Forget the D.D.A, we need a S.P.A

So i've been thinking, never mind the Dangerous Dog Act, I think its about time we bought in a Stupid Parents act!

Yesterdays example is a classic...

I took Aura and Meeka for a walk together, on the way back we were just walking minding our own business, there was a woman with a kid about 5 or 6, the kid was red in the face screaming as I got closer to them the woman tells her kid to stop crying and to go and give the cute puppy a cuddle!
Kid comes running towards me with its arms out trying to pick Meeka up ( Who by the way isn't a pup shes 18 months old!)
Meeka starts backing off, barking her head off and she pee'd herself, I told the kid to go away as he's scaring my dog, and was in the process of trying to remove meeka from climbing up my leg, so I was half bent down trying to pick Meeka up, Kid at this time is right in front of me still trying to get to Meeka.
Aura decided that enough was enough so she puffed herself up and did a really deep low grumble then barked right in the kids face.
que Kid starts screaming histericorally again, and then the mother dared to have a go telling me that shes going to report me to the dog warden for having dogs out of control!
i'm afraid at that point I kind of lost it.. I shouted back that never mind the dog warden, my dogs were both on a lead under full control, which is more than can be said for her fat faced screaming brat, and its her that should keep her brat under control

Not very nice I know,and by the time i'd got home I was a bit upset with my self for resulting to insults, but she'd got me sooo angry.
I've worked hard with Meeka to try to get her not so nervous around people. we'd actually got to the stage where we could walk past someone with out her shaking and barking, and now this stupid woman has set me right back to square one!
Besides who in their right mind sends their child over to a complete stranger to pick up her dog, when she's walking another large(ish) dog as well. The woman is lucky that my dogs are under control as that kid could quite easily have been bitten right in its face.

Sorry, to hear what a bad experience it was for Meeka. Its a shame to for the child, as that ended up being a negative dog experience for the child too (not blaming you, but the mother).

have to say though, that I couldn't help having a wee giggle at "which is more than can be said for her fat faced screaming brat"
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I have to say I too had a giggle at what you said to her, but on the serious note I am sorry you had to experience this and I hope it's not set Meeka back too far. I really think parents need to think about things more. Hubby gets it with his Guide Dogs all the time - parents going "why don't you go and pat the nice dog?" to their brats. I've given a few of them a piece of my mind and told them to stop being so stupid or one day their brat might get bitten. I've lost count of "but it's a guide dog, they're all nice". Umm yes, it's a dog - annoy it and it will do what any other dog does.

What planet do some people live on?

She was obviously trying to placate the kid but went about it totally the wrong way. She should have asked you if it was ok for the kid to stroke your dog first, thats what i always tell my kids, always ask first as you don't know if the dog is ok with children.

I don't think a child is necessarily a brat because it wants to pet an animal, they just need to be taught the correct way of approaching owners/dogs.

To be fair if I had been walking Bugzy (who is very people friendly, he just loves to be fussed over) and the mum had told the kid to ask if it was ok to stroke the dog, then I would have said yes its ok to stroke him.

But I still wouldn't have allowed him to pick Bugzy up, I dont allow strangers to pick up the Min Pins because I couldn't guarantee that they wouldn't drop them, or the dog get spooked and try to jump out of their arms, so for the safety of my dogs I dont allow them to be picked up by anyone that I dont know.

The mum actually told the kid to pick up Meeka, not stroke or pet her, he was trying to grab for Meeka, even after i'd said no.

I do feel bad now for saying what I did to the mum about her kid, but it was a spure of the moment thing, and I was very stressed and angry at what she had allowed to just happen.

what a stupid woman! i hope this doesnt effect meeka too much, and that her son isnt effected by it either.

it amazes me when people encourage kids to approach dogs they dont know... its not happened to me with jake yet though, every kid who has met him has always asked first, the same cannot be said for the adults though...

Kids have tried to pick up Rogue when I've been walking my three. Like you, I don't want her being picked up. She is very wriggly and could easily be injured if dropped. I also don't want people approaching Dandy, as he is nervous and it sets his training back again. I do wish people would teach their kids to ask first. I've taught mine to ask and they would never pick up someone elses dog. They get in enough trouble for picking Rogue up! Hope Meeka is OK and she isn't back at square one.

It annoys me when stuff like this happens, are some parents just completely braindead? I don't like it when kids come up to my dogs, mostly because they go after Rolo (Springer) who is nervous of people, particularly kids. They don't even ask if it's okay to stroke him and start chasing him when he runs around the back of me to get away.

I dunno, it's just my parents always taught me to ask i the owner if it's okay to stroke the dog

Some people just don't have a clue about dogs do they! And it's such a shame when you've tried so hard to get your dog used to people & get over her fears & then some numpty of a mother destroys it all in minutes. On top of that her child is probably now afraid of dogs (& their angry owners!) & it's all the fault of the mother.

I'm lucky in that both my dogs are ok with children & one of them adores kids & will actively seek out their high-pitched squeals if she hears them when we're out. But she does nothing other than wander over slowly & drop a ball at their feet. The child usually realises that Wilma wants her ball thrown & obliges. The trouble only happens when the parent screams at her child not to touch the disgusting muddy ball that's been in a dog's mouth!

I've sometimes come across children that are very nervous around dogs & the parent tries to reassure their child. I always ask if the child would like to give my dogs a biscuit as I know they're very gentle & will sit or lie down if asked to. It often breaks the ice, especially if the parent gives a biscuit first. The only time this went wrong was when a small toddler took a biscuit from me to give the dogs but promptly put the gravy bone in her own mouth before either her mother or I could stop her My poor dogs looked quite bemused at the sight of the toddler munching their gravy bone!

Your post did make me laugh. Hopefully the child has realised that dogs are not toys now.
I do sometimes get nice children coming to ask if they can stroke my dogs, but because Daisy is occasionally reactive, I ask them (if they`re sensible children) to throw her ball instead, because that instantly makes them Her Best Friend. If it`s a very small child I just tell them she`s been badly treated so better not but thankyou for asking.
I don`t think there`s much point talking to some parents TBH. Thankfully, children are usually brighter than the parents in these families.