Another "Dog in car" story .. Your opinions!

This is a true story

I was going to post it a few weeks ago, but hesitated, but now I figure might as well, the pet threads cant get much worse

I parked my car to get takeout that I had ordered. I had my 20 month old with me. As I was walking back to my car, I see a truck parked maybe 10 feet away from mine. The window WIDE OPEN, and a dog sitting inside. I dont know dogs too well, but it was a dog that would intimidate me for sure. (even though it/he/she was VERY cute.

But being that I didnt grow up with pets, Im not one to know how to react to a loose dog (thinking what if the dog jumped out the window).

So upon walking back to my car, I see this open window, and dog looking out. It was NOT a very hot day, this was like 3 weeks ago. It was a gorgeous day, but not very hot at all.

So I stopped in my tracks. No the dog wasnt doing anything wrong, but the "what if" freaked me out, and now I had my child in my arms...
I stepped back a few feet, looking around to see if anyone looked like the owner, maybe coming back....none..

So I poke my head into the nearest place, a bagel store. and I asked nicely "Excuse me, is that anyone's dog?" and one lady (she was just chatting, not in any rush) goes "Yes, mine, is everything ok?" and she was really nice about it.
and I just said I was a little nervous with my child with me, would the dog get excited, jump out, etc ?
and she goes "oh no no, not at all".. and she was going to roll up the window a bit, and I felt bad, and said "no no you dont have to dont worry" and since she was there I felt better and got back in my car, but she "took me up on it" so to speak, and didnt roll the window up at all, and went back into the bagel store after I got into the car...

thoughts ?

Did I have the right to feel unsafe? Should she have roll the window up a drop (it was down completely).

Im just curious.

Let's keep this civil now

Message edited 4/25/2008 10:38:46 PM.

Re: Another "Dog in car" story .. Your opinions!

why do you need someone's opinion to validate how you felt? it's how you felt. there's nothing wrong with how you feel

Re: Another "Dog in car" story .. Your opinions!

You were right to feel unsafe and you did the right thing, IMO.

Re: Another "Dog in car" story .. Your opinions!

I'm not a dog owner, but I always feel bad for dogs left in cars. That being said, and keeping safety for ALL in mind, I probably would have left the window half-down so that the dog could get air, and there wouldn't be any danger of it getting out and harming (or scaring) others. If it were a very warm day, or if she was going to be away from the car for more than a few minutes, than I'd say she should have left the dog at home.

Re: Another "Dog in car" story .. Your opinions!

Re: Another "Dog in car" story .. Your opinions!

i never ask if what i'm feeling is wrong. i'm just saying, if she felt the baby and her were in danger, that's how she feels. she doesn't need validation from anyone on here.

Re: Another "Dog in car" story .. Your opinions!

if you felt unsafe i understand and thin khow you reacted was perfectly fine.

was she wrong? i dont believe so. her dog was IN the car. regaurdless if the window was all the way down or not there was that barrier between you two. if she has a misbehaved or easily excitable dog i am sure she would have not left the window completely down.

i think she was considerate in offering to roll the window up some.

i am not a fan of leaving dogs in cars, but i suppose just popping in for a bagel i can see.

i think there is no true "right" or "wrong" in this situation. :shrug: i do however feel you both reacted approriatly.

glad all ended well

Re: Another "Dog in car" story .. Your opinions!

I'll put it this way. I grew up with dogs. Big dogs. Sheperds, Retrievers, Great Dane mixes. German Sheperds mostly. My grandfather's male is massive, but I can do anything to him b/c I lived there for several years and they know who I am. But that's the thing...I KNOW THE DOG. That being said, I am STILL very wary of dogs I don't know. I will admit that I get nervous when I see big dogs on a leash or in a car or wherever. It stems from a neighbors dog charging at me while walking home from the bus as a kid. It's so scary when a dog comes from nowhere and fast and you have no idea what it's going to do. So while they may be the biggest mushes on the planet, I don't know that. So you had every right to feel how you did. You didn't know and an open window (fully open) would have me cautious too. And this is coming from someone who grew up with dogs. I trust my dogs but I don't trust strange dogs.