To hate it when parents allow their kids to mistreat dogs?

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 06/11/2021 09:27

Many people don’t see animals as living beings.

It’s frighteningly common.

SatsumaPumpkinFace · 06/11/2021 09:32

I agree with you it’s cruel and obviously dangerous if the dog decides it’s had enough. We have always taught our DC to respect all animals and know the signs for when the dogs don’t want to play anymore.

Good for you for telling the little darling not to do it.

CounsellorTroi · 06/11/2021 09:32

YANBU. There is a reason why the adverts for some dogs on the Dogs Trust rehoming pages say “cannot live with small children” or cannot live with children under 11” - the dog will have experienced being mistreated in this way. If you can’t be arsed to teach your children to respect the dog and be gentle with it, don’t get a bloody dog. They’re not toys.

Goawayangryman · 06/11/2021 09:34

Who lets their child stand on their dog's head? How bizarre.

Original poster

YourFinestPantaloons · 06/11/2021 09:36

@CounsellorTroi

YANBU. There is a reason why the adverts for some dogs on the Dogs Trust rehoming pages say “cannot live with small children” or cannot live with children under 11” - the dog will have experienced being mistreated in this way. If you can’t be arsed to teach your children to respect the dog and be gentle with it, don’t get a bloody dog. They’re not toys.

I've considered getting a rescue dog, as I've promised my kids (9 and almost 6) a pet next year and thought we may as well have a 'proper' pet

and I have noticed so many mentions of dogs not being rehome to families with small children - I can't blame them! - and I'm not getting a puppy because aside from the fact that it's hard to find a responsible and reasonably priced breeder, I'd rather take a dog that already exists (any opportunity for a life lesson for the kids and all that!).

OP posts:

Lonecatwithkitten · 06/11/2021 09:42

And then they are surprised when the dig bites the child.

nc1985 · 06/11/2021 09:45

YANBU.

That's disgusting behaviour.

BlusteringBoobies · 06/11/2021 09:47

I can't see anyone disagreeing with you OP

We have a wonderful Labrador and a toddler and we are both fiercely protective of the dog as the toddler is still learning to play gently.

Inevitably we separate them a lot to allow the dog to relax in a safe space

I see it often at the park where children are chasing poor dogs and grabbing at their tales. Awful behaviour. And as PP said, if the dog ever showed signs of stress, was ignored and then inevitable bit, it would be the dogs fault.

LawnFever · 06/11/2021 09:49

People are ridiculous and shouldn’t be allowed dogs, poor animal will be the one who gets the blame when it finally has enough.

LindaEllen · 06/11/2021 09:54

Our neighbour's daughter was like this with their dog. The dog ended up biting her (she was winding it up when it wasn't well) and it got put down.

It was a lovely dog, but even the nicest of creatures aren't going to sit there being taunted when they don't feel well.

Eyesofdisarray · 06/11/2021 10:00

That's disgusting behaviour OP and those kids are old enough to know better. I'd really call them out on it. Poor bloody dog
Labradors are very patient and easy going but eventually, this one might not be.
(Lab owner so a bit biased 🐕‍🦺)

Calicoqueen · 06/11/2021 10:01

@LindaEllen

Our neighbour's daughter was like this with their dog. The dog ended up biting her (she was winding it up when it wasn't well) and it got put down.

It was a lovely dog, but even the nicest of creatures aren't going to sit there being taunted when they don't feel well.

Exactly this. They will eventually snap and be blamed for everything - it's so sad and completely avoidable if kids are taught to respect animals.

XelaM · 06/11/2021 10:01

If the dog didn't like it would it not just leave and go hide in another room? I completely agree it's awful behaviour on the kids' part, but some dogs are extremely kid-friendly and patient and actually enjoy the attention from the little ones. We have a small dog who I'm very protective of, but he LOVES kids and would actively place himself in the middle of my daughter's playdates, loved to come on school runs and wants the kids at my daughter's pony club to fuss over him. He is tiny though, so would never allow anyone to step(!!) on him!!

SheWoreYellow · 06/11/2021 10:03

I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself from saying something to the parents. I would have pretended I hadn’t noticed that they were watching. Actually, you could bring it up after the event, “oops, didn’t get a chance to mention that child a and child b were doing whatever, thought I’d let you know so you can have a word”.

