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?

Oh pipe down Altinkum.

You like the sound of your voice as usual.

Children that are attacked usually know the dog or is related to the owner of the dog.

What would you like to see?

No dogs I expect. That's not going to happen.

Thank goodness most non dog owners are far more reasonable than you!

.

The majority of dog bites do occur in the home, and statistically the breed most likely to cause a dog bite is the Labrador. Dogs show lots of signs before biting - they'll flatten their ears, turn their heads and you can often see the whites of their eyes - all fear/anxiety behaviours. If a child doesn't read these behaviours and persists in trying to pet a dog, a bite is likely to happen. Most bites occur because people mistake anxiety behaviour in dogs for acceptance of a child's presence, it's actually rate for dogs to growl pre-bite but the anxiety signs are usually there. I'd argue if a dog on a lead has bitten a child it's because the child is not under control and the dog was cornered. As mentioned up thread, dog-sense is a life skill like road sense

The dog attacks that are in the news almost monthly on babies, toddlers, older children are usually always were in the care of a relative of some kind, often it seems the grandmother.

I'm not sure why Altinkum has a problem acknowledging this.

drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/kids-and-dogs-how-kids-should-and-should-not-interact-with-dogs

www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/canine-body-language

www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/teaching-your-dog-how-behave-around-children

There are plenty of attacks which don't make the news you realise? Every little dog bite doesn't make the news.

Yes most happen in the home but that doesn't provide dog owners with an excuse for not controlling their dogs in public.

ALT I'm so sorry to hear about your son, wish you all the best with finding some ttreatment.

I'm careful not to let my toddler approach dogs without owner's permission and think dog owners should extend the same courtesy to my toddler! I'll certainly teach him 'dog sense' but that should be as a last resort for his safety - really it shouldn't be necessary and dog owners should be responsible for making sure their dog doesn't bother children or adults.

My friend was bitten randomly on the street by a dog that wouldn't let go. I know its just an anecdote but it does happen.

You gave me two examples of dogs randomly attacking children.

The first one the child approached the dog to stroke it whilst the dog was on a lead!

If the dog was a vicious, nasty one he would have had that stick but he only tried to get it off your son

At what point do you realise a dog isn't friendly? When its locked on to your childs face?

IMO children and dogs don't mix. Dogs should be kept on leads when children are around to protect everyone, including the dogs

I don't understand this Altinkum. You are hysterical about people.walking their dogs potentially near your son who could have a fatal attack but your husband petted a dog and then came home to your son.

And where have I said it's acceptable for a dog to bound up to children?

Middleton she's explained the circumstances of that.

Middleton
I told about a friend above who was randomly attacked by a strange dog while he was cycling in the country park, that could easily have been a child. Neither that or the dog attack on my bil by a steange dog was reported in the paper

Altinkum is simply explaining would and has happend to her dc if they come into contact with a dog. She's taken all reasonable steps to prevent it happening now she requires dog owners to listen to her for the sake of her dc. I do not think it is fair to judge her on a mistake her dh made before they knew the extent of the allergy.

She is simply pointing out that random dog attacks can and have happened, they may be rare but they happen!

" you need to learn that it's not acceptable for a dog to bound itself onto people "

But Middleton if you don't think its ok for dogs to jump up then what is your point? In OP's case dog went up uninvited to child and took something off him. I think all she was saying is that dogs off the lead should be under control.

My point?

It was in response to a poster who said that random dog attacks were not rare.

I said that I hadn't heard of such random attacks on children, on postmen and children in relatives houses but not off lead in the park.

I was then called vile and ignorant by Altinkum.

Ok I see. I agree the most serious ones reported seem to be in the home (maybe because the child is left with the dog with no set of parents on protective mode because they trust the dog) but random attacks also happen.

Forget attacks even, people may not want close contact with dogs for their own reasons and dog owners need to do their part in making that happen.

Feel you're being a bit rough on ALT given their circs wrt dogs.

YANBU. My daughter was chased by a very jumpy Dalmatian puppy aged 4 and is still terrified of dogs 6 years later - so much so that she refuses to go where dogs may be off leads and it really impacts on the rest of us.

It really bugs me when people say it's the parents fault for encouraging the fear. I'm fine round dogs and in no way encourage her fears.

It also really bugs me when people say "they are just being friendly!" - YOU may be happy to have an unknown dog run up to you but that doesn't mean that a child half your size, who has had bad dog experiences in the past, is fine about it.

I don't not know how often these dog attack happen rare or not but there seems to be a lot on the news these days and in my opinion one attack is too many! Our hv actually said they are now having to advise people with pet dogs what can happen!