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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:
Lacksie · 15/09/2026 17:32

Melsy88 · 15/09/2026 17:26

But life doesnt always go to plan! I had a kid come over to my dog and wrap her arms around her and then lie on her yesterday. All innocent and trying to hug my dog.
Kids parent just smiled and said she loves dogs.

The kids parent was entirely in the wrong but I didnt overact, start screaming, kicking etc. I just calmly asked the kid to give the dog some space and said you must always ask before touching dogs you dont know.

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Exactly this

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:32

MiggyWoods · 15/09/2026 17:30

I routinely do. Dog body language is quite easy to read if you know a bit about dogs! Whenever we have a picnic we have dogs coming over, it’s food outside so we expect it

A lot of people don't know much about dogs especially strange dogs.
What I do expect is owners to be in full control of their off lead dogs otherwise they shouldn't be off lead.

Quite right. Isn’t just safer to assume, as a dog owner, that most people aren’t dog people and that you should train them? I’ve never had a dog but I’ve had other pets and I would always ask people if they are comfortable with the animal before I would plonk them on their knee.

OP posts:
Lacksie · 15/09/2026 17:30

If the dog wasn't being aggressive you over reacted which is probably why the owner didn't apologise

Melsy88 · 15/09/2026 17:30

nomas · 15/09/2026 17:27

What dog do you have? If you had recalled it, would it have responded quickly?

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A shihtzu. She was on lead.

MiggyWoods · 15/09/2026 17:30

I routinely do. Dog body language is quite easy to read if you know a bit about dogs! Whenever we have a picnic we have dogs coming over, it’s food outside so we expect it

A lot of people don't know much about dogs especially strange dogs.
What I do expect is owners to be in full control of their off lead dogs otherwise they shouldn't be off lead.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:29

JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 17:27

It is your fault for two grown adults not standing up and getting a baby out of the reach of the dog. You weren't chained to the picnic bench.

Did I say the dog owner was not at fault? Irresponsible dog owner implies they were.

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No it wasn’t our fault. None of it was. It was the fault of the shot dog owner who didn’t have control of her dog.

OP posts:
PotatoLove · 15/09/2026 17:28

Unfortunately, there are a lot of shit dog owners.

nomas · 15/09/2026 17:27

Melsy88 · 15/09/2026 17:26

But life doesnt always go to plan! I had a kid come over to my dog and wrap her arms around her and then lie on her yesterday. All innocent and trying to hug my dog.
Kids parent just smiled and said she loves dogs.

The kids parent was entirely in the wrong but I didnt overact, start screaming, kicking etc. I just calmly asked the kid to give the dog some space and said you must always ask before touching dogs you dont know.

Show quote history

What dog do you have? If you had recalled it, would it have responded quickly?

AgnesMcDoo · 15/09/2026 17:27

Good for your DH he did the right thing.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:27

JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 17:22

Most people agree with your question. You aren't being unreasonable to be upset that a dog jumped at your baby.

Most people even agree the dog owner was irresponsible.

Two grown adult parents staying sitting while a dog jumped at their baby instead of at the very least standing up and removing the baby from the dog (or any other potential danger)? Try asking if YWBU in your lack of action.

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I’ve said repeatedly that my husband was straddling a bench, holding a squirming baby, while a dog was profusely jumping up at him. He used his body to shield the baby. If he had stood up and tried to swing his leg over the bench while the dog was jumping up at him and he lost his balance, would you be blaming that on us too? Because then it would’ve been ‘why didn’t you just block the dog instead of standing up when you knew it was risky to do so?’

OP posts:
JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 17:27

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:18

Interesting that it’s our fault and not the dog owner

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It is your fault for two grown adults not standing up and getting a baby out of the reach of the dog. You weren't chained to the picnic bench.

Did I say the dog owner was not at fault? Irresponsible dog owner implies they were.

Melsy88 · 15/09/2026 17:26

concertinacornflake · 15/09/2026 17:21

No no no no no.

