Out-of-control Kid

why would I want to train my dog to put up w/ that it's my responsibility to protect my dog, if I want him to look to me as his leader, doesn't that protection come w/ the deal.

That's how I feel. I can train my dog to sit or down but any animal, including human can be pushed too far. I do agree that training should strong so that dog will stay in a down while you handle a problem. But if the problem is an out-of-control kid who is even "accidently" assaulting your dog, what do you do? As a child, I was never allowed to run amock unless given permission to play, and I was always taught how to behave around a dog. This situation hardly ever happened when I was a kid. My grandparents had poodles. I was simply not allowed free run until I was old enough to know how to behave. Or, if the situation required it, my mother kept a hold of me. So, to be clear, I don't blame the toddler. Nor do I blame a parent who lost the grasp for just a moment. I do blame the parent that can't be bothered to handle their child appropriately.

Again, when I was a child, parents were in control, not children. Of course, that was backed up with the belt, a peach tree twig, a wooden stirring spoon, whatever was handy. Sometimes, a lightning slap across the face.

God! I was in the post office a while back and there was a mother there who was playing chase with her son  in the front. She would throw a ball along the front of the counter and the kid would chase it. While bumping into people standing at the counter and people trying to walk across to get to the counter. At one point her son slammed into an elderly woman with a cane and the woman turned on the mother shouting, "You need to control this brat because he's about to knock me down and break my hip!" The mom looked at her like she was the craziest coot ever and just kept going. Some mothers are idiots. I'm not a kid person to begin with. It doesn't take much from a child for me to have had enough of them, but the worst thing ever is a mother who thinks every horrible thing her child does is adorable.
And some mothers just don't notice anything their kids are doing. I'm really glad the mother didn't turn on you. Most of them would. Their kid chases your dog around while you try to get her to control the thing and then once the kid gets hurt the mother turns on you shocked and horrified that you would date to own a dog evil enough to bite her sweet little angel.
 
Christina

as the mother of an almost 3 year old child i have to say im am a bit in defense of the kid. it wasnt the childs fault, obviously she did not know how to act around dogs and was never taught at home to respect them. if anyone its the parent of the little girl who is responsible for her child actions, and not taking time out of her busy socializing to make sure her child was safe.
 
alot of children arent properly taught to respect and use caution around animals they dont know, and even ones they do know. sure there are dogs out there that you can hit kick pull all you want on and they dont care but that is no excuse. our daughter knows not to get in strange dogs faces, or pull or tug, but we still make sure the dog is safe ourselves before just setting her loose around any animal we dont personally know and trust. it is our responsibility as the parent to ensure our child will be safe.
 
i personally dont think you have any reason to feel guilty as you were trying to prevent anything from happening. i hope that experience doesnt leave a lasting effect or fear of children in your dog because there are alot of kids out there in the world and 99 percent of them want to pet every dog they see.