Sick of people w/dogs walking them up to and on elementary school property

[Anonymous]

I'm not a huge fan of dogs, but I can't imagine kicking one. Clearly if it were aggressive and tried to hurt or--god forbid--did hurt my DS I would do anything to protect him. But short of that, can't imagine getting physical with a leashed beagle or something that came up to DS. I don't care for the licking--and I care even less for the owners who let their dogs rush right up to toddlers and say "don't worry--he's friendly!" as they allow, like, 6 feet of slack in their leash--but kicking? That's not something I would want my DS to see his mommy do!

[Anonymous]

Here's some stats:

A survey by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta ("CDC") concluded that dogs bite nearly 2% of the U.S. population -- more than 4.7 million people annually. (Sacks JJ, Kresnow M, Houston B. Dog bites: how big a problem? Injury Prev 1996;2:52-4.)

Almost 800,000 bites per year -- one out of every 6 -- are serious enough to require medical attention. (Weiss HB, Friedman D, Coben JH. Incidence of dog bite injuries treated in emergency departments. JAMA 1998;279:51-53.)

Dog bites send nearly 368,000 victims to hospital emergency departments per year (1,008 per day). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nonfatal Dog Bite–Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments — United States, 2001, MMWR 2003;52:605-610. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report is published by the CDC.

16,476 dog bites to persons aged 16 years or greater were work related in 2001. (Ibid., Nonfatal Dog Bite–Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments — United States, 2001, MMWR 2003;52:608.

Every year 2,851 letter carriers are bitten. (US Postal Service.)

Getting bitten by a dog is the fifth most frequent cause of visits to emergency rooms caused by activities common among children. (See Weiss HB, Friedman DI, Coben JH. Incidence of dog bite injuries treated in emergency departments, JAMA 1998;279:53; also see US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Injuries associated with selected sports and recreational equipment treated in hospital emergency departments, calendar year 1994. Consumer Product Safety Review, Summer 1996;1:5.) Note that this comparison is limited to activities that children more or less voluntarily engage in, such as playing sports, playing with animals, etc. Dog bite injuries are not specifically set forth in Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, Child Injury and Mortality, pp. 36, 37, 136 and 137, which states that the leading causes of emergency room visits overall are falls, being struck by or against an object, natural or environmental causes, poisening, being cut or pierced, and motor vehicle accident.

An American has a one in 50 chance of being bitten by a dog each year. (CDC.)

[Anonymous]

Amen! People do come first, but we all need to take responsibility for both our dogs AND our children. That means being aware of your children and where they are at any time. You are just as responsible for keeping your kid out of the street where he/she could be hit by a car as you are for keeping your kid out of the way of strange dogs.

I want to know where all of these dog abusers live? I keep my dog well under control and I go out of my way to keep my dog away from children or people I don't know, even though my dog is very well behaved and is very docile. If your child wants to approach my dog, please ask first and I will hold my dog while your child gently puts his/her hand out for my dog to smell. This is the appropriate way for someone to interact with a strange dog. If you see us on the street and call out, "Do you mind keeping your dog away from us?", I will gladly take the warning and follow the direction!

If you kick my dog without provocation, I will report you to the police for animal cruelty!

Thank you. I couldn't agree with you more. The person that said she would kick a dog is clearly nuts and I would also report her to the police if she kicked my dog for 'getting too close to her'. My dog has passed FOUR obedience training classes, walks on a 6 ft. lead with a gentle leader, is also docile and never goes up to random strangers and starts licking them. On the other hand, we get approached ALL the time by kids with parents asking if she can say hello to them. If that happens, I make her sit and ask the child to let my dog sniff her hand first. But to be honest, most of the time, the kids don't even ask first and just start petting her face and the clueless parents don't say a word (as in, don't explain to their kids that they shouldn't approach strange dogs).

I've often thought that DC Urban Moms attracts a bunch of weirdos but this thread has confirmed my beliefs. I really don't know if there are just one or two dog haters that just keep posting their hateful remarks or what but I'm just shocked at how rude some people are about all dogs and dog owners. I've never just been in a park and had a dog come up and lick me but apparently there are dogs all over Washington, D.C. licking toddlers...give me a break.

