WIBU to reassure this child that my dog is friendly

The examples you gave were walking through town, getting on the train, or being in a cafe or pharmacy - all cases where you just don't stand near said dog? Again, if you're regularly being approached by dogs I doubt this. There's many more interesting things for dogs to sniff than an unfriendly person and you consider dogs just existing in a location to be in your way (I mean the suggestion that you shouldn't leave the house because you're so overwhelmed by dogs being on the high street for example 🤨). Dogs being near your vicinity doesn't mean they're approaching you but again, just use your words to the owner if they are? There's no dibs on a standing or seating place, you don't get to choose who else comes to use that place.

What all on its own? With no owner to say ‘I’m sorry but would it be possible to move your dog?’

And then going the rest of your day seething that dogs exist in the world and dare to be allowed breathing room?

What a way to live.

“Just don't stand near them? How hard is that?”
Are people just being wilfully obtuse? If I’m stood or sat minding my own business and a dog approaches me then it’s not a case of me choosing to stand near them, is it? Many times I’ve been somewhere where a dog has been in my personal space (ie touching me). I’ve been in that space first- I didn’t choose to go and stand or sit next to a dog 🙄.

There are definitely some morons on this thread and they’re not the ones holding dog leads.

Dogs have been domesticated with humans for over 20,000 years. You sound unhinged to have such vitriol towards an animal in a worrying way, it's not normal to feel so vicious towards an animal that's pretty oblivious to you.

So what exactly gives you right of way over the dog owner on the road? Plenty of normal people walk by dog owners with no issue. If you have a problem passing someone, then YOU move out of the way, give a wide birth, or wait for them to go by. If a dog is starting to approach you (why? I highly doubt it given the energy you clearly have), use your words before it gets to you to ask the owner to pull it closer to them. No one's going to go about their day assuming everyone is as negative as you are about dogs because you're in a very small minority.

Yes, clearly the only two options are: 1) ban all dogs from public life, or 2) you become a hermit and never leave the house. No middle ground at all 🙄

Most people are just asking for mutual respect, not forcing you to pet their dog or share a train seat with it. If a dog is under control and its owner is doing the right thing, maybe the issue isn’t the dog. Maybe it’s how much you want the world to cater to your personal dislikes.

Seriously though, turning everyday life into a crisis because a dog exists nearby and may (OMG) brush past you in a non-threatening way. That’s a bit dramatic and makes you sound like a prat.

You are funny! You have definitely brightened up our day here in the office.

”Agreed, if a dog is able to nudge or sniff you then you're obviously walking very close by”
well you might find this hard to believe but if I’m walking down the road and the dog approaches me, that’s not a case of me choosing to walk close by.

On the train or in a cafe or pharmacy then dogs will absolutely be on lead. Just don't stand near them? How hard is that? If you're regularly being "touched" by dogs you're going near them and presumably smelling of something as they're definitely not picking up on your dog friendly energy.
If you genuinely are bothered by the fact that dogs just exist as you walk through town, you should probably talk to someone as that's an extreme reaction.

The difference is that whilst it’s easy to avoid soft play because that’s non-essential, it’s almost impossible to avoid dogs in the course of every day life. I get the train to work - sometimes there are dogs on there - should I not work just in case? I walk through town to do my shopping or go to the post office/pharmacy etc and there are always dogs - should I have to be a recluse and order everything online? So if they can’t be avoided then I have a right to be annoyed when their owners allow them to touch me in any way.

I could understand your point if OP hadn't put their dog on the lead but she did all the right things and was just being friendly to the Mum?

My friend is scared of dogs and gets visibly upset when one walks past her. It’s very annoying when dog owners can’t comprehend that people don’t like dogs.

@RonObvious and @SJM1988 sensible parenting! And this very much was my approach before we had dogs. Build the children's confidence. Most children innately love animals. Mine used to hold their hands out almost begging to be allowed to stroke dogs, but were taught to ask the owners first. We have multiple pictures of them with their arms around ginormous hounds which weren't theirs. Owners, dogs and children, all happy.

Then we got our own and I hope we are sensitive owners as well as having a well trained dog.

The violence expressed by some on here is awful, and only serves to ramp up anxiety for children and animals alike.

Some of these responses are weird. If your dog had been jumping all over the child, and you had just said "Don't worry, she's friendly", then yes, you would have been in the wrong. Instead, you showed that your dog was under control, plus put her on the lead. I think what you did was fine, and maybe the mother had just had one too many bad experiences with her daughter and dogs.

Both of my kids went through terrible dog phobia stages, and had their fair share of bad experiences. However, I will always be grateful to the man who asked his dog to sit, and then asked my terrified son if he wanted to pet her. It made a huge difference to my son's impression of dogs, and although he's still nervous, he loves them now. So, I would add that just because a child is scared, doesn't mean that they don't want to say hello to your dog.

As a parent of a child who would be nervous and stands back from the path even with the smallest dog, I think the mum was unreasonable in her reply. I simply reply 'Thank you' and speal to my child 'some dogs are friendly see'.
You are reassuring the child your dog is friendly and it wasn't like you were walking up close to her and asking if she wanted to give the dog a stroke. 9 times out of 10 the people who speak to us then let me stroke their dog (after asking) to reiterate that dogs are friendly.

Ah but a dog is not a real animal is it? It’s a man made mutant

Why?

We're not the only species on the planet. The world does not belong solely to humanity. Being the most common and arguably the more intelligent species does not make us more important.

Carrying a knife carries a hefty penalty, very likely a prison sentence, if caught, from what I’ve heard. So does killing a dog. The violence on this thread is quite disturbing.

I’m not a dog owner (I’m a cat person) but gleefully talking about animal cruelty is very unpleasant. Yes, there are a lot of dogs out and about and I can understand it can be a bit much sometimes, if you don’t like dogs, but their owners are entitled to take them out for a walk.

OP did put her dog on the lead.

OP I'm sure it's been said but that's the old line we all trot out isn't it.

He's friendly. But it's still a dog and face height with a small child child who may trigger it

It means as much as the old nanny dog trope for Pitbull relatives of kimber.

Next time just put the dog on a lead and everyone will feel safe ( just for when you walk past (

@Sunflowersurprise a kick in the ribs? I show a great deal of patience with local runners when they edge me off the cliff path when I'm walking my dog because well, obviously a pack of runners have right of way (or they think they do). But if you're eying my dog up to kick him in the ribs I will stand my ground a bit firmer next time.

So, added to people carrying knives ( @MixedBananas - that was you I think) we have people happy to kick animals.

The violence expressed on here is weird.

All those people running are running from squirrels.

Agreed, if a dog is able to nudge or sniff you then you're obviously walking very close by. If people are happy to walk that close to a dog - an animal notorious for using it's nose when it passes everything - just don't walk within distance of it to sniff you? It's not that hard. Why do people think people are mind readers to how neurotic they are? People have a responsibility to not put themselves on situations that make them uncomfortable. I don't like big dogs around my elderly dog, so it's my responsibility to step aside when I see one coming. Not seethe that the big dog owner is entitled to walk around in the same place as me.

So give dogs a wide birth or as Mumsnet likes yo say "use your words" and tell a dog owner when you see a dog you ahead can they please recall their dog - they would be unreasonable to refuse when asked. You really are in a small minority of people who take any issue with a dog in public walking and sniffing. I assure you that no dog is that interested in you any more than they are with any other part of the environment, but what counts as "near you" can mean all kinds of things for people who are neurotic about dogs. Either communicate that you want a dog recalled or avoid it yourself. I can't understand grown adults finding this so difficult - what do you do with any other animals you encounter outside?