I've just been screamed at by a woman in the park.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

I have 2 staffys, one is a pup 18 weeks.

I was walking the puppy in the park, it's a massive park, lots of dogs running about off lead, no problems.

The pup was walking next to me, we passed a woman with a toddler in a pushchair on a bench. Milo went to one end of the bench to chase a plastic cup.
The woman screamed "getting your fucking dog away from my child"
I called him, he came over.

The woman then came about 2 inches from my face screaming I was an irresponsible person, I shouldn't let my dog off the lead, he was out of control, she was going to report me.

I don't know what I did wrong tbh, Milo was nowhere near the toddler but she kept saying that he was licking her child's feet, but he was nowhere near her feet and he came back as soon as I called him, he was in no way out of control.

I understand people do not like dogs but isn't this a big of an overreaction?

pag I understand in that situation telling the woman to fuck off.

I hate people who let their dogs run up and jump on people who clearly don't like dogs.

But she was literally 2 inches from my face screaming.
I didn't really know what to say.

But thinking its fine to let an animal who a lot of park users be there off a lead is ok? I would say that is equally as selfish.

What harm does it do to have a dog on a lead in areas of the park where other people are likely to be about? If he apparently walks so close all the time then a lead would be no issue

So, don't let him off the lead anywhere there may be people?

So how do I teach recall then if he is permanently on a lead?

I know. But maybe she had had an incident like mine yesterday and over reacted to your dog.

Probably she was irrational. Certainly she handled it badly. But I think you just can't figure if she was just crazy or really anxious/scared because you have no context for for behaviour.

As long as you know you did nothing wrong I would just put it down to everyday oddness.

Wow! Sounds like she forgot her medication this morning!

So because she didn't like the dog, she must obv be on medication
Doesn't sound like your dog was doing much, OP, but some people are very nervous around dogs esp, rightly or, as I suspect, often wrongly, Staffies.

Or teach him anything, come to that?

I'll just leave him unsocialised and wary of everything and everyone shall I?

And FWIW theres a big sign at the front of the park stating he is allowed to be off the lead. I don't suggest that people who don't like dogs should go elsewhere do I?

was the dog legally off lead or were there signs saying all dogs should be on leads?

at my local parks all the dog owners somehow believe the 'keep your dog on a lead' signs do not apply to them and it makes people - like me - furious. In that situation - if the dog is supposed to be on a lead but not - then the dog owners deserve everything they get.

Oh and I agree that the 'medication' comment was crass and vindictive.

As I said there is a sign at the front of the field saying he can be off lead as long as he is under control.

And screaming, swearing and threatening someone would be acceptable then?

pag it just really shook me to be honest.
I didn't even say anything to her, it was horrible.

Yes it was a complete overreaction.
She must have got a fright somehow. That's not normal behaviour.

If I were you OP I'd put it behind me and carry on as before.

She was bonkers, yanbu.
Next we'll be told that toddlers need to be on leads, too, just in case they get on someone's nerves. Unpredictable creatures, rather prone to biting, too. Do you know how dangerous a human bite is? And Lord knows how many people dislike children, feel fairly phobic about them, even.

Yes I will, I'm glad dd was round the other side of the field with Big Dog, it would have upset her.

I'd hate to think of my dogs scaring anyone, that's why even though big dog is just as well trained I only let him off lead in the evenings because he looks a bit scary. He isn't. He is a jelly who is still scared of planes, buggies, bikes and some flowers. Oh and water.

I am a dog lover but can understand how some people are about them.

The thing is, I dont particularly like children. I have 2 of my own (grown up now) and I love them to death. It really annoys me though when I am expected to put up with other peoples children screaming etc. I wouldnt go off like that though. I remember once when my children were small going to a wedding reception having got a baby sitter to take care of my kids. Parents who had taken their kids with them were sitting there getting drunk etc and allowing their kids to race about like nutters. I said to a parent very respectfully 'excuse me but I am paying someone to look after my kids so I really dont want to be looking after yours!'. However, I digress so Im sorry. The woman totally over reacted and the foul language totally unnecessary. Forget about it - she probably goes off like that about alot of things!

To be honest, OP, if a parent believed there was a threat posed by the dog to their little kid then yes, perfectly acceptable IMO. What is NOT acceptable is dog owners assuming that everyone likes dogs and does not mind if they run up to or slobber all over them or their children. And this is what so many dog owners are like.

If someone perceives a threat then you must expect them to retaliate.

Yeah, it must have shaken you. I would have just stood there like this

Retaliate to what?

She was in a park, it clearly states there are off lead dogs, my dog was nowhere near her, he came back the instant I called him but you feel her reaction was justified?

pag that's exactly what I did.

Clearly the womens reaction was over the top but it very much depends on where you live as to what your reactions are to certain types of dog.

A staffy type dog tried to bite my ds' hand in the high street last week (South London) and yes I am wary around them. I wouldnt swear in your face though.

Its not your fault that you have to cope with that sort of reaction but it can be based on personal experience and knowing that not all dogs of a certain type are like that doesnt really help because then you are simply judging on what the owner looks like which is awful as well.

The trouble is people, like Donnie, who don't actually bother with facts or reason.

Tantrums she sounds a bit nuts. Particularly if he's only a puppy - it hardly sounds as if he went charging up to her and her child. Loads of people are like that about Staffs, though .
Horrible being shouted at like that. Maybe the hot weather made her aggressive.

In some senses walking near the bench is worse because it's not over in a second. Like I said, if I was there with my daughter when she was a toddler, my heart would have started beating and she'd have gripped me and gone stiff with fear. I wish owners would realise that many people are not at ease with dogs. And we are not to know if their trained by the owner - we just see what looks like a dangerous dog.

I know people can be wary of certain dogs. I understand. I sympathise. I keep my dogs away unless someone wants to stroke them.

But I don't think I deserved a barrage of abused screamed in my face because someone objects to my dog.

Ok sorry to keep repeating myself but we didn't walk past the bench(?)

We were walking. The woman was at the far end of the bench.
Milo saw a cup at the other end of the bench.

He went to pick it up.

I called him, he came back. It was 2seconds at most.

You didn't deserve a barrage of abuse, Tantrum.
I think people who freak out like that are accidents waiting to happen, ticking time bombs, etc.