I'm paid to deal with dogs, not children!

[dalesys]

It's also illegal to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling.

... on wether (sic) or not it will eat your nuts.

[Sandman]

It's also illegal to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling.

What i do on a saturday night when I'm lonely is none of your business... what!?

[fireheart]

It's also illegal to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling.

Knock it off boys!

[dalesys]

Knock it off boys!

We're trying to knock one off...

[Seshat]

One time I was talking to a friend of mine and out of no where a kid about 3 or 4 came out of no where, ran up to my dog, and gave my dog the biggest bear hug he could. My dog just sat there and took it

My kudos to you and your dog for being exceptionally well socialised and courteous. And to you for attempting to teach the child proper 'introduction to a dog' behaviour, even if neither child nor mother actually chose to listen.

[LillFilly]

A similar thing happened to me. I'd just adopted my shelter dog from her foster family (she was abused and injured and needed some doggy counseling). I went to a box pet store with her for the first time to get her a doggy car seat belt. I was in the isle browsing and she stuck close to me the first few times we went out, pretty much sitting on my feet. Some kids (3 to 4, maybe 5-8 years old) came from the next isle over and were going to her when I told them to leave her alone, I didn't know if she liked kids. I swear I turned back to the shelf for a second and they were on her! Hugging, kissing her, petting her and she had this dopey tongue-lolling grin on her doggy face! I was sooo relieved she liked kids, because I can't imagine what might have happened. The kids were saying they could never pet their dog because it hated everyone! They left her after a minute, I got her stuff and we passed the other isle on the way to the registers; the kids were by a woman and a cart with what looked like a Pomeranian in it - and the Pom had apparently just bitten the employee trying to help the mom!

[notalwaysright]

I don't have clear memories of learning how to interact with animals, I'm sure I learned at a very young age... But I grew up around horses, and you don't just run up to a random horse and expect everything to be cool. Heck, even some of the chickens would peck pretty hard. Hugging a strange dog like it's a stuffed animal shows inexperience with animals. Either they have very a very patient dog or cat at home, or none at all. Or they're used to getting scratched/bitten.

[Kyree]

It depresses me how common this is, and how much the attitude has changed. When I was little, I remember getting bit by my grandma's dog hard enough to draw blood. I ran to my mom, who responded with "Well, you won't be bugging the dog again now, will you?" I learned very quickly what was appropriate and what wasn't, and my parents didn't blame the poor dog when I was the one who deserved it.

I'm not used to it happening to me because most people/children don't run up to my dogs when I have them out in public. They're american pit bull terriers, so usually I get the "Is he mean? Will he bite?", or they start to pet my dog, ask what kind it is, and yank their hand back like they had touched an oven, or the parent yanking the child off his/her feet to run away fast enough before my monster eats them.

[bankworking]

My last dog ended up biting a kid once. We had him on a long leash attached to a tree while we did an outdoor picnic. He was generally just fine with kids, but two active kids around 8 and 10 came up to greet him and before we could stop them, the 8 year old girl hugged my dog while the 10-year old started barking at him. My dog liked kids... he probably would have been fine with the hug. He did not, however, like other dogs, and the barking set him off. He bit that little girl in the face.

Cops said that since our dog was leashed and had been antagonized and didn't have a history of biting, he was fine, but I felt horrible about that little girl and I never wanted to lose my dog because he was declared to have a biting history in the future. It was the hardest thing after that, getting kids to leave him alone, even straight out telling them that he'd bitten someone before.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Our house rule (what I've taught my son) is simple - ask his people and get a 'yes' before you pet. If a dog is tied outside a store, or to a tree like the dog described above, he has no people to ask, we can't pet. I've noticed once my son asks if petting is ok, even though he is nice to the dogs he pets, the owners still keep an eye on the dog to make sure it is feeling good about the exchange. That gives the owner time to step in before aggression starts, if it is needed. Simple rule, easy to follow, easy to teach, and makes the exchange pleasant and safe for everyone involved. Teaching it, or something similar, to children should be mandatory parenting.

[TimmyHate]

Among the stories of bad parents, a huge thumbs up to the parent I saw yesterday while walking my boys. This little girl (maybe 4). Came up, stood about a leash length away, asked very politely if she could pat them. Of course I said yes and explained how to introduce yourself to a dog. Also told her my boys are excitable and may lick her. She gave them gentle pats and said thank you.

