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Original poster

all you people with LARGE dogs....

104 replies

SquonkTheBeerGuru · 18/04/2008 15:52

Please be aware that sometimes children are frightened of your dog.

Please acknowledge that saying "oh he's dead soft, he wouldn't hurt a fly" will not stop that child from being frightened.

Please please please do NOT allow your very large and vicious looking dog to follow you to nursery when you pick your children up because some of the other nursery children WILL be frightened of the large, vicious looking dog hanging around the school playground, looking like it is hunting a small person.

Please do not patronise me by telling me that it is allright when my child screams and runs into the road to get away from your dog.

Just lock the fucking thing up occasionally will you?

(apologies to everyone who is not my selfish twatty neighbour)

thank you.

Rant over.

OP posts:
hercules1 · 18/04/2008 16:19

I completely agree about children being taught to be wary of dogs but that's not the same thing as being scared. Dd has got a very good awareness about dogs and knows what to do if a dog does go at her. She also knows how to approach dogs in a non threatening manner etc.

Hassled · 18/04/2008 16:19

pagwatch - taking the dog to school is pretty standard around here. Thank you for being though!

Connie - even a dog on a lead is something large, possibly dangerous that I don't know or trust. I don't know if the owner's going to let go of the lead by accident. I don't know if it could bite me as I went past even on the lead.

Yes, I know I am completely unreasonable and possibly barking, but I do know that I am far from alone in feeling like this. There are many many of us around - phobic is too strong a word, but very uncomfortable, certainly.

fletchaaarr · 18/04/2008 16:20

Oh hercules - we would love a dane. I have veto'd a dog as we both work though

Hassled · 18/04/2008 16:21

hercules - it was a silly comment and as previously discussed on MN, better in a sandwich bag than on the pavement. Consider the comment withdrawn .

hercules1 · 18/04/2008 16:29

We're lucky as there is always someone at home. It is lovely having a dane but a bit like living with a horse at times!Older danes do fine with people working although they are defintely people dogs and love to be around people.

Hassled - I can understand being scared of dogs but dogs are part of life and not sure what you expect to happen. When walking my dogs on teh pavement sometimes it's obvious if people are going to be scared. If so I pull the dogs close and if possible wait at the side till they pass. Most people like to have a stroke or say hello. It would be silly of me to avoid walking them but of course I am always aware of others.

Rubyrubyruby · 18/04/2008 16:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hercules1 · 18/04/2008 16:30

It's unlikely someone would let go of a lead by accident. I walk three and have never let go of any ever. The dane has a special head harness so it is impossible for him to pull. The other big one has never pulled. The biggest pain to walk is my cocker spaniel.

Original poster
SquonkTheBeerGuru · 18/04/2008 16:33

as I have already pointed out (several times) I don't have a problem with dogs, dog owners or even large, vicious animals.

Just dogs that run after my kids.

We are trying to teach the littlies to be less scared of dogs. If we see a dog on a lead with a nice-looking owner, we will go over, ask if it is ok for the kids to stroke the dog, and have a bit of a pet.

I always make them let the dog sniff them first, and encourage them to stroke the dog gently.

Just when I think I'm getting somewhere, this huge dog bounds out at them at nursery and starts barking and chasing them.

It's not going to make them unafraid of dogs any time soon is it.

and rubyrubyruby - do you really think that letting your dog out so it can terrorise three year olds is socialising it?

OP posts:
Original poster
SquonkTheBeerGuru · 18/04/2008 16:34

the dog is out because she goes to pick the kids up from school and leaves the gate open.

She knows that the dog won't hurt anyone, so thinks it doesn't matter if the dog is out.

I reiterate - it doesn't matter whether the dog will hurt or not. The consequences of the kids running away from it are what I am more concerned about.

They have been approached by other neighbours, and have had a letter from school. Nothing so far has worked.

OP posts:
hercules1 · 18/04/2008 16:35

Surely the issue here is a dog being allowed out without being under control. Not sure why its size is the issue here. Smaller dogs are more likely to bite and attack usually than larger dogs. (generalisation I know but true generally).

hercules1 · 18/04/2008 16:36

Why hasnt anyone contacted the local dog warden? That's what I'd do.

Hassled · 18/04/2008 16:36

You're all absolutely right and my dog issues are for me to deal with; dogs are always going to be around.

