Just had a horrible scare

I took Tasha with me to PetCo. She loves going places with me and she loves sniffing and checking out everything at the store, and then getting a treat at the checkout counter. Well I was looking at some bird stuff and this boy came over.. I'd say he must have been around 10-12, and he asked if he could pet Tasha. I politely tried to explain to him it wasn't a good idea. Tasha is wary of strangers and she feels most threatened when someone leans over her and tries to pet her.

Well the kid just ignored me and started coming towards her with his hand out, Tasha laid her ears back and crammed herself against my legs I started getting more forceful and telling him not to pet her. He kept coming and was reaching towards her back/rump area to pet her and I could hear Tasha growling in her throat and as he got closer the growl got louder and I grabbed her head and shouted at the kid "DON'T!" and he finally stopped and said "don't pet her?" and I said "Don't pet her!" and he walked away.

A couple minutes later I went to the checkout and was just wanting to get out of there and he walked by her again and she lunged at him. She didn't growl and didn't bare her teeth that I saw but he was staring at her as he approached and then he jumped as she lunged in his direction (I had a tight hold on a short leash at that point).

I was so shaken up when I got home I was in tears. You know the saying "I saw my life pass before my eyes" well I felt like I just saw Tasha's pass before mine. It wouldn't have mattered how much that kid provoked her and how much I told him to stop it, if she had bitten him that could have been the end of her. I will never take her there again because I don't even want to take the even most remote chance, and I know now I would be nervous every time a kid approached her and Tasha would sense that.

At the checkout the lady handed her a treat and she wagged her tail and took it. She's never minded being around a lot of people, she does beautifully at the Companion Walks every year, it's people that are just DETERMINED that they MUST pet her where she feels cornered and threatened. Why must people be so pushy?

Still just very shaken..

Oh Jess:(:(:( I'm so sorry for you and Tasha:( You did all the right things Jess. I don't understand why that boy wouldn't listen! You probably were trying not to offend him. Thank goodness nothing happened. Take a deep breath friend and give your girl a hug. She was just frightened. A lot of dogs become protective when someone reaches for them from behind, pets their hindquarters/ I think you're right though. If you're fearful of someone approaching her inappropriately, especially a child, you guys might do better staying away from Petco:( {{{HUGS}}} Sandra

There are words for that little brat but I can't put them on here. I would have been so very angry!! How dare he not listen to you? Where were his so called parents?

I am so sorry that happened. Thank God there wasn't any physical contact. I totally know how you feel, it was devastating for me to have to put Rosco to sleep. You want to do all you can to keep her from getting into those situations. Good luck.

What a brat. I can't believe after you politely tried to tell him not to pet her, he tries to do it anyway. I'm also wondering where his "parents" were.

Poor Tasha. :( I'm so sorry you're still shaken up about it. I also think it might be safer to not bring her to Petco anymore. Give her a hug and a kiss from me, Jess. {{hugs}}

I was wondering the same thing, where were this kid's parents? This kid is old enough to know the difference between "yes" and "no". Where was this kid's common sense, when an animal lays it ears back and growls, that means STAY AWAY!! You handled it very well, Jessica, and I am so glad that nothing happened. It's too bad this occurance had to ruin your fun outing for you and Tasha.

{{{HUGS]]]

I kept half expecting angry parents to come up to me after she growled at him and yelling at me for bringing a "vicious" dog in there, but no one did. Nothing like that has ever happened before. I've never had anyone just ignore me when I told them she didn't want to be petted. Tash doesn't like being petted and touched until she really knows you or at least approaches you first. Sometimes people stick a hand out towards her and she takes a couple steps back away from them. I explain she's a bit shy and they will nod and smile and just talk to her or go on their way then. Sometimes they will squat down and hold out a hand and let her approach them, and that works out pretty well.

I know she'll hate being left behind but I'm just taking Tommy cause he seems to like kids and the most he'd ever do is roll on his back with his tail tucked if he felt threatened.

I feel guilty though because I know her well enough that I know she might get defensive if she ever felt pushed hard enough, but again, I just never thought someone would ever get that pushy when I asked them not to...

K9soul, Sorry you had to go through that. I've been there,done that. That's why I don't take Lacey to Petsmart anymore.Too many unsupervised kids so Lacey loses out. I can't take that chance. IMO petstores are for pets, Toys are us is for kids!

Poor Tasha! :( Give her a hug from me. What a brat that kid was! Why cant parents control their kids?! :mad:

Just so you know, not every kid is that stupid. I take my cousin (She's 8) to Petsmart all the time and she would NEVER pet an animal without the owners permission.

I also think its probably a good idea not to take Tasha to Petco anymore. Shame some idiot had to ruin your fun :mad: *hugs*

Oh I definitely don't think all kids are that way for sure. In fact I've never run across a kid like that. I have had a couple unexpectedly try to pet her without asking, but she backed away and they stopped, or she even let them pet her before if she felt comfortable with them, as long as she doesn't feel cornered she's fine. Most the time they ask first and I have never had one ignore me if I told them not to. I usually say she doesn't really like being petted but if you put your hand out she will sniff it and may even give kisses. She just doesn't really like strangers trying to pet her.

There is definitely no way in the world I will take a chance on it happening again though. I know I'd just be nervous if I took her again, and she would pick up on that.

I'm so sorry, I hate when stuff like that happens, it's awful. Hugs Tasha!

