To ask dog owners to keep there dogs away from my my children?

[SparklyPeachMama]

I don't dislike dogs what I dislike is dog owners who think there dogs are more important than my children. You dog might be friendly but I'm not willing to test your theory on my babies.
Your dog should never be closer to me/my family than it is you? If your dogs recall isn't good it shouldn't be off lead when other people are around!

All of that are coming across so many children. How is that? Are you taking your dog on the school run or letting them run near children's play areas?

Consider doing neither of these things if so. Dogs on school runs used to be a particular peeve. We work FT, walk the dog twice a day and managed not to bring a dog on the school run.

Once parents start keeping their children under control, I'll do the same with my dog. Until then it's free for all!

YABU for yet another dog thread.

And my dogs are more important to me than your children :)

Yanbu, this is (or should be) basic dog owner etiquette

I'm a dog owner and yanbu.

But please can parents stop their children coming up to my dog without asking. My dog is super friendly and well behaved, actually loves children but not every dog is.

Fine if people can stop their kids from trying to sit on my dogs (which are never off the lead in public), grabbing their ears and putting fingers in their mouths.
As others have said, it goes both ways.

(And it should be their dogs, not there dogs).

An awful lot of children approach my dog and don’t ask if he’s friendly - he is - but children need guidance.

I always make sure my dog is under control, on a lead unless in the secure dog field that hire.

My problem is people encouraging thier children to run up to my dog and try to jump on her. She’s a golden retriever and people think they can just thrust themselves on her. I’ve had parents get shitty at me several times when I’ve asked them to come and get their children away from her.

Of course dogs shouldn’t run up to children, or anyone or other dogs for that matter.

I always walk my dog off lead, in a big field or woods. We will meet other people/animals but he will stay beside me because I have trained him.

Everyone should be able to walk safely or enjoy where they are without having a dog run up to them, whether friendly or not.

Once a husky type dog came out of nowhere on a beach and ran up to my son (5years old) and grabbed his whole foot (he was on a body board) in his mouth. Owners not even in hearing distance.

Can’t disagree fully OP but my dog doesn’t go near children- he’s not keen. I think it’s to do with their vocal ranges? Sometimes they’re loud and shrill???
Anyway- I keep him well away especially as some children are scared of dogs. I don’t expect everyone to love my dog as much as I do 😃
Agree with @OhBling that it’s good for children to learn how to behave around dogs. It’s nice when parents ask if their child can stroke my dog; surely that helps them to understand each other???

Yeah.
I get "well if you stop running my dog will stop chasing you, it just wants to play"
Oh sod off - don't want to change how I run to accommodate your "fur baby".
Dog should be under control.

I live in the middle of nowhere, have no school run and don't go to playgrounds and still encounter children frequently with my dogs. I have an Irish Wolfhound mix who is thankfully a bit deaf because children's reactions to him is often squealing, flapping and mock crying. He's big and a bit unkempt but he's not even looking at the child and walks slowly beside me and has excellent recall, not that I've ever had to use it.

Why all the children bothering dogs? Is because they are everywhere? If you are in a queue at a cafe? On the school run? In shops? That is the issue. Too many dogs.

My view, as always it’s stupid people.

The stupid owners that don’t train their dog, don’t use leads properly, can’t understand any type of Bull was genetically bred to be a fighting dog and feel the need demand everyone accommodate them.

AND the stupid parents that don’t watch their kids, have no concept of how to behave around animals (not just dogs) don’t stop them running up or poking and yelling and then never taking responsibility for any of the results.

Occasionally these two sets of stupids people come together in a venn diagram of idiocy and then you get tragedies in the home where kids are hurt by family members dogs.

The common denominator however - is always stupid people who think they’re the only ones that matter 🤷‍♀️

I feel sorry for the kids and the dogs.

And too many kids.

It seems like there needs to be some sort of national awareness campaign.
I always taught my children not to approach dogs.
These days parents have to be extra vigilant because dogs are EVERYWHERE.
Playgrounds, John Lewis, cafes....

I think there is a lag....all of a sudden parents who may never have considered teaching their children how to behave around dogs off the lead wherever they go are having to do so.

Agree, as a dog owner. As a parent, kids need to be taught not to approach dogs without asking the owner first.

I highly doubt a young child is capable of killing a dog though

You are not being unreasonable but I have learned that when people are obsessed with something (their pet, their children) they assume everybody else is obsessed and wants to play and pet them.

I think sometimes it is difficult (like when playing in a park) but reasonable owners should absolutely be pulling their animals away from strangers.

Actually if your kid running away and squeals the dog thinks there's an easy dinner up for grabs! Dogs are predators, they thrive on a good chaise before dinner. Keeps them calm for hours afterwards.

My view is that my grandchildren are important to me and your dog is important to you. You don't care about mine and I don't care about yours. I will keep my grandchildren at the table in a cafe. We will eat our toast and read our picture book and chat about this and that quietly as a group of 3. In exchange you will keep your dog on a short lead quietly under your table. You will not let it wander over and bother us in any way at all ever. We will never run up and down and randomly shriek and you will keep your dog quiet and absolutely in your space. That seems fair to me.

i don’t see this as a dog bashing thread. It’s aimed at the owners. I have a dog but have her on lead around others. I also get annoyed about people who let their dogs approach people with dogs on leads. My dog doesn’t mind it, but there are others I’ve seen in the park struggling with anxious dogs on lead when an over exuberant dog comes bounding up to the anxious on-lead dog.

Your child or children's well-being is, quite rightly, the most important thing to you.

That dog's well-being might be the most important thing to that person.

We need to understand each other and use our communication skills for both dog and child without pissing each other off. Sounds easy doesn't it...

I agree dogs should be kept on leads whilst around other people. Dogs should only be let off the lead, if the dog has good recall and is trained to not jump up at people etc. However, as parents it's our responsibility to teach our children, not to run up to a dog (regardless if the dog is on a lead or not) and not to touch. My son had an encounter with a German Shepherd dog, whilst we were in Spain on holiday. My son and I walked into a restaurant, he was holding my hand, and as soon as the dog saw my son it started barking/growling. Now the dog was sat under the table, no lead, and only moved to get out from under the table to stand up. My son and I were along way from the dog. The owner said 'Oh sorry, but he doesn't like children'. My son was 2 years old at the time, and it started a phobia of dogs. He'd want to cross the road if we saw a dog. I had to force him to walk passed dogs, whilst reassuring him, the dog won't hurt him. He got over his phobia, and likes dogs now, but even at 14 years old is wary of the bigger breeds. My son once he got over his phobia, never touched a dog, unless I asked the owner if it was OK and never ran up to one either.