Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

It’s a dog one

43 replies

PodgePie · 30/05/2025 06:36

Walking my two jack russell terriers this morning (off lead in an orchard) when a pair of dogs - one terrier & one collie barrel up to us & attack my elderly dog. Thankfully I was able to separate them & remove my poor girl from the situation but this is not the first time we’ve had an issue with these animals. The owner didn’t have them in her line of sight & has astonishingly poor recall.

I know where they live - would I be unreasonable to post a polite note through her door & ask her to either keep them on a lead or at least in her eyeline? I’m 100% sure any letter will have zero effect but I am seething that she is so wilfully careless. My lovely old lady isn’t in the best of health - she’s 14 & has the usual aches & pains which we manage with supplements but she’s visibly limping & extremely timid now.

OP posts:
Original poster
PodgePie · 30/05/2025 07:21

Tbrh · 30/05/2025 07:21

Why don't you report it? What if the next time it's a toddler?

Show quote history

Now I know where to report I will definitely be doing so.

OP posts:
Original poster
PodgePie · 30/05/2025 07:22

Biropens · 30/05/2025 06:51

Unfortunately someone like this likely won’t read the letter beyond the first sentence

Show quote history

This is almost word for word what my husband just said!

OP posts:
K0OLA1D · 30/05/2025 07:22

ExtraOnions · 30/05/2025 06:48

All Dogs should be on a lead, at all times, in public areas.

No they shouldn't. HTH

Original poster
PodgePie · 30/05/2025 07:23

Jklow1254 · 30/05/2025 07:19

Can you report to the dog warden? There is a dog terrorising our village at the moment, our on-lead dog suffered a nasty attack a few months ago. We reported the owner and they have sent her a warning.

I’m so sorry to hear about your dog - I hope they’re ok? Thank you for the advice, stupidly I hadn’t realised dog wardens still existed!

OP posts:
F1LandoFan · 30/05/2025 07:23

I would add to the note that if it happens again you’ll be reporting her to the police.
or… I would just skip the note and report. It could have been much worse.
i’m sorry this happened to you and your old lady :(

Tbrh · 30/05/2025 07:29

PodgePie · 30/05/2025 07:21

Now I know where to report I will definitely be doing so.

Show quote history

That's great, so happy to hear this. The dig sounds dangerous and the owner won't care about a note

Doje · 30/05/2025 07:36

I don't think she'll care about a note.

Could you knock on her door and ask her what time she usually uses the orchard as her dogs and yours don't seem to get on so you'd like to avoid if possible.

Yes, you shouldn't have to, yes it should be her problem, but realistically I don't think she'll change her behaviour and this way you might get to keep using the orchard.

Wheredidthetidego · 30/05/2025 07:48

Why are some people with dogs such massive arseholes?? I’m sorry this happened op, it’s awful and yes, definitely report it. If she cannot control her dogs they need to be muzzled and on lead.
I had similar a few weeks ago. My dogs (who have excellent recall) were off, but I have one totally placid old lady who, like yours, has a variety of medical conditions, including only having one eye, so I keep her on. A big black dog ran up, snapping and snarling in her face. I put her behind me, put my other dogs in a sit and used my knee to shove the other dog away. It went round me and grabbed hold of her ear, at which point I booted it. The owner, who had watched all this and said nothing, then tried to have a go at me for kicking his dog! He got short shrift from me, how dare he allow his untrained dog to attack mine? She would never retaliate and he needs to control his bloody dog. He put it on a lead and walked off shame faced. Arsehole.

Original poster
PodgePie · 30/05/2025 07:50

Wheredidthetidego · 30/05/2025 07:48

Why are some people with dogs such massive arseholes?? I’m sorry this happened op, it’s awful and yes, definitely report it. If she cannot control her dogs they need to be muzzled and on lead.
I had similar a few weeks ago. My dogs (who have excellent recall) were off, but I have one totally placid old lady who, like yours, has a variety of medical conditions, including only having one eye, so I keep her on. A big black dog ran up, snapping and snarling in her face. I put her behind me, put my other dogs in a sit and used my knee to shove the other dog away. It went round me and grabbed hold of her ear, at which point I booted it. The owner, who had watched all this and said nothing, then tried to have a go at me for kicking his dog! He got short shrift from me, how dare he allow his untrained dog to attack mine? She would never retaliate and he needs to control his bloody dog. He put it on a lead and walked off shame faced. Arsehole.

