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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think parents should teach their children how to be around dogs?

130 replies

Glitteryconverse · 04/03/2014 13:44

I have two young children and a dog. My dog is very gentle and tolerant and plays so nicely with my children. Her negatives are that she is quite a barky dog (non-aggressive, just vocal) and tends to jump up at people in excitement. She also is easily scared and will jump out of her skin if she is busy sniffing and then suddenly notices another dog/person/leaf next to her. With that in mind, if a child approaches, I always squat down with her to stop her jumping up and keep her calm and explain to the child that she is very gentle but gets very excited. If I take her on the school run and have to tie her to the fence outside the playground, I always put her at the furthest point from the gate so she is away from everyone (there is a really yappy dog that is usually there anyway!). The only way to have contact with her like this is if you come off the pavement and climb up a small grass bank to get to her.

Today she came on the school run and I tied her in her usual place. When I came out of school one of the mums was waiting for me and said that from the playground she had seen a small child run up to my dog and that my dog seemed to snap at her. She wasn't sure of the exact details but said that the little girl had cried and gone off with her mum and so she wanted to let me know in case anything was said later.

I would bet my house that my dog didn't bite the child, I really would. What I suspect happened is that the child ran up the bank to my dog and made her jump which made her bark, or that she jumped up at the child. I have always taught my children that they are to ask the owner before they stroke a dog and to let it sniff their fingers first as you just never know what a dog is like. I'm a bit worried in case I am going to get told off my someone for this!

AIBU to think that IF my dog had snapped at the child, then it wasn't my dog's fault considering that she was well out of the way and had been approached by a stranger? What else could I have done (other than left her at home!)

OP posts:
Cluelessat30 · 04/03/2014 13:46

YANBU. I always chat to my daughter about giving animals space and be

MyNameIsKenAdams · 04/03/2014 13:48

Parents shouldnt let their kids run close to dogs.

WorraLiberty · 04/03/2014 13:48

No of course it's not your dog's fault

It's the fault of the irresponsible owner who ties it to the railings of a school, knowing full well it gets nervous around children!

I hope this is a wind up

pussycatdoll · 04/03/2014 13:49

I have always taught my children that they are to ask the owner before they stroke a dog

but you weren't there to ask????

tbh I don't think you should leave your dog unattended near the school

Cluelessat30 · 04/03/2014 13:49

Bloody phone..
Always to be gentle quiet and to ASK whoever is with the animal if she can say hello. But kids are inquisitive little so and so's. Not really much you can do about that.

pussycatdoll · 04/03/2014 13:50

Parents shouldnt let their kids run close to dogs

kids run out of school
they're not always with adults to stop them running near dogs
my year 6 child walks home on his own
How am I supposed to stop him running with his mates past your unattended dog when I'm at work Hmm

Original poster
Glitteryconverse · 04/03/2014 13:51

Where she is waiting is completely away from everyone though. There is nobody near her unless you consciously walk up this bank to get to her. When I said that she is easily scared I mean if you come up behind her and make her jump (much like me really!)

OP posts:
pussycatdoll · 04/03/2014 13:51

ASK whoever is with the animal

there's no one to ask!! the dog is alone tied up!

Original poster
Glitteryconverse · 04/03/2014 13:52

No, I wasn't there to ask, therefore my children would not have gone near her in the first place.

OP posts:
pussycatdoll · 04/03/2014 13:52

kids run up and down banks near our school
why shouldn't they?

WorraLiberty · 04/03/2014 13:53

Then leave it at home or muzzle it if you really have to take it with you

You know kids make the dog jumpy, you shouldn't be tying it up right outside a school.

Yes I agree parents should teach their kids how to behave around dogs...but I also think dog owners (and I am one too) should behave with a bit of common sense.

BumpyGrindy · 04/03/2014 13:53

YANBU but you were foolish to leave your snappy dog, where a child could easily approach it since you were not there to "squat down" and hold it. Young children are impulsive...we all teach them not to run into roads but they will do it up to a certain age as they don't think.

KatieHopkinsEvilTwin · 04/03/2014 13:53

All children should be taught how to treat dogs. Agreed.

BUT....All owners should make sure that they are in control of their dog at all times.

BumpyGrindy · 04/03/2014 13:54

Glittery neither would my children but SOME children as I say are impulsive and their parents could have taught them...and they'd STILL approach the dog. Your responsibility is as much as the parent's...and you failed.

Katinkia · 04/03/2014 13:54

You shouldn't leave your dog unattended, especially near a school.

I taught my boys to always ask if they may stroke a dog and not approach the dog until the owner has said it's ok.

WorraLiberty · 04/03/2014 13:55

And if your dog bit a hole in a kid's face because they rushed up to stroke it, your dog would have to die.

All because you were being an irresponsible adult

Original poster
Glitteryconverse · 04/03/2014 13:55

Sorry, I am not trying to drip feed I promise! The fence is really long and at the opposite end to the school gate is a corner with a big mud track. My dog is right on that corner and is NOT snappy, just noisy!

OP posts:
wheresthebeach · 04/03/2014 13:57

You shouldn't leave your dog unattended around little kids. You know the dog is excitable, so are children. Especially around cute animals.

Cluelessat30 · 04/03/2014 13:58

Ok pussy pissy I'll amend that to YANBU to say that children should be taught how to behave around dogs. But YABU to leave a dog unattended near a school.

Braganza · 04/03/2014 13:59

Where she is waiting is completely away from everyone though.

But it isn't is it, as a child apparently went up to see your dog.

Who should you expect to have more sense - a 6 year old child, excited to see a dog, or an adult.

Your dog, your responsibility. You can't expect children not to be excited. You can expect adults to keep their dogs under control in a public place.

redcatblackcat · 04/03/2014 14:00

Er....don't leave your dog unattended outside a SCHOOL, then OP! You are asking for trouble. Leave the animal at home.

BeeInYourBonnet · 04/03/2014 14:01

You dog shouldn't be left unattended.

I teach my DCs how to behave around dogs, but unfortunately since a big dog ran over to DD and jumped up on her, she is absolutely petrified of them and therefore won't listen to reason where they are concerned.

All dog owners need to keep their dogs with them, preferably on a lead. Specially if they exhibit behaviour which might frighten children.

What may be a bit of yapping and jumping up to ASN adult, can seem very different to a small child.

BeeInYourBonnet · 04/03/2014 14:02

'an' not 'ASN' !

chattychattyboomba · 04/03/2014 14:02

If there is no one there to ask, then leave the dog alone! Yadnbu

Crowler · 04/03/2014 14:05

If there is no one there to ask, then leave the dog alone! Yadnbu

What if a child wanders off to visit the dogs without his parent's knowledge?

Parents do tend to relax a bit within the confines of the school gates.