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.

Schools can’t manage with what they have to do already.
Better would be, first sign of aggression in a dog, pts.

I see lots of posts here saying it should be on dog owners to control dogs. Yes, yes it should in an ideal world. But it will never happen fully, some owners will never be careful, or dogs will always get out via a blown open gate. Teaching kids a basic understanding of how to act around dogs PLUS having strong expectations of dogs owners would be an ideal belt and braces approach.

Surely if your dog might attack a small child that runs up to it or hugs it you shouln't be taking a dog near the DCs - not the other way round.

@Yusanaim

Surely if your dog might attack a small child that runs up to it or hugs it you shouln't be taking a dog near the DCs - not the other way round.

My dog wouldn’t attack anyone, if a child runs up to a dog the dog isn’t being taken near children, the parents are allowing their children to go near the dog.

Our dog has been hit by children, why should dogs be subjected to abuse by badly parented children? Most dogs do not like being hugged but will tolerate it, why should dogs be forced to tolerate hugs from strange children because they have been poorly parented? He was hugged by a child who ran up behind us (and then ignored us telling her to get off), so again, we didn’t take our dog near children, a crap parent let their child loose and failed to appropriately supervise them.

@TotallySuper

Whilst they're teaching kids this maybe they could also teach the adults how to own a dog and actually restrain it properly. No dogs should be allowed off leads and owners should take more responsibility. If you think a dog might react badly to a child running up to it then you should muzzle the dog or take it out at times when children aren't around YABU and the reason why so many kids get bitten etc - dog owner attitude and their entitlement is the problem.

Why should no dogs be allowed off leads? If you think your child might run up to a dog then you should have it on reins. Same difference. Stop being ridiculous.

We’ve had visits from a local park warden who covered this in his sessions. He included the rights of people to be able to enjoy parks safely and what to do if you see a dog that isn’t under control. The children really enjoyed it, it was a blocked out PHSE morning/afternoon covering PPA time that teachers would be having anyway.
Of course, it hasn’t been possible since late 2019 but we hope to have him back soon.

Why should someone who doesn't particularly like children have to move their dog. Oh

I think ostracism maybe needs to come back, if you don't like humans, you should put yourself outside the group, live in a cave or something

Couldn’t be bothered reading the whole thread, so sorry if it’s been mentioned, but we do actually teach pupils what to do if a strange dog approaches them whilst we are out and about.

The number of people who allow their off-lead dog to run through a line of pupils walking two by two is astonishing….

Kids do run up to my dog, most ask to per him and as I've brought him up to be friendly there isn't a prroblem. He'd on his lead and I don't let him jump up . I wouldn't keep a dog like yours that can't tolerate children running up to them.YABU.

Fluffy dogs are see as public property by some parents and their children. They to realise that dogs are not there for their little darling entertainment.

Not sure school can teach that though.,

I think it could be a nice one off thing for schools to do, similar to how they have a few one off road safety sessions. Not sure where the’ll get the time though. Personally I’d like schools to have to waste less time prepping kids for says/phonics test and have more time to do safety/life skills work.

Overall though I think it’s a dog owners responsibility to keep their dog safe in an area where there are children in public. My kids don’t particularly like dogs ( we don’t have any in our family) and we constantly deal with people allowing their off lead dogs to run and jump around them. Obviously I’d stop my children if they did approach an unknown dog, but we experience it the other way. There is one particularly small happy dog whose owner will have to get a mouthful next time it happens as apparently polite requests to keep her dog away from the play area isn’t enough.

@Tilltheend99

I think it should be compulsory for dog owners to be trained how to handle their dogs around children (and wildlife) and how to not abuse and neglect their dogs.

Yes I agree I wish there was better regulation about dog ownership ( we’ll pet ownership in general). Too many bad owners - not picking up their dogs mess, not having insurance or ability to pay vet bills when they are unwell, not keeping dogs on leads in children’s areas etc.

