Author Topic: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!  (Read 24108 times)

DenverFurKiddos

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GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« on: December 12, 2007, 12:43:10 am »
Ok, so (if you couldn't tell) I'm beyond irritated right now.  I just came back from the park with Winston and Champ.  While there, this family was walking with their (I'm guessing) four-year old son. As soon as he saw my boys, he started running towards them.  Luckily, Winston isn't really afraid of anything and loves people, so he let this kid lunge at him and basically put him in a headlock!!!!  Meanwhile, the parents are just watching....ne ver did they ask if it was ok!

Then, he started coming after Champ.  I stepped in between Champ and the boy and told him to stop because, I don't know, Champ doesn't seem to like random people steamrolling toward him.  Weird, who doesn't enjoy that??  Anyway, the kid didn't listen to me and lunged at Champ.  Champ growled at him, and stepped back. Just then, the other kid (from the same family) started calling to Winston.  I was so taken off guard and wasn't paying attention to Champ because I literally had to put my hand on this kid's shoulder to guide him away from Champ!  So, while I'm doing this Winston takes off toward the family, and his leash goes flying out of my hand.  Champ tries to take off after Winston, and Champ's leash gets caught under the psycho kid's arm, spins him around, and the kid ends up face planting on the floor. 

I'm glad that the kid's ok.  But, what I kept thinking about was that if Champ would have protected himself, CHAMP would have ended up being the monster.  I was just so upset, I couldn't even say anything- I just hightailed it out of there because I thought I was going to explode!!!

Seriously.... I hate idiotic parents and who can't control their kids and won't (at the very least) teach their kids how approach dogs.  This is how so many dog bites happen, and it's only the dog that gets the blame. 

Ok.  Ah.  Now I feel better.  :) 

Offline Gevaudan_Jo

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2007, 01:15:26 am »
omg, i know how that is. Im so sorry you had to go through that... with my bullies, kids try to approach all the time, Jigsaw is fine, but Zero, he is VERY shy of small children, and they usually come at him in groups of 3 or more... and he gets so scared. and i can tell them EVERY 10 minutes "Not this one, he doesnt like kids" they still come up to him. im ready to just say "if he bites you, its YOUR fault, not his", not like the kids would understand... LOL
sorry again, hope your babies are ok after that crazy walk... *hugs*
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Offline Newly Newfed

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2007, 01:28:03 am »
It drives me crazy when people don't control their kids too.  It's one of my biggest pet peeves.  I'm sure we all have an out-of-control-and-oblivious-parent story.  Here's mine:

I worked in a restaurant and one of my tables had two kids that were running around like maniacs and the adults at the table were just ignoring them.  I was walking by with a tray full of wine glasses and, yup, you guessed it - They ran into me and the glasses broke all over me.  A few drops fell on the kids and the parents started screaming for the manager saying how I stained their kids clothing, and how could I be so careless,  I could have killed their kids with the broken glass and blah, blah, blah.  And here I am in a white shirt, drenched in red wine, with an entire Saturday night shift to finish.  I really wanted to just say to the person, "Are you for real?"

Kids can be a real problem with dogs.  I'm glad your boys are fine and you should be proud of them for behaving politely.  I'd hate to see them blamed for reacting to some maniac kid who was never taught manners.
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Offline Amy (guffer)

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2007, 05:32:20 am »
You would think that most parents would understand how dangerous it is to let their children run up to strange dogs and risk getting biten.  I teach my kids, ages 11, 10, 7, and 2 to ALWAYS ask permission before approaching another persons dog.  And we practice this at the park or Petsmart or anywhere else we run into people with their dogs.  I also go a step further and teach my kids how to respect a dog's mood.  It's never acceptable to wake a sleeping dog or touch them while they're eating. My little dogs give a warning growl to my kids if they don't want to be touched and my kids must respect that.  My dogs will never get in trouble for reacting when someone is bothering them.  My KIDS get sent to their room if they get bit because it's always their own fault.  Thankfully this doesn't happen often since my kids are fast learners!  :D 

I had to laugh about Tobey though!  Zeus and Apollo get so excited when they see kids out on our walks!  They, too, will try to drag me across the street to visit them!  They're so goofy!