I grew up really scared of dogs, which is one of the main reasons I wanted to get one - I wanted to get over it. But even before I owned a dog, the only thing that irritated me about dog owners was off leash dogs and people that leave their dog poop. And I STILL knew that it was just a few dog owners who did this and didn't decide it was ALL dogs and dog owners. Yes, dog owners need to be respectful but so do non-dog owners and some of the people posting on this thread are making huge generalizations and being downright rude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Amen! People do come first, but we all need to take responsibility for both our dogs AND our children. That means being aware of your children and where they are at any time. You are just as responsible for keeping your kid out of the street where he/she could be hit by a car as you are for keeping your kid out of the way of strange dogs.

I want to know where all of these dog abusers live? I keep my dog well under control and I go out of my way to keep my dog away from children or people I don't know, even though my dog is very well behaved and is very docile. If your child wants to approach my dog, please ask first and I will hold my dog while your child gently puts his/her hand out for my dog to smell. This is the appropriate way for someone to interact with a strange dog. If you see us on the street and call out, "Do you mind keeping your dog away from us?", I will gladly take the warning and follow the direction!

If you kick my dog without provocation, I will report you to the police for animal cruelty!

Thank you. I couldn't agree with you more. The person that said she would kick a dog is clearly nuts and I would also report her to the police if she kicked my dog for 'getting too close to her'. My dog has passed FOUR obedience training classes, walks on a 6 ft. lead with a gentle leader, is also docile and never goes up to random strangers and starts licking them. On the other hand, we get approached ALL the time by kids with parents asking if she can say hello to them. If that happens, I make her sit and ask the child to let my dog sniff her hand first. But to be honest, most of the time, the kids don't even ask first and just start petting her face and the clueless parents don't say a word (as in, don't explain to their kids that they shouldn't approach strange dogs).

I've often thought that DC Urban Moms attracts a bunch of weirdos but this thread has confirmed my beliefs. I really don't know if there are just one or two dog haters that just keep posting their hateful remarks or what but I'm just shocked at how rude some people are about all dogs and dog owners. I've never just been in a park and had a dog come up and lick me but apparently there are dogs all over Washington, D.C. licking toddlers...give me a break.

I grew up really scared of dogs, which is one of the main reasons I wanted to get one - I wanted to get over it. But even before I owned a dog, the only thing that irritated me about dog owners was off leash dogs and people that leave their dog poop. And I STILL knew that it was just a few dog owners who did this and didn't decide it was ALL dogs and dog owners. Yes, dog owners need to be respectful but so do non-dog owners and some of the people posting on this thread are making huge generalizations and being downright rude.

New poster here. I agree with those parents who feel the need to protect their children. I have encountered way too many dog owners who think of their dog as a person versus an animal....who want to "share the love". My children have been bum rushed by dogs on trails, walking down the street, at the park, and places you wouldn't imagine like Ballet Petite (who now, I believe, doesn't allow them in the studio). To the dog-owners, we don't know you or your dog....or how your dog is going to behave...or whether your dog is dangerous. When your dogs approach a child in a hurried manner, like anything/anyone, it poses a threat. Even if it is being "friendly", it is in someone else's personal space. How would you like a stranger or strange animal licking your baby or toddler in a stroller? It happens all the time, and is absolutely disgusting and unsanitary. A dog is a dog, and who knows where it's been. You may think that your dog is cute, wonderful, friendly, loving, a member of your family, whatever. However, they can be quite threatening to children who don't share your love of animals in close proximity....and to parents who find them unsanitary.

[Anonymous]

New poster here. I agree with those parents who feel the need to protect their children. I have encountered way too many dog owners who think of their dog as a person versus an animal....who want to "share the love". My children have been bum rushed by dogs on trails, walking down the street, at the park, and places you wouldn't imagine like Ballet Petite (who now, I believe, doesn't allow them in the studio). To the dog-owners, we don't know you or your dog....or how your dog is going to behave...or whether your dog is dangerous. When your dogs approach a child in a hurried manner, like anything/anyone, it poses a threat. Even if it is being "friendly", it is in someone else's personal space. How would you like a stranger or strange animal licking your baby or toddler in a stroller? It happens all the time, and is absolutely disgusting and unsanitary. A dog is a dog, and who knows where it's been. You may think that your dog is cute, wonderful, friendly, loving, a member of your family, whatever. However, they can be quite threatening to children who don't share your love of animals in close proximity....and to parents who find them unsanitary.

