To be verbally abused by this dog owner

[moana1234]

This is an extremely honest account of what happened to me this evening and I am still shook up over now. Out walking my dog with my 2 sons age 2 and 6 dog is very friendly & likes to play, we pass a dog with his male owner and 3 sons near some outdoor fitness equipment both his and my dog are off lead so my dog goes over to say hello both dogs are excited and run in a circle around the fitness equipment. I turned my head and in that moment it is alleged my dog ran and knocked over the man’s son who is obviously upset. I ask if that was my dog and if so I’m sorry and hope the boy is okay. To which I am given a torrent of abuse, the man shouts at me to get my dog under control and on lead. I said sorry she is very friendly and wouldn’t have meant to it was an accident and his dog was playing too. He continued screaming and shouting at me telling me to train my dog and if I didn’t he would train it for me... I was so took aback I asked if he was joking then when he continued shouting I asked if he would just stop so I could firstly put my dog on a lead (I really didn’t need to as she had come back & has good recall but I didn’t want to provoke anything) and secondly not shout round the children (my 6 yr
old was visibly distressed) I got the dog on the lead and as I was walking away he shouted arsehole. I am ashamed to say I was so stressed and upset I actually soiled myself and can’t stop shaking and crying about this. Was I in the wrong here??

Did your dog knock over his son, or not?

So you pooed yourself after a man shouted at you to control your dog who was off lead?

Pet owners. Entitled much?

I think you should see a doctor about this

Exactly my thoughts.

Well, I would say you were initially in the wrong because you should have been watching your dog, especially around small children. Having said that, his aggressive reaction was unnecessary and I'm not surprised you feel shaken and upset. Are you an anxious person generally?

Especially if you get lower back pain there could be a problem with your nerves

You shit yourself?

Aww OP, I’m sorry you’ve been so frightened
Re your dog, none of us were there so won’t say a great deal but in hindsight it’s not a great idea to have dogs running round in close proximity to small children even if the dog isn’t aggressive, it’s an accident waiting to happen.
he was likely shook up too but by the sounds of it was unnecessarily aggressive towards you, especially in front of your kids that’s horrible.
you’re human, you’re going to feel shaken up by man berating you. Soiling yourself sounds worst the extreme, I’m really sorry that happened for you, please don’t be ashamed. You sound very traumatised. Have you got someone to chat to?

Kind of you to drop in with a useful and empathic comment

Im sorry.this happened to you. It sounds very intimidating, could easily have been his dog that knocked someone over.

Reagtding the soiling incident, was this a one off incident? Hope you’re feeling ok now you’re home and cleaned up.

I wish people on here could respond more
kindly and less bluntly than they have done on this thread

No, he was a complete dick! Both dogs off lead, no aggression and a small kid gets knocked over. It doesn't sound like any real harm was done so his reaction was way over the top and aggressive

Unless this is the poo troll 😳

I wouldn’t give the dog incident any more head space, dogs playing can knock little people over, my two have been sent to their bums on numerous occasions, but I would see someone about the soiling yourself as that’s not a normal bodily response.

I’d definitely make a gp appointment.

I didn’t realise the soiling incident would get the most attention. Just to clarify this has NEVER happened to me before (apart from maybe straight after childbirth) and I was as mortified as all you lot, I googled it and it said it can happen in high stress. Thanks to those of u that responded kindly.

Some people are just horrible OP. I once had a man out with his children and they were chasing after my small, older dog who was just minding his own business. They were screaming and grabbing at him.

I tried to politely say to the man it wasn't a good idea to let them do that in case they got bitten. I explained my dog had never bitten anyone but someone else's dog with a less good nature might snap.
He immediately said he was a dog owner and if my dog bit his kids he would do all sorts of unpleasant things.
He didn't tell his kids to stop. He didn't apologise. Meanwhile my dog who was still just pottering about and ignoring his kids was put on his lead and moved away from him.
I felt very shaken up and upset.

In fact come to think of it I've had a few unpleasant experiences with men and my dog. A scaffolder was working in my garden along with about 5 others errecting the scaffolding for roof repairs. My dog went over to say hello to him and he said something unpleasant like to get the dog away from him. I said Oh he just likes to say hello and he said well get him away or I'll stamp on his head. I was so shocked and said 'you don't mean that' and he said 'yes I do'. My dog, in my own back garden, small and fluffy and not at all threatening. At worst 'annoying' but I only ever let him say hello briefly and then move him out the way as I don't want him getting hurt by tools etc. I complained to the roofer who I'm pretty sure couldn't care less.

I've got a few other stories with unpleasant men but I've depressed myself so......

I honestly don’t think you should give it head space. It happened. No-one died or came near to dying. It could as easily have been his dog knocking over one of the children. Both dogs were playing, and it was his child who got knocked over. Not great being verbally abused in public, but it’s not the end of the world. Just another arsehole - they walk amongst us..

Keep your dog on a lead when in public spaces flip me it’s not that difficult

Yeah but it really isn't common to happen even if someone is really scared

His dog was off leash too. There was no reason to shout at you, especially around children, he sounds like a lunatic. I probably would have apologised, grabbed my dog and left rather than trying to reason with him.
Accidents happen.
Next time keep your dog on a leash while you are busy watching the children too.

Sorry this happened OP. Not sure why you're being jumped on when a man was being aggressive and intimidating-apparently that goes out the window because people just hate dogs that much. Depressing.

The stand out moment to me is when someone complained about your dog and your first response was "they're being friendly" and on many levels based on witnessing and experiencing exactly that turn of events I cannot rate you very highly as a dog owner.
Upset by that?
Im only being friendly!

It's sounds like you can't control your dog adequately if it knocked over a 6 year old.

Sounds like the kids were far more scared of the angry man having a meltdown-I think I know which one is most likely to cause them to be mentally scarred.

Not sure having dogs off lead around fitness equipment (or play equipment) is a good idea. Also if other small children around I would have put dog on the lead