Do you ask before letting your small child pet a strange dog?

[ssguzzy828]

My kids have to ask before petting any dog. Unfortunately because they are used to big dogs like thier shepherd they think all big dogs are nice. So i have to constantly remind them not all dogs are nice. Unfortunately i have to disagree with vain chick about the comment she would have let recon bite. Its not the kids fault that thier parents dont teach them about respecting animals or peole for that matter. Not to mention recon would be the one to suffer pretty bad consequences im sure. I have no problem being rude when im walking with my dogs telling people to not pet them. In fact i will usually say he bites just so people leave him alone. You just never know how a dog will react to certian people.

[jenefor]

My son is 3 and ALWAYS asks if he can pet the doggies.... I guess since from the beginning I have taught him that not all doggies are friendly...at the dog park it is kinda different but he still asks befoer he pets.....I know that it pisses me off when people (not just kids) come pu and feel that they have the right to pet Gidget and some even feel the need to pick her up. My husband HATES it and will just tell the peple that she doesnt like haveing stragers touch her......I think it all boils down to peoples mideset as a whole now days...everyone feels intitled and it is all about them....urrr
Sorry that you got kicked......I would have "accidentaly" kicked the kid back....I know that is bad but if the parent arnt going to do anything about it....how will they ever learn?

[ReconsMomma]

Originally Posted by ssguzzy828

My kids have to ask before petting any dog. Unfortunately because they are used to big dogs like thier shepherd they think all big dogs are nice. So i have to constantly remind them not all dogs are nice. Unfortunately i have to disagree with vain chick about the comment she would have let recon bite. Its not the kids fault that thier parents dont teach them about respecting animals or peole for that matter. Not to mention recon would be the one to suffer pretty bad consequences im sure. I have no problem being rude when im walking with my dogs telling people to not pet them. In fact i will usually say he bites just so people leave him alone. You just never know how a dog will react to certian people.

Very well said. SOme one had made a comment about my dogs being unsupervised, I dont remember how it was worded but really they were where I could see them the whole time. I will not tie my dogs up some place and leave them if I can not see them. The gas station that I go to has a few different spots around the building for tieing your dog to it. There is a bike/walking/jogging path right there so its very convientient. It is clearly marked with a sign that says DOG AREA. there are benches and a water fountain right there but I prefer to give my dogs and myself bottled water because its better. This area that I tied my dogs up is not in plain view of the gas pumps so this kid had to see me walk up with my dogs and tie them up since they walked from thier car, around the building to my dogs.

[miezzi]

I don't have kids, YET!!! But when I do, they Will be taught to ask any owners of any pet before they try to pet the animal!!!!!
Even now, when little ones come to us while we are walking, they go right for Luigi. I look at the mom or whoever is with them, and say- he's very nice, loves kids and loves to be petted. But I am amazed how many try to pet before knowing if the dog is nice or doesn't like to be bothered with! B/c- what would happen if the dog bit the kid? Of course their mother would probly blame us, the owner. And I would blame them, for not controlling their kids!

[PinkMartini]

Originally Posted by ssguzzy828

Unfortunately i have to disagree with vain chick about the comment she would have let recon bite. Its not the kids fault that thier parents dont teach them about respecting animals or peole for that matter. Not to mention recon would be the one to suffer pretty bad consequences im sure.

I agree. I couldn't imagine someone knowingly letting their dog bite a child

[She-ra's Mama]

Heck yeah!!! That is the first thing I do, b/c my 3 yr old loves dog, and will want to pet it, so we ALWAYS ask to make sure they dont bite!!! I work for a surgeon, but I dont want to see his work!!!

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

I think that the mother is probably not used to dogs herself and doesn't have one and she probably thinks that if the dog is out then it is probably friendly. I am just speculating. I think she is ignorant and we, as pet owners, have to expect 90% or people to be ignorant with what is the proper way to respond to dogs. It is the only safe way to avoid potentially serious liability.

My kids are all taught to ask before approaching a strange dog no matter the circumstances and to avoid strange dogs altogether if the owner is not in sight, but I think it is because i have owned dogs all my life, trained them and shown them in obedience. But someone who is not familiar with dogs may be totally unaware of the proper etiquette when it comes to what to do.

[kelley]

OMG! First of all, what kind of person just let's their little kid (2-4?!) walk up to a rot with NO ONE around? Ok, some rots are mean, others are so gentle. WHY would you let your little kid just go up to touch it without asking first-DUH!

Second, what a BRATTY little kid! He kicked you in the shin?! What a brat! Kids aren't the same anymore. They are disrespectful little brats (I shouldn't say that, but many of them are. Their parents don't teach them respect anymore).

I would NEVER let my kids touch a dog like that. A Yorkie, maybe. But even then, I would probalby still ask because you just don't know. A rot or doberman, no.

You would think that with all of the dog bites that are in the news today people would be a little bit more careful.

[txshopper73]

I don't let me children around any dog that I don't know. Doesn't matter how cute it is. My daughter got bit once when she was 3 at a vet's office...while I was paying, she walked over to a dog. Not a big one but not small either. She got knocked to the ground and bit on the hand. Not pretty at all. Since then, I've been very leary of dogs that I don't know.

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Originally Posted by txshopper73

I don't let me children around any dog that I don't know. Doesn't matter how cute it is. My daughter got bit once when she was 3 at a vet's office...while I was paying, she walked over to a dog. Not a big one but not small either. She got knocked to the ground and bit on the hand. Not pretty at all. Since then, I've been very leary of dogs that I don't know.

Wow! and in a vet's office yet. Doga re just too unpredictable but non-dog people sometimes just don't know unfortunately.

[txshopper73]

I might also add that while I was paying, I had told her repeatedly to stay right by me. I didn't even realize that she had wandered not 2 feet from me to go see this other dog. Dogs like that should have to wear a muzzle.

[ReconsMomma]

Originally Posted by kelley

OMG! First of all, what kind of person just let's their little kid (2-4?!) walk up to a rot with NO ONE around? Ok, some rots are mean, others are so gentle. WHY would you let your little kid just go up to touch it without asking first-DUH!

Second, what a BRATTY little kid! He kicked you in the shin?! What a brat! Kids aren't the same anymore. They are disrespectful little brats (I shouldn't say that, but many of them are. Their parents don't teach them respect anymore).

I would NEVER let my kids touch a dog like that. A Yorkie, maybe. But even then, I would probalby still ask because you just don't know. A rot or doberman, no.

You would think that with all of the dog bites that are in the news today people would be a little bit more careful.

It isn't the rottie in question here its recon. I just wanted to clarify that. Xander the rottie would lick ya to death no matter how big or small you are.

[princess_sara]

I babysit a 2 year old and a 4 year old and I ALWAYS make them ask before going up to a strange dog when we are out. I don't care if its a godzilla sized dog or a puppy, you never know! But they have a big dog thats a huge suck and sometimes think that its ok to go up to random dogs. I think all kids should be taught to ask - its safer for the kids, as well as the dogs.