AIBU to think the UK is more tolerant of dogs than children

[playgroundwarrior]

This morning an entitled dog owner shouted at me for pointing out that she wasn't allowed her (offlead) dog in our local playground. The dog was nosing around in our pushchair and hurtling around. The owner said she had seen the notices to say 'no dogs allowed except assistance dogs' but that hers was a puppy and that I needed to get a life! She genuinely thought her dog was as important as our children (she didn't have her own child and was with a friend)

This made me think about all the threads I've seen here about noisy toddlers in cafes and small children blocking the stairs. Last night I read someone moaning about the sounds of Peppa Pig on the bus.

I appreciate that the above examples of toddler behaviour are objectively annoying (mine frequently annoys me) but I'm beginning to think there's greater tolerance of dogs in this country than toddlers.

I've seen so many toddlers knocked over by offlead dogs and our 3 year old neighbour was pinned down by one last year, which was sort of just accepted as something that happens.

Since the pandemic, everyone seems to have a dog and the culture feels much more dog orientated than child oriented. I'd love a nice cafe or pub with a sign welcoming kids and a nice play area for them but have never seen one in my area, yet there are many signs welcoming dogs with treats and bowls.

Fully appreciate there are inconsiderate parents of toddlers and great dog owners who have perfect recall etc! I quite like most dogs but am
starting to feel the UK has its priorities very muddled.

AIBU?

I don't think @Twentywisteria was making such a comparison merely quoting if people prefer animals to children that makes "us" psychopaths by a pp.

As you've correctly pointed out there has been a lot of fatal dog attacks but behind many of those dogs is a feckless human.........

Yes

Fully OK with being called a psychopath for my pets (not dogs) being more important to me than some random person’s children.

I don’t hold humans in particularly high regard and think the planet would be better left to the animals to be honest. Yes yes yes humans are top of the hierarchy I know - and look where it’s got us. Dying planet. I don’t look around at babies and think “wow I’m so happy you exist as a continuation of this wonderful species that’s doing so much good in this world”.

But maybe I’m wired wrong. I’ve no kids though so worry not, I’m not passing it on.

Depends what you mean by that @fitzwilliamdarcy I get why people say they prefer their dogs to people (they enjoy the slavish devotion most probably! Who wouldn't)

It strikes me as unhinged that anyone would actually value animal life above human life though.

If for some crazy reason I had to choose between the life of my own pet and some random person's grandfather, I'd always choose the grandfather. That's such a no brainer for me. Ditto kid versus dog. Kids are just more important as far as I'm concerned.

The sad fact is that people have become addicted to complaining about everything these days. I work in a busy store and it is absolutely draining and has got a lot worse over the years.
People aren't happy unless they have something to complain about.

I’m in my 50’s and I’ve never seen a toddler knocked over by a dog yet you have seen loads.

@playgroundwarrior and that's the difference some random persons grandfather would definitely not come before the life of one of my cats because I'm emotionally attached to them as they are MY family some random persons grandfather isn't my family and that for me is a no brainer

@playgroundwarrior - you might be interested to know that questions like the one you posed there are used for some jobs to establish the psychological stability of people and their suitability for certain responsibilities!

No, I know what my pet has or has not done. I don't know about some random grandfather (and believe me, age does not confer safety, nor sainthood).

@playgroundwarrior Fair enough, that’s your view. I think it’s kinda rude to call other people unhinged for not thinking some random set of kids are more important than their own animals. Realistically all parents would run over a child to save their own - and I know you’ll say well yes but that’s to save a human so it’s justified! But most if not all people who say kids and human life are the most important, sacred thing would forget that in a heartbeat for their own preferred kid and human life. A stranger is sacred to a point - for everyone.

Well that's very interesting @LexMitior

I’ve never seen it either but on MN it’s like a bowling alley every time people leave the house - toddlers flying everywhere.

I agree tbh. Mad dogs and Englishmen... we are an animal loving nation way more that a small human one. I say this as a mum of 2 and owner of dog and grew up with dogs. I generally feel kids are more of an irritant to other English people than dogs are.

