to be annoyed at dog owner's attitude?

[TaleofTwoCities]

I was in the playing field today on the way over to the playground with ds 4 and dd2. I was watching ds who had gone ahead on his scooter and when I looked around at dd who was a few feet behind me she was being nearly knocked over by a young labrador type dog who was trying to lick her.

Now I don't mind dogs (despite being more of a cat person ) but I was annoyed at the attitude of the owner who arrived on the scene shortly afterwards. Instead of reprimanding the dog (who had clearly rushed at my dd, rather than me) he said 'oh isn't she used to dogs?' I said 'well not ones that nearly knock her over no'. He then proceeded to try and get her to stroke the dog and make friends with it.

Honestly, I would be worried if my dog were making a beeline for toddlers, however friendly intentioned. Just lucky for us that dd is fairly laid back and unlikely to develop a dog phobia. By the time the man had finished talking to us, I looked round and ds had disappeared! Luckily he was in the playground....it's a lesson to me anyway, to be more alert to dogs when I'm in dog walking territory!

Well, apart from letting my dog run up to kids / strangers, that could have been me!!!

If kids show any interest in my dog (a not so young labrador type ), I'll offer that the dog is friendly and loves to be stroked.

I do tend to keep my dog on a lead in areas where kids might be, but that's mainly because he's likely to jump in water / muddy puddle / other mess and then try to sneak a cuddle from a child

He (the chap) just probably thought he was being friendly and is happy with his (presumably!) reasonably new dog.

So, I think it would be appropriate (if you see him again) to suggest that he keeps the dog under control and lets children approach the dog if they wish to...

Its a bit of a bugbear of mine,so I will rant a bit.

I detest the fact that a loto f dog owners will let their dogs bound up to a toddler,and follow on with a big goofy smile on their face going "Oh don't worry,he won't hurt you he just LOVES children" as said dog is jumping up to the terrified child covering them in big mucky footprints and dog slaver.

How would they like it if a large creature about their size bounded over to them and knocked them over?

Blardy dogs.Don't get me started on the subject of dog poo.....

sorry YABU.

He was trying to be nice and friendly, most children like meeting dogs, and those that dont should learn not to be scared of them.

You could have told him you needed to get your son.

But, Noonki, dogs ARE messy...

That's fine if you like them, but not otherwise.

My dog is ALWAYS up for a cuddle with a child, but I'd be mortified if he jumped up at someone.

However friendly, with his paws up, my dog would flatten a toddler (totally well intentioned, but flattened nonetheless!!!)

YANBU, out of control large dogs really piss me off.

OOOH
This reminds me of a time recently when I was in the park with my 4 yr old dd and 2 yr old ds. I was walking with ds with the pram and dd had gone on ahead. 3 dogs came bounding up who were obviously playing but they were a bit too excitable. They were running around dd and she started getting frightened. I shouted that it was ok they were only playing. She got increasingly upset and started jumping up and down. I told her to stand still. She then started running towards me. The dogs thought this was a brilliant game and ran after her. One of them jumped up and licked her face, which scared her even more. I shouted for her to stand still. All the while I was looking for the dog owner to intervene.

She reached me, by this time ds was really upset by everything and started crying. So I had the pair of them crying and holding on to me.

Cue the dog owner (grrr, I am still angry). Yeah maybe I should have siad 'Your dogs scared my children' but I said 'Can you keep your dogs under control, they scared my children'. She then said 'I can let my dogs run where I like' I siad 'my dd is only 4 she didn;t realise they were playing' she said 'you should teach your dd to stand still' wtf! I walked on fuming. Unbeknowst to me 2 of (her?) children were following on. As they walked past me she shouted to them 'be careful of the 2 children there they get frightened very easily' I turned to her and said 'you bitch'. (OK not great infront of my kids)

My kids never had any problems with dogs before (just sometimes a little cautious) Ds has even been knocked into the stream by an over zealous dog. But it took a while for dd to get over her fear (can you imagine being chased by 3 dogs as a small child?)

I am so grateful for responsible dog owners who take the time to introduce their dog in a calm way (and one did shortly after, which I think helped).

Oooh still angry

Read my post again and I am still really angry!!!!!!!!!!!!!

witw maybe we should start a support group

It might be that the lab in question knows young kids (in the family perhaps) hence it's enthusiasm. You don't seem worried about the dogs motives so that's a good thing at least.

My lab is the same, so I keep her on the lead. She's grown up alongside my DDs and assumes that all small children will want to play with her. As I'm slightly more intelligent than she is I know that's not the case - hence the lead.

If I want to run her off the lead we go where I don't expect to find young kids in abundance - so steer clear of anywhere near a play area.

Personally, I'd like to see dog licences brought back...

In many instances, GOOD dog owners (and good dogs) get tarred with the same brush because of a few uncaring / unthinking onwers.

It doesn't take much of an effort!

I have a 10 month old son and I take him and my Ddog (along with two other mums who also have labradors and babies) up to open fields where they can run around first thing in the morning.

Then, the dogs are calmer when we want to go to the park / town later on in the day.

It's just common politeness to make sure your dog is under control. And, IMHO, kids react much better to dogs when they feel they can back off if they want to.

You CANNOT tell a child not to be scared of a dog. Im scared of birds and no amount of TELLING me the sparrow isn't going to hurt me is going to make me deal with it any better... So I do really appreciate that not everyone loves my dog the way I do.

I get annoyed when people take their dog on playing fields. Where do you think kids play? Where do you think the dogs poo?

Dog poo and playing children does not mix. Why do people not know this or are they too obtuse or ignorant? Gets my back up .

TaleofTwoCities - the dog should not have been on the field. End of. YANBU.

Yes against IRRESPONSIBLE dog owners (very few imo) OOh I just can't get over that womans attitude. And also the dog that knocked dd over in the stream, at least she said sorry (but was quickly off). Left me with a wet ds on a cold day (had to strip him off and wrap him in a blanket).

Grrrr.

Oh Just remebered another little gem from this woman, she said 'well you shouldn;t let your child run off should you?' (In response to 'can you keep your dogs under control, becuase they scared my girl)

This is not a dog owner but a completely off the wall person. I should really forget all about it but I still get angry because dd was scared.

If only the Dog Whisperer frequented Mumsnet...

Were you in a space where dogs are regularly off the lead? If so, I think YAB a little U. How old is your daughter? You mention 'toddler' in your post - if this is the case, then I think it is up to you to make sure that she is safe when you are out and about where there are dogs loose.

My daughter is 13 months old, and regularly gets clattered by my two dogs, and they are always gentle with her - I think for a toddler to be 'nearly' knocked down, it would be a very gentle young dog indeed.

It always worries me, being in a park area with my dogs when children are around. If there are other dogs playing, then I love being able to let my dogs off the lead to play. They get to run off their excess energy, and socialise with other dogs.

If children are present, however, it means that I have to keep them on the lead because, inevitably, either a child will panic and run away (Why, WHY don't people teach their children never to run from a dog?) or come to investigate and panic their parents, who make a fuss.

The attitude on MN always seems to be that it is children who have the right to park space, and anyone wishing to exercise a dog should be confined to an isolated island. I always try to introduce children who show an interest to the dogs, and try and educate them in the right way to greet big dogs. I suppose I am always aware that being black and tan means that my dogs HAVE to be immaculately behaved, and yet people still act as though I am reckless in taking them out in public, letting them play with other dogs, and having them around my daughter.

I know that some children are afraid of dogs, but, the simple fact is that there are lots of dogs out there. Maybe (and I say this tentatively, expecting to be flamed) the onus is on the parent to educate the child and teach them how to be around dogs, rather than getting angry that dogs exist, and ranting about owners bringing them out in public.

I don't mind RESPONSIBLE dog owners,its the ones that let their dogs off the leash to jump up at small children that annoy me.Likewise I have every respect for owners who pick up poo,but the ones who leave it on the pavement for my dcs to step in,and be at risk from horrid diseases such as toxicara REALLY piss me off.

But, FfreckleFface... surely there is a compromise to be had:

I walk my dog on 'an isolated island' first thing in the morning. When he is allowed to charge around with other dogs (I still have my DS with me and there are two other kids there too). The dogs get a good hour - hour and half to be dogs...

Then when I take DS to the swings, or if we pop into town, i can take the dog (on a lead) and the dog will walk by my side calmly.

I feel that this is a good solution because (i) the dog gets to be a dog in the morning and (ii) he isn't 'banished' in the afternoon, he's just got to be a bit more gentle. He often has kids fawning over him, it's just they get to decide when enough is enough.

IMHO, you CANNOT teach a kid not to run from a dog. It's nature to run from the things we are scared of. Maybe an older child, but not at 2-3YO

I love dogs. I have two. They knock my toddler over all the time but he is my child and he is used to them.

My puppy is a chiauaua (sp )x so is unlikely to cause any damage but that is not the point.

I am fed up with rubbish dog owners. They are making it hard for the rest of us. It seems that more and more people cannot stand dogs and so many kids are scared witless by them. I dont remember it being like this when I was a kid.

But TBH I dont blame them. There are tons of great big dogs off the lead round here and I hate it.

Grrr grrr grr.

So no YANBU but I dont think he was the worst dog owner you are likely to encounter.

I completely agree, Haribosmummy, and I do the same thing. Every morning they get run on a designated dog field where we live until they are completely worn out.

The point I am trying to make is that it is always the dog/dog owner who is blamed on here. Always. A compromise would be parents acknowledging that they/their child behaved in an inappropriate way around dogs. The assumption is that the dog is always at fault, and in all cases it is a dog encroaching on a child's territory. This is not always the case.

Well, it is MUMSnet, FFFF!!

I could mention quite a few dog owner boards where the kid / parent is always blamed

Well forgive me,but last time I went for a walk and a blardy great dog ran up to fawn all over the dcs it wasn't the children who invaded the dogs personal space....we were walking down the street.

But isn't pretty much everywhere a public area? Where would people walk dogs if they had to be on leads in public areas?

YANBU. I am a dog owner, and I don't let my dogs go up to people.

FfreckleFface's post says it all really. FGS. Put your dog on a lead.