AITA Dog owner said “you’ll be alright” to me ?

A person shopping at Lowe’s got startled when a yellow lab sniffed them unexpectedly in the aisle. Surprised and upset, they confronted the dog owner, asking, “What the hell?” The owner responded with a dismissive “You’ll be alright,” which further angered the shopper.

They went off on the owner, saying it wasn’t his place to decide how they should feel. The dog owner defended himself, reminding the shopper that Lowe’s is a dog-friendly store and suggesting that if they dislike dogs, they shouldn’t shop there. The shopper complained to staff before leaving but now wonders if they overreacted. Read the original story below…

‘ AITA Dog owner said “you’ll be alright” to me ?’

I was shopping at the Lowes closest to me. I’m attempting a DIY plumbing repair and was looking for some items I needed. I started out alone in the aisle and I was focused on finding a part I needed that I didn’t notice the yellow lab and owner enter the aisle. The dog sniffed me and I jumped a mile high. I was spooked AF.

I turn to the owner and I say what the hell. He tells me “you’ll be alright”. I’m normally a very calm person, but that set me off. I told him that decision is not for you to make. I went off on the guy.

He has the audacity to tell me if I don’t like dogs, don’t go to Lowes. He says you know Lowes is dog friendly right, that means you are okay with dogs. The dog was being a dog, sniffing never harmed anyone. He ends with you are just being an a**hole. I tell the dude to f**k off.

I got my s**t, complained to staff, and left. But was I the a**hole here? ETA: yes the dog touched me. My leg was wet.

See what others had to share with OP:

GamesDontStop −  It sounds like you got startled by the dog and then the man’s “you’ll be alright” really set you off. That comment was annoying, but you really seemed to go overboard. Unless there was more to this story and you’re just not telling it well, YTA.

Worth-Season3645 −  ESH…Lowe’s is a dog friendly store. (My bad. Apparently, Lowe’s is not dog friendly. I see so many dogs when I go, that I just assumed it was.).
I still say though, that both parties were in the wrong.

The owner should have apologized instead of saying, you’ll be all right, and also had his dog closer to his side, but I do think you over reacted to a dog just sniffing you. As for telling the staff, unless the dog was aggressive, I doubt if the complaint went any further.

Complex_Box_2641 −  You are a a**hole but you’ll be alright

Weak_Bowl_8129 −  Wait at first I thought you said the dog jumped a mile high. But it just sniffed you? YTA, definitely. “You’ll be alright” was mildly inconsiderate but your reaction was over the top.

Interesting-End3676 −  Dog friendly does not mean that it is okay for the dog owner not to be in complete control of their dog in public. At least in America that is the legal standard that Lowe’s expects of a dog owner. I worked there for a little while years ago and that is what management told us.

We had the right/responsibility to have a customer remove their dog if the dog was disturbing other customers. Would I have asked a customer to remove a dog that just sniffed someone, no. I would have talked to the dog owner and let them know that it is their responsibility to control their animal so it doesn’t negatively impact any other customers though.

HospitableFox −  The dog owner could have been more diplomatic I suppose. Slight AH for him. Overall, definitely YTA. Especially the “complained to staff” about another random customer. You’re why people hate working in customer service.

Left_Option4575 −  Lowe’s may be dog friendly but pet owners still need to be paying attention to their fur babies and keeping them close. And maybe not dismissing the startle someone else has because they’re deep in thought only to get a dog doing a b**t sniff suddenly is a bit rude.

But dude! It’s a dog sniffing. The dog wasn’t being aggressive. Lowe’s is pet friendly and you do not have the right to scream and yell and tantrum in a business that allows dogs because one smelled you. That’s a ridiculous overreaction to a dog being a dog and maybe an owner letting to dog wander a little too far.

So YTA for the way you reacted. Yes the owner was dismissive and maybe not as attentive as they should have ideally been. But the dog was just sniffing and in this case the reaction didn’t match the action. You went too far for something that should have been a 10 second “whoah wasn’t expecting to be sniffed, hey do you mind keeping your dog a bit closer, was just a bit surprising that’s all”

fearfac86 −  YTA…majorly, get some anger management, you blew up a situation that really didn’t need blowing up, the guys comment wasn’t even that bad and in fact could have been meant entirely in good spirits “you’ll be alright” as in “my dogs just sniffing he won’t hurt you and I’ll correct him if he does something really wrong” .

YOU didn’t pay attention, YOU escalated and complained to staff? (poor staff member having to listen to your b**lshit when the business is dog friendly) YOU entered a dog friendly business and couldn’t handle one being in your aisle and sniffing…like a dog does….

It didn’t bloody lunge with it’s teeth out trying to maul you. And if you have a p**bia of dogs for whatever reason….maybe pay attention when your somewhere they might be (where they are fully allowed)….just a thought.

Mommabroyles −  YTA because of your ridiculous over reaction. The dog didn’t lick you, jump on you or even bark at you. It simply breathed near you. You got startled and I think that’s the real issue. Jumping over nothing can be embarrassing and that’s what you reacted to, not the dog.

Legitimate-Magazine7 −  YTA , because you went off on this guy for a remark that was probably meant in good spirit and is actually correct. Unless you had a traumatic experience with a dog and stood there having a panic attack (you didn’t because the guy would never have said what he did if you were panicking), he was totally right: you were fine.

You just got startled. That’s on you, not on the dog, not on the owner. Just admit you got startled and laugh it off like the rest of us do.

Was the shopper justified in being upset by the dog’s unexpected interaction, or did they overreact to a minor incident? Should dog owners in public spaces like Lowe’s be more considerate, or is the shopper out of line? Share your thoughts in the comments!