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?

vicious 5mad

slag off this poor woman, what the one that screamed abuse in tantrums face, even if she was scared she could have walked away or said please can you move your dog away/put it on the lead, she had no right to scream as she did.

as i have said two of my children have had phases of being terrified of dogs after bad experiences, so when we were out if a dog came close i would keep them close to me and explain to the owner that my children had a bad experience and were scared. and i encouraged my children to NOT to scared, that on the whole dogs are nice but you never touch without the owners permission.

most dog owners were lovely and would put their dog on a lead and then allow my children to get close and pet it and help them overcome their fear :)

pretty I many no stretch of the imagination a yoof

Wish I was :)

i am pretty sure that tantrums dog hasnt been trained to do that tho kits and thankyou for the spelling, i have been typing and deleting, some words just never look right!

If tantrum had the staffy on a leash where it did not have the potential to do harm, then the woman would not have felt threatened by it, and wouldnt have shouted at her, no?

She shouldn't have been in your face or have sworn at you but it is possible she has had a bad experience to justify her panic.
All dogs should be on a lead btw. I don't agree that all owners 'know' their animals well enough to judge that they won't run/bite/snarl/lick. You just never know. I've had dogs and I'm saying you just never know.

So, all dogs on leads =

I have just remembered a very similar situation that happened to me once. But not in a park, in the woods! It was a while ago and i was walking my rottie with DP and DD1 who had walked on ahead. Me and DDog were pottering behind. Out of no-where, quite unexpected a family appeared with young children. One of the toddlers came and started petting my dog, who of course was quite happy to have cuddles. The mental woman came barging over, all middle class affected voice and told me i should have "That animal" on a lead. Daft bint - her DS was actually really enjoying stroking the "big doggie" i was speechless, its not like my dog went up to her DS, it was the other way around.

I didn't need to have that dog on a lead, my two pain in the arse JRTs are on lead in public areas as they love everyone (everyones dogs, less so) and are morons not very good at recall.

Are people missing the fact this woman chose to be in an area designated for dogs off leads? Seems a pretty important part of the story to me.

The dog wasn't even near her when she started screaming, he was by my side

kitson so you just admitted you have no idea about staffys, why are you still posting then?

And if my dog ever saw a bull I think he would pass out in shock not try and eat it.

I can't believe that people are trying to justify this woman intimidating Tantrums over a fucking puppy, who was off lead, under control in an off lead area, when there was a play park five minutes down the way where dogs cannot be off lead. Can you not see how hysterical and unpleasant you are all coming across as?

Tantrums and her dog did nothing at all wrong. This woman sounds thoroughly unhinged, the posters defending her are not helping to prove otherwise.

I am allergic to aerosols, they can make me very ill. It's not okay for me to go screaming in people's faces because they have too much hairspray on is it?

Funnily enough mine hasn't been trained to do that, lack of bulls round here you see

ample it's a dog walking area.

Where do you suggest I let them run?
My garden is not big enough to exercise and train 2 staffys.

Haha, that wasn't aimed at you really tantrums. I kinda meant I've seen young lads trying to look hard with their staffies, but feel different about the breed when a family or more responsible looking owner has them. I knew a very well to do middle aged lady who had the loveliest rotty ever! Nature and nurture you see, well bred and well looked after should mean minimal problems and that goes for ALL breeds.

Ive had this, I was walking with my dog to heel, when some woman, with her own dog, starting SCREAMING at me in front of DCs to put my dog on a lead from about 12 feet away, I just ignored her, so she came over to have a go, starting asking me why I didnt have a lead (I did but dog was walking to heel and didnt need it).

Some people have issues.

I know pretty I've seen them too.

The dogs always seem to let them down though in the "looking hard" aspect, I see one who is always dancing about, the young boy always looks mortified.

ah but sirzy tantrums dog is a staffie so normal rules dont apply it must be on a lead even if the signs say dogs can be off lead (rolls eyes)

if i want to go somewhere there are no dogs i take my children to the enclosed play areas, we often walk in woods, big fields etc and yes there will be dogs off lead, as such i am aware of where my children are and i make sure they know how to behave around dogs, ie dont touch, and if a dog comes near you stand still dont run and jump around or the dog may get scared (or else try and play!) it works both ways, there are plenty of areas where dogs have to be on leads, and rightly some where dogs can be off lead.

tantrums was doing nothing wrong, and the lady had no right to shout at her as she did.

It is difficult to get the right balance. I'm like a Meercat bobbing up and down to see what's coming up ahead ! We are lucky to have woods round the corner. What I tend to do is tell her to wait at a corner, I go round first, then if there's people walking, joggers, cyclists, horses, people with dogs on lead, she goes back on till we're past. But accept that's harder in a park.

I was scared of dogs as my brother was bitten by a German Shepherd when we were young and I know how that kind of fear can make logic give way to terror. A collie landed on my DD in her buggy when she was little and it took every ounce of self control not to freak, DD wasn't that bothered but if I'd reacted she would have. That lady was way over the top but I can kind of see why it happened.

Average dog can exert 150 pounds per inch when it bites, the Staffy is capable of 235 on average. I would say they are not a "normal" dog, then..I suppose people will defend them no matter what.

I think of it was exactly as tantrums described it that the woman overreacted and it really doesn't help her child. My ds2 is scared of dogs and I do not like it when someone's dog comes up to say hello to him as IMO in parks/footpaths they should be on a lead (plenty of space round here for off lead as right by national park). But my dog used to walk to heel without lead and never approached people, so I can see that the lead issue can be more dog based.

I do appreciate it when dog owners pop lead on their dog when they see my walking with small children.

This shouldn't be about breed (and it might well not be anyway). The woman sounded very stressed and over reacted

a lot of people will be understandably nervous when strange dogs get close to their dc. Since your dog reacts to your calls, you need only call him away sooner before he gets close to dc and I don't think you'd have a problem again.

Just as you seem to be going out of your way to find bad things kitson

I guess to someone who knows nothing, it's easy for it to be so black and white isn't it?

yes its a normal dog, a bit like people infact, some are MUCH strong than others, i would bet some even have stronger jaws and can bite harder, some can punch/kick harder, we are all on a scale of normal, there are just averages.

unless you area kit who thinks its some kind of devil incarnate, when infact it is just another dog, which in this circumstance is a, a puppy so couldnt bite that hard anyway i dont imagine and b, well trained.

He's more likely to lick you to death 5

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/swindon-dog-attack-staffordshire-bull-862558

www.opposingviews.com/i/society/animal-rights/2-crazed-staffordshire-bull-terriers-attack-10-hastings

This is just by googling the last 24 hours worth of UK news.

Whilst she shouldnt have shouted at you, she had every right to want the thing away from her children. But of course certain dog owners won't admit to how dangerous these animals actually are.

They are not trained to bite and hold bull's heads they are BRED to do it, so their tenacity is a genetic trait, as is their ability to hold onto "prey", a child, or someone's poor cat. But I wouldnt expect you to understand that..