Aibu

[mrsblade]

Aibu to expect people to control their dogs in country parks? We went out today with our two dc to do a grufelo trail, we went on the trail that was designed for family's stating it was pushchair friendly. Ds1 had a stick in his hand and a dog bounded over at him trying to pull the stick out of his hand! Needless to say he was terrified and never wants to go back to said park again! The owner just gave a half hearted sorry as she walked off! There was numerous dogs running all over the place inc in the play areas and when the owners called them just carried on. Aibu to think that if you can't control your dog you shouldn't let it off the lead?

What frustrates me about these threads is the endless assumption that children 'need to know how to behave around dogs' and that it's irrational and wrong for them to be scared of dogs - why do we all ignore the fact that dogs DO attack and harm children, often with fatal and/or permanent results?

Dog attacks are thankfully very rare, though much loved by the media when they do happen, hence giving rise to an irrational level of fear.

Children suffering road accidents are much more common, but not nearly as newsworthy. But we educate children with road-sense, not "road-fear".

A fear of anything that it extremely unlikely to hurt you, is, pretty much by definition, a phobia, and irrational.

Yes, point taken MrsBlade - apologies for my Monday morning reaction! I would avoid the area at all costs for many reasons

Of course all dog owners have a responsibility to keep their dogs under control when out walking. Some are irresponsible - there are always irresponsible people in all walks of life. However, there are a lot of parents out there who react so badly to a dog walking past that it is small wonder that kids are afraid; they are being conditioned to be afraid by the mothers' reactions. It is a shame when dogs have to be on the lead all the time 'just in case'. Dog owners are quite often vilified and I think it is a shame. Most dogs are lovely and if there is a problem, it is usually down to the owner, not the dog. A dog is like a child - it needs to be taught to behave.

Altinkum, i quite understand why you are teaching your son to avoid dogs - I have a DC with horrific allergies, too. Dealing with them and avoiding them does become second nature - i still read the backs of packets even though she has been away from home for 6 years and won't be eating what i am!

I'm not a dog fan, can tolerate my friends pooches though I always end up with ripped clothes and scratches. My daughter was terrified of dogs after some bitch let her dog pin her to a wall when she was 2 while grinning inanely and saying 'she's just friendly' while DD screamed and cried and I tried to stop this massive thing licking her. She would then hide behind me if a sausage dog walked past and cry. It's been incredibly irritating to have to pretend I like these animals to help her get over her (perfectly reasonable imo) fear of being cornered by a strange dog. 'Oh look, he's saying hello, hello dog' [hmmm] my son was chased by an escaped dog which was horrific for him too, but no lasting fear.

Some dog owners are arses, it's just a fact. I don't agree the rest of us should just have to tolerate being run at or jumped on and it's my responsibility to make sure my kids don't mind strange animals jumping at them, it's the dog keepers job to avoid that happening, and when it does, say sorry ffs rather than getting offended we don't all love your dog like you do.

I dont think dog attacks are that rare. about two years ago both my BIL and a friend husband were attacked by dogs within a space of a week.
BIl was delivering leaflets and owner was in garden with dog, so he handed leaflet over fence to owner. Dog leapt up and sunk his teeth into bils arm. It required an operation to sort it out.

A week later a friend was cycling in country park when two dogs chased him on his bike and one got his leg, again serious bite and months of treatment.

Altinkum
There was a documentary on a couple of years ago where a boys very serious dog allergy was cured by an experimental procedure where he was fed dog hair starting with miniscule amounts and building up over a year or so. The consultant is Adam Fox

I have never heard of a child being bitten by a random dog on a walk.

I've heard of postmen being bitten and I've read about many children being attacked by dog they knew ie owned by someone in the family.

But never little Johnny out having a walk with his parents by a dog he didn't know and just for the hell of it.

You always end up with ripped clothes and scratches Thursday of your friends pooches Thursday ?

Is that totally true?

Both parents and dog owners have responsibility to make sure pooches and children are safe. When my DD was to a collie x bounded up and slobbered all over her....a few days later i had to buy wormer...for my dd, and seeing tape worm is just eurfff! So i now get peed everytime dog owners think its fine to let their hounds slobber over my children NO IT IS NOT. Children carry sticks, a dog should not try and take it that could be scary. Why is it irrational to have a fear of a dog...i wonder how many of those posters are scared of spiders, mice or rats?
However dog owners should be able to let their dogs off the lead to have a good old bound about, many if our national parks do stipulate dogs on leads...very few owners do this though. National trust properties normal have dog free zones and then dogs allowed in the parkland areas. OP if it was a national trust property, may be drop them an email asking that if they do another event they could stipulate dogs on leads if a childrens trail. The national trust like feed back and like to make their properties open to all.

