Woman Gets Ripped By A Stranger For "Walking Up On Someone With A Dog"

The owner struggled to restrain their dog and yelled at the Redditor and their child.

Stephanie

• Published in Animal Stories
• September 21, 2022

It's pretty safe to assume that we were all taught as children to be wary of dogs we don't know. As much as we love all the doggos, it's generally a rule of thumb to never pet a dog without first checking with its owner, and to always keep a safe distance when walking by a dog we aren't familiar with.

But, with that being said, the dog's owner also has a responsibility to keep their pooch under control and to be respectful of people and other dogs that may be walking by. But, as one Reddit user recently found out, not everyone abides by the correct dog walking etiquette.

Redditor u/suchacooljoke posted their story in the AITA (Am I The A**hole?) subreddit, asking, "AITA for walking by a dog on the sidewalk I didn't know was aggressive?" They explained that they were walking their child to school when they got stuck behind a person walking their dog slowly along the sidewalk.

They said the person was looking at their phone and paying no attention to their dog or their surroundings. Our OP and their child tried to pass the person when the dog stepped off the sidewalk onto the grass.

But the Redditor says the dog "went after" her child, and the owner began yelling at them for "walking up on someone with a dog." So, was the OP in the wrong here, or was the dog's owner out of line?

The Reddit user explained that they had not snuck up on the person with the dog, they had been talking to each other, and the dog had already noticed them when they approached. The owner struggled to restrain their dog and swore at our OP and their child.

The OP asked the Reddit community for their opinions on the topic, and they didn't disappoint. Keep scrolling to see what they had to say.

The Redditor asked, "AITA for walking by a dog on the sidewalk I didn't know was aggressive?"

They explained that they were walking their child to school when they got stuck behind a person walking their dog slowly along the sidewalk. The Redditor says the dog "went after" her child, and the owner began yelling at them for "walking up on someone with a dog."

So, was the OP in the wrong here, or was the dog's owner out of line? The OP asked the Reddit community for their opinions on the topic, and they didn't disappoint.

Here's how people reacted.

"Sounds like this dog owner needs to put their phone away."

"NTA!"

It's the owner's responsibility.

"You have the right to use public paths too."

"It seriously pisses me off."

"Awful dog owner."

"You literally can't ask people not to walk past you."

Insufferable AH's.

"This person is just an awful owner."

The owner is liable.

Ah, those aggressive sidewalks.

"She should have been paying attention."

"It's their problem."

"Her fault, not yours."

He should be walked somewhere safer.

"Sidewalks are meant for walking on."

It's her, not you.

It's "her dog and her responsibility."

Not a valid excuse.

What's your take on this Redditor's situation? Do you think they were in the wrong for walking up on the person with the dog or was the dog owner irresponsible?

Either way, surely it wasn't necessary for the dog owner to verbally abuse our OP and their child. It's just bad behavior, really.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. You can share your opinions with us in the comment section below.

Stephanie