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AIBU?

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Original poster

to have treated children with letting dog out

239 replies

beakerclub · 12/10/2023 19:18

DH thinks I was OTT with this, I don't.

Basically as I was getting out of my car with my 2 year old child last night two kids, probably about 8 from their height, were stood right by silently in halloween masks whilst I was unclipping my son from his car seat.

I just rolled my eyes initially and completely ignored them but then as I walked toward my house and up my drive they followed me and at this point my little boy was starting to get upset. I told them to go but they didn't, literally followed me up my drive and to my door!!

In the end I said you have 3 seconds to get off my drive or I'll be letting my dog out to deal with you and you'll wish you had. They scarpered quick as I opened my door and shouted my dog outside.

Now my dog is pretty big and a bit barky and can be quite scary looking if he wanted to be, but he's actually soft as shit so there wasn't any real risk of him doing anything, still it did the trick and they ran off and my dog was confused as to what the commotion was ha.

DH thinks it was just kids messing about and I shouldn't have threatened to basically have my dog attack them (wouldn't have happened). I disagree, I think if you're going to be daft enough to make a toddler upset and follow strangers up their driveways then meeting a scary dog at the door is what you get and really all I did was just warn them I have a dog and was opening my door 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
beakerclub · 12/10/2023 19:19

Fgs the title should obviously say threatened

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 12/10/2023 19:21

Yes ywbu you threatened small children with violence and that is not ok

daliesque · 12/10/2023 19:22

And you've now convinced young kids that dogs are scary and probably their mother has started a thread on here about arsehole dog owners.

Well done. 👏

sandyhappypeople · 12/10/2023 19:25

daliesque · 12/10/2023 19:22

And you've now convinced young kids that dogs are scary and probably their mother has started a thread on here about arsehole dog owners.

Well done. 👏

OR .. she’s taught some little shits that no means no, I wouldn’t have hesitated to do the same, but some of the kids round our way are truly feral.

Oysterbabe · 12/10/2023 19:25

That's a dangerous game. Just takes them telling their parents you set your dog on them and they had to run for their lives from a snarling beast and you'll have the police at your door. People are starting to take the threat of dangerous dogs pretty seriously.

JustAMinutePleass · 12/10/2023 19:29

Oysterbabe · 12/10/2023 19:25

That's a dangerous game. Just takes them telling their parents you set your dog on them and they had to run for their lives from a snarling beast and you'll have the police at your door. People are starting to take the threat of dangerous dogs pretty seriously.

Parents would first have to explain what their 8 year olds were doing out in the dark following strangers up driveways with halloween masks on.

Barbie222 · 12/10/2023 19:30

Why could you not just have taken your toddler, gone in to your house and closed your door? Not sure two children in dress up merits that response.

You'll have proper set yourself up for Halloween now, your poor dog will be exhausted

Barbie222 · 12/10/2023 19:30

Parents would first have to explain what their 8 year olds were doing out in the dark following strangers up driveways with halloween masks on.

No, they really wouldn't.

Housefullofcatsandkids · 12/10/2023 19:31

Regardless of whether your dog would attack them or not that must have been terrifying for them! Yes they were being annoying but they're still young children. I'd also be concerned that they could have run into the road and under a car to get away from the dog.

ginasevern · 12/10/2023 19:31

@beakerclub

If they were only a couple of 8 years olds (as opposed to a gang of teenagers) I think you were a bit daft. Every single day there is yet another story of a dog attack, it's become a national frenzy. I can't believe you haven't noticed. Don't be surprised if you get a knock on the door and I seriously hope your dog isn't hauled away. I'm no fan of Halloween and it can be intimidating but you were outside your own home, with a husband inside and they were only little kids.

1982mommaof4 · 12/10/2023 19:31

Well done! Hopefully they will think twice before doing something like that again!

