Dog barked at my child

[Kitchendrama1]

We were at the park and two year old was having a moment so sat down on the pavement. Dog came over and barked at him. Dog went away. It felt ok and I was looking out.

We started to do a lap of the oval and big again started to stare and bark from us at a distance and wasn’t looking at the other dog he was playing with, or his owner. Dog was getting closer (but also stopped). I grabbed kid and went.

Was the kid in danger?

It doesn't sound as though the dog was behaving aggressively. Barking is normally a display of excitement or a warning if the dog perceives something to not be right (e.g. a child on their own). The interest isn't really unusual either.

However, if you don't know dogs I fully appreciate how easily you could take it as aggression and feel a bit threatened.

Ffs a dog barked, it didn’t do the Hokey Cokey, bite, hiss like a snake or even worse do a cats meow

I swear some people shouldn’t be let loose outdoors without a minded

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

To be posting on MN about such a non event is very odd.

Why would she do that is she wasn’t upset of if she did not need validation for her behaviour? Addressing her anxiety will help.

Yes it's always the fault of the person walking alone, minding their own business, for being "anxious".

Rather that the person who owns the barky pet and takes it out in public, taking steps to make it less barky and making sure it doesn't inconvenience others.

Training is available for dogs, and more owners should avail themselves of it. In fact the owners need training on how to look after dogs themselves as so many clearly have no clue.

alonG not alone

Sounds like the dog barked because he wanted to play, I think if the dog was a danger he would be wearing a muzzle and be on a tight lead. YABU (dogs bark).

@pinkyredrose

The dog wasn't listening to its owner, your kid wasn't listening to you either. Next time go somewhere that isn't a dog's playground.

What a load of Bollocks.

A park is a public amenity for the benefit of HUMANS and therefore, any dogs being exercised must be on a lead.

Anyone that can’t understand this really shouldn’t be allowed to own a dog!

@lockdownmadnessdotcom the owner did take steps. The OP literally states that the owner came over to put the dog on a lead. If my dog was getting too barky around a child I would have done exactly the same. I would also work on it in training but all that would go on outside of the OPs knowledge so we can’t just leap to an assumption that the owner isn’t taking responsibility.

I feel that there is a lot of minimisation going on here. May be dog owners feeling persecuted? But actually, toddler years are when you are most vulnerable to being bitten by a dog because of our behaviour. We are more likely to be leaning forward, mouth open, staring because we are learning to walk etc and these behaviours mimic aggressive behaviour in dogs and so dogs feel threatened.

Dog owners have a responsibility, and to be fair most do it, to train their dog not to bark at people when out and about and to keep them on a lead if they are not easily trained.

My DS has had similar experiences and one was really frightening for him. I’ve noticed it happening more since lockdown - new dog owners not understanding what is required for responsible dog ownership or we are going for more walks - or both. Either way I’ve developed a bit of a fear of dogs now. It’s not a full blown phobia but I’ve seen so many dogs whose owners clearly have no control over them that I’m a lot more wary of them. I’ve hidden this from DS and made sure he hasn’t developed a phobia.

Dog owners shouldn’t let their dog bark at people - it could be dangerous (dogs can become unpredictable- eg get brain tumours you don’t know about), can cause fear in others and is just down right anti social.

OP. You behaved calmly and sensibly. You can’t predict what a strangers dog will do and you would never have forgiven yourself if something had happened. The child could have been in danger. There is NO way of any one knowing with any certainty what was going on for the dog and what it might have done. Chances are it would have been fine but sometimes it’s not.

I still remember the time a cat meowed at my dc.

This made me laugh...

A park is a public amenity for the benefit of HUMANS and therefore, any dogs being exercised must be on a lead.
@MrsScrubbithatescleaning I agree with you that @pinkyredrose is talking a load of bollocks but so are you. Dogs are allowed in parks off the lead unless the law or local policy states otherwise (in which case there would be signs up). Just because you personally feel all dogs should be on leads doesn’t make it suddenly become necessary or mandatory.

’A hedgehog is no threat to anyone’ reminds me of this.

I am finding the tone of some of the dog owner’s replies a little odd despite having a dog who last night barked at a child . She’s turning into a teenager and the last week she’s started to bark occasionally at other people after she’s been spooked (cat one day, tai chi yesterday…). The child was nervous and I was embarrassed, I certainly don’t blame the child or its guardians for not liking it, although my dog was on a lead by that stage - my dog is my responsibility and I’m going to have to train/do something to stop it happening again. I certainly wouldn’t make light of the situation

@MrsScrubbithatescleaning if it states dogs need to be on a lead and it's ignored yes the owner is a twat. But most of the parks round here don't therefore my dog goes off lead everywhere he is allowed. So it is in fact you that is talking bollocks as well.

Next time go somewhere that isn't a dog's playground

Where exactly can I find one of those? There are dogs EVERYWHERE. The whole world is a dog’s playground.

I have 1 lab that is on a long lead and wouldn't go up to a child and back at them. My other lab would rather fetch her ball, than run up to a child.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/dog-walking-rules-safety-etiquette-11572758.amp

You're not a child owner but your thread title refers to "my child".

Where exactly can I find one of those? There are dogs EVERYWHERE. The whole world is a dog’s playground.

The whole world is a child's playground, as parents demand to be Let in everywhere..

@KaleJuicer

You're not a child owner but your thread title refers to "my child".

Dog sensed that OP has kidnapped a child

@OrangutanLibrarian

Next time go somewhere that isn't a dog's playground

Where exactly can I find one of those? There are dogs EVERYWHERE. The whole world is a dog’s playground.

This is so depressingly true. Sick of the bloody sight of dogs and I used to like them.

Dogs bark as a form of a dog greeting. its unlike a constantly yapping dog in your neighbourhood.

@OrangutanLibrarian

Next time go somewhere that isn't a dog's playground

Where exactly can I find one of those? There are dogs EVERYWHERE. The whole world is a dog’s playground.

Children's playgrounds - any that are fenced in anyway - are always dog free and it's rare I see someone not respecting that.

Likewise the majority of tourist attractions, many cafés and restaurants, most shops...

I thought OP’s point was, aibu to have left child unattended while they were tantruming - in the way you do to avoid feeding the tantrum - in a place where there might be dogs, and could be a less than friendly dog.

I think it’s as well to keep little ones close if there are dogs around, as you never know.

@Thewiseoneincognito

I personally can’t stand dogs, you certainly can not trust them. Vile creatures. If you felt uneasy you did right to leave. Too many times owners will downplay their darling fur baby’s antics but to a stranger it can be very unnerving, often they can not fathom why you feel that way either.

Just because something unnerves you, it isn’t necessarily wrong or bad. Maybe you’re just nervy…. Also, if you know the dog you can trust them because you can read their body language and the subtle changes. Very much like how you know what your OH /BFF is thinking without them having to speak. Funny that …

Training is available for dogs, and more owners should avail themselves of it. In fact the owners need training on how to look after dogs themselves as so many clearly have no clue.

Common sense is available for everyone and some posters might well be advised to make use of that if they feel the dog should be prevented from barking in public.

Barking indeed....