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AIBU?

For "hurting" his dog

236 replies

UmbongoUnchained · 13/01/2016 15:08

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?

OP posts:

Report

MatildaTheCat · 13/01/2016 15:35

Any particular reason you didn't pick your dd up if you were concerned that she might drown? Surely you could step around the dog.

thelouise · 13/01/2016 15:37

I think it's easy to sit here and say "I'd do this" but when you're in an emotionally charged situation, you don't always act rationally.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 13/01/2016 15:37

Just because he was big doesnt mean a punch to the head wont hurt him. Yabu to have punched him, poor dog.

YANBU to be angry with the owner for not having more control over him.

MamaLazarou · 13/01/2016 15:39

I don't blame you for lashing out, I probably would have done the same. Hope your DD is OK.

UmbongoUnchained · 13/01/2016 15:40

matilda I've already said that I couldn't reach her under the dog.
I know in hindsight it was stupid but at the time the only thing I could think about was getting my daughter. It would t have bitten me anyway as I was holding its nose with my other hand.

OP posts:

UmbongoUnchained · 13/01/2016 15:41

Wouldve*

OP posts:

thelouise · 13/01/2016 15:42

For future reference, don't touch a dog's nose, even in that sort of the situation. It is very sensitive and it's asking for trouble.

UmbongoUnchained · 13/01/2016 15:44

Ok. I have absolutely no experience with dogs!

OP posts:

MrsNippyCat · 13/01/2016 15:44

YABVU - you punched a dog "really hard" in the head? It's not the dog's fault he's poorly trained and controlled. Big dog or not, you probably have, at least, caused him pain if not a more serious injury.

mommy2ash · 13/01/2016 15:45

You punched a large dog that was standing over your baby? Very stupid move what if it lashed out and attacked your child as a reaction to your punch

Thurlow · 13/01/2016 15:46

Hang on... Dog, off the leash and to a certain degree out of its owner's control, runs up to and knocks over a small child and remains standing over the small child - and the OP is U for doing what she could in the heat of the moment to get the dog off her child?

I love dogs. But dogs that are just going to run over to and knock down small children shouldn't be running around off the leash in a public place, or the owner should be a lot nearer and in control of them.

Dogs can hurt people. It's quite simple. I know most are lovely, but anything could happen and owners need to be in more control. Yes, punching the dog might have caused it to bite the OP's DD and so might not have been the best thing to do - but the simple fact that the dog was in the position that the OP felt that was all she could do was bad.

UmbongoUnchained · 13/01/2016 15:48

I punched the dog because nothing else was working to get it off my daughter. Was I supposed to just wait till it got bored? Funnily enough I care a lot more about my child than some stupid animal.

OP posts:

UmbongoUnchained · 13/01/2016 15:50

Thanks thurlow
Can't believe people care more about a dogs feelings than my daughters safety.

OP posts:

RattusRattus · 13/01/2016 15:51

YANBU. Newfoundlands are bloody enormous - it must have been totally terrifying to see this happening to your DD. I'd have been hard pushed not to punch the owner in the face too.

Hope you and your DD are recovering well.

Figwin · 13/01/2016 15:53

Front post on AIBU if you're not prepared to hear things you don't agree with. The whole point is to figure out if YABU!

diplodocus · 13/01/2016 15:53

But most people are.
They are saying it was putting your daughter in more danger to hurt a dog when she was in a vulnerable position.

Figwin · 13/01/2016 15:54

*don't not front

OurBlanche · 13/01/2016 15:54

Ignore them all.

Yes, punching a dog is unwise.
Yes the owner was a complete twat.
No, you were in no way unreasonable for panicking and trying to rescue your child.

Do, please, phone the police yourself. It would be interesting, should they be able to match up the 2 calls, to see his face when they tear a strip off him for allowing his dog to threaten others - that is what it was doing, standing over a child and preventing that child from moving away.

Melonaire · 13/01/2016 15:54

People are trying to point out that, though they understand why you did it, punching or holding the nose of a large dog that was standing over your daughter was incredibly dangerous. The dog could easily hav attacked you or your DD as a direct result of what you did.

RogerTheTodgerDodger · 13/01/2016 15:55

YANBU!! I'd have kicked it if necessary! Nothing pisses me off more than dogs(big or small) bounding over to me or my children! I wouldn't let my children run over to a stranger and start annoying them(or running over their picnic blanket whilst they're eating!! ), so I won't tolerate a dog doing it to us!

wafflerinchief · 13/01/2016 15:55

yabu for punching a dog - it's understandable but I wouldn't be proud of myself. The owner probably didn't realize you were seriously concerned and that your DD couldn't get up herself - why didn't you shout more at the owner to call off the dog?

Figwin · 13/01/2016 15:56

Even the animal lovers majority are saying do all you can for your kid but you are lucky you don't get hurt or worse DD did.

You shouldn't have punch the dog but you did. We don't know what else you tried or how you did it. The dog wasn't being aggressive. The man is a prick

UmbongoUnchained · 13/01/2016 15:57

I'm prepared to be told I was being U.

But not for "poor dog" and not a word of concern about the human child.

OP posts:

Boutonneux · 13/01/2016 15:57

It wouldn't have bitten me anyway as I was holding its nose with my other hand.

The nose that's right next to the mouth full of teeth?

I can absolutely understand you wanting to do anything you could to get the dog away so you could reach your child but you were very lucky it didn't react to you holding it's nose or the punch

Did it not have a collar you could have used to pull it away?

I agree the owner was a twat of the highest order. I'd have been mortified if my dog knocked a child over, even in play.

Hope your daughter is okay and this doesn't make her scared of dogs. If you know anyone with a quiet, calm dog it might be an idea to introduce her to help build some positive associations.

OurBlanche · 13/01/2016 15:58

You really think that a reasonable person would see their large dog bowl over and stand over a small, unknown child and assume that everyone was happy?

Pshaw!

Most reasonable people would have apologised profusely and at least tried to ensure that mother and child weren't fucking terrified.

What is it with some dog owners.

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