Roared at a child today...

[fackingsnowballz]

Questioning now whether I may have overreacted or not...

I’ve namechanged as I don’t want it linked to previous posts.

Interested to get opinions and a bit too scared to try AIBU..

So, I have a dog approaching old age, she is partially sighted but no one would know that to look at her.

I took her out for a walk today, she was on lead and a child, I’d estimate maybe 7, ran towards her and the parents called the child back.
I carried on walking and the child ran at my dog again, this time with a handful of snow and tried to get at her mouth.

I assumed the child was maybe trying to feed her snow and carried on walking away only to have said child follow us again and then quite violently hit her with the snow.
It got her shoulder but I think the child was aiming for her face.

Well, I screamed at the child not to dare do that to her and the mum came running over and grabbed her child.
I was absolutely frothing but she didn’t say anything and neither did I, just walked off absolutely raging.

But a small part of me is wondering if I did overreact a bit?
As in throwing snowballs, I suppose, is quite a normal thing for a child to do.
The child isn’t to know she is partially sighted.
Not the child’s fault if parents can’t control/haven’t taught polite behaviour etc

But then I think the child was more than old enough to know better!
Of course you don’t go throwing snow at random dogs.
And you certainly don’t smash it into them at close range..
She is getting on and doesn’t have full vision.
What if she had panicked?
Snapped even then I’d be blamed for having an out of control dog despite her being on lead and walking away.

What would you have done?

@1950s1

Good behaviour is a social construct, and is expected of people of a certain age. But good behaviour isn't determined by age, it's determined by circumstances. That's why not everyone above a certain age has good behaviour. You screaming at them could have traumatised them. They could remember that for a long time. I hope you're ashamed of yourself. What you did was wrong. And although it's understandable it was unnacceptable. If you came across them again I hope you apologise genuinely.

Oh get real.

If an adult shouting at them
traumatised them, it would be the parents fault, not the OP's.

I should hope they'd remember it gir a long time.

Apologise. Child would be lucky not to get reminded not to be a nasty little brat.

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants @WorraLiberty

The 7yo's behaviour was also unnaceptable. I'm not trying to imply or say that it's not. But understand that circumstances meant that the 7yo behaved in that way. Just because they're 7yso doesn't automatically mean they know better. They could be delayed and act younger than they are for instace. It was quite disrespectful and hurtful to the 7yo and I think OP should've handled it better.

Screaming is an overreaction - you should have spoken firmly and sharply but not screamed.

And I've seen enough threads on the doghouse to know that if someone posted, ' I absolutely roared and screamed at a dog owner who let their dog chase after my seven year old' to know that would have got a very different response.

You're abusing your freedom of speech by being disrespectful

Your poor dog, I hope she's ok & dozing in the warm. You didn't do anything wrong & hopefully the child (& parent) will think again before doing something like this.

@coldsunnydays

Screaming is an overreaction - you should have spoken firmly and sharply but not screamed.

And I've seen enough threads on the doghouse to know that if someone posted, ' I absolutely roared and screamed at a dog owner who let their dog chase after my seven year old' to know that would have got a very different response.

I agree

"Good behaviour is a social construct, and is expected of people of a certain age. But good behaviour isn't determined by age, it's determined by circumstances. That's why not everyone above a certain age has good behaviour. You screaming at them could have traumatised them. They could remember that for a long time. I hope you're ashamed of yourself. What you did was wrong. And although it's understandable it was unnacceptable. If you came across them again I hope you apologise genuinely."

😂😂😂

[quote 1950s1]**@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants* @WorraLiberty*

The 7yo's behaviour was also unnaceptable. I'm not trying to imply or say that it's not. But understand that circumstances meant that the 7yo behaved in that way. Just because they're 7yso doesn't automatically mean they know better. They could be delayed and act younger than they are for instace. It was quite disrespectful and hurtful to the 7yo and I think OP should've handled it better.[/quote]
FFS she shouted at the kid

She didn't batter them up and down the street 🙄🙄

@NuniaBeeswax

"Good behaviour is a social construct, and is expected of people of a certain age. But good behaviour isn't determined by age, it's determined by circumstances. That's why not everyone above a certain age has good behaviour. You screaming at them could have traumatised them. They could remember that for a long time. I hope you're ashamed of yourself. What you did was wrong. And although it's understandable it was unnacceptable. If you came across them again I hope you apologise genuinely."

