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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

FGS why do they let their children do this?

15 replies

insan1tyscartching · 05/08/2016 09:33

Walking on the trail last night Eric was off his lead but at my ankle,saw a woman with a couple of kids walking towards us so slipped Eric's lead on, not because he's a danger to anyone more that some parents seem to be a bit neurotic about a loose dog expecting him to be on the verge of tearing their children's throats out Hmm
We were almost level when the young girl ran to Eric and tried to pick him up with no warning and without even asking if she could touch him. I admit I shouted "No!" from shock more than anything which saw her burst into tears and run back to her mother.
The stupid woman then said "She won't hurt him, she loves dogs" I just shook my head and said "So how do you know my dog won't bite your child then?" and walked off.
Eric loves people,he is happy with attention from anyone and being small he's not unused to being picked up and even asks on occasion but there is no way on this earth I would ever have given permission to some child to pick him up because I don't trust him 100% not least because he has limited experience of small children.I can't believe that some people are so stupid tbh.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 05/08/2016 09:37

I have an 8 month old Goldie who sees everyone as a possible playmate ( especially children), and by playmate I mean something to dive on and roll around on so I keep him on a lead when there is everyone around.
We do get plenty of children coming up and usually grabbing his ears or getting in his face. I always tell them they should always ask before approaching - my own children know to always ask.
Not much chance of them picking him up though

Womenareliketeabags · 05/08/2016 09:38

This is also a massive pet hate of mine. My dog is also harmless and I hope would never purposefully hurt anyone however she is a dog! She is very 'over' friendly and get very excited from any attention jumps all over the place. Therefore when people/children decide to give her attention without warning it leads to her pulling us all over the place pulling beer garden tables over and spilling a new round of drinks. I have no issue with people wanting to fuss her I just wish they would ask or get their children to ask so I can have a chance to make her sit first (to stop her jumping all over and potentially knocking a small child over) and get hold of her collar.

FiveFullFathoms · 05/08/2016 09:42

I dislike this too. My parents have a dog and my DCs love him but they have been taught to always ask before they stroke a strange dog. I'm baffled as to why so few parents seem to do this.

Original poster
insan1tyscartching · 05/08/2016 09:46

I don't know if I'm neurotic because Eric's lovely and he'd growl before he snapped but I am wary when there are little children around purely because we don't have little children here. Because he's small and cute though I think he's attractive to children because he looks like a toy. No excuse though for parents not to educate heir children on how to behave around dogs.

OP posts:
GrouchyKiwi · 05/08/2016 09:49

We don't have a dog yet, but my small children have been taught to ask the owner before patting a dog. I was very proud of DD1 the first time she did this by herself.

I think people have forgotten that dogs are powerful animals and just see them as cuddly pets.

Original poster
insan1tyscartching · 05/08/2016 09:57

I'm happy to let anyone stroke him, I'm not at all precious about him but want to be asked by children just so that I can get them to stroke away from his face and so I can watch to see that he's happy about it. He's only a little dog but I don't doubt that if he bit he'd draw blood.

OP posts:
Bubble2bubble · 05/08/2016 14:29

I am continually shocked at how parents allow their kids to do this.

Out walking the other week a guy with a young baby in a front facing sling suddenly crouched down so the baby's face was at right at our ddogs level, (so the baby could say hello Shock )without even asking if it was ok. It was OK, but my ddogs are not used to babies and I never would have told him to go ahead.

My other pet hate is the parents who think its OK for kids to SCREAM and run when they say a dog.

LadyV90 · 05/08/2016 17:33

I hate when people do this we have a very excitable boxer puppy, who's thankfully to big to pick up but he's still got that jumpy puppy energy and a kid excitedly bounding up to him would result in an excited bounding (30kg) boxer

reikizen · 05/08/2016 18:00

It is difficult isn't it? Kids seem to either hysterically scream and run away flapping their arms or run up waving sticks or grabbing my dog. She's an idiot lab with little danger of an aggressive response but a very real danger of a very over friendly one which can be very embarrassing for me and frightening for kids. Actually seems worse on the lead in this kind of situation.

