To expect parents to teach their little children not to approach my dog?

[joystir59]

It happens all the time- young child screams "Little doggie" and reaches towards Dog with outstretched hands. My dog hates little children doing this and would probably snap at them if they managed to actually get their hands on him. Why don't parents teach their children to ignore strange dogs?

I think any responsible parent should teach their children that not all dogs are friendly and to ask before stroking a dog they don’t know.
I have drilled this into my children from an early age. They are now teenagers but they still forget and stroke a friendly looking dog.
However, you yourself must also take some responsibility if you are going to take your dog to public places and it is snappy and unpredictable you should muzzle it to save it attacking a child or another friendly unsuspecting dog.

I had been brought up from a young age to always ask the owner whether I can stoke or touch their dog and I've brought up the children i look after , to do that too.

Yanbu my toddler loves his friends dogs but we've taught him you never run up, jump and stroke dogs you don't know. And he always asks 'touch doggie please' to my friends whose dogs are happy with him touching.

My relatives have a snappy dog and he has known since tiny not to approach, the one time he tried the first time we were there, we were watching closely do grabbed him and said no.

As a result, he's good around dogs and cats (who also hate unwanted touches) its just frustrating when crap owners then let their dogs bound up with a 'he's friendly' as my boy gets confused and is a bit scared. If everyone taught respect, it wouldn't be an issue.

My kids don't go near dogs but yours needs a muzzle if it is liable to snap. Take responsibility yourself as well.

I've never been bitten by a dog, however a few years ago I was bitten on the arm by a random child who was apparently "going through a biting phase."

The parents KNEW their kid was a biter and had apparently bitten someone the week before. But apparently parents are completely unable to tame their child.

When I gently suggested to a small child the other day that she shouldn’t approach (in actual fact grab) a dog without checking with its human the mother screeched at me that I was going to give her child a dog phobia and if my dog wasn’t friendly he shouldn’t be in the park.
I replied that he was friendly, which was lucky since her child’s face was about 2 inches from his teeth!
Common sense needed on both sides

Parents who let their children approach dogs are just as irresponsible as owners who allow their dog to approach another dog they don't know. Train your dogs, and teach your kids.
👏👏👏
It's not rocket science.

I wonder how many of these 'but children are just curious, unpredictable etc' would allow their child to jump in a river, chase a duck into a reservoir, run across a road without checking. I'm guessing none because they are selective in their responsibility.

I also wonder how many of these parents would be livid if another child walked up to their child, scared them, got in their child's space and started pulling and tugging at them. I'm guessing loads. Yet they see non-issue with their child doing it to a dog.

Some dog owners aren't responsible.
Some parents need a reality check and to teach their children how to behave around dogs, and if they can't do that then keep your kid away from dogs until they learn.

I'm only just getting to the stage where teaching my 6 year old to ask if petting a dog is appropriate, after years of dogs as big as him bounding up into his face and sometimes bowling him over while their idiot owners witter brightly "it's alright, he loves kids!" when the kid in question is clearly screaming or bolting in fear, an unfortunate instinctive reaction which only encourages the uncontrolled dog. He can usually stand still quietly and ask if a dog is particularly quiet, but he is still easily alarmed when taken surprise by fast dogs bounding around.

My 8 year old tends to go for the quiet freeze option and has no interest in dogs after a similar history of intrusive dogs not being recalled when he was a young child.

I like dogs and it's sad that a multitude of idiot owners have repeatedly instilled fear into my children by failing to control their dogs. I model sensible behaviour which is lost on a terrifed child. Sometimes after picking them up to give them a height advantage to reduce the fear, we could make progress until the next time set us back yet again.

I frequently encounter problem jumpy dogs out of control around me too. No I don't want ramdom mud and fur smeared over my coat or clean trousers.

Yes, children shouldn't go bounding up to random dogs without asking, but dogs need to be trained with good recall and on a lead if their nature is not reliable. I saw one the other day with a warning neckerchief about being nervous/ sensitive and thought that was a great idea for fending off most people.

I have a large black curly haired dog that looks like a teddy bear. Or a Fraggle if she recently been clipped. Children love her and she is very gentle with them.

Since having her I have been surprised and impressed to see that most parents do seem to know about dog safety and about asking me first. We live in a rural/coastal area so perhaps people here are more dog aware.

Our issues with intrusive dogs began when my DCs were in the pram or buggy (so clearly within control). I remember one instance of a large dog with no owner in sight gate crashing our picnic and stealing food from my 1 yo's hand while he was sitting in the pram.

