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ASTPhi877 · 05-26-2011, 11:32 PM

I used to be okay with letting kids pet my girls, but the other day in the park an overly pushy little boy made me reconsider.

I was sitting on a bench with a book letting the girls sun when this kid came over and wanted to pet my girls. They both have always LOVED people, so I had no problem and said sure. I had some treats and was letting the little boy give them to Lila when another dog crossed the sidewalk behind us. Well, Lucy (who was on the ground) is TERRIFIED of other dogs... She always goes crazy barking and growling, and this was no exception. Lila is normally fine around other dogs... But she must have gotten spooked from all of the commotion, because she all of a sudden started to convey in no uncertain terms that she did NOT want to have a strange child's hands on her. She is normally SUCH a sweetie, but I guess it was just too much excitement for her. Anyways, she tensed and gave a low, warning growl (y'all know how I mean), so I politely suggested to the little boy (he was probably about 8 or 9, I guess... Maybe older... But def plenty old enough to understand) that maybe now was not the best time to pet my dog, because she seemed a little scared, and that even sweet dogs might bite if they are scared. I was perfectly polite and reasonable... But this kid just completely ignored me! He started trying to grab at her, trying to take her off my lap and out of my arms! Then he starts shoving his hands in her face, deliberately antagonizing her... And of course she was now full-out growling and yipping, and I could tell she was about to start snapping. So I asked him to PLEASE stop, that I didn't want him to be bitten (although at this point, I was a little more worried about Lila than the boy). But the little hellion would NOT let up! Now keep in mind that I still had Lucy going crazy, trying to wrap herself around the bench seat to get to the other dog, and Lila was wriggling around so much in my arms that it was all I could do not to drop her... And this kid was STILL trying to pull at her, waving his nasty little claws in front of her mouth like he thought it was funny to scare her even more... so it wasn't like I could just take my dogs and run, which is what I desperately wanted by now to do... Then, of course, Lila actually started snapping, and, I swear, it was all I could do not to lose my patience with the kid! Because I knew if he was bitten he was gonna go crying to his parents (who, incidentally, were witnessing this entire episode from a distance and did NOTHING to intervene!), and I would have to deal with, at a minimum, their unfair accusations about my dog and, in a worst case senerio, a lawsuit. I was STILL trying to speak reasonably, but authoritatively, to the kid, all the while trying to protect Lila from his darting hands... but I eventually ended up having to physically block his hands with mine, and at that point I really just lost my patience! I raised my voice to tell him very sharply that he needed to STOP! That my dog did NOT want to play, that he was scaring her and that I did NOT appreciate him antagonizing her! That she is a DOG not a TOY! My tone was really rather rude, but this kid was being over-the-top ridiculous... He was literally assaulting both me and Lila, and it was the only thing I could do, because he just would NOT listen!

Well, as soon as he paused in shock, I quickly juggled Lila to a safer position away from him, untwirled a still-crazy Lucy from the bench and half-dragged her and Lila out of the park. I admit, I was red faced from anger... And embarrassment over having to raise my voice to a child, which, if you knew me, you'd realize I have NEVER done! But I mean really! My goodness!

So, needless to say, I have been quite a bit more hesitant to let a child pet either of my puppies since then, and it may be awhile yet before I'm comfortable enough to let them try. Now I just say "Don't let the wagging tails fool you. They both bite. Hard."

05-26-2011, 11:32 PM	#42
ASTPhi877 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Louisiana, USA Posts: 192	I used to be okay with letting kids pet my girls, but the other day in the park an overly pushy little boy made me reconsider. I was sitting on a bench with a book letting the girls sun when this kid came over and wanted to pet my girls. They both have always LOVED people, so I had no problem and said sure. I had some treats and was letting the little boy give them to Lila when another dog crossed the sidewalk behind us. Well, Lucy (who was on the ground) is TERRIFIED of other dogs... She always goes crazy barking and growling, and this was no exception. Lila is normally fine around other dogs... But she must have gotten spooked from all of the commotion, because she all of a sudden started to convey in no uncertain terms that she did NOT want to have a strange child's hands on her. She is normally SUCH a sweetie, but I guess it was just too much excitement for her. Anyways, she tensed and gave a low, warning growl (y'all know how I mean), so I politely suggested to the little boy (he was probably about 8 or 9, I guess... Maybe older... But def plenty old enough to understand) that maybe now was not the best time to pet my dog, because she seemed a little scared, and that even sweet dogs might bite if they are scared. I was perfectly polite and reasonable... But this kid just completely ignored me! He started trying to grab at her, trying to take her off my lap and out of my arms! Then he starts shoving his hands in her face, deliberately antagonizing her... And of course she was now full-out growling and yipping, and I could tell she was about to start snapping. So I asked him to PLEASE stop, that I didn't want him to be bitten (although at this point, I was a little more worried about Lila than the boy). But the little hellion would NOT let up! Now keep in mind that I still had Lucy going crazy, trying to wrap herself around the bench seat to get to the other dog, and Lila was wriggling around so much in my arms that it was all I could do not to drop her... And this kid was STILL trying to pull at her, waving his nasty little claws in front of her mouth like he thought it was funny to scare her even more... so it wasn't like I could just take my dogs and run, which is what I desperately wanted by now to do... Then, of course, Lila actually started snapping, and, I swear, it was all I could do not to lose my patience with the kid! Because I knew if he was bitten he was gonna go crying to his parents (who, incidentally, were witnessing this entire episode from a distance and did NOTHING to intervene!), and I would have to deal with, at a minimum, their unfair accusations about my dog and, in a worst case senerio, a lawsuit. I was STILL trying to speak reasonably, but authoritatively, to the kid, all the while trying to protect Lila from his darting hands... but I eventually ended up having to physically block his hands with mine, and at that point I really just lost my patience! I raised my voice to tell him very sharply that he needed to STOP! That my dog did NOT want to play, that he was scaring her and that I did NOT appreciate him antagonizing her! That she is a DOG not a TOY! My tone was really rather rude, but this kid was being over-the-top ridiculous... He was literally assaulting both me and Lila, and it was the only thing I could do, because he just would NOT listen! Well, as soon as he paused in shock, I quickly juggled Lila to a safer position away from him, untwirled a still-crazy Lucy from the bench and half-dragged her and Lila out of the park. I admit, I was red faced from anger... And embarrassment over having to raise my voice to a child, which, if you knew me, you'd realize I have NEVER done! But I mean really! My goodness! So, needless to say, I have been quite a bit more hesitant to let a child pet either of my puppies since then, and it may be awhile yet before I'm comfortable enough to let them try. Now I just say "Don't let the wagging tails fool you. They both bite. Hard."