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?

[lostinmiddlemarch]

In view of your daughter's injuries, you really really should report this.

[Pipistrella]

Back to the point,


Figwin has helpfully suggested ways to get a dog to let go if this should happen to anyone in the future

Has anyone else any helpful ideas for those of us who wouldn't know what to do?

There's lots of yanbu and yabu on here but barely anyone has said what the owner should actually have done.

And many of us would freeze in a situation like this.

[ricketytickety]

Some dog owners are idiots. Poor dd. poor dog because the owner should have prevented that situation.

[Sanchar]

yanbu!

i love dogs but if it had been me in that situation i would have hauling that dog off by its fur, roaring like bull!

definitly report!

[BathtimeFunkster]

The owner should have called his dog to him when he saw it approach the baby, since it should never have been off lead unless under his control.

[ChubbyPolecat]

Newfoundland are huge, powerful heavy dogs. I used to know one who was very enthusiastic about guarding. He would run at the gate and throw himself at it bodily and it was some scary shit. I haven't even got a kid but I'd punch a dog if it was pinning a toddler facedown on wet sand if nothing else would make it move.

[ricketytickety]

I would be tempted to report it too - so the owner sees how dangerous this behaviour can be. The dog needs to be under control. I would say you used reasonable force.

[ricketytickety]

nuzzling at the toddler's neck is not playful behaviour - I would say it was aggressive

[Figwin]

nuzzling at the toddler's neck is not playful behaviour - I would say it was aggressive

[AlaskaWaves]

I hope your DD is okay, also you too as you're probably quite shaken up.
I have dogs and whilst I know they would never deliberately hurt anyone, as their owner it is my responsibility to keep an eye on them/keep them on a lead etc. if my dog had knocked over a child I would have done my best to remove the dog as quickly as possible, tell it off and check the child was okay.. I would be so apologetic and feel so guilty. If you had punched my dog in the situation you describe then I would completely understand since I put the safety of a child first, and you were doing what you needed to do to protect your child.

[rockabella]

Someone has suggested blowing in the dogs face as a distraction please DO NOT do this, it's more likely to frighten a dog and make it snap, it's a very poor, dangerous suggestion.

You acted on instinct but your actions weren't the best for the situation. Always try and keep your hands away from the dogs face, as well as your own face and try shouting OFF, NO etc first and see if the dog has a collar to move it first.

I'm sorry your daughter was hurt and frightened, the dog may just have gotten excited at the sight of a small child and wanted to play. Mine is like that, he adores children but doesn't realise his strength. The owner was an idiot for not intervening though.

[EponasWildDaughter]

You don't need names to report an incident to the police.

Large dog out of control in a public space. Location, time of day, breed and colour of the dog, description of owner. Photo of injuries to your DD too. Or take your DD along with you.

[InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream]

Of course YANBU! You did the right thing. But you should have given the stupid owner a right mouthful too! Definitely see if you can find out who he is and report him to the police. Prick! Your poor little girl.

[GetSchwifty]

I don't think you were being unreasonable, it's not kind of situation where you can formulate a plan of action. If the owner wasn't going to help then you didn't have much choice. The whole thing sounds pretty frightening.

[SoupDragon]

What the fuck was the OP meant to do given her toddler was face down in wet sand and the dog's owner was a useless tosser? I don't blame her one bit for punching the dog - we all react without thinking when faced with stuff like this.

In a calm frame of mind, yes perhaps you would see that it might have made the dog angry but I imagine most of you would have reacted instinctively if the mahoosive beast was pinning your toddler face down on the sand.

I say this as a dog owner/lover.

[inlawsfromhell]

I say this as a dog lover and owner report the twat!

Your poor DD I hope her injuries heal soon sadly the trauma won't please do let us know what action the police take.

[Pipistrella]

So we can't blow in its face

we can't hit it

we can't do much at all really can we?

Anything we SHOULD do if this ever happens?

(Apart from asking the owner to call off the dog?)

Even if she was wrong to hit the dog I can't think of anything else she could have done, so it would be useful if people could suggest alternatives.

[Pipistrella]

Fwiw some dog owners are, obviously as thick as fuck - my own son got knocked flying by a huge labrador when he was about two.

We were on a beach as well. The owner laughed and said 'he broke someone's ankle last week!' as if it was such a funny situation.

Meanwhile I was left dealing with a traumatised and crying child who was petrified of dogs for years after that.

[Aeroflotgirl]

You have to do what you have to do, to get a dog off your young child, if you have to punch it you bloody well do. He should have had his dog under control. It should be responding to voice commands.

[nlondondad]

Punching the dog was probably a good move. I have experience with dogs and know you were unlikely to have hurt such a dog (but possibly damaged your fist) and it was a good way to get its attention.

I would probably have kicked it, under the belly, with a rising kick as dogs do not like being lifted in that way.

But the actual size of the animal matters of course.

When a number of years ago, my little son was attacked by a terrier, I picked the dog up by the collar and threw it over the hedge. And indeed the owner threatened to call the police, and of course I said I would welcome it, as a criminal offence had been committed by the dog owner...

[zeezeek]

Poor dog. Do educate yourself in how to act around animals before you do yourself, your child and anyone's dog any damage.

[Andrewofgg]

rockabella Please tell us what the OP should have done to protect her child?

Please do not let the "welfare" of the dog figure in your answer. Just the child.

[SoupDragon]

Don't be fucking stupid zeezeek

The one at fault here is the ttwattish dog owner which can't control his dog. He's the one who has lessons to learn.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Poor child zeezeek, don't blame op trying to protect her little one from an out of control dog, blame the owner.

[Aeroflotgirl]

the ownder standing there laughing, whilst his big dog is standing over a very young child! Any dog could attack at any time, don't be so silly zeezeek!!!