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?

Teacher was irresponsible letting children pet an unknown dog.

You were irresponsible for leaving a dog who has form for snapping at children tied up unattended and unmuzzled.

You do know if you leave him out there and he bites a child you will be held responsible . If you think he's capable of biting he should be muzzled or not taken out to a cafe.

No, the teacher shouldn't have allowed it.

And you shouldn't have left the dog like that if you know it's unsafe around children.

FFS, when are all dog owners going to take responsibility for their fucking dogs?

No wonder I hate dogs. It's all the stupid owners who think they can do no wrong.

Why are you leaving a dog who has snapped before, in a public place unattended? I agree that people should never approach dogs without permission but really..not on imo.

The toddler is inside with op eating cake and watching from the window not that closely it would seem....

Whatever the result of this thread - please please will people teach their children not to run up to strange dogs and grab at them

Our dog is labrador-sized, so face-height with a toddler and the number of toddlers who have walked right into his face to pet him is frightening. Luckily he is very friendly and chilled but he is A DOG! Aforementioned toddlers have usually been licked in the face and there's not much I can do about that...

Well yes Rap that's what most people do.....however, smaller children are liable to be unpredictable....like dogs...which is why neither should be unattended.

YANBU

It should be drummed into children from a young age not to approach strange dogs, especially if they're not supervised by their owner, and ESPECIALLY if the dog is tied up and has no means of escape (because it makes them feel vulnerable and more likely to growl or snap).

The fact that the OP shouldn't have left her dog outside on it's own - doesn't mean she shouldn't have a word with the school. She can admit her own mistake AND point out that the teacher was in the wrong too.

It is not the teachers place to decide that a dog is safe. No dog is safe with a herd of kids around it and no owner in sight.

If one of my kids was among the group allowed to pet the animal i would be bloody cross with the teacher.

Fair point ICameOnTheJitney

You're both being unreasonable.

Don't leave your dog unnattended when you know he doesn't like being touched and fussed over. If you're not there to say no, it's not fair on the dog (who would feel more reassured if you were around) or on the children you shouted at. They obviously didn't know any better.

But, the teacher shouldn't have let them pet the dog or go up and fuss it. That's not good manners or behaviour around dogs, but complaining to the school would be OTT. Plus, the teacher would just say that the dog was left unnattended, so if it bit or hurt someone, you would be liable, not them.

We had a tiny dog prone to snapping (when I was a child). The thought of leaving him tied up alone in public

The teacher, as I said, was also at fault in letting them pet a strange dog. But you behaved irresponsibly too, towards your dog and the public.

I'm not going to muzzle my dog. He is not aggressive, does not approach people, does not bite anyone. He can be defensive in fear if approached, although actually the only two times he's snapped (not bitten) at children have been when they have sat on him, and another time when his tail was pulled, both DH was supervising. Both children were known to him and he was in the house at the time. I don't think these incidents require him be muzzled. The carriageway outside the shops in around 14 ft wide and he was well tucked out the way, no need for anyone to approach him at all.

Fact is though that people do leave their dogs unattended, in my case well secured and out the way but often that's not the case. Some owners will not put dogs in leads either, just leave them sitting outside the shop. It's going to happen that children will come across dogs in these situations. Of course children will want to pet them but as a teacher it's surely your job to not let them, or stop them immediately?

Your dog should be muzzled and not left alone outside.

I say this as someone who has a rescue greyhound who wears a muzzle. He is a gentle giant and has never actually harmed another dog I can't guarantee he won't so he wears a muzzle. It doesn't bother him at all and means I don't have to worry.

Given the nature of the dog (and saying this as an owner of 3 dogs, one of whom is nervous and not to be trusted) legally if the dog had bit one of the kids, YOU would liable for prosecution for not having your dog Nader control. The parent of the bitten child would be LIVID at you. Therefore, I wouldn't keep your dog unsupervised in a public thoroughfare where children are likely to walk. Can he come in the cafe?? The teacher was naive but it would be difficult to stop the kids taking an interest in the dog, and had anything happened - you would be prosecuted and lose your dog. Keep him / her somewhere safe and less public....

I agree it is your responsibility. I don't know anything about dogs- I would assume a dog that is left alone outside is not dangerous. I would prob not let my kids touch it, but any dog in a public area is going to be touched at some point.
I am a bit sick of how entitled some dog owners are. They are an animal ffs. They should take second place to humans!

I got shouted at on the beach the other day for grabbing a dog's collar as he was about to wreck the kids' sandcastle. He snapped at my wrist and then the owner yelled at me for manhandling her dog!!!!

Of course any dog can snap, which is why they need to be supervised and the owner is responsible for this, you weren't supervising effectively enough. The teacher was wrong too.

Absolutely, the teacher was massively in the wrong. But sadly, so were you if your dog has snapped at children before.

Why won't you muzzle him though? Do you think it will harm him? Make him look less nice?

He has snapped at a child before. He should be muzzled.

A muzzle would at least ensure he's not approached when you leave him unattended.

And that he can't bite your child, if he doesn't like children.

I really wouldn't ever leave my buggy unattended FWIW too.

Any dog, no matter how well trained or passive (or whatever) could be liable to snapping in the circumstances you describe, particularly if restrained on a lead.

The teacher was irresponsible allowing the children to crowd and potentially frighten your dog.

I think a word with the school would definitely be appropriate.

Ah well then, you're completely in the right. Why indeed should you muzzle a dog you're leaving unsupervised? It's not your responsibility if your dog bites someone, after all.

Harder... seriously? are you really being serious?

yes, the teacher should have undoubtedly asked you.

But really! if you are concerned about your dog, then bloody muzzle it! As far as I know, there is no law that requires someone to ask the dog owner whether their dog can be touched and, until there is, then the responsibility falls on the owner to presume that the dog could be touched at any time and, if the dog is possibly likely to get agitated and maybe even aggressive, then muzzle it.

The teacher is meant to be responsible for the children , and as such look after them out and about, When my children were young i instilled in them never to touch a dog just in case so would be very annoyed if i knew a teacher has allowed that to happen
I now have a small very nervous dog too who has never snapped but crowded by 10 children , who she is very scared of ,she may do i dont know as she has never come up against the situation
OP you were right to be mad, the teacher should be looking after the children and if my child was one of those i would be annoyed that she had been allowed to pet a strange dog however cute
My dog is extremely cute and everyone wants to pet her, but we always say no as she hates it, doesnt mean she needs a muzzle !
But no you dont need to phone the school i think you did the right thing

I'm sure responsible dog owners don't leave snappy (with form) and "very very nervous with children" dogs unattended in public.