I turned to the mother and told her she was clearly doing an awesome job with the girl, she was the best behaved I had ever seen around my boys. Both the girl and the mother walked away beaming,

[Catwoman2965]

My boys have very strict rules: ask the owner if it if OK to pet the dog. If yes, hold out their hands for the dog to sniff, then gently pet it head-to-tail. Thank the owner. And if the dog is wearing a vest, it's working so don't even ask.

I'm always baffled that parents- who probably teach their kids to not stick forks into electrical outlets, to not cross the street without looking, and give them bicycle helmets, neglect this basic safety issue.

I watched my mom's friend's dog while visiting her, and her friend was away for the holidays. Dog is an 11 year old poodle, and quite friendly. Mom's next door neighbors had family visiting, including two small kids. one about 7 or so, the other maybe 3? 3 year old comes over to see dog, puts his hands out for dog to sniff, and then pet him. I know the dog, but as he's not mine, i made sure while he was being pet, i sort of had my hand between his mouth and the little one. And after 30 seconds or so, little one was happy, and I brought dog into the house. He was small enough if he started getting antsy, I could grab him and avoid any issue.

But really? i learned my lesson when I was five. With my own dog. Corgi/terrier mix. A bit high strung and not great with kids. I was playing and backed him into a corner, and stuck my face in his. He got nervous and reacted, biting my eyelid pretty much off. 100+ stitches later i was fine, but it cured me of ever doing that again, and makes me cringe whenver I see a child stick its face into a dogs, no matter HOW friendly and laid back said dog is.

[minchazo]

My kids (almost always) ask to pet dogs as well, though I'm still working on the youngest. I don't think they've ever been told no, but I've noticed that the majority of owners take some kind of precaution. Some just happily watch the exchange and talk to my daughter (who knows most breeds on sight), but a few owners have knelt down with their pet and shortened the leash to directly behind the collar. The kids also know to stop when the pet's owner has had enough.

It seems to me that *all* dogs are friendly, so long as the owner gets to control the encounter.

[An Haddock]

My kids (almost always) ask to pet dogs as well, though I'm still working on the youngest. I don't think they've ever been told no, but I've noticed that the majority of owners take some kind of precaution. Some just happily watch the exchange and talk to my daughter (who knows most breeds on sight), but a few owners have knelt down with their pet and shortened the leash to directly behind the collar. The kids also know to stop when the pet's owner has had enough.

It seems to me that *all* dogs are friendly, so long as the owner gets to control the encounter.

I worked at a boarding kennel for a few years so I've seen many breeds and personalities come and go. There are a small handful of dogs that are just meant to be one-person dogs. They don't like anyone but their owner. Even with the owner there and a leash on them, they'll snap at anyone. The once in a while we got one of those in the owner would have to take them down to the cage and put them in themselves.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I worked at a boarding kennel for a few years so I've seen many breeds and personalities come and go. There are a small handful of dogs that are just meant to be one-person dogs. They don't like anyone but their owner. Even with the owner there and a leash on them, they'll snap at anyone. The once in a while we got one of those in the owner would have to take them down to the cage and put them in themselves.

I've known some cats who were that way as well.

Miss Monkey-Monk was that way. She tolerated my brother, ignored my Mom for the most part (even though my Mom was the one who initially rescued her and her two siblings and their mommy from a empty garage) but she loved me. And it took her two weeks after she came to our house before she'd even let me pet her.

First week, she hid underneath the bed. I had a litter box in the corner for her, food and water under the window. I'd hear her after I'd turn out the lights and get in bed come out to eat and use the box, then she'd disappear back under the bed.

Second week, she started venturing up onto the bed, but only after the lights were out and I was lying still. By the time I'd raise up to see her, I'd see her disappearing over the footboard and she'd go back underneath.

By the end of the second week, she finally decided to lay on top of the bed while I was stretched out across watching tv. After a staring contest that lasted a couple of minutes, I slowly reached my hand out and for once, she didn't flinch or try to run. I guess maybe she got over the night we got her into the carrier and brought her home (after I'd chased her around a screened in porch for an hour and a half - and then the poor little thing almost bit me as I was trying to slam the door behind her so she wouldn't get out.)

But once she got used to me, I was hers for life.