Children greeting dogs inappropriately

I was out walking today with my 14 week old Brittany puppy and I was approached (more like charged at) by two children, approximately 6 or 7 years old who were screaming and shouting about how cute my puppy was.
Naturally my girl cowered behind me and was rather unsure of these loud screaming girls. The girls then tried to get to my puppy even though she was trying to get away.

Once the parents got to me I kindly pointed out that this was not the correct way for children to greet a dog, especially a dog that they do not know. The mother then replied "well she's only a puppy, what harm can she do?" I informed her that whilst she may not be able to do much harm, a larger, older dog may do a lot of harm if the children were to approach the dog without owners permission.

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience of this and how they have combated it.

I was also interested to see what peoples views of basic dog etiquette being taught in schools would be?

I've encountered it a few times. I'm afraid I turned into big, nasty adult and made damn sure the kids didn't get to my dog. Rupert wasn't used to children and while fine with calm ones was frightened of ones that charged at him screaming and trying to grab at him. It was a case of to hell with being thought of as rude or mean or getting abuse off the parents, there was no way I was going to let them put my dog in a situation where he might bite a child.

My current dog, Spencer, couldn't care less. He adores children and is as eager to greet them as they are to greet him. I do still insist on polite behaviour from both sides though, mostly to stop anyone getting hurt accidentally and because imo children should be taught how to act around dogs for their safety and the dogs safety.

When I was about 8 we had someone come in to our school with their GSD and give us a talk on the basics of looking after dogs and how to behave around dogs we didn't know. I still remember it 21 years later I think there's someone on here who does the same sort of thing if I'm not mistaken.

Teaching children not to approach strange dogs is something that PARENTS should be doing, not school teachers. In my opinion there is already too much stuff taking up time in schools that should be the responsibility of parents. Along with toilet training and table manners and all sorts of other 'social' stuff.

Primary school teacher pal of mine was telling me what a difference it would make to a lesson if all school age kids could do up their own coats and put their shoes on themselves. Might only take a minute to do it for your own child but if half the 30 kids in a class need help - that can take up most of the time allotted for the lesson!

body language
without man handling the child i forcefully and deliberately block their way and/or use definite hand signals. this gives a clear indication to any nearby parents.

the other day i was walking a nervous dog and saw some kids in the distance. so i walked what i thought was going to be the opposite way to them. however, they came my way running, but not at my dog, just playing. i called out in advance stop there mate, this dog doesnt like kids. however, due to his over exuberance and lack of cognition due to his age, he kpet coming. i shoved my hand right in front of him in a stop sign whilst calling woh!
i was a bit cornered by that stage. the mum suddenly appeared from nowhere and grabbed him then apologised. although a different situation to yours and they hadnt done anything wrong, the technique defintley worked.

in your case you most likely would get some stick just for doing these things with such kids, but their is nothing you can do about parental attitude problems, use these techniques regardless, you've then stopped kids in their tracks, after which just walk off quick sharp ignoring any mouthing parents.

This is a great resource for teaching kids how to greet dogs, and also what to do if they are scared by a dog ("Be a Tree" instead of running away)

http://www.safetyarounddogs.org.uk/sashi_code/

A neighbour came to our front door two days ago to ask my boyfriend to fix her computer for her. He'd only met her once, but she'd somehow found out he's an I.T engineer and had packed up her computer in the car and knocked on at 8 in the morning! Anyway as soon as the door opened and little 10 week old Kess popped over to have a peek she squealed 'PUPPY' and swooped down and picked her up.

As annoying as it is to have a complete stranger pick my somewhat reserved puppy up without any greeting or my permission, but she then proceeded to hand pup to her 9 year old son with diagnosed ADHD who was with her and pulling at her coat to 'see the puppy' and screaming blue murder. She handed Kess to him before I could say a word and he promptly proceeded to almost drop her before I lunged forward and caught her and then kicked up a massive stink when I took her back I have no problem with well behaved children greeting the puppy, I want it as part of her socialisation! But little children need to learn that grabby hands and temper tantrums are not the right way to go about it and I was not happy to say the least.

Yeah, just to make it clear, I don't grab the child or anything like that, I just tend to keep myself between them and the dog and use voice and body language to get them to stop.

So do some dogs, Spencer has a right old tantrum if there are children playing and he can't go and join in

Older children and teenagers in the area I live now, which is semi-rural, seem to be MUCH more respectful of animals than the large densely-populated coastal area where I used to live.

This is probably because there are sheep in a field next to the outdoor swimming pool (visible through the chain link fence), young beef steers in the field next to the infant school which also has a very well used public footpath through it, and nobody here lives more than 10 mins walk from the nearest livestock. They learn a respect for animals while growing up, which you just don't get in larger towns & cities.

However young children coming out of the infant school often think it's funny to bark at my dog, and their mothers don't seem to be correcting them. If he barked back and frightened the kids, then we could be held liable under the DDA sec3.

Older kids from the comprehensive school who run around screaming and shouting at each other upset my dog as well and sometimes he will bark - mainly because of the abuse from teenagers we got when living in our previous location, which he will never forget - but when he barks they scream more and run away more... Catch 22.

Luckily I am able to avoid them, walking at times and in areas away from them (which was not an option in my previous locale).

The older teenagers here are really good and respectful, and I have told a few about my dog's previous issues with teen gangs - word has got around and they are being very calm around him, it's lovely to see.

But I can't help worrying if they might be the last of the respectful generation - if those coming up behind them behave so badly around animals, and their parents don't see any reason to teach them good manners with livestock.

Well in the few weeks we've had Rosie the interaction with kids has been positive and we've always been asked if they can stroke her. Its a fairly rural area so I guess that helps.

20 years ago I was in a pub beer garden in Somerset (Tuckers Grave if anyone knows it) the bloke who supposedly was the local drug dealer had a Mastiff X called Tazz and it could be a nasty so and so if it wanted to and certainly looked the part. A group of parents let one of their toddlers come up an pat its face, to which it growled, the owner called over to them something to the effect that he wouldn't trust his dog with their kid, and they retrieved him. We were all pissed but when sober realised it could have been dreadful.

It's one of many things that really grinds my gears. I did ask someone if they'd let their children charge at at a rottweiler, to which the answer was "of course not" i poliletely gave her my 10 cents and told her that if they wouldn't let them charge at one dog they shouldn't let them charge at any.