AIBU about dog at the park?

[atthepark]

Was at the park tonight with my dd6 who has asd. She was playing in the play park that is fenced off with a gate when a Labrador came running in the park towards her. This caused my dd to start screaming and running away. The dogs owner made no attempt to get the dog and I asked her to put the dog on a lead and keep control of it. The woman then started shouting at me saying My daughter was out of control and my daughter should be locked up if that's how she is going to react to a friendly dog approaching her. I tried to explain that my dd has asd and has a fear of dogs but she was not listening.
I am still shaking up by this even though it happened hours ago so was IBU asking to put her dog on a lead?

Another shit owner giving the rest of us dog owners a bad name. If the lab came in the fenced off area then she is even more of a shit owner

But beware op you will get some posters accusing you of another dog bashing post and will say your child should be taught not to be scared of dogs and dogs have a right to be everywhere

Why did they enter the play park?

Dogs shouldn't approach other people unless invited to, especially children. My dog struggles with this which is why she stays on the lead around other people until she gets better manners

No off lead dog should run up to anyone. Certainly not into a play park meant for kids. By law dogs have to be under control and not intimidate members of the public. That includes children
She was an arse.
Your child shouldn’t have been approached by this dog. Friendly or not. That’s not the point.
And yes I have a dog. She doesn’t run up to people and will follow my hand movements and move out of the way and off the path to avoid kids or nervous people. Because she is trained and I’m not an arsehole.
Hope you and your child are ok OP.

I had the same thing with a woman and her 2 boxers in the public park. They ran over to my son. My son ran, and wouldn't stop and the dogs ran after him. I started running after them and shouting at DS to stop and the woman was furious! 😂 we apparently made a scene when her dogs were just being friendly. Called us stupid. I honestly wanted to punch her fucking lights out but laughed it off and told her to stop being a grump. Didn't want my son to see me have an altercation. DS was fine after I calmed him down. People should keep their dogs on lead if they know their dogs are likely to bound up to kids.

Dogs shouldn't be in children's play parks - end of..!! They are for kids not dogs, walk your dogs else where. I would of been raging had that been my child and the owner reacted in that way.

No, YWNBU to ask her to get her dog under control. A dog which rushes up to children is a menace and should be on a lead anyway.

I love dogs OP but they absolutely should be kept away from anyone who doesn’t like them. The woman was completely in the wrong. It makes me furious when people let their enormous dogs bound up to my 3 year old - she adores dogs and I don’t want her scared of them due to irresponsible owners.

Thanks everyone just wasn't sure if it was unreasonable to ask her to put the dog on it's lead.
@Bambamber the dog came in first, it ran into the gate that hadn't had the latch put on properly and got in. Then the owner came over and that's when I asked her to put the dog on a lead.

@atthepark
I’m sorry that happened to your little girl.
I agree dogs should be muzzled in parks so children particularly toddlers can play without fear.

I’m a dog lover, have been around and owned dogs all my life.

And I can say, without any doubt - that woman is a cunt. For what she said about your frightened daughter and her utter inability to understand that not everyone likes dogs and training them properly is vital. And to be damn sorry if they have a behaviour blip.

I hope your daughter is ok

They don’t need to be muzzled.
They just need to be kept out of play areas meant for kids.
If my dog had snuck in then I would be mortified and apologetic. I certainly wouldn’t be blaming your poor child for being upset by the dog.

Are you saying you were inside the a gated playground area and the dog bounded up to the fence?

I would expect the owner to call their dog away after seeing your daughter’s reaction and put on a lead if they disobeyed.

I’m very nervous around dogs and am sick to the back teeth of people saying “she’s friendly, only wants to say hello, she won’t bite, etc.” That’s not the fucking point! I don’t want your dog anywhere near me so call it away! Which, to be fair, 95% of owners do when they see me jumpy, moving away (quickly!).

DH and the kids are very good at intercepting 👍🏻 I’m really chuffed that all the kids love animals and I haven’t passed on my fears. Except spiders. Not bad though.

@Gatehouse77 yes we where in the fenced of area and because the latch hadn't been out over properly the dog was able to open the gate and come running in.
We have been going to this park for six years now and this is the first time anything like this happened and its where most people walk there dogs. All of the other dogs and owners have been great and always put their dogs on leads or call them back when children are going in or out of the playpark.
Thanks everyone dd seems fine now.

