With my cousins DD..

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I went to my cousins house the other day, we grew up close but not as close anymore, own families etc. We have a catch up and a chat once every 3/4 months.

She has a DD who is 3 years old and a new small puppy.

Her DD was playing extremely rough games with the puppy and I was getting more and more anxious and also annoyed by this, her mother, my cousin didn't seem to bat an eyelid.

Then 10 minutes later her DD picks the puppy up with both hands around the puppies neck

I jumped up from my chair and said, firmly but not shouting, "no no... put him down quickly" as I went to her and took the puppy from her. Her DD didn't seem to care, just looked a bit sulky.

As I returned to my chair my cousin also looked sulky and after another 15 minutes I left as I felt awkward and as though I was no longer welcome.

I then received this text later in the evening which I have not replied to yet. (Changed names to DD and puppy)

I didn't have the words to express it earlier but I was really upset with how you treated DD. She doesn't know you well enough to be told off by you. She is 3 years old and we have only had puppy for 2 weeks so DD is still learning how to play with him. She doesn't dare play with him at all now incase she is told off again. You had no right to do that.

If they have a child who can’t understand how to behave around dogs they shouldn’t have got one at this point

Jeeeze.

Your cousin is an ignorant bitch. Pun intended.

There is no "learning how to play with the puppy" for a 3 year old child.
A 3 year old child should have nothing but intensely supervised access to any dog. By intensely supervised, I mean at least 1 knowledgable adult with their eyes on them at all times.

Send her this -

I doubt she'll listen, as she clearly thinks she already knows it all.
But at least you will have attempted to educate the silly woman.

Poor dog! You did the right thing.

Thank you all.

@messolini9 I've just watched that! And yes I'm going to send her that. I'm not going to respond to her message in any other way. That says it all.

I'm quite pleased her DD no longer wants to play with the puppy!!

I'm quite pleased her DD no longer wants to play with the puppy!!

Yes OP - I thought "result" when I read that!

You did the right thing, that poor dog.

It’s not about learning how to play, how ignorant can you get! Her daughter needs to give the pup space and respect its feelings.
What happens when the pup gets hurt and snaps or bites, the poor thing risks being put to sleep.

I didn't have the words to express it earlier but I was really upset with how you treated DD.

You should have acted yourself then.

She doesn't know you well enough to be told off by you.

Again, you should have intervened before I had to.

She is 3 years old and we have only had puppy for 2 weeks so DD is still learning how to play with him.

So teach her how to play properly then.

She doesn't dare play with him at all now incase she is told off again.

Good, tbh.

You had no right to do that.

You should have been parenting your child and I wouldn't have had to.

Simple.

You did the right thing. I hate people who get pets and treat them like toys for their kids.

How about “She was holding the puppy with both hands around it’s neck and you were looking the other way. She could have injured it or even accidentally killed it with one slight movement and I thought she would find that more upsetting.”
Stupid woman.

I have sent her that YouTube vid. Thanks @messolini9 will see what she replies, if she does, to that.

Poor puppy getting picked up by the neck
You did the right thing

You did the right thing, it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. That your cousin can't see that is quite worrying.

It got the intended result. If I was in any small child company that was holding a puppy by the neck I’d say something to. Unless they want a strangled puppy instead 🤷🏻‍♀️

Awaiting her response after sending the You tube video

Her response - I've seen that before. Why is that relavent. (Puppies name) is a small dog DD isn't trying to sit on him and by the time he gets bigger she will know better than to do things like that because she would have grown up with him and learnt how to play with him.

My reply - Puppy will be doing well if he lives long enough to grow bigger!!

I couldn't help myself. Especially after the replies from everyone on here which has confirmed for me I hadn't done anything wrong.

You cousin is a twat. You do know it will be the puppy's fault when it bites the child because it's been hurt.

People like this annoy me so much.

Good response. She's an ignorant bitch and needs to educate herself.

I'm waiting to hear your cousin's response to the video too. She is an ignorant idiot and definitely shouldn't have a dog, it is intensely worrying to think what happens to that poor puppy when there is no one sensible there.

Your cousin is a twat I agree. Normal kids get traumatised when they accidentally kill animals and she could be shoring up lifelong problems for her dd if she doesn’t supervise appropriately.

YANBU, you can't let the child hurt a little puppy.

You did the right thing, whether the little girl meant to or not she could have killed the poor puppy. Anyway, she won’t learn how to play nicely with the puppy if the adults around her never teach her. Your cousin is an idiot.

You did the right thing. Your cousin is not looking after that poor dog.

Yep, your cousin is a fucking idiot who has no business owning a puppy and if she doesn’t want her daughter being told off then she should have said something herself or shown her daughter the correct way to play with a puppy .
The poor thing will end up being injured or even biting the kid .
She’s a twat

She doesn't dare play with him at all now incase she is told off again.
Good.