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?

And again, as you are clearly not bothering to read, he did not approach anyone. He wanted the cup. He didn't notice the people.

Tantrums give up the anti dog people have showed up and it will most definitely be your fault and your dog was being evil

Shame people can't be bothered to read the whole thread and not just jump on the anti staffie bandwagon

But metabilis if you can't stand dogs why go to a park which allows dogs off leads?

Like I said earlier I do think in most situations dogs should be on leads but if its in an area designated for off lead walking then people can't complain.

Unlike on the packed beach at the weekend when 2 people (out of the many very responsible dog owners I will add) thought it acceptable to let their dogs run up to the group containing 3 young children happily playing until the dog appeared (the 3 year old is petrified of dogs despite his parents best efforts to convince him otherwise!) with the normal "he wouldn't harm anyone" from the owners.

pimms true enough.

Always happens sooner or later.

Well at least I got some reasonable views before.

Just waiting for the weather to cool down a bit more before we take big dog for a run

DH and DD1 wouldn't say anything to you, but they'd think something unprintable. They both hate dogs.

I wouldn't own one, but I'm not scared of them and DD2 likes them.

Believe me it makes DD2 and I's lives way more pleasant if all canines are kept away from them.

Oh FFs I'm sorry but you are not in the wrong and I am sick of staffies always being to blame for things! Sounds like you have a well trained adorable staffie and feel safe in the knowledge that the woman acted like a knob! No not all people like dogs but I'm sure you wouldn't have him/her off lead if u really thought they would go near the child (which you had to reiterate quite a few times was playing with a cup!) I keep my dog on lead when people are around cos I'm not 100 percent sure he wouldn't run over to them to play! Anyway to fault was her reaction especially in front of her child. Im not posting to annoy anyone just to make you tantrums feel better :)

Believe me I know how many people hate dogs, or are scared of them or just plain don't like them. My sister cannot bear dogs anywhere near her.

But that is why I don't let them run up and say hello to random strangers.

Sounds then as if your dog has done nothing wrong. So she should not have screamed at you. Said as a person nervous of dogs!

Thank you osh

You know when someone verbally attacks you like that it makes you question if I was doing something wrong, I didn't think I was but it's nice to get a bit of perspective.

Big dog has people running when they see him, bless him, he is a rescue and still really shy and scared of things like buggies but people think he is a monster. Looks like little dog will get the same treatment even though he was abandoned by his owner after a week cos he was to hard to toilet train and was left on his own all day. He adores people and is literally never more than 3 feet away from me, he even comes to work with me

she sounds a bit odd! maybe a bad experience in the past but that doesnt excuse blatant rude and vile, aggressive behaviour.

if a dog comes near me or my children i always remind them not to touch the dog without asking the owner, i point dogs out actually to my 19mth old dd as she loves them, tbh i dont have to point them out most of the time she wil wave and shout excitedly when she sees one.

it would be a case of 'oh look at that cute puppy he wants to play with the cup, dont try to stroke him you dont know him and you might scare him/she/it'

and i am not a dog fan (allergic) and ds2 and ds4 have both had bad experiences of being jumped up at and chased by big dogs. i still teach them dogs are fine but you dont touch a dog you dont know and if one comes near you stand still so as not to alarm it.

I wish everyone was as sensible as you 5

Tantrums you had enough repeating yourself yet? Or should I ask if there were any signs about dogs and leads?

You sound like the kind of dog owner I wish everyone was. Good recall, awareness of other people not being dog people and those that are frightened, responsible.

Even if the woman was scared or scared for her DC it doesn't mean she had to be that aggressive to you. I think people who are scared of dogs get the 'oh he wouldnt hurt a fly' comment so many many times that it's hard not to bundle all dog owners in that group of people that don't seem to care if their dog scares people. Just because they are 'friendly'. Still no excuse for her behaviour though.

My DC2 is scared of dogs. For no reason that I can determine. She's getting better, but it's a slow process.

We were sat having a picnic in our local park one day. There are always dogs off the lead bounding around. We had this terrier start running over to us, the owner never called it back. Then it ran onto our picnic blanket, scared the shit of DC2. Still the woman never called it back. I had to physically push it off the blanket. Twice. I was so pissed off. I didn't swear at the woman but we ended up having an argument. I don't normally do confrontations but was about 7 months pregnant at the time and all tolerance was gone! I told her if she didn't have good recall of her dog she should have it on a lead. She just went on about her dog had a right to go in the park too. Never acknowledged she should have not let her dog go over to us like it did. Then tried to make some point about me being on the phone at the time. Not really sure what that had to do with anything! We were just sitting there.

So yes, dog owners like you I would love

Oh I know loads of those types of owners.

The owner of the american bulldog who actually knocked my 7 year old over and just stood there watching.

The owner of 3 JRT who run about like nutters and try to eat everyone and everything.

I'd be pissed off as well if a strange dog came and jumped on any of my DCs or my niece who is very scared of dogs.

She sounds vile and completely out of order

Yes there are some appalling dog owners out there but that doesn't mean everyone should be tarred with the same brush. She may have had a bad experience in the past but neither you or your dog were doing anything wrong so she had no reason to behave like that

Don't dwell on it tantrums, she was just one of life's twats

Tantrums, I think you sound like a very responsible dog owner and the woman was being U. She shouldn't have sworn or shouted and she should have chosen a different park if the possibility of an off-leash dog was unacceptable to her.

