[daasayse]

So the other day I take my pitbull Bamboo to the park, not the dog park, just a park where leashed and vaccinated dogs are allowed. I had her on a short leash, away from the childrens play areas walking along the track. Suddenly before I even realize the kid is there, this little boy who can't be more than two or three tops, runs up behind my dog and grabs her and starts petting her and yelling "puppy." I kinda panicked and got a hold on Bamboo as fast as I could. The truth is I had no idea how she would react. She is wonderful with kids in general and loves little boys but I had never seen her around one this young and the kid really snuck up on her. Turns out she jumped a little bit and was obviously startled but calmed down quickly and didn't do anything inappropriate. So then I'm telling the little boy look this is how you approach dogs and you always ask the dog owner permission and let the dog sniff you first and never come up behind them etc. I'm half way through this little lesson and actually teaching the boy how to pet the dog before mom finally comes up behind this kid, who is literally just a toddler! This pisses me off so much because that wouldn't be safe with any dog you don't know. You don't just let you kid run loose and approach strange dogs. And you know that even though my dog was leashed and an unsupervised kid snuck up on her, if she had bitten that kid my "vicious pitbull" would have been put down. I just don't know what some people are thinking and it makes you afraid to take your dog anywhere!