It never fails to amaze me as to how ignorant so many parents are when it comes to their children's safety.
As a responsible dog owner, I go out of my way to ensure that my dogs are at ease in their surroundings, and well behaved. Generally we don't meet many people as I live in a pretty isolated area, but I do like to take them to parkland occasionally and walk them individually around a village or small town just to socialise them. It is on these occasions that I meet families. The children usually run towards us screaming and yelling wanting to hug my dogs. The noise and boisterous behaviour of the children puts the dogs in stress-mode before they even reach us. And the parents? They are either so engrossed in their mobile phones, or too busy chatting and laughing and taking no notice whatsoever as to what their children are doing.
A couple of years ago while out with Luna in parkland, from behind some bushes came two small children screeching, arms windmilling running straight for us.
"ooh doggie.... Can we hug him can we, can we?"
Luna displayed all the signs of being totally out of her comfort zone....tight lips, ears set, then panting and lip-licking. She became skittery. I warned the children to stay away. They then ran round and round us in circles. I shouted to the parents to control their children. Were they bothered? Not at all. Now had Luna snapped at one of the children I would probably be reported to the police. This is precisely why so many children are bitten. They see dogs as fluffy toys, not living beings with emotions.
A while back as I was walking Lucius on our lane I came across a family with three young children who started running towards me.
"Look, a wolf, can we pet him and give him a rub?
I warned them not to come any closer - the parents obviously didn't have the sense to stop them (again, had a child been hurt, I would be blamed). Lucius is huge with huge paws. He is an F3 wolf hybrid. He stands 32"at the shoulder.
The father stepped forward
"Why, does it bite? If it does then it should have a muzzle on in public. Anyone should be able to pet a dog. They are pets and should be friendly. Anyone should be able to give it a rub." He became quite confrontational.
Now this was the first bunch of people I have come across on my lane apart from farmers.
Lucius had on a harness and choker. He began to jump up and down, but only in a silly play way.
So I explained that Lucius is friendly but jumps up, and obviously with his size and weight can knock people flat, especially children. I also told him that not all dogs want to be petted by strangers, or feel comfortable with strangers approaching to touch, and people should respect that.
"But he's a dog, an animal, it should be OK to be handled by anyone." The man replied.
I looked at the children and said with a deadpan face..
"Can I pet your children, can I give them a rub?"
The look on the guy's face was so funny....
" Erm no, that's weird. They're family!"
"Why?" say I nonchalantly "do they bite? Oh and my dog is family too." and walked on.
The look on their collective faces was priceless.
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