Days Out

This sounds exactly like my 5 year old. She is terrified of dogs, motorbikes too loud etc. Its seems a bit silly but she will literally be trying to climb up either me or her mum. She isn't diagnosed on the spectrum but we both have feelings she possibly is like myself Aspergers type ASC. We don't take her any where out of the norm but we always know we will have to pick her up as they approach/go past her. I don't know if she'll ever grow out of this?

Be careful - dogs are predators and they sense feelings and fear - and the only animals that would be frightened around dogs is a prey animal - and they pick up on this.     Depending on how stable or controlled the particular dog is, this behaviour can cause the dog to try to bite.

Meeting dogs in a hyper-controlled environment to normalise and train your daughter to not be bothered by them would really help her.        Meeting puppies and getting used to the lowest-risk version of the dog will help to desensitise her.

Thanks for your advice Plastic I too myself around her age was like that too until we rescued a dog from the RSPCA when I was about 12 and took it into the family home. Dogs bring so much comfort and joy especially when you're having or had a bad day they make you feel better. If I had it my way I would have a small puppy tomorrow but my wife cannot stand pet hair around the house so the only time that's going to happen is if I out live her.

On the other hand its the owners responsibility for their dog and if they did attack/bite would be liable for the dogs actions. It does annoy me when I see certain dog owners allowing their dogs to roam without a lead when you are nearby a children's park.

Have you thought of a non-shedding type?      My brother has Labradoodles - there's no hair around.   I like dogs but wouldn't have one - I like the 10% of all the fun of a dog but for the other 90%, you've got a dog to look after, to walk, to clear up after etc,

I agree with what you say about owner liability in a bite scenario - the problem is, in my opinion, dogs are very autistic - the follow a very rigid set of pack rules and so if they perceive a person acting 'incorrectly', they will instantly discipline the naughty pack member - and that's normally how kids get nipped or bitten in the garden.       In a park, an out of control dominant or nervous dog will attack anything showing fear so again, it's normally the person or the other dog acting incorrectly that unknowingly invited the attack - but the owner is still liable..

I'm with you - I hate idiots bringing their out of control crazy dogs into a public area.   

I go for a walk in the local park and there's a wide stream where all the dogs and owners play - I like to sit on the bench and watch them - it's nice and relaxing to see them all playing nicely - but you can see and feel the atmosphere change and all the dogs react when a moron turn up with his badly behaved mutt - everything splits into separate owner & dog groups and they all go on the alert in case they need to defend their ground.      Everyone just freezes until the moron goes away -  and then they immediately drop back into play mode.

Have you thought of a non-shedding type?      My brother has Labradoodles - there's no hair around.   I like dogs but wouldn't have one - I like the 10% of all the fun of a dog but for the other 90%, you've got a dog to look after, to walk, to clear up after etc,

I agree with what you say about owner liability in a bite scenario - the problem is, in my opinion, dogs are very autistic - the follow a very rigid set of pack rules and so if they perceive a person acting 'incorrectly', they will instantly discipline the naughty pack member - and that's normally how kids get nipped or bitten in the garden.       In a park, an out of control dominant or nervous dog will attack anything showing fear so again, it's normally the person or the other dog acting incorrectly that unknowingly invited the attack - but the owner is still liable..

I'm with you - I hate idiots bringing their out of control crazy dogs into a public area.   

I go for a walk in the local park and there's a wide stream where all the dogs and owners play - I like to sit on the bench and watch them - it's nice and relaxing to see them all playing nicely - but you can see and feel the atmosphere change and all the dogs react when a moron turn up with his badly behaved mutt - everything splits into separate owner & dog groups and they all go on the alert in case they need to defend their ground.      Everyone just freezes until the moron goes away -  and then they immediately drop back into play mode.