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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this dog owner was in the wrong?

52 replies

NameChanged25 · 17/02/2025 19:50

I’m still quite shaken by an incident in the park at lunchtime. I was out for a jog and saw a dog ahead of me - a young lab I believe, not on lead but within a few metres of owner. As I approached from behind I gave the dog and owner a wide berth, moving on to the grass to overtake. Next thing I know the dog is chasing after me! I thought it would stop after a few moments and the owner would take some control, but no, it grabbed on to the jacket I had round my waste and I then panicked a bit and stopped/froze, dog continues to pull on my jacket as it slipped down my legs.

owner approaches and I’m shaking. I can’t remember what I said exactly but something about maybe the dog isn’t ready to be off a lead yet. The owner was very rude and said I should be mindful running around dog friendly parks with ‘a big bright thing flapping round your waist - it will obviously get him excited’, and ‘no need to be pathetic and nervous he was clearly just playing’.
the running jacket is fluorescent pink but I’ve never had issues with it round my waste before. It’s too hot to wear while actually running but I need it for warm up and cool down hence it’s round my waist. AIBU to wear this?!

OP posts:
Dolambslikemintsauce · 17/02/2025 19:53

If you had been running with rashers of bacon hanging for your belt his ddog should have been under his control..
And it clearly wasn't..
He was a twat.

bakebeans · 17/02/2025 19:54

Not unreasonable.

The owner is not able to recall their dog in a public place so legally should not be off lead.

ChancesAreLow · 17/02/2025 19:58

The dog was not under control - completely their fault.

But - you'll never stop dickhead owners.

When I'm out running, I stop and walk when seeing off lead dogs.

Also, I shout 'please control your dog' and when they inevitably say 'he/she is friendly' I always say 'I'm not!' Even when I'm walking by, giving a wide berth.

I love dogs but I do not want to be chased/jumped up at. I will kick/shove your dog away if I feel it's needed !

lashy · 17/02/2025 20:06

Dolambslikemintsauce · 17/02/2025 19:53

If you had been running with rashers of bacon hanging for your belt his ddog should have been under his control..
And it clearly wasn't..
He was a twat.

🤣
I'm picturing something out of an old Tom and Jerry cartoon...

Danielle9891 · 17/02/2025 20:30

You're not in the wrong. The dog obviously has very little recall and needs to be trained more.

LennysRucksack · 17/02/2025 20:40

Not unreasonable at all, the owner was a bloody obnoxious twat. It's a public place and you can run wherever you like wearing whatever you like - why are you responsible for his dogs behaviour?

I speak as an owner of two small dogs, one fairly sedate the other quite likely to give chase if the mood takes him. But if I DID have him off-lead in a public place and he DID chase a runner with a flappy jacket which he actually pulled off - I would be utterly fucking mortified and apologise profusely, I wouldn't tell you it was your fault. 🙄

Fortunately he has good recall (and I'm very cautious) so it wouldn't happen, but - entitled people with untrained puppies who don't yet have solid training and still give in to their impulses/drives, should not be off lead where exciting stuff is happening.

Yet, here we are!

Screamingabdabz · 17/02/2025 20:42

‘a big bright thing flapping round your waist - it will obviously get him excited’, and ‘no need to be pathetic and nervous he was clearly just playing’.

Such typical male responses when women are subject to unwanted and upsetting interactions. 🙄 YANBU

Given the stupid levels of dog ownership and ubiquity now, and by extension dickhead irresponsible ownership, there should be laws now about etiquette in public.

Straightomyhead · 17/02/2025 20:46

I'm the owner of an overexcitable labrador who is now 3 so meant to be out of puppyhood but do you know what I do when out, I keep him on the lead. (He is the biggest softie around but no one else knows that)

You were not in the wrong. It is up to the dog owner to control their dog and if he is wanting a chase then he should be kept in a lead.

xMsXhX · 17/02/2025 20:48

You're not in the wrong. My dog loves to chase runners. I always put them on lead if I see someone running nearby. It's not an aggression thing, but I fully understand that it's scary for people who don't know the dog. On the odd occasion where I've spotted them too late, I'm mortified and hugely apologetic if she's started chasing (the dog does stop when I yell). YANBU.

(I know that some people are probably going to now tell me I should never have the dog off lead; they're a high energy dog that needs to run and I take huge steps to ensure we're in quiet areas. I promise I am working on training but they're a rescue with behavioural problems that are just taking time to iron out!).

thorneyislanddoris · 17/02/2025 20:51

You should contact your local dog warden. This dog was dangerously out of control.

Even if it was friendly, It could have caused you to trip and fall and get injured. Not to mention the damage to your clothing.

That owner was a total arsehole and you were much too polite.

ivfjourneyandme · 17/02/2025 20:53

As both a dog owner and a vet I am mortified by this!

