children that are firghtened of dogs and how i find some parents are encouraging their fear

[haychee]

I have 2 medium to large dogs and i get so cross when i come accross children that just lose the plot if the dogs go near them. I can understand that they are frightened and i call the dogs away from the child instantly. But what makes me cross is the parents responses, "that dog should be on a lead" or i just get looks that could kill you dead. My arguement is, that if the child is that frightened then why would you take him or her to a place where dogs are everywhere in a dog walking area. Why do parents encourage their childrens fear by making these comments? what good does it do for the child? I actually saw one mother once who picked her child up every time the dog was anywhere close (like 4-5meters away). The child got increasingly anxious and the mother ended up having a go at me. I know and fully appreciate that some dogs are dangerous but mine arent and i think that when parents react like this infront of their children the message they are displaying is that its ok to be this frightened of dogs.

My daughter was once frightened of thunder so i purposely sat up with her watching a storm and saying things like "wow, that one was very loud" and " cor, look at that lightening isnt it beautiful". Because of this time i spent with her and the way we watched it together has dulled her fear - infact she gets quite excited if there is a storm brewing now.
Any one else feel the same or can understand where im coming from? or maybe your one of these types of parents that react like this? I would like to discuss the issue if anyone has any comments?

haychee probably the nearest one to my house?

I let me dog off the lead in the park, she is not interested in other people and never approaches people when we are out. She always comes to me immediately when she is called. I don't take her in play areas.

I don't agree that all dogs should always be kept on a lead. I agree they shouldn't be allowed near play areas, I don't see a problem with a well trained dog being let off the lead in a park.

My children would never approach an unknown dog without speaking to the owner first.

I think it is a good idea to have areas in parks where dogs are not allowed.

my dd1 was fine with dogs until we were walking in our local park one day. She was eating a bag of chocolate buttons and a large dog ran over towards her at speed, nearly knocking her over and snatched them out of her hand. She was two. It happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to do anything. I don't blame her for being wary now tbh!

moo
thankyou, that is the only response i needed. Im not looking for a fight. It just seems plainly obvious that if you have a child that is frightened of dogs then why take them to a park where there are lots of dogs off leads? When there is another down the road. Unfortunately for you this is not the case in your area.

weimeraners. Similar in size to a dalmation but silvery grey colour.

littlelupin
Of course not a straight answer from you! So lets say one was further away than the other, the dog friendly one being the closest. Youd still drag your terrified child into the dogs in abundance environment because it was closer to you? How ridiculous and torturous is that?

malory, I dont take my dogs to the park

Until such time that all parks are enforced with dogs on leads at all times. My dogs will still be going to be allowed to run off the lead in the park.

Okay, so people with children have to stay in nthe little caged-in play areas, right?
"Mummy, can we go and look at the flowers/trees/squirrels?"
"No darling, because if a dog scares you and you scream, it might upset the dog owners."

At my local park the dog exercise bit is the main open park, ie the whole playing field and all the area surrou8nding the children's playgrounds. The dog-free bit is just the shrubbery and the bandstand.

I think it should be the other way around, they get less space, children get more. Particularly as the dogshit covers the playing field where the children play. Although we don t need to get into that issue.

haychee, what was not straight about "the nearest one to my house"?

I don't have a terrified child, I have a child that ADORES dogs and will happily charge up to any he sees. I have also owned 15 dogs so far in my lifetime, and if any of them had a tendency to approach children in public, I would always keep them on a lead if there were children around. Because children are more important than dogs.

Please reread your OP:

"I actually saw one mother once who picked her child up every time the dog was anywhere close (like 4-5meters away). The child got increasingly anxious and the mother ended up having a go at me."

This is not a dog who just happened to be in the same park. This is a dog repeatedly approaching a clearly frightened child. You should be ashamed that you put the mother in a situation where she had to have a go at you.

so you tell your poor children that all us adults in the park playing with our kids are untrustworthy and potential paedophiles. and you expect us to put up with your slobbering dogs jumping and chasing our children. god help your neighbours

No, not at all educate your children how to approach and react to dogs. Of course i dont want to see people being confined to the little caged off areas. In my town there are several large parks (perhaps, im the only person lucky enough to have this in their town) some dog friendly some not.

Your desire to dictate to us all how to raise our children is really really obnoxious.

I'm out. PARP.

littlelupin
On that occassion the dog was not approaching the child it was sniffing around in the bushes, he wasnt even taking any notice of the child or anyone else for that matter. Why did she keep on picking up the child? It was obvious that the mothers reaction was enforcing the childs fears. At first the child was quietly concerned and kept looking back, to the point where she was crying. And still the dog wasnt interested in the child.

We have one park. And dogs aren't allowed at all.

"Until such time that all parks are enforced with dogs on leads at all times. My dogs will still be going to be allowed to run off the lead in the park."

That's OK then. Me me me.

If there are kids around have some consideration for other people and put them on the lead - it's not going to harm you or the dogs. You can't guarantee how they are going to react. It's always 'other peoples' dogs that are dangerous.

my child is scared of dogs and i have picked him up before to get him away. it's up to me isn't it.

haychee - re your comment - educate your children how to approach and react to dogs.

It's not as bloack and white as that. My DD2 loves dogs, my DD1 is terrified. I've tried to show DD1 through my example that dogs need not put the fear of God into her but she is still terrified. I take her into my chilkdminders every week so she sees her dog, we read books about them, watch DVDs with them, everything I can think of. She's still scared. So stop being so black and white, life just isn't like that. You're coming across as the one who needs educationg here.

meandmyflyingmachine
well you have no reason to comment on this topic then. As you do not have to encounter the problem.

what laws back up your statement. Where does it say all dogs should be on leads at all times?
If the mother in question had politely said, my daughter is allergic etc then of course i would of put him on a lead but she didnt, she said, for gods sake my daughter is scared of dogs put it on a f-ing lead. I beleve it was her that was making her child so frightened not me or the dog!

If only.

It seems some people are unaware of what 'NO DOGS' means

ok. meandmyflyingmachine granted. I wouldnt let mine off in such a place. rules are there for a reason and i respect that.