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?

Thank you. It was pretty traumatising tbh but still do love dogs but much more cautious of them now, just a shame shitty owners are still able to keep them, eh!

Of course you knew of the dog as aggressive or not, was it being aggressive when it ran over? No it was as you described excited by food, not great of the dog owner but yes you absolutely completely and utterly overacted, next time just pick your baby up and wait for the owner to grab the dog. Get a grip!

Or dog owners could just control their dogs. Why should it be the responsibility of the person who doesn't own the dog to control it.

How would I know if the dog was aggressive or not? We absolutely felt like it was a threat to our baby and acted accordingly.

I know that, and the dog shouldn't have jumped. No one is saying they should.

But you had food, and dogs - like children and adults - are not 100% perfect 100% of the time. They still need exercise.

The dog was jumping for the food not at the baby.

Well then it should be on a lead. Millions of other dog owners manage to exercise their dogs on leads.

If OP isn't a dog owner, how should she know what a dog's body language says about its intentions?

I've seen videos on YouTube where people say they can see the warning signs of an aggressive dog. But to a non-dog owner, any dog running to you and jumping in your face could be seen as a threat.

Humans are instinctive animals, it's literally ingrained in us to fight or flight.

I think that's a completely callous attitude towards animals.

Yes, especially next to a children's playground, where there are likely to be small children around.

Reactive dog owner here who can offer some impartial insight.
For context, I have a GSD X Staffie rescue who is super reactive to other dogs, though he loves kids and babies.

First and foremost* *I just want to say I hope your baby is okay and safe, and that no injuries were caused to anyone in your family. I can totally understand how scary it would've been to see a dog run towards you if you're unsure of the temperament or what the dog might do.
I can also understand that your DH's reaction may have been spur of the moment or kneejerk...

I would also like to add that the dog owner in questions sounds like one of many absolutely trash owners who have no respect for others and their safety.
My boy has had a very hard life and has suffered through lots of abuse and abandonment, and has had a few different families before ultimately being adopted by myself. I have taken him to multiple behaviouralists, but really none were that effective and he is still a reactive dog so as a result, anywhere I go with him, I ensure that he is safely restrained and on a lead at all times, no exceptions. He is never let outside off lead and he is never unsupervised by himself outside of the home, even in our back garden.
Unfortunately, a lot of people these days are really lacking the skills, intelligence and initiative to look after a dog properly and they do not adequately take care of them, nor do they care how their actions affect others.

BUT, that said, kicking the dog was absolutely not correct at all. You didn't say anywhere that the dog was being aggressive, attempting to bite you or any member of your family, nor did you specify that you or your partner tried to give a clear instruction or demand to the dog, so I'm intrigued as to why that would have been the first course of action?
Not only was that unfair to the dog because, ultimately it's not their fault that their owner is an inconsiderate dickhead, but also, likely could have also further provoked them and possibly inflamed the situation even more and made it potentially even more unsafe for you all.

I hope that you had some serious and unsavoury words for the owner, though.

Tbh op this could have ended in terrible consequences. You had no idea about the dogs temperament, some dogs would absolutely attack if you kicked them (as would some owners if they saw you kicking their dog!)

I think both yourself and the dog owner were unreasonably. The dog should most definitely should have been under control and shouldn’t be off the lead unless it has trusted recall. You kicking the dog was also unreasonable.

I think your going to have to go to places that don’t allow dogs as your reaction was extreme and could have had long lasting, far reaching consequences.

I know you keep quoting law but the reality is no one will do anything about the type of dog interaction you described. They barely do anything about dogs on the banned list until they have attacked. If you can’t handle yourself and your family safely around dogs (and let’s face it there will always be bad owners and unpredictable dogs) your probably best to avoid them all together.

It wasn't in a children's playground- I don't know any playgrounds where dogs are allowed even on a lead. That's a reasonable compromise.

It jumped up and my baby, putting its paws on them several times. Do you understand how much a baby weighs in comparison to a a medium sized dog? It shouldn’t have put its paws anywhere near my baby and its owner should’ve trained it. It couldn’t get to the food and kept lunging at my DH and baby. You’ve no idea how scary that is when you don’t know the animal, it clearly isn’t listening to its owner, and you’re trying to protect a totally defenceless child. So don’t tell me what the dog was doing.

Can you not see that it might be beneficial, to both you and your baby, if you took a bit of time and learned to tell if a dog was being aggressive or not?

If you didn't want to hear a range of opinions why did you ask the question?

I said 'next to a children's playground', because OP said 'we were sat next to a big children’s play area (which wasn’t fenced off)'

It was a children’s play area. I’ve said that numerous times but that’s another thing that isn’t sinking in. There’s a big play area with picnic benches dotted around the outside of it. That’s where we were. Can you imagine if a toddler had been standing there holding a sandwich and a dog jumped on them to get it. If it had hurt the child it could’ve been put down. The dog owner is the abusive one for even taking that risk with an untrained dog.

Apologies I must have read that wrong I thought you said "in a playground".

Where has OP said you can't give your opinion? Doesn't mean she can't disagree with you.

No worries.

I don’t think you or your DH over reacted. I’m surprised the dog was off the lead if they did not respond to recall. I have a cocker spaniel and golden retriever mix, while gentle, he is super strong and very food motivated! I’ve spent a lot of time training recall but still wouldn’t leave him off lead in a picnic area!

Even trained dogs aren't 100% perfect 100% of the time. I don't know why you are expecting standards of animals that aren't expected of people.
There is no binary that is "untrained" vs 100% perfect.

It was the "don't tell me" bit I was responding to.

You’re not answering my question at all. It was dangerous and irresponsible of the dog owner to let an untrained dog off the lead in a space like that. It could’ve seriously hurt a child. There are no excuses.

Why? If you have a dog that needs to be off lead then you find those spaces. You don't take them to an area that is available for everyone because it quite clearly isn't appropriate for a dog that doesn't have 100% recall. Pet owners have the responsibility to take their animals to places that are appropriate for the pets.