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.

Well unfortunately for you in this world dogs are animals and people have more value.

And what I think is not particularly 'nice' is breeding endless so called pedigree dogs so you can have your fluffy rat accessory, in the full knowledge that the ones who don't meet the mark are considered disposable and the ones that do often have crippling issues due to inbreeding.

So no, most sensible people aren't impressed by your 'fluffy' pet. Other idiots who view dogs as a status symol maybe, but you are all part of a wider problem caused by your selfish needs you put before your animal.

Maybe different if your animal is from a shelter, but I doubt any of those who think the sun shines out of their mutts arse are in that club.

All I said was that I was fed up of my dog being hurt by other people's children. I'm sorry that makes you so angry (and vile) but it says more about you than me.
Not wanting my (rescue!!) dog to be hurt is not because I see her as a fashion accessory or status symbol it is because I am a normal human being.
I think we can agree on one thing at least. I hope I (and my inbred rat) never have to be anywhere near you.

I don’t think anyone on this entire thread has said or implied that anything is the dog’s fault. The owners, yes, not the dog.

DS is nervous around dogs thanks to the ridiculous number that run up to him and jump on him. I live in the Lake District, UK capital for twatty dog owners. It even happened today. Big Labrador ran up to us and started sniffing my legs, DS moved behind me, owners barely noticed.

We need all dog owners to attend mandatory training classes that includes how not to be a wanker.

I agree with this. I’ve always been nervous around dogs, stemming from childhood.

Dog owners don’t seem to care about there precious pooches sniffing my legs and often jumping up with there sharp muddy claws. No, I don’t love your dog as much as you do.

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Maybe start a separate thread about that if you feel strongly instead of hijacking this one which is about teaching children how to treat dogs.

You're being ridiculous. I'm not hijacking anything. There are loads of comments on this thread saying a similar thing. You just don't like it being pointed out that dogs and irresponsible owners are a much bigger problem than children approaching dogs. I'm guessing you call your dog a fur baby as well.

There are irresponsible dog owners and irresponsible parents. I'm sorry you can't understand that.

I see it a lot on walks in my neighbourhood. And in the park where I do a class every week, one of the group brings her dog and ties her to a bench while we do the class. Every week at least one small child, unrestrained by parents, lurches up and pats/prods/pulls at the dog or shouts in her face. Luckily the dog is sweet and placid and clearly trained not to react (she just gives a pleading look at her owner), but that's hardly the point.

Nah, lots of us prefer dogs to people.. myself included. Yes, absolutely I would be teaching children how to behave around and interact with dogs. Just like you would teach them how to cross the road safely. It’s a life skill.

Would love to inhabit this land all MNnetters seem to live in where children don’t find dogs irresistibly cute and so never approach them.

I don’t have a dog but I walk daily near my local park (not kids play park), Every day I see a toddler/pre-school child racing at or hanging off a dog that’s clearly not known to them. I dread seeing an incident as it’s long overdue.

For fairness I do see dogs off leads and without recall, too, but they’re in the minority compared to the free range toddlers.

Do you think it could be something to do with trends in dog breeds, maybe? I'm one of the ones who genuinely never sees children run up to dogs. But where I live there are a lot of 'status symbol' breeds, the tough looking Staffies, bullies etc. Basically ones that I doubt children would find cute. But maybe if there were lots of labradoodles around it would be different?

@takealettermsjones I do, actually, good point. Where I live is cockerpoo central, real teddy bear type dogs. Lots of labs, pugs, and big fluffy dogs as well. Very rarely see rotties, german shepherds, or staffies.

So yeah, loads of kid magnets!

tough looking Staffies, bullies etc. Basically ones that I doubt children would find cute.

Erm.. excuse me? My staffie is very cute. My daughter and all the children she’s met absolutely adore her. Great dogs 🥰

Okay 🤣 each to their own.

Indeed. Pretty sure you’d love her if you met her too though. She has a habit of winning folk over 😊

I really wouldn't 😅 but it's lovely that you love her!

Think those who cannot fathom that dog wonders who let their dogs jump all over children need to read the whos-wrong-parent-or-dog-owner thread and see the entitled doggy woggy attitudes prevail.

In this case a visiting strange dog is climbing all over a small child, who stayed by their parent trying to ignore the behaviour and numerous posters are still saying it's the dogs right to do so.

This is your typical dog owner attitude I am afriad. There are a few same owner voices there but as in real life they are the minority.

@OopzIDidItAgain That thread is a bit different - both child and dog are at a third party’s house and the third party has permitted the dog to be on the sofa.

Most posters said that the dog owner should be removing the dog from licking the child and the child’s parent should either help the child overcome the fear or take the child elsewhere.

Which is what many of us here are also saying - each should be teaching their own.

(I also dislike dogs, so am not remotely “doggy woggy”, whatever that means.)

child’s parent should either help the child overcome the fear or take the child elsewhere.

Child was sitting on sofa ignoring dog.

This was deemed unacceptable and owners were saying he should interact.

Which is what dog owners on this thread are moaning about.

And as for 'overcoming their fear'. If you are scared of spiders or snakes is it ok if I shove a tanatula in your hand so you can get over it? Or drape a snake round your shoulders.

It is totally rational and acceptable for a four year old child not to want to interact with an unfamiliar dog, but the amount of people saying this needs to be changed shows that the owner mentality is not responsible.

And again, dogs have teeth and claws and muscles to cause harm to children. If you own an image capable of harming a child it is your responsibility to train and deal with it appropriately.

Spoke to my daughter's school today and they have already been planning a "respect for living creatures" session during an assembly in the summer.and encouraging the children to talk about their experience of being kind to their pets.
It's a fab idea.

@OopzIDidItAgain I saw a number of posters saying that dog should’ve been controlled, which I agree with. If that wasn’t happening and the owner wasn’t controlling the dog then the parent only has the two options I mentioned - leave or help child with fear.

That doesn’t mean hurling the dog at the child’s face - akin to your ridiculous examples - but explaining the dog’s behaviour and the parent demonstrating playing or interacting with the dog so that the child can see it. This is good for the child because a fear of dogs can be very debilitating. Learning how to read their language and cope in their presence is important given the amount of dogs in our society. People aren’t going to stop having them because some children are scared of them.

Snakes and tarantulas are a bad comparator as they’re rarely come across.

Anyway, it’s clear that you’re on an absolute anti-dog mission here so I’ll leave it there.

I'm not anti dog. I know some lovely dogs. Of course their owners realise they have a responsibility to train them and ensure they don't bother other people.
I'm anti dickhead owner and I've seen absolutely no evidence they are not in the majority.
I just think it's absolutely ridiculous to expect everyone to pussyfoot around you when it's your lazy ass ownership causing most of the problems. And you don't do dogs a favour in the long run because people don't have unlimited patience.

God if you're not anti-dog, I would hate to meet someone who was 😅