Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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 · 16/09/2026 10:11

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:10

Oh - has the story changed? Started as a spaniel mix coming for food, and even wagging its tail after being kicked.
Now is it a baby eating giant aggressive spaniel?

Show quote history

An 80lb dog throwing its weight at my baby. Not responding to recall. Not responding to our commands. Not responding to blocks. That is dangerous.

OP posts:
concertinacornflake · 16/09/2026 10:12

WhatNoRaisins · 16/09/2026 09:39

Surely it's for the owner to work out if they can meet a particular dog breeds needs. Don't people take into account where they live and how much time they can commit to walking a dog before choosing what sort of dog to get?

Unfortunately a lot of owners do not think this through carefully enough. So you get high energy, excitable/unpredictable breeds bouncing off leads around kids play areas. Those dogs would be much happier in the right setting with good owners.

KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:12

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

zingally · 16/09/2026 10:13

I was also sitting in a country park a few weeks ago, on a bench, chatting with my elderly mum, when a large-ish dog ran up to us. It put it's front feet up on my legs, leaving muddy footprints on my jeans. Tailing wagging, obviously just wanted pats and attention. My mum didn't mind, as she loves dogs, but I wasn't thrilled about having my jeans muddy and slobbered on. The owner took their time ambling over.

Wondering if the dog you met was a black/brown thing in a park in the West Midlands?

PloddingAlong21 · 16/09/2026 10:13

Nope. Bad dog owners are more prevalent due to Covid. So many people with zero experience bought dogs not knowing how to train them and obviously unable to socialise them.

I dislike dogs. I dislike dog owners of the sort above far more. Responsible dog owners I feel also feel this way. A dog should not be off a lead of it has no recall. Simple.

Lacksie · 16/09/2026 10:13

KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:08

Again, nobody said a dog has to be perfect. And actually several things point to the dog being out of control and is grounds for my DH to use force to defend our baby. The owner had zero control. Again, read. The. Damn. Law.

Show quote history

Ok. Like I said: if this happens again and you genuinely believe it constitutes an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act, then report it. You may then get a clearer sense of how the law is interpreted and applied proportionately in practice.

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:13

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Clearly.

MiggyWoods · 16/09/2026 10:15

No, but i can read

A lot of people can read. It's the comprehension that's more important.

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:16

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:19

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

The words are sinking in perfectly. I dont think that scenario was dangerous and I think you over-reacted.

Do you understand?

ItsAQuandryAlright · 16/09/2026 10:22

runnerducky · 15/09/2026 13:45

I do think as well this kind of hysteria around dogs is why you end up with some of the kids I see that are shrieking and crying as a dog walks past them totally uninterested in them. Dog shouldn’t have come over and the owner should have got her shit together asap, but the screaming and kicking and panic was OTT. Just a bit of a shambles all round IMO for what is a kind of everyday minor inconvenience when out and about in the world 🤷‍♀️ Seems like a stressful way to exist!

Edited

I agree. I have friends who instilled the fear of God into their children about dogs (ditto, strangers, household appliances, weather events etc etc. We used to joke they were like Aunt Josephine in A Seies of Unfortunate Events). They were on holiday abroad in a country where stray dogs are not uncommon, and the DC, who were teenagers at the time, freaked out whenever they encountered one. The eldest DC ran into a busy road and was almost hit by a car because a stray dog was on the pavement. That couple think they are amazing parents, but actually they haven't done their DC any favours at all making them scared of their own shadows.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:25

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:20

The words are sinking in perfectly. I dont think that scenario was dangerous and I think you over-reacted.

Do you understand?

Show quote history

Then just say that move on instead of repeating the same nonsensical and untrue comments over and over again like a broken record.

OP posts:
OonaStubbs · 16/09/2026 10:25

How is a dog that jumps up "in control of the owner" unless the owner has commanded it to jump up?

MiggyWoods · 16/09/2026 10:27

Ok - so neither of us were there and because I have a different view on what i've read than you, my comprehension is bad.
Are you this entitled in real life or just when you can hide behind a computer?

