"My children run screaming from dogs"

Is a quote from Sunday. I was at my cousins house for her son's birthday. We had Axel there (he was minding his own business asleep in the corner and invisible from most of the room) and my other cousin and family arrived. Axel didn't even raise his head when they came in, so they had no idea he was there.
The wife was talking about her bearded dragon and I asked if they'd ever get a dog..."No, dogs are only good stuffed" is the reply, then she added "my girls are terrified of dogs and run away screaming, my son isn't that scared, but is learning to be because he copies his sisters (oldest child is 5)"
I was shocked by this and of course a little upset. Later on the children were all eating (Axel remained in his corner) and the oldest daughter (5) noticed Axel. She didn't run, didn't scream, just started asking questions about him. She told me about a time a 'naughty' dog was off lead and chased her when she ran screaming behind Mummy. I told he she shouldn't run and if she stood still calmly they're more likely to leave her alone...she nodded like this made sense. I asked her to look at Axel and tell me if he scared her. She said no. Even when he did eventually stand up, all she did was comment on how big he was.
The other 2 children showed no fear of Axel at all. So I'm wondering if it's just Axel's calmness or the fact he wasn't running, or whether the fear is encouraged by the Mother. Needless to say she didn't even acknowledge he was in the room, but I can happily state no children ran screaming from him.
No really a point to my post, just found it odd that she seemed proud her children reacted like that. I wish I had the guts to point out that they obviously weren't scared of ALL dogs...
*Rant over*

I find it`s usually the mum that`s scared. The kids are, as you say, merely curious. You actually see children rewarded for acting scared round dogs don`t you. They scream, parents rush to them and stroke them (metaphorically). Learned behaviour!

Exactly what I was going to say. When I take the dogs to school it is the Mum's that pull their children away from them, which makes me laugh as my dogs are tiny, so the children are learning to fear dogs

My OH was scared of dogs, inherited from his Mum, but he has now learnt how to act around them and loves them too. His Sister is still scared of dogs and has now passed that fear onto her 2 children

My 3 love all dogs as that is how they have been brought up, as was I

Given that humans and dogs have lived together for thousands of years, why has it not yet sunk in that running, screaming children trigger play/chase (Or very worst case in poorly socialised dogs, hunt.) instincts in dogs? Damn, humans are STUPID! (As a generalisation.)

I used to find with that when I walked |Flint in the town I used to live that parents would pull their children away from him and even cross the road. I would always put myself between him and others as a matter of politness but the majority of people would be wary, which made no sense to me as he never made a noise and was very relaxed.
I once walked past a woman with a 3 [ish] year old little boy, as soon as the mother saw Flint she pulled the little lad to the side and told him 'nasty dogs, he might bite you and that will really hurt!'
I stopped and said that my dog was not at all nasty and was no threat to her or her child. The look on her face was price-less

Had one walk past me with her child (and I'd made the dog sit down to one side trying to get me to give the treat out of my hand so he looked as non-threatening as possible) screaming and screeching "JUST KEEP ON WALKING, DON'T LOOK AT THE NASTY DOGGIE I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY LET IT OUT ON THE ROADS THEY SHOULD BE BANNED, KEEP ON WALKING KEEP ON WALKING YOU'RE ALMOST PAST THE NASTY DOGGY!"

Could have slapped her to be honest.

Luckily most children soon learn that some parents are stupid.

Ooo don't get me going on stupid women who indocrinate their poor children with their own fears and phobias. If I had a pound for every woman, or man, who said to me "my children are terrified of dogs" I would be a wealthy woman. It is always quite clear to me that the parents are the ones who are terrified, and have inflicted their phobias on to their children. Just like we influence our horses and dogs with our fears and nerves, so we do our children. They pick up from an extremely young age - virtually from birth, as soon as they can focus their eyes on us - very subtle signs and body language that we as adults are not even aware of. I used to be terrified of moths, but I was determined that Holly was not going to be, so I steeled myself never to show fear when they were flapping around the lights at night. I am now far less scared than I used to be, and what is more have a daughter who could not care less about moths.

As for allowing children to run away screaming, well, that is just guaranteed to set up my 2 heffalumps and the chihuahua to fly after them in hot pursuit, thinking it's a brilliant game!! Definitely behaviour to be firmly squashed around all animals, but particularly dogs.

O God no!! I WOULD have slapped the STUPID woman, having first stuck my fingers down my throat to make myself sick

Dizzi, I would definitely have given her a piece of my mind!! I can't stand mums who behave in this way. They are the ones that make their kids paranoid about dogs. My own kids get very frustrated if they ever hear this being said to children. A very good friend of mine was not brought up with dogs as I was and so is consequently quite nervous of dogs she doesnt know but with her daughter she has tried her best to introduce her to everyone with dogs so that her own daughter doesnt have the same anxieties and it has paid off !!