Min, it's all your fault...

[Minnymouth]

Yeah, a lot of people DO NOT teach their children that dogs bite if they hurt them or you try to take their food.
Dogs that are not "kid friendly" (around kids a lot) tend to defend their food bowl and their turf...especially if no one is home.
My neighbors kid I pick up after school 8-10 pulled Minny's ears one day trying to make them long like Molly's. Minny screamed, and needless to say I busted a tail..... and it wasn't Minny's. The boys were old enough to know better, but did it anyways to harm her. I have to watch one of the boys real close around my dogs. He likes to poke at them in the eyes, etc, and he pinches them and grabs their ankles and tries to put his thumb in betwee their ankle bones..... Mean kid.... and knows better.
My girls have only bitten me, but they have growled at the boys for hurting them. Molly stays away from them cause she knows the one will hurt her... But Minny is so loving she keeps giving them a chance......
I catch the one boy 10 teasing Minny all the time with food and snacks..........
Needless to say, I don't turn my back on these two boys. A baby my dogs won't bother...... these boys test them...
My girls mind to the snap of a finger and a command, and they know I mean it..... They are well behaved, loving, and everybody loves them...
The only way a dog has to defend themselves is to bite or run away from the situation. If they are tied, all they can do is bite.
I trust my dogs completely, but I'm also aware that kids are cruel and I watch my dogs and kids when their together.... Better safe than sorry.
Little one need to be watched closely around dogs. They don't realize they can hurt animals and their screaming and screeching scares dogs....
Its a terrible thing when a dog mauls a child or human being. Especially if they are fenced and on their own turf...
If the young kids next door throw a ball in my back yard, it stays there till I throw it back over the fence. The 6 year old knows he's not allowed to climb the fence for any reason...... and I have a 6 ft fence around the yard....
He comes and knocks on the door and says "get my ball"....
Most dogs have loving nature and many are protective of their territory..... and will bite if they have to defend themselves. Its their only defense.


My thoughts on this,

Minny

[Genenco]

Yep, fully agree there Minny..My boys were never socialized (I was on a 200 acre place and wasn't ever a party guy...) So, the dogs took awhile to get to know family.

Older sis has made it clear she gets my "Big Red" if I croak as she seems to really adore him (And he seems to really like her) the other one would survive with anyone as he's just all that gosh dang friendly to everyone.

The kitten I took in, learned quickly not to get near the dogs during dinner or "Treat time" I gave the dogs some nice crunchy bones and she came to the friendly one and he let off a growl which scared even big red!

I have know families whose dogs will take LOADS of abuse from the little ones and are VERY protective of them as they grew..Never did they bite, but those dogs are so rare..Wish we could transfer their "Attitude" to all dogs.

I forgot to mention that the "Abuse was simply children learning what this creature was and the parents also taught them "Don't do this, doggie doesn't like it" and I think between the parents and dog, the children have grown up to be benefits to society and animals.