😂😂😂

The 7yo's behaviour was also unnaceptable. I'm not trying to imply or say that it's not. But understand that circumstances meant that the 7yo behaved in that way. Just because they're 7yso doesn't automatically mean they know better. They could be delayed and act younger than they are for instace. It was quite disrespectful and hurtful to the 7yo and I think OP should've handled it better.

Sorry this happened to your dog!
You aren't in the wrong, I'd have reacted the same way.

@1950s1

You're abusing your freedom of speech by being disrespectful

🤣🤣🤣 So entertaining!

I don't think you were remotely out of order. I'd be furious with anyone doing that to my dog. I'd also be pretty annoyed at my child for being dopey enough to harass a strange dog.
Hopefully the child would be shaken by being shouted at and think twice before doing that again. The next dog might be less meek.

You didnt do anything wrong. Maybe the child will learn this experience and the mum too. But it's a snap moment, it's not like your being vindictive. Try to forget about it

I don't think you over reacted. If that were my nervous of strangers/especially kids pup then I worry she might have snapped at her, although she'd probably have barked and scared her off a bit before it came to that. I'd assume at 7 that the girl possibly had some ASN to behave that way but you were reacting in the moment and perhaps woks have had more sympathy had the girls mum said so.

@WorraLiberty

But would someone, in their right state of mind, have done that? She verbally abused them, it doesn't make it ok just because they're a child and it wasn't physical. Children deserve respect too.

Good on you.

My five year old was a nightmare at the park today, despite two warnings he threw a snowball at our dog, thankfully it didn’t hit him. He was told off and taken straight home.

No animal should be mistreated, but adults also need to be strict around children and animals for their safety.

[quote 1950s1]@WorraLiberty

But would someone, in their right state of mind, have done that? She verbally abused them, it doesn't make it ok just because they're a child and it wasn't physical. Children deserve respect too.[/quote]
Oh give it up! My sides are aching 🤣🤣🤣

[quote 1950s1]**@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants* @WorraLiberty*

The 7yo's behaviour was also unnaceptable. I'm not trying to imply or say that it's not. But understand that circumstances meant that the 7yo behaved in that way. Just because they're 7yso doesn't automatically mean they know better. They could be delayed and act younger than they are for instace. It was quite disrespectful and hurtful to the 7yo and I think OP should've handled it better.[/quote]
Don't tell me what to 'understand' you're not my superior in ANY way, stop acting as though you are.

The 'circumstances that meant the child behaved in this way' are down to the parents, not the OP!

The PARENTS should have handled it better. I know all about children with additional needs, it does not mean you can just allow them to abuse animals

The PARENTS should have handled it better.

@WorraLiberty

I don't appreciate your disrespectful behaviour and I hope that one day you learn to understand that it is unnaceptable to behave that way towards someone.

@1950s1

You're abusing your freedom of speech by being disrespectful

WTAF

@1950s1 so do animals?

And if this is something the kid has no concept off at age seven then perhaps she needed a short sharp lesson in it.

You did nothing wrong.

I’d have shouted at the child’s shit parents too for good measure.

Judging from some of these responses we can see where these entitled little shits spring up from!

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

I can understand that but should that be taken out on the child, when they weren't taught how to behave effectively? Doesn't seem right to me

"The 7yo's behaviour was also unnaceptable. I'm not trying to imply or say that it's not. But understand that circumstances meant that the 7yo behaved in that way. Just because they're 7yso doesn't automatically mean they know better. They could be delayed and act younger than they are for instace. It was quite disrespectful and hurtful to the 7yo and I think OP should've handled it better."

Then the parents need to keep their child under better control. They're lucky all they got was screamed at and not bitten in the face!

I don't think you over reacted. Would have shouted at the child as well. I probably would have told the parents to control their brat too. If the child was upset - well frankly they deserve to be and it might make them stop and think before doing it again.

If a child of mine did that I would go apeshit at them and there would be big consequences! Children need to learn how to behave. There are far too many spoilt brats around at the moment.