Irresponsible parents

[skinnydipper]

If you cannot keep your child under control, please keep it on a leash.

Walking along a path with a friend and his lurcher, both dogs on leads, when a child of approx 5 years, coming towards us, threw herself at the lurcher and tried to hug her. Luckily, the lurcher, who can be grumpy with strange dogs in her face, was so stunned by this invasion of personal space she did not react.

Before we could get past, the child lunged for the big girl, slapping her on her back.

The mother laughed and said "Oh, she loves dogs"

 

[AmyMay]

Oh, don’t ?

This happened to me last week. Jack can’t be trusted in any way around children. Que toddler making a bee line for him (I’d just popped his lead back on). Dad was most affronted when I yelled at him not to be so bloody irresponsible.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Some people have no sense at all. We used to have a blind Labrador, who fortunately was fairly easy going and most often walked with his pack, who always looked after him but I remember for some reason we had to take him into the town centre on one occasion, on his own. I waited with him outside the bank, while Mum went in. Several people came up to us and 40 yrs later, I still remember the horror I felt when a small child was allowed to hit him on the back ,making him jump. Luckily we were both so stunned that the child got away with it.

 

[MereChristmas]

Situations like yours OP are always frightening.

We got our dog, PTS last month after 12 years, as a 10 month old. His previous owners bought him as a puppy for their 8 year old son. The child was hyperactive and had Downs Syndrome. Neither parent had owned dogs before. They thought the child and the puppy would bond and grow up together as best friends. With correct upbringing this may have been possible. The puppy was unsurprisingly over excitable and undisciplined. He became our best canine friend.

I am no dog expert but I think there is almost nothing more dangerous, dog wise, than someone who in their ignorance thinks all dogs are cuddly live teddybears.

 

[stangs]

I am no dog expert but I think there is almost nothing more dangerous, dog wise, than someone who in their ignorance thinks all dogs are cuddly live teddybears.

Or that dogs are born knowing how to behave around people.

 

[skinnydipper]

I know how to behave around people. Doesn't mean to say I want them in my face.

 

[NinjaPony]

My small dog is a child magnet and she is pretty good but obviously not all small dogs are, so if a child looks interested, I always remind the parents to ask the owners before allowing their child to approach a dog they don’t know, and if it’s a child approaching without parents I always tell them to ask nicely before coming too close and warn them that some dogs are not friendly.
My dog enjoys meeting new people, and if they do come to say hello I encourage them to stroke her shoulder or back rather than anywhere else. she loves the attention but people must always ask my permission!
Main thing is that no child should ever be touching a strange dog without clear and explicit permission from the owner, because dogs can be dangerous and the owner has the right to keep their dog away from strangers. Sadly, many parents don’t seem to understand this.

 

[babymare]

It also frustrates me seeing videos of children jumping on, rolling around on or general ragging dog around. The dog maybe a saint but it takes only one day when dog feeling off! Teach respectful handling ?‍

 

[skinnydipper]

Somebody posted a video (not on here) of her newly adopted dog in her basket with the grandchild piling her toys on top of the dog and another of the child trying to get into the basket with the dog.

She thought it was cute.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I always profusely thank the parents or children who ask first before approaching.

 

[AmyMay]

I always profusely thank the parents or children who ask first before approaching.

Me too. I always make a big deal of it, especially to the kids.

 

[EllieBeast]

This drives me mad!

I have a Dalmatian, who seems to be an absolute magnet to kids- because of the films I’m sure. Often you turn around and she’s being mobbed by some child whilst their parent stands there doughy eyed over their creation ?

my husband has taken to waiting until said approaching feral child is about a meter away, and pointedly saying to the parent- ‘she bites!!’ Then when the parent gets angry that we dare bring a dangerous dog out in public (under full control, on a lead), he explains that, thankfully, she doesn’t but what if she did?! And that they need to teach their child some restraint ?
Luckily, the dog is very kid safe, but that isn’t the point!

 

[conkers]

I had the same happen to my small, cute but at times grumpy terrier. A small child just launched herself at her. Luckily, she is usually very good with children but perish the though if she hadn't been. I did say to the mother that she shouldn't let her children run up to strange dogs cos they could bite them. But I did hold back somewhat cos she had 3 children under 5 and looked like she was having a really bad day.

 

[meleeka]

Is it ignorance? I can’t imagine anyone wants their child to get hurt. Having owned a people aggressive dog before I’m of opinion that I wouldn’t trust a small child with any dog. My current JRT would 99.9% be fine and I can’t think of a situation where she wouldn’t be 100% but that doesn’t meant there wouldn’t be one.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

The dog we had when I was a teenager would 'speak' on command and had a hell of a bark, yet not a bad bone in her body.. I would wait until idiot child was incoming and then instruct her to speak and it would usually scare said child enough to halt their charge. Quite unsavoury thing to do in some peoples opinions I'm sure but A) Children aren't my thing, and B) I was hoping it would teach child/parents for next time.

ETA: I wouldn't trust a child with any sort of dog ever. It's not that I wouldn't trust the dog, their behaviour is very predictable usually, it's that I wouldn't trust the child.. all it takes it a finger in the ear one too many times.

 

[Clodagh]

A toddler once grabbed T’s ears and kissed her on the nose. She had come out of nowhere. Again, stunned shock saved the day.
On the plus side Scout lunched at the golf club today (?) and there were two tables of young families. They asked if they could talk to him and I explained he didn’t know any children and took him towards them. They sat quietly and all had a nice stroke and chat. He’s not great (a bit nervous) with strangers so it was all round positive.

 

[scats]

And people wonder why children end up getting bitten!
Some parents just haven’t got a clue, but they’d be the first to get your dog put down if it bit their child.

