Well, I didn't reply on your previous post about kids and pets because all I could add was a "me too!". Heck, aults and pets - especially dogs. I have seen the most mild-mannered dog turn into a snapper/biter thanks to circumstances... and "protecting their owner" is one that is deeply ingrained in most breeds. So folks who stick their hands in the personal space of a dog get what they deserve. Unfortunately, the dog doesn't afterward.
When my eldest was in kindergarten he tried to pet a dog in the apartment across the street's patio. It was fenced in AND posted "Beware of dog. But the boy had to try anyway and he got bit. We (dog owner & I) called the authorities (because it was witnessed) and when the cop got there, my son interrupted the adults to tell the man that the dog was not at fault. He'd seen the sign and trespassed and got what he deserved. As mad at him as I was for what he'd done, I was very proud at that moment that he understood he'd broken rules, he took responsibility, and his major concern was that the dog not be punished. It wasn't - shots were up to date and we declined (of course) to press any action so everything was fine.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2009-06-25 09:29 pm (UTC)When my eldest was in kindergarten he tried to pet a dog in the apartment across the street's patio. It was fenced in AND posted "Beware of dog. But the boy had to try anyway and he got bit. We (dog owner & I) called the authorities (because it was witnessed) and when the cop got there, my son interrupted the adults to tell the man that the dog was not at fault. He'd seen the sign and trespassed and got what he deserved. As mad at him as I was for what he'd done, I was very proud at that moment that he understood he'd broken rules, he took responsibility, and his major concern was that the dog not be punished. It wasn't - shots were up to date and we declined (of course) to press any action so everything was fine.