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??

Oh well, if there's a man there with two big dogs who would destroy someones property and shout at woman with her small child for a suggestion then I can now see how reasonable you are being.

Why did you feel the need to emphasise that you live on a "private" housing estate OP?

YANBU she needs to go elsewhere

YANBU. Annoying mum, annoying kid. Walk your dog there more often!

I didn't emphasise it teacake, I described what it was!

Sorry Navy was that random comment in response to me? Your point is unclear?

Yabu if you can't control your dog then it should be on a lead, end of story. What happens if a child is running with a ball/car/toy and your dog chases and grabs it?

The woman was only saying you should put your dog on a lead.

Why should the mum take the kid elsewhere? It's a park for everyone's use, not exclusively for dog walkers.

The law says you should always be in control of your dog, regardless of where it is. So, no, yanbu for walking your dog off the lead there. But he perhaps needs some more recall training. Could as easily be the kid is knocked over (or my DH scratched to hell when out running by 'he's just friendly' doggies. You have to be able to call them back.

I'm a dog owner

Mama, I fully intend to! To be fair I've been walking him here for over a year - I'm not going to stop now just because some entitled cow has suddenly decided she owns the place! There are loads of places her kid could play and only one of two places I can exercise my dog. She's just going to have to crack on with finding somewhere else!

A few of us dog walkers are meeting in there tomorrow and they will all be off leads and charging around a playing together (as they have done for months) so that should be fun for her if she turns up

NB I've told dog owners with badly trained mutts that I'm scared of them when their dog leaps up to me/slobbers on me/ grabs my food to make the point that unless you can recall your dog then it shouldn't be off the lead.

I love dogs, either train them or keep them on a lead in public places though.

Where did the op say she couldn't control her dog?

I'm not a dog lover, but YANBU! I wouldn't take my kids to play in a designated dog area. How ridiculous! Just as I wouldn't expect you to take your dog to a kids' play area!

YANBU, I'm not a dog fan. My kid is afraid of dogs. We don't go to dog walking areas, dogs don't come to the play areas, works really well. We all share the beach.

My response would be more like "whoops, sorry about! Usually only dog walkers are here so i didn't expect that, the council advise us to use it. I'd be very careful to be honest, there's some bigger quite dogs here regularly that could destroy it which would be a shame"

Whatever the response you wouldn't see her again I guess. If she does, she knows the risk and her choice. It's quite likely without any signs or a doo of her own she'd care or even register where the dogs are walked.

Surely places are dog free (enclosed play park) or dog friendly? I'm not sure where the options are to go that are so readily available where dogs won't be hanging out?

If I take my kids to the play park, we have to walk through a couple of miles of country park, with dogs racing around. It would be ludicrous to suggest that my kids should somehow teleport to the playpark. Therefore they have to walk past dogs who shouldn't bound up to them or attack their toys.

The mother in this case clearly lacks any sense & was lucky it wasn't one of those Akitas that she encountered.
Having said that, I firmly believe all dogs should be on a lead in public. I say that as a dog lover/ owner.

... and YOU don't think YOU own the place? Right.

Sounds like you are just too alike to resolve it

I don't think she's an entitled cow.

Just train your dog properly!

Why should the mum take the kid elsewhere?

Of course she doesn't have to. It just seems rather illogical to take your dog fearful child to a place where dogs are encouraged, and then complain about dogs.

But y'know that's her 'right' as a parent I suppose.

You are right to be annoyed I would be as that's exactly what my dog would do, she's in the wrong and so not change your dog walk route hopefully she will.

Bollocks it's not actually a designated dog walking area then is it? There are dog shit bins all round my village and a notice board doesn't mean it's specifically for dog walking

You need to control your dog.