Then owners wonder why small children are scared of their "friendly" dog

Dog is muzzled in very crowded situations where it isn't possible to stay away from small children. Otherwise we anticipate and avoid to keep everyone safe. To be clear, Dog is fine with savvy children who understand how to be around dogs, he just gets very scared by the screamy hands outstretched thing. I always tell children they should never try to touch a strange dog without asking the owner, because some dogs don't like being touched. Some dogs don't like children. The parents look askance as if a dog that doesn't like being touched by their grabby child must have something wrong with it. I'm just non plussed by how clueless parents can be. Once walking through a park a man wheeled his child in a buggy straight up to Dog saying "Aw, say hello to the sweet doggie". Dog is small and very cute, but that's just stupid behaviour isn't it? I said in a sharp tone "Do not touch the dog!!!"" And did a rapid about turn with Dog.

It's amazing how many people are offended by this. And even more amazing what a large proportion think that they should be the exception that's allowed to touch her.
I have had this offended reaction from parents too, and find it inexplicable!

I once had someone try to use my then 10 year old in an sn buggy as training for their dog of how to behave around buggies. Brought the dog up close and then told it not to touch the little boy ( paws straight on buggy of cause). She got told what a stupid thing it was that she was doing.
There are idiots both ways.

This really gets my goat. My ddog is great with kids however sometimes you can tell she just wants to enjoy her walk in peace. Sometimes if a little kid comes up and they seem particularly sweet or you can tell they want to but stroke her but a bit shy I do say you want to stroke she’s really soft and her names Lola. But only if it’s appropriate and in part to get Ddog used to small kids. It’s just common courtesy to ask before you stroke

Those dogs that it's apparently unfair to put the blame on only exist because humans are so sentimental about them that they keep on breeding them.

What dogs are you referring to? Bull breeds? As that is a very ignorant view. I HAVE been attacked my dogs- Jack Russells, Shih Tzus, German Shepherds. I don't blame the breeds.

I agree with you children should be taught not to grab animals. Although if your dog is snappy then it should wear a music when out xx

Dogs seem to have it in for our famly even though we keep well away from them. My daughter (adult) out running on our woods had one bite her bottom ( yes we laughed...) and even bit through her knickers that now have holes in them - it was one out with 6 others and a dog walker lady who didn't seem concerned at all.

Very small children can't always follow instructions.

I would rather dog owners kept the dog on a lead and didn't let it lick my legs and genital region with dripping wet spit unless they would like me in return to come over to them and drip spit all over their clothes.

Muzzle not music 😂

Hmm, you’re both unreasonable and not unreasonable.

Parents should definitely teach their children not to approach a strangers dog without asking for permission however young children run off sometimes, it happens. If your dog is a danger to small children, it probably should wear a muzzle.

Your dog doesn't sound very nice...

It's a small dog, they get nervous because they're small, doesn't mean they're not nice, they just don't feel safe around children who can be unpredictable and can hurt them

Yes I'm same.We have a very small Chihuahua and unfortunately the only child he likes is ds.Lots of children approach him and I have to stop them saying that hes nervous and not to stroke him.He would snap at them for sure.

I've never been bitten by a dog, however a few years ago I was bitten on the arm by a random child who was apparently "going through a biting phase

Was this just walking along minding your own business eg in a park or something? That is shocking. But I suspect that 99% of bites in public places (barring insects obviously) are caused by dogs.

ChihuahuaMummy1

If you know your dog is snappy with all children other than your child it needs muzzling.
I've yet to have an issue with big dogs when out by frequently have to deal with small yappy snappy dogs who start the second anyone is so much as 5m away.

It's annoying as a larger dog owner to see smaller dogs allowed for snap around people when I'd be(rightly) tutted at if my dog did the same.

I had a post on here a few weeks ago about my own dog (in doghouse) because a visitors DC was completely out of control with my dog and narrowly avoided injuring him. I will never ever invite them again!

My two year old has no interest in dogs whatsoever. Completely ignores them. It is surprising the amount of owners who will encourage him to pet their dog.

Wow there are some deeply unpleasant attitudes on here!

Don't let kids approach other peoples dogs - end of.

Can't control your child, use reins.

If you switch out 'dogs' in this scenario for 'traffic' or 'fire' is the 'well children sometimes do unpredictable things' excuse ok?

Ultimately if you fail to control your child and they run up and get bitten in the face, who suffers the most there?

It isn't the dog owner and it isn't you, it is your child.

Are you all really suggesting that the moral high ground of 'my childs rights trump those of your dogs' is more important than your childs safety?

For those saying they teach their child to ask before touching...

Please don't. This sets up the expectation that they may approach, ask, and be given permission to touch.

It is FAR better if they are taught that they may NOT approach, may NOT touch, unless they are invited to do so, and their parent is present.

For older kids, add on an extra level of safety, get them to look at the DOG.. does the dog LOOK like he wants to be touched, there are body language diagram sheets with simple explanations to avoid dogs with certain postures/expressions.

Dog owners do need to be responsible, I teach this (and the above stuff about kids not asking and assuming they cannot touch) at puppy classes, but it absolutely goes both ways.

If you can prevent your child running into the road, falling into a river or sticking their hand in a fire, you can prevent them running up to an on lead dog minding its own business.