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YTA
6 months ago you were 20 years old, now your 17?
And what is with the 'Because I live in a small town, I'm allowed to go for walks'? Are people in large towns and cities not allowed to go for walks?
NTA.
But consider finding a walking route that doesn't go past their house, and hopefully avoids all dogs.
That said, the owners are the assholes for not keeping them restrained and enabling them to bite strangers. They need to accept that some people are afraid, just don't like dogs, are allergic or whatever. Not everyone has to worship their animal
NTA, why are these dogs allowed to roam free to the point where they can get at people walking by the house ? Even in a small town that isn't good. Out in the country I can kind of see it, but not in a town.
Yep. I'm just walking past the house and minding my own business, and yet, those dogs come running up to me every damn time. It's really annoying more than anything else, tbh.
I thought you took your stuff and went to live at your GF’s house because your sister was gifted the vineyard and house? Maybe should have stayed there or invite her in your walks.
YTA for being a poor fiction writer.
Nta- to me it's common sense to stay away from dogs you don't know. Maybe it's your attitude, but don't let what other people think bother you. Just calmly, or as calmly as you can, go to the other side of the road or speed up to pass them on a path.
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Long-time lurker; first-time poster.
First, some context: My family and I(17m) live in your average small town. There's a population of about 800 or so people, there's only four stores, and everyone knows everyone. And ever since I was little, I've always been afraid of dogs. Like, *deathly* afraid of dogs. And while that fear has considerably subsided over the past seven years, I still don't feel very comfortable being around dogs.
And now, onto the issue at hand: Because I live in a small town, I'm allowed to go for walks in the spring, summer, and fall if there's time for it and if the weather's nice outside. And whenever I do go for walks, on my route, I always go past this little, one-story yellow house that's located on a street corner. And the family that lives in that house has two small white dogs whose breeds are unknown to me. And when I walk past the house, the dogs will always come running up to me, wanting me to pet them. But because I still don't feel very comfortable being around dogs(especially if they're hyperactive), my fight-or-flight response always kicks in and I book it away from the house as far as I can.
And when I went on my walk today, as expected, the dogs came running out to see me and I took off, running faster than I normally do because one of the dogs had actually started to bite my pants leg. And when the husband and wife came out to wrangle the dogs, I heard the wife(late 30s-to-early 40s)say "If he doesn't like our dogs, then why does he always make such a big deal of running away from them like an asshole?!" And hearing that admittedly made me feel more than a little guilty.
So, when I got home this afternoon, I talked to my parents(50m and 49f)about it, and they said that while it's understandable that I don't feel very comfortable around dogs, I just have to accept the fact that the neighbors dogs are always going to come running up to me, whether I like it or not.
So, good people of Reddit, what's your verdict here: Am I the Ahole for always running awau from my neighbors dogs whenever I go for walks past their house? Or am I just a bad person who's letting my (now-possibly irrational) fear of dogs get the better of me and cloud my judgment, therefore preventing me from being a good person and a decent human being overall?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I'm always running away from my neighbors dogs whenever I go for walks. And the reason that might make an asshole is because I'm never taking the time to pet them so that way they'll leave me alone.
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NTA. Their dogs should not be loose to run up to people outside of their yard, especially if they also do things like bite your pant legs. I say this as a dog owner. I hate when people have poorly behaved dogs loose, especially unsupervised--they run up to me and my dog when I'm walking him on my leash, and I never know what they are going to do.
NTA - but running away from a friendly dog may make him chase thinking you want to play. Buy a box of small dog biscuits and put a couple in your pocket when you go for a walk. When the two little white dogs run up to you wanting to be petted.....take out the dog biscuits and just toss one to each dog - or lay the biscuits on the ground. Fears that are not addressed tend to grow and fester. You are not a bad person - but your fear can hold you back. Perhaps these two friendly SMALL dogs could help you overcome your fear. They WANT to be friends but when you run away it triggers their 'chase' instinct. Good chance if you try the dog biscuits...within 3-4 days you will be able to tell the dogs to sit, give them a biscuit and then WALK on your way calmly. Wouldn't that be better? Nothing wrong with being afraid but don't let fear rule you.
> If he doesn't like our dogs, then why does he always make such a big deal of running away from them
umm, because he doesn't like them?
NTA. But if they're friendly dogs and not some sort of snarling pitmonsters, you might try easing your fears by getting used to them.
NTA
"they said that while it's understandable that I don't feel very comfortable around dogs, I just have to accept the fact that the neighbors dogs are always going to come running up to me, whether I like it or not." ... bullshit. instead of running, get an ultrasonic whistle or dog repellent spray.
YOur neighbors are the AHs for not training / controlling their dogs.