I teach my kids to leave strangers' dogs alone. Dog owners should keep their dogs under control and out of the way.

No one should have to be 'dog savvy' - the dog should not need this. If it does, the dog has a shit owner.

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But life doesnt always go to plan! I had a kid come over to my dog and wrap her arms around her and then lie on her yesterday. All innocent and trying to hug my dog.
Kids parent just smiled and said she loves dogs.

The kids parent was entirely in the wrong but I didnt overact, start screaming, kicking etc. I just calmly asked the kid to give the dog some space and said you must always ask before touching dogs you dont know.

nomas · 15/09/2026 17:25

Notsosweetcaroline · 15/09/2026 17:19

People are just saying you’re not unreasonable to be upset, as that’s what you asked. You didn’t ask if you were unreasonable to kick the dog, panic, straddle your baby and not simply stand up out of reach of the little dog

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No, the last bit of the OP is 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?

82% of people are voting that OP was not being unreasonable / overreacting.

MiggyWoods · 15/09/2026 17:25

Could your DH not have restrained it by holding its collar or you stood up with the baby

I'd never get hold of a strange dog's collar, am I alone in that?

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:22

MiggyWoods · 15/09/2026 17:21

Dogs and babies are both allowed in country parks, and there has to be some kind of mutual respect.
obviously viscous or biting dogs should be on a lead at all times

In my local park dogs are allowed but they must be on leads but they never are.
I don't know why not, there are signs everywhere and a fenced off area where dogs can run free.

Like op, I had a free range dog coming to sniff in my 1 yr old gsons buggy. He was asleep. I got in between it and the buggy and politely asked the woman to call her dog away. She replied, very loudly "I hate people like you"
So quite surprised I replied "and I hate dog owners like you"
"No need to be aggressive" she shouted.
"You're the one who's shouting"

Funny woman.

There is a lot of victim blaming that happens in these situations. I saw a video of a horse rider whose horse was bitten by a woman’s dog and the dog owner blamed the horse rider for not halting her horse! It’s madness. It’s like it’s everyone else’s responsibility except the person who actually decided to buy/adopt a dog.

OP posts:
JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 17:22

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:17

Well most people do because there’s a poll

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Most people agree with your question. You aren't being unreasonable to be upset that a dog jumped at your baby.

Most people even agree the dog owner was irresponsible.

Two grown adult parents staying sitting while a dog jumped at their baby instead of at the very least standing up and removing the baby from the dog (or any other potential danger)? Try asking if YWBU in your lack of action.

concertinacornflake · 15/09/2026 17:21

ClaudiaWankleman · 15/09/2026 17:15

So people who don't drive cars shouldn't have to learn to cross the road and be safe around cars?

Dogs are a fact of society and it is really a responsibility of parents to teach their children how to behave appropriately around them so they grow up to be 'dog savvy' adults, as much as owners have a responsibility to rear dogs that aren't dangerous.

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No no no no no.

I teach my kids to leave strangers' dogs alone. Dog owners should keep their dogs under control and out of the way.

No one should have to be 'dog savvy' - the dog should not need this. If it does, the dog has a shit owner.

MiggyWoods · 15/09/2026 17:21

Dogs and babies are both allowed in country parks, and there has to be some kind of mutual respect.
obviously viscous or biting dogs should be on a lead at all times

In my local park dogs are allowed but they must be on leads but they never are.
I don't know why not, there are signs everywhere and a fenced off area where dogs can run free.

Like op, I had a free range dog coming to sniff in my 1 yr old gsons buggy. He was asleep. I got in between it and the buggy and politely asked the woman to call her dog away. She replied, very loudly "I hate people like you"
So quite surprised I replied "and I hate dog owners like you"
"No need to be aggressive" she shouted.
"You're the one who's shouting"

Funny woman.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:21

Notsosweetcaroline · 15/09/2026 17:19

People are just saying you’re not unreasonable to be upset, as that’s what you asked. You didn’t ask if you were unreasonable to kick the dog, panic, straddle your baby and not simply stand up out of reach of the little dog

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I’ve said repeatedly we couldn’t just stand up. If you’d seen the situation, you would’ve understand why.