Claraoswald36 · 07/08/2016 23:38

Yanbu at all. My kids (3 and 6) are not allowed to approach a dog at all if it's alone (outside a shop etc) or before they have politely asked permission from the owner. Even if the dog trots up to them tail wagging. I have to keep them safe.
I have a golden cocker that is very jolly and likes being patted by other people's kids but I supervise very closely just in case and I always thank children for asking permission and remind them that's the correct, sensible thing to do.
I would freak if a kid tried to pick up ddog because he is silly and boisterous and right now just has his claws done and is a bit scratchy!

Sequentialchoring · 08/08/2016 11:29

I really think all children should be given a safety lesson as part of the standard school curriculum on how to interact with dogs ie do not approach a dog let it approach you, don't bend over a dog, don't try and hug it, don't put your hand on its head but calmly stroke it's chest or side, don't stare directly at it, always ask the owner for permission to approach etc etc. It could be very easily and inexpensively done by just showing a good DVD!

We live abroad where I think children must be taught to ask before stroking our dog as 85% of small people seem to do this.

Even so, some over-enthusiastic children (as children do) tend to run up to our adoptee dog (who had a very dodgy upbringing) and bend over him before the question is out of their mouth which I can see stresses him (lip-licking). Although he does nip occasionally at home (adults) in stressed circumstances, he's usually very good with children, but I have to keep a very, very strict eye on it.

I sympathise op especially when your dog is off the lead (ours is always on the lead except when we are totally alone in the countryside).

Wyldfyre · 08/08/2016 19:45

Unfortunately for me people think labs are universally friendly.

My girl is very nervous of strangers as a direct result of being grabbed so much as a puppy (I think I was asked once. Once when walking along the street at 16weeks and she shot in front of me, someone walking in the opposite direction had turned round and grabbed her bum).

Some people just won't be told though - I body block to stop my dog getting stressed and avoid putting her in a position where she might feel she has no option but to bite, big I get "s/he loves dogs" or "I'm good with dogs". Great! but DDog is shit with strangers.

My yellow dog ("I need space") bandana is usually ignored too.

Had the same problem with my old spaniel. She had near constant ear infections and on the rare occasion I was asked I told people not to touch her ears as they could be sore.
Predictably kids wouldn't ask, would stroke the ears. Dog in pain would issue a growl and the parents would accuse me of having an aggressive dog Hmm

2kids2dogsnosense · 30/08/2016 21:17

One of our dogs loves being approached. The other hates it - she is very shy. I could scream when kids leap in front of the, or grab at them without permission and TBH even if I had two slobber pots instead of just one, I wouldn't like it. Alright - my dogs might be okay - but what if the next dog isn't? Or what if the child accidentally hurts the dog, and the dog responds? I don't nat to end up with one of my girls PTS because some kid has grabbed her without warning.

You'd think with all of the horrendous attacks we hear about, that people would be more wary of strange dogs (though 9/10 it is a family dog which has perpetrated the attack). Even a small dog can do a lot of damage if it gets hold of a child's face.

Floofy · 02/09/2016 15:14

I have a big fluffy dog and children are always running straight up to him and hugging him or grabbing him. :( Sometimes people even grab his tail from behind which causes him to freak out and he will growl. Very, very rarely does anyone ever ask permission to stroke him. He is very tolerant and happy to be petted when he is prepared but does not like having hands shoved in his face. If I tell people and their children not to touch him then I get a mouthful of abuse from them.

I often shave him right down in the summer, not just because of the heat but it does make him less appealing to people and so he is safer when we are out and about.

Tokelau · 02/09/2016 15:24

I agree. I grew up in a veterinary surgery, literally, my father is a retired vet, and the surgery was part of our house. I was surrounded by animals all the time. I was always taught to check if it was ok to stroke a dog first, and never to put my hand on the top of a dog's head. I taught this to my children, and they always asked the owner first.

I also really hate it when children see dogs and scream. Why do some parents encourage this? If I had a child who was really afraid of dogs, I would teach them to stay away from dogs, not make a huge fuss and attract the dog's attention.

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