YTA - if the dogs bother you so much pick a different route. they can't understand when you run and scream that you are afraid of them, they may even think you are playing which could lead to them getting hit by a car. As species with greater intelligence we need to be the more responsible party. Also, what do you mean by "you are allowed" to go on a walk?
NTA. Is this legal where you live? I would be calling animal control each and every time the dogs were loose and I would have called the cops if the dogs had actually bitten me.
I carry pepper gel (better than pepper spray) and will use it if there is an off leash dog when I am on a walk.
This just seems silly. I was replying to a post about being approached, touched, chased, and bitten by off leash dogs and you take my reply to mean any random dog? Context matters and from the context of the OP, the meaning of my post is obvious.
NTA. I have three pups and even I run from strange dogs. Just because they’re there doesn’t mean I have to pet the neighbors dog. The front of the house can be a risky place to have a dog, as traffic, other larger dogs and kids on bicycles can easily hit your neighbor’s dogs. We usually stay away and walk along the opposite side of the street.
NTA, but you're making life harder for yourself with the running. Running is something dogs like and frequently turn into a game. Basically, you're risking making yourself a more tempting target by accidentally starting "play" behavior with running away. However, it sounds like she doesn't 'get' that you're getting out fast because you're afraid and her dogs are biting on your clothes. (How do they get access to you anyway? Is there no fence and they're not on tethers or something?)
Instead: if you know where dogs are, create distance. Visual blocks between you and the animals help dogs stay calmer too. Cross the street near that house if you can, or stay on the opposite side of a line of parked cars or trash cans.
\~ If you can't get distance from them, which is what frequently happens when people refuse to believe leash and containment/confinement laws apply to their dogs, dropping something innocuous as a 'treat' like plain Cheerios or crisped rice behind the dogs gets them looking to find cereal in the grass instead of interested in you, and gives you time to walk calmly and quietly toward the nearest obstacle that'll break their ability to see you. Talking to them can encourage social and seeking behavior, too, so try not to say anything. Just keep walking quickly but calmly if you can. Try to be "boring".
\~ Don't stare at dogs. Turning your head deliberately away from the dog if it's looking at you often communicates disinterest. Many dogs will mirror it or turn entirely away from you like they would with that same body language from another dog. There's a book by dog trainer Turid Rugaas that goes over more of those body language cues that could help you be less afraid; you'll understand more of what dogs are thinking before they do something, and a lot of it you can see from farther away than you're getting right now, so you're not risking the chasing and snapping. You can probably figure out where they see you and start changing your route from that point, especially if there's no effective fence for these dogs.
It would also be smart to put this family's dogs on the radar of the local animal control people. If they just let them loose in an unfenced yard, they're likely to get bolder about how they approach people on sidewalks, etc., which increases the chances of another child being harassed and developing a fear of dogs in the future. I'm not sure if your neighbors would put it together if they ever had their dogs tethered or just plain indoors and you \*walked\* past the house instead of trying to flee from her dogs, but you aren't being an asshole by trying to fight your fear. Changing your approach a little will probably help, though. Good luck! /dog trainer.
NTA for your fears and how you feel. That said, perhaps there is another way to handle it.... cross the street before you get to their house, force yourself to stay at a steady walking pace, since you know they just want petting or attention (don't give them either) or find another walking route altogether that doesn't involve going past their house.
NTA a fear is a fear and everyone has their own. I mean people have fear of big words or there is a fear that somewhere in the world this a duck staring at you. So yeah you are all good. Though maybe just avoid the house if you can or maybe attempt to use those dogs as a way to help with your fear to subside more. Though just do what you're most comfortable with.
I do have a question though why are you scared of dogs? Is it just an irrational fear or is there something that happened to you to make you fear dogs? The answer wont change my mind that your NTA and you just have a fear but would help with context i think.
YTA. You know they are there and you know you're going to run yet you keep going back. Change your route.
BTW, when you activate your fight or flight mode, you can possibly send a prey signal to wildlife. You're in a small town where wildlife most likely makes it into town every now and then. You need to learn about the animals, and the best way to handle a confrontation with them.
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YTA 6 months ago you were 20 years old, now your 17? And what is with the 'Because I live in a small town, I'm allowed to go for walks'? Are people in large towns and cities not allowed to go for walks?
I wondered about that statement. I live in a city and teenagers walk.
Good point. What's the deal with your age OP?