I hope the person whose doc killed that 10 year old recently is prosecuted and spends time in prison.

I’ve heard of dogs killing babies, young children almost once a year. I’ve not heard of a young child killing a dog yet.

I dont think It's a child's fault if they get bitten by a dog, but I do think It's sensible for children to be taught how to read dog body language, and know not to run up to an unknown one, just common sense.

I dont think It's a child's fault if they get bitten by a dog, but I do think It's sensible for children to be taught how to read dog body language, and know not to run up to an unknown one, just common sense.

Not entire sure about this.

I had two children come up to one of my boys, who was on the lead and who is generally very placid, bend down to him and scream in his face, just like that.

Luckily he is the daftest softest bugger ever, but any other dig might have reacted, out of fear.

It’s a mix of responsibility. I have a dog and keep it on lead around children as I’m not sure if any will just run up and get her excited. She’s brilliant around kids, but is heavy so don’t want her accidentally running into a child.

I have been in the park with a friend (and fellow dog owner) who told me to ‘just let my dog run over’ when a group of primary kids (including my DD) was walking nearby enroute for a trip. I was so surprised because that’s completely unacceptable to let your dog do that, and when I explained why I kept my dog on lead she thought I was being silly.

Thee is a child who tries to roll my dog over and run around with her on a lead. She’s a soppy thing so wouldn’t do anything, but I have to repeatedly tell her not to treat animals like this while the mum just watches. So it is definitely a mix of parents and owners to educate children (and themselves!).

If a child asks before petting I always say thank you for asking.

If you don't want to teach a child how to behave properly, or an animal, don't have either. If you do, they are your responsibility and if they don't behave properly, that's all your fault as the parent or owner. Stop being lazy for God sake.

This is the funniest ‘should be taught in schools’ suggestion I’ve seen yet. Schools can’t teach everything that could come in useful at some point in a person’s life. Some things have to be taught by a parent!

No but there should be a course for dog owners to learn how to properly control/care for there dogs when they get one

The amount of dogs I’ve seen over the years being allowed to chase/attack children/people/other dogs over the years because they are playing ect is ridiculous.

Many dog owners are seriously entitled and think the world revolves around there dog

(I have a dog btw, however years of dog owners letting there dog come up to me as a child and I would quietly say no thank you. Then the dog owner would push me to stroke/play with there dog. I would then back away after politely saying no and then get chased/jumped on and on two occasions bitten and according to dog owner it would be my fault!)

Well school dogs are becoming very popular. We have one and the children do get quite a lot of input into how to behave around dogs as a result.
But no, I disagree with it being part of the national curriculum and I'm getting heartily sick of people suggesting that this, that or the other "should be taught in schools" when in actual fact these things need to be taught at home, by the parents that chose to have them.
Too many parents want to palm everything off on schools these days

We teach our kids how to avoid all sorts of danger , don’t touch the hob it’s hot , don’t stick your fingers into plug sockets, don’t run in front of cars etc, learning how to behave around dogs should be part of what parents teach their children.

I teach my child not to approach dogs he doesn’t know.

It would be nice if dog owners could teach their dogs not to run up to children they don’t know, or keep them on a lead. Fed up with the shouts of “it’s ok, he’s friendly” while my poor toddler is terrorised by a dog jumping and yapping at him. It’s not ok.

I could say the same about some dog owners - it does work two ways. Many of them need training (or the manners) to understand it is not acceptable for their dogs to run up and jump all over people they don't know and who clearly not interested in having to deal with an out of control dog.

People should not be petting dogs they do not know but some dog owners have an expectation that you want to pet their dog and I have been yelled at for not doing so. My rule of thumb is if I do not know the dogs and owners name I do not touch it.

No, I think that people who want to be dog owners should do a course before being allowed a dog instead.

Ideally about three years long and incredibly expensive.

What now??

What else are you throwing at schools to do? I assume you have funding lined up for this??