To have REALLY shouted at this woman

[BMW6]

Was walking home along busy main road with my dog (on lead).
See another dog approaching (staffie) 30 odd feet away, on a lead BUT lead is in the hand of a small child (5/6 yo). Mother of child walking behind about 15 feet.

I knew what was going to happen and I bet you do too.

Yep, the other dog clocked mine and belted towards us, pulled child over and lead out of childs hand, of course.

I had to stop her dog attacking mine whilst the stupid bitch ran over to grab her dog. Child crying (fell onto grass so hope more scared than hurt)

I cannot recall exactly what I said to her, but was along the lines of what kind of fool is she to let a small child "control" a dog - esp a staffie.



Sorry to staffie lovers, but I have seen too many staffie attacks and am terrified of them attacking my westie cross, he's been attacked 3 times.

[Faithless12]

furbaby- I can believe the OP's dog was attacked unprovoked. Our dog was behind our pushchair walking on a lead inbetween DH and I and a Bull type dog rain through me to attack my dog. It took me off my feet, I have never been so happy DS was in a pushchair then that day. What got me was it's owner just stood then and watched his dog savage our dog while she screamed. So yes, some dogs do attack unprovoked. Our dog didn't see the dog that attacked her until it was on top of her.

[MissAntithetic]

I'm the same with staffies. Round where I live they are used as status dogs, untrained and uncared for. I have been bitten three times and my dog attacked twice. (He's dead now not due to attacks though!) if I see one now I immediately feel nervous.

I know staffies are a lovely breed my friend has two well trained and gentle I in no way Blame the dogs for my experiences but I think its natural to be apprehensive

Staffies are very strong and should not have been walked by a child. Stupid woman! Her child could have been seriously hurt!

[PissesGlitter]

Yappy vicious not happy visions
Fucking auto correct

[MissAntithetic]

Oh and I've been bitten by two jack Russell too.

I'm just a tasty dog treat.

[furbaby]

Being on lead does, nt mean they don, t provoke a fight ,I have had small dogs drag their owner into the road to try and get to my staffys .
Don, t understand why as mine just put noses in air and walk on by as owner of smaller dog is fighting for control of their dog .
Not being funny but have met a few miserable westies so had to ask if he started it ,

[PissesGlitter]

I do want to add
I know they are a strong dog so I would never let a small child walk him
If he saw someone he knew on the opposite side of the road he would run to greet them possibly hurting the child
So I do agree with you there op

[YoureBeingADick]

Staffies jaws dont lock. Thats another of the many misconceptions about them.

[TwllBach]

I hate hate hate seeing small children walking dogs, unless they are anchored in some way to an adult. It puts an unfair amount of responsibility on both the child and the dog.

[Whereisegg]

Yanbu to have shouted, that poor child!

Tbh, staff type dogs make me nervous (most dogs do actually), but any type that is literally pure muscle really do scare me.

[MammaTJ]

I have a beautiful, gentle, geriatric 12 year old border collie/whippet cross.

My Strong, karate going, 8 year old DD keeps begging me to let her take the dog around the block.

Not going to happen

It is so irrisponsible to allow a child to be in charge of a dog!

[digerd]

I met a women on our dog walk tracks who had a friendly staffie. My 5 kilo non-reactive dog was fine with him as he was a softie, but had massively broad shoulders and chest. The lady said he had been attacked several times where she used to live so was hoping it would be different here.

YANBU to say a 5 year-old child should not be holding the lead of a fully grown staffie or any dog as even the smallest can run faster on their 4 legs than most adults and have amazing acceleration speed.
What a shock for you, your dog and the child - irresponsible parents

[Theunincredibles]

Yanbu, regardless of the breed of dog the woman was stupid to allow a child to be in charge of a dog stronger than them.

[BeaverAbroad]

YANBU.

As a Staffie older, I agree with 'especially as it's a Staffie'. Steadies are incredibly strong dogs with strong bites and who were bred for fighting. I know this and to be a good owner, I need to know this and deal with it and accept that being an owner of any dog of this strength, power and possibility to hurt (a child is probably going t be hurt more by a Staffoe attacking than a dachshund attacking after all) means I should be more responsible. Although I do feel sad that they have this reputation, and would prefer it to be 'especially as it's such a strong dog' tbh, a Staffie is so much more than a strong dog, that's not the on,y thing which makes it dangerous, just being a Staffie means it had a lot more potential to do harm than other dogs in the same situation. I still have a lovely Staffie who is kept under control and is a darling.

