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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mothers chihuahua ate half of my babies grape

356 replies

Anonymous23458d · 19/08/2025 14:37

Just as the title states.. I took my boys 1 and 3 years old to my mothers. She never makes the effort to visit us i see her every other week. She lives with my two other older siblings and my dad. Last year they've bought another chihuahua that is just crazy. They don't train it it bites my children and now my baby is crawling it bites his face and is vicious, it steals food and items and growls when I try and get them. They don't do anything to help just idolise this dog. They have about a 2 metre crate for it, which I have to put it in when it gets vicious with my children.
I went because my eldest loves my older sister who lives there and loves seeing her. I was feeding my one year old downstairs whilst the dog was upstairs. I didn't realise the dog ran down and at the same time my baby threw one half of a grape then another one and the dog ran and ate them up. My sister and mum started screaming and rang the vet who said they must rush her down. All the while so hostile and angry at me when I said I didn't realise and im sorry. I know dogs cant eat grapes but I have a baby and toddler and thought the dog was upstairs. It's hard to manage in basically a glass house with so many ornaments and crap everywhere. It's the opposite of baby proof which I don't expect it to be but she doesn't even help me one bit when I come round. My mum only has interest in her new dog not her grandchildren. She has now sent me the receipt for £105 she's had to pay to make the dog be sick at the vets. I am not paying it and for one don't have that money. AiBu?

OP posts:
MolkosTeenageAngst · 19/08/2025 15:27

If you knew that dogs can’t eat grapes, knew that your toddler is going through a stage of throwing food and knew that the dog will try to steal food then this is absolutely on you. Why did you bring grapes to feed your child instead of the many, many other foods which are not dangerous to dogs? I’d be very upset if a relative came to my house and brought in a food which is poisonous to cats and didn’t take extra care to ensure my cats couldn’t get near it. You were in the chihuahua’s home, you should have been more careful, none of the irrelevant stuff about the relationship between you and your mother is the dogs fault and you should have made an effort not to let it get hold of a toxic foodstuff you were handling. I don’t think it’s unfair of your mother to ask you to pay the vet bill, she shouldn’t have to worry about visitors giving toxic foods to her dog in her own house.

Sladuf1 · 19/08/2025 15:28

PigglyWigglyOhYeah · 19/08/2025 15:06

A dog is biting your children. How about instead of paying the vet bill, you tell your mother that you will refrain from informing the police about how her dog behaves, because if it’s going around biting children she will be paying the police vet euthanasia bill, too. Then you stop taking them round.

Your job is to protect your children. Stop taking them into that environment. Do your job.

+1 to this, particularly if Grandmother of the Year pushes the point about the vet’s bill any further.

AD1509 · 19/08/2025 15:28

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Fenellasbum · 19/08/2025 15:28

Can you leave the kids at home with your husband/partner if you want to visit your sister? Or just take 3yo?

chihuahuas are feisty and often difficult to train - they’re also tiny and vulnerable to being physically hurt or poisoned. Seems a difficult combination with a baby and a toddler. So can you go alone? Or just take 3yo? And never take grapes or chocolate or raisins etc?

she was being unreasonable to send you the bill

Notagain75 · 19/08/2025 15:29

Don't pay and don't go and visit again.
If you want to meet your sister meet her somewhere else.

MiddleAgedDread · 19/08/2025 15:29

ShesTheAlbatross · 19/08/2025 14:40

I wouldn’t have apologised, I wouldn’t be paying, and I wouldn’t be visiting again. This dog bites your children! I find it hard to believe you still visit, no matter how much your eldest likes your sister.

This!!
Invite your sister to your house in future.
I wouldn't be taking my kids through the door of your mother's house unless the dog was crated at all times.

Jackiepumpkinhead · 19/08/2025 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Dickhead

SaladAndChipsForTea · 19/08/2025 15:31

I didn't read past this

They don't train it it bites my children and now my baby is crawling it bites his face

Because I think you're negligent as fuck to your kids to keep going round amd exposing them to danger.

Anonymous23458d · 19/08/2025 15:32

It does a poo on a little puppy training pad and they put it in a nappy bag like a baby. They essentially treat it like a baby. Dress it up and all that. The dog has nipped my eldest and now my baby on his cheek and for that I'll never allow it near them after that I always put it in the crate...
Why would I delete the post I only wanted advice.

