To not want my 18 month old's face licked by a random dog?

[CitrusBun]

Every morning we take our five year old and eighteen month old children to pre-school through a small local park. The park has a concrete path on it, and we do not stray from the path to the grass either side.

Every morning, there are two adults there with Labradors who are roaming off their leads. I don't have an issue with the dogs being off their leads, but I do have an issue with one of the dogs consistently wandering over and licking my eighteen month old's face. We don't know the dog owners, I've never suggested this approach is welcome, and my eighteen month old simply freezes and has never giggled, smiled or welcomed the approach.

I haven't yet overcome my Britishness to say something, but I will do tomorrow. Before I do - AIBU to have a problem with this? I fully appreciate the dogs aren't dangerous (AFAIK) and that some people like dogs doing this. But doesn't my eighteen month old have the right not to just be licked by a random dog? Or by default is this just accepted behaviour?

I should point out that the owners seem to understand this isn't welcome, because they tend to say their dog's name in a disappointed voice. But they don't make a move to stop him or apologise or anything like that.

Thank you - you're clearly the kind of dog owner I wish I encountered rather than the ones I do.

Will do!

I love dogs but at no point, ever, is this acceptable in that the owners don't apologise and immediately restrain the dog. Then make sure the recall is reinforced and trained properly.
I wouldn't let my own dogs lick my children's faces, either. They sniff shit ffs.

If a dog had licked my child's face it wouldn't have done it again. I would do ballistic. Name and shame. Take photos and do whatever is needed.
It's completely and utterly unacceptable.

If a human went around licking children’s faces, they’d be put on a register.

Why do dogs get to do it ?

See I clearly need more dog owners like you around me!

Exactly the thought I had going into this. The flaming aside, I'm glad to see that I wasn't wrong.

I love my dog but jeez his breath stinks.

I always advise guests not to let him lick their face or kiss him (at least not with tongues).

No dog should ever be off lead in public, unless it's a dog park. Suggest they put the dogs on a lead as they (or one of them) don't have any recall. I would also tell them if it happened again, you'll video it and report it and post on social media. These irresponsible arseholes deserve to be shamed.

No OP, you definitely wouldn't be unreasonable in saying something. Do! I would be mortified if my dog did this and it would be straight on its lead until it learnt not to.

Most dogs don't get to do it.

Mine don't do it, they aren't allowed. One of them hasn't ever tried. The other one has been taught not to.

When you see them coming, turn the pram round the other way and hopefully the people will get the message that you're not happy with it or temporarily put a raincover over.

YANBU OP.

We had a Lab who was not always reliable when around other people (harmless, but bouncy) and therefore he was kept on a lead when around other people. It's not difficult to be a reliable dog owner if you're sensible - unfortunately though I would estimate that 75% of dog owners are not sensible.

As others have said, no dog should be licking a human and certainly not a toddler human. Labradors eat vomit and horse shit (among other delightful things) - you don't need to make any comment about your toddler not liking it, it's simply unhygienic and disgusting and exposes him to potential disease.

One of these things is not like the other.

Yes, actually they are. They are the same thing.

Because dogs are cute and get away with it!
That is course according to Op ... meanwhile in the real world I doubt that anyone would let a random dog lick their toddlers face. I know I would not let ANY dog do that, not even my own! It's gross.

No, they really aren't the same 🤔

This is terrible! Not unreasonable at all.

I love dogs, am relatively relaxed about DD being licked by my dogs/family dogs, but I would be furious with dogs I didn't know being allowed to approach my 18 month old and lick their face.

This could be very dangerous if something caused the dog to snap. Toddlers can be very erratic which makes dogs nervous, so this is a real possibility.

I would pick the child up and yell at the dog to go away.

That might be a next step - thanks for the comment

I need more dog owners like you in my area!

Please can you move in near me, thanks

Definitely this !

I think my problem is that I've been too quiet about my displeasure - before now I've stopped, picked up the child until I've got past, and put them down after. I clearly haven't expressed my distaste enough otherwise they'd remember this is a bad thing to do. Will be a bit more forceful about this tomorrow.

Entirely sensible, and I don't understand why every dog owner doesn't feel the same. Thank you