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AIBU?

to think that posts like this are partly to blame for children being attacked by dogs.

36 replies

flanjabelle · 22/06/2015 16:39

www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/dogs-that-will-do-anything-for-kids?sub=2149965_1078954#.ndAmOBg4M

adorable? no.

dangerous? very.

some people are so fucking stupid.

disclaimer - some of the pictures on the link are fine, some are ridiculously dangerous, the boxer dog being used as a pony for example. The body language being shown by the boxer is so worrying. or the child standing on the dogs head?? why on earth do parents allow their children to do this?

I have a dog, and a toddler. They are never left alone together, and dd is supervised in her interactions with the dog. She is being taught to be gentle and respectful.

There are stories in the press again and again about children being hurt/killed by dogs, aibu to think things like this are just going to give idiots ideas?

OP posts:
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Sirzy · 22/06/2015 16:43

Yanbu, children need to learn to respect animals (especially ones they are living with) and parents need to ensure that children are doing that and that both are kept safe.

As you said children to young to fully understand shouldn't be left with animals and they certainly shouldn't be allowed to use them as a toy.

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RedKite1985 · 22/06/2015 16:44

I must admit, some of these pictures do make my bones itch.

There was a YouTube [ video]] going round on Facebook showing how a little girl commands her 6 pitbulls. It is just completely irresponsible

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RedKite1985 · 22/06/2015 16:45

oops, fucked up the link

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maryhadalittleham · 22/06/2015 16:49

Those poor dogs

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Quasicrystals1456 · 22/06/2015 16:50

Yanbu- selfish idiots.

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SnapesCapes · 22/06/2015 16:53

I'm torn. Some of those kinds of pictures terrify me, others I think are just cute; the dog and the boy praying at bedtime is just a sweet picture. The kid with it's head in the dog's cone is dreadful.

We've had dogs since before we had DCs. The DCs have always been taught there are certain rules about the dogs, and the current dog we have is pretty reliable in that when she's sick of the DCs she'll take herself out of the room and find some peace in her bed where they know never to bother or tease her. But she's still a dog, and still an animal, and my gut says that although I love and trust her, I still can't guarantee she wouldn't hurt someone if they fell onto her, or hit her with a toy, or woke her up too quickly when she's feeling under the weather. You just don't know.

So in our family album we have photos of the DCs playing Monopoly on the lounge floor with the idiotic dog laying across their laps because as soon as you play a board game, she gets involved. But by the same token I'd never let them draw on her while she slept, or share food with her. It's a tricky balance, one which you can't ever be too cautious with.

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Wolfiefan · 22/06/2015 16:55

FFS! Who stands and takes a picture of a small child standing on a dog. Some of those dogs look like they are really bloody fed up. Cute? Er no.
I get so fed up of people who say my dog is great with kids so tolerates anything. Until it doesn't. Why should dogs be pulled about by kids?

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Petridish · 22/06/2015 16:57

Totally agree.

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DoraMarstellar · 22/06/2015 16:59

Yep. People are fucking thick.

Even people who like to sound knowledgeable will spout crap about how their dog "loves the kudos hugging them" and "I trust my dog totally- he'd never hurt the kids" etc etc.

Depressing.

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BleachedBarnet · 22/06/2015 17:02

Completely agree. A dog is a living animal with a right to a peaceful life, not a stuffed toy for a child to play with. People who get dogs without seriously considering the responsibilities involved in what might be a 15 year life span make my blood boil.

My dog is a huge joy and fantastic addition to my family, and I'm well aware of my commitment to him in return.

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coffeeisnectar · 22/06/2015 17:03

The pictures with kids lying on or standing on the dogs makes me cringe. No doubt the owners would say "but I know my dog and he would never bite" until of course the dog rips the kids arm off because it's sick of being stood on.

The pics of the dogs and kids looking out Windows, over walls together are lovely. No one says you can't have kids and dogs but kids need to learn to respect the dogs and the parents need to learn that the dogs body language is telling them something!

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LeChien · 22/06/2015 17:08

YANBU.
Stress signals galore that are being ignored.
It's a wonder there aren't more accidents when owners are this irresponsible.

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LeChien · 22/06/2015 17:11

If anyone's confused about stress signals, here is a good place to start

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SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker · 22/06/2015 17:16

Some of those are harmless. I will never let a kid ride, stand on or otherwise abuse a dog. They aren't a pony and aren't built to carry that weight.

The girl feeding the dogs though, that we have done. One of our dogs was once food defensive with our youngest. She growled at him for going near her when she was eating. From that day on for several months the only food she got was from him and she had to do several tricks on command from him before she got it. I was right there of course. She has never tried it since and is only food defensive with our other dog, never with a person, no matter what they do.

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TwigletFiend · 22/06/2015 17:50

YADNBU

The boxer in particular, but a number of those dogs are clearly displaying anxious body language.

Some of the pictures are perfectly fine, but the majority are scary. A dog is a predatory animal, despite being domesticated. Why on Earth would you put a dog, even a small one, into a tiny confined space with a baby? Or allow a child to hold onto the choke chain around your dog's neck? Any animal that feels trapped can panic and lash out. Madness! People's behaviour around dogs had baffled and worries me for a long time.

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chocolateyay · 22/06/2015 17:53

Who was it that took a pic of their small child standing on their dog to reach the kitchen counter? Was it Palin?

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Tinklewinkle · 22/06/2015 17:57

YANBU

Some of those pictures are fine, but some are frightening.

We have a dog, my kids have never been allowed to stand on him, ride him, pull him around, grab his ears, pull his tail, etc.

He has always been very gentle and loving towards our kids but I'd never say I 100% trust him. He's a dog not a robot.

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LapsedTwentysomething · 22/06/2015 18:03

Honestly I think that some people lose their rationality when it comes to treating dogs as humans or playthings.

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BoyScout · 22/06/2015 18:08

What strikes me about some of those is the sheer physical size of the dog next to the child's small body. The contrast is frightening.

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LadyNym · 22/06/2015 18:12

YANBU.

I love our dogs and I don't think they'd ever intentionally hurt our boys.

BUT they are both big (German shepherd and Siberian husky) and excitable and the GS is clumsy so there's a good chance of them stepping on/running into etc. the boys.

And, DS1 (three) has ASD and is pretty bad with personal space with humans, let alone other animals. It wouldn't matter how much I trusted the dogs with him, I wouldn't trust him with the dogs! They'd be chased, climbed on, sat on, grabbed at etc. and that wouldn't be fair on them at all and as patient as they are there would be a chance they'd lose their patience once...and it would only take once.

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Varya · 22/06/2015 18:13

Dogs need affection, and exercise every day, regular meals, toys to play with, and to never be left with babies or young children. They get teased or bored and turn on the children.

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TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 22/06/2015 18:18

Good link LeChien , thank you .
I am amazed how much dressing up of dogs goes on these days. I thought it was accepted a long time ago it wasn't fair to the animal.

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PandaMummyofOne · 22/06/2015 18:30

This is what happens when idiots are allowed to own a dog without passing some kind of competency test before hand and to breed Hmm

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Stitchintime1 · 22/06/2015 18:38

I'm shocked by this thread. The idea of having to manage a possible threat to a child in the child's home is awful. The child who was growled at and had to go in living with the dog. I will never understand pet keepers.

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Motherinlawsdung · 22/06/2015 18:39

YADNBU. Crazy behaviour.

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