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.

Its totally beyond the realms of my comprehension how anyone could do that to a tiny curious innocent adorable and trusting puppy.
Keep her on the lead in future. I'm not having a pop at you, but. There are too many wicked cunts about.

Sounds like a busy park for 8pm in November

Golden retriever*

A 4 month old puppy? The only danger you’re in is of being licked to death🙄

Kicked repeatedly? So the dog didn’t back off after the first kick?

I adore their little smiles.

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

Think people, think!*

I have a 4 month old springer. He could absolutely jump high enough to reach something I was carrying in my arms (and I am 5 ft 8) if he really wanted to and had a running start. No problem.

He is also not a little puppy. He is about half a metre tall and weighs around 11kg. And springers are generally smaller than goldies.

Oh, and whilst we are doing loads of off lead training it is ALL where there is no one else. I wouldn't dream of turning him lose around other people yet. I can also imagine always slipping a lead back on him when babies are in the area regardless of how good his recall gets. Both dogs and mothers start to behave a little skewy when babies are involved :) Best for everyone that the dog is visibly under my control.

Kicking a dog is wrong. Kicking your legs out to get a dog away from you when your arms are taken up with a baby is understandable. The fail is the OP's for allowing her dog to get into that situation, imo.

I am terrified of dogs, all dogs. I wouldn’t kick one unless it was being aggressive. I’ve seen a friendly family “oooh don’t worry, she wouldn’t hurt a fly” dog, bite someone’s lip off!

I hate dogs off leads in public places.

This thread is scary.

And not because of the puppy.

Have a word with yourselves.

She didn’t actually kick your dog though, did she? She just shooed it away before it reached her.

And I’m not convinced she had a cigarette (and even if she did, classic as hominem argument).

Not everyone's a fan of dogs although if your dog came near me there's a good chance I'm kidnapping them

Ad hominem*

They are lovely lovely dogs, no-one is denying that, and I am sure the little poppet would never hurt a chuffing FLY.

But a mother's instinct is to protect her BABY. In the dark, this LARGE puppy would have looked like a medium sized DOG to this woman. A PITBULL is smaller than a 4 month old retriever, and so is a jack russell, and THEY have been known to KILL BABIES. How did the woman know this dog was not going to harm her baby?

SO, to the dog-loving baby-hating peeps on here, just get THAT thought into your skulls!

Where the hell is the OP?

I played with a friend’s 4 month old labradoodle on my way home tonight. Teeth like needles. Also licking, but mostly chewing.

And ChardonnaysPrettySister, don't ever take your dogs anywhere out in public.

If the woman wasn't carrying a baby I would have kicked her back, nasty bitch!
I would have pointed out smoking in front of her baby is dangerous for her health.

Everyone who purports to be a dog lover and stick up for this hyper 'cute puppy' clearly doesnt know wtf a medium size breed puppy looks at at this age, in the dark. Puppy does not = small.

Please keep your dog on a lead until she is trained not to approach strangers. Particularly mothers with babies. It doesn't matter how small and 'cute' she is. People think she might jump up, trip them, snap at the baby, generally be a nuisance. I hate being approached by dogs, even if they just want to sniff. When I had my baby in the carrier I kicked a Jack Russel who kept jumping at my legs in the park, because I saw it as a threat.

I don't care how friendly and harmless people think their dogs are. If any dog so much as pants too close to my DS, he WILL start swelling up (he's very allergic).

I was in shock, most people squeal with glee at the sight of a puppy!!

Well, now you have learnt that not everybody squeals with glee.

Letting a dog off its lead so it can barge up to babies is effing dangerous too @slothmama

I cannot believe some of the shit people are coming out with on here.

@Marshmallowpops I’d have followed the Bitch out the park filming her and calling the police as I went. It’s not against any law to have a puppy off lead in a public park.

Get her mug shot plastered all over dog sites on fb.

I would kick a strange dog bounding over to my baby too.
Keep it on a leash or don't have it in public places.

Assuming this is real and MNHQ don't get rid of this it has everything thread.

If your dog approached mine at 8/9pm at night in the UK I would be fuming at you, I don't give a flying shit how cute your dog is, how friendly your dog is, I don't want it near my dog aggressive dog.

I also love dogs but at times I don't want a dog near me and if it doesn't have a recall I would make sure it wasn't welcome