Asides from that, YANBU. Dangerous for the child (I can't imagine what would have happened of the dog had pulled her across a busy road for instance, it could cause an accident), for people nearby too. Irresponsible and dangerous of the parent.

[PeppiNephrine]

There are always people on here that defend their to the point of total irrationality. nothing wrong with "especially a staffie", these people making out that the dogs breed makes no difference are fools. Strong hunter breeds like Staffies are of course going to be more dangerous and scarey on the whole than a poodle or a terrier.
Plus there is a type of people that buy breeds that they think are tough and look tough. its a self fulfilling prophecy.

[CissyMeldrum]

I would have shouted, a staffie came running across the road straight at my 3 year old ,I was so angry I don't trust any dog , I assume they all could bite because that is true. Any dog has the potential to be vicious and I do think people pick staffies because of the way they look and don't think beyond that and as a result are ineffective owners ,might friend has just taken in a staffie that has spent the last 5 years living in a kitchen.
It was never taken for walks and is scared of everything ,it was not beaten or starved but just ignored. Completely the wrong choice of dog for that family and someone else picks up the pieces
Better you shout and then she thinks twice next time ,could have been a real tragedy

[MrsLouisTheroux]

Stupid woman for letting her child take control of their dog but you sound like many dog owners I know who think their dog is safer, friendlier, calmer, less threatening than any other dog on the planet so YABU just for having that kind of attitude.
Dogs/ dog owners are a PITA full stop IMHO.

[AndHarry]

I don't like Staffies because they look scary, they're big and strong and I don't like dogs full stop.

Now you all know how shallow I am ...

YANBU. For some reason the dog owners I know have rather a blind spot to their dog's propensity for trouble and do not do enough to protect other people, including their own children. I am sick and tired of trips to the playground being 'enlivened' by dogs off the lead jumping up at me and my small children while their owners stand halfway across the park shouting, "Here, Crumpet-pie! Oh don't worry, he's friendly. Here! I said here!" Last time my 3yo went out on his scooter a Staffie chased him (from behind so neither of us saw it coming) and flew at him, knocking him to the ground. DS knows perfectly well how to behave around dogs.

[Coupon]

YANBU. There are too many people who put their dogs above everything else including safety and manners.

[SanityClause]

MammaTJ, I had a border collie, whippet cross, as a child.

He was loooovely, and would chase a ball for hours. He was a rescue dog, and someone had tried to drown him, as a puppy.

[VanDerGaagTransporten]

YANBU

Coupons is spot on

[Stinkyminkymoo]

YABU for breed blaming.

Fwiw, staffies are not a hunting breed, they are a bull breed. A staffie is not a pit bull just in case people get that bit confused.

Terriers are a hunting breed, but I guess because they are small it's ok? Even poodles are a working breed - they are bred to retrieve in water. I wish people would at least try to understand where dog breeds originate from.

Back on topic, the woman was pretty stupid to let her daughter walk the dog and not anticipate this. Hope the little girl was ok.

[jennieflower]

I read the "esp a staffie" comment as a concern regarding the strength of the dog too. They are powerful, muscular dogs and I wouldn't expect a small child to be able to control one either. Fwiw, my 5yo DS regularly insists on holding my tiny hairless Chinese crested's lead when we're out walking, and he only weighs 5 kilos but I insist on walking right beside him and always take over as soon as we see another dog and I'm always on alert, just in case. In this case the staffie owner was definitely being unreasonable.

[ubik]

A friend got dragged along a pavement by her large dog. We were six. She was a bloody mess afterwards.

Don't blame you for shouting. Dog could've pulled her in front of a car or anything.
I don't like staffies either

[microserf]

I think the op is perfectly justified in her comment especially a staffie. They are strong dogs, and to non dog owners such as myself they do look intimidating.

I don't much like dogs, having been attacked as a child by a dog. So clearly I am biased, but I am really tired of being told by dog owners how lovely their pet is and how I should "get over it" and adore their dogs. Well I don't and I expect dog owners to exercise appropriate control over their pets, for both the dog's safety and the safety of others around them. Which the mother in this case failed to do and put her child at risk as well!