I think the point I'm trying (badly) to make is that the sort of people who do let their large dogs off the lead in a playground etc (and that doesn't mean any of you - you all seem a lot more considerate than I'm used to) are the sort of people to whom it has never occurred that there are a lot of people around who feel like I do. Quite what I can do about that I don't know, other than just get used to it.

Original poster
SquonkTheBeerGuru · 18/04/2008 16:39

there would be no point in calling the dog warden. The dog is only out for ten, fifteen minutes. And it is fairly near its owner. Its owner is not controlling it in any way, and I am being told not to worry as my kids run in front of cars. But it's ok, because the dog won't hurt them.

OP posts:
NotABanana · 18/04/2008 16:41

I agree with the OP.

A neighbours dog came over to us when the children were playing out. It didn't respond to its name nor return to the owner. My DD was getting really scared and the girl just said it wouldn't hurt her. I told her my DD was 4 and she wouldn't know that.

greenday · 18/04/2008 16:46

If that should happen to me as the dog owner, I imagine that my first reaction is to say 'its okay!' in a panicked attempt to calm the child down.
I wouldn't mean it in a patronising way, but I can imagine that it was what the person you encountered probably intended.

hercules1 · 18/04/2008 16:49

I disagree that a dog warden wouldnt be interested. You say it is out of control for up to 15 minutes around little children, well, that seems reason enough to take it further if a letter from the school hasnt worked.

pagwatch · 18/04/2008 16:52

I agree with hercules.
If the dog is allowed out off the lead at a busy time I think the dog warden would be interested.

Rubyrubyruby · 19/04/2008 13:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

smartiejake · 19/04/2008 13:40

This would make me very angry. I have come across many large out of control dogs over the fields where I go with my dog. Really makes me fume when the owners cheerfully tell me they are soft old things as they playfully pin my quivering dog to the ground.

On the same theme-
Please do not allow your small child (about 2.5)holding a bar of chocolate come up to my dog (small sheltie, very friendly) and without asking if it's ok attempt to
a) maul my dog as if a teddy bear (she's very fluffy)

b) wave chocolate bar in front of my dog attempting to feed her (chocolate is VERY bad for dogs) and then continue to ignore me (both child and mother) when told not to loudly 10 times.

Imagine scenario if dog manages to grab chocolate bar nipping child in the process!

It's not always dog owners who are irresponsible! Child owners sometimes don't have much sense either!!

SpecialOffer · 19/04/2008 13:47

I have a large dog and it is always on a lead and controlled. It is a GSD and I am shocked by the amount of people who let their children come running up to him, now he is soft as anything and loves nothing more than a bog fuss, but they don't know that. I always tell children they should ask me before they stroke dogs.

I think the OP should speak to the dog wardens, they are really nice in my area and warn people. I have reported dogs who are continuously off the lead snapping at my dog. As because I have a large dog, he is always to blame.

SpecialOffer · 19/04/2008 13:48

oops big fuss!

lucyellensmum · 19/04/2008 13:48

Its not just large dogs

LEM hangs head in shame at her stupid JRT running and jumping into toddlers pushchair one day To be fair he was only 8m old (the dog) and "only being friendly" - i was mortified!!!

Last week at the beach DD was upset by a staffie, who was lovely and friendly but it planted both its feet firmly on DDs chest (heavy dog - 2 yr old child: Result - dropped lip, looking for mummy who couldnt get to her in time, hysterical crying). Profuse apologies from owner?? not a sausage - can't believe i didnt say anything but was too busy trying to persuade DD that the dog was not going to eat her. Now i dont have a problem with these dogs, being an ex rotweiller owner, but could you imagine if i let mine do that?????

SpecialOffer · 19/04/2008 13:51

at the beach story! No apology?????

aGalChangedHerName · 19/04/2008 13:52

Our school has rules about dogs not being allowed in the playground or to be tied up to the school fence/gate which is really sensible imo.

The twatty owners however don't care about the rules and bring the dogs in anyway.

My 2 dd's are not generally frightened of dogs but the bigger ones who lunge and slobber over them they really don't like.Hate when the owners say all the twatty stuff about the dog won't hurt you.

hercules1 · 19/04/2008 13:53

I find little dogs the worse for snapping and being generally annoying but as others have said no matter what it will always be the big dogs fault.