I was the PP and you completely missed my point. I can assure you that my dog NEVER bum rushes children on trails, on the street or at the park or at ballet classes. Whenever I am with her, she is as I said on a 6FT lead, with a gentle leader and I am paying attention. As I said, she has passed four obedience training classes You wouldn't need to "know" me, you would see that she is on a 6FT lead and that I'm not letting her approach strangers and lick them. She has NEVER licked a baby or toddler in a stroller.

WTF???? Why do some of you assume that all dog owners are careless!? That is what is so annoying about this thread.

[Anonymous]

PP again.

Edited to add that I would never think to bring my dog to a ballet class nor would I expect that she would be allowed there. This isn't France.

[Anonymous]

For all you morons that think your toddler is getting germs from dog licks, here is a story from ABC news saying that human kisses are more germy:

Myth: Dogs Have Cleaner Mouths Than Humans
Pooches Mouths Are Dirty, but They're Safe to Kiss
Oct. 14, 2005 —


Pet lovers can't get enough affection from their pooches. And if licking is loving, they get a lot of loving.


But is it really safe to kiss a dog, considering where they often put their mouths?


"Their saliva is much cleaner and if you have a cut or anything, if they lick it -- it's healing," one woman told "20/20" while being interviewed in New York City.



Proof From a Veterinarian
To find out just who has a cleaner mouth, we asked veterinarian and fellow dog lover Marty Becker, author of "Chicken Soup for the Dog Owner's Soul," to offer his opinion.


"They raid the garbage can. You know, we give each other a peck on the cheek when we say hello, they give each other a peck on the rear end," said Becker. "All you got to do is look, watch, smell and you'll realize that that is not true."


He thinks the myth that a dog's mouth is clean stems from their practice of licking their wounds.


"And they'll be licking that wound and you'll notice that the wound heals very fast & what that tongue does is it gets rid of the dead tissue," said Becker.


He compares that tongue lashing to the work of a surgeon who cleans out a wound, and said the licking also stimulates circulation.



Go Ahead, Give Them a Kiss
If you want to give your pooch a kiss, it may be safer than kissing another human.


Becker says many of the bacteria in the mouth of a dog are species specific, so it won't harm its owner.


"So a staph or a strep for a human is not transmissible to a dog, if you were to kiss it, and vice versa," said Becker.


Bottom line -- you're more likely to get a serious illness from kissing a person than kissing a dog. But since dogs do transmit some germs, Becker has some advice: "Keep the vaccines current. Good external parasite control, good internal parasite control. You're going to be good to go."


And then, he says you can kiss them all you want.

"They love us unconditionally, they make us laugh," said Becker. "If we're going to give them a little kiss to thank them for that, then that's good by me."



Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

[Anonymous]

I have been entertained and amused by this thread for DAYS! I have a dog and children, and while I understand everyone' point in this debate - no one has mentioned the device that causes more injuries than anything else - the retractable cord leash.

This leash can extend 20 feet or more and after 12 inches goes from nylon tape to cord. The burns, cuts and scars from this cord winding around my children's legs, and other peoples legs and ankles are unforgiveable. When I see someone walking their small dog down my way with one of those killer leashes, I just can't believe it - and they're everywhere!

You can get the same retractable leash, with nylon tape the entire length instead of cord for a couple dollars more, but do you think people do - NO! They just stand there like idiots while their dog runs in circles around you tightening that cord. It's much worse than licking. My 12 year old daughter still has scars from the neighbors dog and that was last summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTF???? Why do some of you assume that all dog owners are careless!? That is what is so annoying about this thread.

I'm not assuming that all dog owners are careless. However, not all dog owners are as thougtful as you say you are. When your dog (perhaps not yours, but others') is bum rushing my child, I'm going to assume that I need to do something about it. Clearly in those situations, the owner is not doing something about it. Perhaps your dog is well-behaved. But, my children have personally experienced dozens of dogs that aren't well-behaved (meaning they come up to my children, one of whom is clearly quite afraid, and attempt to lick them or jump on them or chase them when my children try to get away). At this point, my one child does assume that all dogs will behave this way toward her and retreats the moment she sees a dog. Sad, as I don't want her to grow up with a fear of dogs. My children never seek out dogs to pet them or otherwise be near them. It's not a two-way street.

To the poster who stated that a dog's lick has fewer germs than a human's kiss, I really don't care. I still don't want anything or anyone licking my child. This is insane! Why do you assume that others should share your love of dogs, and not mind if your dog licks or jumps on a stranger? We do mind.

