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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Children on a school trip allowed to pet my dog... I'm bloody LIVID.

299 replies

HarderToKidnap · 15/11/2013 12:38

Should I phone the school about this? Every week I walk up to a local cafe with dog and toddler DS. I secure dog to pushchair on a short lead, he tucks himself behind the pushchair and snoozes in the sun. DS and I have cake and tea and sit by window so I'm next to dog, who is outside.

Today lots of primary school kids were out on a trip going from shop to shop collecting money for something. They went in the cafe before me and they left as I arrived. I placed my order, turned round to look at dog out of window and there must have been ten or twelve children crowded round him stroking him. He was covered in children. Teacher next to them smiling benignly and agreeing with kids how cute he was.

Dog is ten year old toy breed, is very cute but also very very nervous of children and has snapped at kids before. I never let unknown children stroke him. I was LIVID. For on,e he could easily have bitten one of the children and then they would be hurt and he may be put down. For two, who in their right mind lets lots and lots of children crowd an unknown dog???? I marched out there, said loudly "he doesn't like children and they shouldn't be touching him without asking the owners permission!" I was quite sharp but not snouty. Teacher said "yes yes OK" without really making eye contact and shepherded them off.

Should I phone the school concerned? Or was my sharp comment enough? Dogs are left unattended outside shops etc quite often and really the teacher should never be allowing the children in her charge to touch them, let alone crowd them. AIBU?

OP posts:
RinkyDinkyDoo · 15/11/2013 12:41

I think you've done enough, no need to phone the school. Teacher should not of let children pet an unknown dog whilst in their care.

jenniferturkington · 15/11/2013 12:41

Yanbu, but no need to phone the school I'm sure the teacher got the message. Perhaps don't leave a dog that 'doesn't like children' unattended outside a cafe though.

lardydahdydah · 15/11/2013 12:42

If he's a snappy dog and you want to guarantee that he doesn't bite anyone you should muzzle him.

Or never leave him alone, it might just be through a windows, but you wouldn't be able to grab him in time.

It's not a school issue its a supervision of dog issue

WooWooOwl · 15/11/2013 12:42

YANBU to be annoyed with the teacher, but YABU to leave a dog that you know is a risk unsupervised.

You really do not have a moral high ground here.

Raptorrethy · 15/11/2013 12:44

YANBU. I am really surprised at the teacher...I am a teacher and if I was out with my class I would never allow them to stroke a dog without asking the owner and probably not even then.
My mum had this problem a lot with her Yorkshire Terrier. He was very cute and very old but simply did not like being petted by strange children (he was fine with my DCs although he kept out of their way mostly). Small dogs are not teddy bears!!

buddyandpip · 15/11/2013 12:44

yes you are. If you don't want children touching your dog you should not leave it alone outside, especially when you know the dog is nervous and may snap. You are not only being unreasonable, but irresponsible too.

fromparistoberlin · 15/11/2013 12:44

you need to calm down a bit, "livid"

as yes they were taking a risk, but so are you having a potentially risky dog

Sparklingbrook · 15/11/2013 12:44

I am more worried about a snappy dog that is nervous of children being tied up outside. Sorry.

LayMeDown · 15/11/2013 12:44

The teacher was wrong but a lot of people are not well informed about dogs and especially assume that toy breeds are always harmless.
However, I don't think you should be leaving a dog who doesn't like being patted and is liable to bite children unattended and if you do, you should muzzle it.

harticus · 15/11/2013 12:45

Nobody got hurt.
Phone the school?
No.

Elsiequadrille · 15/11/2013 12:45

Perhaps you're both at fault here. A muzzle may be useful if you say your dog could bite a child.

FuckyNell · 15/11/2013 12:45

Yes sorry but you shouldn't leave a dog alone anyway, regardless of whether they like kids or not. It would have been nigh on impossible to have stopped them petting the dog without you there tbh.

GideonKipper · 15/11/2013 12:45

Exactly Jennifer. You're not there to supervise your dog who can be snappy. The onus is on you. I agree the teacher shouldn't have let the children loose on him, but in general circumstances I don't think you should leave your dog unattended if it has form for snapping.

HarderToKidnap · 15/11/2013 12:46

He's only a risk if you were to approach him, and even then not much of a risk! ANY dog is a risk is the circumstances I've described. There is simply no dog you could guarantee would be safe being mauled by ten unknown children, whilst on a lead, without their owner nearby.

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 15/11/2013 12:46

The dog is your responsibility to control - how can you do that if you leave it alone?

BrigitBigKnickers · 15/11/2013 12:46

Sorry YABVVVVU. If your dog is nervous of children and has been known to snap then you should not leave him in a place where you cannot immediately say to any child who approaches that he should not be touched.

Yes the teacher was remiss and as a teacher myself would never let a group of children approach a dog on a trip out but the onus of responsibility is on the owner. If your dog had bitten a child it would be your responsibility and yours alone.

Elsiequadrille · 15/11/2013 12:46

Ah, just read the dog was tied up outside, unsupervised, not muzzled, with potential to bite. Tut, tut...

RIZZ0 · 15/11/2013 12:46

You leave your dog who doesn't like children next to your toddle and turn your back on both of them? Confused

GideonKipper · 15/11/2013 12:46

Oh lots of x posts, all agreeing!

RIZZ0 · 15/11/2013 12:47

Toddler

fluffyraggies · 15/11/2013 12:47

Hmmm, i don't know, i think a call to the school wouldn't hurt, tbh.

It needn't be a rant, you are calling as someone concerned about the way children are being supervised, when off school grounds, for their safety sake.

I expect the teacher concerned will remember you, and will have understood your concerns, but perhaps the schools risk assessment procedure needs brushing up a bit.

If i saw something similar, like the children being badly supervised while crossing a road, for eg, i would think about calling the school.

I'm sure no parent would want to think their children were being allowed to do as they please while out and about under the care of school staff.

lardydahdydah · 15/11/2013 12:47

Then all dogs should be muzzled

HarderToKidnap · 15/11/2013 12:47

My dogs history is a bit irrelevant here though. As it happened, he didn't snap even though he had loads of kids on him, so obviously he can be quite chilled! It's any dog who could snap at anyone in a situaitoN like this, and the teacher wasn't to know whether he was super aggressive or not.

OP posts:
GhostsInSnow · 15/11/2013 12:47

Teacher was bloody irresponsible IMO. Even the most placid of dogs is likely to get spooked by so many children crowding them.

Whether I would call the school, I don't know. On the one hand it was dangerous but on the other is this a situation thats likely to occur regularly and I think she's probably realised how stupid she's been.

Be interesting to see which side the MN Jury fall on here

GideonKipper · 15/11/2013 12:47

Brigit spot on.

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