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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Child scared by dog.

131 replies

Boppityboopp · 05/03/2022 13:19

My daughter who is five was walking along a low wall when I dog barked at her and made her jump so she fell off onto her wrist. To be fair the dog was stationary and sat with the owners next to the wall but they made no attempt to see if she was alright and seemed almost smug that she got what was coming her for getting close to their dog. If they knew their dog was a barker why didn't they move to side? Aibu to be mad at the owners? Why are some dog owners so entitled? Perhaps it's just one of those things but at least a look of concern wouldn't have gone amiss.

OP posts:
CorneliusVetch · 05/03/2022 13:21

I’m sorry your DD was scared but I’m not sure what they’ve done wrong here - you shouldn’t have let your child approach their dog on the wall

maddy68 · 05/03/2022 13:22

Eh? They haven't done anything wrong.

vampirewellness · 05/03/2022 13:22

Doesn't sound like they've done anything wrong. Dogs bark.

MalbecandToast · 05/03/2022 13:23

What?! So you walked past a dog, and it barked?! I wouldn't rush to see to a child who fell over WITH THEIR PARENT either, it does not make them entitled at all! You sound ridiculous

OmgIThinkILikeYou · 05/03/2022 13:24

Was it the wall belonging to their house and they were sat in the garden?

Original poster
Boppityboopp · 05/03/2022 13:24

Thankyou. The dog wasn't on the wall, it was on the pavement, she didn't know it was there. It was at was a beach so there are dogs everywhere.

OP posts:
ohhooh · 05/03/2022 13:25

Not the dog owners fault, did they really look "almost smug" or is that a projection from your side? Your child shouldn't have been walking along a wall, if she wasn't then she couldn't have fallen anywhere.

"If they knew their dog was a barker" is the best line I've read in a while 😂 Maybe if you knew your child was a faller you shouldn't have let her on the wall?

fullofpips · 05/03/2022 13:26

It was a bit rude of them not to check if she was okay but they didn't do anything wrong and certainly don't sound entitled.

Can't tell if this is just trying to cause a dog argument...

Original poster
Boppityboopp · 05/03/2022 13:29

I should explain the dog barked at her, quite viscously and deliberately because she got near it which she didn't mean to do she was just walking along a wall at the beach. The dog was on the pavement with its owners. I know it's not the dogs fault but if my dog was likely to bark at a passing child and I saw a child walking along a wall towards us I would move to the side.

OP posts:
OmgIThinkILikeYou · 05/03/2022 13:29

Maybe if you knew your child was a faller you shouldn't have let her on the wall?

Sorry, I know you wrote it but this phrase trumps the original for best things I've read in a while. Actually laughed out loud.

Popcornriver · 05/03/2022 13:31

Why do you think they seemed smug and thought your daughter got what was coming to her? Confused
If they did something to make you think that, it's really weird behaviour.
Sometimes dogs bark though, it doesn't mean they're out of control or aggressive. There's a chance as well the dog didn't see your DD if she didn't see it at first and the bark was a surprised one.
Hope your DD is OK but I don't think the owners did anything wrong really.

Simonjt · 05/03/2022 13:31

I didn’t even know dogs could bark viscously

VelvetChairGirl · 05/03/2022 13:31

so she was on the wall, walking along the top of it and you were not holding her hand while she did so, when she is only 5?

WaterTheBasil · 05/03/2022 13:32

This is like a letter to Viz.

All that's happened is that a dog has barked.

Simonjt · 05/03/2022 13:33

@WaterTheBasil

This is like a letter to Viz.

All that's happened is that a dog has barked.

A while ago now there was a thread about a really threatening dangerous dog, in reality the dog looked at the OP 🤣
TellMeMoreHellebore · 05/03/2022 13:33

dog protecting its territory....course it barked

also, why let your kid walk on a wall? a recipe for disaster...anyone or thing could have scared her enough for her to slip!

a wayward seagull
screaming kids
a shout from someone
car backfiring
loud aircraft

SamphiretheStickerist · 05/03/2022 13:33

Sticky mouthed Barker's? 🐕

Georgeskitchen · 05/03/2022 13:34

The dog might have been startled by the sudden presence of a child. Did the dog make towards your child as if to attack ?
If the answer to that is no then I'm afraid there's not really a case to answer.
Foot note: don't all dogs bark occasionally?

VelvetChairGirl · 05/03/2022 13:34

@TellMeMoreHellebore

dog protecting its territory....course it barked

also, why let your kid walk on a wall? a recipe for disaster...anyone or thing could have scared her enough for her to slip!

a wayward seagull
screaming kids
a shout from someone
car backfiring
loud aircraft

thought that said cat backflipping for a sec
bozzabollix · 05/03/2022 13:35

A dog barked at her and you’re sufficiently upset enough to post on here?

You do know there are worse things out there, like people being blown apart a few thousand miles away. Chalk it up to experience, get your daughter to have a pleasant encounter with a dog to avoid her being crippled by fear of them, as I guess your reaction will have been outraged enough to make an imprint on her.

TellMeMoreHellebore · 05/03/2022 13:35

maybe the dog was barking at the girl to get down in case she fell as nobody else was looking out for her safety?

Moonshine160 · 05/03/2022 13:35

It would have been nice for them to ask if she’s ok out of general politeness but they haven’t really done anything wrong. Dogs bark.

Original poster
Boppityboopp · 05/03/2022 13:36

I said a low wall.

OP posts:
Didiplanthis · 05/03/2022 13:37

The dog probably barked because your daughter took it by surprise same as she jumped because it did ! Dogs bark... mine does... not very often and it usually makes me jump too, but there is not much I can do to stop it making the odd noise now and again what with it being a living animal 🤷‍♀️

Bunty55 · 05/03/2022 13:37

@Boppityboopp

My daughter who is five was walking along a low wall when I dog barked at her and made her jump so she fell off onto her wrist. To be fair the dog was stationary and sat with the owners next to the wall but they made no attempt to see if she was alright and seemed almost smug that she got what was coming her for getting close to their dog. If they knew their dog was a barker why didn't they move to side? Aibu to be mad at the owners? Why are some dog owners so entitled? Perhaps it's just one of those things but at least a look of concern wouldn't have gone amiss.
Sounds like a non-event to me
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