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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Housefullofcatsandkids · 12/10/2023 19:48

So would all the people who are ok with this also be ok if the OP said she threatened to get a knife and then chased the children up the street with one? No, you would call her a lunatic. This is no different, setting a dog on someone is classed as using a weapon.

Zimunya · 12/10/2023 19:48

My understanding is that they were on your property (your drive way), scaring your child, you asked them to leave, but they didn’t. So you opened your own front door and let your dog on to your own driveway. Sounds okay to me! Well done!

vodkaredbullgirl · 12/10/2023 19:48

Not the best move, but they ran away.

Redcargidan · 12/10/2023 19:50

This could really easily result in the police turning up at your home saying two children said you set your dog on them so yes YABU.

Redcargidan · 12/10/2023 19:51

And out if curiosity, I wonder if all the people saying this is fine would also be saying the same thing if the dog was an XL Bully? Complete double standards on mumsnet regarding dogs.

JustPretend · 12/10/2023 19:51

Zimunya · 12/10/2023 19:48

My understanding is that they were on your property (your drive way), scaring your child, you asked them to leave, but they didn’t. So you opened your own front door and let your dog on to your own driveway. Sounds okay to me! Well done!

They're 8, not bloody Peaky Blinders.

FlowerPower12345 · 12/10/2023 19:51

I'm sure if you left them standing at your door for a few mins, they would get the hint and just leave? Why didn't you say to them, "Sorry, no sweets today" and close the door, then go about your day?

I get that it's annoying having random kids following you when you already said no, but they were just looking for some sweets, not demanding a £20k ransom.

No need to terrify them, especially if all they were doing was standing there and not shouting or being rude.

TeaKitten · 12/10/2023 19:52

Redcargidan · 12/10/2023 19:51

And out if curiosity, I wonder if all the people saying this is fine would also be saying the same thing if the dog was an XL Bully? Complete double standards on mumsnet regarding dogs.

Well it could be an xl bully, OP doesn’t say. She said large and scary looking.

jumpfh · 12/10/2023 19:53

TeaKitten · 12/10/2023 19:52

Well it could be an xl bully, OP doesn’t say. She said large and scary looking.

Show quote history

This.

Would it change your minds if the dog was an XL bully?

Nowherenew · 12/10/2023 19:54

YABU

As someone with a big, scary dog I hate when people use their dogs as a status to make them look tough.

If these were grown men then it would be different but they were kids and were no actual threat.

You could have complimented them on their ‘cute’ outfits and told them they’ve got a few days to go yet and then just walk inside and not stopped to their level.

Nowherenew · 12/10/2023 19:54

Redcargidan · 12/10/2023 19:51

And out if curiosity, I wonder if all the people saying this is fine would also be saying the same thing if the dog was an XL Bully? Complete double standards on mumsnet regarding dogs.

Yep!

Redcargidan · 12/10/2023 19:55

Well it could be an xl bully, OP doesn’t say. She said large and scary looking.

Absolutely, I just think it is bizarre that there are people thinking this was remotely ok to do but then in the last week I've seen posts about bull breed dogs being walked calmly on lead and people are outraged by their very existence.

YouJustDoYou · 12/10/2023 19:59

Nah, little shits need to learn boundaries.

ginasevern · 12/10/2023 20:13

@StarlightLime

I'm a dog lover and I'm actually only concerned about the dog in all of this. There is dog hysteria at the moment. The kids will have hopefully learned not to intimidate people.

@daffodilandtulip

I was really concerned about the dog being the innocent victim in all of this. The police could call round (that's the sort of thing they seem to spend their precious time doing these days). Or the kids could get older mates to do something nasty to the dog. I'm not especially bothered about the little darlings being scared.

stayathomer · 12/10/2023 20:16

The threat- I can see why you did it, that was scary for your son and would have freaked me out a little too if I’m honest, but doing it, what if something had happened? What if one of them had hit your dog and he attacked?

JustPretend · 12/10/2023 20:19

YouJustDoYou · 12/10/2023 19:59

Nah, little shits need to learn boundaries.

They're 8. Probably excited about Halloween, and maybe not getting the trick or treat thing right.

Some miserable fuckers in the world.

tasslesated · 12/10/2023 20:21

This reply has been deleted

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Prinnny · 12/10/2023 20:24

Good for you OP. Can’t believe people actually think you’re in the wrong, they intentionally tried to upset you and your toddler, you told them to go away, they followed you onto your property, they deserved it.

Those defending them are probably raising these lawless yobbos.

newYear10 · 12/10/2023 20:25

1982mommaof4 · 12/10/2023 19:31

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

This. Sound like little shits to have that much audacity to follow you up to your house.

Hellocatshome · 12/10/2023 20:26

Prinnny · 12/10/2023 20:24

Good for you OP. Can’t believe people actually think you’re in the wrong, they intentionally tried to upset you and your toddler, you told them to go away, they followed you onto your property, they deserved it.

Those defending them are probably raising these lawless yobbos.

Did they? Do you think two 8 year olds thought here's a good idea let's wait for OP getting home so we can intentionally upset her and her toddler. Or do you think they didn't think any further than if we put these masks on people might give us sweets.

LouOrange · 12/10/2023 20:27

Going to need some context regarding the approximate age of the children.

2-6 years: blood hell rein it in.
7-10: mmm, Kay, maybe a bit strong
11+: hope it shit them up but be prepared for an egged door.

tasslesated · 12/10/2023 20:27

If someone threatened to set a dog on my child, I'd call the police.

LakeTiticaca · 12/10/2023 20:27

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. 👏

That is not OPs problem.
The parents should teach their kids that when an adult requests them not to do something, they don't carry on regardless and do it

tasslesated · 12/10/2023 20:28

According to the OP, all they did was walk up her drive. They didn't even say anything.

TeaKitten · 12/10/2023 20:30

LouOrange · 12/10/2023 20:27

Going to need some context regarding the approximate age of the children.

2-6 years: blood hell rein it in.
7-10: mmm, Kay, maybe a bit strong
11+: hope it shit them up but be prepared for an egged door.

What context do you need?