OP here. Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I called the mayor of our city as well as the parks department and they got right back to me. Today there was a cop writing citations!!! I’m definitely going to stay on it and look into bear spray and a cricket bat.

When you get to the park, scoop up some large rocks and place them within arms reach. You can throw them or use them to strike an attacking dog. I used to do this with a couple big dogs someone would let run loose, they’d bark and me and I’d toss a few rocks at them to scare them off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bear/pepper spray and a bat. Pro tip. If you’re going to have a bat with you ALWAYS have a ball. Probable deniability. Batting practice not a weapon.

May I suggest a cricket bat? And cricket ball. I find a cricket bat easier to wield, and I’m a former 90 pound weakling!

My significantly larger-framed, athletic DH keeps the cricket bat on his side of the bed.

Our DS, then 4, was knocked down and attacked ON OUR DRIVEWAY by our neighbor’s wandering, at-large, roaming Brittany Spaniel. I missed the attack by seconds; I was inside the door grabbing my keys for the walk to get DD7 from her bus stop.

Raced DS to ER where he received 8 stitches below his nostril and one on his cheek. Told by ER doctor that DS was millimeters from needing a plastic surgery consult - had the dog bitten closer to his lip line, there would have been a risk for disfigurement. DS was placed in a papoose device because he was so fearful and distraught-this containment was considered preferable to sedating him.

DS screamed the entire time. The dog gouged his neck with its nails during the initial “take down” or swat. My heart is racing typing this out.

I so regret not killing that dog! I came out to see DS on the driveway and the dog trotting away. Had I been there five seconds earlier-I would have kicked or thrown it and I had to deal with that regret for a long time.

DS healed physically but developed needle phobia (still) and for years, was very uncomfortable and fearful around dogs…and cats. He is just now interested in friend’s dogs.

Sorry this happened to you and your son. I do want to note you mentioned the breed of dog...not a pit by the way!

Obviously it wasn’t a pit bull. If it had been a pit bull, that PP would be talking about her son in the past tense.

OP, I agree with the suggestion to get video evidence. Heck, leave your child with Dad or Grandma and go film, then report. We do not need to cede ground to selfish stupid people who can’t abide by the law. Not every space needs to be a dog space.

Honestly use anything you can do. Most of the time you won’t have a weapon or time to get out pepper spray. I’m a dog owner and lover, but when a dog is charging (not just randomly roaming the park), you need to protect yourself.

My brother was recently severely attacked by a Rottweiler. He was going into my parents house, and one dog just attacked (two were in the yard). His whole forearm is tore up. He’s on antibiotics and has a lot of stitches. Had it been my frail mother (who uses a cane) or one of his kids it would have been so much worse. Kicking the dog repeatedly with the opposite leg was the only way to get him to release. My dad had seen the two dogs roaming the front yard, alone earlier in the week and did report them. Animal control couldn’t find them.

This time they were located. The owner didn’t even care. Kind of shrugged and said to put them down.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bear/pepper spray and a bat. Pro tip. If you’re going to have a bat with you ALWAYS have a ball. Probable deniability. Batting practice not a weapon.

May I suggest a cricket bat? And cricket ball. I find a cricket bat easier to wield, and I’m a former 90 pound weakling!

My significantly larger-framed, athletic DH keeps the cricket bat on his side of the bed.

Our DS, then 4, was knocked down and attacked ON OUR DRIVEWAY by our neighbor’s wandering, at-large, roaming Brittany Spaniel. I missed the attack by seconds; I was inside the door grabbing my keys for the walk to get DD7 from her bus stop.

Raced DS to ER where he received 8 stitches below his nostril and one on his cheek. Told by ER doctor that DS was millimeters from needing a plastic surgery consult - had the dog bitten closer to his lip line, there would have been a risk for disfigurement. DS was placed in a papoose device because he was so fearful and distraught-this containment was considered preferable to sedating him.

DS screamed the entire time. The dog gouged his neck with its nails during the initial “take down” or swat. My heart is racing typing this out.

I so regret not killing that dog! I came out to see DS on the driveway and the dog trotting away. Had I been there five seconds earlier-I would have kicked or thrown it and I had to deal with that regret for a long time.

DS healed physically but developed needle phobia (still) and for years, was very uncomfortable and fearful around dogs…and cats. He is just now interested in friend’s dogs.

Sorry this happened to you and your son. I do want to note you mentioned the breed of dog...not a pit by the way!

+1 That must have been horrible. What happened afterwards, assuming you reported the dog and the owner?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bear/pepper spray and a bat. Pro tip. If you’re going to have a bat with you ALWAYS have a ball. Probable deniability. Batting practice not a weapon.

May I suggest a cricket bat? And cricket ball. I find a cricket bat easier to wield, and I’m a former 90 pound weakling!

My significantly larger-framed, athletic DH keeps the cricket bat on his side of the bed.

Our DS, then 4, was knocked down and attacked ON OUR DRIVEWAY by our neighbor’s wandering, at-large, roaming Brittany Spaniel. I missed the attack by seconds; I was inside the door grabbing my keys for the walk to get DD7 from her bus stop.

