To think if your granddaughter runs up to my puppy that he might try to jump on her?

[Taz1212]

We have a 16 week old puppy. He does the school run every morning and afternoon (carried much of the way still to his great disgust ). He's a lovely dog but he wants to meet everyone. Everyone is his best friend and he jumps up to greet them.

We are training him to not jump and after school we have about a dozen little girls eagerly helping. He's getting better but it's going to take a while. I keep him away from people who don't approach him and tell people to ignore him. However, he's little so lots of people think it's cute. Urgh. We'll get there.

Every morning and every afternoon we see a grandmother with her granddaughter. Every morning and every afternoon she tells her granddaughter, "Stay away from that dog." Fair enough- not everyone likes dogs. Yesterday morning her granddaughter ignored her and went running up to the puppy. He tried to jump on her but didn't touch her because I have him on a short lead and I pulled him back. She started screaming blue murder - "THAT DOG NEARLY GOT MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" The grandmother glared at me and said, "Yes, I saw that. That dog needs muzzled."

Seriously? She's seen the puppy every day. She sees how excited he gets. She tells her granddaughter to stay away- what did she think would happen?

bulbasaurbut the puppy was not aggressive! it did not bite anyone and was not stressed, so you are making things up. Also there was no bunch of kids running up to the puppy, just one. If all the children at the school gate were out of control the OP would have to rethink but there is as much reason to think that all children would have no manners than to think that all dogs would have no manners and be aggressive.

By your logic anyway the puppy should not be near schools but also would have to avoid playgrounds, parks, shopping centres or anywhere else where there may be excitable children around.

Finally you don't seem to understand either socialisation or training. Puppies need to be exposed to as many things as possible in the 16 week window of fearlessness, waiting longer than that is hugely problematic. And training doesn't happen in lessons; lessons are places where owners are taught techniques, training happens out in the real world. Keeping puppies at home and in training classes is a good way of creating problem adult dogs.

Awwwwwwwwwwwww Noodle is gorgeous. Pet Pet Pet

Is he a Spoodle or Ladbradoodle ?

OP, is Noodle a doodle? We have a labradoodle who looks very similar.

steff13 He's a cocker spaniel/poodle mix so similar but he won't get as big as a Labradoodle.

What more can you do? Keep yourself between your dc and any dogs standing next to you. I have 4 dc and no puppies have managed to get past me to slobber on my toddlers so far.

Actually, I find the biggest difficulties are with adults who approach him. The children who greet him every day know to stand still and ignore him if he jumps and it took him 2 days to figure out he wasn't going to be pet unless he was standing or sitting. If anyone new (in any environment) approaches he'll jump but I tell people first that we're training and what to do. In general, children are great about ignoring him until he settles. Adults tend to be a nuisance and ignore me. I get the whole, "Oh, he's just a baby!", or "I don't mind!" or telling him off "Down! Down!". He doesn't approach anyone- he stands there with his tail wagging like mad, willing people to approach him. He only jumps when someone is in his space . I'm not in the slightest bit concerned, but if you were to ask me about his approaching other dogs... [sigh]

Havana - that's the point. Why should I have to? I'm standing at the road with a small child holding hand each side. To put myself in the way I would have to let go of one child's hand next to main road.
No. I'm taking responsibly for my children by getting them not to touch or approach animals unless offered, owners should do the same.

I think the woman overreacted, certainly. I am ambivalent about dogs on the school run, however, from nothing I've done my DD (2) is terrified of dogs. If she had been that kid that had been approached at the traffic lights by a dog, she could easily have backed into the road. I have got very cross with her nearly putting herself in road danger to (unreasonably) avoid a dog just walking past her and told her many times that dogs are just being friendly, but she just loses her mind when they are near.

Also, I think it's a little unfair to assume people will know how to teach their children to behave around dogs. I've never had one, although I've read them Topsy and Tim Visit the Park... in which they are told they should never touch dogs they don't know. I know offering a hand to sniff helps them get to know you if they are rooting around your person. Anything else I've learned from The Truth About Cats and Dogs

Giles "Unless the snake ate the rabbit." was hilarious!

I thought the OP wasn't next to the school gate, wasn't exposing the dog to hoards of unrestrained children and successfully prevented the dog from touching the girl when she approached him.

So you are on a grassy knoll holding your noodles

Grassy knoll hmm?

So where was Noodle on 22nd November 1963? If we are to disregard your claims that you were not next to the school gate and you were successfully preventing Noodle from coming into contact with this child, what else could he be capable of?

There are two school gates on the opposite sides of the playground plus a route to the car park. At the gate DD comes out of there is a path and to the right is a large playing field. To the left is a grassy bit and then a wood. We walk through the wood and then wait at the edge of it on the grassy bit so we are away from the path. Quite a few people tie their dogs to the fence at the gate, but ignoring the presence of children for the moment, the temptation of other dogs would be too much for Noodle- he can meet the ones who join us on the grassy bit, but I obviously wouldn't let him meet dogs tied to the fence.

To be fair, I don't think it is a good idea to tie dogs to a fence outside a school. Maybe the parent/guardian/grandmother/cm is fed up with having to negotiate the dogs tied to the fence and she was stressed and you got a bit of a back lash. (Albeit not very logically).

EugenesAxe how difficult for your poor DD! Ask her if she would be willing to try the following.

Find an adult dog with a really good down stay. Ask the owner to place the dog in a down stay a long distance from your DD (as far away as she needs to feel comfortable) and stay there without moving. Your DD can then chose as and when she moves closer to the dog. Giving her control of the situation may give her the confidence to approach the dog which in turn may make more relaxed with this dog.

A safe way to approach a dog is to ask permission from the owner, approach from the front, extend one hand at the level of the dog's nose for the dog to sniff and the stroke the dog under the chin. If during this the dog backs away or turns his head away leave him alone. Don't run up to dogs, scream, grab their tails, hug or kiss them.

Can I take thread on to a total tangent?
I can't offer a goat at the school gates, but several of the kids at DD's school regularly ride ponies to or from school. (We are very rural!). So there's often a pony or two outside the school gate.

No you may not, babybythesea! DD would be begging to move to your area if she caught a whiff of that!

When I was at school, one of the children had a giant St Bernard who would come to school too. He would happily wander around the school playgrounds all day, begging for snacks and then wander back home with his girl at the end of the day. My second grade teacher had an Old English Sheepdog who slept in the back of the classroom and my high school music teacher had a black toy poodle who slept in his office and popped put to greet each class. DD is jealous enough- she doesn't need to be hearing nonsense about ponies at school!

I wish I could ride a pony on the school run!

So wish I could have gone to that school!!

Although I imagine they would have to call the police to drag Dds away from St Bernard and ponies

Thanks booboostoo! I will definitely try that. It's better now I'm fully aware of her issues :)