Was I right?

[Beedoo123]

DS (6) complained a dog had bitten him on his ankle... I looked and there was a little mark, but just that really... He wouldn't make this up so I believe the dog must have put its mouth round his leg we have dogs so he's used to them etc. I hadn't seen as my children were a little ahead of me...
I spoke to the owner who said she hadn't seen and was sorry if it had but was a bit shirty about it. I said her dog should have been under control in a public place, she said my children should be under control!! I said my children were entitled to walk along the pavement and if this happened again I would report the dog.

Was I right? I am going between thinking I should report anyway as a smaller or scared/screaming child could have actually been injured and thinking I didn't see it so maybe I shouldn't have said anything at all!

Thanks for your opinions

I don't think it is worth reporting something that you didn't see and that barely left a mark.

Out of interest, what did you say when you approached the dog owner? Was the dog on a lead?

I said my son says your dog has bitten him, can you tell me what happened? Dog wasn't on a lead...

Well she didn't deny it so yes you were perfectly right to remind her to keep her dog under control. Under the new Dangerous Dogs act amendment, a dog can be forced to wear a muzzle for the rest of it's life in public places if it's even thought to be threatening, never mind actually biting someone. Not a lot of dog owners are aware of this.

It really depends on the circumstances. Could your son have chased/grabbed/provoked the dog? That doesn't excuse it but it does make it understandable.

A parent told me that my dogs should be leashed the other week when I asked them if they could stop their child chasing them with a large stick. My dogs aren't dangerous, but having never been chased by a child with a large stick before, I have to say I can't exactly predict their behaviour in that (IMHO unreasonable) situation.

It sounds as if both you and the dog owner need to supervise your charges more closely