However, I do think that if I had a Staffy I would be extra cautious and considerate about not letting him go near people, especially those with young children. Like it or not, Staffies do have a bit of a reputation (thanks to the Daily Mail etc.) and can sometimes look a bit menacing (although I know most of them are lovely and soppy and fantastic with kids). Other people might not know that, especially non-doggy people, so it might be wise to give park-goers with children/buggies etc. a very wide berth next time or leash immediately for their peace of mind. I know it's not fair, and no you shouldn't have to but it's possible she was overreacting because of the way certain types of dogs are portrayed in the media. Or she could have been crackers .

It sounds like she had a fright, then over reacted. She probably felt stupid when she realised it was a puppy.

we had a dog once come over to our picnic blaknet, shake itself having been in a lake and then eat our food and slobber everywhere! the ownder didnt even apologise and we had very upset toddler who we then had to take to a cafe and buy a new lunch for!

my parents had a dog when i was little, until they realised iwas allergic! and my grandparents, inlaws, aunts etc have all had/have dogs so my children get to experience dogs they know but i do just think its common sense to teach children that dogs are fine as long as WE treat them with respect.

it works both ways, there are some horrid dog haters (as you experienced today!) and also some rude, horrible dog owners. when ds4 was jumped up on by two big black labs, the owner was all 'they are just trying to play' ds4 was 2 at the time, they were bigger than him (and he is tall!) ands was crying his eyes out.

i have found when we are out, as long as i say loudly enough for the owner to hear 'look a lovely dog, but dont touch without asking' they often come over and bring the dog over saying its friendly and would the children like to stroke it etc or else they say it doesnt like being petted and so i tell the children they cant touch the dog, simples!

Yes, agree with staffys reputation that's why even though my big dog is an absolute jelly most of the time, I only let him off lead at 6:30am and about 9pm, no children about and mainly dog walkers in the park.

I though little dog would be ok, he is only tiny, maybe not though :(

My 10yo DD is a life long disliker of dogs (to the point of running into a road) but she's getting better ,slowly.

I tell her that dogs go off lead in the park, it's one of the few places they can.
We don't go to the woods where dogs are off lead or to the beach in 'Open Season'.

Dogs off lead don't worry me, 100% the owners have called their dog over or put the lead on when they see my DD shrinking away. (DS is fine with dogs)

The woman in the park is doing her child no favours. She's instilling a fear that shouldn't be there.

And, FWIW one of the few dogs my DD will stand quietly to let them walk by, is a Staffy. . Especially if they are "chunky with a staffy smile"

Tantrums, sounds like you had a horrible, vile experience, and you did nothing wrong.

Just got back from walking the big dog. Thankfully no incidents!!

Feeling better now, obviously it was just a bad experience, not my little dogs fault.

Thanks everyone.

70 has the right idea IMO.

Parents are failing in their duty as parents if they don't teach their children how to behave around dogs. You teach them how to deal with other hazards so you need to teach them how to deal with dogs calmly. My mother was terrified of dogs but my father made sure that we knew what to do if a dog approached us. He made sure we knew not to scream or flap around, never to approach a dog we didn't know. He would talk to owners and ask them if we could stroke friendly dogs so that we had no fear. When I was 11 a local yob set his dog on me (Alsatian) I did what me dad had told me to do and folded my arms and looked up the sky, standing still. The dog stopped in front of me.

Yes there are irresponsible dog owners but there are also irresponsible parents.

My cousin has been coming round with her dog-terrified 3 yr old for the last couple of days and we've been getting my dogs to sit and lie down for treats while he watches from a safe distance. He's gone from screaming at seeing them to asking to watch them do their tricks.

THAT'S responsible parenting. You teach your children to deal with the things they will encounter in the world.

My DSD had her nose ripped off by a dog when she was a toddler. The dog's owner told dh that the dog was "great with kids." Needless to say, after that dh doesn't take anyone's word for how well behaved their dog is. And is supremely nervous about his kids around dogs. Perhaps the woman in the park had had a similar experience.

I have a dog, love dogs. But dog should not be off led in a park unless it is a dedicated dog park. They are unpredictable animals & just because you think he is lovely etc, doesn't mean he doesn't have the potential to bite/hurt. Puppies, by their very nature are little nippers anyway, so not out of the realms of possibility that he may have play nipped her, only to mum it wouldn't have looked like that!

You don't deserve to be screamed at like that though.

I really sympathise with you Tantrums. Both my children are terrified of dogs, (one copied the other) we go to the local park a lot as this is the only place the DC can go to run about. I have tried my very best to teach them not to scream and jump around if a dog comes near them. On the whole dog owners are great, I would appreciate an owner like you who called your dog over as soon as you realised what was happening. When space is short everyone has the right to use it, I do not see why owners should have eir dogs on leads when there are children around, since the poor dogs would not get enough exercise otherwise. Most owners will keep their dog on a lead when they know there is a situation where they will react.

I am not keen on owners who let their dogs come up to my children, see them terrified and react by telling them they won't hurt them, however for the most part this does not happen.

When space is small conflicts do happen but this woman was unjustified. Note that I have shouted at an owner who let his boxer jump around my screaming three year old, and made no attempt to control it or say anything at all, it is unfortunately people like this that give all dog owners a bad name. Luckily this was a one off. This woman sounds most over the top.