Aggressive dogs in pubs

[spookyastic]

Me, my husband and my 18 moth toddler were just in a pub for tea, arrived at 6ish and in the corner of the bar were two cocker spaniels who were absolutely fine with everyone in the restaurant except our 18 month old child.
Our 18 month old was exploring (this might be unreasonable on our part) it was a small pub and she was around our bar stools, always within reach but these cockers kept lunging, barking and growling at her, at one point I had to pull my daughter by her arm as she was about to get lunged at, it made the whole experience in a very small pub really intense.
I genuinely don't know if I'm being unreasonable, these dogs were on leads and if my toddler did get bitten it would be because she went in the dogs space.
We don't hate dogs btw, we own trained gundogs ourselves who we trial to a high standard, cockers too, none would ever bite or show aggression:
We didn't say anything, we just were on guard in the bar area until we were seated but what's everyone's thoughts on this? She didn't even apologise for her dogs aggressive behaviour, but equally we didn't apologise for our toddler walking past the dogs or playing near, but it's a small pub and they were in a doorway

Because it's Mumsnet and people dig their catty nails into any throw away comment they can, the comment was in response to someone saying that my toddler could accidentally get booted in the face, which was a pretty extreme and inflammatory comment. We were sat on two bar stools with my toddler playing with her fidget thing sat on her laps but about 20% of the time she'd look around and point at things on the wall, like a big stuffed fox and I'd take her to have a look. At one point I took her to the toilet to change her nappy
Geez!!! She wasn't wandering around without me

Remember being in a tea room in Cornwall with my DB’s black lab under the table. He is utterly docile, a beautiful soul who loves children. A crawling toddler appeared from round the corner and made a beeline for him. He just thumped his tail at her. The toddler’s mum finally appeared when she had almost reached him and scooped her up. So much for keeping an eye on her!

Yabu i bet staff were happy trying to dodge the exploring toddler.
having worked in hospitality having parents who let their kids loose whilst i’m trying to carry hot food and drinks was the worse.
if your child was injured whose fault would it have been?
don’t do this, it’s not fun for staff just trying to do their job.
i’ve seen staff and kids injured due to this.

Because it’s a vile comment?

Noticeable how OP’s story keeps changing. First the toddler is wandering around exploring (and frightening two on-leash dogs who were minding their own business with their owners), then she’s holding toddler’s hand all the time despite being perched on a bar stool, then the toddler’s sitting playing with a toy and OP picks her up to carry her around, despite the pub apparently being tiny and crowded.

The BS level is rising with every update.

IMO your child shouldn't have been wandering about the pub especially where food is being served. Far too many risks/hazards.

Like other people's children, other people's dogs' training and obedience varies. You can't rely on standards of behaviour to be the same as yours.

I think letting your 18mo explore (depending on what this meant exactly) could be unreasonable, BUT aggressive dogs should absolutely not be in the pub. If a dog is aggressive, all it takes is someone stepping on a paw or tail to lead to a dangerous incident - there does not have to be any inappropriate behavior on the human's behalf.

Why we are letting dogs in pubs is a mystery to me anyway.

The dogs were obviously telling you to stop letting your kid wander round a pub.

20% of the time. You even acknowledged in the op that you may BU with her exploring so the story has changed a fair bit
So you hardly moved really.
They were lunging at her from the other side of the room while she was sat with her fidget thing minding her own business i suppose?

The staff should have asked them to leave.

But they didn't
So I'd hazard a guess that they weren't really aggressive afterall

Asked who to leave? the dog owners or the Op?

Dog owners could have been there first. The owners were not expecting a family with a toddler to come into a pub, 6ish in the evening.

The dogs are the ones being threatening, they should go

On that basis your child would never walk anywhere, because that could happen at anytime. Holding her hand guiding her about in exploration is parenting (as stopping your dog barking and growling at people is responsible dog ownership).

Dogs should not be in a pub.
18 month old "exploring " toddlers should not be in a pub.

Dogs doing what every customer in there wanted to do. Keep your kid under control. It’s a pub not a soft play centre

Why dogs and not kids

Family friendly pubs positively encourage people with kids, as long as the toddler is not harassing me I don't mind kids in pubs, don't be so curmudgeonly

Well, I do not think it is acceptable to have dogs displaying aggressive behaviour in a pub/restaurant. I take my dogs out and about, including our fosters, but wouldn't take anything that wasn't child safe into that kind of environment.

Whether or not OP should have been letting her DC wander around, a child can get away from a parent really quickly, none of us are perfect. You can't guarantee in that kind of environment that you're going to be able to keep your dogs away from children completely.

@spookyastic you sound like you really dislike dogs. I wouldn’t let you near mine and am surprised people pay you to as you sound so aggressive.
you should control your child and stop talking about assaulting animals.

Why not keep your ill behaved child on a lead?
People who let their children round around in pubs are selfish and lacking in basic parenting skills.
And why take a young child to a pub?
Pay for a sitter, then everyone can enjoy themselves in peace.

Trust ne she was. She was irritating the dog owners a d probably everyone else in the pub whi don't want a toddler roaming freely

I think a toddler 'exploring' in a pub is a bad idea. Dogs or no dogs.

The people in the pub were more than likely muttering under their breath.
The dogs were less polite.
Maybe we should all be more dog!
It's right there in the op that the dogs weren't bothered by anyone else

I absolutely agree with this youngsters never should be allowed to explore/run around pubs they are busy workplace with staff carrying trays of glasses/hot food .