No need to predict the future but just please do not swear at young children as for me it just diminishes any defence you may have, also you wrote you had your dogs off lead in a street which is one of my pet hates to be honest as 1 it is illegal and 2 no-one can predict a dog 100% (much like a child) and you may cause an RTA, i agree with everyone who states that children should ask first and parents instill that in them, by the way you asked what i would do if it was my child your dog had bitten well that would depend on severity it it was a nick it would be "hopefully lesson learned" it if was more severe then sadly i would feel you had no control over your dog after initial bite and i would seek legal redress for my child and any future attacks your dog may be involved in.
My son is 17 now and i have never sworn at him once and throughout his childhood i have had many disagreements with those swearing around him, i appreciate that he probably swears like a trooper but not around me please, i cannot ever imagine swearing to or around a child even in a moment of temper.
Merry Christmas.

The funny thing is you can imagine the same thread on a mums forum complaining about dog owners again going into the park and not avoiding kids when they know their dog is scared of them and then blaming my kids for it etc etc, swearing at my kids disgusting disgusting etc etc, werent they taught manners by their parents etc etc.

which would also be all unfair conclusion.

I think its all about everyone allowing for the fact that we all have our own natures in everyday situations, we all live in the same place, we all need to show tolerance for those facts and each other, and all need to find and plan ways to avoid the inevitable and makes lives easier for ourselves, let alone others.

You cant predict the future, but i think if you look at a situation in advance and figure out the likelihood of a thing going wrong according to those unique sets of circumstances, then you reduce your likelihood of things upsetting you or stressing you out.
Its something we do quite often when we are driving, i would just apply that to other areas of life as well.

I shouted at a child and his Mum once when I was in my local PO with Cherry, waiting in the queue.

It was around about fireworks time and Parker had an upset tummy the previous day so even though the postmistress says I can bring my dogs in I tied him up to the railings a few feet away and watched him in case he was feeling sicky again.

This boy of about 8 or 9 walked past with his Mum who was pushing a much younger kiddy in a buggy. The boy poked Parker with his finger through the railings and the Mother just watched him! He was then going to do it again and I went and shouted at them "My dog won't bite you but I will-LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU NAUGHTY BOY!"

The Mother just looked at me and didn't say anything then they walked on. That is another reason for it being a bad idea to leave dogs outside shops where you can't watch them-I was watching Parker all the time and he would not retaliate-he just moved away a bit and then I went and shouted at the boy. You can just imagine another dog and the boy repeatedly poking it and getting bitten and the Mother wanting the dog destroyed!

(As I say I don't normally leave them tied outside shops-I was just worried in case he was ill again though he seemed better that day).

Just because they are kids does not mean they should be devoid of manners, common sense has nothing to do with it. Making excuses for bad behaviour is probably the root of the problem!

Oh to be whiter than white, eh?

So am I right to assume you've never done anything illegal? Never had a parking ticket, never gone over the speed limit, never taken something that doesn't belong to you, never downloaded illegally? Hmmm, doubtful! Do you know the street I live on, how much traffic there is, what kind of parents these little darlings have? Hmmmm, yet again, doubtful! Infact most of them don't have two parents, they have several!

I walked through an on lead dog park with my dogs off lead when we had a lot of snow. No one around and all other dogs were off lead for the same reason, no fun trying to stand up straight in the snow and ice with 50kg of dog on the end of a couple of pieces of rope! Walked straight passed a police man who bid me good day and carried on walking. So if the police aren't concerned that my dogs are off lead illegally, then I don't think you should worry yourself sick either. Bit of a waste of time I think.

Like to know what this little cherub did after I swore at her - she walked over to my other dog and patted her on the head. Clearly very traumatised!

Oh and if the need arises for me to swear at another child I will do so, but thanks for your input anyway.

I called Oscar back and restrained him - I did my bit, the parents need to do theirs if they want their kids to be safe. I'm not going to waste my life trying to assume every idiots possible action, otherwise I would have no life. A life without risk is a life unlived as someone once said and paranoia is never a healthy way to be imo.

I'll never forget the time my Mum and I were at a local fun dog show. We were sat down ringside watching the judging and the dogs were eating pigs ears to keep them amused. The young lady next to us had a toddler whom she was allowing to approach any dog it wanted. The mother never did anything when her child went to stroke my dogs who were eating! Fortunately i'd spotted the kid way before it came over to us so I was ready for it!

I'm not sure how much more stupid you can get than letting your small child approach 2 strange dogs who are engrossed in food! It's surely asking for trouble and with idiots like that for parents, these kids dont stand a chance.

Very strange.

Swearing is only words.... who decided that they were bad anyway....?

I can remember back when I was about 15ish and I was walking my elderly TT at the top of my street and I saw these 2 cheeky kids.... they started shouting abuse at me, I think they were about 11ish?
I ignored them... however they pushed me and they kicked my dog that had previously had 2 hip replacements and was roughly 11 years old. Tammy (dog) went flying and fell over and yelped. I chased them and kicked one of them....
Little brats.


A few years ago.... My nephew came running in my mum’s house telling us... they another boy had tried to kick... our 15/16 year old cat who had previously had a few OPs including removing her thyroid and being involved in a RTA... She had just had her stitches out and was sitting in her garden.
I just saw red.... Luckily enough my mum dealt with the situation instead.

Totally agree about the swearing!
They are just words that one day, someone decided they were 'naughty'!
I swear like a trooper

Good on you for kicking the kid! If they can dish it out to something helpless, let them bloody take it!

I was hit by an elderly lady once with a saw (yes, a saw you cut wood with) so I kicked her! No way was I going to stand on my own property and be bullied by someone who was over 60 years older than me, and should know better!

This has been an interesting read. I am always cautious with Bentley around children and will call him off the path into a sit and let the children/family pass by before we carry on; the number of times the kids rush towards us and parents say nothing
I think I would have reacted similarly in the same situation, especially if someone came up behind me without warning and tapped me on the bum

If you say so love!