Woman yelling at me because I wanted to avoid her dog

[Matleave2022]

I was walking along a reasonably narrow path with trees either side this morning and I had DS (4 months old) with me in a reclined buggy.

I spotted a couple (maybe in their late 50s or early 60s) coming towards me with an agressive looking breed of dog. I decided that I didn't want to take the risk, so without saying anything to them, I politely stopped in the path, stood in front of DS's buggy and waited for them to pass.

I want to stress that I said absolutely nothing to them as they were approaching. However, as they got close, the woman in the couple started yelling at me about how "My dog isn't going to eat your baby." "My dog is fine". "I think you are being overprotective".

My response was that I didn't know her from Adam, so why on earth would I trust a random stranger telling me that her dog was OK.

She continued to yell about me being overprotective and that me stopping in the path was "scaring" her dog. My only response was to tell her that she was being ridiculous to expect strangers to trust her assertions about her large dog, and I walked on once she had finally passed me.

I could have understood her reaction if I had said something like "keep your dog away from us" when I stopped, but I was silent and patiently waiting for her, her partner and the dog to pass.

It seems batshit that she got offended by me silently choosing to stop and not take the chance that her dog could go for the buggy. AIBU?

It is anybody's right to stop, move aside and wait when they see a dog coming. A neighbours rottweiler bit me on the hand when I was 9. It knew ke, was 'friendly' and lived with two children. It isn't unreasonable or escalating to change your behaviour if an animal concerns you. OP wasn't asking the dog walker to change the way they behaved, but took their own measures which is well within their rights. You did nothing wrong OP.

I feel you’ve gone a bit OTT with stopping and standing guard in front of the pram because of a big dog. Just because the dog was big does not mean it’s aggressive, such a strange way to put it OP.

In what world is it over the top to stand aside and let them pass?!
Dog owner was the weird one in this scenario.

@tinytemper66 I was not at all trying to suggest that everyone of her age does this, and I am very sorry if referencing her age gave that impression, I just wanted to provide appropriate context for what happened.

In my anecdotal experience (and it's likely to happen to me less and less as I get through my 30s) there are a tiny, tiny, minority of people (of which her behaviour suggested she is in) who think that an age difference entitles them to talk to younger adults like they are naughty schoolchildren.

She was trying to scold me for not liking the look of her dog and it was patronising beyond belief.

Agree with those who say you were entitled to do what you wanted. What difference does it make to the dog owner where you stand?? Perhaps she was having a bad day generally.

You do you OP, this was not unreasonable.

This is ridiculous, you were being totally reasonable. You can be as protective as you like!
I have a 1 year old who likes to toddle about in the park and often there are dogs running around away from their owners that come up to us. My boy is also curious about dogs so I usually swoop in and pick him up before they can get too close. Even if it is a breed that I would have assumed is family friendly, you just don't know. My boy can get excited and might hit or kick the dog or wave and shout so could put the dog in edge.
No one has ever had a go at me but they usually come over and say the dog is good with kids but I just say ooohhh well I never assume that if I've not met them or whatever. I don't really care what the dog owner thinks. Kids come first.
On the topic, the other day another family with young kids were having a snack in the park. A dog bounded over, no owner to be seen and ate all their food! The owner finally came over and just laughed. Hungry toddlers are not funny! If your dog can't behave it shouldn't be off the lead.

Some dog owners are arseholes Just like some cat owners are, oor some car drivers, or some cyclists🤷‍♀️

I like dogs, as does my young ds. However, we were on a narrow path a few weeks ago when a couple woth their dog (off lead, but beside them) were walking towards us. I stood to the side and put DS slightly behind me. The man loudly said " oh stop being fucking ridiculous, he isn't going to bite you"

No probably not, but none of us can guarantee it, and its a large dog with his head being at a similar height to DSs. Besides, it's a narrow path and we cant all fit side by side regardless.

Idiots.

As a side note, as a kid we had the most wonderful family dog, a German shepherd named Bo. Loved children, never batted an eyelid if we climbed all over her as children (yes, I know we shouldn't have). When she was around 8 she started yelping downstairs, when my dad went to look she viciously attacked him and he needed quite a few stitches. She was put down, but the vets think she had a seizure which caused her to attack in fear. You just cannot guarantee any dog will bite.

I like dogs myself, but I understand that many people don't, and I wouldn't take it as a personal insult if someone was wary of my dog in public. If you'd been telling the couple to keep the dog away and being obstructive to them, I'd understand their reaction, but anyone is free to stand on the side of a path! You weren't doing any harm. Some dog owners really need to learn that it's not an offence for someone to be nervous of a dog.

I'd have said, "How common".

Does anyone else get the impression OP's reaction to this dog was somewhat more dramatic/OTT than she's letting on

You were being a protective mother and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, how many stories of babies being mauled by vile dogs do there have to be before people wake up and realise these animals can turn at any time.

I personally think it should be law that all dogs are muzzled when outside.
Don't worry about those people, they are just typical entitled dog owners.

I let my little dog walk without a lead and she honestly couldn’t be less interested in anyone’s kid- much like myself. Unfortunately she is cute and fluffy and kids run up to her al the time. But she is v well trained and gentle, and sticks at my heel during our walks.

by "aggressive" I mean a big, powerful, breed of dog. You can call that "higher potential to be aggressive" if you would prefer.

YABU to think a big, powerful dog will be more aggressive as the opposite is usually true.

However YANBU to wait for the dog to pass if it was a narrow lane.
I do this all of the time especially when I have my dog and someone is walking the other way.

There's a woman in my area who tells me off at length for being overprotective of my dog. She of course knows nothing of my dog's background.

She's at least twenty years younger than me.

She's also an unpleasant and at times violent alcoholic so I pay no attention to her.

There are lots of unpleasant people around and some of them have dogs. This shouldn't come as a great surprise.

Its possible they’ve had a similar argument with their kids and so can’t see their gc. Don’t let it take up too much headspace. People who care more about dogs than human babies are scum of the earth.

I don't blame you for being wary of the dog but wouldn't have responded to the, owner just walked on.

Oh but you do sound so dramatic!! Did you say its was a dog, with a couple, then I assume a pet dog, and not a deranged LION lol lol

Why are you making up multiple threads?

@SevenWaystoLeave

Does anyone else get the impression OP's reaction to this dog was somewhat more dramatic/OTT than she's letting on

Me !!, I bet she looked like a right nutter lol

@Georgeskitchen

You were protecting your baby. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone

This.

There are some weirdly defensive/aggressive responses on this thread.
The woman had no need to make a comment. She just made herself look stupid. Ignore and move on if at all possible. You did nothing wrong. Maybe for next time bend down in front of your child like you're trying to sort something out - then you might not get idiots attempting to belittle your reasonable response.

@LaurieFairyCake

This is the second thread today saying pretty much the same

Just thinking that, is the Daily Fail trolling up an 'issue'?

To add further context. I do not personally have an issue with dogs and am not dog phobic (my family owned a retriever when I was growing up).

I am just not keen on taking my chances that a random large dog is "friendly" when I have DS with me and the dog is passing us at close quarters. If I had been going for a run on that path by myself, then I wouldn't have stopped.

Ignore her. She probably lets it lick her face too much. 🤮

A little dog is more likely to be a threat than a large dog (JMO based on experience) so I'd give all dogs a wide berth if you are worried about dogs when walking, OP.