Is my friend right to be in a strop over this

[thinkingaboutfostering]

Sorry this is long. I have a 14 week old lab puppy who is generally very well behaved. Took her up to visit friends & family for the first time since having her. All were ver excited to meet her ect. Took her for walk with my friend and her DD and DS. Her dd who is 4 wanted to hold the lead I said no because she's very strong and would pull her over and because she's still learning to walk on a lead it was important for me to be consistent with her. Cue friend strop no one she took Dc by the hand and walked ahead of me and pup and didn't say a word until we reached the park. Once we were on the park I let pup off the lead for a run she was good her recall excellent and had a great time trotting alongside me and her Dc. She meanwhile moaned continuously about the mud and that her dc might get it on their clothes. We stopped after awhile to play ball with the puppy which was great until her dd refused to give the ball to her brother (they were taking it in turns) and instead threw the ball herself. Her DS then ran and pushed over her dd who screamed. Pup who had gone to get ball cones leaping back ball in mouth and jumped on her dd (who was lying on the floor screaming). I grabbed puppy and gave her a firm no. My friend grabbed both her dc said were going and marched the children off towards her mums house without a backwards glance. She is now refusing to speak with me and is acting like it's all my fault. Is she right? I know pup shouldn't have jumped on her dd but she was quickly removed and pup had never been in that situation before. There was no time for me to prevent it from happening pup was on the opposite side if her dc to me at the time it happened.

[chocaholic73]

From what you have said, absolutely not. Puppies are not toys. A 4 year old is not strong enough to hold a puppy .. what if she'd dropped the lead and the pup had run off? I would only ever have let my own children hold our own dogs' leads if they were a lot older than 4 and the dog concerned was a predictable trained adult. Of course the pup is going to jump on the child if she's on the floor ... it would look like a great game from her viewpoint. You have done nothing wrong OP, your friend has unrealistic understanding of dogs.

[plumnc]

What choc said!

[saintlyjimjams]

Sounds like she knows absolutely nothing at all about dogs. You were right - she was wrong.

[Floralnomad]

She was in the wrong ,but for future reference if you are out with children take two leads then they hold one and think they're walking the dog whereas you have the other and are in charge .

[thinkingaboutfostering]

Thanks for replies everyone. Had begun to think I was going mad. Was given the cold shoulder by her mum as well.

[Owllady]

I am sure it us illegal for such a young child to hold the lead anyway
I am sure someone told me that once
And het, we gave had loads if rain. Most people are getting muddy. Dog or no dog!

[mrslaughan]

well it sounds like a friendship you don't need........and this from a person who thinks you can never have too many friends.
A puppy is not a cuddly toy, and is learning manners and how to behave....just as her children are learning (hopefully)

But I love Floras suggestion of the two leads, will do this with my kids.

[mouses]

if my friend acted the way your friend did, it would be me refusing to speak to her! the dc's sound more mature!

don't worry yourself. your dog sounds like normal puppy behaviour :-)

[IAmNotAMindReader]

If your friend couldn't back you up or at least understand and explain to her daughter why it wasn't appropriate then this is a friendship you need to ditch. Especially given the reaction of her mother too. it sounds like both mother and daughter are being indulged and may be prone to the spoilt behaviour you witnessed. So if it hadn't been this incident something else would have sparked the same reaction.