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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:
ReturnOfTheRainMac · 12/10/2023 21:28

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.

They fucked around. They found out. Not unreasonable.

WhateverMate · 12/10/2023 21:28

JustPretend · 12/10/2023 21:10

What @WhateverMate you couldn't just say 'bit early for Halloween lads' and shut your front door?

Exactly.

BlueYonder57 · 12/10/2023 21:29

jlpth · 12/10/2023 21:19

They frightened the OP's child, followed her up her driveway and refused to leave. What did you want them to do, pull a knife on the OP and then that would justify her dealing with them? No, OP was justified in dealing with disobedient brats who shouldn't have been out unsupervised.

Show quote history

The law would disagree with you. They did NOTHING. They were 8. They had no knife. They didn't threaten. Thjey walked up a drive.

It is illegal to set a dog on people. Full stop. Whatever the breed.

And this site is still insane. If the headline in the papers had been "householder sets dog on children - child dies" you'd have been screaming for the dogs blood. Dogs are not, and should not be, weapons. If one adult cannot handle two 8 year old children by shutting the door on them, it's a pathetic adult we are talking about.

gelatogina · 12/10/2023 21:30

They deserved it, little shits, maybe they will think twice before trying to scare women late at night.

LolaSmiles · 12/10/2023 21:31

What adult threatens children they'll set a dog on them and they'll be sorry, especially when dog attacks are all over the news? And then what possesses them to actually call the dog for added measure?

However annoying they were being, adults don't generally threaten children with a dog attack. It sounds like pathetic point scoring. Big hard adult goes to set dog on children instead of going inside, shutting the door and focusing on supporting their own child who was scared.

Housefullofcatsandkids · 12/10/2023 21:33

What, seeing two children in Halloween masks? There's going to be plenty of them around on the 31st. The OP probably made it worse with her reaction. Could have been downplayed and quickly forgotten about for the toddler's sake.

GreenAppleCrumble · 12/10/2023 21:37

SideEyeSally · 12/10/2023 20:54

There is an attitude from a lot of folk these days that 'kids misbehave because they're kids' which is true but the bit they miss is that they need to learn not to do stuff like this and this is how they learn. When I was wee we nicked apples, allotment owner let his dog on us and we climbed out and never did it again. It's a natural consequence and part of growing up. Kids who have never faced the fact that deliberately provoking people can result in retaliation don't learn not to do it.

Got to agree with this. There was a nasty bunch of kids - about 12 years old maybe - loitering round sainsburys this evening. First in the store trying to shoplift, then the staff escorted them out, and the little feral brats hung around the entrance talking tough. Loads of staff presence in the doorway- and still they couldn’t eject the kids completely from the premises because, you know, mustn’t frighten the poor things, and they know their rights…Those are precisely the sort of kids those 8 year olds will grow into.

godmum56 · 12/10/2023 21:39

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.

this exactly never mind the kids, don't put your dog at risk.

Spanne · 12/10/2023 21:40

Parents should keep an eye on their kids and stop them from bothering people.

AlwaysPrettyOnTheInside · 12/10/2023 21:41

Regardless of whether your dog would attack them or not that must have been terrifying for them!

Good. Serves the little shits right. Maybe they'll do as they're told in future then.

ImADevYo · 12/10/2023 21:41

YANBU. Kids can be feral
You didn't even do anything lol you just scared them away. What's the problem lol

tasslesated · 12/10/2023 21:41

Actually, I think it's more likely that the OPs child grows up into a thug.

Children learn by example.

StarlightLime · 12/10/2023 21:42

tasslesated · 12/10/2023 21:41

Actually, I think it's more likely that the OPs child grows up into a thug.

Children learn by example.

Do you really?!

EggTheParrot · 12/10/2023 21:44

I'm picturing these

to have treated children with letting dog out
confusingpgtimes · 12/10/2023 21:44

Fair enough IMO. I wouldn't want my 8 year old thinking it's ok to be walking down a strangers drive, hopefully that will put them off doing that again. Could have ended a lot worse for them if they chose to do that to the wrong person!

MNiscrazytonight · 12/10/2023 21:46

I've name changed for this.

When my son was 8 a girl in his class made up a story about him touching her (it wasn't true, there were multiple witnesses).

The whole thing went round our town like wildfire and parents were all over social media calling him 'the town rapist of the future'.

He was 8. He still watched Paw Patrol and slept with his teddy. He still to this day has no idea people - actual full grown adults - said that in public about him.

Some of you should be fucking ashamed of the way you are speaking about 8 year olds who committed no crime, didn't even utter a threatening word to this grown woman.

It's actually appalling the way some of you have spoken about these children.

AlwaysPrettyOnTheInside · 12/10/2023 21:47

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.

Mate, where I'm from, 8 Yr olds will fucking shank you.

You dont allow anyone to come near your door.

They could have run inside the house, pushed her door open,caused a commotion, as she opened the door and gang MEN run up and get in.

Haven't you heard the stories of small kids on the street with notes and shit? They're used as lures to get women to stop.

I'd take 2 kids on my doorstep in masks, refusing to move, as a sign shit was about to off.

LolaSmiles · 12/10/2023 21:47

Parents should keep an eye on their kids and stop them from bothering people.
Obviously they should.

But what happened to adults being the grown up in the room?

Option 1: I could go inside and ignore the annoying 8 year olds who are probably trying to pester for Halloween things before Halloween but will probably move on.

Option 2: I could close the door and be the grown up, but on the other hand I could threaten the annoying 8 year olds, tell them they'll be sorry because I'll set my dog on them, then call my dog so they think they're about to be the victim of a dog attack. Ha ha ha. That will show them. Instead of being the grown up I can act in a way that escalates the situation.

Mamai90 · 12/10/2023 21:48

Probably was the wrong thing to do but if it was my child no doubt I'd do the same.

tasslesated · 12/10/2023 21:48

MNiscrazytonight · 12/10/2023 21:46

I've name changed for this.

When my son was 8 a girl in his class made up a story about him touching her (it wasn't true, there were multiple witnesses).

The whole thing went round our town like wildfire and parents were all over social media calling him 'the town rapist of the future'.

He was 8. He still watched Paw Patrol and slept with his teddy. He still to this day has no idea people - actual full grown adults - said that in public about him.

Some of you should be fucking ashamed of the way you are speaking about 8 year olds who committed no crime, didn't even utter a threatening word to this grown woman.

It's actually appalling the way some of you have spoken about these children.

I'm sorry that happened to him.

I agree with every word you say

tasslesated · 12/10/2023 21:50

@AlwaysPrettyOnTheInside

Shouldn't you be in bed by now?

midnitghtgraveyard · 12/10/2023 21:50

I dont think you done anything wrong.
Some on here think all kids are angels well news for you their not.
8 or 18 id have done the same it's not like she would have let the dog go it's the threat of it.
A few year ago before i moved i used to get trickle treaters but after the little ones had gone home the bigger ones came out.
Throwing eggs and flour at homes well that year i was ready upstairs with a hose pipe. ( no regrets )

Clarinetiu · 12/10/2023 21:51

She did let the dog out

StarDolphins · 12/10/2023 21:51

Good for you op👏 Feral kids everywhere!

Sigmama · 12/10/2023 21:52

I would be mortified if my kids did this, yanbu

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