I merely disagree with you. It's not entitled to disagree with someone. I would say it in real life, and often have to have conversations with dog owners in my local country park, asking them to get their dog away from me and my grandchildren. I'm not exaggerating. There is a designated area for off lead dogs and many signs saying dogs must be on leads in the main area. But they rarely are and a good proportion of them are not trained at all.

People are sick and tired of entitled dog owners who are clearly not in control of their dogs and the op struck a chord with me because it happens so often when you are out with small children. How can we make it stop?
It's also entitled to tell us to go get some lessons in dog behaviour, and dog language and the like. If people just kept their dogs and their unwanted attention away from strangers then there would be no problem at all.

MiggyWoods · 16/09/2026 10:28

You’re reading the words but they aren’t going into your head. It’s bizarre

Decoding fault.

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:29

MiggyWoods · 16/09/2026 10:27

Ok - so neither of us were there and because I have a different view on what i've read than you, my comprehension is bad.
Are you this entitled in real life or just when you can hide behind a computer?

I merely disagree with you. It's not entitled to disagree with someone. I would say it in real life, and often have to have conversations with dog owners in my local country park, asking them to get their dog away from me and my grandchildren. I'm not exaggerating. There is a designated area for off lead dogs and many signs saying dogs must be on leads in the main area. But they rarely are and a good proportion of them are not trained at all.

People are sick and tired of entitled dog owners who are clearly not in control of their dogs and the op struck a chord with me because it happens so often when you are out with small children. How can we make it stop?
It's also entitled to tell us to go get some lessons in dog behaviour, and dog language and the like. If people just kept their dogs and their unwanted attention away from strangers then there would be no problem at all.

I've never told you to get lessons in dog behaviour.
I've also agreed that dogs should not be jumping up and the owner was in the wrong.

Threewordname · 16/09/2026 10:29

Ilovemyfam · 15/09/2026 12:23

I have dogs and kids in my family. You did not overreact.

Not so long ago I was walking past someone holding a dog on a lead. I must have been a couple of feet away and the owner was looking away talking to someone else. The damn dog bit me. Thankfully I had jeans on so I did not have broken skin. The owner was veryyyy apologetic because she knew that I could have reported them. At least she reacted.

Yes, but really you should have reported them. The next person that dog bites, completely unprovoked, might be seriously hurt.

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:30

KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:25

Then just say that move on instead of repeating the same nonsensical and untrue comments over and over again like a broken record.

Show quote history

I'm the broken record! Why don't you go count how many times you've referred to the dangerous dog act 😂

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:31

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:30

I'm the broken record! Why don't you go count how many times you've referred to the dangerous dog act 😂

Show quote history

Because the dangerous dog act is relevant to the Thread. You saying SpAnIeL every two seconds isn’t.

OP posts:
Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:32

KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:31

Because the dangerous dog act is relevant to the Thread. You saying SpAnIeL every two seconds isn’t.

Show quote history

The breed of the dog is relevant and 'spaniel type' is all we have to go off.

The dangerous dog act is only really relevant to dangerous dogs.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:32

Threewordname · 16/09/2026 10:29

Yes, but really you should have reported them. The next person that dog bites, completely unprovoked, might be seriously hurt.

Show quote history

To be honest, my main take away from this Thread is that people, including myself, need to start reporting instances like this and holding dog owners to account. I’ve read some horrible stories on here from people who have been hurt by dogs. I don’t blame the dog, it’s the owner, but I suppose the only way they will learn is if they are held to account.

OP posts:
KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:33

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Yes yes, it's all my comprehension that's the issue.
You carry on kicking friendly dogs and ignoring advice. Let see where that gets you.

Original poster
KellyK2026 · 16/09/2026 10:35

Melsy88 · 16/09/2026 10:35

Yes yes, it's all my comprehension that's the issue.
You carry on kicking friendly dogs and ignoring advice. Let see where that gets you.

Show quote history

I will use reasonable force against a dog that is repeatedly trying to get at my baby. Thanks.

OP posts: