Terrified children - what`s your approach?

Today I was talking to some children I work with about the carol singing we`ve organised. I said my friend will be bringing her Schnauzer with antlers on as a reindeer. One of the kids (aged about 9) got herself into a state in case the dog `jumped up`. I said the dog wouldn`t but if she was that worried she`d better not come.
Then in the park I was sitting outside the cafe having lunch with Daisy and Shamus sitting quietly beside me when a small child started screaming at the top of his voice because he didn`t want to walk past the dogs. I pretended not to notice and the parents did likewise and eventually the child went past, leaving me with bruised eardrums.
In these situations I tend to just ignore the screams - provided my dogs aren`t actually doing anything to provoke it. But maybe I`m just insensitive. What do you do?

If you think your insensitive then I am really insensitive.

id do he same as you, really Not your problem, i may even "tut" or "oh for god sake ", it really irrates me. im completly scared of bananas but i dont run around screaming each time i see one.

If the child is generally Phobic then thats different, but again not your problem unless asked to help, childern with this "learnt" screaming behaviour do my head in.

Screaming children do my head in too.
Thankfully none of them have done it round my dog, because she's a dog - I don't know what I'd say!

We have this with one of our Grand-daughters,(4 year old) It REALLY annoys me, even Patrick (who is alot more patient than me) get p'd off with it.

However having said that, we agree that we think it's Patrick daughter that has started this.

When she was a baby, instead of letting her mingle with the dogs, like the other Grand-daughters did, her Mom would pick her up and be fussy over dog hairs... as time has gone on this has resulted in Elle having to be picked up whenever they see a dog, screaming hysterically. My Step-daughter used to phone us before she got here to ask ''will you put the dogs in the kitchen, as you know Elle's feelings on dogs'' In the end we said NO sorry that's not a option as all three dogs are sensative to her fears and don't attempt to approach her anyway, so now we have to visit them. Thats fine with us, after all the dogs didn't like being pushed out and the other 7 Grand-daughters absolutely love them.

We've tried talking to Patrick's daughter about it, and we've tried (hard) telling her that she is making matters worst by picking Elle up in the air, or hiding Elle behind her, or hiding her in the car, whenever they see a dog, but to no avail. The best part is the Mom isn't afraid of dogs......so why make her daughter afraid. One day I can see that child getting bit

yes i see lots of mothers making it worse , ive heard "dont go near that dog it might bite" a few times as a "tool" to keep the child walking, very very good parenting

Well as you know Luca adores dogs, but sometimes this is worse as he would go up to every dog if i let him and cuddle it the way he does bruno. So I can always be found saying" dont touch that dog Luca as you dont know him and he might not like being touched"
This seems to work ok as he then says "is he sore" so i normally say yes as that seems to pacify him.

HOwever as the owner of a staffie I get numerous children pulled away from him in the street even when walking along with Luca beside us, I ALWAYs say to these people "do you not like dogs" and if they say no then fine, but if they say yes I do, I will ask if they would like to touch Bruno., This has definetly helped a few parents to come round to the staffie idea.

My friend from antenatal has a little girl who from day one when visiting has acted weird infront of the dog - she would always lift her daughter the moment bruno came into the room, she would also say to her daughter "dont go near the dog or Watch the dog " etc and now the wee girl is terrified of dogs especially Bruno and he has never so much as looked at her funny. I have said to this girl that its her fault and she shouldnt react the way she does but she doesnt listen.

She does the same with cats as we are at a mutual friends house who has cats and the hubby was holding the cat letting the children pet it. her daughter came over ( she wasnt in the room) and i asked the wee girl if she would like to pet - she did and enjoyed it then when the mother came back in she said oh come away you dont like cats ??? WTF?

its silly.

My auntie was scared of dogs and put it on her children an all 3 were terrified when young, NOW they are ok but have had to retrain themselves as they literally used to run awauy screaming...

I certainly dont make any leeway for people in my home, they come knowing i have a dog and I refuse to lock him outside etc.

In the street i will just say dont be scared he loves kids, if they start panicking.

As a child I was terrified of children but never ever screamed as that would attract them to me, some of these screamers are attention seekers not genuinely afraid IMO.

The children who lived upstairs from us always screamed on the stairs if we met them despite the fact as soon as we saw them the dogs were shut into the hallways away from the stairs. It got so bad they even started screaming when we didn't even have the dogs with us and at that point I had to say something, and it turned out they regularly visited friends with dogs and had no problem with them they just thought it was funny to scream.

In the mean time they had made my poor sound sensitive Molly almost scared to leave the flat in case she met these idiots and Duncan wold have happily bitten just to stop them

A few of my son's friends are scared of dogs...great house to come to for their tea...not!!!!!
I shut the dogs behind a stairgate in the kitchen so they can see them and feel safe...
I take Cosmo to school on occassion to pick my son up.
It is amazing how many children who are phoebic, will eventually come round to stoking a big bouncy Flat Coat,once it's sitting down and eating chicken!
I always try and explain to them that our dogs are good dogs and how to stroke them if they would like to stroke them. They all come round in the end. Had one very phoebic child walk Mo home on a lead once!!!
I think it's about setting a good example, showing people that your dogs are ok and so are you and that you are responsible....makes phobic parents more relaxed too.

I ignore the little screamers too. It bugs me when they squeal, jump around and flap their hands. Luckily my two don't pay any attention and just walk past nicely.

They like children though and I welcome any kids to stroke them if they ask first (which all the kids round here do because there are a lot of dogs).