Absolutely awful, I’m sorry this happened & hope your lovely old lady is ok xx

OP posts:
Howinthehelldidthishappen · 30/05/2025 07:52

Report to 101. You can do it online. Unfortunately there is a dog in my area well known for attacking other dogs. Recently, it progressed to biting a human. Although the dogs had been reported numerous times, before the human bite, no address had been recorded for the dogs. The police cannot act without an address.
So my advice would be 101 every time.

Hoardasurass · 30/05/2025 07:55

A note to her will be pointless as she won't care anymore than she does now. Report her to the dog warden, they'll have a word with her and put her on formal notice that should she continue to allow her dogs to be dangerously out of control enforcement action will be taken against her and her dog's

JohnofWessex · 30/05/2025 07:55

Police and Dog Warden, I suggest in writing - ie email to both

Also if they have children CC Social Services

SpryCat · 30/05/2025 08:00

I had a Labrador who wasn’t interested in other dogs and very placid. I would call him by my side if I saw any dogs that looked unfriendly, if they came up and growled, I’d stand in front of my dog and growl back at them looking menacing. That used to freak the dogs out and the owners and they’d soon get their dogs to move on.

Tutorpuzzle · 30/05/2025 08:33

Yep, definitely report. You probably won’t be the first and even if nothing comes of it for you it helps to build a pattern of behaviour profile.

I’m rather liking the trend of these private dog fields that are being set up; there are a few near me, and make for completely relaxing and secure walks. Obviously not for everyday (cost!) but I tend to book for the weekends when my local parks are so busy.

I hope your pup is ok, she must have been terrified.

Jklow1254 · 30/05/2025 11:02

PodgePie · 30/05/2025 07:23

I’m so sorry to hear about your dog - I hope they’re ok? Thank you for the advice, stupidly I hadn’t realised dog wardens still existed!

Show quote history

He was very poorly and got an infection unfortunately, but he is fine now! The dog is still out and about though, as we’ve seen on Facebook :( I reported it to the police too but they weren’t interested.
The dog warden didn’t actually get back to us at first, my husband chased it recently and they are just now taking action.

redboxer321 · 30/05/2025 11:14

Sorry to say but the truth of the matter is no one will give a damn.
And I say that as someone who does and who very much hopes your little dog is ok and am sorry for what she went through.
But the woman won't give a damn and nor will any of the authorities. They might pay you lip service at best.

If you have a decent garden, I'd consider not walking the 14 year old any more and trying to keep her happy at home. That will let you walk the younger one, maybe on lead, with a view to picking them up out of the way sharpish if those dogs run up to you again which they will surely do.

It's totally unfair but it's just the way it is these days with useless, deluded dog owners who simply don't give a shit around every corner.

Hotflushesandchilblains · 30/05/2025 11:31

My cat was attacked last year by a dog that had got out and was trying to kill her. Fortunately I was almost next to her (cat was on my drive, I was about to take my dogs on a dog walk, it thought about attacking my pug first who would have had no chance of fighting back then saw the cat). The owners wanted to just write it off as 'oh well, not our fault, la la la'. They tried to tell me that they could not help with the vet bills because their insurance did not cover it. I was going to take them to small claims court but they actually paid up before we got to that stage. The police could not have been less interested if they tried. I have no doubt that the dog would have attacked something else if my poor cat was not in the way. Owners like that give all of us a bad name.

faerietales · 30/05/2025 11:37

Nobody will do anything for a dog on dog incident where all dogs were off lead and there were no injuries or independent witnesses.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page