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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to be upset after a dog jumped at our baby?

945 replies

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 12:14

Okay, so myself, DH and baby were at a country park the other week. Baby was getting hungry so we sat ourselves down on a park bench and got some food out. A woman was walking with her family and dog and the dog must’ve smelt the food as it suddenly
comes bounding over and is jumping at baby (who is on DH knee) to get the food. We don’t know this dog and don’t know what it's capable of. I scream at the owner that we have a baby and to get her dog under control. At this point, she’s pretty far away and is taking her time to come over. My DH then kicks the dog to get it off them as it just will not stop. The woman wasn’t particularly apologetic and seemed shocked. Did we overreact?

OP posts:
Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:56

JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 21:54

Normal people would have gotten their baby out of harm's way. The spaniel sized dog was trying to get the food, normal people's reaction is to throw the food away from the baby and stand up. Two grown adults did neither of those things.

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It was larger than a spaniel, as I’ve repeatedly said. I can’t stand up. My DH couldn’t either in that situation. The dog owner saw it and said sorry. So why on earth you’re defending her dog when she didn’t, nor did her family, is baffling.

OP posts:
BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:55

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:54

I assume the food ran up to us because of food and that’s why it kept jumping up at my baby who had food on their face and bib. I don’t know if throwing a bit of my baby’s food would’ve distracted it and, frankly, I should’ve need to worry about that when I’m in a public space. My baby could’ve been nipped by this dog. My priority was to shield the baby like the dog owner’s priority should’ve been to get her dog.

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But surely that was the most simple thing to try, thus giving your husband time to unstraddle the bench, stand up and run for the hills.

mumumental · 15/09/2026 21:55

FreshJalapenos · 15/09/2026 12:16

No overreaction.

I don’t dislike dogs but I am really starting to loathe dog people. They don’t train their dogs and seem to think that everyone wants their slobbering mutt all over them. I’ve had dogs and would never have treated the the “fur baby” way people treat theirs these days.

Fur baby, dog “ mum and dad.l”. It’s all nauseating.

I like dogs, though I don’t have one, as I couldn’t care for it properly. But a dog is not a person, and definitely not a child. It should be properly trained.

BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:54

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Sounds like they are first time parents who think the world revolves around their child.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:54

BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:51

Surely it would be distracting the dog rather than feeding it, therefore, removing the risk from your baby.

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I assume the food ran up to us because of food and that’s why it kept jumping up at my baby who had food on their face and bib. I don’t know if throwing a bit of my baby’s food would’ve distracted it and, frankly, I should’ve need to worry about that when I’m in a public space. My baby could’ve been nipped by this dog. My priority was to shield the baby like the dog owner’s priority should’ve been to get her dog.

OP posts:
JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 21:54

FreshJalapenos · 15/09/2026 21:14

I’d have kicked it as well. Would you really risk your baby being hurt? Normal people put their own children before random potentially dangerous dogs

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Normal people would have gotten their baby out of harm's way. The spaniel sized dog was trying to get the food, normal people's reaction is to throw the food away from the baby and stand up. Two grown adults did neither of those things.

Melsy88 · 15/09/2026 21:53

If a toddler has come over and started pulling the babies hair/hitting the baby, what would you have done?

BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:53

Sorry OP, I think you’ve failed to show that your actions were justified and in proportion to the situation, DH actions were completely unjustified and aggressive.
If this situation resulted in such a high level of panic, over-reaction and such analysis weeks later, good luck for the rest of your parenting years!

Woeisme1973 · 15/09/2026 21:52

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PancakeCloud · 15/09/2026 21:52

Yanbu at all OP. Ignore the entitled dog people. Even if the dog was harmless, you and your DH weren’t to know that.

Lacksie · 15/09/2026 21:51

FreshJalapenos · 15/09/2026 21:41

But the next dog who “needs exercise” and whose “animal welfare matters” might be different. Let’s face it, humans can’t be trusted to be good dog owners and children shouldn’t have to be at risk.

Why is it so hard to just put your dog on a lead?!

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Look it isn't “hard” to put a dog on a lead. That completely misses the point. The objection is that requiring every dog to be kept on a lead simply because no dog is 100% perfect is cruel and disproportionate.

Dogs have behavioural and welfare needs: they need to run, sniff, explore, play and move freely. For many dogs, permanently restricting them to the end of a lead would significantly reduce their quality of life. That restriction needs a better justification than “a dog might occasionally do something undesirable”.

Of course a dog that is aggressive, out of control, has unreliable recall or is in a place where leads are required should be on a lead. But a generally well-controlled dog does not suddenly become “dangerous” because it might once in a while jump up, approach somebody or try to steal food.

Almost nothing involving people, children or animals is completely risk-free. Proportionate risk management means responding to the actual level of risk, not demanding that an entire population be heavily restricted because sometimes an animal is less than perfectly behaved.

BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:51

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:50

No, my priority was to shield my baby. Not to feed the dog.

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Surely it would be distracting the dog rather than feeding it, therefore, removing the risk from your baby.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:50

BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:49

So your baby is being attacked by a dog but you won’t chuck a bit of food on the floor to save said baby from the dog?!?

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No, my priority was to shield my baby. Not to feed the dog.

OP posts:
Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:49

BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:48

But you wasn’t holding the baby … DH was, he can stand up, you can keep screaming

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He couldn’t.

OP posts:
BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:49

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:47

FFs we weren’t having a picnic. I was trying to feed my baby. I’m not throwing my baby’s lunch on the floor to appease a bloody dog whose owner won’t get their finger out to them it.

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So your baby is being attacked by a dog but you won’t chuck a bit of food on the floor to save said baby from the dog?!?

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:49

JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 21:47

Neither of you tried to stand up and move your baby out of harm's way. That is entirely on you. You weren't holding the baby. Nothing stopped you standing up and taking the baby so your husband could also stand up. Your poor judgement could have harmed your baby.

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Nothing stopped me from standing up except the fact I’m disabled you mean.

OP posts:
Melsy88 · 15/09/2026 21:49

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:42

So you’re aware of the dangerous dog act of 1991 and that it prioritises children’s safety over a dog’s and that reasonable force (which can be physical) is permitted and not considered animal cruelty if you feel like it’s a threat to a child?

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'no further action '.

AIBU to be upset after a dog jumped at our baby?
BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:48

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:45

Yeah, a bit tricky to stand up when I’m disabled.

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But you wasn’t holding the baby … DH was, he can stand up, you can keep screaming

JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 21:47

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 19:22

And you’re very black and white. We felt threatened, as I’ve said. We felt our baby was at risk, as I’ve said. We reacted how we reacted in a situation where we felt our baby could’ve been harmed due to someone else’s poor judgement. That’s not on us.

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Neither of you tried to stand up and move your baby out of harm's way. That is entirely on you. You weren't holding the baby. Nothing stopped you standing up and taking the baby so your husband could also stand up. Your poor judgement could have harmed your baby.

Ohdfod · 15/09/2026 21:47

hangingplant742 · 15/09/2026 21:39

Look, even some amazing well trained working dogs won’t be able to resist food. You can have a perfectly trained working dog, with excellent recall, will deliver anything to your hand soft mouthed, you can stop them from two field lengths away, you can even get them to obey a tiny hand command from this distance. They are amazing creatures. But food is a separate issue. It does not mean a dog is wildly out of control or a dangerous threat. It means in that moment their hunger is bigger than any recall whistle command. When dogs snaffle food outside it is often when the food is there unexpectedly. It happens. But there’s no need to be so hysterical.

This is also completely true. Mine have 100% recall. But on a walk this summer, in the arse end of nowhere, one of them shot off. That never happens and I recalled him straight away. On further investigation, some asshole had decided to have a BBQ In an area where they are banned….but I am sure he would have complained if a dog snaffled his sausages!

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:47

Ooohaaahjustalittlebit · 15/09/2026 21:46

But you DH could have. And you could have lobbed some food to get the dog away

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I’ve literally said repeatedly he couldn’t either.

OP posts:
BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:47

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:45

A friend of a colleague? Read it again.

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Right …
£100 it didn’t happen.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:47

Ooohaaahjustalittlebit · 15/09/2026 21:45

I have mobility issues. I would have lobbed a bit of food to distract the dog and I would have got DH to stand up. He could have passed the baby to me briefly while he stood up.

In fact I would have sacrificed the whole bloody picnic before risking the baby or kicking the dog

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FFs we weren’t having a picnic. I was trying to feed my baby. I’m not throwing my baby’s lunch on the floor to appease a bloody dog whose owner won’t get their finger out to them it.

OP posts:
Ooohaaahjustalittlebit · 15/09/2026 21:46

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 21:45

Yeah, a bit tricky to stand up when I’m disabled.

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But you DH could have. And you could have lobbed some food to get the dog away

BuildbyNumbere · 15/09/2026 21:46

Vivi0 · 15/09/2026 21:42

The only action you and your husband took was to scream at the woman and kick the dog.

I’ve got 3 children. Needless to say, we’ve spent much time at public parks. We’ve had many dog encounters. None of them have resulted in any screaming or violence towards the dog.

One of my sons was chased by a goat once at a petting zoo. It took an interest in his sandwich. I calmly instructed him to drop the sandwich, and he complied. There was no screaming to get the handler’s attention. I didn’t feel the need to give the goat a kick in the ribs. Zero drama.

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Some people thrive on drama … OP still talking about this when it apparently happened some weeks ago.