[Anonymous]

The retractable leash was brought up in the previous 100 or so pages of this thread. Not the injuries but how it is annoying. I didn't pay much attention to it b/c I've never used one...always use the 6 ft lead. Usually when I see the retractable leash, it is small dogs.

[Anonymous]

To the poster who stated that a dog's lick has fewer germs than a human's kiss, I really don't care. I still don't want anything or anyone licking my child. This is insane! Why do you assume that others should share your love of dogs, and not mind if your dog licks or jumps on a stranger? We do mind.

I brought it up in direct response to your comment that a dog lick was "unsanitary".

Why do you assume that I think others should share my love of dogs just because I corrected your remark that dog licks are so unsanitary when there is evidence to the contrary? Then you also accuse me of letting my dog lick and jump on people? You are the exact type of person on this thread that is making huge generalizations about dog owners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you just pick your child up if a dog gets too close? Shouldn't you take as much responsibility in keeping your child away from the dog as the dog owner should? The kicking dog posts on here are ridiculous.

I have a very sweet, docile dog who remains leashed and close by my side whenever I am walking her (which is never on or near school grounds).

Of course we pick-up our toddlers/children when we see a dog get close, but dogs can still bite the dangling limbs of the children. Dogs can also jump up and bite the rest of the child or me for that matter. Also, thanks for having a "sweet" dog, but your dog does not know my child or me. So as "sweet" as he may be with you, one cannot predict that he will stay that way in ALL situations. He's still an animal with instinctual behavior. I'd only resort to kicking the dog to defend myself and family if the dog started to use his chops. Please respect my space also.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the poster who stated that a dog's lick has fewer germs than a human's kiss, I really don't care. I still don't want anything or anyone licking my child. This is insane! Why do you assume that others should share your love of dogs, and not mind if your dog licks or jumps on a stranger? We do mind.

I brought it up in direct response to your comment that a dog lick was "unsanitary".

Why do you assume that I think others should share my love of dogs just because I corrected your remark that dog licks are so unsanitary when there is evidence to the contrary? Then you also accuse me of letting my dog lick and jump on people? You are the exact type of person on this thread that is making huge generalizations about dog owners.

18:34 poster again...This thread is beyond humorous! I don't know why some of these dog owners are getting so defensive. If you owners are as careful and respectful as you state you are, then you should have no worries about me kicking your dog. If my DD's visible fear and my audible /request warning to the owners result in nothing being done to control the dog, the dog will get kicked. I really don't see the big deal about that. My Nike's are very lightweight and would not cause a lot of harm...but would at least send a message. It for some reason the kick causes injury to the dog, the dog can lick the wound with its special, magical, anti-bacterial saliva.

The moral here is respect other people. The majority of you do, so it should not be a problem. If my child is in danger, I will protect them and "Bend it Like Beckham." Simple as that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I brought it up in direct response to your comment that a dog lick was "unsanitary".

Why do you assume that I think others should share my love of dogs just because I corrected your remark that dog licks are so unsanitary when there is evidence to the contrary? Then you also accuse me of letting my dog lick and jump on people? You are the exact type of person on this thread that is making huge generalizations about dog owners.

Just because there are fewer germs doesn't mean that a dog's lick is sanitary. What kind of reasoning is that? Everything in life is relative. Forgive my desire to NOT have someone's dog share it's bodily fluids with my family.

Are you being paranoid? Defensive much? I didn't accuse YOU of anything. I haven't made any generalizations. I merely stated that my children have been the victim of much dog licking and jumping...much to my and their dislike. Were these your dogs? I don't know...just like YOU don't know what type of person I am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: 18:34 poster again...This thread is beyond humorous! I don't know why some of these dog owners are getting so defensive. If you owners are as careful and respectful as you state you are, then you should have no worries about me kicking your dog. If my DD's visible fear and my audible /request warning to the owners result in nothing being done to control the dog, the dog will get kicked. I really don't see the big deal about that. My Nike's are very lightweight and would not cause a lot of harm...but would at least send a message. It for some reason the kick causes injury to the dog, the dog can lick the wound with its special, magical, anti-bacterial saliva.

The moral here is respect other people. The majority of you do, so it should not be a problem. If my child is in danger, I will protect them and "Bend it Like Beckham." Simple as that.

Hilarious.