July 27th, 2009
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Kids – never approach a strange dog without first asking your parents, then asking the dog’s owner for permission. Check back in next time for tips on how to make friends with a new doggy!
Parents – don’t assume any strange dogs are friendly or that they all know how to behave appropriately around children of any size. It is up to you to keep your child safe! |
Also…I would like to add. Dog owners…protect your pooch! Don’t let a child run up to your dog, screaming and reaching for his face (as children tend to do). If you don’t intervene your dog WILL protect himself from what he sees as a maniac trying to attack him.
I hate having to protect my dog from the neighbour’s children. They are never watched when they play outside and even if they are, the mother has no real control over them as they just run away (and go onto everyone’s patios, throw rocks, knock on neighbours patio doors to see their dogs, etc.) They frequently run up to my dog without asking, and want to all get in his face. He ended up snapping at the one child after he started to throw rocks at the “babysitter” who was petting my dog. Buddy let off warning growls before doing so but this kid was in diapers so he wouldn’t know. I hate it, ended up having to go inside and close the blinds since the kids kept wanting to come see Buddy. I now can’t take him out onto our patio when they are outside on their patio, for fear of what they will do to him. He is scared of the kids and tries to back away from them.
I just don’t think its fair that I have to go inside with my dog because the children don’t respect boundaries and my dog. Unfortunately, we don’t have a fence between us (townhouse board rules). Also, the mother has frequently used our garden hose (since I mistakenly OK’d its use once) without asking. She has somewhat noisy parties outside on Friday nights way past quiet time, and sometimes her friends have used our parking stalls without permission.
I really wish for her kids sake that she would watch them better or they will get hurt… whether by a dog or by a car in the parking lot or some other way.
Hi,
It is right that children should never approach a dog they do not know as dogs can feel threatened.
Last week while walking my dog a small child started quickly coming towards my dog, the child was with his father and he was smiling and saying oh nice doggy.
The thing is my dog had been kept kennelled close to my female dog that had been in season and so my male was a bit high spirited as he had only one thing on his mind. I quickly shortened my dogs lead and pulled him in close to heel. The childs father said to me oh my baby wants to see your dog, and i replied it was not a good time. He said that i should not walk my dog if it did not like children.
I mean how stupid can people be, yes it is my responsibiity to make sure my dog is under control but it is a parents responsibility to keep their toddlers safe,
when my kids were small i never let them approach strange dogs.
It is also critical, that children understand the no look,no talk, and no eye contact principal. Also how important it is not to run..if you run it will only serve to kick the dogs prey drive in and the child will become a target for the dog.