Offline maxsmom

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2007, 12:15:13 pm »
I had to laugh at the comment "You knew better."  When we are in public, my grown children have made that comment many times.  They also look at me and say "You would have killed us, if we had done that."  My response is always, "You're absolutely right."  My dogs love children as well, but they don't all like little yippy dogs.  I would not let my dogs bark or growl at another dog, without correcting them firmly.  Why don't some small dog owners think they need to control their dogs?  Why is okay for them to growl and snap?  I would pick them up if I couldn't stop it any other way.  I keep my dogs away from other dogs, until I ask if they are okay.  I don't understand why other dog owners don't do the same thing.  I have more problems with them, than I do children.  Although, a herd of kids running at them, tends to put them on edge.  I must say that I am very pleased with the number of people who do ask, before touching any of my dogs, adults as well as children.  There are also a lot of parents who will stop their children and remind them to ask, before approaching or touching them.  I think some of it is the parent's fear of Max's size, that causes them to ask, since the question is usually "Is he friendly? or Does he bite?" not "Is it okay to pet him?"  When I am in a bad mood, I am very tempted to answer "Yes, he bites and is very vicious.  That's why I brought him to Petsmart, the park, the craft fair" or wherever we happen to be.
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Offline Nina

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2007, 12:54:17 pm »
LMAO oh Stella you rock!


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Offline pyr4me

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2007, 04:32:27 pm »
Oh, Maxsmom, I couldn't agree more about small dogs!
I took Merlin to the vet the other day (you know, his second home, the holder of the second mortgage on my house)and as I walked into the waiting room, this little King Charles Spaniel launched an attack with no warning. I stepped between them and blocked the little sh*& with my leg, earning myself a tear in my jeans from the nasty beast. The dog kinda bounced off my leg and the lady said "hey you kicked my dog!"
I told her "No, dear, your dog ran into my leg, and ate my pants. But you see my dog doesn't feel well, and although he is usually pretty good with other dogs I would hate to see your dog dead because it is not socialized and poorly trained. I really don't think that it is the DOG"S fault, do you?"
I don't think I have ever been taken into a treatment room so fast in my life, LOL
Stella

This is by far, the best response I have ever heard!! Amen!!
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Offline Newly Newfed

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2007, 04:58:13 pm »
Stella, you're awesome!!  I always want to say stuff like that but I was always taught it's wrong to be confrontationa l.  I was taught to bite my tongue til it bleeds if need be and walk away rather than make a scene.  Maybe I should give my tongue a break and let it say what it wants.  Most rude people don't expect a response and back down when they do get one.

Stella, you're my muse   ;D
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DenverFurKiddos

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2007, 06:00:06 pm »
OMG Stella!  That's hilarious!  I might need to write that down on a flashcard, so that I can pull that line when I need it!  Obviously, words like that escape me when I'm in the moment!!!!!!   ;D

Offline dober_gurl

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2007, 06:05:12 pm »
Awww Stella see that's why your so freaking awesome and we love you! :-* You rock!! ;D

One time when I was taking Hans, a 12 year old foster doberman, to the vet. He was quite upset and just kind of paced around me. When this chick walked in with her youngish lab, her dog was barking and growling at Hans when all Hans was doing was shoving his head into my lap and trying to ignore the world. I heard her say to her dog, no no sweetie that dog will eat you! I seriously would have said something if my mom wasn't there. Something along the lines of "Yep your right my 12 year old doberman with obvious cancer and a limp is most definitely going to attack and eat your bigger than my dobie Lab" Then the woman was trying to entice children to pet the dog but they wouldn't go near her because the dog was scary. :D So it made me feel a bit better.

