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AIBU?

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Original poster

Neighbours dog has just attacked me and DD.

861 replies

katkat90 · 27/01/2019 18:39

Have had issues with them in the past

They are elderly, with two large breed dogs (think Great Danes?). They cannot control them. Honestly the amount of times I have seen them nearly pull them over in the street/simply pull out of their grasp and go bouncing off and jumping all over people is untrue.

Was walking back from the shop and saw them coming from a distance so I stepped to the side into another neighbours driveway and next thing I know- one of them had pulled out of its owners grasp and came bounding over and knocked DD (who is just about getting confident with her toddling) over.

It was over in seconds- by the time I put the break on the pram (was stood on a slopes drive so it would of ran off into the road) and went to grab DD she was already on the floor the dog barking at her- so I kicked it to get it away, and it bit my leg.

I was furious. Owner very embarrassed an apologetic but I’ve said enough is enough and I would be contacting the police and the RSPCA.

Heaven forbid it bounded on the pram and just decided to bite my 2 week old. It would of taken her head off no doubt.

V shaken and waiting for DH to get home to call the police and RSPCA.

I’ve also messaged his daughter on Facebook

OP posts:
nicoala1 · 27/01/2019 19:28

Yes,

Substitute dog for human who did the same thing.

What do you think would happen there?

Pissedoffdotcom · 27/01/2019 19:30

Ignore the superheroes telling you not to react. Your daughter was on the floor with a dog as big as a small pony barking over her - yes you will react. Get it reported asap. If they cannot control the dogs to the point they are letting go of the leads then the dogs are classed legally as out of control.

Deadbudgie · 27/01/2019 19:30

And for those saying the woman was right to kick the dog- no she wasn’t, by attacking the dog this could have escalated so much more. She was clearly putting herself and her child in danger by kicking the dog. Was the dog just barking in tge excitement or had it got its lips drawn back in a snarl? If it was an aggressive dog the skin would hand been broken.

If an aggressive jogger ran past your child knocked them over and started shouting would you kick the jogger, or would you think, not sure if this could turn nasty if I go in for the attack Let’s just walk away

Firesuit · 27/01/2019 19:31

I agree with turning your back, that shows you aren't afraid. If you walk away slowly, it may interpret that as an invitation to chase, by ready to swivel your head every few steps, as soon as you make eye contact again it will stop, and you can repeat the instruction to bugger off. Eventually it will lose interest.

MissSusanScreams · 27/01/2019 19:31

Oh do fuck off if you are preaching to the OP.

If a dog attacks my child I would also do my best to defend them. And in the moment it is often difficult.

People who value a dog being kicked over the well being of a child need to give their heads a wobble.

Dogs who can’t be controlled should not be in public spaces. That is how tragic accidents happen.

M3lon · 27/01/2019 19:31

you know what would be great? Not needing a PhD in dog psychology in order for it to be safe to walk to the shops with children.

There is just no justifiable reason for dog owners to make their choice of pets the problem of anyone other than themselves.

Passing4Human · 27/01/2019 19:31

nicoala1 Sun 27-Jan-19 19:15:18
What if a human attacked like this? Would you fight for you and your child's life and kick the perp? And then that person bites you for doing this?

No, if a human accidentally knocked my daughter over I wouldn't kick him. If the man then bit me I guess I'd be very surprised? Confused

PoliticalBiscuit · 27/01/2019 19:33

@RavenMaven @EyesUnderARock

I really do not intend to victim blame. The OP absolutely did what they felt was the best thing to do to keep their children safe. My post was in response to all those who agree in the same scenario they would kick the dog. Of course, fight or flight you don't know what you'd do. I'm not saying she did wrong. But I am saying kicking a barking dog is always a terrible idea.

So, what would I do? Do not stare at dog, turn side on so you are ready to flee or fight but showing you do not want to fight, be ready with my feet to stomp if being attacked. Stand still, deep booming voice saying NO, hand finding mobile to call 999.

Flailing limbs (e.g. putting leg out to kick, flapping hands to shoo away are all bad) running away just alerts a chase instinct.

This video is similar and useful

Pissedoffdotcom · 27/01/2019 19:33

What would have happened if OPs DD had kicked the dog? End of the day the owners cannot control it. Therefore should not have the dog. Only way to start the ball rolling is to call the police. This bullshit of 'didnt break the skin so not a bite' is ludicrous. And i'm a dog lover!!

Honeyroar · 27/01/2019 19:34

I'm an animal person, I have three dogs. I think that it sounds like the dogs need rehoming, that these owners aren't capable of controlling them. I don't think they need putting down, I think that the dog bit because it was kicked, but I totally understand why you kicked it, I'd have done the same. Who knows what would've happened if you hadn't got your daughter away from those dogs. There really could've been an attack. Up until then it was just out of control, anti social dogs (which isn't good by any means). Definitely not worthy of 999, but definitely worth calling the dog warden and 101. I don't think the RSPCA would have cause to get involved here (they barely act when they do!).

