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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Another dog one....

76 replies

Dingdongdog · 17/11/2023 21:55

Walking back from school run today and a German shepherd jumped up at me, I thought it was going to bite me but owner managed to pull him back but not before he slobbered all over me in what seemed a fairly hostile way. I was getting something from my pocket and wondered if he thought I had a treat. Owner said nothing.

If it had been 10 minutes before it might have been my daughter's face and she is bloody terrified of dogs as it is ( due to being continuously approached by them in the village that we live)

As I walked away I went to put my hand down and realized I was covered in dog slobber and as I came to I thought "Nah, that's not on".

I therefore walked back up the road to find the owner and said, politely but firmly "I'm really sorry but I just realized I'm covered in your dogs slobber, I just wonder if maybe he should be muzzled if he's that strong- if it had been 10 minutes earlier it could have been my daughter and could be much worse."

The guy looked fairly timid so left it at that, just thought I needed to do something- if the guy had disciplined the dog at the time and shown concern I would have felt reassured and wouldn't have stalled him up the high street.

I have a touch of the guilts/ I'm not particularly fond of confrontation and I'm also interested to see what others may have said/ done and if my idea of the muzzle is totally ludicrous in this situation.

Anyway was in your opinion, was I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
DustyLee123 · 17/11/2023 22:00

If the dog wanted to bite you, it would have done before you’d even realised. I’m a dog owner and it pisses me off that people don’t keep control of their dogs and scoop poop. I’d give it a wide berth in future.

XenoBitch · 17/11/2023 22:03

I am not sure what "slobbering in a hostile way" means. And a muzzle would not have stopped the dog jumping up or slobbering anyway.

YANBU though, and the owner should have had better control of his dog.

KateyCuckoo · 17/11/2023 22:04

Not nice at all but no that wasn't a German shepherd being hostile 🤣

vodkaredbullgirl · 17/11/2023 22:04

Ding dong it's the weekend.

It slobbered on you, you walked off, then walked back and told them to muzzle their dog.

You were brave.

kitschbitchseason · 17/11/2023 22:07

you've been slimed😂 hope you washed your hands before typing your post OP😏

WiddlinDiddlin · 17/11/2023 22:07

You did the right thing in letting him know his dogs mouth made contact wtih you.

You are wrong to expect him to admonish his dog in the moment though - in fact if he had done that, theres a strong chance the dog would associate NOT his own behaviour with the telling off, but with the presence of a stranger, making the dog MORE likely to be worried, fearful or aggressive towards strangers in future.

And as PP said, if the dog had intended biting, and was that fast and that close, he would have bitten you. Therefore, a bite was not his intent, likely he DID think you were going in your pocket for something.

Thats not to say its acceptable for him to let his dog jump on you bcause it isn't, but you neednt worry about being your kids face unless she is in the habit of sticking her face in her pocket for stuff.

Hopefully he will give people a wider berth and engage with his dog more as he passes people so that the dog focuses on him and not them in future and if he can't do that, then use a muzzle.

shockthemonkey · 17/11/2023 22:08

Hard to slobber in a hostile way. But still, probably not nice. Let it go though

Original poster
Dingdongdog · 17/11/2023 22:10

Yes I definitely washed my hands, and coat!
It nearly knocked me into the road, it was quite strong. Hostile as in it didn't seem particularly friendly as my coat was in its jaws...but I know some dogs play so perhaps it was. I've no idea!

OP posts:
TryAgainWithFeeling · 17/11/2023 22:10

It wasn’t hostile, that’s not what hostile behaviour is in dogs. But you’re certainly not unreasonable to tell the owner that he absolutely needs to have proper control over his dog.

Original poster
Dingdongdog · 17/11/2023 22:11

That's interesting about admonishing the dog, I just assumed that would be necessary, thanks.

OP posts:
Boomboom22 · 17/11/2023 22:11

I'd report it to the police, that's extreme and dangerous.

XenoBitch · 17/11/2023 22:12

Boomboom22 · 17/11/2023 22:11

I'd report it to the police, that's extreme and dangerous.

It was slobber, not acid. FFS.

vodkaredbullgirl · 17/11/2023 22:13

Boomboom22 · 17/11/2023 22:11

I'd report it to the police, that's extreme and dangerous.

Of course you would say that 🙄

hattie43 · 17/11/2023 22:14

Boomboom22 · 17/11/2023 22:11

I'd report it to the police, that's extreme and dangerous.

Don't be ridiculous.
The owner shouldn't allow a dog to jump up but he was not being hostile . You don't sound like you know dogs very well and could easily have been playing

XenoBitch · 17/11/2023 22:14

vodkaredbullgirl · 17/11/2023 22:13

Of course you would say that 🙄

Show quote history

Yeah, Boomboom22 fills up my MN Dog Hater Bingo card every time they appear on a dog thread.

HappyMavis · 17/11/2023 22:15

""I'm really sorry but..."

You told him good! 😂😂😂

letstrythatagain · 17/11/2023 22:15

Boomboom22 · 17/11/2023 22:11

I'd report it to the police, that's extreme and dangerous.

I'd love to hear the police response to that complaint 😆.

Original poster
Dingdongdog · 17/11/2023 22:17

@HappyMavis I'm very British and polite..I make no apology for that ;)

OP posts:
Original poster
Dingdongdog · 17/11/2023 22:18

I feel reassured that the behaviour isn't dangerous! Thank you.

The slobber though was utterly vile!

OP posts:
daffodilandtulip · 17/11/2023 22:21

When similar happened to my toddlers, they were knocked to the ground and when I challenged the owner, I was told not to be so ridiculous, they were just young labs. Entitled owners don't give a shit.

Sofaz34 · 17/11/2023 22:21

Yes, you had your hand in your pocket and it thought you had a treat. Slobbering is not dangerous and you sound like a Karen for marching up the street to reprimand him.

However agree he should have apologised and pulled the dog off you.

margotrose · 17/11/2023 22:22

Dog owners have a requirement to have their dogs under control - it shouldn't be lunging at you or making contact - that's not acceptable and technically against the law.

Dogs don't need to cause harm to be considered "out of control" - if you feel a dog may harm you, you can report them to the dog warden.

It doesn't matter that it was "just slobber" either. I work with dogs (and own them) and would be deeply unimpressed if some random dog leapt at me and mouthed at me.

RandomUsernameHere · 17/11/2023 22:24

YANBU
Even if the dog wasn't being aggressive it could still have been dangerous if it had knocked you into the road. I've actually been pushed into the road by a dog jumping up at me before. Besides, being covered in dog saliva is vile, the owner was totally in the wrong.

Welshphoenix · 17/11/2023 22:31

I can understand why you felt the way you did but as others have said it doesn't appear that the dog was going to bite but thought you had a treat . Saying that i would be horrified if my dog behaved like that. I have a bull mastiff so a large dog and if she jumped at you then you would be on the floor as she is over 8 stone , hence she is trained not to do it . Hope it doesn't put you off all dogs and yes the gent needed to be told you were not happy with what happened so I think you did the right thing telling him but a bit far with the muzzle as that wouldn't have stopped a slobbering x

kitsuneghost · 17/11/2023 22:33

I would have spat at him, see how he likes it.