When Will They Learn

[chickentikka]

I was out with my dobie Dexter this evening, it's the balloon festival on at the park this weekend so we went for an early morning very long run and this evening we went out on lead round the edge of the park. Two girls aged about 7 and 10 just leapt out from behind a car and were all over Dexter. Thankfully he is bomb proof around kids. I told them that they should never come up to a dog without asking the owner first (let alone just jump out and mug one) but they just went ' eeh we love dogs' - mum carried on munching on her burger quite a distance from her kids :(

[nancy]

This makes me so angry

1 ) They were old enough to know better

and

2 ) If Dexter had nipped them he would have

got the blame

[chickentikka]

...........Dex would prefer the burger to the kids, but the whole bl**dy family was just so vacant, prime Sun fodder 'Dangerous Dog ignored my kids' really doesn't sell, but my kids ran up to a dog uninvited and got mauled (grr'd at) turns round as 'Children terrified by devil dog'

[Happylittlegreensquirrel]

[Fee]

It's so stupid and makes me very angry. I get this quite often, Taz, Meg and Sophie together seem to act as a child magnet for some reason. They are all brilliant with children, but I've had dogs in the past who would have been terrified of strange small people running up to them.

 

A couple of days ago a family watched from a distance and did nothing as their toddler ran over and threw his arms round Taz (who lapped up the attention ). I told the parents (quite politely) they should be more careful, and their only response was that the boy 'was used to dogs because his nan's got a dog'. They just didn't seem to grasp at all that not all dogs were used to sudden hugs from strange children.

[celeste]

Makes my blood boil I used to get this with Louie, luckily he liked kids and was unflappable, but I remember one time when I was waiting for Terri outside a shop with Ailsa ( who loathed kids) and a wee girl came up and wanted to speak to her, I said no she dosn't like kids and the little s***t just ignored me and had Ailsa running round my legs to get away I put my face close to hers and shouted " I SAID SHE DOSN"T LIKE KIDS, BUGGER OFF " that seemed to do the trick

[snow]

We had this a couple of times at Bowood show last weekend - kids who clearly didn't know how to behave around dogs who were unsupervised whilst the parents were busy looking round the stalls or eating their picnics, OH was looking for a sun hat and had Nog on the lead by his side when I noticed a young lad about 4ish running around shrieking at dogs and waving a big stick thing with a fluffy worm on the end in their faces I nudged hubby and with that the kid ran into the hat stall clearly headed for Nog, hubby planted himself between me and the child whilst I took Nog outside and away from them which his parents saw me do and they said "he doesn't mean any harm" I said how would you like it if I ran up to you waving a bloody big stick in your face? He's going to get bitten if you don't keep him under control - their reply was "he's just a bit excited thats all..." I muttered ffs under my breath and went and watched the ring display with Nog until they'd walked on.

 

Later on we went and sat in the shade - we deliberately went and sat on an area of grass that was a bit rough looking so as to be away from the families and people picnicking we'd been sat there quietly for a good 20 mins with Nog laying behind me when I spotted 2 young lads about 6 and 8 sidling up to Nog clearly intent on touching him, so I called Nog back closer to me and gave them the hard stare ... they then did the whole we aren't doing anything innocent act ... but as soon as they thought I wasn't looking moved in again - hubby told them to go away but they just went back a few steps and were clearly not going to give up so we had to get up and move on - their parents were nowhere to be seen if they were one of the groups under the tree they certainly weren't looking over in our direction to see what their kids were up to.

 

On the upside tho when we were watching a ring display a slightly older girl was along side us and she kept looking down at Nog and clearly wanted to stroke him but wouldn't so I said she could if she wanted to, she was very gentle and ended up with being graced with him leaning against her for more tickles and her face lit up she was thrilled to bits, her mum said her daughter loved dogs but her mum was afraid of big dogs, she then nervously patted Nog and couldn't get over how soft he felt and Nog being Nog then decided she was much better to lean against so she ended up stroking him and saying what a lovely dog he was how gentle etc. so I did my bit about how good greyhounds are with people, how well they fit in to a home, how many are in rescue etc etc and as we walked away I could hear the girl asking her mum if they could have a greyhound .... lol