SideEyeSally · 12/10/2023 19:34

All the people horrified by this are probably exactly the type of parents who think people should put up with anything from their precious darlings and the reason schools are in such a state. You were fine, dogs serve as home protection and maybe they'll learn not to do it again

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 12/10/2023 19:34

I’m with you op, it’s not even Halloween ffs

JustPretend · 12/10/2023 19:35

You know what, when you have a small child, 8 year olds seem older than they are and you expect a lot from them.

When your child is 8 you'll realise they're basically taller 3 year olds.

You overreacted massively.

TeaKitten · 12/10/2023 19:37

I don’t think you needed to be so threatening in your delivery of it (telling them theyl be sorry etc), they are just harmless kids at the end of the day. But ‘go away now or I’m letting the dog out’ was probably enough. Actually letting your large barky dog out in the dark to people in scary masks on the dogs properly is a pretty irresponsible thing to do as a dog owner though, it would have been totally understandable if your dog had have panicked and knocked a kid over or chased after them down the street, or worse if he was really spooked. You acted in an angry responsive way so it wouldn’t have been surprising if your dog did too.

Hellocatshome · 12/10/2023 19:37

SideEyeSally · 12/10/2023 19:34

All the people horrified by this are probably exactly the type of parents who think people should put up with anything from their precious darlings and the reason schools are in such a state. You were fine, dogs serve as home protection and maybe they'll learn not to do it again

Wrong. I would have told the kids it was not Halloween and to come back when it was and if that didn't work I would have told them to leave before I called the police. I would not threaten them with violence that is not ok.

BlueYonder57 · 12/10/2023 19:37

You threatened children by saying you'd let your dogs attack them? Seriously, I'm struggling to believe this, but if true, you shouldn't have a dog. You opened your door and deliberately called your dog outside - heightening the situation where a dog could attack children. And I love dogs. You are entirely irresponsible and have no right to own one. 8 year old children are, at worst, slightly annoying. You are supposed to be an adult.

jumpfh · 12/10/2023 19:37

Yeah what @JustPretend said. You think 8 is a huge enormous child who should know better.

But wait til yours is 8.

Couldn't you just have ignored them and gone in the house?

And you opened the door and "shouted the dog outside"? So you did call a large barky dog to deliberately terrify a pair of young kids?

ActDottie · 12/10/2023 19:38

Yanbu it did the trick and they ran off.

JC89 · 12/10/2023 19:40

They obviously shouldn't have been doing that but no, threatening to attack 8 year old children with a big dog is not ok...

StarlightLime · 12/10/2023 19:42

ginasevern · 12/10/2023 19:31

@beakerclub

If they were only a couple of 8 years olds (as opposed to a gang of teenagers) I think you were a bit daft. Every single day there is yet another story of a dog attack, it's become a national frenzy. I can't believe you haven't noticed. Don't be surprised if you get a knock on the door and I seriously hope your dog isn't hauled away. I'm no fan of Halloween and it can be intimidating but you were outside your own home, with a husband inside and they were only little kids.

Of course her dog won't be hauled away 🙄
The kids should have had their parents with them if they didn't understand not to behave like dicks brats.

eandz13 · 12/10/2023 19:43

I have kids at similar ages. Mine wouldn't be out winding folk up, but if they were my children and I caught wind of this, i'd tell them it served them bloody right to be scared off like that and they should keep it in mind if they think of doing that again.
YANBU.

Hellocatshome · 12/10/2023 19:43

StarlightLime · 12/10/2023 19:42

Of course her dog won't be hauled away 🙄
The kids should have had their parents with them if they didn't understand not to behave like dicks brats.

Show quote history

8 year olds do stupid stuff because they are 8 it doesn't mean they should be threatened by a very real possibility of harm from a big dog.

daffodilandtulip · 12/10/2023 19:44

I don't agree with what you did, and you could have ended up in trouble or with a thump from one of their parents ... but everyone saying about scaring the kids? Round here the kids that roam the streets would say something like "if your dog comes near me I'll stamp on it's fucking face"...

4417C · 12/10/2023 19:47

They scarpered quick as I opened my door and shouted my dog outside.

You didn’t need to follow through, did you?

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