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

[HarderToKidnap]

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?

Hahahaahaha 'In my cabbage' :p sorry that's the funniest thing I've seen all day.

Never heard that before. Every day is a school day and all that...

Okay (has calmed self) I've never heard that before.

Recently my friend said she had ran out of toilet roll and had to 'just shake her cabbage' instead and that's probably why I found it so funny.

I'd phone the school. It would be a good chance for them to go over dog awareness inc poo hidden under leaves as ds discovered today in the woods

You should be able to leave a dog tied up and not have to worry about 'supervised' children bothering them/ unsupervised children bothering them/ people trying to steal them. Ds knows not to and he's 3 :)

Actually pedestrians can also be liable if they fail to observe the highway code. yes there is a greater burden of responsibility placed upon the drive as they have the greatest potential to cause harm. BUT if a person driving along in good conditions in good health under the speed limit knocks over a person because they stepped into the road then who is liable?

Some dogs bite, some people drive lie twats so we teach our kids to limit the risk by staying away from unknown dogs, and crossing the road sensibly.

Dogs maybe also be under the control of the owner on the lead but if an child dashes over to pet without parental restraint but the dog is then who is to blame then...I suppose the dog owner still as it should be muzzled right? The point is if you know of a risk you teach your kids to avoid or minimise such risks or protect them from it.

I do not trust dog owners to do this for me for my kids. I do it because I am their parent.

Yabvvvu and a fool! Hth

Supervise your snappy dog then

you should not leave a snappy dog who does not like children tied up outside a cafe

What a stupid teacher! My dog loves children and is a complete tart, whilst I'm 99% sure he would love a big group of children fussing over him, I would still be wary about that many kids crowding round him, especially when there's no one there to pull the dog back if needs be. I would have called the school and complained personally.

However imo dogs should not be left tied up outside alone in public places, even if you can see them the whole time, there are too many thing that could spook a dog when they can't just walk away from whatever is bothering them.

I think the teacher was very irresponsible - but so were you.

I really dislike dogs being tied up outside places, they should be supervised by owners. Lots of dogs get tied to our school railings at pick up time, and a few of them bark and jump up at the kids every single day. Scary for the nervy or small ones.

If you have a dog that has ever snapped at a child, leaving it unattended is not being a responsible owner IMO

I wouldn't muzzle the dog if it were mine.
I wouldn't be livid that the children pet it.
Can't see a problem.

*and I would leave it tied up outside if not distressed by that.

You tied your dog up outside a cafe, but you know the dog isn't good with children, as soon as you saw your dog surrounded by children you went outside and told the person in charge off for allowing the children near your dog, you are being very irresponsible.
Cafes and public streets are for the public to use, your dog and its temperament is not there problem it is yours, you should never leave your dog unattended in a public place ( tied up or not) if the dog became stressed and snapped at a child you could be prosecuted and the dog put down.( I am a dog owner BTW)

I am surprised that you co-habit with a dog who "doesn't like children", where you also have a toddler.

I also read above that your dog sleeps with your toddler and has bitten toddler on more than one occasion. I would get rid of the dog before anything worse happens.

You seem to put your dog before your children (and other people's), please be a responsible dog owner.

IMHO you are being totally unreasonable

IMHO you are being totally reasonable, what a dim teacher.

zippey the bit about the dog chewing on the toddler during the night was a joke

zippey

zippey I can't believe you thought that the OP was serious about the dog sleeping with her DS and had "only bitten him a few times"! I thought that was very obvious sarcasm, but it apparently wasn't quite 'obvious' enough.

Arrrgh I blame lack of emoticons!

Still, having a child in a house along with a dog that doesn't like children isn't a great combo.

I'd also say leave the teacher alone! As of teachers don't have enough to deal with!

Your dog, your problem.

You can't predict or control what other people are going to do.

If he bites someone he will probably be killed. It will effect you the most and you have the most control over how to stop that happening.

most dogs will bite if surrounded or surprised. Stupid teacher for letting this happen. All children must be taught never to approach a strange dog and the teacher is the fool here.

you said he is a toy dog. He's not a danger beyond the odd nip, he's too small.

Yes yes stupid teacher.

Stupid people exist.

If you don't want your dog to bite of them, you have to stop it.