To think learning how to behave around dogs should be part of the national curriculum

[Itsadogsworld]

I think schools should teach children how to behave around dogs, canine body language and so on. I think it would significantly reduce the number of children that end up in A&E each year due to dogs bites. I’ve seen some dreadful behaviour in my local park where children will run up to my dog and one child was continually trying to bear hug her own dog. Children clearly aren’t being taught this at home so I think they should include it in schools. I welcome your thoughts on this.

I've enough to fit in each day getting children to read and write (and use the toilet!).

@Gliderx

In the pecking order, humans come first, I'm afraid. You might not like it but that's the way it is.

That's why dog owners need to watch their dogs like hawks. Because a dog which poses an obvious danger to humans (even if provoked) is likely be destroyed. The reverse is not true... we don't PTS humans (including young children) who hurt dogs.

That may seem unfair if you view your dog as being on a par with humans, but most people (and the law) don't see it that way. They prioritise human life over animal life, including that of your dog.

Not arguing that. I am arguing children should be taught how to be responsible around all dogs by their pissing parents.

Parents with weak bladders?

I suppose it could be quite a quick lesson. Can't see how it would be a practical after all.

"Children today's first lesson. Do not kick dogs in the face unless you want them to bite you really hard. Now, get your maths books out..."

@TSSDNCOP

I suppose it could be quite a quick lesson. Can't see how it would be a practical after all.

"Children today's first lesson. Do not kick dogs in the face unless you want them to bite you really hard. Now, get your maths books out..."

I am an 80s kid so it might be different now.. we got lessons on railway safety, stranger danger, power stations, playing with matches/fireworks etc. We were shown terrifying things to hammer the message home. I am certain things like online safety is taught now too. How would adding information about dogs be difficult?

Yes a child can legally touch a dog, but they can't legally hurt a dog. Hurting an animal is animal abuse and illegal. I really don't get why all these 'little darlings' can get away with anything and a dog that defends itself is evil.

Explain to me why it's the parents responsibility to stop their kids hurting my kid but not the parents responsibility to stop their kids coming up to my dog minding its own business to hurt him? Which will then 'stop their face getting ripped'?

Unless you have never met a human child you will presumably know that some of them have poor impulse control until the age of ten at least - that is why the age of criminal responsibility is what it is (and many argue it is too low in the UK, most European countries set a higher age).

If child A pushes child B, child B may push them back. If both are e.g. age 6, likely no serious harm will be done on either side and there is no crime here, they are both children.

If child A pushes a dog and the dog bites their face, serious harm may be done AND the owner of the dog has committed an offence.

That is the legal reality and that is the correct situation - only somebody pretty wacky thinks a dog should be treated the same way as a child in law.

@Snaketime

Yes a child can legally touch a dog, but they can't legally hurt a dog. Hurting an animal is animal abuse and illegal. I really don't get why all these 'little darlings' can get away with anything and a dog that defends itself is evil.

A child can not be criminally responsible until age 10.

So it would not be 'animal abuse' - it would be a child hurting an animal.

@rrhuth

Explain to me why it's the parents responsibility to stop their kids hurting my kid but not the parents responsibility to stop their kids coming up to my dog minding its own business to hurt him? Which will then 'stop their face getting ripped'?

Unless you have never met a human child you will presumably know that some of them have poor impulse control until the age of ten at least - that is why the age of criminal responsibility is what it is (and many argue it is too low in the UK, most European countries set a higher age).

If child A pushes child B, child B may push them back. If both are e.g. age 6, likely no serious harm will be done on either side and there is no crime here, they are both children.

If child A pushes a dog and the dog bites their face, serious harm may be done AND the owner of the dog has committed an offence.

That is the legal reality and that is the correct situation - only somebody pretty wacky thinks a dog should be treated the same way as a child in law.

Do I need to speak slowly for you to understand? It is the parents responsibility to stop any child coming up to a strange dog and hurting it or even stroking it without the owners permission. That is what I am saying. The parents of the child should not even allow that situation to even arise. I have had children put my dog in a headlock or stroke him and then kiss him. Not dangerous with my dog no, but it could be and it should not be up to me to stop children doing this. This is the parents responsibility. My kids wouldn't dream of doing it. Even to our dog who has been a member of our family since our kids were babies

A better skill would be compulsory adult college course for dog owners. Skills to include: how to put a lead on your dog when in a busy place full of dc with an untrained dog.
How to notice if your dog has never been trained.
How to see that allowing your dog to jump up at someone whilst simultaneously muttering its ok he's only friendly is not appropriate
How to ensure your stinky dog house smells fresh or in the very least not suggest you're one of the only dog owners who has managed to keep your house from being stinky. You just have polite friends...

@AllThingsServeTheBeam

No you don't have to say it slowly I just disagree with you.

Whatever you say, if your dog would bite a child that strokes it, that dog is not welcome in society.

That is why the law is framed the way it is - because the majority of people care more about people than dogs. That is not going to change.

A small niche of dog-obsessed people want it to be different, but it isn't different and it will not be different.

FYI: my children would not have touched your dog because I taught them not to stroke dogs because some dogs bite.

[quote rrhuth]@AllThingsServeTheBeam

No you don't have to say it slowly I just disagree with you.

Whatever you say, if your dog would bite a child that strokes it, that dog is not welcome in society.

That is why the law is framed the way it is - because the majority of people care more about people than dogs. That is not going to change.

