Hate it when this happens. I have kids but I wouldnt 100% trust jack with strange kids. So being a Mum I would (and have ) told strange kids not to touch my dogs until they've been and found their parents. They never come back!!!

At the other end of this spectrum, I was stood outside school with Milo who was about 20 weeks old at the time. I was chatting to another Mum and Milo was "talking" to her dog. We started to walk off and a girl about 4 yards away screamed, froze and started crying. She scared me to death and apparently it was because Milo was there. The mother gave me such a look as if I'd done something!!!!!!!!! They moved off and we followed behind but this kid was screaming all the way. Then her mother turned to me and said "could you please stay away you can see she's scared of your big nasty dog!" Milo hadn't so much as looked at her never mind anything else. There were kids everywhere so I had to be polite in my reply. I calmly informed her that my dog was not nasty and if her child had dog issues she should try and resolve them as there are dogs stood outside the school gates every day.She didn't like that and has since come out of a different gate and walked the long way around to avoid the dogs.

So I'm not sure which is worse. Those that love dogs and don't ask or those that are totally uneducated. This girl may well have had a bad experience and I can totally understand if she has, but blaming all other dog owners and expecting them to take responsibility is beyond expectations I feel.

Willow- OMG why on earth would anyone approach a horse from behind like that?! What is wrong with people?

and Fern - the kid kicked him? and the mum said he always does that?!!! WTF??!! If my kid ever kicked a dog he would get such a telling off let alone if it was a recurring thing. Jeez.

Sometimes it's difficult to stay sane in the face of insanity . Parents who do not teach their children to behave are not doing them any good at all . Just as dog owners who do not teach their dogs to behave are not doing them any good at all . It seems to me a lot of adults think their children can do what they like but dogs must be perfect at all times . I'm not anti children I have 2 grown up children of my own but they were taught how to behave

I totally agree i would never let my son run upto any dog! Some people are so irresponsible. It happens alot to myself children wanting to hug noah because he looks like a bear!! its really irritating as even though noah is really good he may get excited and knock into them (*send them flying) so i just tell people now that he's in training and that he needs to sit and stay calm before petting

I have two nieces who have just moved into the area and they are NOT good with dogs. They are rough and screamy. I'm getting earache that I won't let them come to play but I won't put my dog in that position. Then I hear that their Dad is planning to get a dog, an Old English Sheepdog no less! My OH (his brother) has gone mad and told him if he gets this dog and it mauls his kids it will be HIS fault not the dog's. I just hope it sinks in.

I feel sorry for any dog in that situation. I hope you and your OH can make him see sense,and re-educate his children on how to behave towards animals.

Unfortunately, their Dad is hyper around dogs too! I just know that if they do get a dog, we'll end up with the poor thing. Probably once it's developed lots of issues and we need to get a behaviourist in.