Dogs are Not Toys

No doubt, love and respect are taught early. We had so many pets when I was young. I can't count them all. Every living thing we came across we were taught to care for. I do see some kids with no boundaries of respect who grab, tug, hug pets without thinking first. We were always taught to take our time, and to not reach towards any animal until we knew them better. The gentleness towards animals does seem common among a lot of kids today, from my observation.

I don't trust kids around my dog because most parents these days don't bother to teach their child that they are not the center of the universe and can do whatever they want. 
 
For example, my next door neighbor has a little girl about three-years-old or so.  They seem nice so last summer we were outside and the little girl wanted to say hello to me and to Willow.  So, I thought that would be OK.  Willow is not really all that bad with people and in her prior home many kids went to her tie out and pet her when they had parties. 
 
Well, everything was fine, the little girl was nicely petting her.  Then all of a sudden she smacks Willow on the head, for no reason.  So, Willow growls at her. 
 
And, what does the mom do?  "Oh, let's go, that dog is going to bite you, she doesn't like you." 
 
Hello????  The moron didn't even say one thing like you shouldn't have hit the dog or that wasn't very nice or anything.  She just gave that kid the impression Willow was "mean". 

Some of the worst offenders are kids who have a tolerant pet at home and expect every dog to be as tolerant as the one they "know".  It frustrates me beyind belief that the parents don't stop the child from teasing or hugging the family dog and show them a better way to interact so they are better prepared with a more realistic outlook in the big wide world.... and it disgusts me that instead of rescuing the dog and teaching the child better dog-manners, they smile indulgently and proudly and say "oh she's wonderful with the children they can do anything with her...." [:@][:@][:@]

ORIGINAL: badrap
now here's the "hate".  when i was a kid, maybe 8 or 9, we had a black lab mix named bear.  my memories are very vague, but i remember him lunging and snapping at the neighbors from the end of his leash.  i also remember that he stayed outside most of the time, on a long run, even in the snow.  and, tragically, i also remember that one time he peed in the house and my dad beat him.  i was there, i saw it.  i have absolutely never forgiven my father for this, and it may be why i am so sensitive to dog abuse and behavior now.  one very hot day, the dog was lying on the hardwood floor trying to get some relief, and i was poking him and prodding him and, big suprise, he bit me.  a warning bite, i know now, because it didn't even come close to breaking the skin, but i was very scared and screamed and cried.  2 days later, my mom took me to a friend's house while she took bear to "a farm".  read: had him put down.  as i think about this now, i feel so awful.  this was truly a dog who fell victim to a bad situation.  nobody in my family knew how to care for dogs, and it manifested itself in aggression and ultimately the dog's death.
i also propose mandatory screening of adoptive families at ALL shelters, to keep people like my dad from ever getting their hands on a dog.  (my dad is never permitted to be alone with my dogs at any time, to this day.)

Unfortunately, the rescues and shelters that do have screening are often criticized severely for it - and the numbnuts that do so just run right out to the pet store and get a puppy they are ill prepared to manage.  Then, another sad story like yours happens.  Not everyone is cruel, or beats the pup, but many don't have a clue how to housetrain, socialize or train the dog, so it ends up being a nuisance to them and they dump it somehow.  []

A kid that beat my childhood puppy's face caused me to lose him.  While running home to tell my mom, the kid ran away and the dog bit his thigh.  The cops told my mom we'd have to muzzle him.  Suddenly, a week later, he "ran away".  I never forgave my mom for that - although I never told her.  And, I think that incident soured me on having kids.  Kids=dead dogs.  I like kids, I just don't want to have to choose between them and my life with dogs.  If there was a choice, I would put the sticky fingered little kids up for adoption, and that is not a universally accepted solution LOL.  [:-]

I do work very hard in my classes to educate parents in a nice way about safety.

In my daycare policy I state I have dogs and my dogs will not be allowed to hurt your children but I will not allow your children to hurt my dogs.  I am very strict with teaching the children to touch nicely and not to pull things...
 
I think if I had been mean to a dog as a child I would have been smucked along side the head...(probably happened when I was too young to remember)

spiritdog-  i am almost 30, and married withouth children.  i never really thought of kids=dead dogs until you said it as a subconscious reason for avoiding parenthood, but i'm considering it now.
 
and the shelter i worked at in denver had a very extensive screening process and were very definitely criticized for it.  the humane society, however, where i got varitek, asked me NO questions about my living situation nor my experience with dogs.  nothing.  and tek is an amstaff.  i hate to think how many "pit-type" dogs have ended up in the wrong hands because of lax screening processes.

