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AIBU?

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Original poster

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:
IssyStark · 13/01/2016 20:06

OP yanbu and I hope the police follow up.

YouthHostellingWithChrisEubank · 13/01/2016 20:10

Gosh, so sorry OP. I don't think you were unreasonable at all. Obviously punching the dog isn't ideal but in the moment you had to act.

I was attacked by a dog last year and needed a lot of stitches in my leg. It was totally unprovoked (was just walking past the property), and by a big dog who also "loved children and people" Hmm.

Peiple are so blade about dogs. Many owners forget dogs are animals and no matter their history it's wise to be wary. If it was my dog who had jumped on your baby I would be ashamed of myself and would be reassessing my actions around walking etc.

Hope your wee one is ok.

YouthHostellingWithChrisEubank · 13/01/2016 20:11

*people are blase...Blush

GruntledOne · 13/01/2016 20:49

She is scared of dogs because of you btw.

Oh, right, OriginalLEM. No doubt OP should have stood there laughing merrily with the owner whilst her child lay face down in the sand under a large dog, then her child wouldn't have been scared of dogs at all.

breezydoesit · 13/01/2016 21:46

God is have done more than punched it if did that to my DC.

breezydoesit · 13/01/2016 21:47

I'd*

inlawsfromhell · 13/01/2016 22:01

Poor babe Sad I'd follow up with the police tomorrow to make sure they are taking it seriously

JasmineBuckles · 13/01/2016 22:23

I have a small, well behaved dog. She's great with kids, and has been brought up with a child with special needs. I once came into a room to
find the child (supposedly shut out of the room, but DP had left the door open) holding DDog up by her back leg.
I love her, she's been with me ten years. But if she was stood over a baby, and at 17 months they are babies, in the way that the OP describes, I would have no problem with the mother punching her. She's a dog. I'd feel like shit for allowing my dog to get into that situation, and subsequently getting hurt, but that would be my fault. She's my responsibility.

rainbowunicorn · 13/01/2016 22:41

My god there really are some complete arseholes on this thread, the bloody dog could have crushed the child to death and there are people on here saying the OP was unreasonable

Maisy313 · 13/01/2016 22:46

It's really easy for children to drown in shallow water of water soaked sand, frankly what else could you have done!? I would have done exactly the same, go with your instincts, it worked - you got the dog off. Stupid owner shouldn't be allowed pets for the poor dogs own safety. Hope your poor daughter is ok Flowers

Aeroflotgirl · 13/01/2016 22:46

Exactly rainbow, the dog coukd have seriously hurt a child, and people are worried about the dog!! My anger woukd be cookery directed on the totally incompetent dog owners

Aeroflotgirl · 13/01/2016 22:46

Completely

Original poster
UmbongoUnchained · 13/01/2016 23:23

An officer called around and scribbled in his magic book so that's that I guess! DD seems to be fine, although she did give the cat a rather suspicious look!

OP posts:
OttiliaVonBCup · 13/01/2016 23:31

I really hope they won't destroy the dog

It seems she was just being bouncy and clumsy and while the owner certainly behaved like a twat it's not the dog's fault.

Scarletforya · 13/01/2016 23:50

Hope she's ok OP.

You should have punched the owner as well.

kawliga · 14/01/2016 03:56

I am a bit surprised it managed to appear out of nowhere, surely a dog the size of a bear would be easy to notice.

There have been threads about this, where the mother noticed the dog before it arrived, and tried to take evasive action to keep the baby safe. We heard this from twattish dog-owners:

  1. The dog is lovely, and he only wants to play
  2. why are you trying to shield your baby? You are teaching your scared baby that she should be scared of dogs. Only idiots try to keep their dc safe from dogs, because dogs are harmless and only want to play
  3. Dogs love chasing people who run, lol, so whatever you do, don't run away unless you want to be chased (see 'only wants to play' above)
  4. Dogs get excited if you swiftly pick a baby up. Those swift-rising little legs of a baby suddenly lifted up by the idiot mother are irresistible, the dog will just want to snap at them, because snapping at babies heels is a fun thing that dogs like doing (see 'only wants to play' above)

Twattish dog-owners are an apocalypse waiting to happen.

LaLaLaaaa · 14/01/2016 05:28

Punching the dog was stupid - could have caused the dog to become defensive and aggressive.

Punch the owner next time - they were in the wrong here

NerrSnerr · 14/01/2016 05:33

You did what you had to do in the heat of the moment and it worked. I have no idea what I would do in the same situation but it's not like you had time on your hands to weigh up the pros and cons. I really hope that she isn't too sore and I bloody hope the police catch up with the owner.

I understand it's not the dogs fault but a toddler was face down in wet sand! Who wouldn't do whatever they could to protect their baby??

yankeecandle4 · 14/01/2016 06:45

YWNBU OP. I'm just so glad that you are both OK. This potentially could have been a lot worse.

I hope the owner gets his faced smashed in. I absolutely cannot stand dog owners like this (I've had a couple of bad experiences) and avoid places where there are lots of dogs off leads.

thehillshaveyes · 14/01/2016 08:50

I would have literally done anything I could to get the dog off of my dd in that situation. Yanbu OP. I hope this hasn't scarred your baby for life in terms of being afraid of dogs.

MiddleClassProblem · 14/01/2016 09:05

*4. Dogs get excited if you swiftly pick a baby up. Those swift-rising little legs of a baby suddenly lifted up by the idiot mother are irresistible, the dog will just want to snap at them, because snapping at babies heels is a fun thing that dogs like doing (see 'only wants to play' above)

  • er no...
nocoolnamesleft · 14/01/2016 09:16

They're quoting a twattish response on a very recent thread.

MiddleClassProblem · 14/01/2016 09:28

Phew! Well not phew as there are is still a twat out there spouting this.

I am an advocate of dog licensing, a bit like getting a car license. And a junior dog handling license. There should be a different grade for guarding breeds too. They should learn all about how to look after and train a dog, how to read dog behaviour and dealing with dog issues. Breeding should be licensed too. The fact anyone can buy or sell a puppy is awful. There are plenty that get it right, a majority that mean well but don't actually know what they're doing and then too many evil ones that don't give a shit.

AnneElliott · 14/01/2016 09:37

Op You were not unreasonable to do what you did. I would have done the same, or worse if that had been my DS.

knobblyknee · 14/01/2016 09:40

I'm a lifelong dog owner, and I'd be in the police station now. They can have a word with him, the twat.

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