

Original poster
Preggersone · 15/02/2008 10:44

Newmoniker - the only way to get between the 2 estates is the footbridge - where I live there are a series of "redways" that keep pedestrians and cars separate. The only other way to get there would be to cross a dual carriageway. Not very sensible. The footbridge is about 8 feet wide. Dogs shouldn't be allowed on it? Pardon? There is no sign to that effect.

OP posts:
Chequers · 15/02/2008 10:45

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Chequers · 15/02/2008 10:46

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Upwind · 15/02/2008 10:48

NewMoniker - are you doing anything about this phobia?

My sis is very allergic to dogs and so has always avoided them causing her ds (not allergic) to become phobic. She asked us to take her ds to regularly visit our parents who have a dozy old dog and try and help him overcome his fear. The poor dog has to be banished and the house cleaned before my sis comes around. Her ds is still a bit wary but no longer scared

newmoniker · 15/02/2008 11:20

I wasnt saying dogs shouldnt be on a footbridge. Sorry I honestly didnt mean it to read that way. I was saying not on there at the same time as group of young children coming the other way. But clearly I am not familiar with your footbridge which sounds much larger and busier than one near us which feels enclosed and narrow and if someone is coming over it with a dog I would not take DD onto it until dog was off the bridge. DD would feel vulnerable. Even those little cute dogs that just sniff your feet can scare some people.
I almost instinctively look out in places like this now to see if any dogs are approaching. I do not make rude remarks to dog owners but DD usually backs away from them looking frightened so they can tell we dont want the dog near her.

DD was attacked by a friend's smallish dog when she was 2 (luckily we could get the dog off her quite quickly and no long term physical harm but clearly it traumatised her). To top it off we witnessed another incident which was not an attack but knocking over and seriously hurting someone (totally different place/dog) in a park when she was 3 and had to call an ambulance. I love dogs and have grown up with them as pets so cannot believe our bad luck in this respect with DD.

We are gradually trying to overcome her fear - grandparents have a lovely dog and some friends at school do too and we are at the stage where she can be around these dogs. The running on the road incident was when she was 4. She is 6 now. I think/hope time is healing. I think it helps she is now bigger in size as well - dogs must seems more scary when they are as big as you are!

Chequers · 15/02/2008 11:23

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Chequers · 15/02/2008 11:23

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Wisteria · 15/02/2008 11:26

definitely N B U

katierocket · 15/02/2008 11:48

yes but children don't often bite dogs!
Sorry, I know that's nothing to do with this thread andpreggers I don't think you were being unreasonable but it's a fact that DS1 was bitten by an over excited lab that literally ran over to him and just jumped on him. So all the platitudes in teh world about dogs being placid, well behaved etc are sometimes irrelevant.

Chequers · 15/02/2008 12:12

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Chequers · 15/02/2008 12:14

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katierocket · 15/02/2008 12:18

Because it might explain why the woman in question was so bolshy. Not excuse it, but explain it. And the reason I brought it up because it was my own personal experience that DS1 was bitten by a dog that was supposedly, docile and not a threat.

Dogs are one of those things that some people (rightly or wrongly) are scared of. I had already said that the woman in question was out of order.

Chequers · 15/02/2008 12:21

Message withdrawn