Some people are so ignorant about breeds, size, and dogs in general. So annoying!
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Offline maxsmom

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2007, 07:36:09 pm »
OMG  I just read the response from Stella.  You definitely are my hero!  I try sooo hard to be good and "Not say anything, if I can't say something nice".  Needless to say I am a very quiet person.  I need you here!  How would you like to visit Orlando?  You can stay with me and I will feed you and all you have to do, is teach me really smart comebacks for all the really dumb things people say. I can only think of one person that I have ever really told off in relation to my dogs and that was the lady that Max stepped on her chihuahua.  Please, I really need you.  That would be great! 
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Offline ZooCrew

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2007, 11:48:50 pm »
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAHAHAHA @ Stella.  that has to be the best comeback ever!  You sure do think quickly on your feet.  I'm one of those people who has a comeback 5 minutes too late.  :P

And I so agree about children approaching dogs.  Gunther and Posey are scared of strange children, but they seem to be the two that attract the most attention (biggest and smallest).  Especially at the dog park, kids will try to go up to Gunther and he's walking away from them, they follow him so he hides behind me.  They continue to come at him so he's going around in circles around me with them running behind him.  They think it's a game (I can kind of see that from a kid's point of view......whee ee, it's tag!) but I always have to tell them to stop.  For the most part they listen and after awhile he usually lets them pet him. 

Little girls are always attracted to Posey b/c she resembles a chihuahua..... ...although in reality she's at least twice the size of one.  She will always run away from them (unless someone has food  :D ) and then stand and bark at them if they continue to try and come up to her.  And what is it with people wanting to pick up strange dogs?  Not that anyone with big paws would have this problem....... ....lol, but kids and adults alike like to pick Posey up.  I rarely pick her up at home, if I do it's for a quick hello and cuddle then back on the floor.  She's not a purse.  I don't carry her around.  She has 4 legs and they work just fine.

Offline zchic

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2007, 02:16:36 am »
Stella, you rock!!!

Little dogs and untrained kids drive me nuts too. I once had 4 little pomeranians attacking Thorn. I was in the street, he was on a leash they were chasing us. Luckily for them he just stood there looking down at them. I was ready to let him eat them!! If he had snatched one up and broke it in half I would not have felt a bit bad...

My kids aren't scared of any dog, I have tried to burn it in their head that they ALWAYS ask before petting a strange dog, and they always let the dog sniff them first etc. They do a pretty good job.
I don't take Thorn out much because he hates kids, he was teased through the fence at our old house by neighbor kids. Gracie and Morgayne are great with kids though, usually theri size stops kids from running up, although i encourage them to pet them when I see them staring.
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Offline London_Pyr_Lover

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2007, 02:55:44 pm »
See I love the kids like that who ask politely and are gentle and sweet, and all that good stuff.  I CANNOT stand the kids who just run over tho.  ANd good for you for leaving the pile on the ground like that, I hope one of those little monsters steps right in it barefooted of course!

I've not really experienced too much of the monster kids, Naja is a country dog, and as such doesn't really go into town much unless it's to my dads or Petsmart.  She's usually really good, but if you get too many kids around her blocking her way and groping her she'll get growly.  She usually tries to hind behind my legs when people start coming up to her.  I always tell them one at a time, and let her come to you.
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Offline Newly Newfed

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Re: GET A HOLD OF YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2007, 04:18:59 pm »
Now at the vets, the folks who were doing the pictures had twin boys, TINY little things. Probably 5? One boy said May I pet your dogs? I said sure! He said do they like hugs? I said they LOVE hugs. He wrapped his arms around Bava's neck, put his face alongside Bava's and hugged him for all he was worth. He said May I give them a cookie? It's a dog cookie! I said sure. He grabbed some cookies, shoves his whole hand in their mouths and said wow! They're drooly! I was like uh...kid, you just put your hand up to the wrist in their mouth. He kept giving them cookies though. They had found a new friend :)




Ahh, two little rays of sunshine amidst the little monsters throwing snowballs at poor Bava.  Where were these kids' parents while they were tormenting your poor dog?  They're the ones that should be yelled at.  Their kids' behavior is THEIR fault.
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