I’m sorry this happened! What an irresponsible owner
I have two dogs who are rubbish off lead they love everyone and think everyone loves them and would run to every person and other dog they could see so therefore they stay on leads at all times. They’re super friendly but I still don’t let it happen it’s about being a decent owner.
@Ghanagirl why do they need to be muzzled exactly? Owners need to control their dogs and I say this as a dog owner. Just the same as children need to be taught it’s not ok to approach anybody’s dog without first asking the owner if it is ok, sometimes children and their parents can cause issues with dogs too 🤷🏼‍♀️

I have a dog and this is not ok
YANBU

Had the same thing two big massive dogs in a park run over putting their heads in my new borns pram was absolutely petrified, I turned round but they kept coming at me not aggressive but still I'm afraid of dogs so for me was petrifying. Do u know what the owner did she laughed at me and said they are harmless, no attempt to call them back get them away from me or put them on a lead.

'Harmless' Yeah sure love just like the dog that ripped my dads lip off that resulted in 100 plus stitches plastic surgery and scarring for life.

Dogs should always be on a lead in public.

Dogs should not be in fenced off play areas. If the gate was left unlocked and the dog was able to get in then the owner should have taken it out as soon as possible.

I’m very nervous around dogs and am sick to the back teeth of people saying “she’s friendly, only wants to say hello, she won’t bite, etc.” That’s not the fucking point! I don’t want your dog anywhere near me so call it away! Which, to be fair, 95% of owners do when they see me jumpy, moving away (quickly!).

A thousand times this.

atthepark

In which case I’d be royally fucked off!
The dog owner was entirely in the wrong.

Do you know anyone with a calm dog that your daughter could spend time with to build up her confidence? As long as dogs are under control I’m fine. I’ll take the lead of my sister’s dog (if needed) and have had him in the house whilst she pops out because he’s fine with me and knows I won’t play or even touch him.
Dogs that are excitable chasing around make me very nervous and I’m a fully grown adult!

Dogs shouldn't be in the play area, dogs should come when called, dogs shouldn't run up to kids but it would be better if you can desensitise your dd because dogs are part of life, age will come across them and screaming can provoke dogs who haven't got responsible owners. Perhaps speak to your local therapy dog volunteers. There's charities that even train dogs to help kids with asd cope with life.

I’m very nervous around dogs and am sick to the back teeth of people saying “she’s friendly, only wants to say hello, she won’t bite, etc.” That’s not the fucking point! I don’t want your dog anywhere near me so call it away! Which, to be fair, 95% of owners do when they see me jumpy, moving away (quickly!).

I hope you are seeking help with this. That's no way to live.

Op, yes the dog owner was in the wrong.

Some people are defensive of their dogs in the same way people are about their children. Your dd reaction does sound a little extreme but I guess that's part of her condition. It wouldn't do any harm to try and help her with it though as dogs are everywhere.

Unfortunately there are a lot of stupid people around and some of them are dog owners.

Hope you little girl is okay OP.

I was on a beach with my on lead dog a few years ago. A family turns up with large out of control off lead labrador.

Labrador proceeded to bounce all over the beach and anyone on it.

However, it seemed determined to single me out and kept running at me and several times almost knocked me over when it ran between my legs.

Apparently though, I was completely unreasonable and a 'miserable bitch' according to the woman of the couple because I told the them to get the dog off me and control it.

With some people it's just pointless to try to reason with their stupidity.

This really annoys me. If your dog won’t do as you say, come to you when you call it’s name then it’s not trained properly (if its a puppy and still being trained, get it on a lead!!!). People like that woman are part of the reason others are sometimes scared of dogs. I hate dogs and part of that reason is big dogs jumping on me when I was younger. I thinks dogs should be totally banned from play areas, there’s plenty of places to walk a dog why do people feel the need to take there dogs to crowded areas like popular beaches and play areas and then get cross when people ask them to control their dog and get it in a lead! Don’t even get me started on people not cleaning up their dogs mess!!!!! As for the person asking are you getting help for this wise up everyone’s sacred of something (dark, spiders, heights, dogs etc) she doesn’t need help, dog owners need to take more responsibility for there animals! You where 100% nbu!

I wouldn't say her reaction was that extreme. She is a small six year old and a large dog was chasing her.
She has got much better with dogs than what was she was last summer. Last summer if she seen one she would put her arms up to be picked up now she will just walk past them without an issue.