To have commented on an unleashed dog

[Isthisthisreallife]

Husband and I walking in the park today with our 2 year old, newborn in the pram and our on lead dog who can be quite nervous around other dogs.
A man came towards us with his small breed dog off lead who went straight towards our dog for a sniff - not horrendous but I don’t think dogs should off lead if they wander over to dogs on lead because you never know the other dog’s situation. Then it ran at our two year old daughter jumping up to her face, knocking her over on the second jump causing her to fall in mud and become upset. The man made no attempt to recall the dog or apologise when it knocked her over.
I responded to the incident in a clearly irritated tone (no shouting) ‘your dog should absolutely not be off lead if that’s how it behaves with children’. No response so we all just carried on our separate ways.

Husband then said I was a bit harsh as the dog only jumped up and wasn’t aggressive.
So AIBU for being annoyed enough to say something to this man?

YANBU

Dogs off lead should be totally under the control of the owner and not approach anyone or anything without checking first.

Our dog goes off lead

If a dog can't be trusted to behave absolutely bomb proof it shouldn't be off the lead.

And I say that as a dog owner with a bouncy puppy who isn't off the lead unless in the garden or a local dog field that we hire.

Your dh is happy for your child to be knocked to the ground then is he? The dog could easily have bitten your child’s face, I do not think YABU. People have to be careful dog owners and control their animals.

Had very similar situation (minus own dog) and my 2 year old was knocked down. Still fuming about the response - oh the grandchildren love to play rough with the dog. I was not harsh enough and had I not been so shocked would have been far less polite than you. Dog owners should keep dog under control and I think YANBU

Any dog jumping up at my child would get a whack in the face. I think you were very restrained!

should have been harsher. I would have been.

YANBU. This shit is why my children are terrified of dogs. No dog should be approaching strangers, especially not small children. If anything you under reacted.

YANBU I’m sick of this crap. Once had to lift my 5 year old up above my shoulders to get him away from a boxer-size dog that was jumping up at us while owner ambled along with no acknowledgement.

My dog is always on-lead unless there are other people around and I've noticed that usually, when people see that, they recall their dog and put it on-lead before walking past us. Usually. There are always ignorant idiots around and this man was one of them. Presumably he thinks his dog's right to run about where it likes trumps your DD's right not to be jumped up at. Good for you for speaking out. Hopefully it will make him think twice in future.

YANBU. Our young dog is obsessed with other dogs and will want to run up to them. As soon as we see one, he goes on the lead.

I spend a lot of time minding my niece's dog, who is extremely well-behaved. She has trained him very well. He is on lead in public areas, always. He will not approach people, has no interest, but has also been trained not to.

Children should not be harassed by dogs, nor should adults. It really irritates me when I see a dog jumping up at people. Owners need to do better.

YANBU I would have been far more rude and pissy than you were OP. That's unacceptable and so ignorant of the owner what a twat!

Dog not under control and could have caused injury. You were more polite than I would have been. And yes. I have dogs.

Nope, YANBU. I'd be really pissed at that.
The owners 'reaction' too is shocking

YANBU
Your poor daughter. I hope she's ok

I'd be furious with your husband

Dog walking protocol is if you are walking your dog off the lead and see someone else with a dog on a lead, then you put yours on. No you are not being unreasonable to have expected that man to put his dog on the lead.

The husbands response would put me right off him - what a wet lettuce!

A bloody Labrador jumped up at me and left muddy marks all over my coat 🙄. Was not happy.

Same here. This usually happens with young and high energy dogs. The owners should have some understanding of canine behaviour as well as training recall daily, for ever. No dog is perfect but in a park with children, they should be on leads.

Your response does sound a little OTT. We had a bomb proof dog (mainly because he's so clingy) who would come back at command, but I only knew that because he'd been exposed to the situation.

I never let him off until I was sure he was a softy, but when we started off lead training I wasn't 100% sure he would come back (he would in a dog park when another dog came in) if faced with a kid who wanted to cuddle him.

When DS was little if a dog came up to us I would expect the owner to shout he's friendly then wouldn't have batted an eye lid if he got knocked over as ours floored him more than once trying to cuddle.

I can see why people are scared of the bull breeds but in the 90-00s people weren't anywhere as near bothered by normal dogs.

My adult daughter still remembers being knocked over by a Jack Russell when she was two and how it frightened her and put her off dogs for years. A terrier can do a lot of damage too, one jumped up at my DH and bit him on the thigh. The owner denied it was serious, not what the nurse at the GP said when she dressed the wound and gave him a tetanus jab.
Honestly, I grew up with dogs but these days my general attitude towards them is one of loathing!!

YANBU OP.

I'd have been furious if that happened to my child. Dog owners need to take more responsibility when their dog behaves like that. I also don't think any dog should be off lead in public areas.

Out of control dogs are awful. DH recently got a written warning at work - he's a park keeper - because he told someone to keep their dogs under control after they ran over barking and growling at him, twice. The member of public made a complaint as DH said something a little sarcastic when she said she was going to report him for telling her to keep the dogs under control. If your dog isn't under recall, it shouldn't be off the lead.

Dogs should be on a lead in parks and public areas. Fenced off dog paddocks and their own homes are the only places they should be off leads.

I would have been raging.
so sick of these “friendly” dogs jumping up!