Dog nipped child

[Twinkleandstressed]

Dog was tied up outside corner shop - I could see him from the till point. Only picking up one item. Dog is usually friendly and calm. Child darts out of shop with father and runs towards my dog wanting to pet him. My dog reacts my growling and going to bite him. He didn’t thankfully but did hurt his lip by jumping. Dad is useless and just walks on to car. I quickly go outside and go to apologise. Mum who is sitting in the car is consoling child - I ask if he is hurt. She says just a scrape on mouth. I apologise again and explain that my dog must have been startled but I feel terrible and that I cannot trust my dog.

I’d say people should control their kids and keep hold of them. Poor dog was scared.

All dogs are killers

Seriously? A chihuahua is a killer?

When I was 7 I walked out of a newsagents - very calmly in front of my mum. A dog that was tied up suddenly jumped up and bit my thigh. Went straight through my school skirt / tights. Had to go to hospital. Was horrific. I’m still nervous now walking past dogs tied up. You were completely and utterly in the wrong. It could have been so much worse.

Ok. So you don't teach your kid not to touch the stove because it's hot?

Not to run into the road in front of cars?

Not to play with the bleach?

After all why should your child have to alter his behaviour for his own safety?

You're being ridiculous. It's basic parenting. Keep your tiny child within grabbing distance and prevent them doing anything dangerous. Don't touch fire, dont touch sharp objects, stay out of road, don't drink bleach or approach strange dogs. Pretty sure they're on any decent parents top 10 list of shit their kid isn't allowed to do.

Dad didn't parent, dog did it for him.

Increase in dog theft

Any dog bite can kill if it breaks the skin
Not always immediately but due to infection etc

Any bite can. Are cats and horses killers too? What about rabbits? 🙄

Legally, the dog owner is responsible for making sure their dog isn't out of control and biting people.

It was tied up. It couldn’t have reached the child if it hadn’t run at it.

@BIossomtoes that's irrelevant in the eyes of the law - the owner is responsible for their dogs behaviour, 100% of the time.

Leaving your dog tied up in public so that any random person can approach it is negligent at best. If the parent chose to go to the police and there was CCTV footage, the OP could be prosecuted.

I think the lesson here is don't let your small child run up to dogs you don't know to pet them.

I can see you've taken a bit of a battering here, OP, but I don't think you're entirely responsible at all. One of the.first things I taught my children when they were walking out in public was not to approach dogs.

Adults know that every single dog has the capacity to bite so you keep your child safe.

Legally, the dog owner is responsible for making sure their dog isn't out of control and biting people.

But, in the same way as all drivers are responsible if they hit a pedestrian, you still look before you cross the road and teach your child not to run out.

I mean, there has to be some personal responsibility for keeping yourself and your children safe.

I agree that tying a dog up outside a shop is a stupid thing to do but I doubt very much there would be a prosecution if footage showed a child running at a dog. Unless the law is an ass on this as so many issues.

Cool, take as many risks as you like with your children then, as long as someone else is legally to blame.

@BIossomtoes well, in all likelihood OP would just get a visit telling her to be more careful in the future, but the law is pretty clear about what side they're on unfortunately.

Where did I say that?

I said that legally, OP would be the one responsible and the one dealing with consequences like keeping her dog leashed and muzzled in public.

Upthread I did clarify that I think all the adults in the situation are at fault, but the law is pretty clear over who would be the one facing any consequences.

The law shouldn’t take sides. Justice is blind.

@BIossomtoes well, until there's an act about out of control children, it very much does take sides.

You must have full control over your dog at all times, both out in public and in private. If your dog behaves in a way that scares others (they don't even need to bite or injure) then you can be prosecuted.

So as the owner, you should never leave your dog unattended in public as ultimately you are not in control of what they do and be in trouble if something happens.

In the eyes of the law the dog owner is responsible ... and rightly so.

So you let your children approach strange dogs with gay abandon then?

Thank you for the patronising explanation of something I already know @biscuitsandbooks.

I was nipped on the ankle by a dog tied up outside a shop - my 6 yo was with me and since then every time she sees a dog she vomits from fear. Don't leave your dog outside shops

My dog was scared when a five year old approached him. The child ran across (a quiet) road , screeching. Mum sauntered behind. My dog was on the lead , but I felt the unruly child should have been on one!

Dog owners always minimising. Just a "nip".

According to BMJ, 180,000 people attended A and E in 2023 due to dog bites. Muzzle your dogs in public please.

DH and I were once sitting outside a cafe having a cup of tea, our dog was right under our table snoozing. Without warning a young man came up and stuck his hand under the table to stroke her. She was obviously startled and snapped at the young man but made no physical contact with his hand. Was I totally responsible?

Well technically in legal terms, yes - but morally? Well, I would personally argue that you're not. Your dog was minding her own business when someone came and disturbed her. That's not your fault.

I suspect any "claim" wouldn't get anywhere in your situation, but because the OP tied her dog up and left it unattended, things would be different.

Should the same not be true of dogs off leads then that run up to and jump on small children?