AIBU not to pay for decapitated teddy bear

[RestlessTraveller]

So I have a rescue dog who is lovely but has suffered appalling treatment in the past.
He loves meeting people but is very excitable so I am very careful when he is around people. Today I was sat outside a coffee shop and he was being extremely well behaving sitting beside my chair, a woman with a boy aged about 3 came
and sat at the table next to me. The little
boy asked if he could stroke the dog and I explained it was best not to as he might jump up at him. Cue an almighty tantrum, with him screaming "I want to stroke the puppy", his mother told him not to because the dog was obviously "vicious". I explained that he wasn't vicious just excitable. To which point the child yelled "nasty doggy" and kicked out at him missing my my dog, but very close by. I told him not to do it again and to go back and sit with his mother which he did but minutes later he threw his teddy bear at him at which point my dog looked at this soft toy on the ground, picked it up and promptly ripped it's head off. Whilst trying not to die of embarrassment I apologised but the mother completely flipped out, telling me that it was a dangerous dog and should be put to sleep. She then demanded that I pay for the toy. I told her that if he child hadn't thrown it the dog would never have got his paws on it and walked off. I don't think I was BU but my friend thinks I should have coffed up. What do you think?

And one that says 'Ignorant parent' ...

In all fairness, if the toddler would've tried to grab his toy back the dog would've most likely let him. There is a (small) chance he could've been nipped, but again the dog would've let go instantly as he wanted the toy not a hand.

Just wanted to point out that the little boy may have been younger than 3, a lot of people assume DS is about that age when he isn't 2 yet and I can imagine him tantrumimg about this.

The only inexcusable thing in this whole story is that the mum didn't tell the kid off for kicking, everything else is just a little unfortunate accident.

Hopefully when your DC grow up they will learn for themselves how wonderful a dog can be.

But - in all fairness - Navy, you too have an "attitude" (to use your term). You love dogs and think they're "wonderful". I can't stand them. I think all sorts of things are terrific that you may despise. We can all co-exist quite happily if your dog is under your control in a public place. I really get cross with people who allow their dogs to run up and sniff/lick/jump at people and simply cannot understand that someone else doesn't like it. That said - the OP sounded perfectly reasonable here. Her dog was under control and it was tormented by a badly behaved child. It bit a toy that was thrown in malice at it. So - unusually for me - I'm definitely on the side of the dog owner here!

I really get cross with people who allow their dogs to run up and sniff/lick/jump at people and simply cannot understand that someone else doesn't like it

You should save those comments for threads where that actually happened.

*RebeccaWithTheGoodHair

Artandco you absolute banana*

Way too late but this is the funniest thing I've read on mn since weeping bicyclemonkeys

As I said, I've tried not to - but I suppose I've failed as they are pretty nervous of them too. If I see a dog off its lead, I will get hold my children, for example - it's an instinctive response. I wouldn't call it hatred, to be fair - I just find it deeply unpleasant if they approach me. At any rate, my only point in mentioning this was to say that I am usually someone in these dog related situations who thinks the dog owner has been at fault...but in this case I'm with the OP.

SuburbanRhonda If you had actually read what I wrote in full - a) I was replying to Navy and b) I'm fully in agreement that the OP was quite right.

I'm not sure it is irrational - you don't know whether a dog is friendly or not when it races up to you without an owner in sight...

YANBU but the mother was VVVVVVVV unreasonable to let her son try to kick an animal without saying anything.

YANBU but the mother was VVVVVVVV unreasonable to let her son try to kick an animal without saying anything.

And - for all I'm not a dog lover - I wholeheartedly agree with this!

They haven't attacked me in the sense that you are thinking, but they have jumped up at me/my children and licked me. I don't find this frightening but I do find it deeply unpleasant. I'm also somehow a bloody magnet for dogs sniffing my crotch! I also find this really unpleasant and rather disconcerting. So I don't think it's entirely irrational. It's not that I think they will bite - I just find interactions with dogs unpleasant. So I would never have one or approach one. Equally, I think cruelty to them is abhorrent and if I'd been the mother in the OP's post I would have been very upset with my child and apologised profusely to the OP.

Yanbu. If the kid had thrown his teddy in front of a car would she have demanded the driver pay up? She wasn't supervising her child properly and was warned to avoid the dog. If would be different if he had accidentally dropped it there but obviously that wasn't the case. I'm impressed with your restraint given the mother failed to stop her kid trying to kick your dog!

Artandco
In some countries this is law anyway.
In what countries is this the law? I did a Google search (which may well be inaccurate) and the only country that I could find with a blanket law about muzzling all dogs is Italy. Some other countries insist that some breeds be muzzled or dogs that have proven to be dangerous must be.

Natalia, if you'd actually read what I wrote in full, it had nothing to do with whether you agree with the OP.

I was commenting on what you wrote about dogs coming up and licking people, which is irrelevant to this thread as it didn't happen.

It was very clear that Natalia wasn't accusing the OP of letting her dog do that. If we could all ONLY talk about the OP and never deviate, MN threads would be about 10 posts long.

Thank you IceRoad!

I would not have paid out either.

In some of the pp's admission the child isn't the OPs responsibility.

As the child behaved badly, it goes to the guardian of the child to take responsibility of the child and their actions.

I have a 3 year old and if she got upset she couldn't stroke a dog and kicked off I'd make her sit with me until she calmed down.

Equally the child throwing the toy is something a 3 year old would do but as its the child's actions I feel the parent should get a new one and explain.

If the dog snatched off the child then yes the owner should pay up no question.

My DD has had several dogs jump up at her- I'm surprised how stoic she is she just stands stock still. I never taught her how to react but we have a larger dog at home (guide dog) so anything smaller is kind of a new territory.

She knows not to stroke DSis's dog as he's old and a rescue who can't hear well so if he's alarmed he will panic. Plus he's a grumpy bigger.

I like dogs but you have to be sensible with them and not let them impact negatively on others lives.

I used to be terrified of dogs until. 14 and my friends Rottweiler of all things helped me not be afraid. She was a beauty and so gentle I was surprised.

I woke up one morning at a sleepover at friends house and the Rottweiler was laying across my chest, face in mine. I nearly pissed myself then it locked my face. It also had a habit of snogging your feet!

I find smaller dogs try to compensate for something and can be quite nippy.

I always get DD to ask if she strikes a dog or a cat (any pet really, bar a gold fish).

Anyway I digress.

Can we see a picture of contented terrier with stuffy jowls?

Yabu if you had an "excitable " child that destroyed a toy you would pay.

user1474907171

Sorry if I came across as critical of your post - I didn't mean to. I just commented that the Dogs' Trust sells them because it is a very worthwhile charity, and also mentioned why so that people wouldn't see the "Yellow Dog" scheme and immediately think "aggression".

Still friends, I hope