Fucking owner of big growly dog just laughed at my child.

[KingJoffreysBloodshotEye]

Couple with big dog on the other side of road. Toy in mouth. No lead.

Dog bounds across road towards us growling. Obviously just excited to be free with his toy but DS was pretty terrified.

Owner bursts out laughing and says, "Haha, did he make you jump?"

I replied, "Er, no. He made him terrified, it's a big dog off lead running towards him growling."

They mutter and wander off.

I don't give a shite about the dog. The lack of lead. Or the growling - clear to me it was excited growling, not vicious. I don't mind most dogs.

Also aware that to he's a big, fluffy bundle of love. He probably is.

But why did she have to laugh and make fun? Was that really funny to her? That how she gets her kicks - laughing at frightened children? She made DS feel shit.

Bitch. Bet there's stuff she's scared of. People don't think.

My my toddler ran at a dog screaming and it got scared I would say sorry about that, not haw haw haw look at the scarey dog, it's not a matter of dog bashing at all.

I don't mind dogs really as long as they don't get spit on me.

I don't understand this term happy growling I have a dog if mine growls its not happy.
My dog knows he's not supposed to bark but he just can't stay quiet when he's very happy and excited, so he makes this odd gurgling sound in his throat when he's around kids or other people he likes very much. And if you don't know what it is, it sounds like a growl. Although I like to think of it more like a purr.
I actually tell him to stop when he does it, because I don't want somebody to misunderstand it. He's a very big dog.

YANBU. DD2 is terrified of dogs because MIL's untrained dog barks and barks and barks. Said dog is "just excited". It's not right! To a small child, a growling, big dog is a growling, big dog: it's not a laughing matter and OP I'd have done exactly the same.

Personally that would have sparked a major problem for me. Both my children are petrified of dogs and at that point would have been screaming and climbing up my legs (both) or would have tried to run away... (even worse scenario) Ive had someone, seeing the sheer terror in my sons' who continued to pick up the dog and come over to our picnic bench and insist on trying to "cure" my children on the spot....then chastised me and said it must have been my fault cos I was clearly not a dog lover and was sending out messages to my children.... You can imagine my inner witch ready to stab stake in said mans heart, however I kept my cool, notwithstanding that he was muscling in on our picnic with friends!!!

For the record, I am an animal lover of all creatures large and small!!!!

I am more than happy with dogs who are very well trained off leads but in public spaces I believe that they should be firmly under control and not allowed to run and jump at random strangers...least of all small children who might scream and run and antagonise the dog...

I worked in operating theatres for excess of 20 years and have seen the devastation a dog bite can cause on a toddler eeeek!

Have you heard to theory of not telling dogs off for growling? A thread steal but wondering what others think.

If someone walks over to the dog and the dog growls, it means a warning. "Leave me alone." Dog gets told not to growl. Dog has no way of telling people to leave it alone, so the dog bites.

Slightly different situation to OP but relevant nontheless.

My dogs definitely do playful growling, sort like a supressed bark in their throats.

Very different to the warning growl.

That said, I don't let them approach strangers ever. And I only let them approach strange dogs that are off lead and the owner has seen us.

InSpace shake your mum's hand for me!

YANBU. My DS used to be terrified of dogs (educational psych involvement kind of terrified) and people used to laugh/feign bewilderment that he could possibly be scared of soft ol' Rover.

I used to say that my 6ft, pierced, tattooed, hard nut brother was going to run up to them, screaming and shouting in their face, but it was ok, he was a softy really and he'd never hurt anyone......

Poor DS, my DD loves dogs to the point she is a bloody nuisance for having to stop and ask if we can say hello to every dog we pass and is very use to giant dogs but would still be frightened if a large dog ran up happy growling! The owner should have had their dog under control and seeing it had frightened a child should apologise and move the dog away.

I hate people like that.

Twat. I've got 4 dogs and if one of mine ever scared a child - even accidentally, in play - I'd be fucking mortified. No dog is perfect, but an apology and a clip back onto the lead and a check your DS was okay wouldn't have cost much now, would it?

punkrockerGirl

My Mil laughs when she's worried or unsure about something. It's a nervous tic really. I find it really annoying but I know she can't help it.

Hopefully that's what was up with the owner because laughing at a scared child would be really shit.

YANBU. Dogs should be on leads. Especially dogs who run into the street. Leaving aside the fact that the dog scared your DC, the dog could be hit by a car and killed. And I like dogs. Hope your DC doesn't end up scared of other dogs because of one stupid owner.

You are not being unreasonable, however, playing devils advocate, your neighbour may have done the right thing.
If she had dashed across saying 'oh my God, I am so sorry, are you alright? Did he frighten you?' It might have instilled more fear for your little one - oh, this is something I should be frightened of. By laughing and reacting as she did, it might have played down the fear in your child's eyes?

I am sorry, I am not very good at articulating what I mean, so hope you get the gist