Sigh...

So yesterday we went to the park...I opted to leave my camera at home so that we could all just have a relaxed few jaunts about the park area.

It was good...the Curly Tails sniffed things, rolled in the grass (Menchi did anyway), greeted a couple of other dogs, and studiously avoided contact with the water (this park is right by a river marsh).

We were getting ready to leave and I was leashing up Menchi when a man entered the park with his little boy (about 6 I would guess) and a dog of the doodle variety. The doodle approaches to greet the Curly Tails as I am getting a hold of Watson. The man calls the doodle back...and a tiny voice politely asks "Can I pet?" I smile "Sure you may pet them." I expect the kid to reach out and offer his hand to Watson whom he approaches first...instead he leans his little body forward and presses his little face into the dog. Watson does a quick turn to see what that is all about...being a little startled. To his credit he handled it like a pro and merely put a bit of space between himself and the little person. He never made a sound or raised a hair.

So I then tell the little guy "You should never put your face near a dog that you do not know." Dad sheepishly backs me up with a "Yeah!" The boy's response "But I wanted to smell his fur, and Shaemus lets me." He indicates his doodle friend.

I tell both of them "Yeah, but Shaemus knows you and not every dog is going to be like Shaemus!" I am looking at dad while I express this. He replies with a quiet "Thank you." as they go on their way. I hope he heard me and talks to the little one a bit more in depth about this. I may not be a kid person...but I don't like the idea of a kid being injured by a dog because he did not now how to handle the animal properly and with respect.