Put my foot out at dog running

[AlexForrestBunny]

I was out with my 3year old daughter this morning at the field/ children’s park which is a couple of minutes walk from my house, all normal and fairly quiet as the weather isn’t great.
It’s a large enclosed area so there is a mix of people walking their dogs and children playing, all fine - dogs are allowed off their leads and never seen or had issues before today.
My daughter was walking next to me and I had my baby in a carrier on my chest, I heard a man shouting ‘he’s fine, don’t panic’ so I turned to see and there was a large dog running towards us, I like dogs so not one to panic if they jump up or come over to say hello but this dog was pretty big ( husky sort) and was running straight towards my daughter. Now I wasn’t thinking ‘omg it’s a crazed dog going to bite’ it was more ‘shit, it’s going to knock her off her feet running into her to say hello’ , I had the baby on my chest so my reaction was to stand in front of her and as it got upto us I put my foot to the side to stop it jumping on my daughter.
I didn’t kick it, but the guy went crazy saying how dare I touch a friendly dog with my foot, he doesn’t bite and he loves children.
I told him he seems very friendly, he was trying to jump up on a small child so I was stopping my child from being hurt, maybe he should train him not to run at children.
He then started a rant about reporting me to the police for battering a dog and people like me should be on a poster?!
AIBU that my reaction was to put my foot out to a dog?

As the owner of a very big dog YNBU I don’t care of my dog is allowed off lead I don’t let him run at children or adults and he’s friendly too

YANBU at all.

He should have his dog on a lead if it doesn't have good recall. I would never let my dog run loose around strange children - not because he's aggressive, but because he's excitable and likes to jump!

I would have been really scared in that situation, so I think you were very restrained.

People like him annoy me. He shouldn’t allow his mutt to run at people. I have a dog and I don’t want other peoples dogs running at me or my kids whilst out with or without my dog) basic training is recall it’s one of the earliest things you start to do with your dog.

I’d have done the same op, the man is a twat and he should have his animal under control in a public place. Fine if it’s trained long lead or private field otherwise. My little dog is only 6 months so he isn’t quite there yet with recall if it’s busy. But we are managing it and training him and he’s coming on, however there’s no way I’d let him charge up to a tiny child, he’s 20kg and solid he’ll be another 10/15kg at fully grown that would really hurt a child if he hit them running full pelt. Some people just don’t put themselves in other peoples shoes!!
Glad you and your wee one are ok op.

Another dog owner here. From your account you were definitely NBU. As has been said, people should not let their dogs run up to children (and not let their children run up to dogs).

YANBU. What are the rules on dogs with no leashes? HE was a twat.

Be ready for him next time!

If his dog ran at you and got close enough to make contact, it was clearly not under his control. He should have been apologising profusely and actually, depending on the details, one could argue kicking it would have been understandable.

Glad to hear the responses
It was my gut reaction so didn’t even think about it so started questioning what I did.
I 100% did not kick as my foot was already out before the dog got to us, it was more of a making myself bigger to stop him running past to my daughter.
He was so angry and just didn’t see why he should put the dog on a lead because he kept saying ‘he’s a friendly dog, he would never bite’ I explained that dogs will hurt by knocking a kid over but he was having none of it.

Luckily my daughter wasn’t upset by the man (she was playing with a stick in a puddle) but it’s made me not want to go back as I don’t want to bump into him again

The problem with saying 'he's fine, don't panic' is that you or your dd might not be fine. Not everyone likes dogs. Some people are afraid of dogs.

First of all, he should have the dog under proper control. Secondly, he is not entitled to tell you what to do. He is not your mother or your boss, he is a stranger in the park.

I say this is a dog lover. It doesn’t matter if he is really friendly, the dog should not be running up to people especially little children. Not everyone likes dogs. I’m a dog lover as I said but I would hate this myself. My children are really unsteady on their feet. A big dog could send them flying. So YANBU. He sounds like an ass. If the dog is prone to doing this or has no recall then it should be on a lead end of.

