Let me preface my post by saying that agree with those who say to slowly introduce your dog to children- hanging outside of playgrounds, getting him used to their noise and movements, etc. I think that is very important.
Now. I am amazed (and not in a good way) at how comfortable people are with both their dogs and their children in social situations. You do not mix a group of off-leash dogs with small children, ever. There's no reason. And as stupid as that mother may have been to let her child run and scream around unfamiliar dogs, if it's a public place, she has the right to be there. You cannot force her to leave (although I suppose you could speak to her about it). If that happened while I was there, I would have immediately leashed my dog- no questions asked. Maybe it's not fair, but YOU (general "you") are in charge of protecting your dog, and that includes protecting him from his own excitement. And anyone who says their dog has a perfect recall is arrogantly stupid. I assure you, there is no such thing. Sure, it's something to strive for, but there are no guarantees when it comes to dogs. Or people, for that matter.
That's just my two cents. I just can't believe how naive some people can be.
Now. I am amazed (and not in a good way) at how comfortable people are with both their dogs and their children in social situations. You do not mix a group of off-leash dogs with small children, ever. There's no reason. And as stupid as that mother may have been to let her child run and scream around unfamiliar dogs, if it's a public place, she has the right to be there. You cannot force her to leave (although I suppose you could speak to her about it). If that happened while I was there, I would have immediately leashed my dog- no questions asked. Maybe it's not fair, but YOU (general "you") are in charge of protecting your dog, and that includes protecting him from his own excitement. And anyone who says their dog has a perfect recall is arrogantly stupid. I assure you, there is no such thing. Sure, it's something to strive for, but there are no guarantees when it comes to dogs. Or people, for that matter.
That's just my two cents. I just can't believe how naive some people can be.
