This woman just thought it was funny. Had she not thought it funny, I'd have walked away letting her deal with her child as she saw fit. My parents always prefered to give me the "proper" dressing down in private though I was always made to apologise. I didn't expect her to beat the kid in the street (extreme!) but not giggling and pathetically calling the child would have helped.

I do feel bad, but I won't lose sleep over it.

Think of it this way, the mother has obviously not taught the child that hitting the dog was wrong, and eventually if the child continued this behaviour she was going to get bitten or harm or scare a dog that would then need treatment or extra socialisation to get over this.
If you scared the child that much you have saved her from getting bitten and saved other dogs from similar treatment. I do not see a bad side to it at all! I think you deserve a pat on the back!

What chance does a child stand with a mother like that? What a pity you did not make the mother cry as well as the child . Unfortunatly there is nothing you could have done which would have made this stupid woman see any sense. I'm sure I would have let fly a lot more than you did . Give yourself a pat on the back. Glad the pup is OK.

I think you were quite restrained actually, I'd have shouted at the kid the first time....

Snap! Absolutely agree.

I'd have done the same as you so, no, I do not think you over reacted but, I hate kids.
I went mad at a parent once as their brat had run up to my dog and rubbed her bum and run off again. I said if my dog had turned on the kid she would have been the 1st to blame the dog. I shouted it at full volume at a game fayre as I wanted everyone to hear what the kid had done as there where loads of dogs there. I told her to get "IT" under control.
Not much patience with humans if they are winding my dog up.

0800 1111.....
She will need that ..

Haa you have reminded me of the time my sister and I were walking along a canal path with my sister's rottweiler. Dog was wandering along next to us sniffing about and minding his own business when this child comes screechong along and starts haraasing him. The dog was a bif softy and just give the kid a wag and kept going. The mother was going MENTAL!!! When we got close to the mum (her child had ran away ahead of her) she uttered in disgust "that thing shpould be on a lead" quick as a flash my sis retorted "errr no that THING should be on a leash" at which we both fell about in.hysterical laughter and the woman stormed away in a total rage

Is there anything we don't agree on

Well the mother is an idiot, if you are ever in that situation again you should tell the mother that your dogs are very tolerant but if she continues to allow the child to continue to mistreat animals then she should expect it to have its arm torn off off sooner or later.