OP posts:
Notsosweetcaroline · 15/09/2026 17:19

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:17

Well most people do because there’s a poll

Show quote history

People are just saying you’re not unreasonable to be upset, as that’s what you asked. You didn’t ask if you were unreasonable to kick the dog, panic, straddle your baby and not simply stand up out of reach of the little dog

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:18

JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 17:16

@KellyK2026 and her husband sat and screamed instead of standing up to protect a baby with no ability to protect themselves. The baby being jumped at repeatedly is their fault for not even attempting to stand up. They had plenty of time according to OP as the irresponsible dog owner was in no rush to get to her dog, allowing the poor dog to be kicked by a man who couldn't get off his backside to protect his child.

How exactly is that the same thing as blaming someone for being assaulted? The baby was the one at risk of injury. Reliant on parents for protection.

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Interesting that it’s our fault and not the dog owner

OP posts:
Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:17

ClaudiaWankleman · 15/09/2026 17:17

I'm not sure most people do agree with you. You obviously do care about opinions because you posted here to receive them.

Like most of the posters here I think you really overreacted, or at least didn't react in the most appropriate way to a situation that could have ended far worse than it did.

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Well most people do because there’s a poll

OP posts:
Original poster
KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:17

Wiennetta · 15/09/2026 16:49

I have a nervous dog. I’m often having to manage other people’s badly behaved dogs and sometimes their children too haha.

Random things that have happened in the last couple of weeks:

  • Two hyper off lead dogs came bounding up to my dog. She was on a lead. They were jumping on her - probably friendly but an on-lead dog can feel quite intimidated by off-lead dogs. I asked the owner to call his dogs back but they ignored him and so I ended up basically moving between them and my dog and pushing them away until the owner arrived.
  • Waiting in a queue, outside for a coffee stall. Parent of a toddler not really engaged with child who kept showing interest in my dog. Child said ‘can I pet the dog’ and parent said ‘yes’ (without asking me!) and child came running up to us, freaking dog out. I had to keep moving her away from child and standing between them as child obviously didn’t understand, parent oblivious.

My point is that we should all manage human/dog and dog/dog interactions. And if the responsible adult isn’t doing it it falls on others to try and manage it. I don’t think I was unreasonable for trying to push away someone else’s dog or for trying to body block my dog from a toddler. You just have to if the actual person who should be managing the situation isn’t…

And my other point is plenty of dog owners are also annoyed by out of control dogs!!

Edited

Sorry to hear about your experience. I live near woodland where there’s loads of dog walkers and there’s a ridiculous number of them that have reported that their dog has been bitten by another dog. It’s such a shame as I see so many well trained dogs who are lovely but there is, unfortunately, a minority of disrespectful owners who don’t seem to understand that not everyone wants a dog in their personal space.

OP posts:
ClaudiaWankleman · 15/09/2026 17:17

KellyK2026 · 15/09/2026 17:12

I said I was sitting. I don’t really care about your opinion as you don’t seem to be absorbing what I’m saying and most people agree with me.

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I'm not sure most people do agree with you. You obviously do care about opinions because you posted here to receive them.

Like most of the posters here I think you really overreacted, or at least didn't react in the most appropriate way to a situation that could have ended far worse than it did.

JaneFoe · 15/09/2026 17:16

sunshine314 · 15/09/2026 17:08

So someone gets assaulted, it's their fault for not reacting fast enough.

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@KellyK2026 and her husband sat and screamed instead of standing up to protect a baby with no ability to protect themselves. The baby being jumped at repeatedly is their fault for not even attempting to stand up. They had plenty of time according to OP as the irresponsible dog owner was in no rush to get to her dog, allowing the poor dog to be kicked by a man who couldn't get off his backside to protect his child.

How exactly is that the same thing as blaming someone for being assaulted? The baby was the one at risk of injury. Reliant on parents for protection.