Children and dogs
 

I was in town on Sunday and I was in a phone shop where they kept to doors open. Anyway, I went out to get some food and I walked past this huge dog (a ridgeback) which was sat outside a coffee shop with it's owner. Anyway, a man let his kid walk straight up to it and the dog was scared. Obviously the man didn't notice because he kept letting the kid walk up to it, even if it walked away.

This dog was bigger than the kid and it was clearly not comfortable with the kid going up to him. No one was saying anything! I was so close to telling him that the dog was scared but I just left before anything happened. It was actually painful to watch.

Some people are such idiots about animals.

has anyone else every seen anything like this happen? even though nothing happened, it was still hard to see.

That's the first time I heard of one of those dog, and they do look like they could be vicious.

I'm scared of nearly all big dogs. There's something about their jaws almost being the same level as my face that's truly menacing.

And thankfully I've never seen incidents in real life. But I do shudder watching those youtube vids, where a baby is messing around with some dog.

Poor doggies. My niece is starting to love my dogs but she obviously doesn't know how to stroke them nicely and if she were to touch one of my dogs tails without any care she'd pee them off and they could bite her. But she doesn't know! But we do so she's never near them without us literally hoovering over her

I have a Staffie, he adores children and I know for sure the only thing he would do is lick them.
However, I always at any time even on the harness and lead, say to anyone who comes near and especially Children, not to touch him.
I do that for not only their protection but his also.

With my younger Nephews and Nieces,if they are all around him,he plays a while then slinks off into a corner, head goes between his paws and he sighs.

It is Children's instincts to go towards Dogs and animals generally, Dogs don't always know if its friend or foe walking up to them though, Adults should make sure their Children don't just run up to Dogs,even when they are on a lead.

..Staffies are lovely dogs Joey..very affectionate and friendly..they'll welcome anyone into your house..they just won't let them out again...

totally agree and I'm glad that you let children not touch him.

the amount of people who say 'oh but she/he wouldn't hurt a fly'.... Any dog will attack if provoked

:joker:That's true actually.

some people can not control their dogs. A few weeks back my neighbor's pitbull came after my younger brother (who has severe autism so didn't really know what was going on) and my dad had to pop it in the nose to stop it. My dad almost killed the neighbor, he just lets the dog walk around not being tied up.

a dog tried to attack my sisters and mum when we lived in america. they had no where to go (they obviously couldn't just run away) so a man told them to get in his truck and saved them pretty much. He even tried to reverse towards the dog and it wouldnt even move

I agree, it is about control, I have my Staffie at a word, I know I can tell him to stay in a spot and he will, only standing up to do his business.
However, he is never off the lead where other people may be, fortunately,where I am at Uni and also at my Parents home, we have a really big garden, with a 6foot fence all round it, so he can run free all he likes there.

Really in any place where the public are,I think Dogs should be on a lead at all times, again for as I said above, the protection of the people and also the protection of the Dog too.

Sigh. This is why I cross the road when I see a dog

Ugh, really wish I didn't watch that.

that's awful. they should own a dog if they can't even control it.

I used to have a Rhodesian Ridgeback who was a big softie but weighed 9 stone and was as tall as me on his hind legs - people would pick their kids up when I was walking him so I rarely let him off the lead on his daily walk...It is all to do with training and control - the vet told me that Ridgebacks are very dominant and so you have to train them to understand pack mentaility and that they have a pack leader (you). He was a fantastic dog and very friendly but I would never have trusted him (or any dog) around kids as they can turn and sometimes through no fault of their own. If a child were to pull their tail or stand on them by accident or whatever the dog has two reflexes to bite or to run - the bite reflex is often involuntary.