to think that if you go up to a strange dog tied up outside a shop and touch it and it bites you, you only have yourself to blame!

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

Was just shopping and witnessed a massive argument between two woman and one dog owner.

It was a collie, tied up outside the supermarket minding it's own business and a child had obviously gone up to it and patted it and then a woman had and it had bitten them.

The mother and the other woman were really laying into the dog owner. I really felt for her, if you don't know a dog you should stay away from it and I feel if it bites you its your own fault..it's not like the poor old beast broke free from its chain and chased them to savage them is it?

AIBU?

why indeed. can you imagine spending your evenings gleefully rubbing your hands at the thought of trolling mumsnet? how embarrassing

It isn't possible to watch any child 24/7- what if you have two of them? How would nurseries & junior schools function?
Yes children shouldn't stroke dogs without checking with the owner but children can be over exuberant and assume that all dogs are friendly.

Ideally dogs shouldn't be unsupervised in public spaces. If they have to be, they are likely to be on edge so the safest thing all round is to muzzle them (& in my view this should include any time a dog is allowed off lead in public).

Children aren't robots - you can't control everything they do. They need to learn and that takes time, trial and error.

And dogs aren’t robots either.

most parents manage to prevent their children running into the road or sticking their fingers in electric sockets. Approaching unsupervised dogs tied up is the same thing.

and it’s pretty clear from the OP that the parents made zero effort to prevent if.

@TBTcher you sad ol soul.

@mumsnet here's another one for you.

Dang it! Didn't even notice it was a very old zombie 🤦‍♀️

Plenty of people out there have ZERO clue about dog behaviour or how a dog feels, including many owners.

It does not surprise me someone dim enough to tie a dog up outside a shop does not realise that by trapping their dog so they have no means to escape, may well trigger previously unseen behaviour like biting - because ALL dogs can bite, they've all got the ability and it is within a dogs normal set of behaviours to bite if frightened and unable to escape!

Tying a dog up outside anywhere is fucking stupid - you, the owner, are still legally responsible even if you were not there to see what happened.

Your dog could be injured, terrified, provoked into behaviour you've never seen from them before, they could be stolen, someone could make a malicious claim about them that, as you were not there.. you cannot refute.

It would be nice if the law said 'people who go and touch other peoples dogs without checking if thats ok with the owner deserve all they get' - I'd support that for sure, but it ain't the case and ultimately, it will always be the dog that pays the price in the end.

OH PISSFLAPS. FUCKING ZOMBIES.

I can predict with absolute certainty, that my dogs would not bite, they love all human beings (and other dogs). I wouldn’t have approached this dog, but I also wouldn’t have left a dog tied up outside a shop and I would know my dog better and if there were a chance they could be aggressive I would not let them out in public unmuzzled. So overall, I think the dog owner has done more wrong.

Oh no! I just posted on a Zombie thread. 😡

I agree with PP that it's a bit of both. The general rule of thumb is don't approach a dog without asking the owner, but I also think dogs shouldn't be left unsupervised in public just because that's more convenient for the owner.

Dog owners should always have insurance. It covers liability for incidents like this as well as veterinary fees.

It's actually illegal to leave a dog tied up unattended too but most owners are not aware it's abandonment.

But, no one should approach a dog tied up without the owner. Even if you know the dog.
If a dog has a tendency to biting , it should never be left near the general public alone, should be exercised in a private field where access to the public is restricted.
Failing that after one serious or two minor incidents of biting- destruction of the dog may be recommended by the courts.

Nobody should approach a dog they don't know without permission from the owner.

It a dog owner is going to leave their dog unattended in public they should put a muzzle on if they have ever bitten or shown signs they might in certain situations.

You can't control stupid people but you can protect your dog from doing something unpleasant.

Yanbu I tell my DC not to touch dogs unless the owner has said it's ok first

can’t stand dog but I’m on the side of the dog here

every one knows dogs can be unpredictable with strangers

Well hopefully it’s a lesson learned for the parents. Every dog is unpredictable if someone lets their kid run up to it and touch it. Of course it was their fault, they should learn how to behave round animals.

Recently I was walking my dog and some parent let their kid run up to my dog and practically pick her up. I told the kid off - my dog is very nervous and could easily have bitten out of fright. Idiots like that would have blamed the dog and prob demand she was put down. If you can’t control your kid in public put them on reins.

Didn’t notice this was a zombie thread

RIP dog… why don’t MN put on the bird when threads were first posted ? The troll that keeps resurrecting them must be laughing while they’re meant to be in bed early on a school night !!!

I bloody love dogs but would not generally touch one tied up outside a shop just in case . When I was looking after my DB’s lab I lost count of the number of parents who came up to ask if their child could stroke him. Thankfully he’s a sweet lovely boy who is delighted to receive fuss from absolutely anyone.

Oh bugger - caught again.

Another day another ZOMBIE thread.