Dog attacking child - not stopping to help

I hope your dogs were on a lead OP, knowing that they would be passing another dog so closely, they should be on a short, tight lead. Leaving them roaming was always going to antagonise the other dog.

I agree with this. The problem is most people don't agree and even more have zero control over their dogs. I regularly have to kick dogs to get them away from my on lead, under control dog. I then get loads of shit from the owners, which I understand but they never seem to understand their part in the situation.

OP, sounds like these owners do not understand they need to control their dogs response to yours and are blaming you for how their dog decided to respond. I see why your DH says you should have stopped but honestly, what good would have come? Two adults are fully able to assist their hurt child and they only wanted you there to shout at you anyway.

Op, if you are certain that your dogs did nothing wrong and you were fine in the way you behaved, why does your dp say you were unreasonable?
We only have your side of the incident, but it does seem odd that your dp & the parents of the child think otherwise.
Perhaps have another think and hopefully this won’t happen again.

So many idiots with dogs.

Saw a rather scruffy group with a strong mutt on a specialised lead and harness, that was given to a small child to hold.

Aggressive mutt tore free from the child and tried to attack a very peaceful woman's dog- the aggressive mutt's owners has zero control {they never do}

Only a completely clueless person would give a clearly powerful dog to a child to hold the lead - and only cretinous parents would allow their child to grab their nasty dog from behind.

You did the right thing getting your dogs away. Baffling that they BOTH blamed your dogs for 'starting' it AND expected you to get nearer - but this all makes sense when seen through the lens that they are just projecting blame onto you, so they don't have to think about how much they put their child at risk. Even as someone without dogs I'd be wary of just 'helping' in a dog attack - more likely to call 999 from a safe distance - and if I had a dog with me I wouldn't approach at all.

'FUCKING STUPID BITCH', 'FUCKING COME BACK HERE' 'HER FUCKING DOGS STARTED IT' (whilst the charming parents yelled at each other over who was at fault...)

So they weren’t asking you to please come back and help them, they were yelling at you to come back so they could “sort you out” because they blame you for their dog being aggressive.

You were right to walk away, you could have been thumped or your dogs hurt if you’d gone back. Doesn’t sound like their needed your help with the child, they just wanted to lamp you.

Bonkers. There are two of them unable to control one dog and one child, but you, with multiple dogs on your own are supposed to be able to sort things out.

What a horrific situation.

In order to help in that type of scenario firstly you need to be prepared to put yourself in physical danger and secondly you need to be in a position to do so.

If I was out walking with my dog or with ds my first instinct would be to do exactly as you have, get my dog and child out of danger and away from the situation so they can't exacerbate it or be harmed by it and ring someone who can help like emergency services.

I can understand the family wanting you to help but realistically I don't think there was much you could have done without inflaming things with your own dogs. You also could have made a reactive dog you don't know feel more threatened by approaching.

You did nothing wrong- if you had gone over (to do what?) the situation could have escalated. Dad should have removed dog from situation /distracted dog.

They sound charming.

Meh, parents were at fault for letting child startle the dog.

You did nothing wrong.

They just wanted to blame you for their failures to safeguard their child and control their dog.

You were right to keep walking; it was entirely on them, but they weren't going to take responsibility.

I think it would be unwise to have got involved. They sound the type of people who would turn on you and blame you for interfering.

Twats not tears. Bloody typo.

Edit: In response to ExtraOnions

Always one 🙄 requirement for all dogs to wear a muzzle, really?

What did the police say?

You’d have made it worse by rushing in, your dogs probably would have followed sensing danger. There’d have been more people and dogs bitten.

Except they don't need to be. So pretty pointless statement really.

They need to be under control, which, a responsible owner manages with or without a lead.

I don't see why people who put all the training in need to be the ones to pay the price for pricks who can't control their dog.

Your argument doesn't even make sense in this situation anyway, as the problem dog was on a lead!

All dogs should be on leads in public places ..

It would be great if they were all required to be muzzled as well

THIS!!

If I was walking with my dog off lead and I see another dog on a lead , clearly its for a reason and I ensure my well trained dog steers well clear. If it goes close , that's my problem as the other dog owner has put a lead on theirs, and mine hasn't.

Now if I've steered my dog clear of the other dog on lead, and kid with the dog manhandles the dog and it turns on them, how in God's Earth is that my fault?

The only excuse the parents have for shouting abuse if the OP's dog went up to theirs on a lead, and if the dog is such a anxiety, aggressive mess, why the f*ck have they got it on a long lead??

Fair enough then, I must have missed that. As long as the child wasn't in need of medical assistance and they needed OP to send for help then it was fair to remove herself and the dogs.

Op called the police

I probably would have done something either then or when I got a phone signal to help the child. The kid was mauled by their dog and the parents were hurling abuse at you?! Surely you believe that incident needs to be reported to safeguard the child?

So a scared dog turned and barked at the kid? Why do you need to call it an attack FFS? Totally sensationalist and overblown description if even true.
.

If this is true. Poor kid being raised by such stupid parents and poor dog being owned by such tears.