AIBU to expect someone with a dog to give way?

The baby clearly is existentially more important than the dog in any given situation.

I find it totally pathetic that there are so many people out there who think otherwise.

However in this situation I don’t think it was really a big deal apart from the fact she was rude and normally people with dogs do tend to let you past.

I'm not sure why you've posted as you seem determined to maintain you were not unreasonable.

I do wonder what happens if you meet another parent on the tiny narrow pathway how do you determine which parent steps into the road.

You didn’t want to step into the road because of the baby, totally understandable. She kept walking because she assumed you’d pause, also understandable. It was just an awkward moment and a mismatch of expectations where either of you could have waited.

Sounds like you could have leaned against the wall and let her go round you, wether that’s fitting on the path or walking on the road while her dog stays on the path (obviously dog isn’t affected by baby in sling). Still not a big deal either way though

I don’t know what we’ve come to when we think someone with a dog has equal priority with someone carrying a baby.

If you decide to bring a member of another species into a built up area and walk it, then you out yourself down the pecking order from where you previously were, surely?

If you have a baby or toddler you go up the pecking order.

I have teens so no skin in this game - teens should obviously be amongst the first to stand aside and I have taught them that!

It's not about the dog or the baby, but congratulations on making it another dog hating post

It's about who was more entitled than who, and it turns out you both win

in this case she stepped into the road

So you made the dog step into the road? How is that safer than you stepping into the road. At least you have road sense and understand moving vehicles.

A lot of dogs don't like traffic. And a person plus dog takes up more room than person carrying baby. Can't see why you thought she should move. Still dogs take priority over mere humans. All things being equal.

I don’t think she “should” have stepped to the side.

But I also think she’s absurd to comment that you should have. In a situation like this (no obvious “right of way”) it takes someone very self centred to say out loud to the other person what boils down to “you should move for me but I won’t move for you”.

If you have a dog then the dog might move to the left as you step on the road meaning both owner and dog would be killed! As with others I’d say step aside maybe or worst case you go on the road

In that case @Goatscheese21 Id expect her to more safely gauge whether she could step onto the road, and move to the side if not.

If the road is traffic free then either of you can step out into the road without risk. If there is traffic than neither of you should.

In that situation I would have just moved/stepped aside whether I was you or dog lady. I'm used to people not so always just automatically do it, I'm don't have the patience to play pavement chicken with people and tbf why shouldn't it be me that moves, I'm no better than anyone else.

Nobody had to step into a road though, just move
to the side of the pavement

If a squirrel darts in front of him then he is going to pull to go after it as his instincts will take over for a split second.

Taking off after a squirrel is a different thing from the dog walking along at the full length of his lead taking up the whole width of the pavement.

How, is she meant to pick it up?

Who said she had to pick it up? Just tuck it in behind for the few seconds it will take for the other person to get by.

Your baby is more important to you but not to her

So surely you wouldn't use a path which is so narrow it might require you to do so.

If the expectation from some is the dog walker shouldn't use the path, then the same applies to the OP.

Agreed. I wouldn’t be stepping into the road for a dog, let alone if I had a baby with me. I’m not putting a person at risk for an animal.

I would expect you to give way as your baby was safely strapped to you whereas the dog was more vulnerable to traffic on the floor.

I don’t think there’s any rule for this situation. I would often try and move out the way if a parent was with a child but often they’ll move first and I’ll just say thanks and it’s no big deal. I think you both sound a bit entitled as you assumed the other would give way - and you were both clearly annoyed when the other didn’t.

What direction was traffic flowing? In the direction you were walking, or the direction she was going? Without that info,I'd initially say the woman and dog are in a more vulnerable position, since your baby is strapped to your person.