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Children god.

2K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  MariaElena 
#1 ·
So, I'm not a fan of children, but I tend to tolerate them when they are around, and try my hardest to be nice, I smile, be polite, and don't say anything, because I remember I was probably like that as a kid.
Well, I really dislike children that whisper REALLY loudly about your dog, and somehow deciding you aren't a good dog owner.
A few days ago I was with some friends all day - running errands, socializing, and the like. It really cut into Finnley's walk schedule, and when I got back, I had to go take him for a walk, but they really wanted to go to the park that's by my house. So, it was moderately late in the evening, and I thought, "Okay, I can bring Finn, it'll be fine, he won't get overstimulated since not many people are there at that time." (There's a baseball field beside the park that I run Finn in) but when we got there it was child Valhalla. I really wanted to turn back, but my friends pressured me into staying, and what's worse is that I had Finn's retractable leash, so I couldn't properly tie him up safely.
During the course of our short visit, I made the choice to sit on the bench beside Finn as my friend's went onto the swings, and I had lengthened his leash up and then tied it off, so that he couldn't go far and my hand could take a break from being out in the cold air. As I was there, I had to deal with my friend's being a bit irritated with me, saying, "Why don't you just leave him there?" Well, I was nervous to do that because while he's good with being left tied up alone for a while, here were small kids at the park, and I didn't want to risk them coming up to Finn and him accidentally hurting them with his exuberance. So I stuck there. So as I was sitting there just talking to Finn, my friend's doing god knows what at this park, these two girls, about 11, kept walking pass us and looking at my dog and whispering. Eventually they whispered loudly at the fourth time around when Finn started to move because he got antsy, and they said, "HIS LEASH IS TOO SHORT FOR HIM TO RUN AROUND. THAT LADY SHOULD REALLY LENGTHEN IT SO HE CAN RUN."
To say the least I was irritated because he had about two to three foot of lead, and I wasn't going to let him run around and hurt a child. I was about to leave when I had Finn from the post, leashed and the like, when a small child, probably about two, starts running towards Finn, and Finn was so happy to see this kid, that I could feel his energy bubble up. I gently grabbed his collar and had him sit beside me, and the mother came running down to grab her child and as she was doing so, she smiled at me and Finn, and said, "Thank you for doing that! Sorry if he gave you a scare." And that was that. I told her it was no problem, that Finn is just a bit too friendly and doesn't know his own strength, and she seemed more at ease.
The mother did calm my nerves a bit, and I didn't care so much about what those girls said, and left. Afterwards I took Finn for a long walk and came home late.
It just frustrates me when children seem to think they know more and have no concept of respecting other people when they don't know the full situation, but I can't really fault them because I was probably the exact same way. Overall, though out the whole situation I felt embarrassed, ashamed, and peeved.
 
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#2 ·
Don't let them make you feel bad, pre-teens are at an age where they think they know more than everyone (particularly all the adults in the world who represent the parents of the world). It is that growing up and growing an identity of your own stage. It really has absolutely nothing to do with you and what you are doing or not doing with your dog and everything to do with trying to look "cool" for their friends. Someday they will look back and think "I can't believe I was like that" or they have completely forgotten they even said that already.
 
#4 ·
If that's the worst comment you get by strangers, count yourself lucky. It's usually adults who say rude things to or around me about my dog, anyways. Kids usually just say "Look a doggie!" or something and go about their business.
 
#6 ·
I feel you. I had a Rottweiler mix once, and EVERYONE was terrified of him, because he was big rottie bulldog mix, obviously aggressive. They would scold me if he so much as sniffed a bush on our walks. Gonzo was the sweetest thing, I never blamed them too harshly for their fear, but whenever they told me to get him under control, or that I may as well euthanize him it really hurt.
 
#5 ·
I care because last time an eleven year old and fourteen year old said something about my dog, I had to make a hardest decision of my life, and three years later, it still hurts to think about it. So yes, I do care, and maybe you should care more about the comments you leave and how they sound.
 
#10 ·
I don't know what the comment was or the story behind it, but I do wonder what it could *possibly* have to do with this situation...

While parus might not have presented his opinion overly sweetly he's right IMO. People, and especially young people often say foolish things about situations they don't fully understand. Its not worth getting upset over.
 
#7 ·
Me being 16 myself but I love kids(I graduate this year and then I'm going to early child care for college) but since they were old enough I would have said "the dogs Leash length is fine. I don't want him jumping on a kid." They probably would have been embarrassed and took off. You can use moments like that to your advantage. Try not to let them get to you. I wa eleven not to long ago while I would say I was a lot more dog savy then most 11 year olds I obviously did not know a lot. But I thought I knew everything and I didn't. I remember walking and saying "that dog is skinny someone call the cops." That person quickly turned around to tell me that the dog was a rescue and had previously been starved. Embarrassed the crap out of me and taught me to keep my mouth shut until I knew the story. I wouldn't be rude about it but just tell them why your dog is on a short leash.


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#12 ·
It does you and your dog a great disservice if you start second guessing yourself because of something a preteen/teen says to you. If you need validation on the way you are handling your dog look to a qualified trainer or at least some one you know and respect with some dog knowledge and experience. You are going to get a ton of unsolicited advice from all sorts of people of all ages when you have dogs and second guessing yourself, going against your better judgement can lead to things (like allowing a longer lead on a playground) that might endanger your dog. The best thing you can do is learn to ignore it and move on or educate if you feel that you can. Do not let the opinions of others become so important to you.
 
#13 ·
What a stranger (regardless of age) says about my dog has absolutely no bearing on how I feel/treat my pets. As long as I'm not doing something harmful to my pet, their opinions hold no weight. Opinions are like....the lesser attractive parts of the body. Everyone has one.
 
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