To have said something to a woman who was hitting her dog with the lead?

[Pancakepipsqueak]

I was walking with my partner wearing my 7 month old baby in a carrier near my house and I saw a big fluffy teddy bear of a German Shepard type. He was walking loosely on the lead with his owner (40s, female) and her companion (similar age male). He wasn't pulling, was acting, as far as I could see, perfectly on the lead.
My LOs sock kept dropping off so I was sort of concentrating on that when my partner went 'huh, that's weird.' 'What is?' He points at the dog owner who keeps (not seen by her companion) taking the lead in her opposite hand and sort of whipping the dog on it's nose. I thought maybe she did it by accident some how, but we keep watching and see her do it 3 or 4 times. The dog cowers each time.
I probably wouldn't have said anything if the dog had been pulling or acting in some sort of way that was undesirable (not how I trained my dogs but whatever) but the dog was acting perfectly, so I shout 'hey, stop hitting your dog'.
The couple turn round, and the woman says 'I'm not'. At that moment I realise my baby's sock has dropped off (again) so I turn backwards and see it, shout 'I'm not walking away, I just need to find my baby's sock'. My partner says 'you were hitting your dog', and they sort of scoff and walk off before I get back to them.
Now I'm wondering if I was being unreasonable saying something to them as I don't tend to get involved in that sort of situation?

Fuck, I'd have said something too. My parents used to hit my childhood dog in the same way to that kind of thing triggers anger in me.

I’d have said something too. And have.

Miserable bullying arseholes.

I'd have said something too.

Oh I’m glad others would say something too. Thank you.
@GeidiPrimes sorry your parents did similar to your dog. So horrible to watch and the dog clearly was distressed by it

Wow, way to train a dog . Poor dog, some owners are just nasty.

Try sock-ons, OP. Or tights.

I've done the same. I saw a man kick his dog in the park last year and I lost it. I wasn't the only one thankfully. WTF is wrong with these people?

@Puntastic baby had tights on too - she’s small for her age and we were on our way bay from swimming so I put booties over the top to keep her warm! Thank you though I will look at sock ons.

When my mum was about 20 she saw a drunk man in the park kicking and swearing at his little Jack Russell. My mum told him to leave it alone and he replied 'you have the fucking thing then!' So she did, and he never left her side.

So glad you said something OP. There are sadly some people who are on some weird power trip and seem to want to completley dominate a dog. Of course, you should train a young dog but not make it completely terrified.

I’m glad you said something! I once saw a woman haul a puppy into her car by the back of its collar, and I wish I’d interfered! I know some people pick them up by the scruff of their neck (which isn’t recommended any more) but this was literally by the back of its collar so it was hanging on the collar.

I have done before, there is no excuse to hit a dog, anymore than to hit a child. Its positive training all the way.
That poor dog, their nose is their most sensitive part too.

Glad you said something it might make her realise what she’s doing is wrong

You spoke up for an animal that couldn’t speak up for itself. How could that be anything other than reasonable?

Poor dog
I would have also spoken up.

It is never unreasonable to stick up for a sentient being who cannot defend themselves.