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.

@Feelingconfused2020

22:40Elphame

Glinsk

Seriously? It's the child's fault if a dog bites ithmm

Yes sometimes it really is.

Think about what you are saying. If a badly behaved child ran up and hit a strange adult on the back of the leg would it be ok for that stranger to turn round and attack the child? If that happened we would rightly think that adult should be locked up. Children (even badly behaved ones) have the right not to be attacked by dogs. Dogs who might lash out and hurt children (even if provoked) should not be out on the streets.

That child has just committed animal abuse. Seriously don't let your child near strange dogs.

@Boombastic22

YABU. Far more important things to be taught!

Much better for dogs to be kept on leads apart from specific dog areas.

That won’t help when most dog bites happen at home, or at a relative or friend’s house.

Why should somebody who hasn’t got a dog and doesn’t particularly like them have to teach their children about dog behaviour because idiot dog owners can’t keep them to themselves?

It’s your responsibility, of the owner of something that may be a danger, to ensure that it doesn’t cause that danger, eg, keep it away from other people and if a child approaches it, move it away! The child wouldn’t approach the dog if it wasn’t there.

Entitlement in the extreme!

Yabu. I don’t know any kids who think it’s ok to touch someone else’s dog without asking. My 4 year old is petrified of dogs to the point he runs to the other side of the pavement or hides behind me if he even sees a dog walking on a lead down the street. In the last year he has been knocked over by several dogs, he’s had food snatched out of his hands on two separate occasions, he’s been chased, barked at and slobbered on, all while walking through a park or footpath minding his own business. I’d far rather have dog owners be taught how to keep their dog under control and away from children.

@FromMumToMeAgain

Why should somebody who hasn’t got a dog and doesn’t particularly like them have to teach their children about dog behaviour because idiot dog owners can’t keep them to themselves?

It’s your responsibility, of the owner of something that may be a danger, to ensure that it doesn’t cause that danger, eg, keep it away from other people and if a child approaches it, move it away! The child wouldn’t approach the dog if it wasn’t there.

Entitlement in the extreme!

Why should someone who doesn't particularly like children have to move their dog. What about keeping children under control. Entitled parents!

@MenoMom

I think it's a really good idea. Even parents who are very anti-dog can't ensure their kids never come across a dog - in a park, friends house or tied up outside a shop. Those parents are unlikely to be able to give their kids advice on how to act around a dog. Teaching kids how to deal with dogs would reduce fear/angst for them.

What would have reduced my sons fear of dogs was the dog owner who thought it was acceptable to allow their large dog to jump up onto my sons buggy when he was 18 months old to actually train their dog and have it on the lead, rather than the standard " oh he's just being friendly" response.

Nothing at primary school would have lessened that fear - in fact very well could have made it worse.

It's really not about people who are not dog lovers avoiding dogs. It really is about dog owners understanding that not everyone loves this dog or wants jumped all over. Train the dog, and keep it under control.

I completely accept there are poorly trained dogs like there are poorly trained children though but it isnt the schools job. Dog owners need to control their dogs parents need to control their children.

Nah, it should be down to the parents to teach their children how to behave around dogs, and to also watch them when around dogs too.
If a kid goes up to a strange dog and yanks on it's tail, that is the parent's fault.

I’m a teacher-I don’t particularly like dogs and would want to have no part in being tasked with the job of teaching anyone else about canine body language.

@FromMumToMeAgain

Why should somebody who hasn’t got a dog and doesn’t particularly like them have to teach their children about dog behaviour because idiot dog owners can’t keep them to themselves?

It’s your responsibility, of the owner of something that may be a danger, to ensure that it doesn’t cause that danger, eg, keep it away from other people and if a child approaches it, move it away! The child wouldn’t approach the dog if it wasn’t there.

Entitlement in the extreme!

A child ran up behind us and hugged our dog, how is a parent failing to raise their child properly entitlement and a lack of responsibility on our part?

My husband doesn’t drive, has zero interest in vehicles, using your logic he doesn’t need to teach any children he has the highway code as entitled road users should keep away from children instead.

My dds school has the dogs trust there every year for kids (can’t remember what Year Group) and they talk about approaching people with dogs, how to behave around dogs, what to do and what not to do.
My dds always ask the owners and are aware and wary of approaching dogs.

@Itsadogsworld

And folks saying it’s the dog owners responsibility, I can’t stop and lecture every child that I see behaving inappropriately around a dog. I’m an adult, I can’t go round approaching other people’s child. How is it my responsibility as a dog owner to teach children how to behave when they run up to my on lead pup? I don’t get it.