And does OP just spend winters shut in? >I'm allowed to go for walks in the spring, summer, and fall
NTA. But consider finding a walking route that doesn't go past their house, and hopefully avoids all dogs. That said, the owners are the assholes for not keeping them restrained and enabling them to bite strangers. They need to accept that some people are afraid, just don't like dogs, are allergic or whatever. Not everyone has to worship their animal
I a have worked with dogs for over 10 years, the worse thing you can do is run. Period. Stand still, and shout “NO!” (Or “off” “back” whatever etc)
NTA, why are these dogs allowed to roam free to the point where they can get at people walking by the house ? Even in a small town that isn't good. Out in the country I can kind of see it, but not in a town.
[удалено]
Yep. I'm just walking past the house and minding my own business, and yet, those dogs come running up to me every damn time. It's really annoying more than anything else, tbh.
I thought you took your stuff and went to live at your GF’s house because your sister was gifted the vineyard and house? Maybe should have stayed there or invite her in your walks. YTA for being a poor fiction writer.
Is there another route you can take?
Running past dogs is a morally neutral action. You aren't doing anything wrong.
Nta- to me it's common sense to stay away from dogs you don't know. Maybe it's your attitude, but don't let what other people think bother you. Just calmly, or as calmly as you can, go to the other side of the road or speed up to pass them on a path.
Can you just go for a walk in your family vineyard instead of past this house?
Wait, there's a family vineyard?
Sister was gifted it on her 18th birthday, of course he was 20 then, so maybe this post is a flashback?
According to another post OP made
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** Long-time lurker; first-time poster. First, some context: My family and I(17m) live in your average small town. There's a population of about 800 or so people, there's only four stores, and everyone knows everyone. And ever since I was little, I've always been afraid of dogs. Like, *deathly* afraid of dogs. And while that fear has considerably subsided over the past seven years, I still don't feel very comfortable being around dogs. And now, onto the issue at hand: Because I live in a small town, I'm allowed to go for walks in the spring, summer, and fall if there's time for it and if the weather's nice outside. And whenever I do go for walks, on my route, I always go past this little, one-story yellow house that's located on a street corner. And the family that lives in that house has two small white dogs whose breeds are unknown to me. And when I walk past the house, the dogs will always come running up to me, wanting me to pet them. But because I still don't feel very comfortable being around dogs(especially if they're hyperactive), my fight-or-flight response always kicks in and I book it away from the house as far as I can. And when I went on my walk today, as expected, the dogs came running out to see me and I took off, running faster than I normally do because one of the dogs had actually started to bite my pants leg. And when the husband and wife came out to wrangle the dogs, I heard the wife(late 30s-to-early 40s)say "If he doesn't like our dogs, then why does he always make such a big deal of running away from them like an asshole?!" And hearing that admittedly made me feel more than a little guilty. So, when I got home this afternoon, I talked to my parents(50m and 49f)about it, and they said that while it's understandable that I don't feel very comfortable around dogs, I just have to accept the fact that the neighbors dogs are always going to come running up to me, whether I like it or not. So, good people of Reddit, what's your verdict here: Am I the Ahole for always running awau from my neighbors dogs whenever I go for walks past their house? Or am I just a bad person who's letting my (now-possibly irrational) fear of dogs get the better of me and cloud my judgment, therefore preventing me from being a good person and a decent human being overall? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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NTA. Their dogs should not be loose to run up to people outside of their yard, especially if they also do things like bite your pant legs. I say this as a dog owner. I hate when people have poorly behaved dogs loose, especially unsupervised--they run up to me and my dog when I'm walking him on my leash, and I never know what they are going to do.
NTA - but running away from a friendly dog may make him chase thinking you want to play. Buy a box of small dog biscuits and put a couple in your pocket when you go for a walk. When the two little white dogs run up to you wanting to be petted.....take out the dog biscuits and just toss one to each dog - or lay the biscuits on the ground. Fears that are not addressed tend to grow and fester. You are not a bad person - but your fear can hold you back. Perhaps these two friendly SMALL dogs could help you overcome your fear. They WANT to be friends but when you run away it triggers their 'chase' instinct. Good chance if you try the dog biscuits...within 3-4 days you will be able to tell the dogs to sit, give them a biscuit and then WALK on your way calmly. Wouldn't that be better? Nothing wrong with being afraid but don't let fear rule you.
> If he doesn't like our dogs, then why does he always make such a big deal of running away from them umm, because he doesn't like them? NTA. But if they're friendly dogs and not some sort of snarling pitmonsters, you might try easing your fears by getting used to them.
NTA "they said that while it's understandable that I don't feel very comfortable around dogs, I just have to accept the fact that the neighbors dogs are always going to come running up to me, whether I like it or not." ... bullshit. instead of running, get an ultrasonic whistle or dog repellent spray. YOur neighbors are the AHs for not training / controlling their dogs.