[ailsas mum]

Makes my blood boil I used to get this with Louie, luckily he liked kids and was unflappable, but I remember one time when I was waiting for Terri outside a shop with Ailsa ( who loathed kids) and a wee girl came up and wanted to speak to her, I said no she dosn't like kids and the little s***t just ignored me and had Ailsa running round my legs to get away I put my face close to hers and shouted " I SAID SHE DOSN"T LIKE KIDS, BUGGER OFF " that seemed to do the trick

 

Ailsa was petrified of kids, they used to scream at her '' oooo fluffy dog '' and then lunge at her which used to scare her. I lost count of the times I had to tell parents to keep their brats away as my dog hates children, but no they thought it was okay . I don't think Jane realised how bad it was until that day outside the shop, it was a daily occurrence for us unfortunately. Arran on the other hand loves the little sod's .

 

Terri

[BillyMalc]

Makes my blood boil as well! :angry:

 

I remember one day when I just came out of the woods with the rabble. The entrance is really narrow, and having 3 dogs out of 4 wary of kids - they completely ignore them whilst off lead, it's when they are in an enclosed space that they get nervous - I was very aware of people coming and going around that area. So a young family comes up: mum, dad, toddler of about 3 and one in a buggy. While mum and dad were heaving the buggy through the entrance, they let toddler do his own thing. So I'm there with 4 dogs on leads, step well away from the path, and do a 'watch me' with all of them that would have got me maximum points in any obedience competition! However, toddler's found a stick and waddles up to us, waving it and shrieking excitedly. Dogs are about to go mental, I got their leads as short as possible, before shouting to the dad "can you come and get your boy please!" at which point the dogs go off like mental. Dad casually comes over, and adds to the poor dogs stress by picking up the kid and sitting him on his shoulders, so that hey are now confronted by this huge, 2 headed monster with a stick! So I ask if he could step away please and stop staring at them. To which he turns round and, while walking away goes: "well they're not very child friendly!" :angry: I couldn't help responding: And neither am I you d!ck!

 

I would have loved to stay and talk to them, explaining that they were setting their kids up to get bitten, but with 4 dogs going mental on leads that's a rather impossible task.

 

On the upside, the Dog Show DeedNOTBreed is having a stall tomorrow is holding two "how to prevent a bite" workshops for kids. I've never been so excited about an initiative for kids in my life!

[Laurel n Hardy]

this happens all too often , mine are quite small dogs and good with people/kids so I dont tend to have the same problems.

 

if anyone does want to stoke them I always tell the the same thing, slow movements, gentle and just behind the ears in a straight line as I know my lot like that..

 

kids need as much if not more training than dogs

[greys mum]

Trying to think of a polite way to type my reaction in situations like this!!! Lets just say that they would definately know I wasn't happy.

Edited August 18, 2007 by greys mum

[K9Fran]

I've started going to local schools to spend 20 mins or so with each class explaining how to greet dogs who are friendly and how to stay safe around dogs who aren't so friendly - it's so rewarding when I hear kids telling each other 'the dogs like to be fussed under their chin - not patting on the head' and the teachers tell me it opens up lots of discussions.

 

One little girls was so scared of dogs, she wouldn't even come up and fuss my stuffed life size OES, but she held her friends hand while she did it, and that was a HUGE acheivement.

[Raiye's Mum]

Teija (being deaf and blind) has developed a bad trait of 'bite first ask questions later' attitude so I am having to teach her to wear a soft muzzle for when we are out because I don't trust her to not employ this tactic when approached.

She would have freaked if that had happened to her

Well Done Dexter for being so luuuvvely with the little brats

[K9Fran]

Teija (being deaf and blind) has developed a bad trait of 'bite first ask questions later' attitude so I am having to teach her to wear a soft muzzle for when we are out because I don't trust her to not employ this tactic when approached.

She would have freaked if that had happened to her

Well Done Dexter for being so luuuvvely with the little brats

 

Just a warning - not all muzzles are suitable for long term wear, the soft muzzles in particular are really only designed for short term wear at a vets or groomers, not while undergoing excercise as they don't allow the dog to pant properly. The Baskerville is better.