To ask dog owners to be extra vigilant around younger children?

[ponderingthisthing]

At the weekend, we were out in the meadows and having our family photos taken by a professional photographer.

A dog came near us and started jumping on the DC, who are 2 and 4. DH tried to fend it off until the owner came and dragged the dog away with some difficulty. By this time both children were extremely scared and upset and were screaming and crying. The owner may have muttered a quiet "sorry" before leaving quickly. No genuine apology or word to check if DC were OK, even though they were obviously extremely disturbed at that point with tears flooding down their faces. She just didn't seem to care.

For us though, it really put a damper on things and unsurprisingly the photography session did not go well. Both children felt unsafe following this (there were other dogs around, many not on lead) and clung to us.

It's not the first time that it's happened, DD was already afraid of dogs due to similar episodes in the past. We try to reassure her that dogs don't normally harm people and that she should just behave normally around them, but I wonder if we should also think more now about safety. Just yesterday, I came across a photo on social media of a little girl who was mauled in the face by a dog. Of course no physical harm came of this episode involving DC, thank goodness, and the dog was probably just over excited. However, the incident is making me feel somewhat uneasy about taking DC to places where dogs can run free.

AIBU to ask that dog owners be extra vigilant with small children around? And obviously, if the dogs are likely to jump up at people, to keep them on lead around small children in public places?

So much (human) aggression on this thread! On both sides!

You can ask but twats like this will not listen. you will be preaching to the already converted.

I often walk my dog off lead but if small children, other dogs on lead etc approach then I recall him and put him back on his own lead for everyone’s benefit. Not everyone likes dogs 🤷‍♀️. (Equally I don't like all humans and don’t want people touching my dog without my permission 😁.)

A lot of dog owners just aren't that bothered really. DS was knocked over in the play park (with play equipment in and huge signs saying no dogs) so not even green space or an area a dog has any business being. The owner gave zero fucks, a lot are self centred and selfish.

Well no dogs should be on leads and whilst yes parents should teach their children to not approach dogs and to keep an eye- dogs are the risk in this situation and owners should ensure they aren't able to harm anyone. Aside from owners who are partially sighted others should be able to spot children walking up surely.

As self centred and selfish as some parents.

How near is near? Because ultimately, dogs will go near to pass people just as we do.

How do you know it's going towards you? Is this assumption made because they happen to look at you?

I totally agree that dogs shouldn't touch people uninvited, but the 'coming near' is strange to me. Would you feel the need to prepare to kick a 10 year old that walks in your direction?

I'm a dog owner. Both of mine are soft as anything but I don't allow them to approach anybody they don't know. Similarly, I'd prefer it if others didn't approach my dogs uninvited.

It makes me really nervous when kids come over to my (on lead) dogs because if my dog were to snap we'd be blamed.

In my defence I was talking specifically about whenever a child has come too close to me and my dog, when I have had no choice but to diffuse the situation because the kids was not being kept at close quarters and was able to approach my dog unencumbered by common sense.

At that point I am not going to do anything but try to calm the kid, not fan the flames, and try and get clueless parent to realise what just happened.

I have no idea how else to handle that situation: where my dog was under control, close to me and a child approaches uninvited or unseen and gets jostled. I could shout "Please get your child away from us" or some such, but that seems counterproductive.

Any suggestions for how to deal with that specific situation gratefully received...

dogs are not constantly washing their arses , your just being hysterical about it , there have been studies that iv seen published in national papers in the past and its been proven that kids that grow up in houses that have pets have less allergies and catch less illnesses than kids that dont , because they have a stronger immune system , and yes to answer your question when my dd has been washed by a dog she has fussed and shock horror i didnt start pouring detol all over her to disinfect her either , dogs like me because i like them and iv regularly been washed in the face when iv held one , in fact when a friend of mine got a new pug puppy and gave her to me for a cuddle the daft little thing was so excited she tried to french kiss me 😉 and im still alive , didnt come down ill immediatly after and iv fussed loads of dogs since who have slathered me and im still here . you need to get a bit of perspective

@hellrabbitishere Yep, our pug tries to French kids us all the time 😂

We have loads of pets including the pug and my daughter has been spending all her free time at a livery yard covered in muck since early childhood. She's now 12 and no allergies (or anxiety issues)

French kiss*

And kids are his favourite people 😍

I’m a dog owner & although my dog is off lead in fields/woods etc I would never ever let him off if I knew he would approach anyone uninvited (he has a genuine disinterest in people generally). He has great recall & is trained not to jump up & as yet never had an issue with him. However if I see a family with young children approaching on a country path where he would be in close proximity to children I will always recall him & hold him until they have passed & if they ask to stroke him I let otherwise he gets ignored. I think it’s disgraceful that people let poorly behaved /untrained dogs off lead anywhere. YANBU

Pugs are the lickiest things ever, the neighbours down the road have named ours licky-pug. There is loads of research to say its not actually that bad for dogs to lick you. I can honestly say I've never seen my dogs like their arses. The cats on the otherhand ... but they wouldn't want to kiss lowly humans anyway.

That said, it's not for everyone and I always ensure that I control my dogs. Not saying they are perfect but we don't assume everyone loves them.

@hellrabbitishere

Well we all have different ideas of what's tolerable to us I suppose. Some people like to get pissed on during sex. More power to them I suppose, I still don't want anyone coming up and pissing on my kids in the country park.

iv got two cats and they are always washing their arses 😂 but yeah your right they arent interested in licking me afterwards , although my biggest likes to sleep above my head at night on his own pillow and often positions his butt so its directly next to my face !! still at least i know its nice and clean

Genuinely interested - do dogs piss on people?

Urgh, I'm getting so sick of crap god owners and their unruly dogs. It's got worse since lockdown as well.

Sadly the owners who have good recall don’t let their dogs annoy small children, but the ones who have no control over their dogs claim they’re “only being friendly”

how odd that you would worry about somebody pissing on your kids in a park , isnt this a thread about dogs ?😬 it might be an idea to get your mind out of the gutter mate as thats the second time you have referenced a rather distasteful sex act

Hey, we're all different. You find rimming and undinism distasteful (so do I as it goes)... I also find dog slobber distasteful. I don't hate people who go around covered in dog slobber any more than I hate people who enjoy the above activities, I just don't want to do it myself (or my kids). Which is all I was saying in the first place. You like being slathered on by dogs? Go ahead. Knock yourself out. Just keep your rank mutt away from me and my kids. Why is it not ok to expect this?

And I'm so very much not your "mate". What are you Phil Mitchell?

My mum was in a park once bending down to pick up my toddler and a big dog rand over and knocked them both flat on the floor. The owner didnt give a shit. I was😯 i was further back witH DS and the owner didnt help her up or anything!

That's because more people got dogs and a lot of those people shouldn't be dog owners.

Absolutely! Just because you like dogs doesn’t mean you’re a good or responsible owner. As I said previously I am an owner however he is not my fur baby or other child or any BS label that irresponsible owners give their dogs. My dog is a pet & I treat him as such. No dog is more important or even equal to my own child or any other child so def on side with OP even as a dog owner

umm havent got a dog , what made you assume i have , dont think iv mentioned it anywhere i do 😂😂 one thing that does gross me out a lot though is kids with snotty noses , so whilst your on the bandwagon about filthy dogs heres hoping your kids arent digusting the dog owners they might meet