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.

but the woman absolutely freaked out shouting that the dog should be on a lead (in the middle of the Forest??).

are you for real? especially in/near a forest a dog should be on lead.

From a 4 month old puppy? How was that puppy going to reach the baby even?

Think people, think!

In the dark, if she didn’t like dogs and just saw something coming towards her, it may have frightened her and she reacted.
How the hell was she to know it was a 4 month old puppy? Maybe she is terrified of all dogs.

I hope your dog is OK, but the woman was clearly frightened and worried for her baby. Her response was justified.

I've also seen a dog run up to another dog the owner shouts 'she's friendly' but the dog then attacks the other dog leaving a poor old dog injured. I never trust dogs and wouldn't around my children.

You should train your dog to not approach people or other dogs without your permission. Some people are scared of dogs some dogs are scared of other dogs or aggressive to other dogs. I have an on lead dog who is fine with a brief butt sniff then move on but who will not tolerate prolonged contact with other dogs. She is very very dominate and will become aggressive if the other dog is not highly submissive. She has some tolerance for pups but not adolescent or adult dogs so I avoid all dogs as much as possible, off lead roaming so called 'friendly' dogs are the bane of our existence. Thankfully she is easily distracted by food and my other option is to run away in the opposite direction as a last resort I would kick a dog to keep it away and prevent a dog fight though I have never had to do so. If your dog will not come back when you call for them then don't let them off lead until you have trained them to do so. Under the revised dangerous dogs act a person only needs to feel threatened by your dog in order for your dog to be seized. They don't have to actually bite. Retrievers are a fair sized dog and even at 4 months can be intimidating to someone with a fear of dogs.

Retriever puppies are so much cuter than babies anyway.

YANBU. I think there is something very wrong with a woman who kicks a puppy who comes over to her and her baby, what a total fruitcake. As for those on here agreeing with her, I have no words, but I know people like you exist, and the world is a sadder place for it.

Kicking a puppy may reinforce negative behaviour and create distrust of other people. It could make the dog nervous and prone to snapping. Not a good idea to kick, but at 8pm should've been on a lead.

I like dogs fine, but hate them coming up to me unbid. When my daughter was a baby I used to carry her in a sling, and if there was any sign of danger whatsoever I would turn into a mother bear, whether I wanted to or not. If you wouldn't let your dog come between a ewe and its lamb, or a cow and its calf, then you probably shouldn't let it near a human mother or father, as they tend to have the same instincts, and will go a bit mental when threatened.

I have a 10 week old baby and would not have reacted like this at all! Sorry OP =( I would be very upset too.

You have to train them off lead somehow. You did it in a dog friendly park. If no one let their dog off lead before they were 100% at recall then no dogs would literally every be off lead!

You did nothing wrong. I have also had to train a puppy and would be mortified if someone did this

Did she kick the dog or move it with her foot? Big difference. Can’t imagine someone kicking a dog in front of it’s owner?

She shouldn't have kicked your dog, but I do hate it when people think its ok to let their dog bound up to me and it has no recall. My son is terrified of other peoples dogs so the 'don't worry he/she is friendly' bit from the doting dog owner isn't helpful. At all.

You are not coming across well at all on this thread @ChardonnaysPrettySister

We get it, you hate babies @ChardonnaysPrettySister

Do you?

and a cigarette ?

The OP won't be back, they're watching all this unfold from behind their phone screen with a box of popcorn.

And then there are people like you Flowerpot who have a clearly unreasonable reaction to a post where they have no intention of looking at both sides.
What does 'people like you' mean?

Flowerpot you do realise that dogs have killed babies? It's justified fear and people would feel the need to 'defend' themselves if the dog was under control.
A 4 month golden retriever puppy is not small and some people have had bad experiences.

BearsDontDigOnDancing has it. "Oh, he's friendly" gives me the rage, I'm afraid. I don't like dogs. I would never be cruel to one, but I don't want to be approached by them. I don't want them to be friendly to me and I don't want to be friendly back. Sounds like the lady was frightened and feared for her baby, so reacted instinctively. I'm sorry your dog was hurt, but if your dog's recall isn't perfect then it's probably best for the safety of everyone if she's on a lead.

"As for those on here agreeing with her, I have no words, but I know people like you exist, and the world is a sadder place for it."

Oh the drama! I have no words...except to tell you you make the world SAD!

Maybe the mother was worried that the dog would knock the fag out of her hand? She sounds like someone who likes the opportunity for a fight and by having your dog off the lead and running up to her, you gave her the opportunity. Its just a lesson learned for you OP, try not to dwell on it but please do not have your dog off lead in the dark he's too young and situations like this can come up again.

You are the kind of owner I loathe. I don't care how cute your dog is, don't let it approach people or unknown dogs. You have no idea how people or other dogs will react and whilst the woman sounds bonkers OTT, yabu to let a defenceless puppy go up to an unknown. My dog would eat it and there are malicious or scared people out there. Protect your pup, keep it on a lead (longline/harness, not a bloody retractable) til it recalls 100%.

It’s a puppy for goodness sake. I genuinely don’t know how anyone can be scared of a puppy so she was BU, not you imo.

When my dog was a few months old she ran up to a woman and her teenage daughter in the park and they both FREAKED. I mean they clung on to each other screaming at this 12 week old 2kg sheltie puppy I was in shock, most people squeal with glee at the sight of a puppy!!

The rest of us have to put up with their kids.......... give me a retriever any day - hope the sweetie is OK

4 month old golden lab, for those of you who think they're as small as those in the bog roll advert.