A small niche of dog-obsessed people want it to be different, but it isn't different and it will not be different.

FYI: my children would not have touched your dog because I taught them not to stroke dogs because some dogs bite.[/quote]
Your last sentence is literally what OP is trying to say.

Teach your kids not to approach strange dogs.

[quote rrhuth]@AllThingsServeTheBeam

No you don't have to say it slowly I just disagree with you.

Whatever you say, if your dog would bite a child that strokes it, that dog is not welcome in society.

That is why the law is framed the way it is - because the majority of people care more about people than dogs. That is not going to change.

A small niche of dog-obsessed people want it to be different, but it isn't different and it will not be different.

FYI: my children would not have touched your dog because I taught them not to stroke dogs because some dogs bite.[/quote]
I disagree being you're wrong. I am not denying my dog is my responsibility that is why I am responsible. What I am saying is I am not responsible for a child hurting him. That is the responsibility of the parents.

You've done right by your kids. Well done you. I have taught my kids the same. They must always ask permission to stroke or approach a dog they don't know. Common sense. Shame not everyone has it

And what about schools with mixed ethnicities, pretty sure dogs are not owned by some cultures

No the OP is saying kids need to know about dog body language and all sorts of rubbish, and that this bollocks should be taught IN SCHOOL. By the teachers who are meant to be teaching our kids to read and write and apply critical thinking (clearly woefully lacking at the national level judging by some on this thread).

If the title of the thread was "parents should teach their kids not to approach strange dogs" I don't imagine it would be fifteen contentious pages long by now.

@Fomofo

And what about schools with mixed ethnicities, pretty sure dogs are not owned by some cultures

Doesn't stop them ever coming into contact with dogs.

@XenoBitch

I think dog owners should keep their dogs away from people. I would like to see far tighter restrictions on where dogs can go.

Obviously I have to teach my kids not to touch dogs alongside that, dogs are bloody horrible in some cases!

@Draineddraineddrained

No the OP is saying kids need to know about dog body language and all sorts of rubbish, and that this bollocks should be taught IN SCHOOL. By the teachers who are meant to be teaching our kids to read and write and apply critical thinking (clearly woefully lacking at the national level judging by some on this thread).

If the title of the thread was "parents should teach their kids not to approach strange dogs" I don't imagine it would be fifteen contentious pages long by now.

But some parents won't. And that is putting their kids at risk. As I said before some videos you see on the internet of family dogs being mauled by kids are just a bite waiting to happen. These 'parents' haven't got a clue.

[quote rrhuth]@XenoBitch

I think dog owners should keep their dogs away from people. I would like to see far tighter restrictions on where dogs can go.

Obviously I have to teach my kids not to touch dogs alongside that, dogs are bloody horrible in some cases![/quote]
I would like to see far tighter restrictions on where kids can go tbh.

@AllThingsServeTheBeam

Doesn't stop them ever coming into contact with dogs.

Well it should. Because dog owners should be keeping their mutts away from other people. Ergo if you down own a dog and you're not seeking contact with dogs you should never be in contact with a dog.

[quote Draineddraineddrained]@AllThingsServeTheBeam

Doesn't stop them ever coming into contact with dogs.

Well it should. Because dog owners should be keeping their mutts away from other people. Ergo if you down own a dog and you're not seeking contact with dogs you should never be in contact with a dog.[/quote]
Yes it should. But as we have gathered some dog owners are dicks and there is always a chance that an off lead dog with no recall (because the owners are dicks) approaches a child. Just because this child doesn't want contact doesn't mean it will never happen

[quote Draineddraineddrained]@AllThingsServeTheBeam

Doesn't stop them ever coming into contact with dogs.

Well it should. Because dog owners should be keeping their mutts away from other people. Ergo if you down own a dog and you're not seeking contact with dogs you should never be in contact with a dog.[/quote]
There are 12.5 million dogs in the UK. If you don't like them, the onus is on you to avoid them, not for dogs to avoid you.

My dc DID have a special assembly in school about this.
I dont get why people are making fun of you op, I was happy that they got taught this, it made me feel better even though I have taught them myself at home how to behave around all animals.

I would like to see far tighter restrictions on where kids can go tbh. Yes, some people are misanthropic, for a variety of reasons.

It's not up to school to teach things like this, it's up to parents to teach children that approaching dogs without permission, teasing them or hurting them is inappropriate because they are animals and there is a risk attached to any interaction. If you don't want to accept that risk then it's the parents responsibility to ensure the interaction doesn't take place at all, if you choose the interaction then you accept there is a risk, and not expect for their child to do whatever they fancy to any dog they come across, allow that, and then complain when something goes wrong.

In the same vein, dog owners need to keep their animals under control and prevent them interacting with humans that don't want to be, train them so they stay away from other humans without permission and not expect everyone to accept the risk of their dog wanting to interact with any human it comes across, and then complain when something goes wrong.

It's unreasonable to expect a child not to behave like a child, or a dog not to behave like a dog, children shouldn't be approaching dogs unbidden and dogs shouldn't be approaching children unbidden. It's down to parents/those with responsibility for the child to do their part, and dog owners to do theirs to ensure that risks are kept to a minimum. The problems start when one or both parties expect the other to take full responsibility for the whole thing and refuse to take any themselves, or we expect that children can do how they please or dogs can do how they please, and blame the other party when they haven't taken their own responsibility on.