To be upset at a woman kicking my friendly 4 month old golden retriever?

[Marshmallowpops]

I am so upset. I've just come back from a walk with my puppy. She's a lovely friendly golden retriever. I've been letting her off leash in the local park as the trainer said it's best to do it early. She is really friendly and loves to play with other dogs- she often meets them all for a play date in the park in the morning- there are always lots of dogs off leash in this park. Normally when there aren't other dogs she trots along beside me, sometimes going off to sniff but coming back when called. She's not too bothered about people but will say hello and sit down (not jump up) as she is trained to do. Today it was dark at 8pm and I let her off as normal, she just trots along and comes back when called. But today she saw two women, one with a baby in a carrier) so went over to say hello (she's normally not bothered but today was a little hyper), but she just trotted over like she does, really gently and not aggressive at all. I said to the woman 'don't worry she won't jump up she'll just sit down and say hello', but before my puppy had even reached the woman, the woman started kicking her away! I could understand if the dog seemed aggressive but she's the sweetest thing. She kicked her repeatedly, my puppy came back to me, I put her on the lead, and the other woman started having a go at me asking if I thought it was acceptable for my dog to go over and attack her baby. She was smoking a cigarette. I wanted to say that is going to cause more harm to the baby than my dog ever would but I didn't. I know of course that as a mother you are very protective of your baby but I just would never attack a friendly dog. Maybe they've had bad experiences in the past. I'm just very upset. I know not everyone likes dogs but that park is so dog busy that I thought everyone was used to it by now. I think I'll keep her on a lead at night until she's really 100% with recall. She's about 90% now. So I know there will be people who say I'm in the wrong letting her off but if she had an aggressive bone in her body I would never let her off.

"That's hilarious, when you look at what people get up to, child abuse, murder, animal cruelty, wars, torture, robberies, gun/knife crime....."

1. Most people don't do those things either.
2. Dogs don't do those things because they don't have the mental capacity (or the thumbs) to do them. Not because they are a superior species.

ITS NOT A FUCKING DOG, ITS A TINY PUPPY

The route we use is used by dogwalkers, school run parents, college, workers going to their offices (it's a cut through to a massive business park) either on foot or by bike etc.

If I'm on the school run, I'll happily stop and fuss every doggo that comes my way.

That bloke in his smart suit on his way to work, don't care that it's not a fucking dog, just a tiny puppy they have as much right to walk through that park without being jumped up and his outfit ruined as the girl going to school with her mum should expect not to have her uniform ruined on the way to school does..

"That's hilarious, when you look at what people get up to, child abuse, murder, animal cruelty, wars, torture, robberies, gun/knife crime....."
1. Most people don't do those things either.
2. Dogs don't do those things because they don't have the mental capacity (or the thumbs) to do them. Not because they are a superior species.

So you're saying that it's superior to abuse children, murder...... etc., there's something seriously wrong with your reasoning there.

Oh and as it's Mumsnet, I should have mentioned domestic abuse along with all the other superior traits we have as humans.

Dogs may not commit gun crime, but they do lick their own and other dogs arses.

!

So you're saying that it's superior to abuse children, murder...... etc., there's something seriously wrong with your reasoning there
you're the one who cant reason or grasp straightforward concepts! Ropsleybunny

I have a dog, a spaniel, so smaller than a golden retriever, but he could knock me over at 4 or 5 months. I don't let him off lead in parks, where he is likely to see children, because he is friendly and would run up to them and they may be frightened.

It's true that dogs by and large are loyal and unfailingly pleased to see their human companions, because of that humans find them rewarding.

Dogs dont lie or cheat not because they are virtuous but because they dont have brains complex enough to do those things.

It seems to me that many dog owners get confused and think that because a dog doesnt do bad things that makes it morally superior to humans.
Dogs are not capable of moral or immoral actions

This is thread is getting a bit daft. I don't care how morally superior a dog might be, I'm still not going to let it bite me and if I feel threatened I will give any dog a good welly to prevent being bitten.

If you don't want your dog to be kicked by me, keep your dog away from me.
It's the same problem - I don't know which dogs bite, and dog owners don't know which humans will retaliate if they think they're being attacked.
If only somebody would invent something that would keep a dog from approaching strangers..... something that let the dog run around a bit but still be under the owner's control..... hmmmmmm.......

EUREKA!!!! I'VE GOT IT!!!
I just invented .... the lead!!!!!
No more bitten people. No more kicked dogs. It's fucking genius!!!!

I do however think it is a bit of a mental aberration to "prefer dogs to people" - that borders on the pathological
That's hilarious, when you look at what people get up to, child abuse, murder, animal cruelty, wars, torture, robberies, gun/knife crime.....

what about all the amazing human achievements,art literature, technology, architecture, flight, the internet space travel, no dog has ever built created or invented anything.

yes some dogs perform useful working roles for humans, not because they have a highly developed sense of altruism but because human have selectively bred dogs to have certain characteristics and then they train dogs for certain roles.