YANBU

I've noticed this too op, I work somewhere with loads of dog walkers. The dogs are allowed in the shop have treats for them all but not one play area for the children (it's an outdoor place).
I've heard someone actually say loudly so their parents could hear that "children shouldn't be allowed in here" in a shop! Because the children were just being kids, chatting loudly being excited.

It's weird

😂😂

YANBU. We are a very anti-child nation.
It's mad that people are pro dog yet anti human. Drives me insane.

My children have both been knocked over by dogs, chased and scared, had food snatched out of their hands by dogs, pawed at when they didn't want to be. Owners say oh, he's just being friendly. Fuck off - I'm not interested in the filthy mutt, god knows where its last had its mouth (eating poo/licking its own genitals), gross gross gross.

I saw one toddler trip over the leash of her parents' dog, and broke her front teeth, and badly grazed her mouth.
Dogs are a menace.

I avoid dog-friendly establishments, but seeing signs saying free treats for your doggo when you buy a coffee, yet no free biscuit offer for kids - wtf. I'll not be subsidising such madness, not that I'd enter their dirty premises anyway.

I wish there was an island where all the dog nutters could just live, without bothering the rest of us.

Sick of cleaning dog poo off my kids' shoes and wheels too.

Only on MN have I "seen" toddlers knocked over daily by dogs, prams being infiltrated by savage doodles intent on stealing children's sandwiches, dogs leaping up on women and tackling them to the ground, men dying at the paws of miniature poodles.
In real life I have 2 children and one dog, and seem to manage to navigate the world without becoming a topic on MN.

I'm heartily sick of people letting their dogs jump up all over me while they stand there saying, 'he/they won't hurt you.'
How about control your blooming dogs. Having my clothes ruined, having dog hairs all over me when I'm allergic to dogs. Having the fear that they will hurt me whether they will or not, is bloody unpleasant. Why do people think this is okay?

I have to agree with this.

There seems to be more dogs than ever, everywhere these days.

I myself am not a dog fan, I've been terrified of dogs since I was small (no apparent reason) ans I've learnt to control this as I've got older. However my 3 year old has picked up on my fear and really doesn't like dogs at all.

I must say I do find most dog owners quite understanding when you explain you're not keen etc and they'll keep them away. However, there is a small minority of dog owners who seem to think everyone wants their dog jumping up and barking at them whilst saying "he won't hurt you, he just wants to play". Not helpful at all when you have a genuine fear and a 3 year old screaming because he's terrified.

On a thread about entitled dog owners. and you are complaining that your kids don't get free biscuits 😂

I'm sure if free biscuits were offered loads of parents would complain that their DC didn't like that flavour, or that actually fruit would be healthier and why was the business encouraging child obesity, and come to think of it why only one biscuit when they've got 3 children? etc etc etc etc etc.

Presumably the cafes aren't selling the dog treats whereas giving biscuits would be giving away stock for free. You could suggest that they give dog treats to kids as well?

And 5 mins later there would be a post "YABU for expecting a cafe to have a dairy-free gluten-free organic free biscuit option? My DS was in floods of tears because he couldn't have a free biscuit today".

@Twentywisteria Someone I work with posted letters through her neighbours’ letterboxes after trick or treating one year, scolding them for not having any free from options for her children. It had ruined the event for them apparently.

I've just got in from what could have been a lovely dinner out, spoilt by the 2 noisy, screaming young kids on the next table who also managed to spill their drink onto my trousers whilst the parents took photos of them and chatted to each other. Some people are just idiots with no awareness of their surroundings and others, especially when they are meant to be supervising their child or dog. You can't fix stupid unfortunately.

I would not be surprised if there was a thread somewhere about that already.

A few years ago, a local community garden held a open day and they served up soup made with fresh veg from the plots there. Someone actually complained that the soup was vegetarian, and that there should have been a meat option.

Sticking with the dog theme though... I have tried Gravy Bones, and they are not that bad
Any entitled parent moaning that a visiting pooch to a cafe gets one biscuit from a pack that cost less than £2... give your screaming kid one of those.