There used to be a lady locally who walked a rescue shihtzu. Lovely lady and she was careful with the dog and it was always on lead.
My dog got on well with it so we often met up for a chat. I saw her one day, minus the dog and she told me it had been put down. A small child had come up to it without permission, gone to touch it and it bit their hand quite aggressively. The lady was so devastated that she took the dog to be put to sleep herself as was so traumatised and filled with guilt and what ifs. She said she couldn’t relax taking the dog anywhere after that.

 

[AmyMay]

I must admit @scats that Jack bit my niece last year, and it was nearly a one way trip to the vets for him. However, it was totally my fault so he had a reprieve. We now have a granddaughter, and he’s been very good with her. She’s now toddling so we have to be extra careful.

 

[misst]

Sadly a lot of children have idiot parents. My cute looking terriers are both frequently approached by strange children. One is bombproof the other less so so I always step in front. He is not keen on being manhandled.

The worst thing that happened to me was we were at a show with a new (to us) TB 6yo who was about 15.3. He was outside the lorry tied with his headcollar with me while my daughter walked the course. I stepped away and turned my back for a few seconds. When I turned back there were two small children one of whom was a toddler each with their arms wrapped around his front legs. I was stunned. Mum was smiling and said "they love horses". She could not understand why I was so angry and frightened for them. Fortunately he stood like a rock but it could have been very different. She stalked off with the children very angry and oblivious to the danger she had put them in.

 

[Spotherisk]

I was supposed to meet a group of people for a dog walk this morning but didn’t find them…then quickly realised that I was overloading Rew completely. This is a NT parkland, super busy, with a cafe, and full of children and dogs on leads. Rew’s ears went flat, he hunched his back and was clearly saying ‘what fresh hell is this?’ We had a 30 minute on walk lead avoiding most people and I jollied him along but he was so out of sorts that he even refused a little training treat.
His breeders have teenage children but he’s 11 months old now and hasn’t seen children for nine months, and he was very worried today. He met a couple of dogs nose to nose and that was all good and accepted a bit of loving from a a really nice woman with a big entire Labrador which was also lovely, so everything was okay in the end but he’d rather not go there again thanks.

He’s going to have a lot more socialisation over the next couple of weeks, kennels for a couple of days and then away in a camper van with us!

 

[Jenko109]

If a child did that to my lurcher, they would almost certainly get bitten. She would snap out of sheer panic.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Kid on a scooter today asked if she could say hi to the golden child earlier, he was already sticking his head under her hand before I heard what she'd said ? he's such a tart.

I find asking gives you time to give guidance...so with the youngster, I can tell them to hunker down and not let her jump up and with the eldest, let him lean on and stroke his side.

 

[some show]

I quite often hear kids whisper to their parent(s) "why is that dog wearing that thing?" (his muzzle) and they usually tell their child "oh he must bite"...which does mean I don't get many kids rushing up to him! If I'm within eye-contact I'll politely correct them and ask if they'd like to meet him, because he wears a muzzle to keep cats safe and he actually really likes kids. Would be good if parents were as careful about all dogs as they are about muzzled ones!

 

[TheresaW]

If a child did that to my lurcher, they would almost certainly get bitten. She would snap out of sheer panic.

One of our collies would do the same. I don’t trust him around men, so he is always put on lead when we see someone out and about and move to the side to let them pass. I do worry who would be to blame if someone got in his space and got bitten whilst he was on lead, by me, and under control.

 

[windand rain]

My grandchildren all respect other peoples dogs we have drummed into them that they must ask before approaching as not all dogs are as gentle as Willow. They are aged 6 to 3 we had 4 in 2 years so still very young. The youngest is dog mad adores them his mum on the other hand is terrified of dogs so we have to walk a fine line. I will say if they do get a bit over zealous with playing with Willow she puts herself in her crate now she is old we are very careful that is a rare occurance and children and dog are never left alone together and never have been

 

[Tiddlypom]

JRTs seem to be a particular toddler magnet, presumably because they are small. Ours have always been good with children, but I won't allow strange children to touch them in case the child is accidentally rough with the dog.

I simply don't understand parents who allow or even encourage children to approach unknown dogs. They watch on while their toddler races towards us shrieking 'want to hug the doggie' ...

 

[CorvusCorax]

I have to admit I was a nightmare as a kid. I had no fear whatsoever and would gravitate towards the biggest, baddest dogs (a foreshadowing of the years to come ?)
and my Mum was constantly having to swoop in and grab me out of the way despite trying to teach me to do the right thing.
I only stopped when I reached out a hand to a police dog taking part in a parade one day and the handler gave me a proper bollocking. I remember his white gloves to this day!!

 

[Spotherisk]

Off piste but two non-dog stories. OH, as a young child, at possibly a zoo… his grandmother lost him, heard a scream, rushed to find him and he was elbow deep down a pelicans beak with the bird trying to get the skinny white arm down.

On Dartmoor one day at a honeypot area where the ponies linger in hope of food, doting parents have allowed a toddler to wander off alone, inbetween a mare and her foal. The mare quite understandably kicked the child.

Each time it was poor care and education fro the adults.

 

[Tizzy01]

I must be lucky. Parents and children I have encountered are always polite and ask to stroke Henry…. He is a tart and loves any fuss on offer.

 

[Moobli]

I have to admit I was a nightmare as a kid. I had no fear whatsoever and would gravitate towards the biggest, baddest dogs (a foreshadowing of the years to come ?)
and my Mum was constantly having to swoop in and grab me out of the way despite trying to teach me to do the right thing.
I only stopped when I reached out a hand to a police dog taking part in a parade one day and the handler gave me a proper bollocking. I remember his white gloves to this day!!

God I was just the same ?