Dog etiquette?

[Sunny Side Up]

I had a "situation" occur at the playground the other day which still has me going hmmm? I was visiting a public playground where a group of homeschool families routinely meet. I know a few of the families in that group and was there because they were having a used curriculum sale, and I love to shop for book bargains. There were lots of kids running around, naturally, my own as well as the other families' kids.

The books for sale were under a shaded pavilion, as was a picnic table with lots of snacks & drinks for the kids to help themselves to. I didn't notice the lady who came to sit at that picnic table with her dog on a leash. But my 8-year-old came up to me and said "That dog bit me."

The dog didn't break the skin on my son's leg, didn't even leave much of a mark. I asked him again about what exactly happened. And my son said he was just walking by the picnic bench where the lady & the dog were sitting and the dog sort of rushed out and nipped at him. He hadn't been trying to entice or tease the dog in any way.

I thought the dog's owner should at least know what had happened, to prevent it from happening to anyone else, and worse. When I told her, nicely, saying "I thought you should know this..." she was very apologetic. And then she began defending the dog, saying how nice & friendly he really was in real life, but being around all these children was making him nervous.

Since I felt like a guest at this group's gathering I didn't want to make a big fuss. So we quickly finished our business & left.

But ever since I've been thinking about it, & going hmmm? Why did she have the dog there when there is a big sign posted at the entrance to the park saying NO DOGS? Why was she there right in the middle of the activity with a dog who gets nervous around a lot of children? Why didn't she get a clue when I told her the dog had nipped at my son and at least move themselves to the edge of the group?

What would you have done if you were that dog's owner? If you were me? If you were that dog?

 

[redhen]

If i was the owner of the dog..the dog would have been brought to be put down.. no questions...
I will not abide a biting dog.. no way...
She should have asked you what she could do for you and your son.... she should have taken FULL responsibility for her dogs actions.

 

[PineappleMama]

That is precisely why I don't take Mattie to a big gathering. She gets nervous around strangers and rather than having to defend her if she freaked out and nipped someone instead I keep her home and I KNOW she won't hurt anyone, or as a result get herself tagged as Dangerous.

If you KNOW your dog, cat, bird, kid whatever doesn't do well in a particular situation then you don't put that animal/person in that situation. To do so is cruel to your 'friend' and it puts everyone else in an incredibly uncomfortable position. Just tacky all around.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

The dog could have been ecited, anxious, or whatever. It sounds like she took responsibility, and apoligized. It may be that the dog is generally well mannered, or it may not. Maybe this incident will keep the owner from taking the dog out in crowded situations or places where there are kids. It doesn't sound to me that the dog was commited to the bite, if the skin was not broken. This makes me believe that the dog may have just been excited or confused. It is the owner who should have control of the dog, so it is prbably the lady's fault more than the dog.

Redhen, I don't see what the dog owner could offer to do for the OP and her son since the child was not injured. I wouldn't offer anything besides an apology since there was techinically no "loss or damages".

 

[seismic wonder2]

First, (your child is OK) If the situation repeats, call the police. You are not a lawer nor a policeman (policewoman). If a dog nips or bites it is because it is threatened.... wheather it's actual or in it's own mind, it feels threatned...If the signs say "NO DOGS" then she is 100% in the wrong....
If she says the dog has bitten (how ever slight) before...SHE IS IN THE WRONG for bring the animal THAT SHE CANNOT CONTROL into a public area......children or not, it's HER responsibility to control her dog......
If you cannot control an animal, IT or YOU should be put down.......The OWNER has the choice.....

 

[redhen]

Quote:
She was making excuses for the dog... IMO.. not the right thing to do when someones kid just got bit... just my opinion though..

either way..i just hope that she keeps him away from kids now...

 

[Tala]

Quote:
100% Agreed!!!!!!!

Exactly why I don't take my Chow mix certain places, because she doesn't do well with kids, dogs or people trying to touch her.
Exactly why I left my Lab mix at home with my sister when travelling because he doesn't do well on long boring car rides where he can't expend all his energy.


Only stupid people put their dogs in the middle of situations that they know the dog can't handle. Unfortunately there are a lot of stupid dog owners.

A good pack leader controls the situation all the time, which can mean the not putting themselves/their pack IN THAT SITUATION in the first place!!!!

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
What?!? Seriously? Put down? How about obedience class? The dog didn't even make a mark on the child! I definitely agree that I would not bring a dog around kids if he was nervous in that atmosphere, that was inappropriate on her part. But now that the OP brought it to her attention, maybe she can consider having the dog properly trained.

I had a husky who had a horrible nipping problem, but we invested great time, money and patience into the best of training, and now she is a beautiful, trustworthy, calm dog who knows it's never okay to "mouth" human skin.

Put it down? I still can't believe I just read that.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
What?!? Seriously? Put down? How about obedience class? The dog didn't even make a mark on the child! I definitely agree that I would not bring a dog around kids if he was nervous in that atmosphere, that was inappropriate on her part. But now that the OP brought it to her attention, maybe she can consider having the dog properly trained.

I had a husky who had a horrible nipping problem, but we invested great time, money and patience into the best of training, and now she is a beautiful, trustworthy, calm dog who knows it's never okay to "mouth" human skin.

Put it down? I still can't believe I just read that.

ooh you read it alright..
a dog that RAN AT HIM with NO WARNING to bite..... That dog is NOT safe..period.
UNLESS you can 100% guarantee that dog to NEVER be around children again....
Its not a risk i would take.... maybe you will..but not me.. its MY choice.. not yours.

I'd never sleep at night again if my dog bit somebady after such a HUGE warning like that.... Because it WAS a HUGE warning...
I have HUGE dogs.. i dont mess around with dog agression... never... its a big responsibility.. and i dont take it lightly..
Have you ever seena kids scarred face after a dog attack?? Do you know any kids that have been bitten by a dog... how it can emotionally scar them for life?? I dont think you really get it...

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
What?!? Seriously? Put down? How about obedience class? The dog didn't even make a mark on the child! I definitely agree that I would not bring a dog around kids if he was nervous in that atmosphere, that was inappropriate on her part. But now that the OP brought it to her attention, maybe she can consider having the dog properly trained.

I had a husky who had a horrible nipping problem, but we invested great time, money and patience into the best of training, and now she is a beautiful, trustworthy, calm dog who knows it's never okay to "mouth" human skin.

Put it down? I still can't believe I just read that.

ooh you read it alright..
a dog that LUNGED to bite a kid is not safe..period.
UNLESS you can 100% guarantee that dog to NEVER be around children again....
Its not a risk i would take.... maybe you will..but not me.. its MY choice.. not yours.

I'd never sleep at night again if my dog bit somebody after such a HUGE warning like that.... Because it WAS a HUGE warning...

We can agree to disagree, but I think that is absolutely ridiculous. Put down a dog who has only once incident that any of us know of improper behavior?!. He did not even injure the child! Proper training works for wonderful dogs all over the place who hadn't been properly trained before. So many wonderful family pets would be dead if we all thought that way. The dog needs to be taught what is and isn't acceptable behavior. That's the owner's responsibility, I don't see why we should put down the dog over this!