AITA for telling a woman she shouldn’t be at a dog party?

A user on Reddit recounts attending an energetic canine costume competition held in a local park. They describe an encounter with a woman and her dog who appeared distressed amidst the bustling atmosphere. The woman was observed to be frequently shouting at nearby dogs and their handlers to maintain distance.

The Redditor, annoyed by the woman’s actions, suggests that she may be in an inappropriate setting if she wishes to isolate her dog. This remark elicits a combative response from the woman, prompting the Redditor to wonder if they overstepped their boundaries by voicing their opinion. The complete account is available below.

‘ AITA for telling a woman she shouldn’t be at a dog party?’

I attended a canine costume competition held in a community park. The gathering consisted of a multitude of individuals and their canine companions. Amidst the bustling environment, a female figure was seated on a park bench accompanied by her dog. Each time a dog or person approached her proximity, she would vociferously instruct them to move away while simultaneously jerking her dog in the opposite direction.

The dog was eager to socialize, gazing wistfully at the other dogs enjoying their games. Meanwhile, she kept pulling him roughly and reprimanding others. Eventually, I remarked, “You know, there’s quite the canine gathering happening.”

If you don’t want your dog around people or dogs, perhaps this is not the right place for you.” She said “I don’t know what you want from me. I have a right to be here.” I wasn’t questioning her rights, just her judgment. AITA?

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

justhewayouare −  I feel like the folks voting her the AH are missing the point. She wasn’t actively training her dog. She was sitting in the middle of the event on her phone. Owners with dogs weren’t just walking over to play with her dog, they were just in the vicinity which likely means simply walking by.

It’s possible they were “too close,” but given that it was a Park-organized event, it was probably crowded, limiting walking space. The original poster mentioned hundreds of people and dogs were present. If anything, she’s the one in the wrong for trying to train her dog around other dogs in such a situation.

Why attend a large gathering? Why not opt for a quieter dog park where your dog can acclimate to interacting with one or two dogs at a time, as opposed to a park teeming with them? Furthermore, effective training necessitates active engagement between the owner and their dog, something she wasn’t providing. Not the a**hole.

IllTemperedOldWoman −  I…can’t think of anything but Go Dog Go. At the dog party! The BIG dog party! Did they all have hats?

Few_Ad_5752 −  NTA. It is her right to be there, but she is painfully inconsiderate of her poor dog and is making the other dog owners – who attended FOR their pets to have a chance to have fun – feel very sorry for her dog. I probably would have addressed her dog instead of her and commiserated with its unfair situation in her hearing. You were more polite..

Redfawn666 −  NTA. She could see what was going on and she could have left at ant time if she wanted to. You politely pointing that out does not make you an a**hole.

dstarpro −  NTA. She’s ridiculous for planting herself in the middle of a dog meet-up with her dog, and then acting nuts about her dog wanting to interact with other dogs, or vice versa. Or, for that matter, other dog people may be wanting to meet her. If that’s not your scene, maybe go sit somewhere else in the park?

Winter_Dragonfly_452 −  NTA. That dog might’ve been trying to make friends, but it doesn’t mean that dog is friendly with other dogs. I have a dog and she barks aggressively at other dogs. Sometimes she wants to get to know them and sometimes she wants to go after them. So I would not bring my dog out like that, especially without a muzzle. I have a little Chihuahua dog.

General_Relative2838 −  NTA. You were just pointing out the obvious. I don’t understand why people like that woman want to make trouble.

ImWatermelonelyy −  Ridiculous to be causing her dog distress over what I assume is just stubbornness. I don’t take my dog to places with lots of people on purpose. He gets stressed in crowds. If a place I was planning on taking him is crowded, I just go somewhere else. People care more about their pride than their animals sometimes :/

gravitationalarray −  Sounds like she really needed the attention. What a party pooper. If it was officially sponsored, were there no sponsors around to ensure a smooth event?

Meelomookachoo −  NTA, same thing happened with a woman that brought her reactive dog to a dog park in my area. It’s a designated off leash dog area with a few miles of trails so people like to hike through. She wanted to bring her dog because of the trails but would scream and freak out any time any dog came up to hers.

Some pet parents grew tired of her behavior, and park officials informed her that she was required to leave for bringing a hostile dog to an off-leash dog park.

Was the user on Reddit right to challenge the woman’s decision to go to the event, or were they out of line by dictating her whereabouts? What would your approach be if you noticed someone who appeared to be a misfit at a social function? Let us know what you think!