Teaching your children to be dog aware..

[truman]

Too bloody right.

 

Some of the people who own dogs are not in control of themselves, let alone an animal. They should bring back dog licences and would-be owners should have to pay £200 to the RSPCA to pass a suitability test.

 

Unfortunately the people that need the tests and licences are precisely the people who won't bother to get either..

[Obelix]

Too bloody right.

 

Some of the people who own dogs are not in control of themselves, let alone an animal. They should bring back dog licences and would-be owners should have to pay £200 to the RSPCA to pass a suitability test.

 

Perhaps we can farm out the suitablilty to have kids to the NSPCC then?

 

I cant think of a more bat brained idea than giving a militant charity control over any aspect of peoples lives. If the RSPCA came anywhere near my house again I'd boot them with extreme prejudice.

[rodnreeluk]

Yes, that's right. It might also deter or weed out the few who are irresponsible and incompetent, before their untrained/uncontrolled dogs kill someone.

 

Indeed. So they shouldn't object to paying about £20 per year for the pleasure of that companionship, should they? Internet dating or even going down to the pub every week is far more expensive.

 

What - a muzzle on the owner?

 

I agree, but we need to be more proactive. The owners of uncontrolled dogs need preventing from doing the harm, not just punishing after the event.

Any fee would be useless and nothing more than a money raising excuse. A fee would only penalise the good owners and achieve nothing. Bad, irresponsible owners would ignore it anyway.

[Chelle-82]

I think it's all about how much you know and trust your dog.

 

My springer spaniel loves kids, she loves nothing more than running around with my 6yr old nephew. she absolutely adores him and he adores her and to see them play is lovely, you can see the genuine affection. And she's actually like that with all the children she comes across, she's just loves little bundles of energy.

 

My Terrier however! I wouldn't leave alone unsupervised with a small child, he gets mardy as it is, in fact he sits and growls the entire time he's chewing on his bone! not sure who it's aimed at but he does it anyway, I KNOW that it wouldn't be wise to put him in a situation that he finds uncomfortable and put him or a child at risk. I truly don't think he would bite but I wouldn't ever give him the chance to be in that situation in the first place.

 

I grew up with dogs from being a baby, We had a giddy red setter, big daft german sheppard (who used to sleep in my bedroom from me being about 7yrs old) and two spaniels. All of which were fantastic with children.

 

I don't think it's breed related, I think it's down to how much you know and trust your dog. if you have the slightest little doubt then you should never let them be in a situation where they are alone with a child.

[Jim117]

When I was a kid I was taught by my parents how to behave around strange dogs, just as I was taught how to cross the road safely. This doesn't seem so commonplace nowadays. Recently we tied our dog up outside the shop as we usually do. When we came out we were right behind a chavvy mother with a tot in a buggy and a kid about 3 running in front. While supermum was giving all her attention to her phone/scratchcard the kid sprinted straight into our dogs face. Dog barked, warning kid off, mother went ballistic and launched into a foul mouthed tirade telling us we were effing tramps and that our dog had gone for her kid, etc, etc. We didn't respond in kind due to the presence of children though I did point out the fact that supervising her child was her responsibility not the rest of societies. That didn't go down well either!

[WeedNoMore]

Perhaps we can farm out the suitablilty to have kids to the NSPCC then?

 

I cant think of a more bat brained idea than giving a militant charity control over any aspect of peoples lives. If the RSPCA came anywhere near my house again I'd boot them with extreme prejudice.

 

I agree. The RSPCA isnt what it was and not an organisation id let near an injured turd let alone an animal of any description.

Royal Society for the Procurement of Cash and Assets

Edited March 18, 2015 by WeedNoMore

[Event Horizo]

Personally, I wouldn't leave a very young child alone with a dog....Not because I wouldn't trust the dog....It's because I wouldn't trust the child!

 

I've seen small children torment dogs and pull their tails and pull their ears...maybe not maliciously, but simply because they maybe don't know any better....and are simply too young to appreciate the danger, and of course can't read the dogs warning signs....

 

completely agree. kids can torment dogs. Some will simply walkaway . Others might growl etc. In the extremes the dog will attack but these are dogs that have had bad lives, completely unsocialised or bred for fighting etc.

[Powerage]

My mastiff loves children to bits, is extremely good with small children, but I would never leave her alone with them mostly as she is so big she can easily knock them over. I do feel for her as I wont let her run up to children she doesn't know for both their sakes even though she desparately wants to go and play with them.

[WeedNoMore]

My mastiff loves children to bits, is extremely good with small children, but I would never leave her alone with them mostly as she is so big she can easily knock them over. I do feel for her as I wont let her run up to children she doesn't know for both their sakes even though she desparately wants to go and play with them.

 

Then let her. She wont hurt them if shes well trained and associated and the kids are well trained too.

 

---------- Post added 19-03-2015 at 16:10 ----------

 

completely agree. kids can torment dogs. Some will simply walkaway . Others might growl etc. In the extremes the dog will attack but these are dogs that have had bad lives, completely unsocialised or bred for fighting etc.

 

This is why kids need training just as much as if not more than the dog.

[vwkittie]

Then let her. She wont hurt them if shes well trained and associated and the kids are well trained too.

 

Talk about stupid advice. Obviously you should NEVER let your dog randomly run over to children you don't know.

 

How would you feel as a small child, who may have had bad experiences with dogs through no fault of your own, seeing a huge dog running towards you?

 

How would you feel as a parent seeing a mastiff you don't know from adam high tailing it towards your 3 year old? Any sane parent would not be happy about that.

 

And on a similar point, no one should be letting their dog run over to other dogs that are on their leads either. It's complete unfair on the other dog and shows an absolute lack of respect and manners.

 

If you want your dog to interact with others, be it dogs, kids or whatever, just stop and ask first. It's only common decency.