Who was unreasonable?

[FiddleWiddiRiddim]

Man and his son were in the park driving around two remote-control cars. A big dog was in the park off-lead, which is allowed at that time in the morning.

As they cross paths one remote-control car goes near the dog. Dog owner calls the dog over and tells the man and the son that the dog will pick up the car, run off and chew it if it comes too near him.

Man says "okay" and they move on.

Later, they cross paths again on a narrow path.

The dog owner calls her dog close as the man and his son get closer. The man/son keep their remote-control cars going as they pass so the car comes close to the dog.

The dog goes nuts, picks up the car and runs with it.

The dog owner calmly walks after her dog. The man starts yelling at the dog owner to get the car back. The son goes chasing the dog, which the dog completely loves and which gets the dog really excited meaning it runs further and throws the car around like a ragdoll.

After several minutes, the owner catches up with the dog. The toy car is very clearly knackered. The owner puts him on the lead and goes to leave the park. The man insists the dog owner needs to pay for a new car as the damage is her fault. The dog owner says she warned him about the car coming too close to her dog so he should've picked it up until they'd walked past the dog. Therefore, the damage is his fault and she won't be paying.

So, who's in the right? And WWYD?

[RoseLillian]

It sounds by the way it's worded you believe the dog owner is in the right. I totally disagree (while I don't deny the car owner was silly). Just because a dog is allowed off a lead in an area doesn't mean they should be off a lead. It is up to the owner to assess if their dog can be trusted. I have a relative who owns dogs who are so well trained that they really don't need a lead at all. However if you have a dog who is likely to act in a way that can be considered in any way antisocial then it should be on a lead. I certainly think damaging someone else's property falls into this category. What's more the dog owner obviously knew that this was a problem in the fact she felt the need to warn the car owner, yet still chose to let her dog off the lead.

[peanut2017]

Onyourtoes not silly at all just a different opinion to yours. If you know your dog is doing to react to something then I’m sorry it’s your responsibility to put them on their lead when you sense something could happen.

Didn’t think dogs needed to always be off their lead to get exercise?

[Onyourtoes]

Peanut - dogs need to get their heart rate up. Same as humans should. It would be a basic need of a dog and if you couldn’t meet this need it would be cruel to keep one.
You said dogs shouldn’t be off their lead in a public space. That would mean all dogs weren’t having their basic needs met if this was the case.
Entitled kids shouldn’t feel that everything should revolve around them and they should have picked up their toys. The owner called the dog over to them. If the father and son had of made some effort also by temporarily picking up their toy then the situation would be avoided with give and take from Both parties.

[cupcake007]

Car owner was warned by dog owner. Car owner ignored warning. Car owner is a dick. Yep, I'm a dog owner. 😜

[StefMay]

Dog owner at fault. Do the right thing and pay up, OK.

Just because you knew your dog would take the toy does not make you in the right.

If you can't call your dog to heel then maybe it should be on a lead. I had German shepherd so I'm no dog hater.

Small toy could be a toddler's face next time....

[peanut2017]

Onyourtoes if you don’t have good recall fo your dog then no they shouldn’t be off their lead IF you think they will react to something.

I walk in my local park every day and see good and bad behavior. Dog walkers let their dogs off the lead (despite the no dogs off the lead sign) and dogs owners with good recall to their dogs don’t have a problem however others you don’t sometimes let them run everywhere and have seen them go for people / small children.

In this situation the dog owner could have put the dog on the lead when they met the boy and father.

Not sure how you know the child was entitled

[MinervaSaidThar]

@Stefmay

Do the right thing and pay up, OK.

Just because you knew your dog would take the toy does not make you in the right.

If you can't call your dog to heel then maybe it should be on a lead.

Who are you talking to? The dog owner isn't on the thread.

[opedious]

The dog owner has to keep the dog under control at all times. Lead or no lead that dog was not under the owners control. No excuses she aught to pay.

[QuackPorridgeBacon]

The dog owner called the dog away when she seen the car, the car man and boy continued to steer the cars closer still. Therefore the car owners are at fault. Especially for chasing he dog when the situation was being dealt with by the dog owner. I think the law would side with the car owner though, unfortunately.