AIBU by being upset about this confrontation about my puppy?

[silversable]

Sorry if this isn’t the usual post on here, just wondering if anyone can related or has any thoughts! So, I’m a bit shaken. I‘ve just taken my puppy for a walk and she has had some looser bowels today after she disagreed with a type of treat we’ve been giving her. When I took her on a walk earlier, she unexpectedly just went to the toilet right outside someone’s gate. Normally, I walk her through the fields or on the trail but with it being dark i’ve felt safer going through streets with street lights. I got my poo bag out and started picking it up.

As I was doing so, a car arrived just next to me where an older lady (I’d say about 75-80) got out the car where she’d been dropped off. Obviously I felt awkward and when she saw me she snapped “don’t let it mess in my gate!”. I was a bit taken aback so I said “sorry, what?” she then repeated it again but with a swear word or two. I was a bit shocked and said “I always clean it up. I’m so sorry, she normally doesnt go near gates”. She then replied “Yes but I don’t like it!” She was shouting which really threw me off, I think it was partly as I was already having a bad day and this happened. I then apologised again while she was walking to her door and clarified that I don’t encourage her to do that but she is a puppy and has been poorly. She then jist shook her head and slammed the door at me.

So, I want to clarify two things: 1. The mess wasn’t actually inside her drive, it was right outside. I don’t let any of my two dogs inside people’s property or garden. 2. I completely understand not wanting dog mess by your gate and that’s a reasonable request. But I would think most people would understand that dogs can be unpredictable and not be so hostile? 3. I know some people can be particular about their homes and surroundings and I do appreciate that. I have anxiety and I think that is partly what triggered me so much.
I know she could have just had some bad news and reacted in that way, or had some anger about something else. But I feel awful that I upset someone and at the same time a bit annoyed that I was spoken to like this.

Has anyone had anything similar happen with their puppy, and AIBU for thinking this could have been handled better?

You cleaned up as best you could. She was being nasty.

I took a small water bottle with me when walking mine just in case.

And yet most dog owners claim they’re so trained, wouldn’t possibly bite humans, don’t jump up etc

I was responding to a post in which you questioned why a dog could not be trained to refrain from shitting in a ‘shared space’.

If you think anyone has ever been able to get a dog to understand the concept of a ‘shared space’, then you are overestimating their intelligence.

I think you are overestimating the intelligence of MN users 😂

Isn it funny how every dog owner claims to religiously clear up their dogs’ nasty shit, and yet pavements are full of uncleared and smeared dog shits. It’s deeply unpleasant.

You also don’t understand that shitting isn’t a behaviour.

Biting and jumping up are behaviours. Opening one’s bowels is a bodily process.

No I think it’s telling that an owner chooses to train their dog to not shit on their bed or their sofa but doesn’t give a shit if it takes a shit outside someone else’s house.
It’s not the dog that’s the issue…
Its not rational that one would be possible and one isn’t, it’s simply that the owner doesn’t care.

Funnily enough, you wont get any dog owner on here admitting that they don't clean up after their dog.
Responsible dog owners also hate seeing poo left too.

How do you train a dog to hold it in? What would you tell them?

Absolute nonsense. When a dog is toilet trained, owners typically have to clear up a lot of messes in the house until the dog learns that outside is the place to have a shit. They are intelligent enough to understand the difference between indoor and outdoor spaces, but they are not clever enough to differentiate between different types of outdoor space.

How do you train your dog not to shit in places you don't want it to? What do you tell them?

And yet dog owners are the first to say their dog doesn’t shit all over the furniture, so it seems it’s actually pretty easy to train them to hold it.
Most children aren’t speaking when they are tins told to hold it.

They let you know if they want to go. They ask to be let outside.
If they are already outside, as in on a walk, then what do you expect them to do?

Sounds like a lot of research must have been done to discover dogs can't tell the difference between different types of outdoor space.
I guess you must have put loads of time and effort into trying to train your dog to only poo in appropriate places before discovering it was impossible.

Kids are not holding it in though. They are in nappies, and you change them. When they are old enough to talk, they can let you now they need the loo.
You have clearly never had a dog, so it is pointless engaging with you.

What if they want to go when they're not able to go outside? Does your dog shit inside every time you leave it for an hour?

I don’t know a single person who is with their dog 24/7, people have commitments, they work, they go out and yet it seems like it’s a reasonable expectation that the dog doesn’t shit wherever it wants while you’re out of the house for 3 hours or asleep during the night.

They do when they are young, and they do when they get old.
The OP has a puppy, so they are still learning.

And then they often have to wait...

What aren’t people getting??
The act of walking stimulates the need to shit!!! That’s why dogs go on walks. That’s also why they can hold it when the owner is out.

So most of the time they are able to hold on until an appropriate time and place to poop?

Not puppies. OP has a puppy.

Walk it round your garden til it poops then.

I'm not talking about the OP, I'm talking about dogs in general.

Not everyone has a garden.
Some dogs need a run first.