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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Put my foot out at dog running

219 replies

AlexForrestBunny · 17/02/2021 15:03

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?

OP posts:
JemimaTiggywinkle · 17/02/2021 15:50

I was once head butted on the thigh by a big dog running towards me... it really really hurt.. would have caused serious damage to a child at head height. So, YANBU

Bluntness100 · 17/02/2021 15:53

I suspect he thought you were kicking his dog.

Hhusky · 17/02/2021 15:53

I have huskies and don't think you were being unreasonable.
He was being unreasonable. He also sounds like a crap dog owner.

Angeldust2810 · 17/02/2021 15:53

You did him a favour. If you child had been injured or bitten, his dog might have been put down.

madmara · 17/02/2021 15:53

Honestly I would have kicked the dog if I had to prevent him getting to my child.

Even if the dog wouldn't bite, being jumped on could lead to a lifelong fear of dogs.

I think that people shouldn't own dogs that need to be let off the lead in public places for a run about. If you don't have enough of your own land for your dog to get off lead exercise, buy a chihuahua. I don't understand people that refer to themselves as "dog lovers" but are happy to keep big dogs cooped up.

Jackie2022 · 17/02/2021 15:53

Shame him on Facebook

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 17/02/2021 15:54

My DD was 5 when a child loving dog knocked her off her bike saying hello. It hurt. It was an accident (escaped dog) but that didn't stop it hurting.

whenwillthemadnessend · 17/02/2021 15:54

I ha be you g dog and he would love to jump at a small child as he is fascinated by them Luckily his recall is ok where kids are concerned so I have always managed to get him on lead in time.

I'd never let him run to a child and if he did I'd be very very apologetic.

Jackie2022 · 17/02/2021 15:56

The thing is, it doesn’t matter how friendly a dog is. Huskies are stronger and weigh more than some adults, let alone children. They may not mean any harm to a child, but their presence alone can be scary and they can accidentally sweep a child off their feet whilst they’re zooming around

Oversize · 17/02/2021 15:56

No one's dog should be approaching people uninvited. It's really not difficult to train them not to do this.
Separately from that, his dog should be on a lead if it has poor recall. You were totally within your rights to do what you did. Next time someone starts having a go at you like that, stand your ground and just repeat your point calmly - your dog should be trained not to run at people.

Loopyloututu · 17/02/2021 15:57

YA DEFINITELY NBU!! How DARE he shout at you the absolute fucking moron!

user1486365849 · 17/02/2021 15:57

I had similar yesterday. I think some people don't realise that a big dog can be taller than a 3/4 year old and quite daunting for them. I don't care if your dog wants to just say hello.we had a big Labrador "puppy" jumping up at her and her brother in the pushchair. I'm sick of every time we go out for a walk having to navigate dogs off leads that the owners think have the right to wander everywhere. Also, trying to teach my daughter that you don't just run up to dogs without asking is more difficult when they are off the lead.

ShinyHatStand · 17/02/2021 15:57

I had multiple dog owners shout that their dog was friendly as I cowered to protect my belly from them post abdo surgery. Didn't even give a shit that I was in tears. All ok cos their dogs are friendly.

Scottishskifun · 17/02/2021 15:59

As a owner of a larger (but skinny) dog can honestly say he was being a jerk not you and it sounds like it was obvious what you were doing which was just to stop her being bowled over.

My dog is fast my toddler doesn't bat an eyelid to her speeding towards him as he knows she will run around him but I never run her near children as I realise it can be scary if unknown. She is allowed to Potter off her lead but under a heel command around anyone else.

Grapesoda7 · 17/02/2021 16:00

You did nothing wrong, imagine if the dog had knocked you over from behind with your baby strapped to you.

My daughter is now terrified of dogs after a similar incident with a bull mastiff when she was younger, she was knocked over, but don't worry 'it was friendly'

AnnaSW1 · 17/02/2021 16:00

I'm with you @AlexForrestBunny

LuaDipa · 17/02/2021 16:01

Yanbu. I love dogs but I wouldn’t love a massive one running at my kid, whether the owner said he was friendly or not. If the dog can’t walk at heel it should be on a lead.

CovoidOfAllHumanity · 17/02/2021 16:01

He knows he was in the wrong and is trying to turn it around and blame you. Despicable.

You can tell he knows because he shouted to warn you not to panic ie he knows that a big dog running at a small child IS a reasonable thing to panic about.

Also you can tell from that that the dog has done it before and probably other people have 'panicked'
He does not get to tell you what is a reasonable reaction. If you were afraid of dogs you would not be able to help panicking.

Of course you can take any reasonable action to protect your child and no sensible parent is just going to take a strangers word that their dog is friendly in a situation like that where the dog is out of control.

AIMD · 17/02/2021 16:02

Yanbu
A large dog you don’t know is running at your small child. Totally reasonable to put out your foot and be ready to give out a kick if needed.

I would never want to hurt an animal for no reason but I’d kick a dog if I was concerned it was a risk and that was my reaction to get it away.

The owner should keep his dog on a lead if he can’t recall him. I’d have told him to go ahead contact the police so he can’t explain why god dog was out of control in a public space.

FirstPost99 · 17/02/2021 16:03

I hate dog owners who say "he's friendly, he won't hurt you" as their dog runs at you or jumps up.

When DS was 3 a dog knocked him over and as he was crying and I was trying to scoop him up the dog continued to jump up at us. I was holding baby DD and she got a scratch on her face from her forehead to her mouth by the stupid dog. The owner couldn't control him and he had no lead or collar as he was outside his/our houses (owner was a neighbour). Both kids were terrified for years, they are finally starting to get over it now but every time a dog owner lets their dog jump up etc it sets them back even though we work on them not being scared. We even had one jumping at DD when she was 4 and she was screaming (she was ahead of me in a park) and they still didn't control their dog, just said the usual "he won't hurt you!" She couldn't understand as she was scared.

I actually love dogs, just think they shouldn't be off lead if they approach people and have no recall.

Symbion · 17/02/2021 16:04

I'm another who've had a child terrified for years after being chased and knocked over by a "friendly" dog bigger than they were. YANBU, you know that.

CovoidOfAllHumanity · 17/02/2021 16:05

I am sick of people just saying their out of control dog is friendly. So what. I might not want to make friends for whatever reason and that should be respected.

Even if I'm not scared I just don't want it's muddy paws up my new coat actually.

Love51 · 17/02/2021 16:05

Yanbu
We had a black lab from when I was 10. My parents drilled into me if I wanted to walk the dog alone to pick up poo and never let the dog approach anyone, if I went anywhere near children, leash her.
It annoys me that so many dog owners weren't taught this basic etiquette. Every time I go to a park at least one dog approaches us - I wouldn't let my child approach the dog owners and tag onto them, I like to be afforded the same courtesy!
Can someone who frequents doggy forums please teach the other dog owners some manners? Or at least find out why they don't realise how annoying it is, and feed back!

m0therofdragons · 17/02/2021 16:09

You did the right thing. Our puppy was recently pinned by a massive husky type and the owner yelled out that we should keep our dog away from his as he can’t control him when he’s off the lead! Our puppy was walking beside us behaving beautifully when his dog galloped up and pinned him yet he felt he’d done nothing wrong because it’s not his fault he can’t control him. Dpup is dh’s baby and my polite reserved dh turned into angry swearing man shouting “if you can’t control him then get him on a fucking lead you selfish arsehole!”

m0therofdragons · 17/02/2021 16:10

This was after he’d pulled the dog after pup and had bite marks down his arm. No blood but badly bruised. I don’t blame the dog, just the owner!

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