to think that this man was an utter twat?

[fgh]

I took my 20 month old and my 10 week old baby for a walk today in a park, which is also a nature reserve. This park is very popular with dog walkers, but also popular for families with little children.

There are some signs that say that dogs should be kept on leashes. Anyway, noone sticks to it... Some dogs are on leashes, but a lot aren't. I don't really have a problem with this as I understand why dog owners want to allow their dogs to run a little bit.

I think some owners are also probably not aware of this rule.

Anyway, today a man came towards me and his big black dog came running to the pushchair and started sniffing my baby.

My toddler and baby are in the Joie double pushchair which means the legs hang low, so a dog can get a good sniff.

I don't feel comfortable with dogs running up to my baby or my toddler and sniffing them as I don't know the character of the dog and if it's friendly or dangerous.

The owner made no attempts whatsoever to call his dog back. He said nothing to assure me that his dog was friendly.

This annoyed me because people always call their dogs back and/or reassure me that they are friendly.

I then shouted "Can you call your dog back please". He answered in a rather annoyed tone "She's fine". I then replied:"I have a baby here".

He then said: "Don't walk in the park then". I replied :"You're supposed to keep dogs on a leash" to which he answered:"Where does it say that?".

I then pointed out to him that there's a sign outside the park that says so to which his reply was "utter rubbish!" and he walked off.

His face was really angry and red.

AIBU to think that he was an utter twat?

There was also nobody else around at the time of the encounter and I feel like he wouldn't have spoken to me like that if my husband had been with me.

My legs were shaking after the encounter and I feel like I can't go there on my own anymore.

He was a twat and couldn’t handle being wrong

He was obviously wrong but I think you’re being a bit dramatic. You had a run in with a dickhead, who yea wouldn’t have spoken to you like that if your husband was there no doubt but from what I can see he wasn’t aggressive and in the end a dog sniffed your child’s leg. Nothing to not go back or have shaking legs about?

I'm in the minority who thinks that shaking over a dog sniffing your baby is a huge over reaction. I also agree that the man was a twat for not putting his dog on a lead as soon as he saw you, if not having his dog on a lead in the first place, especially this time of year when he could be disturbing ground nesting birds.

i thought the OP was shaking over the confrontation not the sniffing?

What a controversial cross post @PutinIsAWarCriminal 😂😂

You are being incredibly nasty. Dogs should be under control, it's the law. I hope you don't have children or frequent anywhere they might be with that attitude. One day your dog will seriously hurt someone!

To labscollie
Dogs do bite! All the time. Don't you watch the news?

The OP was shaking over the unpleasant encounter with the man, not because the dog sniffed her baby.

The OP had a young child and a very new baby with her, perhaps she felt a bit vulnerable. If she found the man's manner nasty and was a bit shaken up by it who's to say it's an over reaction.

She felt how she felt. You might not have reacted in the way she did but that doesn't mean her reaction should be dismissed as an 'over reaction'.

Just to clarify, I wasn't shaking because of the dog sniffing my baby, it was because of the behaviour of this man.

He was rude, condescending and aggressive, his face was full of anger at my reasonable request to call his dog back.

There was nobody else at the time and I felt very vulnerable being a lone woman in a park having an argument with a man who could easily overpower me.

By the way, we have friends who had a dog for 11 years. The most placid animal, but all of a sudden it bit their toddler a few weeks ago. You just don't ever know.

I can 100% guarantee that was a parenting fail. Not a dog one.

Sorry you’ve gone through this OP. I hate confrontation and I would be shaking too. Really unfair on you, and the dog owner should be ashamed of himself being so aggressive to a lone woman with two babies! Completely unreasonable of him. Have a nice cup of tea and hope not to bump into him again. I now know which dogs/owners to avoid in my local park, but yes, I had to learn the hard way too!