Rubyupbeat · 06/11/2021 10:04

Hearing things like this break my heart. Also, people that say, my kids can do anything with her and she let's them....bloody awful. Dogs have feelings.
My niece got her dog when eldest g. Nephew was 18months and he was taught how to be gentle and not to poke, pull etc... you should see the 2 of them now, real buddies and so much love for each other.
One day these dogs that are pulled about may snap and then it will be the dogs fault and they will be destroyed

Chelyanne · 06/11/2021 10:05

You have to train the kids as well as the dog.
Our dog is very tolerant of typical child lack of thought but other dogs are not. Training them how to treat animals is as much for their safety as the dogs.

JudgeJ · 06/11/2021 11:33

@YourFinestPantaloons

Went to a kids' party last at DD's school friend's house and they had a Labrador, who is about 18 months old, there who was allowed to roam freely. The birthday girl and her sister (8 and 5 respectively) were trying to ride the dog like a pony, using her as a step to reach high places and grabbing her face and rubbing it roughly up and down. All in front of their parents, who did nothing.

I've seen this a few times over the last few years, why is this ok?! Why do people do this? Is it just me? I'm sure they will be the first to blame the dog if the poor thing ever retaliated. I'm not a dog owner (or even particularly a dog lover) is this the done thing?

I'll confess I told her (birthday girl) not to do that when she used the dog's head as a step to reach something from the fireplace. She just looked at me as if she'd never once been told by an adult not to do something, and carried on

Obviously no-one should mistreat an animal.
At the same time dog owners need to realise that allowing their dogs to approach people who they don't know is also unacceptable, one of my most horrible memories was taking our 1 year old granddaughter out in her buggy and an off-lead dog came up and tried to lick her fece. She screamed and I am not ashamed to say that I kicked the dog to get it away from her. The owner was furious, 'He's only being friendly', she is still very unsure about dogs many years later.

HelloChompy · 06/11/2021 11:52

Many years ago I was visiting a friend with young children and an elderly dog. One of the children was scooting along and kept bumping into the poor dog's legs. I told her to stop several times (her mum was on a phone call) and ended up putting myself between her and the dog any time she went anywhere near the dog with her scooter. When my friend came off the phone I told her and she gave a very half hearted 'don't do that' with no effect....

Dogs in this situation have very little chance of escape, if they leave the room the child can still follow. When the poor dog does finally snap these are often the owners that describe it that 'the dog turned, out of the blue, without warning'. Chances are that the dog was trying to tell them for some time that they were not happy, it is just that they couldn't read the body language properly 😕

FOJN · 06/11/2021 12:05

I've seen it a several of times, on one occasion I saw a little girl kicking a dog and the parents said nothing, she had been tormenting it for several minutes before she started kicking it. I feel sorry for both the child and the animal, there is always a risk that the dog will bite when they've had enough of the mistreatment. The dog will then probably be PTS but the child could end up with life changing injuries or scarring for life by that point.

Monsteres · 06/11/2021 13:41

No that's ridiculous! People are thick. We have 4 dogs and two kids and they've been taught from day one that they stroke the dogs gently, and be nice to them and that if the dogs are eating or go to their beds that means you leave them alone. Our dogs are very good bless them and I'm not worried about leaving them alone together while I'm in another room, but I never allow the kids to clamber on them or be rough with them, should be common sense but a lot of people seem lacking in that department! We use the gentle command for the kids and the dogs lol!

SheWoreYellow · 06/11/2021 13:46

@JudgeJ that’s not really relevant to this, though, is it?

Also, no need to quote the whole OP (original poster), we take it that your reply it to the OP, unless you say otherwise. It makes it harder to read through.

epponneee · 06/11/2021 15:47

@JudgeJ no wonder your granddaughter has grown up feeling nervous around dogs with such a ridiculous role model. Of course the dog shouldn't have really approached her, but that is an unbelievable and cruel overreaction

SatsumaPumpkinFace · 06/11/2021 19:29

Unbelievable and cruel overreaction that could have proved very dangerous. Kicking a dog when it's near a baby? You're lucky it didn't bloody bite you or, God forbid, your GD

WildFlowerBees · 06/11/2021 19:33

There's a few on Instagram that allow their kids to do this. Stacey Solomon being one, she seems to find it oh so cute. It melts her heart to see her toddler grabbing and pulling their small dog about.

I think some people when they become parents go through some sort of veil whereby they can no longer see or hear their child's wrongdoings.

Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 06/11/2021 20:05

@JudgeJ you should be very careful kicking dogs. Some owners would have attacked you. I would be one of them. Ridiculous.