To have told this woman to take her kid somewhere else to play?

[KeepingOnAndOn]

We live on a very large private housing estate. It has a vast number of kids parks, little sports fields and safe places to play. It also has a couple of designated dog walking areas.

Naturally I take my dog to the dog walking areas - one in particular I like as it's away from houses, away from roads, is surrounded by trees and is a good mucky, mini wilderness for my dog to go nuts in.

I can let him off his lead here as we're normally the only ones there and if not, it's just other adults with dogs which he's fine with. If he sees a child, he will run up to them and beg for attention which is why I don't take him around the kiddy areas.

Anyway we've had no problem with this for over a year now. Until last week he was off happily exploring the wooded area when he caught a glimpse of a woman, little kid and remote control car. As they get closer he sees the car and immediately goes chasing after it, the kid screamed, the woman freaked out and the dog pounced on the car and sent it flying. I managed to grab him, apologised, picked up the car and checked it over and all was well (apart from the kid telling his mum that he doesn't like "that" stupid dog 🙄).

Tonight - same area and what comes flying through the trees but this remote control car. Dog goes nuts trying to chase it, kid screams - I grab dog before the car gets it. At this point the woman says "can't you keep that dog on a lead? My son is scared of dogs and it's putting him off coming here!" 😳 I say "you realise this is a dog walking area? That's why he isn't on a lead. There are loads of kids play parks around and only two dog walking areas". She replies "well he doesn't like playing there as the other kids get in the way of his car, this is a nice open space for him. If you kept your dog controlled it wouldn't be a problem!".

So to this I said I would not be prepared to keep my dog on a lead in what is a designated dog area, lots of dog owners use the area to let their dogs off the lead and if it's a problem for her she shouldn't use it!

She stormed off ranting on about shitty attitudes, people who put dogs before kids and selfish idiots.

I refrained from calling her the stupid loony cow that she so obviously is.

AIBU to think she's bat shit crazy to suggest her kid takes priority in a DOG WALKING area??

YANBU

I am a bit wary around dogs, and my ds is scared of them, so I am not a fan of dogs at the school gate and dogs in play parks, but you were in an area where dogs ate welcome, so if her ds was scared of dogs then they shouldn't have gone there!

YANBU in the slightest, and I say that as someone who is not a dog person!

YABU and YANBU OP. Regardless of it being a dog walking area, your dog shouldn't be off lead if it doesn't have a recall. You did not have your dog under control.

Equally she should probably be taking her son else where if he doesn't like dogs but I think you are more U.

Ohhh, well if people refer to it as a dog walking area and there are... dog poo bins then by all means let your dog run at small children!

I am not a dog person at all but I think she was BU, why would you take a child who is afraid of dogs to a dog walking area to play?

Ignore and carry on walking your dog

YA definitely NBU!

If people take their kids to dog walking areas, then they have to expect t meet dogs. If they do things that get dogs over-excited (e.g. remote control cars, running and screaming etc) ten they have to expect that dogs will respond in a dog-like manner (i.e. chase and jump).

In an ideal world, every dog (and child) would be trained to a wold, but we live in the real world and animals need to learn, and are therefore restricted to certain areas..

The mother is an entitled cow.

YANBU if it's clearly a dog walking area then she is bonkers, or just looking for an argument.

Dogs off leads in the local park/ rec does annoy me, particularly when they come right up to me etc. BUT in the country park then I just have to suck it up. It's basically a dog walking zone! Anyone can walk (or jog in my case) there and dogs need somewhere to run and it's away from kids, livestock, roads etc so fair enough.

I don't like dogs much and am a bit scared of dogs off lead. Because of that there is no way I'd have a little jaunt through a dog walking area. This woman must be a very special kind of stupid to take her child, who is scared of dogs, to a dog walking area.

Yanbu at all.

No complaints from me (mother of littleach ones and I am not a dog fan!!)

Stand your ground here.

Oh right, so it isn't a designated dog walking area after all. Maybe that changes things a bit.

Does 'dog walking area' mean somewhere that you're allowed to have your dog off a leash though, or somewhere that people walk their dogs?

My dog has excellent recall so I don't mind having him off lead. My sister's dog, however, is a little shite and I'd never trust him off lead, even in a 'designated area'.

Take a bag of sweets next walk to say 'sorry' - kid will love you and it will wind dm up!!
Saves you being stressed every time you go out, worrying that you will see them - which will defeat the object of a dog walk to unwind - and smile to yourself knowing you are just humouring her not really apologising!

She is entitled and unreasonable. And also lucky, as my dog would have caught and eaten the car (very fast lurcher) before she had time to shout.

I think YABU, it isn't a designated dog area it is an area people walk their dogs. Your dog should come back to you when you call it, otherwise keep it on its leash until
It can respond to basic commands.

True, but Navy, if you had a child who was afraid of dogs would you take them to a place often frequented by dogs to play?

I would be thrilled if there was a dog walking area around here as it would have meant the regular parks would have fewer dogs in them (I don't mind dogs but they aren't great when they chase a football the children are playing with, something that happened a few times when my children were small). YANBU.

My boy is grown now but when he wanted to play his remote control car without other children around we went to the park very early in the morning when it was quiet.

So it's not an official designated area?

Sorry, then but, yes, YABU.

(and I'm a dog lover who wants to muzzle people and their kids who go all screaming abdab the minute a dog gets within 20 yards of them)

If the problem is that he needs an open space for his car there is a very simple solution. Let the dog eat the car.

Agree with Navy if it's not actually a 'designated dog walking area' then dog needs better recall. Dog bins means dogs are welcome, it doesn't mean its only for dogs.

Dog owner also.

I am not a dog fan, but you are most definitely right. She is a looney.

YADNBU.

It's a designated dog area, the kids have their own designated areas. I don't know how she can't understand that. You and she are lucky to have designates spaces so she should respect that.

My children are terrified of dogs but I completely agree with you. On the basis of the amount of play areas and the fact that it's a designated dog walking area I would avoid it assuming that it would contain dogs off the lead.