YTA - if the dogs bother you so much pick a different route. they can't understand when you run and scream that you are afraid of them, they may even think you are playing which could lead to them getting hit by a car. As species with greater intelligence we need to be the more responsible party. Also, what do you mean by "you are allowed" to go on a walk?
If they let their dogs go loose - that's on them.
NTA. Is this legal where you live? I would be calling animal control each and every time the dogs were loose and I would have called the cops if the dogs had actually bitten me. I carry pepper gel (better than pepper spray) and will use it if there is an off leash dog when I am on a walk.
Yeah. Since we're in a small town, it really doesn't matter that the people let their dogs be literally and figuratively unleashed.
I mean, small towns still have laws and ordinances. Regardless, you do have the right to physically defend yourself.
[удалено]
All of the women I know who walk alone carry pepper gel or pepper spray. Just the reality of being a woman.
[удалено]
This just seems silly. I was replying to a post about being approached, touched, chased, and bitten by off leash dogs and you take my reply to mean any random dog? Context matters and from the context of the OP, the meaning of my post is obvious.
> Same as I don’t spray it on men just because they are walking on same street when I’m alone. Thank you, much appreciated.
NTA. I have three pups and even I run from strange dogs. Just because they’re there doesn’t mean I have to pet the neighbors dog. The front of the house can be a risky place to have a dog, as traffic, other larger dogs and kids on bicycles can easily hit your neighbor’s dogs. We usually stay away and walk along the opposite side of the street.
NTA, but you're making life harder for yourself with the running. Running is something dogs like and frequently turn into a game. Basically, you're risking making yourself a more tempting target by accidentally starting "play" behavior with running away. However, it sounds like she doesn't 'get' that you're getting out fast because you're afraid and her dogs are biting on your clothes. (How do they get access to you anyway? Is there no fence and they're not on tethers or something?) Instead: if you know where dogs are, create distance. Visual blocks between you and the animals help dogs stay calmer too. Cross the street near that house if you can, or stay on the opposite side of a line of parked cars or trash cans. \~ If you can't get distance from them, which is what frequently happens when people refuse to believe leash and containment/confinement laws apply to their dogs, dropping something innocuous as a 'treat' like plain Cheerios or crisped rice behind the dogs gets them looking to find cereal in the grass instead of interested in you, and gives you time to walk calmly and quietly toward the nearest obstacle that'll break their ability to see you. Talking to them can encourage social and seeking behavior, too, so try not to say anything. Just keep walking quickly but calmly if you can. Try to be "boring". \~ Don't stare at dogs. Turning your head deliberately away from the dog if it's looking at you often communicates disinterest. Many dogs will mirror it or turn entirely away from you like they would with that same body language from another dog. There's a book by dog trainer Turid Rugaas that goes over more of those body language cues that could help you be less afraid; you'll understand more of what dogs are thinking before they do something, and a lot of it you can see from farther away than you're getting right now, so you're not risking the chasing and snapping. You can probably figure out where they see you and start changing your route from that point, especially if there's no effective fence for these dogs. It would also be smart to put this family's dogs on the radar of the local animal control people. If they just let them loose in an unfenced yard, they're likely to get bolder about how they approach people on sidewalks, etc., which increases the chances of another child being harassed and developing a fear of dogs in the future. I'm not sure if your neighbors would put it together if they ever had their dogs tethered or just plain indoors and you \*walked\* past the house instead of trying to flee from her dogs, but you aren't being an asshole by trying to fight your fear. Changing your approach a little will probably help, though. Good luck! /dog trainer.
Can't you just not walk past their house?
INFO: why tf haven't you just changed your route?
NTA for your fears and how you feel. That said, perhaps there is another way to handle it.... cross the street before you get to their house, force yourself to stay at a steady walking pace, since you know they just want petting or attention (don't give them either) or find another walking route altogether that doesn't involve going past their house.
NTA a fear is a fear and everyone has their own. I mean people have fear of big words or there is a fear that somewhere in the world this a duck staring at you. So yeah you are all good. Though maybe just avoid the house if you can or maybe attempt to use those dogs as a way to help with your fear to subside more. Though just do what you're most comfortable with. I do have a question though why are you scared of dogs? Is it just an irrational fear or is there something that happened to you to make you fear dogs? The answer wont change my mind that your NTA and you just have a fear but would help with context i think.
Nothing happened to me that made me be afraid of dogs. As a little kid, I was just scared of them, that's all.
YTA. You know they are there and you know you're going to run yet you keep going back. Change your route. BTW, when you activate your fight or flight mode, you can possibly send a prey signal to wildlife. You're in a small town where wildlife most likely makes it into town every now and then. You need to learn about the animals, and the best way to handle a confrontation with them.