OP just keep your dog on a lead or even better train it not to react or bite....jesus it's not difficult. You entitled dog owners really just need to get a grip and control your dogs 😡

There are kids leaving school who are barely literate but yeah, they should definitely spend more time teaching kids not to hug dogs.

I firmly believe that dogs should be under control around children.

But I have seen some scary behaviour from kids, right in front of their parents.

I have a soft dog who is very tolerant. I have walked through a park area, with him on a lead, and had small children run right up to him. I have to step in front of my dog and say please don't run up to a dog. Their parents are standing right there, and smiling at their kids running up to a dog. The child's face is at my dogs face level.

If that was a less friendly dog, the child could easily get bitten, and the parents stand their smiling.

Parents do need to step up and teach their kids not to do this.

I actually think it's a good idea for children to learn this if possible, but it should be a dogs trust visit or similar. It should also be taught in tandem with the rules around dog ownership, especially certain breeds, being tightened up and authorities actually doing something to enforce laws.

When I worked in a primary school, the year sixes went on an "independence day" trip, where they had lots of mini sessions aimed at helping them be safe and confident with having more independence in secondary school. Along with using public transport and things like road safety, fire safety and not playing around with power lines, one of the sessions was dog safety. It was from a well known animal charity and initially I too thought it was overkill. Then I realised it was for children who had had very limited exposure to them, may have feared them and wouldn't know how to react or behave around them, to help them stay calm and keep themselves safe around dogs, given that they would be out and about on their own more. The emphasis was very much on caution because you never know what a dog might do. It definitely didn't seek to absolve dogs or bad owners, it just aimed to prevent accidents where possible.

There are lots of reasons why children might not know how to behave around dogs, including their parents not telling them. The same goes for many other things that receive space on phse curriculums so why not this?

Why should someone who doesn't particularly like children have to move their dog. What about keeping children under control. Entitled parents!

Children are human beings with free will. It would be considered child abuse if we all stuck our children on leads to avoid them stroking dogs. Of course some parents should do more parenting but the children come first in this situation and should be protected from dogs whether their parents are entitled or lazy or absent or ignorant or just took their eye off the ball for a second.

@SRS29 So you would happily watch your child abuse an animal and expect the animal to continue to sit/stand nicely until your child becomes bored and eventually moves on?

I do think animal care could be a good addition to the curriculum as too many adults can’t cater to their pets basic needs and this would obviously include dog behaviour.
But I also think first aid, proper nutrition lessons, life skills etc should also be taught and unfortunately there just isn’t enough time to do everything.

@Feelingconfused2020

Why should someone who doesn't particularly like children have to move their dog. What about keeping children under control. Entitled parents!

Children are human beings with free will. It would be considered child abuse if we all stuck our children on leads to avoid them stroking dogs. Of course some parents should do more parenting but the children come first in this situation and should be protected from dogs whether their parents are entitled or lazy or absent or ignorant or just took their eye off the ball for a second.

Lots of children are on reigns or hold an adults hand until they are capable of not running into the road, I’m yet to see any parents being charged with abuse for preventing from being run over. If a parent can teach their child not to run into the road they can teach them not to touch a dog, jusf as they can teach them not to touch something hot.

No, this is all on the owners of dogs. If you want to take your dog out in public, you have to be prepared to tell people of all ages to keep away and not touch. Who cares if you look strict or unfriendly?

It's up to owners to ensure attacks can't happen, and if that means keeping away from areas with lots of people who might act unpredictably, never letting them off lead, and always shutting the animal away from visitors 'just in case' then so be it.

What about when the dog is interested in you and runs up etc? This stuff isn't one way only!

When DD was about 2 we were walking and dog zoomed up from somewhere put paws on chest knocked her over then sort of stayed over her snuffling etc.

It was being friendly but still being knocked over by a dog bigger than you is not great.

Owner didn't apologise. Said haha puppy friendly etc got dog went off. She still doesn't like them and I don't blame her.. Same as I don't after my 2 experiences.

Imo owners need to control them better.

Maybe mandatory training when getting dog would be better than OP idea.

@WonderfulYou

I do think animal care could be a good addition to the curriculum as too many adults can’t cater to their pets basic needs and this would obviously include dog behaviour. But I also think first aid, proper nutrition lessons, life skills etc should also be taught and unfortunately there just isn’t enough time to do everything.

Or....maybe pet ownership shouldn't be considered an entitlement.

A child died last week wasn't it?

Seems like slightly poor timing from OP.

Oh my god no. People need to learn to control their dogs. It's not up to a kid to prevent an attack!! I went to school with two people facially disfigured by dogs (one seriously) and it was not their fault for not reading the dogs behaviour (ffs)!

I don’t see how. Well then I don't know how anyone can help you.