OP posts:
DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 19/08/2025 15:33

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 19/08/2025 14:46

Why are you allowing your young children to be anywhere near a vicious dog that bites them?

It bites your poor baby's face!!! And they don't seem to care.
These visits sound horrendous.. I don't know why you bother.
If your sister is older than you she can make the effort to visit your child.

You are putting your children at risk. Your mother sounds dreadful.
Nobody can force you to visit them... and you are getting nothing but stress and upset from visiting, but on top of that you are putting your children at serious risk and you need to stop allowing it.

diddl · 19/08/2025 15:33

If your sister won't visit without your mum & your mum won't visit, I guess your kids will need to get used to seeing less o them both.

AD1509 · 19/08/2025 15:35

Jackiepumpkinhead · 19/08/2025 15:31

Dickhead

I agree chihuahuas, especially those who bite children, are complete dickhead dogs. Not even a dog really. More like a yappy angry shoe.

Coffeeishot · 19/08/2025 15:36

This is quite the story OP what do you want from your thread ?

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 19/08/2025 15:36

Wait..........

The dog has bitten your baby's face and you've started a thread about a vet's bill?

You're asking for advice about avoiding paying the bill, not about whether or not you should even visit a house where a dangerous dog lives? A dog which has already bitten your baby? On the face?

I'm speechless.

DeeKitch · 19/08/2025 15:38

Send your mother a bill for the grape half - same amount as vet bill

Jackiepumpkinhead · 19/08/2025 15:39

AD1509 · 19/08/2025 15:35

I agree chihuahuas, especially those who bite children, are complete dickhead dogs. Not even a dog really. More like a yappy angry shoe.

The post I replied to has been deleted. They suggested killing the dog to solve OP’s issues. And I would take OP’s post’s with a pinch of salt.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 19/08/2025 15:40

.

Starlight1984 · 19/08/2025 15:40

AD1509 · 19/08/2025 15:35

I agree chihuahuas, especially those who bite children, are complete dickhead dogs. Not even a dog really. More like a yappy angry shoe.

I would be inclined to agree with you however in this case the OP has said that her mum doesn't even let the dog out into the garden, never mind take it for walks. It must be going stir crazy being in a house 24/7.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 19/08/2025 15:40

Dogs can’t eat one grape? Surely that’s lunacy. I don’t believe one grape kills dogs. How the hell do strays survive scavenging through bins?

Sodastreamin · 19/08/2025 15:42

There’s no need for them to have made him sick, they could’ve given him charcoal paste which binds with the toxin in their stomach and then they pass it as stools. I know because I went through this last week with our puppy after he got a grape from neighbour’s overhanging grape vine! The charcoal paste cost £34

Studyunder · 19/08/2025 15:42

Returnofjude · 19/08/2025 14:42

Op it’s unfathomable that you have any contact with her whatsoever, and I wouldn’t have your children within a 5 mile radius of her

This

Sodastreamin · 19/08/2025 15:43

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 19/08/2025 15:40

Dogs can’t eat one grape? Surely that’s lunacy. I don’t believe one grape kills dogs. How the hell do strays survive scavenging through bins?

Edited

They contain a natural chemical which is a toxin for dogs. How hard is that to understand?!?

Jackiepumpkinhead · 19/08/2025 15:44

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 19/08/2025 15:40

Dogs can’t eat one grape? Surely that’s lunacy. I don’t believe one grape kills dogs. How the hell do strays survive scavenging through bins?

Edited

They can be highly toxic, especially to a small dog like a chihuahua.

YourWildAmberSloth · 19/08/2025 15:45

YABU for taking your children there. Prioritising your adult sibling while placing your children at risk? I don't know what label you would give your relationship with them, but it isn't healthy - certainly no healthier than their relationship with each other. Stop focusing on the things that don't matter - like them having pictures of their dogs - you need to put your children first by not taking them to a home with dogs that nip (bite) them, instead of trying to win your family over.

Neveranynamesleft · 19/08/2025 15:45

Your children come first. You should not be taking them anywhere near a place where you know they are likely to be harmed.