Dogs on buses near babies

[FireLamp]

Just to be clear, this isn't a goady thread about dogs and I don't hate dogs. Interested in others opinions as I have to take the bus daily!

I think owners should keep them away from prams and only take them on buses if there's plenty of space! AIBU?

Today, coming back from a long walk at a local beauty spot, someone plonked their husky-type dog right next to DS in his pram (pram was in the area with fold-up seats, 2 other prams opposite). As dog was on eye level with 10-month DS I asked him to move the dog. He assured me dog 'won't hurt him' but I said I'd rather not take the risk thanks, especially as DS will try to grab anything furry and interesting. He reluctantly moved dog into the aisle, where it meandered around on the end of a long lead, sniffing people and getting in everyone's way.

I've had similar with someone's dog licking my ankle on the bus, owner didn't seem to think it mattered

Did I overreact or AIBR to think dogs should be kept on a short lead on buses, sitting next to their owner, away from babies/small children?

In ds's case it isn't misbehaviour but severe disability. He can be unpredictable, shrieky and grabby. If there is a dog within touching distance I am very on edge.

Here's a suggestion, teach your children not to grab.

Lots of you saying the dog should be under control, but the child should also be under control.

Yes, I realise the OP's child is just 10 months old, but surely they understand the word 'no' by now?

What do you suggest honking does, libitina?

Salem - just move away from the dog then, I don't see anyone insisting someone who doesnt like dogs, is phobic of dogs, is allergic to dogs, remains standing next to a dog within lick range.

If you have a problem, you and ONLY you are aware of that problem, its your responsibility to deal with it - so move away.

As a dog owner, I would ensure my dog did not lick a stranger, thats my responsibility, but if you are frightened of the RISK then ... your responsibility to move.

YANBU

Ha! To teaching a 10 month old not to grab. Have you ever been in the presence of a 10 month old. Childs age is irrelevant anyway, it's not the child that's the issue.

widdlin the OP says the dog was wandering up and down the aisle. How do you propose my DSis moves away from that?

YABU. Its PUBLIC transport - the clue is in the name. You don't get to pick who can use it - I don't want to sit next to someone with BO but I sometimes have to.
I generally drive but sometime use the but and TBH I have a harder time keeping people away from (slightly nervous of strangers) DDog than I do keeping her away from strangers - Labrador seems to equal "universally friendly dog" to some people.

I can also guarantee she is better behaved than 90% of DCs

Also agree with PPs that dogs give of a lot of signals prior to a growl, and that many people (and owners) can't read those. (I'm hyper aware of them as Ddog is nervous - I'm protecting her though, not the kids who need to be taught how to properly approach dogs)

But if the dog is sitting nicely not causing any hassle why would it be an issue? Surely if the child was annoying the.dog then the child is the issue?

Yes, I laughed at that too fin!

Assistance dogs are very highly trained and tested so that only the nearly bullet proof make the grade, but the problem with non assistance dogs is that so many owners think they know their dog's signals and that the dog wouldn't hurt a fly but some of those owners are wrong.

My then 18 month old was bitten leaving a ragged gash on his hand that took weeks to heal and provoked a lot of anxiety - the relative and her off lead dog came completedly unexpectedly and very quickly into another relatives house where I had not been given any indication they might appear, and straight through to where the toddler was playing - the owner of the dog said that the dog was playing and was good with children and that bite was not a bite but a nip and that it was my fault for not teaching my 18 month old not to move his hands when a dog has it in its mouth . Turned out that that dog had already bitten her BIL hard enough to draw blood through trousers as he walked past a table the dog was under (but he was to embarrased to bring himself to make a fuss about it). That dog is apparently "harmless", "friendly" and " good with kids" and the owner will not put it on a lead or do anything because she too "Knows her dog" and believes it can do no wrong.

Hopefully the OP's pram was in a separate pram and push chair bay - some bus companies run buses with both wheelchair and pram bays entirely separately.

The dog in the OP was not obaying its owner's sit command and wandering up and down the aisle - people would generally disapprove of that behaviour in a human child, just as the adult with a child who licked strangers would be expected to apologise and stop it happening again.

MN dog owners may have well trained dogs under control etc. but the problem with being "expected to believe" the unknown owner of a large dog at baby head height for a period of time is that there is no way of knowing whether that owner is kidding themselves or not - regardless of whether most owners are right.

I will often ask people to move their children from near my dog. Not because he's dangerous but because I'm concerned children may hurt him.

I would be livid if a dog licked me. Not everyone likes dogs, not everyone likes children.

Libitina has clearly never met a 10 month old child since being one herself - can't you just teach your dog to drive itself about and speak fluent French Libitina - surely that is perfectly reasonable?

In the "who should move?" debate in this case, assuming both dog owner and OP are able bodied, it is whoever got there second.

What about dogs in prams?

Widdlin so you're suggesting that honkin, who's child is severely disabled, should have to move away from your dog? Do you have any idea how much equipment/paraphernalia parents of disabled children have to carry around with them? And according to you, they should have to move all this to accommodate your dog?
Of all the entitled, ignorant posts I've seen on MN and there's been a few this is up there with the worst of them.

Dogs in prams should be towed behind the bus Umbongo , everyone knows that [ducks]

Strapped to the roof surely?

There was a dog in a pram sitting outside the same cafe as ds and us last weekend. Owner arrived after us and sensibly didn't sit right next to our table. Everyone was happy ( and ds smiled as he was quite intrigued by the dog being in a pram).

I once couldn't get my brother on a bus in his wheelchair because some twat had a dog in a pram and wouldn't move it.

YANBU, people and dogs are not equal, so someone has more right to travel with their baby than someone has to travel with their dog. Because the baby is more important than a flipping dog, however much the owner believes it is their actual baby.

Also, even if they were equal, I believe a baby is very unlikely to hurt or kill you.

Dogs should not be allowed on public transport.

People who let their dogs run wild are just as bad as people who let their children run wild.

Responsible dog owners are just as admirable as responsible parents.

I adore dogs. I adore children. I do not want strange ones of either variety licking, hitting, biting or climbing on me uninvited in public.