Raced DS to ER where he received 8 stitches below his nostril and one on his cheek. Told by ER doctor that DS was millimeters from needing a plastic surgery consult - had the dog bitten closer to his lip line, there would have been a risk for disfigurement. DS was placed in a papoose device because he was so fearful and distraught-this containment was considered preferable to sedating him.

DS screamed the entire time. The dog gouged his neck with its nails during the initial “take down” or swat. My heart is racing typing this out.

I so regret not killing that dog! I came out to see DS on the driveway and the dog trotting away. Had I been there five seconds earlier-I would have kicked or thrown it and I had to deal with that regret for a long time.

DS healed physically but developed needle phobia (still) and for years, was very uncomfortable and fearful around dogs…and cats. He is just now interested in friend’s dogs.

Sorry this happened to you and your son. I do want to note you mentioned the breed of dog...not a pit by the way!

Anonymous wrote:Bear/pepper spray and a bat. Pro tip. If you’re going to have a bat with you ALWAYS have a ball. Probable deniability. Batting practice not a weapon.

May I suggest a cricket bat? And cricket ball. I find a cricket bat easier to wield, and I’m a former 90 pound weakling!

My significantly larger-framed, athletic DH keeps the cricket bat on his side of the bed.

Our DS, then 4, was knocked down and attacked ON OUR DRIVEWAY by our neighbor’s wandering, at-large, roaming Brittany Spaniel. I missed the attack by seconds; I was inside the door grabbing my keys for the walk to get DD7 from her bus stop.

Raced DS to ER where he received 8 stitches below his nostril and one on his cheek. Told by ER doctor that DS was millimeters from needing a plastic surgery consult - had the dog bitten closer to his lip line, there would have been a risk for disfigurement. DS was placed in a papoose device because he was so fearful and distraught-this containment was considered preferable to sedating him.

DS screamed the entire time. The dog gouged his neck with its nails during the initial “take down” or swat. My heart is racing typing this out.

I so regret not killing that dog! I came out to see DS on the driveway and the dog trotting away. Had I been there five seconds earlier-I would have kicked or thrown it and I had to deal with that regret for a long time.

DS healed physically but developed needle phobia (still) and for years, was very uncomfortable and fearful around dogs…and cats. He is just now interested in friend’s dogs.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if the dog is vicious or not but I don’t want one running at my toddler. Obviously the law and park regulations clearly state that the dog must be leashed but the only park near our house has a big lawn that dog owners love to let their dogs run free in (even though there are two dog parks within 50 feet - one for small and one for large dogs). If a dog charges my toddler, what can I do? Today I scooped him up quickly but can’t easily do that if we’re on our blanket.

Thanks.

Has a dog charged you? If so, did you notice the time? Most people are creatures of habit and if you notice them at 8:30am you come at a different time. This is what I do when I want to avoid dogs walking my dog. I go on off times.

Just an FYI on dog parks. Dog parks are more for humans than dogs and they can be unsafe for dogs. I know humans think you can put together different dogs with different training and temperament and expect harmony but you can't. This is why some people meet up at the dog park with people/dogs they know that get along. Otherwise, the majority of people bring their untrained dogs and things can go bad very quickly.

Anonymous wrote:Bring a bat or something. If a dog comes charging get between the dog and baby and wave the bat. It can also be used as a weapon to hit the dog if you need to

Sooo stupid. Yes waving an object will surely diffuse the situation and not provoke an attack. /s

Dogs react to our actions. If you threaten a fog, be prepared to be bitten.

I used to call the cops but they’d never get there in time. Which I understand, so basically I just look like a crazy lady and the dog owners are none the wiser.

Anonymous wrote:Report, report, report.

My neighbors and I did and the police started showing up more to issue fines. Word must have gotten out in "the dog group" because after about 2 months, the only dogs around were leashed.

I found it effective to also report with video. I sent videos of off-leash dogs running up to kids playing on the playground and people reading on a blanket.

This is great! I hope op can get the same outcome.

Report, report, report.

My neighbors and I did and the police started showing up more to issue fines. Word must have gotten out in "the dog group" because after about 2 months, the only dogs around were leashed.

I found it effective to also report with video. I sent videos of off-leash dogs running up to kids playing on the playground and people reading on a blanket.

Call the authorities in your city, OP. Park authorities and the police (non emergency lines). Take photos. Do not stop fighting for this. Dog owners have to be responsible or pay the price.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“ And people who are living right should never concede to those who are living wrong. ”

You can be right and still end up hurt.
The above feels like the logic used by people who just step right out into the cross walk without looking/waiting just because the cars SHOULD stop.

+1

Use common sense, people - better to be in one piece than to be "right". OMG.

Nope. NP here and I am not going to keep my little kid inside all day because of idiot dog owners.

Its happened to me before too at a playground. My toddler was strapped in the stroller and the dog came charging at us. I just turned and shielded my son while the dog jump on me. I told the owner that dogs need to be on a leash but he just responded that it’s a friendly dog. When I said I didn’t care he got really upset with me. I would avoid keeping the baby outside when the dog is out. Definitely have a word with the owner and be prepared to call us to authorities.