fourofem Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 The weather here has been awesome so I've been taking my crew out for walks (two or three at a time) for a little change of scenery other than the back yard. The girls and Hitchie are fine...I trust them with anyone, kids included. They love the attention and are perfect little ambassadors. I always walk House and Kevin together...they're just a good match. They love to meet people but I don't trust them with kids getting too close....House is just SOOO big and curious and even I don't get in Kevin's face. Whenever I ask people not to let their kids get too close, some are very understanding and respect that but others get this wierd look, grab their kids and run. I don't want to scare people away and I like socializing the boys, but is there a "nice" way to tell them that they are good, friendly dogs but that their child is at eye level with an Oreo in their hand???? Quote Blair, Stella (DND Heather), Lizzie (M's Deadra), Hitch (Hallo Dominant) and House (Mac's Dr. House) Missing my handsome men Lewis (Vs Lowrider) - 11/11/01 - 3/11/09, Kevin (Dakota's Hi Five) - 1/1/06 - 4/18/11 and my cat, Sparkle Baby - ??/??/96 - 4/23/11 "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is, in fact, the most precious and valuable possession of mankind." (Theodorus Gaza) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 No. Some people will be offended no matter how politely and/or politically you word the request. The important thing is to keep everyone safe. I would rather have someone be offended than injured, no matter who is or isn't at fault. Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfish Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 True, some will get offended whatever you say. After you've said whatever you normally say to ask them to keep the child away, I'd add 'They're not vicious, but it's never a good idea to let a small child get in a large dog's face and I'd hate for there to be an accident.' And maybe point out that if their child's face is on a level with your dog's mouth, he's only got to swing his head around sharply while he's panting and they could be cut. Or just say 'Your child is at eye level with an Oreo in his hand'. Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Yeah, some people will always get offended. I might try something like, "Please don't let your kids approach. These two are still learning and are a bit too rowdy for children." Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45MPHK9 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I would rather have someone be offended than injured. Quote Tricia with Kyle, our senior mutt dog Always missing Murray Maldives, Bee Wiseman, River, Hopper, Kaia, and Holly Oaks Holly“You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.“ -Bob Dylan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jubilee251 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Yeah, some people will always get offended. I might try something like, "Please don't let your kids approach. These two are still learning and are a bit too rowdy for children." I try to frame it like this too. I don't bring up that she could growl and snap if a kid gets in her face, but I say something like, "She's young so she gets excited easily and jumps on people." With a tall, 60-pound dog, they usually think twice about letting their child come too close. I will also usually try to redirect the kids, and say "Feel how soft her fur is here..." and move them to Molly's side and pet her there. Which I've read is MUCH more comfortable and non-threatening for the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mirthlesstroll Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I usually say something like : "He's friendly, but gets excited really easily, and tends to jump around - I don't want him to knock your child over by accident." (Actually, Jett tends to playnip little kids, and I'm sure that wouldn't go over well!) Some people will be offended no matter what you say, but I, like many other posters, would rather someone be offended than mad at me b/c my spazzy dog knocked their little precious down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gecko_foot Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 I usually say something like : "He's friendly, but gets excited really easily, and tends to jump around Now that I've had Tumnus a bit longer, I will allow older children to approach slowly BUT they have to follow my rules. The kids I allow to approach are usually 4 or older (old enough to follow directions). I stand at Tumnus' head facing his tail, and I tell the kid to come stand in front of me so that I am at the business end and the kid is at Tumnus' side. This way he is less likely to jump. It's worked really well so far, and the kids have been very happy to pet such a good dog. That being said, I have no problem telling kids not to approach me. I agree with everyone else - it's better to offend some parents than to end up with an injury. I usually just tell them that Tumnus is friendly but that he loves people and gets excited when meeting them. Having an excited kid run up to him would just make the situation worse, so I just tell the kid NOT to run up to Tumnus and continue on my way. I know I can control my dog, but other people's kids....that's a whole different kettle of fish... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheila Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 I don't talk to the parents. I talk to the kids. If they do something I don't want them to do I use a 'Cesar Milanish' move with the EH! thing with my hands to back them off. I then show the kids with my hands on how to approach a dog. I also tell them they should always ask the dogs walker if it is OK to pet the dog before they do it. Kids are very receptive to this and they like being spoken to directly rather than being scolded (or not) by their parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn8 Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 You can try saying he is very playful and doesn't know his own size. Jenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest widowcali Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 I usually tell people that their kids need to ask before they pet. And I usually get down at the kids level and "show" them how to pet by holding their hands and having them pet my dogs. That way, my dogs aren't too freaked because they are smelling me. Widow puts up with almost anything, but Cali and Bri get so excited with kids. Bri loves the little wipper snappers and Cali gets a little nervous. If I am at dog and kid level, I can kind of intercept any situation that may break out. If a parent asks why I am doing that, I usually tell them that my dog is only 75 pounds but can knock a full grown adult off his/her feet much less a child. Usually though folks just think I am showing their kids how to pet a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 No. Some people will be offended no matter how politely and/or politically you word the request. The important thing is to keep everyone safe. I would rather have someone be offended than injured, no matter who is or isn't at fault. Exactly! The same people who don't understand you're just exercising good sense will most likely be the ones suing you if there was an accident! Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitycake Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 I have the perfect excuse and it's also completely true: Monty has absolutely no coordination and slams his head into things and bruises me, much less a small child. I say it with a laugh (and by then he's usually swinging around bumping into me and proving my point). I like the idea of enthusiasm, or you can even go the other way like we used to: he only felt comfortable with people over 5 feet tall, so I asked them to stop and let him approach them and play up how scary children are to the dog! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobesmom Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 The way I handled it was like this: to the child - "Oh! Kiddo - stop - my black dog is a grumpy old man. He not a mean dog, but he's just old and grumpy to kids so we'd better leave him alone! Would you like to pet my other dog?" 90% of kids would be okay with this. To the 10% that insisted on trying to harass my dog that wasn't crazy about kids and had parents that didn't "get" my polite message - I'd just look at the parent, say "He's not a kid dog" and walk away. Their fault for letting their kid get too close to an unknown dog - even after a polite, friendly warning. Now I have to be rude. I'd rather be rude than have an incident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 I vote No, some people just don't get it, and after all you know your pups best, and not the children, but your job is protect the dogs and the kids, "at all cost" if they are offended so be it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FullMetalFrank Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 Well, since we own dogs with a mouthful of treacherous pointy teeth, that are about eye level with the typical 3 year old, I don't mind telling parents that it's not wise for their kids to get right in the dog's faces. My two, are great with kids and actually don't mind them in their face; but some parents are just oblivious to the fact that dogs can bite their little darlings! So (after telling the kids to ask Mom and Dad if it's OK to pet my dogs) I let them stand to the side and pet the non-pointy end! And I hope they will remember the nice greyhound lady who taught them a safer way to interact with dogs. No, we shouldn't have to educate parents; after all they are old enough to breed, thay should have learned some common sense; but there are really a lot of clueless people out there, and it's the dogs who suffer when someone gets hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sighthounds4me Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 Well, since we own dogs with a mouthful of treacherous pointy teeth, that are about eye level with the typical 3 year old, I don't mind telling parents that it's not wise for their kids to get right in the dog's faces. My two, are great with kids and actually don't mind them in their face; but some parents are just oblivious to the fact that dogs can bite their little darlings! So (after telling the kids to ask Mom and Dad if it's OK to pet my dogs) I let them stand to the side and pet the non-pointy end! And I hope they will remember the nice greyhound lady who taught them a safer way to interact with dogs. No, we shouldn't have to educate parents; after all they are old enough to breed, thay should have learned some common sense; but there are really a lot of clueless people out there, and it's the dogs who suffer when someone gets hurt. Quote Sarah, the human, Henley, and Armani the Borzoi boys, and Brubeck the Deerhound.Always in our hearts, Gunnar, Naples the Greyhounds, Cooper and Manero, the Borzoi, and King-kitty, at the Rainbow Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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