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AIBU?

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Original poster

To instinctively protect my child

145 replies

Dailymailpretendreporter · 28/04/2016 13:54

I was in the children's enclosure a couple of weeks ago with my wife, 9mo dd along with 4 nephews and nieces having a family play day out. A number of the children (including my nephews and nieces) were playing with a dog that one of the other parents had brought in.

My wife and I were distracted for a moment talking about her end of mat leave and dd wanders over to the other children. The next moment my wife screams and I hear dd crying and trying to run/waddle back towards us as fast as her little legs can carry her because the dog was chasing her and nipping at her clothes. I react by jumping up, shouting and chasing the dog out of the enclosure.

The dog owner has now been going around telling everyone that'll listen that her £5000 'harmless' dog needs to see a doggy psychiatrist and her son was traumatised. Apparently she'll be recovering the costs from us in due course.

OP posts:
Clandestino · 28/04/2016 14:14

Also. It's very bad practice to let children play with a dog they don't know.

A dog doesn't belong in a children's enclosure. It's the dog owner's duty to look after where their pet is and that it doesn't go where it's not supposed to. If I had an idiot coming to me with an invoice for a dog psychiatrist, I'd be telling them that I'm sending an invoice for child psychiatrist because my child refuses to play with her doggie toys and screams with terror at the sight of them.

MagicDucky · 28/04/2016 14:14

You were not BU thought you were going to say you kicked it! A doggy psychiatrist?! Honestly what on earth will they come up with next?!

CandP do you have your eyes glued to your child all the time? Especially when they're in an enclosed park? Probably no more than 5 steps away? The dog shouldn't have been there if it's the type of animal to get annoyed with children.

honkinghaddock · 28/04/2016 14:15

The dog owner is being ridiculous, you should have been watching your dd and a dog (other than assistance dog) shouldn't be a children's section.

frazzled24 · 28/04/2016 14:15

My sister's dog did something similar to my 5 year old, tearing a big hole in her t shirt. Puppies have a tendency to chase anything that runs and they do nip. The normal reaction is to be very apologetic and make damn sure you keep your dog under control in future.

I shouldn't think anybody will be listening to her nonsense without thinking she's in the wrong. The dog should not have been in the children's part in the first place.

TiggerPiggerPoohBumWee · 28/04/2016 14:16

With the best will in the world. You can't supervise them 24/7

At 9 months old, yes you can. And are supposed to Hmm

HeteronormativeHaybales · 28/04/2016 14:16

YWNBU to chase the dog off, obviously, but YWBU to allow your dc and others to play with the dog, which doesn't sound as if it should have been in the 'children's enclosure' anyway.

And another Shock at waddling 9mo.

honkinghaddock · 28/04/2016 14:18

Agree, with a child that young, your attention needs to be on them all the time in a place like that.

CandPthisyoufuckers · 28/04/2016 14:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RebeccaWithTheGoodHair · 28/04/2016 14:20

There is no dog in the world that costs five grand surely?! Not even Paris Hilton's teacup dogs.

Veterinari · 28/04/2016 14:21

The dog shouldn't have been there.
But as you knew it was there why didn't you ask the owner to remove it, or supervise your baby. She or one of the other children could easily have been bitten.

I'm astonished that just because a dog owner is dumb enough to bring her dog into a kids area, parents think it's ok to let their kids play with it unsupervised

BillSykesDog · 28/04/2016 14:24

She's a loon. But you should have been paying attention. Ignoring a mobile 9 month old in a public place because you're chatting is irresponsible.

CandPthisyoufuckers · 28/04/2016 14:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

coconutpie · 28/04/2016 14:46

I can't believe you left a 9mo baby unsupervised with a dog. You are lucky something worse didn't happen.

Janecc · 28/04/2016 14:51

I would just ignore her. She's a loon and not worth your consideration. If you are getting in the least bit concerned, what are the rules? Generally pets are banned from such enclosures - signs up and there is often cctv so the event will be on camera. Or perhaps you should go round and tell anyone who's listening that you are talking to a solicitor and threaten court action Grin.

curren · 28/04/2016 14:53

Your 9 month old is capable of getting up and walking off without you noticing?

Wow!

jumpjumpformylove · 28/04/2016 15:02

Chuckling loudly...
It all sounds a bit crazy to me. Running 9 month old who wasn't supervised even though you knew there was a dog there, screaming mother, shouting father, and the dog owner who thinks her dog is traumatised.

Not a bit of sanity in the whole "enclosure". I love it.

Bambooshoots14 · 28/04/2016 15:05

Is 9months a typo?

You should of been watching your imaginary baby

jumpjumpformylove · 28/04/2016 15:09

It's funny how parents are always only distracted "for a moment" too.

mikado1 · 28/04/2016 15:18

I have a 9mo who commando crawls at speed. Yes, you have to watch them constantly but especially when you knew there was a dog present. No he shouldn't have been there but you would have still felt awful guilty if she had been bitten. I would also say you should have been over earlier when your DNs approached the dog, they were also at risk. Our rule here is 'Don't touch a dog unless it's ok with the grown-up you're with and the owner'. Works well without being frightening. Being in a children's area and not having the dog on a lead were two big mistakes but the dog didn't approach your DD and as a pp said, she may have tugged at him.

Obviously the doggy psychiatrist is ridiculous and you did nothing wrong after the fact but hopefully you will take more care next time. Owner responsible for dog but you're responsible for your DD and DNs.

murphyslaws · 28/04/2016 15:21

Is this a real thread or made up? I can't work it out?

Where has op gone?

MrsTerryPratchett · 28/04/2016 15:26

I know a walking 9/10 mo. She's really little as well so it looks very odd.

WTF though. Leaving children to play unsupervised with a dog. Utter numpties all of you.

blueskyinmarch · 28/04/2016 15:29

Look at the OP’s user name. I think this is a made up story. Not a troll trying to pretend their story is real, but a blatant made up story.

bornwithaplasticspoon · 28/04/2016 15:33

Surely the op means 19 month old?

splendide · 28/04/2016 15:35

Presume typo for 19 months?

A11TheSmallTh1ngs · 28/04/2016 15:37

She's trying to head off your criticism of her dog. She is afraid you might report her.

She's wrong. The entire interaction was completely your fault. How can you let a 9 month old (or even a 19 month old) go play with a dog that you don't know? Supervise your children!