Traumatized
I officially don’t like irresponsible dog owners.
Fulton and Therese were traumatized on Friday by a dog who’s owner did not have it on a leash while she was out for a jog. Unfortunately she couldn’t keep up with her canine and it ran straight for us while I was taking the kids on a bike ride. The dog was about the size of Fulton and of course, the kids started screaming. I asked the owner to put her leash on her dog–which she didn’t do even after that because we saw the pair again on our way home.
Most of you who have dogs know that the kids weren’t big fans of these animals to begin with. The most unfortunate part of this all, is that my kids were scared today to go out on a bike ride. They were peddling slow and apprehensive at every corner. Therese wouldn’t take the lead like she usually does. Fulton even said, “I don’t want to go that way. The dog might come out.” I took them that particular route anyway, assuring them that it would be safe and I wouldn’t let anything happen to them. And now they are even more weary just passes houses where we know there are dogs. Their joy in biking riding is gone in less than a couple of weeks.
I know they are well meaning when dog owners say, “oh, my dog is nice. It wouldn’t hurt you.” Quite frankly, we don’t know your dogs and they don’t know us. And you never know what a dog will do when faced with a 5 year old screaming kid.
So what to do (beside carry pepper spray)? How do I keep the kids from going completely bonkers when they see a dog? And there’s NO WAY we’re getting a dog to get the kids used to them.