For "hurting" his dog

[UmbongoUnchained]

Took my 17m DD for a walk on the beach today. We were walking along near the shoreline when an enormous Newfoundland appears out of no where and bounds up to my little one, knocking her onto her face. She was face down in the wet sand, screaming and crying and this dog was just stood over her snuffing away into her neck. I could reach under it to grab her out and it wouldn't budge when I tried to push it off her. The owner was just stood there laughing about how his dog loves children. So I punched it really hard in the head and it finally moved off. Poor DD had sand in her eyes and mouth where she had been screaming and is now probably going to be scared of dogs. Owner went furious saying he was going to report me to the police. Surely the police would see that I was just protecting my child though surely?

[WottaMess]

The detailed responses with options of what one could have tried were in response to a question about what action might be sensible if anyone was ever in a similar situation. It allowed for how to tackle a dog. Some options wouldn't have worked with a Newfie. But for those like op with no experience of dogs it provides a series of possible choices which may be less likely to potentially cause a dog to go from 'playing' to aggressive, as while all worked out ok this time it could've made things worse.

So while several people have been unhelpfully smug, others have really been helpful in response to specific questions and I've found out it very helpful.

[Aeroflotgirl]

My child comes first, if I was in the same situation as op, I would blooming do the same.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Op said, the dog was stood there sniffing into her neck, he could have blooming turned and bitten into her neck, injuring her or even killing her. Op punched the dog, after trying to move it away, it woulden't move, op actions had the desired effect so what she did was totally right, and any sane person would. Don't blame op, blame the stupid dog owner.

[GruntledOne]

Punching the dog was stupid

Clearly not, since it had precisely the effect that OP wanted.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Exactly penelope, they are also stating the op should have done this! or this! to get the dog off. FGS ok knows nothing about dogs, not everyone is. The only person at fault is that irresponsible dog owner. I don't think he would be laughing if his dog attacked op dd, that could happen. I read a while ago of a horrific incident of an friendly Old English Sheep dog attacking a 7 year old girl who just stroked it. She knew the dog and the owner, but one day it just went for her. Her injuries were horrific.

[PenelopePitstops]

This has to be one of the most ridiculous threads on here.

OP yanbu.

Some of you are putting a dog above a child.

[SheSellsSanctuary]

Damn autocorrect!! I went to their HOUSE not 'Josue'

And she made him 'sit' not 'sir'

[SheSellsSanctuary]

I love dogs and I have one. BUT absolutely YWNBU. I would be enraged if an out-of-control dog knocked over one of my DCs. And in that situation, especially as your DD was trapped underneath it, you'd do anything to rescue her!!

To my eternal shame, my dog knocked over a friend's DD once three years ago. He was excited, off the lead during a forest walk, she was jumping up and down and squealing and he ran to her, jumped and pushed her over. She howled but was OK physically. I was mortified, angry and so ashamed of myself for not preempt ing what had happened. It all took place in the space of about four seconds. In my dog's brain, the little girl was playing and he tried to reciprocate.
Her mother was amazing about it but I felt terrible. I went to their Josue later and left a little cuddly toy dog and a card 'from' my dog, apologising.
Happily, although she was a little wary for a while, that little girl eventually quite liked my dog and enjoyed giving him dog treats and making him 'sir' and 'give paw'. But I still cringe when I remember the incident.
I probably would have done exactly the same as you, OP, although my DCs are much older. You must have been terrified and I hope your DD is ok.

[Babymouse]

Poor you that sounds very scary. YWNBU given the situation - especially as you are unfamiliar with dogs - and hopefully this thread gives you ideas on what to do if something similar happens again (hopefully it won't!)

I love dogs - but I'm so sick of owners who just stand there laughing when their dogs are misbehaving. While I was biking I once had a dog head straight for my wheels. First I thought, crap I'm going to crash and secondly, I thought I'd run over the dog if I couldn't stop in time. All the while the owner stood there laughing that he 'liked' bikes. I told her that the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her dog, and luckily I didn't - but if it came to me or the dog I'd pick me. Honestly, if your dog chases kids, bikes, cars etc they need to be on a leash! (rant over)

[tabulahrasa]

That's one next to a labrador...yes they're big, they are a giant breed, but they're not the size of bears or horses.

