Dog running over to me, toddler and pram

[OliviaH2]

I was out walking this morning with my toddler and I also had my baby in the pram, when I saw a very large German Shepherd spot us and bolt over to us. I immediately panicked because of the way it was running over, I knew it was coming towards us.
I shouted “get your dog on a lead” and grabbed my toddler.
The owner shouted back “no I’m not he’s friendly” I shouted get your dog, by that point it had just reached us and sort of jumped and pound it’s paw on the ground. I again shouted “get your dog and put it on a lead” and the guy refused, I said “you don’t know who has a fear of dogs and it’s so irresponsible” but he continued to argue back not doing anything but walking in the other direction, the dog then followed him but he just continued shouting “you don’t have a fear of dogs do you”

I was so shaken up after this!
I’ve had dogs growing up and always thought you put them on a lead when near people. Isn’t this just common knowledge? He argued back so confidently that it isn’t his problem, just wondering what people’s thoughts are on this? I wish there was a way of reporting him?

This was a response to "It wasn’t nice and he could have been much more considerate. However I would focus on what you can control if that happens again, which is your response. Maybe teaching your toddler not to be frightened when an unexpected dog comes over. Cos she will have picked up on your feelings"

Thank you!
I typed my post very quickly and out of frustration, missed a few details (annd don’t know how to edit) including the fact the dog ran through one side of a road to get to us. He had zero control of that dog, just because the dog decided to follow him after the owner was at a distance doesn’t mean it’s obedient🤣

My children regularly socialise with dogs, and although I agree with you to a certain extent of how we react to things this simply was not possible in this situation. The dog bowed its head down similar to when they stalk birds and bolted at us, I feared for their safety, there was no way I wasn’t going to grab my child. There have been many incidents in the new recently of dog attacks, I wasn’t willing to risk my child’s safety. When dogs come trotting over on walks (which happens a lot) that is a totally different situation

Do you really think that by you standing in between would stop an attack? A 40kg dog? Not that the dog attacked in this instance but by the way it ran at us I had every reason to believe it was going to.
Very interesting to know what you would have done, however being in that situation with a dog running at that speed towards you there is no way you would have reacted as calmly as you think you may have.

Thank you! I didn’t know that, here in the UK they aren’t!
I’m not against this breed, but the owner was awful in this situation. Zero control over his dog, how some people thinks it’s ok for dogs to run up to people, especially children is beyond me!

I say this all the time to owners who make to leash their dog when they clock that mine is on lead. They're concerned mine is aggressive or nervous and are being polite. He isn't, we're just practicing our training exercises. So no need for them to leash their pup.

The dog absolutely would have knocked my child down had I know of grabbed her. I regularly socialise my children with dogs, so there is no concern there.
As I posted so quickly in frustration I missed some details but as said in comments the owner refused to even call the dog, so no it didn’t run back when called. The dog decided to follow him after he got some distance.

I don’t think dogs should be on a lead at all times, however when people are nearby especially children I think that they should either be called back or put on a lead should the owner have no control to do this. Which in this case, he had zero control!
In pure panic yes I asked that he put his dog on the lead, a perfectly reasonable request when I have a 40kg dog close to knocking my child down. If you also agree with the owner in that it’s ok to let your dog run up to people then you also have no concern for your dogs safety?

I don’t know what on Earth they bred the lovely Japanese Akita with to get that monstrosity - probably a grizzly bear or something.

Agree. There are so many dogs around my son’s primary school at drop off and especially pick up and while they’re on leads, several constantly bark while we’re waiting for the gates to open. Non-stop, and owners make no attempt to stop them. Then all the dogs come into the playground and bark. My son was attacked by dogs and the constant barking makes both of us nervous. The owners can’t know this of course, but it just seems like dogs need to go everywhere these days and some people think the dogs’ freedom and enjoyment should override humans’, even children’s.

This is like victim blaming. ‘Teach your child not to have an instinctive reasonable reaction to an animal twice her size racing towards her’ 🙄🙄🙄

He should never have allowed the dog to run up to you and he should have just acquiesced to put the dog on the lead, by way of making good on his inability to prevent his dog scaring you like that. But, I couldn’t agree dog owners should be expected to put the dog on the lead around people if they are able to be controlled by the owner.

It is not a non-event to have a large dog of a breed many find frightening for good reason, no matter how pleasant the actual dog's disposition might be, racing towards one - particularly when you throw in small beings that might easily be mauled.

It is not a non-event to ask for the dog to be restrained - a clear signal of fear and discomfort - and be ignored and talked back to. You say the do has decent recall - but the owner did not recall him immediately. He argued the toss with an upset woman asking over and over again for him to restrain his large dog.

Unless you think women have no right at all to feel safe, and to protect their babies and children, this is very upsetting event.

Thank you for your comment, I have been so surprised by people’s opinions on this telling me I am over reacting! Thank you.

Yes, I agree with you that IF a dog can be controlled by it’s owner then they is no need to put a lead on it. However, this dog was not controlled by its owner. He chose not to even call the dog back, and just because the dog followed him after the owner got some distance away from us and the dog, it doesn’t not mean the dog had good recall or was well controlled.

I totally agree with you, the dog was not under control and should never have been able to run at you. And his reaction was hostile and arseholey.

The fact that he had zero control of his dog, nor did he even try to. It’s dangerous, irresponsible and disrespectful. His dog also ran through one side of a road to get to me, it’s scary to think that anyone can own a dog with little to no knowledge of how to handle them

But if he wasn't trying to call the dog off then you don't know that the dog was out of control or if it has bad recall. The dog wasn't being aggressive, if it wanted to hurt you it would have. It didn't want to. It just approached you.

The owner was rude, definitely, but that's not a crime.

The dog ran a far distance from its owner over to us passing through a road I would say that is having no control. It bolted the moment it saw us, due to the way it ran at me I had every reason to believe it was aggressive and out of control - as another commenter has highlighted, that is a crime because it gave me every reason to think in that moment it was a threat.
If I hadn’t of grabbed my toddler it would have 100% knocked her down.

Letting your dog approach people in that way is absolutely not ok, but you are right he was rude!

If dog doesn't have solid recall, it shouldn't be off the lead

What kind of a prick sees a frightened woman with a baby grab her toddler to protect her when his large dog races over to her, and doesn't call it back?

And where is the empathy for the OP in this thread? People seem to be bending over backwards to somehow make her in the wrong, because apparently all dogs are all good and all dog owners are the best of the best by virtue of owning dogs.

All dogs should be on leads when in public I can't believe it is not law

He's an ass especially as you had young children with you.

Police are aware there are many spiteful individuals who try to use this act in order to get someone's dog killed or taken. The act isn't used lightly
I have been a victim of a spiteful neighbour and police glady ignored his malice..

The guy op is talking about is an ass but the dog DID NOT harm them. It doesn't deserve to DIE for scaring someone

I don’t believe half these stories on MN about dogs or at least they are so heavily embellished they sound like lies.

Apologise? To a fucking dog? Get over yourself.