AIBU to be upset after a dog jumped at our baby?

[KellyK2026]

Okay, so myself, DH and baby were at a country park the other week. Baby was getting hungry so we sat ourselves down on a park bench and got some food out. A woman was walking with her family and dog and the dog must’ve smelt the food as it suddenly
comes bounding over and is jumping at baby (who is on DH knee) to get the food. We don’t know this dog and don’t know what it's capable of. I scream at the owner that we have a baby and to get her dog under control. At this point, she’s pretty far away and is taking her time to come over. My DH then kicks the dog to get it off them as it just will not stop. The woman wasn’t particularly apologetic and seemed shocked. Did we overreact?

@Thinkofnewthings- completely agree!
The world is bonkers when it comes to daft dogs off leads. ( no problem with normal/sensible owners)
Maybe OP you should have drop kicked the baby to a safe distance whilst crouching down to give the dog some reiki or a dog-breathwork session to keep it happy.x

If DH didn't protect your child whatever would have happened!

I like and have owned dogs but have the view "One bite and dog is put to sleep". This was the rule when I was young and dog owners had to have a licence (cheap even at that time).

Most judges are legally trained and, if not already familiar with the law, will certainly be before rendering a verdict.

Not really comparable to some know- nothings mouthing off on the internet.

Can you really not think of a way you could get someone's attention without knowing their name? Do you ever go outside?

That's a lot of words to be 'shouting' generally at people around you.

Have you reported this aggressive dog to the authorities, then?

No, you didn’t overreact and the dog owner was totally in the wrong. The dog should not have been off lead and FWIW those bloody extending leads that allow the dog to wander wherever it likes are a pain in the arse too. No one wants a fucking dog slobbering in their food!!

I think it is fundamental to dog behaviour that dog owners keep their dogs on a short leash when around other people.

Me too. Plenty of pps have also said they would have kicked the dog.

I haven't left my house in 40 years.

And again, I am not asking you.

Im a dog lover and owner and I don’t think you are unreasonable or overreacting.
DH has given off lead dogs a little nudge of his foot when they have come bounding over, jumping all over and snarling at ours (who is generally on the lead and not wanting to play)
I would never let my dog do this to other dogs or people. Its so infuriating that people just let their dogs off lead with no recall or shit training.

That explains it then.

He could have passed the baby to the other adult who was in a standing position, no?

Although, I’ve never really had a problem with standing up from straddling a bench before. I think it would be much more tricky to kick from that position personally.

It’s the entitlement of dog owners that boils my piss. They assume everyone likes dogs and are shocked and/or offended if you ask them to recall their mutt. I have been scared of dogs all my life and am terrified of one approaching me. Yet, at least twice a week on my daily forest walks, a dog will come bounding up to me while its owner looks on completely unconcerned. Sometimes they jump
up, and I will literally scream at the owner to get the dog off. The owner always looks bemused at my reaction.

It’s time the govt introduced mandatory dog licences and local
authorities/parks, etc need to introduce and enforce fines for dogs off the lead.

Because you want me to learn by admitting things that didn’t happen. Yes, me and my DH felt like our baby was under threat. You can argue with that until you’re blue in the face. That’s exactly how we felt. My DH didn’t boot the dog. As I said repeatedly, he was straddling a bench which would’ve made a full kick impossible. The dog kept jumping up at him and, since he had his hands full with a baby he was trying to protect, he used his foot to kick the dog away. The dog was uninjured and the owner wasn’t upset about that. Nobody was. Plenty of people witnessed it and many people shook their heads at the owner. These were people that were there and saw what we did before it even got to that point.

😂😂😂😂😂 honestly I think some of these nutters would have less of a problem if I’d dropped my baby!

I wasn’t in a standing position. Jesus Christ. What is going on.

I'm following the replies now. Good grief. It's sad, is what it is.
I know it's tempting to stay and stick up for yourself but honestly, leave the thread. You cannot reason with these people.

You and your DH were not unreasonable. People need to control their dogs. Keep them on leads if they have shit recall!

I know that narrative is making you feel superior - but the 'nutters' are actually saying the dog owner was in the wrong but there was a solution that meant no person or animal gets hurt

Agree with this.

No, I’m aware I could’ve reported it but I didn’t feel like it needed escalating to that point. The owner’s family looked pretty embarrassed so I do think she will think twice before taking her dog off a lead.

Yes, it's called a lead.

The animal wasn’t hurt.

Stop been all sensible will you. They won't like that.

So, you’re literally just sitting on the bench, screaming 😂

Jesus Christ, if you were so fearful for your baby, why didn’t YOU stand up and take the baby from your husband?

Two adults, and neither of you thought to do that.

You asked if you overreacted. Yes, you absolutely did. There were options available to you other than kicking a dog who could smell your food.

I think doggo types need to get their heads around the fact that they can't just assume that randoms will know how to handle their dog. We aren't all dog owners and someone with no intentions of owning one is going to have better things to do than learn about dog behaviour. Keep your dog away from strangers.

I understand why DH kicked it. I don't get why some people think that you should have just stood back and let the dog have your food either. You're not a free doggo cafe.