I am not going to give any explainations or anything but one of these pics has created a bit of a stir. So I am cureious what others see.
plebayo wrote:I don't know what there is to be in arms about...
There's a picture Michelle posted of Ruby with a kid pulling her lip up... seems to me that could be just as bad as a kid hugging a dog. I don't really see a problem - if the dog has an issue with restraint/being grabbed around the neck one would assume the owner of a dog like that would not let it around children.
On the one hand children should be taught how to act around dogs, IE: gentle petting, no hitting/pinching/etc. But I would expect a child to hug my dog, I would expect a child to be in their face because my dogs are at face level for most small children [well, Seth is. LiLo is a little bit shorter]. My dogs don't get weird about anything and if they did, I wouldn't have them around small children.
Well, that's quite a different story in many ways. In Michelle's pic, it's a solid dog that's been around that particular kid for a while (relative), and the dog is used to kids. the other thing is that in the dog world, lip pulling doesn't necessarily equal hugging. Dogs do mess with each other's lips...not that they necessarily *enjoy* it...but dogs DO NOT HUG EACH OTHER. We're primates, we hug...dogs do not. So many, dare I say "most" dogs don't tolerate hugging well. I teach my dogs to tolerate it...but only Xander really snuggles in for hugs. But even with him, there's a look in his eyes.... Everyone wants to pick up Figgy...he HATES being held and cuddled...but even after I tell people "no, he doesn't enjoy it..." people still try. Because that's what humans do. We can't help ourselves.
I agree, kids should be taught, and dogs should be taught to cope...to the best of their abilities. And yeah, if that kid rushed up to my Inara and tried to hug her, he'd probably come away with a nipped face. There is a lot I've done with her...but there is a lot of potential for trouble...and it's not always the easiest thing to do to just avoid kids. You said above "one would assume the owner of a dog like that would not let it around children"...but I say, it's much easier said that done. We went to a dog event at the local pet store a while back (small strip mall store location, off-leash dog play on a slippery lino floor)...I took Rip and Xander...Xander was sitting in a chair while there. I turned slightly to move Rip out of the way of traffic, and when I did that, a small kid rushed up and grabbed Xander around the neck and squeezed hard and kissed him on the eyes. Xander, being uber-patient, just licked him. But honestly...it's a dog event, I don't expect to have loose, random children mauling my dogs. I wouldn't have kids there just for the potential of being knocked down.
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