I’ve had a similar experience but I was with the person with the unruly dog. My friend let her dog off lead and it went running up to a child and jumped up. Small dog but child was upset as were parents (understandable of course) and it ended with a massive row in public. I was with my friend who I love but she was an idiot and I felt for the other family. Felt so awkward and didn’t really get involved. My friend was in the wrong though 100 percent.

You were protecting your child so don’t let this incident prevent you from returning to the field.

My DS was ran at, knocked over and stood on by one of those big "friendly dogs" when he was small. Before the incident he used to love dogs, but now a number of years on he's still terrified of them, no matter what I try to do .

I never understand how dog owners think that shouting "It's fine! He loves kids/people/everyone! He's really friendly!" has any bearing on the reality of a large strange dog running flat-out towards you and your child. It does nothing to top the instinct people have. I'm fine with big dogs, family have always had them, DH and I would have one ourselves if we didn't both work full time, but honestly OP I think I'd have done similar. A bloke's shouted reassurances mean nothing in that split second when a mother with a 3 year old reacts to being right in the path of a huge bounding dog. You didn't do anything to it, the dog owner is the one in the wrong. Hope you're ok.

By the way, I do know it's some dog owners, not all dog owners that are like that!

You did exactly the right thing, I can’t stand it when dog owners take offence at you not 100% trusting their massive dog, who you don’t know, barreling towards you.

He’s lucky your not reporting him he needs to train his dog and I say that as a dog owner! I’m angry for you

My big, friendly dog wasn't allowed off lead around people for this very reason - she wouldn't have purposely hurt anyone but she would have knocked your daughter over without a doubt! YANBU, he was irresponsible.

The dog owner is an idiot. If he can't recall his dog it shouldn't be off lead around people who might be scared of it. Letting a big dog run towards small children is just dumb. I say this as a dog owner.

My youngest is now absolutely terrified of dogs as this has happened to him twice when he was around 4. Previously he was a dog lover. Both times in public parks with owners unable to control their dogs who were off theirs leads. Each time ‘they are just very friendly excuse’...,

Friendly or not, its a mass which weighs more than you child coming at them full pelt.

It matters not whether its the furriest, friendliest dog to ever dog - in terms of momentum, it has the ability to do your child really quite serious harm.

A mother with a baby in a sling and a very small child don't need knocking onto the ground by a projectile! You had every right to prevent that from happening and he's an idiot who needs to train his dog to stop when called or keep it on a leash.

What a selfish entitled arse. Probably tight too because he clearly doesn’t want to fork out for dog training and instead opts to continue as is, despite having zero recall.

I've had similar. DS & DD2 were on their bikes and DS saw 2 dogs running for his sister so he pulled out from behind her putting himself and his bike between her and the dogs. Owner, clearly thinking they were on their own as we about 100 yards behind was shouting " youve cycled over my dog. I'll have to take him to the vet. If he's hurt your parents will pay. I'll get the police out to you" ( with a few swears as well). By which point we'd caught up DH, trying to calm things down put his hand out flat in a calm down gesture. The man was all "you've raised your hand to me you've threatened me I'm reporting you". I then put myself between DH and the shouty man (I figured there was less chance he'd lamp a woman, probably not the best move of my life) I said "don't wait, phone the police now. Then when I tell them your dogs were out of control and trying to attack children on bikes on a cycle path there will only be one reason you'll need to take your dogs to the vet". Honestly, my heart was banging in my chest. Fortunately he backed down, didn't apologise but slunk away.

He is absolutely in the wrong. Not you. I'd have definitely done the same to protect my little ones.

I’m a dog lover and a dog owner but if a massive dog came bounding up to me I’d be worried myself . You did the right thing.

YWNBU. You had to make sure your child was OK, and you didn't kick or harm the dog. People with the attitude of that owner annoy me. A big dog off lead knocked DD off a bench at a table on a walk when she was 3, and she was terrified of dogs for ages after that. That owner also said the dog was friendly and said there was no need for DD to be crying- she was tiny and had just been knocked off a bench by a huge dog!