If my own dogs did this, I’d be bloody mortified and would want the ground to swallow me up (after apologising profusely)

As a vet, this owner is where the problem lies with a lot of owners of poorly behaved dogs. Not enough training and assuming they have the right to say what they want! Even after 10 years of doing this job, if a rougue dog was chasing me and chewing my Jacket, I’d shit myself! 😂

TheGirlattheBack · 17/02/2025 20:53

My DH has this problem frequently when out on his bike. Got scars of teeth marks on his calf to prove it! He now carries a dog repellent spray for out of control dogs off leads - some can’t control the urge to chase. It’s the owners fault, dogs without good recall should be on leads.

AcquadiP · 17/02/2025 20:55

The dog owner is in the wrong here and I'm also a dog owner. His dog's behaviour is contrary to the Dangerous Dogs Act in that his dog was "dangerously out of control in a public place." You're right, his dog needs off lead training (urgently.) It's not your problem that his dog became excited as you ran by. It's the owners problem because he clearly lacks control of his dog and his dog shouldn't be chasing runners, cyclists, horse riders or anythingelse.

Also, his dog wasn't "playing", it used its teeth to grab an item of your clothing which is a dominant and completely inappropriate thing to do. The owner urgently needs to work on this behaviour before it becomes established. I can understand why you were shaken, Labradors are big dogs. The vast majority of Labs are good natured but it sounds like this particular one isn't being handled correctly.

AlertCat · 17/02/2025 20:55

Dolambslikemintsauce · 17/02/2025 19:53

If you had been running with rashers of bacon hanging for your belt his ddog should have been under his control..
And it clearly wasn't..
He was a twat.

This. His dog could be taken and pts if it’s deemed dangerously out of control- and by chasing and biting at you, it was dangerously out of control. You would be within your rights to report it as a dog attack- he is 100% in the wrong.

RickiRaccoon · 17/02/2025 20:57

Dog owner's fault 100%. They were just making pathetic excuses.

I've got a dog. I need to be aware of how it might react around different people and different scenarios and take steps to prevent that. Some random passerby doing something completely normal like jogging shouldn't have to worry about my dog.

SpanielsSunflowersSand · 17/02/2025 21:01

Not acceptable at all! I’m a dog owner and under no circumstances would my dog be off lead if they had no recall around distractions.

What if it was a child running around?

Excitable “friendly” dogs can still be dangerous. My dog wouldn’t
approach anyone/ anything but the moment I see a child/ cyclist/ runner, I recall him and wait until they’ve gone. You never know who might be frightened of dogs and I also think, no matter how well behaved your dog might be, they are animals so don’t take chances!

LammasEve · 17/02/2025 21:05

The dog owner is an idiot, he should have his dog under control and if the dog is likely to get excited it should be on a lead.

I get told a lot "he doesn't like runners/hi viz/bright colours" when I'm out running, next time I hear that I'm likely to show the dog owners my bite is worse than my bark... I generally like dogs but I'm getting very fed up with some owners.

Gymmum82 · 17/02/2025 21:09

He was lucky he got you and not me because I would have booted the dog as hard as I possibly could to get it away from me

Original poster
NameChanged25 · 17/02/2025 21:11

Thanks everyone! I’m glad you all agree, I was more shocked at the owners attitude and reaction tbh, made me second guess if I had done something wrong. I run a lot and have been ‘chased’ one or twice before but only a few strides before the dog was immediately called back by the owner with an apology- I have no issues with that but what happened today was completely unexpected.

OP posts:
Linux20 · 19/02/2025 00:23

I’m a dog owner. He was in the wrong. If your dog has no recall it shouldn’t be off lead.

JandamiHash · 19/02/2025 00:25

Dog owner is a dick and is everything wrong with dog ownership these days. You did nothing wrong.

Seriously what is the problem with people putting their dogs on a lead?

Lavender14 · 19/02/2025 00:30

People are honestly stupid sometimes. I was out with my toddler at the beach a few weeks ago and a giant dog came racing over and started licking my toddlers face while the owner ran screaming at it. I was terrified because I didn't know if it was friendly or not or how I'd protect us from such a big dog. Obviously it was super friendly and the owner apologised but at the end of the day unless your dogs recall is bomb proof they shouldn't be off lead in public areas. And I say that as a dog owner who does walk her dog off lead at times. I put SO much work into training and my dog sticks close to me and ignores all other people and other dogs. Trying to pass the buck on your responsibility to train or secure your dog appropriately does no one any favours and it sets the dog up for unsafe scenarios as well.

StrikeAlways · 19/02/2025 00:57

You are definitely not being unreasonable. My dog is very uninterested in runners and cyclists. I would be absolutely horrified if mine did that.

Fireflybaby · 19/02/2025 06:07

The dog owner is a bully. Just because the park is dog friendly it doesn't mean that humans should stop any activities that might distract a dog.
Obviously this owner doesn't know how to take accountability for stuff like this so he decided to put the blame on you.

Zusammengebrochen · 19/02/2025 06:10

Unless this is a reverse YANBU.
An increasing number of dog owners are incredibly entitled though.