Two, not to

Sorry your ds was scared op, but if it is a public park people will have dogs off leads and children out of pushchairs and off of reins, so if you have a child or a dog you need to watch them like a hawk. Hopefully your ds will meet more mannerly dogs and this will help him get over the fright he has had.

If it cheers you up at all, my dh took our dog to the local park at about eight on a Wednesday summer evening, to find people taking methadone on the bench at the dog walking area and next to the play park. Fortunately no children in the park at the time. So you can have vastly worse than unruly dogs in public parks!

altinkum I am really interested in your sons allergies because my DS has allergies to dog, cat, pollen, dairy, wheat and nuts. The paed didn't give us a grade but she did prescribe an epipen and sends us an updated allergy management and emergency procedure plan after every consultation. She said that DS is extremely atopic and showed a very alarming level of allergy on the tests that were ran (blood tests). She said he was so atopic that he was likely to show a reaction to most things on tests but could probably tolerate some of they things he shows a reaction to. We know that there are certain things that he cannot tolerate even the tiniest amount of as he goes into anaphylaxis very quickly after exposure.
How did you get the grades? Was it a specific type of test?

On the allergy thing last time we saw DS consultant he was telling us about a new cure for dust mite allergy which was being developed which involved tablets which included some of the dust mite feceas as a way of gradually desensitising people. It does seem that hopefully there are going to be developments which mean eventually lives of allergy sufferers will be made easier.

Altinkum the child that was bitten in the park was on a lead. The child was trying to pet the dog.

Not the same as a random dog off lead going round biting children in country parks.

I maintain what I said. The vast majority of children attacked by dogs are dogs known to the family.

tell you what I hate, irrisponsible toddller owners, recently at an event I got so exhausted with this toddler attempting to wake up my sleeping pfb by touching him with his sticky horrible little hands, in the end I told him to go away and not to come back. Control your toddler.

I've also kicked a dog that lurched aggressively at my pram on a walk. I own two dogs one large breed one medium, again control your dog.

people need to learn that not everyone is interested in your child your dog your grandmother or your aunt's pet goldfish. whatever you own keep it on a lead or stop it bothering other people who are obviously irritated by it.

Atkin, I'm sorry to hear about your son. I hope things improve somewhat. wishing you the best x

I agree with you gingercuddlemonster, I keep my children close by me so I can prevent them from doing anything that may upset/annoy someone else and I expect others to offer the same curtesy not tell me I should teach my children how to read/respond to their dog offering unwelcome attention.

I can't imagine the everyday worry some of you go through about dc coming into contact with a dog or anyone that has come into contact with a dog due to allergys.

I also work with special needs people that do not like dogs and to be honest it would be safer for all if people kept themselves to themselves unless it is agreed before. 'He/she won't hurt you' that may be so but we still don't want to be jumped on or bounded towards with the uncertainty of what the animal may do. You know your animal but we do not.

I'm sure dog owners would be a bit wary if a child started running towards your dog, will they stroke it or pull it's tail?!

It's not just out of control dogs in parks though.

3 unrelated times in the last month, I have had to do an emergency stop because some fuckwit owner has let their dog run on the road into traffic.

I am a dog owner and I wish there could be clearly defined areas. Mine is generally good off lead and does come back, but NOT 100%. I don't think he ever will be. He is a labrador, has not got a bad bone in his body, but wants to play. However, not everyone knows that!

I try to let him off lead in places where no one else is around, or a regular dog walking route, and put him back on lead as soon as I see another person. This, however, is not foolproof, I don't have eyes in the back of my head and I just don't expect mum, dad and toddler kicking a football in the middle of an overgrown field..... Dog did though, and decided to join in. Luckily, on this occasion, no harm done, mum and dad had child stroking dog and playing with him, but it would make my life a lot easier if some areas were recognised dog walking areas.

The is one that we sometimes travel to, a proper dog park with obstacles etc., that is brilliant. There need to be more, because, as a dog lover, I can really sympathise with those who are not, and don't want random dogs barrelling up to them.

Most dogs give out plenty of signals when they are not enjoying a situation and their stress level is ramping up. Many bites can be avoided if people pay attention to those signals.

It is much better to teach a child how to behave around a dog than to teach a child to be scared of a dog.

OP, I'm sorry your DS was scared by a dog. I hope you are able to explain to him that the dog just wanted to play and didn't mean to scare him and wouldn't hurt him, and then teach him how to behave when a dog runs up to him: BE A TREE.