To think that dogs are not communal property?

[FreeBirdsFlying]

Sorry its another dog related thread but I'm really fucked off with parents letting their children come over to pet my dog without asking. He dosent like being randomly mauled roughly stroked by strangers,and when I say to the children,he dosen't like being petted and you should always ask the owner first,then I'm the grumpy cow with the dog.

I mean you would hardly think its okay for a stranger to hop into your car and check out the interior because they think your car is nice.

YA so NBU

parents who let their Dc pet dogs without the owners say so are mad

Maybe I've been lucky but all the children I have come across either ask to pet my dog or give longing looks that lead me to ask if they want to (PandaDog loves children).

However I do agree that children should always be taught to ask first, not only for safety reasons but I think it's an excellent starting point for them learning how to respect animals.

YANBU to be concerned about safety/animal welfare.

But being possessive about a pet for the sake of it is a bit po faced IMO. Kids love dogs, and a lot of dogs love kids as well.

Yes, you're right, not least because children need to learn that not all dogs are friendly and they shouldn't approach them without some caution. It's better they learn that from an annoyed owner than from a startled dog, so YANBU there.

On the other hand, I think that YABU to compare dogs to cars or other pieces of 'property'. Even if you 'own' them, they are living beings in their own right that other living beings [children] will want to interact with sometimes. I think you need to accept that, but it's fair enough to expect them to interact in a way that's respectful to the dog and to you.

It is awful, though, when people view and treat animals as 'things' that they possess, no different to a car or an accessory.

princess my dog dosen't like strangers stroking him. Hes friendly and docile but hes not an attention lover. Nothing to do with being possesive.

Can we also point out for any doggie readers of this thread that children are not communal property- please ask for permission nicely before you sniff their crotch!

The same goes for husbands, aunties, elderly cousins by marriage- please ask the owner nicely first.

I never seem to go for a walk in the park without some dog or other rubbing their nose into me, and though dh is not possessive, other people might not actually like this.

I don't mean that the dog is 'property' but just for use of common comparison,used a car.

cory no dog owner I know thinks that random sniffing is ok.

YANBU my dads dog had a major illness recently and the meds have turned him into a right miserable git. He's started to snap at stranger who touch him.
People bend to stroke him- without asking first so my dad tells them not to and they give him such dirty looks,He's stopping them getting hurt for fuck sake!

YANBU. My dog is a sausage so he's a child magnet - fortunately nearly everyone round here does ask first, or look hopefully for an invitation before diving in, and fortunately he doesn't mind being stroked.

I don't think the OP views her dog as 'property', the problem is strangers treating him as such - not realising he has feelings!

I always ask the owner if my daughter can stroke a random dog. Best from a safety perspective as well as some dogs might bite!

Parents who don't teach their children how to behave around animals are one of my biggest pet peeves. It's not just dogs either - I was in the New Forest once and I saw two young girls (one primary school aged, one toddler) chasing a wild mare and foal, throwing sticks and stones at the foal while the mare charged at them trying to protect her baby. :( The girls' mum was sitting a short distance away reading a magazine, and when someone pointed out to her that her daughters were about to get kicked by an angry pony, she just glanced up, bleated half-heartedly at them and went back to her magazine. Thankfully the mare and foal ran away rather than hurting the girls, but I couldn't get over the mum's stupidity, considering their heads were at exactly the right height to get their skulls kicked in. I bet she would have wanted to sue and get the ponies destroyed if one of them had injured a child, too.

Sorry, just realised my rant isn't really that relevant to the OP - got a bit carried away!

YANBU

But dog lovers, take note. In the same way your dog may not like being stroked by random children, some children do not love being licked/sniffed/jumped up on by your dog. And telling them that 'It's ok, he's just being friendly' does not make it ok!

So children have to be taught respect for animals and their space, but it has to work the other way too.

Chocolate how dare they. The mare and foal must have been terrified.

Absolutely, knowitall - if all dog owners AND all parents were equally sensible and considerate, there would be harmony forevermore! :)

Agree,mutual respect is needed. And when I say no my dog dosen't like strangers,then I don't get parents whining *ah they only want to pet him...

Again, around here most dogs don't jump/sniff/lick strangers. The times it happens is if we are admiring a dog and it's either young or a new rescue and it's still being trained not to jump up.

Grimma I think that's the problem with children too, they are still being 'trained'

Children should always ask first-we have an Akita which, because they sort of resemble a bear, is an absolute child magnet-unfortunately, due to bad press & morons, I tend to get a lot of hysterical parents screeching 'don't touch that dog' or alternatively walking half a mile to avoid her

Knowit - sounds like the OPs problem is that the kids in her area aren't being trained though. She's f'd off with the parents.

Yep,is it too much for parents to teach their kids basic manners? Or should I put my sticky hands all over their hair,or whacking them saying *nice kiddies

I know that, but in the reverse situation it is not the dogs I get fucked off with, it is the owners.

Their dog comes bounding over to DC who is half the size of it, it runs round in circles, hitting DC with its tail (which can HURT!) and the owners just say, 'Oh, he loves children, it's ok, he won't bite'. I am not worried about your dog biting my DC, but dog owners have to appreciate that not everyone is a dog lover, in the same way parents have to appreciate that not every dog is a children lover.

YANBU, OP. However, one of the teachers at DC's school has a Jack Russell who definitely regards all the DC as "hers" - every time I see her she is with a different child .