Wordthe · 27/01/2019 19:34

She was clearly putting herself and her child in danger by kicking the dog
no, the dog owners have put the public in danger with their out of control dogd
we should not have to deal with out of control predators in an urban setting

M3lon · 27/01/2019 19:35

or...and this might sound crazy...but maybe people could stop bringing dangerous animals into spaces with children in them?

Biggerknickersagain · 27/01/2019 19:35

Dog was out of control, which led to a chain of events where the child was knocked over, the dog kicked and the OP bitten. OP defends child, dog defends itself.
I can fully understand the reaction of the OP and the dog to be honest. Not defending the dog, but it bit in response to being kicked, it was kicked in response to knocking down a small child and barking at her. Both reactions are natural defence.
It doesn't matter what the dogs intentions were, it should never have got that far in the first place, because the dog should have been under control.

It's not the dogs fault, nor is it the OPs, the dogs need to be somewhere where they are trained and under control properly, that's only going to happen if they're reported by the sounds of it.
I do think it probably wasn't a 'full' bite, from a description of the damage, more a reactionary bite to the kick. By sheer size and strength a great Dane would have done far more damage if it had bitten really hard - but - it shouldn't have been in the position to be kicked and then bite in the first place.
Report it to the police and ensure your skin wasn't broken at all, dogs mouths have all sorts of bacteria, I'd make sure you give it a good wash just in case.

Passing4Human · 27/01/2019 19:35

I think people should stop telling each other to fuck off on this thread.

Dogs were obviously not under control and that needs dealt with as the OP will be doing. But I find the advice of what to do if a dog approaches useful actually. I'm not wanting a "PhD in dog psychology" either, but knowing about turning my back is useful as someone was explaining.

AmyFl · 27/01/2019 19:35

If a dog knocked over my child I'd do a lot worse than kick the fucker.

Elfinablender · 27/01/2019 19:36

As the OP. is very blase about phoning the police (made numerous excuses as to why she can't)

I wouldn't want to phone the police with a toddler and a baby under foot during bedtime either. I'd just wait for back so I could answer questions without having to settle kids to sleep. Confused

Helpmelmaooo · 27/01/2019 19:37

She kicked the dog because it was barking at her baby, of course she is going to protect her child when there is the possibility of the dog hurting her. The dogs need to be seized asap as it is cruel for the elderly couple to keep them if they cannot control them, the next time this happens it really could happen to a 2 week old baby? You need to call the police now OP and go to out of hours for a tetanus jab.

Serin · 27/01/2019 19:37

Cant believe OP is being given a hard time over this.
She has just given birth.
With a 2 week old and a toddler I'd be feeling pretty protective too.
Maybe it wasn't a great idea to kick out at the dog but without experience of dog behaviour how was she expected to know this?
Was my DS wrong to kick the (free roaming) staffy that was shaking our (leashed)Lhasa apso by the neck?
Sometimes MN makes me feel sick.
Congratulations on your new baby OP and please ring the police, these dogs are out of control.

EyesUnderARock · 27/01/2019 19:39

PoliticalBiscuit, what dog owners don’t seem to understand is that we don’t want to have to go through all that rigmarole just to walk, jog or ride a bike safely in the vicinity of a dog. We want dogs to ignore us, and if they don’t then the consequences should be extremely severe.
Why is that so difficult to understand?

Windinmyhair · 27/01/2019 19:39

As a non dog owner I shouldn’t HAVE to know what to do in case of a dog attack. It is the DOG OWNER who should make sure this doesn’t happen. They didn’t. The dog was standing over OPs child. Quite frankly seeing some of the horrific Injuries that can happen from dog attacks, no one should judge OP for what she did in the heat of the moment.

MoreCheeseDear · 27/01/2019 19:40

If you engage your brain think about a large dog that actually was attacking rather than using its mouth to fend off a kick would certainly have broken the skin and would likely have brought down the adult.

You are clearly being goady. No one is that stupid. The dogs are out of control near children. They need to be put down. Full stop. Children matter more than dogs. Humans matter more than dogs.

AnyFarrahFowler · 27/01/2019 19:40

The people on here defending the dog (!!!) need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. It is an animal. It was out of control. I would have kicked it repeatedly to get it away from my children.
OP I hope you and your children are ok and that the dog is destroyed.

missbattenburg · 27/01/2019 19:41

Ah, a bit of the old "all dog owners think the same", "all non-owners think the same" crap....

Different day, same old argument.

MightyMoose · 27/01/2019 19:41

That all sounds very scary but kicking an aggressive dog is never going to have a good outcome. If the dog had been attacking your child then of course kicking it or really doing whatever you have to would have been the only recourse. In the situation you describe you'd have been safer to have stood stone still with your children behind you and avoided eye contact.

You absolute should report it as the dogs are out of control but it's worth reviewing what you could have done better to keep yourself safer in the future.

MilkTrayLimeBarrel · 27/01/2019 19:41

Lesson learned I hope - do not kick dogs.

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