When you hug a dog, you are restricting their movement; a fearful dog will respond with a fight or flight response. Since this dogs mobility had been taken away, its only other response would be fight.....
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I don't believe the life of a dog should be put down based on the people being stupid. Nor do I think people should have special privileges above other animals, especially with how cruel humans typically are. Dogs are far more trustworthy than anyone I would meet on the street in this day and age.
Yes, I've seen that kind of hugging before and if it had happened in my house with my dog, I would blame myself. This was in a shelter. Dogs in shelters are not in a good place. They are scared and nervous. The same behavior a well trained dog would endure in a home is not the same type of behavior they will accept in a strange place with strange people when they are scared. If you don't know and acknowledge the difference, then you shouldn't own a dog (as the child's parents clearly shouldn't ... ever).
An example: Last night someone came into our store with their dog. This is a very calm dog that I have petted many times before. However, when I closed the metal gates to close up the store, the dog didn't like the loud noise at all. He was shaking, put himself in front of his owner, and flattened his ears. Despite wagging his tail, those danger signs meant I would not try to reach down and pet him at that time. That could possible provoke a reaction. And it would be fully justified in my experience. If I had done that and got bit, I certainly wouldn't have blamed the dog. It would have been my own damn fault for not paying attention to the warning signs.
I'm not going to try to hug a mugger threatening me with a knife, I'm sure as heck not going to try and pet a dog showing warning signs to stay away.
When you hug a dog, you are restricting their movement; a fearful dog will respond with a fight or flight response. Since this dogs mobility had been taken away, its only other response would be fight.....
Hello; I follow and understand your post. How would i get this across to a two year old child? Yeah, no way. I know this is where parental supervision is supposed to step in. Not all parents know this stuff. Kids get out of a parents reach at the best you can do.
I'm aware of all this(since I first posted this thread). I did mention at some point he's in a shelter(which means adoption).Please read entire story.....its a rescue dog in a enclosure for being adopted.
Just like anything, you should learn before you go. As a kid, my dad required me to two dog books and even attend training classes before even considering a dog. Most parents read baby books before having a child, it's the smart thing to do. Same goes for dogs.
Ignorance is not a defense in this day and age when information is so easily found with minimal effort and little to no cost.