Why can’t people mind their own business?

I've just had other half come in really upset after taking Guinness out for a quick pee and poo.

Guinness had deposited the poo and Jon was about to pick up when Guinness was spooked by someone walking along the path towards them.

Seeing this, the woman then came right over to them, which really frightened Guinness. She then accused Jon of hitting Guinness based on her apparent belief that "No dog would behave like that around people unless he's being abused." He told her that Guinness was afraid of strangers, but she wouldn't go away.

Guinness was dancing around on the end of his lead, and Jon was trying to calm him down and prevent him stepping in the poo, whilst this woman continued to have a go at him. Jon (who has Asperger’s and isn't much better with strangers than Guinness is), eventually lost his temper and told her she wasn't helping and to "go forth and multiply". That's my sanitising of what he actually said, but you can guess what it was.

Now he's upset at being accused of animal abuse and angry with himself for losing his temper.

Seriously, when someone is told that a dog is afraid of strangers and can see the visible evidence of this (when a dog is going berserk trying to get away from them), why don't they just shut up and move on? There is nothing more soul destroying than being accused of inflicting the mental trauma that you are trying to help a dog recover from.

I'm so sorry. What a total idiot of a women. I think this snow is bringing all the idiots out because I've had a couple of weird encounters too.

It's easier said than done, I know, but tell Jon to not let idiots get to him. Tell him they're all over the place at the moment but they really don't matter because they know nothing!

Some people should just mind their own business, but just imagine if she had been right, we want people to speak up when they see things but when they make a mistake we don't like it. I can understand your anger and would have been just as angry myself but one day she may just be right and really make a difference to a dogs life.

Maybe - but I doubt it because someone who actually had abused their dog would have told her straight away exactly what Jon eventually did.

To accuse Jon of hitting Guinness because of her belief that "No dog would behave like that around people unless he's being abused and then continuing to have a go at him in spite of the fact that Jon told her that Guinness was afraid of strangers, was totally out of order.

My dog is afraid of certain people and I can assure you that she is not, and never has been abused or hit, and if someone accused me as Jon was accused they would get more than just a mouthful from me.

how about getting a coat for guinness to wear saying something like(I AM Scared of Strangers or Please Give me Space ) .Hope Jon and Guinness are ok .

I really sympathise with you - poor Jon and poor Guinness. I think the idea of a dog sheet with some wording on it would be an excellent idea and may actually do your son a few favours at the same time by keeping people at bay.

I hope he's calmed down and it hasn't made Guinness worse with strangers.

What a shame that your oh had such a horrible experience
If the person had only given your oh time to explain ,it may not have turned into a slanging match ,not easy when someone has got your back up .
Having been on the receiving end
How CRUEL we are making our dogs WORK
I don my tin hat then ask them to have a GOOD LOOK at the dogs
Do they look happy ill well looked after .
I ask them if they would like to accompany us to see just how much care our dogs get ,
This usually takes the wind out of their sails !
Hope your oh gets over the upset
There's always 1(good meaning or not)

Well we have repeatedly been "asked""accused" of many things with the late Duncan from not getting him medical help to deliberately shaving him to make his allergies worse (and that was just on this forum) people may say things in the wrong way accusations never help but I think for most people their hearts are in the right place and we have to allow them to make some mistakes or they will not be able to speak up when real harm is being done.

Yeah, I get told how cruel I am everytime the girls go shopping with me wearing their backpacks, and I actually PUT things in the backpacks!!!!
If they had brains they'd be dangerous in my opinion, and I just say oh yeah, I'm such a bad person, they look mistreated don't they, and walk away.

Good on Jon for telling her where to go, she wouldn't have hung around more than 10 seconds if I'd have been there (big gob alert). Tell him not to worry, sounds like she deserved it.

That's a great idea from Jonesy too - can you get a dog jacket that says 'in rehab - please be gentle' or something?