But she's ^so^ good with children [hmm] ...

[NotQuiteCockney]

Said this woman with a nice labrador in the park today. While DS2 was quaking in fear - he doesn't like licky jumpy dogs. The woman said several times how good her dog was with kids.

And then said, 'oh yeah, I've met you before, I think she [the dog] knocked your little boy down', in a very casual way.

I mean, I can totally see that this dog means well and wouldn't hurt my kid, but ffs, knocking kids over is not being good with them!

I've owned two dogs and been fond of both, it's natural to become attached to an animal you know well. But I live in the country and often walk (dogless - wonder if anyone thinks I'm a 'weirdo' lol) and get more and more irritated with some dog-owners who really don't understand that not everyone loves being sniffed at and sized-up by their animal. It's not even that it may be aggressive, although despite the owner's fond smile some of them certainly act in that 'look at me funny and I'll see you off' sort of way, just that it's your animal and I don't love it or trust it the way you do.

DD and I took a footpath last night and the field was being used for parking, a big black dog guarded the entrance to the field and I mean guarded: stood there, tail down, menacing. It started to walk towards us in a stalking sort of manner. Clearly it was only doing what a dog does - protcting what it saw as its territory right then - but it was threatening and no owner was in sight to ask to leash it so we turned back, and yes I did feel highly annoyed, just didn't fancy confronting it. It's easy to feel after several such encounters that some dog owners are entirely thoughtless.

It isn't just the size either, the owner of our stables has a tiny dog which runs up and clings to your ankle, yapping and mock-biting: yes it's 'only playing' but I refuse to join in the consensus that I should be amused and go 'awww, isn't he sweet'. The behaviour isn't sweet.

As for rescuing loose dogs on the road, I - scooped one terrified puppy off the road and contacted an owner and got flowers (very sweet of her but not necessary, I do believe we have responsibility to care for any animals in distress) and on the other hand, have several times rescued next door's dog likewise from the busy road nearby while they are out at work and been given that 'heck you are making a fuss about nothing' look. All they have to do is fix the latch on their gate, for heaven's sake.

It's not a case of hating dogs,but SOME owners expect you to love their animal just as much as they do. I have children,but I don't expect other people to be fond of them.
FWIW my children have been brought up with animals but I don't see why they should be subjected to something that is potentially scary. I'm all for introducing them to dogs in the right way.

Connie-does a child know that a dog wagging its tail and being "licky" is not threatening?

well mine do! They also look to the parent to check their reaction to the situation.

Dogs are nothing to be frightened of.

I'm not scared of dogs and have never given my children any reason to be but they appear to have a natural fear of them. I have reassured them if the situation is appropriate (ie a calm well-behaved dog) but they also have been told to ask permission if they do want to approach a dog. I don't think size is an issue here,as I have said,I have horses and my children are not scared of them.

Anyway I've seen where dogs put their tongues

CD, I agree that tail-wagging and licking aren't threatening. Unless of course, you are dog-height and have been knocked down, and experienced a full face clean by a dog a few times. In which case, jumpy licky dogs can be very scary!

And I really didn't mean this as a dog-hating thread - I really like dogs, my DS1 really likes dogs, and I am working hard to make sure DS2 starts liking dogs again - by protecting him from being knocked down and licked by dogs when he doesn't want to be! That's hardly dog-hating. DS2 really can love dogs when he knows them, and knows they won't overwhelm him.

most fears and phobias are a learnt reaction though.

It's easy to see why children are frightened of dogs. Think about it. An animal about the same size as you, with a big hairy head and slobbery mouth near your face. If it happened to adults, we'd start scremaing too.

Dogs are capable of ripping a child's throat out - they are predatory carnivors, and nobody can predict whether or not a dog will ever attack a child. They are something to be afraid of.

NQC - I'm perhaps overly sensitive on this subject after the last thread! Where all dogs were vicious toddler attacking machines.

yes - like the cross post below - sigh

Maybe it's been learnt because a "tail-wagging,licky dog" has scared them

If you can't understand why a small child could be frightened of a dog with big teeth, a loud woof, and a habit of jumping up or running round legs or licking them in the face (which, after all, is quite outside the norm of the human behaviour they are used to) - where is your imagination?
I like dogs and am not scared to pet unknown dogs when I'm on my own but they make ds very wary because fgs they are the same size as him and just other. It's natural for him to be wary - surely???? Survival instinct and all that.

CD, haven't you ever been overwhelmed by an affectionate dog? DS2 has been jumped on by friendly well-meaning (badly trained) dogs many times. He is two. He is not picking up on my phobia of dogs, because I have none - I really love dogs, and greet dogs of all sizes all the time.

But oddly enough, being knocked down, and having his face licked a lot by a large creature has made DS2 not like dogs very much at the moment. He must be picking up on someone else's hatred of dogs somewhere.

No, not all are. Sopme are. A very very few. Unfortunately, you can't tell which ones are until they do.

My DS1 went through a similar phase, tbh. He had a full face clean (including nostrils [ugh]) from a weimariner, and went from loving dogs to being afraid of them. He's entirely back to loving dogs now.

besides that, toddlers are human beings. If an adult objected to a man sized creature with foul breath coming anywhere near him, we'd respect that. Why do we mock toddlers for the same reaction?

At the end of the day,the dogs are only doing what comes naturally to them. It is down to the owner to behave in a considerate manner and appreciate that not everybody feels the same as they do.

Disclaimer: This is in no way meant as a slur on considerate,responsible dog owners.

(And,I do not hate dogs!!)

Good point coditz (about respect). Why do some of you seem to think it's the parents' fault? We have evolved to show caution when faced with things we don't understand. We're also capable of forming loving bonds with animals, as some of you have. But with that has to come a bit of respect for the former.

colditz- you can usually tell which dogs are likely to turn nasty with the potential to attack a child. There is always a history of aggresive behaviour. It is not the family labrador that goes on the rampage one morning.

But people whose dogs have attacked children always say "it was so gentle, I'm really amazed."

And you're supposed to know that when its galumphing towards you in the local park?