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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Why on earth do people allow their toddlers ..

17 replies

soddinghormones · 28/09/2014 14:23

to go up to dogs they don't know and whack them on the back? Hmm. Dd, ddog and I were at a cafe this morning - ddog (14 months and very placid) was settled with dd at an outside table while I went to get drinks - as I came back outside I saw a toddler (pre-verbal so no more than about 18 months) run up to ddog and start hitting him with an expression of glee on her face (I think she thought she was stroking him). Just as I got to the table ddog had decided he'd had enough and turned his head towards the toddler and gave her a very small nose wrinkle. I had to take the little girl's hand, lead her away and ask if she belonged to anyone. It turned out she was with her grandparents at the next table who were watching her without a qualm Shock. They were bloody lucky ddog is incredibly tolerant but if he had snapped at her and either scared or even hurt her everyone would have blamed him.

I told dd she mustn't let children approach ddog unless they or their parents ask first ... But she's at that embarrassed by everything stage so didn't want to say anything Confused

OP posts:
taxi4ballet · 28/09/2014 16:13

I don't know - why do some dog owners let their great big dogs run about all over the place uncontrolled and let them charge up to toddlers in the park?

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 28/09/2014 16:16

The OPs dog wasnt running loose. It was sat at a table.

OP I agree. Im a toddler owner but not a dog owner and DD knows absoloutley she must first ask us if she can pet the dog then must ask the owner if she can pet the dog.

Responsible dog owners keep their dogs under control. Is it too much to ask that responsible parents/guardians do the same with their kids?

NCIS · 28/09/2014 16:19

I wouldn't imagine the OP does that taxi. Responsible dog owners don't.

Sodding I have experienced this, even when you say 'No please don't do that' children continue to scream and whack the dog. It's something I taught my children as soon as they could walk, it's not difficult.

taxi4ballet · 28/09/2014 16:50

Responsible dog owners (and responsible parents) do keep their charges under control. I was just mentioning that there is another side to the coin!

Moreisnnogedag · 28/09/2014 17:01

I don't get it. I have a toddler and he has known since he could walk that you ask the owners first (and no fuss if they say no), offer hand and then stroke from head to bottom, no thwacking. Can't manage and we stop.

missnevermind · 28/09/2014 17:17

DD is 3. She knows she can wave and say hello to a dog. But to touch a dog she has to ask its 'person' and if it hasn't got a person then she mustn't go near it.

Owllady · 28/09/2014 18:44

Because they are idiots
I do hope you can say idiot these days Confused if not I apologise if you can't

weaselwords · 28/09/2014 23:43

There was a man in the park recently encouraging his toddler to approach my unknown to him dog Shock. Didn't ask first and so astonished my friend and I that I couldn't get the words out to tell him just how much danger he was putting his child in. I let the kid pat the dog under my wary eye, then marched him off, but should have warned the dad not to be so daft.

Original poster
soddinghormones · 29/09/2014 08:25

I was just flabbergasted that anyone could think it was ok ... That poor little girl is an accident waiting to happen .. And taxi what in my OP gave you the idea that I think letting uncontrolled dogs charge up to toddlers is ok Hmm

OP posts:
Staywithme · 29/09/2014 08:31

Don't worry OP there's always going to be someone turn the discussion round to inconsiderate Hmm dog owners as soon as a discussion like this starts. There will be a few more along soon.

LEMmingaround · 29/09/2014 08:39

This boils my piss it really does! I have two jrts that will happily play with anyone. Especially kids. But no they make a bee-line for my mothers 60kg arthritic dog that doesn't like his head touched. There is a reason why i keep him on a short lead!!

Then what really makes me cross is when i tell the children not to touch him because hes old. I even had one idiot say "come on dd thats not a nice doggy" Angry but they dont seem to care about letting their kids run up to him. His head is bigger than their childs and they are face height ffs! He is a lovely dog but sometimes has pain and i cant promise he wont snap if he is hurt.

goldencity1 · 29/09/2014 22:40

I get this with my two Goldies. The old girl adores children and will stand any amount of toddler "stroking", but the 1yr old is not so keen. She can find small children screaming and rushing about scary - she doesn't go near them when off lead and hides behind me if we are approached when on lead [she is getting more confident, but still doesn't like being "rushed at"].
The number of people, adults and children, who see a Golden and assume they can rush up to them, pat their heads, hug them etc is worrying. I always say that Oldie likes a fuss, but not to touch pup as she like to be introduced first, before being petted. On several occasions I have had to move to stand between an adult determined to "make friends" with pup, even after I have told him to leave her alone.
Some people are just stupid.

motmot · 30/09/2014 18:48

Yes I have a friend with a totally bombproof family dog, which her small child literally does anything to with impunity. It stresses me out, as my dog's child tolerance has a limit, and this child just goes charging up to her with sharp sticks. My friend is oblivious to the fact that not all dogs are like theirs, and that she's doing a disservice to her child to teach it to hang off/cuddle/smack any old dog.

worserevived · 02/10/2014 07:31

I think people who do not own and have never owned dogs are often very ignorant about them. They assume dogs enjoy being patted. I have an 18 month old and two collies. My dd is kept under tight control around the dogs. She is only allowed to pat the older calmer one, and then only under supervision. The younger dog likes his space so we respect that.

It is completely fair in these circumstances to speak to the adults concerned and explain why it is unsafe to allow their child annoy someone's dog. They may get a bit defensive, but the message will probably sink in at some level and it may save a future accident.

pinkbear82 · 02/10/2014 07:46

This worries me too. Dd 15 months, has grown up around dogs, wonderful.... However, the flip side is I can see she has no 'fear' of other dogs. Now she is walking more, rather than in her buggy, I am starting to introduce her to the notion not all dogs are ones we know and we must check first etc etc.

pretty sure most local dog owners think I have strange issues!

It's reassuring to know other dog owners out there and children owners Wink would appreciate what I am trying to do with dd!

Staywithme · 02/10/2014 19:21

pretty sure most local dog owners think I have strange issues!

I think most dog owners would be delighted and gobsmacked that you're teaching your child to be sensible around dogs. Smile

Teddybeau1988 · 08/10/2014 19:25

where I am, some people think if a dog is out in public it must be ok to touch it.

I taught my DC from an early age not to touch strange dogs, even ones that come to say hello to our ddog.

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