To ask dog owners to keep there dogs away from my my children?

But why shouldn't someone love their animal more than someone else's children?

I certainly wouldn't let any animal harm a child but I have no interest in children and every interest in my animal's welfare.

Well that would be a prime example of both being in the wrong, but the dog owner being worse. If your dog snarls and bites when touched by a stranger in public it should be muzzled and kept away from the public.
That's like someone brushing past me in a bar and me punching them because I don't like to be touched... is that what you mean by like you too 😉

It would be nice if parents didn't treat my sibling's dog as free entertainment. Latest incident: Minding our own business having lunch in a country pub, dog curled up quietly by the wall next to the table. Some plonker wandered over with his toddler and without bothering to greet or even make eye contact with any of the humans at the table, encouraged their child to "say hello" to the dog. Not only is that extremely rude, but some dogs, while perfectly well behaved if left alone, will snarl or nip if touched by people they don't know, which is fair enough, as I would too!! Luckily my sibling's dog was to knackered by the walk to care, as he's a bit of a barker usually.

As long as there are dog owners who don't train their dogs appropriately and prefer to excuse their behaviour, there will be dog bashing threads.

I don't think people are saying dogs are valued over children... if you asked me to pick between my child and my dog it's not even a choice... but if you asked me to pick between my dog and your child... of course I care about my dog more, you're child, or someone else's dog means nothing to me.

I think this is just a symptom of society becoming more selfish tbh

I know!!! I understand it was an accident but fgs take some accountability for your kid’s actions. Kid should have apologised to me and my dog, but instead was allowed to believe it was our fault. No words 😡

The basic premise is not something that anyone can disagree with. Dogs should be under control and not approach people uninvited

I have a big fluffy dog who people want to approach but in my experience they have usually asked first which I am happy to oblige under supervision

Because he is big I always put him on a short not extendable lead when people or other dogs are approaching. I do let him off lead in situations that I deem to be safe (it's never actually unsafe as he does not bite but he might scare someone and be perceived as unsafe. The main danger is him knocking someone over running around like a loon) where there is no-one for miles around because keeping him in a lead all the time ruins the joy of the walk for him and for me. I seek out places and times where we can go with no distractions.

I have always wondered how one obtains the mythical Mumsnet 100% reliable recall without practicing in all scenarios and if you have to practice then QED sometimes you might fail. I can recall my dog away nearly all the time but occasionally he disobeys me usually where there is a dog he is desperate to meet. If this happens I always go to get him back and apologise but he can run a lot faster than me. Also paradoxically if I run in the opposite direction rather than towards him this is more likely to result in his return but probably looks odd.

I agree op! Also kids / adults should not just go up to dogs and touch without asking and the like. Your problem is real don't get me wrong op but just to highlight it goes both ways and dog owners have trouble with other people too.

I have a dog and little kids and try my best to be a good parent and good dog owner.

Bikes on busy paths are another pet hate of mine! Your poor dog

Completely agree that dogs should be under control around kids, but so should kids be under control around dogs.

on Boxing Day I was walking my two dogs on leads in a local nature reserve. It has concrete roads running through, so obviously also busy with families and kids, buggies A family with a football team of kids came up behind us and one of the little kids aged around 7 rode into my dog from behind. It caused my dog to scream in pain, which scared the kid who fell off her bike. She wasn’t hurt but omg the DM went ballistic about my bloody dog and how we should have been walking through the forest as “Didn’t I realise the pathways were for bikes, families etc” Absolutely no fucking apology from her, despite my dog standing on three legs still yelping. Kid was crying saying my dog had hurt her. No!!! You rode into my fucking dog.

Camping in August, my two dogs were tethered securely to our table eating breakfast. I briefly went to put something in the bin, 20 metres away. Turned to walk back to see the four year old from next tent sitting with my dogs. He’d taken food from their bowls and was hand feeding them. One dog I’d only had for 6 weeks as a rescue. Very lucky both dogs were absolutely fine but if not it would have been my fault no doubt.

Argument works both ways.

Exactly this - my pair of terriers are well trained, well socialised and actually love small children. I do however spend a lot of time looking out for out of control incoming children whilst the dogs are on leads and under control in all public places.

We went way OTT with socialising the second one after realising the first one was a child magnet due to looking like a teddy bear. He's been grabbed from behind and hugged so often that I've lost count. He just jumps but thankfully has such a placid nature that he tolerates it. I couldn't count on being so lucky with the second one, hence the massive socialisation project. She is much feistier but also OK with unexpected cuddles.

The thing is - I know that my two have been OK so far - but it's a breed known to be aggressive if not properly handled so the parents of these children don't.

A lead doesn't help if the human adult on one end of it thinks it is OK to let the dog put his head in a pram to have a good sniff. My then baby's older sibling is super wary of dogs and I don't think that helped!
I don't dislike dogs per se. I used to own a lab and it was quite hard work to make sure she was well trained, got enough exercise, and didn't inconvenience anyone. Some people want to own a dog without doing the hard work or having the inconvenience to ensure the dog knows how to behave in public. The lack of brain power some people exercise with a dog on an extendable lead astounds me though

Please can everyone take some responsibility for their children and tell them that they should never approach a dog even those dogs on leads.

Whilst I'm here please can everyone else also stop touching my dog/talking to it.

Thanks

To you. Which is irrelevant.

My child is more important to me than someone's else child. Doesn't mean she is actually more important generally, and that I can therefore let her do whatever she wants.

I think what some are saying - me included - is that it should be the law, at least within the areas of town councils.

Although as a pp has said, plenty of dog owners seem to ignore the law on leashing where it does apply. Better enforcement needed as well then.

So I’ve had dogs and I have children, one of my dogs actually was attacked by a child who’s mum though it was cute she was trying to ‘stroke’ her - no she wasn’t, she was pulling, poking my dogs eyes inwards and shoving her fingers in my dogs mouth, I tried to shoo the child away (not physically at all, just trying to get her to release my dog) and her mum thought I was RUDE. Because of that child, my dog never ever again trusted or liked very young children coming near her. I do not value dogs over children at all - but there are some idiots out there as parents who think their children are gods gift to earth and let them get away with anything. Both pets and children have a place in the world.

But nobody can guarantee a dog won’t snap. Hence teaching your children not to run and leap on random dogs…
Shall we also chop the legs off all horses in case your children decide to run up behind them? Take the wheels off all cars in case your kids decide to play on the motorway?
I’d hope for that most people can be logical enough to agree with my sentiment that children shouldn’t be running up to strange dogs.

Dog owners should keep their dogs away from everyone. On a leash.

I agree although now my children are older, it's because I have two small dogs and one is reactive. He isn't aggressive but he's nervous and yappy and it's difficult to know how the other dog will react. They often come running up to us and it's very stressful. Woodland is especially stressful because dogs just seem to come out of nowhere with no owner to be seen.

Yes, if you can’t guarantee your dog won’t snap in those situations.

Parents should of course be teaching their kids not to approach strange dogs. But children should not be put at risk by someone’s choice to have a pet.

Agree. It's enough to put you off isn't it, but I'm reluctant to let it!

So by your logic, every dog in the world should be muzzled if there is a remote possibility of a child running over and leaping on them? How about teaching your child not to do that?
I have plenty of dogs and children & manage quite fine as they all know how to behave.

Completely agree.

Still fuming from when a lady let her big dog jump up at me when I was carrying my newborn in her sling. I say let as it was on a bloody lead and she had no control even with a lead!

And the people who won't recall their dogs are the problem.

But also, parents who literally push their children into and interaction instead f waiting to see if the owner says it's ok, are also a problem