I have to agree w/ whoever said that the worst kids are those with very tolernt dogs at home. My fiance's brother is 4yo and his family has a 4yo boxer who lets Alex do absolutely ANYTHING to her. As a result, the few times I've brought Maggie I spend the majority of my time managing the kid - the last time he tried to sit on Maggie, throw pillows at her, crawl into her crate while she was in it, run at her, chase her, and generally wouldn't leave her alone. Not once did his babysitter or mom do a single thing! I resorted to a firm "no! you do NOT do that to dogs" or "leave her alone, she's taking a nap" - got a few pouts for my trouble but he didn't try it again. I do have to admit that I am glad my fiance's family still has the "if you get bitten it's not the dog's fault" mentality lol, tho they seem to think that means I should let me dog teach Alex a lesson and I *refuse* to let her learn that snapping at kids is ok. Needless to say, I didn't wonder what was up when she got diarrhea after 2 days at the house 24/7.

Maggie is a BC/cattle dog mix and thus is very herdy/nippy w/ fast moving kids. She's cornered Alex a few times in order to get his food or to get him to stop moving, has nipped him when he moved unexpectedly, and growls when he pushes things with her - all signals to me that "Maggie needs a nap" in another room away from the small child.

Interestingly enough, Maggie is *fabulous* with the special ed kids we work with and has only tried to chase twice, both times of which I redirected her and no one really noticed. Despite the fact that these children are small, fast moving, and unpredictable, she still loves playing fetch and showing off her tricks for them. She's fine when they walk her through the school and is comfortable lying down for belly runs with them too. Amazing the difference...

Just remember, it is the adults that are responsible for the abuse that some children will show toward an animal.  Or rather should we say neglect of parents.  But mostly, the children emulate their parents.  And another interesting note is that when abuse of animals is obvious to neighbors, many times abuse and neglect, as well as blatant cruelty is also happening to all concerned.  We hear about it on the news every so often.  Terrible.
 
If you teach your children the care, concern and respect of animals, you are giving your child a wonderful life lesson.  To understand a dependant and loving creature and learning how to care for the needs of the creature, is a most invaluable life lesson.  They won't get that from regular schooling or from ivy league colleges! 
 
 

my nephew had his face ripped off by a neighbor's spaniel. Guess why-- because they have a super-tolerant golden at home, and the parents let the kids totally maul and beat up on the poor thing. To their credit, though, they very correctly blamed the boy for the bite. But they still let him maul their poor dog at home. I put my dogs away on the rare occasions they come to visit.

That's horrible!

ditto dogslife.

I went to a seminar on how to understand men better (laugh if you like, but it worked). In the seminar, it was pointed out that women see men as big hairy women who misbehave (since they do stuff differently than we would, or simply don't do what we want). The seminar showed that by seeing that men have different operating systems, and are not faulty version of ourselves, there was unimagined grace, beauty and perfection to be found in all the men we know.

I wish more pet owners were like the forum members here and cherished the grace, beauty and perfection of their animals, rather than seeing them as pain in the butt babies that never grow up.

When I was about 2 or 3 years old, I was sitting on the patio with Wade, the family dog, playing with these weird dangly things hanging between his legs.  Suddenly, my dad yelled at me, "cut it out or he's gonna bite you!".  I've respected all dogs ever since.

ORIGINAL: Trevell

When I was about 2 or 3 years old, I was sitting on the patio with Wade, the family dog, playing with these weird dangly things hanging between his legs.  Suddenly, my dad yelled at me, "cut it out or he's gonna bite you!".  I've respected all dogs ever since.

ROFLMAO!!!!  We actually teach our students to handle all parts of the dog, even the "privates", and we tell them it's because you don't want the first time the dog is handled there to be when a three year old leans down, grabs something and says "Mommy, what's that?"  (And, perhaps the dog says "Never mind!!!!" with a nasty little disciplinary nip that gets him sent to the pound.)  Every class, week 2 - honest.

Most of the kids around here also ask ... "What's your dogs' name?" and "Can I pet him?" Whoever had Max before I got him must have socialized him really well because he loves kids and adults alike.
 
Joyce

 

Also, welcome - how you taught your dog to be social with children.

 
Taking Bandit since he was a pup to my 10 yo DD's soccer practice and games.  Always had treats for the kids to give him.  He adores kids and thinks they are treat dispensing machines on 2-legs LOL.  Gave me a chance to educate some kids on how to approach dogs and what not to do...hopefully they retained some of that information. 
 
My DD helps with the rescue I volunteer with.  It has been a great experience putting into practice the skills I have tried to teach her in regards to animals.  Of course, there are times I want to muzzle her when she is loudly commenting on some JQP in the store not handling their dog well or bringing in an unneutered male!
 
Personally my pet peeve regarding parents are the ones who bring in children that are terrified of dogs and drag them by the adoption kennels liek it will magically cure them.  I consider that child abuse but have to bite my lip and be polite for the rescue's sake.