A dog is a mere tool which humans use for their own purposes or in most case a pointless living toy which humans keep to amuse and indulge themselves with

I do however think it is a bit of a mental aberration to "prefer dogs to people" - that borders on the pathological
That's hilarious, when you look at what people get up to, child abuse, murder, animal cruelty, wars, torture, robberies, gun/knife crime.....

what about all the amazing human achievements,art literature, technology, architecture, flight, the internet space travel, no dog has ever built created or invented anything. I get it now, all those "amazing" achievements" negates all the horrible stuff!

A dog is a mere tool which humans use for their own purposes or in most case a pointless living toy which humans keep to amuse and indulge themselves with

I'm sure my neighbour who is blind, and relies on her guide dog to get out and about, would completely agree with you.

don't let your dog off lead unless you are 100% sure it will come back to you. not everyone finds your dog cute.

How do you find that out without letting them off the lead?

Sorry OP but you are every person who has a dog phobia’s worst nightmare. “He’s only a puppy”, “he’s just being friendly”, etc are not helpful when you actually don’t know what a random do is going to do. Do not let your dog jump up at people, keep it on a lead. ‘Hyper’ to you may be ‘too much’ to others. Not everyone thinks your dog is cute or lovely

I get it now, all those "amazing" achievements" negates all the horrible stuff!
ha ha,very amusing, I'm sure you understand really that it doesnt make much sense to say that dogs are better than humans because they are different categories of things.
Humans are capable of good and terrible things, a dog can only do dog things... it is a neotenized wolf and without human intervention would still be a wolf

The people I know who claim to prefer dogs to humans are pretty nasty and unkind to humans themselves. I wouldn’t trust someone who said this, as far as I could throw them

Also I find it a bit weird when people say “but humans commit murder and dogs don’t” you’re comparing apples with oranges.

Does anyone remember a few years back the thread that asked would you save a dog or a child from a burning building? The responses were depressing, with several people choosing their pets over their own kids. And seeing nothing wrong with it

I wouldn’t want a dog jumping up and covering me in mud. This happened and I was annoyed. I wouldn’t kick a dog unless it attached me (which it didn’t) but I would tell you to get it on a lead.

Both people were in the wrong here but the OP caused the problem by having it off the lead- when it was hyper?!!!!! Seriously not the mothers fault.

How has this become a debate about dogs having morals?

Of course they do, mine is a feminist vegan who works at a soup kitchen for the homeless EVERY Christmas.

Mumsnet truly is ridiculous at times

Love this thread. A couple absolutely flipped out at my OH a few weeks ago when he physically pushed their puppy away that was jumping over our kids and their food. They were gobsmacked that anyone wouldn’t love their puppy and would push it. When I told them they were in the wrong for not having their dog under control, they continued to be astonished that we weren’t tolerating their dog. Their reaction left me questioning my instinct (I do love doggies, and would usually want to play with a pupper! So could kinda understand what they were —shouting— saying) that we acted reasonably. It’s properly played on my mind. But this thread has lifted a little weight :) thank you YABU voters!

My husband regularly cycles on a designated cycle path where lots of dog owners think it is good idea to walk their dogs off the lead - and lots of dogs think it is a good idea to chase cyclists.

I regularly walk my dog, off lead, on public footpaths through woods and fields. Bikes are only allowed to be ridden on bridleways, but barely a week goes by without us having to leap out of the way as maniac mountain bikers come hurtling down the winding paths at breakneck speed. For while, I decided that I wasn't going to scramble around in the undergrowth to avoid them and just stopped in the middle of the path so that they had to slow down or hit me. The abuse I got for this was unbelievable.

One such eejit hit a small dog and didn't even stop to see if it was ok (it, wasn't it had a broken pelvis that required £700 worth of surgery).

Anti-social and illegal behaviour isn't restricted to dog owners, and off-road cyclists are among the rudest and most arrogant people I have ever encountered.

My son was repeatedly nipped by a very 'friendly' puppy which was as big as he was at the time. They do not always show aggression before biting.

It's not an aggression thing with puppies, generally. Unfortunately, all puppies nip until they're taught not to. When you see a litter of puppies playing together, they nip each other all the time. And puppy teeth are like little needles and they HURT! Thankfully, it's easy to train them out of it (whimpering like a hurt puppy every time they do it worked a treat with both my puppies) but it's one of the reasons why I'm very cautious about young puppies and kids.

It's really helpful if parents train their kids not to approach a dog, and definitely not to touch one, until they've asked the owner if it's ok.

Lakie
I know that its a puppy thing but my son didnt approach the dog it was off lead on the street and jumped up on him several times before I could pick him up.
Of course I got the 'He is just a puppy, he likes kids' crap while my son was nipped and scratched by its claws. I didnt even think thats its claws would leave marks through his clothes until we got home and I stripped him off.