Are people actually insane?

[peopleareinsane]

Yesterday at my son's sports day a family brought an bully type dog onto the field in amongst the kids activities. Am I mad in thinking this is just twatish behaviour. Not all kids like dogs and they had it amongst everything, put me totally on edge.

I'm now at my daughters ballet class and sat in the wait room full of babies and toddlers and a dad has brought what I am sure is an XL bully in this room. It's tugging on the lead wanting to get off and is getting increasingly agitated.

What would you do? Are some people total fucking morons or aibu?

but you say you witnessed a dog fight in a children's play area and you just walked away?

Not unbelievable at all. I'd hotfoot it away as well. Not hang around on my phone.

There’s nothing worse than people with low IQs but massive egos.

So true. At best, they are a PITA, like a big buzzy fly you want to bat away. At worst, they are dangerous and unpredictable.
DH has a relative who falls into the first category. The only way I can deal with them is to avoid them or agree with them then walk away.

Your sure? Considering even vets aren’t, fuck me they should’ve had you on the panel shouldn’t they! Contact defra asap

Makes no difference if it was or not. Dogs shouldn't be there.

its heart-breaking, dogs who come back fearful and not the happy dogs they were before being seized, but hey this is Mumsnet so many would not care its a big scary dog and should be killed anyway

Well maybe it would be wise not to get a huge muscular dog in the first place.

I've had dogs most of my life, but not currently am owner. I couldn't tell you the difference between a bully xl, bully lab x , large staffy type, I've never particularly liked that type of breed though I've met lovely Staffies, I've also met really angry ones.

Yes, if I couldn't safely intervene by physically removing a dog I wouldn't want it near my toddler. Despite me teaching him, we don't touch doggies etc he's still fascinated and loves to get up close to them.

Dogs in a playpark/ballet class/sports day, totally out of order.

i’d email the school to ask how a dog was on the school grounds in the first place (we have to sign in for sports day, staff everywhere).

This is not a thing in Scotland, you can just open the gate and walk into the playground. Yes getting into the actual building you have to be buzzed in through the front door but the playground is a free for all. When it's sports day, parents, grandparents, siblings and anyone else who wants to arrives and walks in.

A few days ago a 7 month old baby girl killed in Coventry by family dog recorded as not a dangerous breed. Yet another tragedy of this type. I know many won't agree but I don't think a baby should be left alone in a room with any dog.

I get what you're saying, I can only hope that people in the future will steer clear of breeds that look similar to XLs in case they're mistaken for one. If you're a genuine dog owner, surely you wouldn't risk having your dog taken away or knowing you'll probably need to muzzle it, especially if other dogs are added to the banned list.

Of the 12 dogs that have killed since 2023 (not sure if the latest death has been added yet) I think it's 9 that are bull breeds. 1 is a cane corso, which is another breed that doesn't need to be on our streets. That obviously doesn't include the people that were 'fortunate' enough to escape with life changing injuries either.

Out of the hundreds of dog breeds available, nobody needs to be choosing ones that PROBABLY won't, but very easily COULD, kill them or even worse, an innocent member of the public.

The 7 month old baby girl mauled to death on Sunday had been attacked by a Belgian Malonois. It's not recorded as a dangerous breed which proves it's not only dangerous breeds which can turn on adults and children. I've nothing against dogs I just dont think they should be left alone in a room with young children.

Hasn’t there been a few granny’s eaten alive with type of dogs just recently?
Sound like a rough family- with mindset to match 😩

Very few dogs are classed as dangerous breeds, when they absolutely should be. It's all about potential, and a malinois definitely has this.

A woman in her 50s near me was eaten by an XL. No idea if she's a granny but she has a trampoline in her garden. Thank goodness it was her and not a child.

As a dog owner I don't understand people like this, twats is a understatement. My dog goes nowhere near places children play, sports fields and the very idea of taking a bully type dog in a room with babies & toddlers is beyond stupid.

God I don’t believe people can think those dogs are as soft as butter- my brother has those French bull dogs- I hate them as they jump up at my me ( I know you can’t compare them to those XL bully dogs) but pain in the arse all the same.. so I would be terrified if I passed one of those XL bullies in the street

Yes another one here saying this is definitely happening round our way. Anyone coming on here to say it’s made up is either trying to be difficult, or parading their good fortune and lack of imagination because they live somewhere where it doesn’t happen. Either way, a deeply unhelpful contribution!

What are people doing to challenge dogs being taken to primary school sports days and ballet classes?

I don't have any children at primary school now and it's a long time since my oldest was at ballet classes so I'm a bit out of touch. I am aware that the primary school does remind parents not to bring dogs on school premises, and ideally not bring them to the school gates either.

I can only assume the people that own XLs (besides the status symbol idiots) think they have this massive scary beast, yet they have smothered it with so much love, it will only know how to be gentle and soppy.

You cannot remove breed instincts. You might be able to curb them and hopefully you'll get lucky, but they're always there. That's why retrievers carry stuff around gently in their mouths (originally used to collect game etc) and greyhounds chase small furry things. It's ingrained into them.

Wrong on lots of levels. I don’t dislike dogs but am not really a dog person. Also hate when peoples dogs jump all over you getting their hair, saliva and god knows what else on your clothes and skin while the owner thinks it’s endearing. I’d have to get up and tell staff about this dog at the ballet class. Entitled arseholes.

Jesus. I’d flip. Disgusting selfish owner. Ask him to leave. Prick

How do you know this dog wasn't an XL bully?

NO dogs are «soft as butter» and I include my goofy, super laidback labradoodle here.
They are animals and they should be allowed to be in places suitable and enjoyable for dogs; NOT in sports day or in gated playgrounds or in small waiting rooms - each of which may be filled to the brim with overexcited little kids!

How hard is that to understand?
Breeds that are bred to be protection and/or aggressive even less so - in fact they should never be in such places.

My ‘it happens round our way’ was in particular about dogs, including powerful looking ones, being taken into enclosed playgrounds, which a pp had disbelieved.

What do I do personally about it? I may or may not challenge directly (I have done) depending on how likely I think the dog could kill me if the owner allowed. And I am not a meek person, and I am not exaggerating or being melodramatic. I have also responded to our LA’s consultation on antisocial behaviour involving dogs.

I think a lot of dogs shouldn’t be in the room with a child full stop and some breeds shouldn’t even be in the same household. Perhaps a law around which breeds you are allowed to own if you have children as people don’t seem to have the sense. More dog breeds should have to be muzzled in public.

Can all the gaslighters and wind up merchants leave the OP alone?

Some of you are

1. Pressing her to check if she actually saw an XL bully, as if she keeps a copy of the Kennel Club's Breed Standards in her handbag
2. Questioning whether media hysteria on XL Bully dogs has led to "people like the OP" not being able to tolerate dogs in spaces
3. People claiming that if the dog wasn't a bully, then what is the problem with them being in a child's space?

This is all whatabouttery designed to wholly discredit an OP because you , or people you like, own dogs.

NOT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE TO TOLERATE DOGS. Children in spaces dedicated for children, should not have to tolerate dangerous dogs.

The worst thing is that if that dog turned on the child, the owner would promptly disappear. The child may have to have reconstructive surgery, it might die, but the owner would probably get a fine or a suspended sentence.

So you dog owners want us to run all that risk? No thanks.

God! No good whoever it is, but a child just starting out in life to be mauled to death 😩