I diversed , it matters not if the child knows no better,the issue is being responsible for your dog, no point in thinking the child knows no better , when your dog has bitten it , due to the child not being taught any manners.

Even when kids ask, I never let them touch my dogs. My dogs arent used to children, they're generally wary of them and so I want to keep kids and my dogs safe by not allowing any interaction.

If any kid attempts to touch my dogs I tell them straight that they are to leave them alone.

I'd like to think that most responsible owners would maybe muzzle their dog if there is a chance it will bite, be that a child or another dog, as you say people cannot be relied upon to control their children or other dogs so we have to take responsibility into our own hands for the sake of our dogs also.

There is always a chance that any dog will bite if the right buttons are pushed. IMO, if a dog goes out of it's way to bite (humans or other dogs) or it bites with minimal provocation then yes, muzzle that dog. However, if a dog is quite happy to mind it's own business and it's space gets invaded by uninvited and unwanted guests that it eventually takes exception to after heedless warnings then that is a different issue.

Any dog might bite a child or adult if its spooked enough, should we all go round muzzling our dogs, just in case an unruly child catches them unaware

Many people cant control their children or their dogs ...thats not my responsiblity, I look to keep mine safe, I cant be responsible for other people or their kids or dogs.

Completely agree.

See my edited post - i added that we have to take responsibility then if others don't for the sake of our dogs and if that means muzzling them to prevent bites then so be it, heedless warning or not if your dog did bite who would be to blame in the eyes of the law ?

I don't agree either that all dogs would bite, my wouldn't not just by a child approaching them, it that were the case then i would muzzle my dogs.

Muzzling rates would increase if people learnt to keep their gobs under control as well... bet there are a fair few out there who don't muzzle because of the stupid ignorant comments that they get.

Personally - I don't tend to muzzle now unless I know it's going to be a dog-heavy situation... to save my thighs and butt from being used as a doggy muzzle remove bottle opener type levery thing.

I'll happily let kids who come and ask politely make a fuss over the dog, or if there's a nice kid grinning at the doggy I'll ask their mum if they want to say hello - but I turn and walk very firmly away from ones who run up screeching and making assumptions.

I also find warning them they're about to be licked to within an inch of their lives to be a good deterrent from the Dettol brigade!

Mine wouldnt bite just by a child approaching them - but what if that child decided to throw it's arms around my dogs and start trilling in it's ear in the high pitched way that children do? Are dogs expected to put up with that? I think if a total stranger run up to me, threw their arms around me gleefully then they'd get a smack in the mouth.

For me, the best option is to stop children approaching my dogs full stop and I soon intervene if some manage to sneak past me.
When I was out with Aimee yesterday there were a couple of kids on the opposite side of the river as we took our dogs down for a paddle. As soon as they saw we'd got 6 dogs they ran over the bridge, straight to us and amongst the dogs, their parents said nothing. I beat a hasty retreat even though my dogs werent interested. Thats my solution to the problem, not a muzzle.

Don't get me wrong i understand what your saying and i agree there are some stupid parents about and dog owners come to that but thats a different discussion. I'm the same as Dizzi if a child asks politely then thats fine but otherwise if i do get a child come over and touches without asking i just say they should ask first because they don't know if the dogs friendly or not (i don't get many kids coming over anyway, most parents will steer their kids away ) and i've had the "dont touch those nasty dogs" comment too.

What i mean is sometimes we have to take precautions unfortunately to cover our own backs because all too often these days nobody else does !