As for whether it's ok to punch one, as other people have said, it's not the wisest of actions - but I'd assume you're panicking at that point and not rationally thinking out what is the best thing to do that's not going to possibly make it react.

[Jesabel]

YANBU, I'd have kicked it as hard as I could in the rib.

Whoever said you made your DD scared by reacting is talking complete bollocks, what a bitch.

[Mybunnyisamummy]

For Christ sake don't blow in a dogs face! My husband did that and it bit him! That's the worst advice I've ever heard.

[Solasum]

As PP have said, I would really try and get your DD together with a dog sometime very soon. My DS went through a very antidog stage after being petrified when a cockapoo jumped up at him, and that dog was tiny. A lovely lovely lady in the local park saw he was scared of her (very small) dog as we were walking past, and invited us to sit down on a bench next to them to get acquainted. We sat there for about 20 minutes, and since then DS has been so much better. I will always be grateful to her.

[MiddleClassProblem]

A lot of the advice of what you should do was in response to a question posted about what should you do in that situation rather than directed at OP.

Hope DD is healing ok x

[EponasWildDaughter]

I remember that ipity. Wasn't it by an OP who's family member said they'd save their dog before a child or similar.

Hope the OP here updates us. I'd be doing a follow up call to the police. No, i wouldn't want the dog put to sleep (and unless a dog bites someone then i don't think that's what happens) - but i'd like to think maybe a community officer would make a point of keeping an eye out and having a word with the owner.

[IPityThePontipines]

YWNBU. I'm sick of all the "You should have tapped its left leg and clicked your heels three times" responses too.

Likewise, that punching the owner would've helped.

Some people on MN are weird about dogs. There was once a very disturbing thread on here about if you would save a child or a dog first from a burning building.

[CozyLinusBlanket]

I anything OP should have punched the owner, he's or she was the one who deserved it.

But the Op wasn't able to freeze time and consider all her options.

Also, the owner wasn't the one who had her child trapped in the sand.

I hope he does call to report her, then the police will get his details.

[Badlittlesis]

Seriously some of you clearly have no idea him big & strong Newfies can be.

We don't have a dog (we both work out of the house ft) so we are first stop for dog sitting.

One of the dogs we have occasionally her best friend is a Newfie, he's lovely and soft and cuddly and loveeeeeeeees me

I mean loveeees me.

I'm average height and obese…and he's knocked me flying a few times.

So to a toddler, wow. Now in my case the owner is always horrified. But he's still in training, he's not 2 yet. And his female owner now won't walk him alone.

Am glad to see you've had your LO checked out and reported.

[Aeroflotgirl]

I agree middle, tge situation coukd change extremley rapidly, op should not take that risk. In future the dog owner shoukd keep his dog under control. The dog is not op responsibility.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Yes ortilla after she dealt with the dog standing over her child.

[MiddleAgeDaze]

YWNBU. In the panic of the moment you acted out of an instinct to protect your DD. It isn't the sort of situation where you have time to think reasonably about the optimal resolution to the problem.

Dogs are animals with a strong hunting instinct. I have on several occasions seen dogs running over to play with my dog, and going from playful to very threatening and aggressive. It can happen in seconds - I wouldn't take that chance if it was my child lying under a dog. All dogs, no matter what breed, have a prey drive and even if they are usually lovely and non-aggressive it doesn't mean that they are going to be that way in every single situation.

[OttiliaVonBCup]

How do you know that? Because animals never hurt of feel pain or get scared?

I anything OP should have punched the owner, he's or she was the one who deserved it.

[SoupDragon]

The dog still got hurt though

I bet that the dog wasn't actually hurt. I bet it didn't need to be seen by a medical professional. I bet it won't remember it beyond about 5 minutes. I bet it won't be scared of humans as a result.

I still can't believe people think the OP was in any way unreasonable or at fault.

[OttiliaVonBCup]

A smallish bear.

[SoupDragon]

They are not the size of a horse though.

No, apparently only the size of a bear.