This is the very reason that we don't ever take Millie to Petco or Petsmart. She HATES other people with a passion and I wouldn't trust her not to bite. She's especially wary of kids & men, the two groups of people that always insist on petting her.

She gets so stressed that we rarely take her anywhere any more. Just on walks and to the vet occasionally. :(

So sorry you had such a bad exp,,, WHERE was this kids parents??? I think I would have been in his face the second time,,,, :mad: :eek:

Today, I took Jaden and the dogs to the park. I was amazed how many kids just ran up to my dogs and stuck their faces right in my dog's face without asking first. Those kids are damned lucky that my dogs are nice.

I nicely explained to them that my dogs are sweet, but they should never put their face that close to a strange dog nor pet them without asking first.

I cannot believe that parents don't talk to their children about these things. That could be a fatal mistake.

how scary!
poor you and Poor Tasha!!
{{hugs to both of you!}}

Yikes :( I'm so sorry...

That is one of many reasons why I don't like kids... some just don't listen... :mad:

Aww, Jess, I'm so sorry you had such a scare. It sounds like you did everything you could to prevent such a thing. Unfortunately you can't count on other people. You never know what someone else is going to do. Thats the real sad part.

{{{HUGS}}} for you and Tasha.

Robin :)

Poor Tasha! I think you handled it with as much grace as possible, though. Give Tasha a hug for me!

Thanks so much for all the kind words and support everyone, you all are great :). I was a bit afraid someone would admonish me for bringing her at all, maybe because I was admonishming myself so much. Truly though I wouldn't have ever brought her if I had thought there was danger in it before. Tasha baby sends tail wags and kisses.

Aww... how horrible! Poor Tasha. :( I hate kids that think they are God and can do whatever they want... even after people tell them no.

We take Gracie to PetSmart several times a week and parents are always encouraging little kids to go "pet the little puppy"...and I always worn them that she likes to jump up when she gets excited and she will scratch their little legs..I try to hold her to keep them from grabbing at her. I am talking about little 2 and 3 year olds...! Parents should realize that they should ASK first!!

Poor you and poor Tasha! I hope that kid learned to ask before he pets a stranger dog. I am glad that everything ended well.

I'm only 12, but I've studied dog behaivor, and volenteered at a shelter for 3 years. I work with all the fearful dogs to make them more adoptable.

My favorite dog Greta (who just got adopted) isn't nessacerily good with kids. I'm the only one she trusts. Once some kids had acually took her out of her cage on a leash, (I'd say one was 10-12, the other about 8) Greta was a stray, is a bit fearful, and MUST be introduced to people outside of her pen first. A shelter worker had told them that, but they completly ignored her. I ran to tell them that it wasn't a good idea, for their safety or for gretas, and they tugged harder, and greta snapped at them. They called her a "devil dog". I call them hell's kids. *Sigh* I wish people would listen to simple rules.

Its scary. Even some adults I know just don't realize that they can be a threat to certain dogs. Someday someone is gonna get hurt. Sorry about Tasha. I would NEVER do that.

My shelters website-

www.puthumane.org

That is a very scary situation.
It amazes me that a boy that age just ingnored you.

Jess obviously sence something about this boy
that she did not like, I am sure that is why she reacted
this way.

(((hugs)))

Unfortunately, I know how you feel.
I've taken Kito to Petco a few times, but I always hesitate before I do--he's not to fond of children either. He is just unpredictable.
Last year I had a horrilbe scare when he bit the neighbor's little girl--she came running at us screaming "can I pet your dog?", and we were in my driveway on our way inside from a walk, and he was leashed--she got too close, and he nipped her. The whole time, I was yelling at her telling her "NO", but she didn't listen. Thing is, all of the kids on the street know that the little red dog is the "mean one" Rather than explain it, I just told them all that, to avoid such situations.
Thankfully, it was just a little mark on her thumb, and her parents were very cool about it, but I was so scared. Her mom even asked if I wanted to use her to help Kito get used to kids more--I thought that was nice, but unneccesary. He's gotten a lot better, and if he's inside, and not leashed, and they don't run towards him, he is good with them.

I'm sorry that you and Tasha had that bad experience. Please give her and Tommy both a big hug and kiss from me:)

I feel for you!! Both of mine are the same way!

If you don't walk SLOW up to them... they think your going to try to hurt them!!

I once had a group of kids came running towards me and the pups yelling "CAN WE PET THEM" I kept telling them "One at a time" None of them listened to me, Sierra curled her lip and Buddy even snapped!!!! :eek:

Once they saw that... they all stopped trying to pet them!

I was crying, and shaking....

I wish people would teach their kids about respecting other people's dogs!

Thanks again for all the kind words and support all, somehow it helps to know others have had similar experiences and I really appreciate your sharing them with me.

My Andy is the nicest dog you would ever want to meet - as long as you are not a 9-12 year old dark haired boy. There was a neighbor who matched that description and something happened....not sure what and I am always with the dog....but all he had to do was hear this boy's voice and his hackles went up from nose to stubby! So when a boy walks by that looks like that - he has problems also.


Jessie is afraid of strangers and has to get to know you first! When on walks I avoid strangers and keep them both close to me - most adults know that means - leave us alone, but you do have some....even in the Vet's office that insist on coming up to the dogs....and jump when Jessie snaps.

I have always tried to teach all my nieces and nephews that you NEVER EVER walk up to a strange dog.


I am so sorry K9soul for you - but know you have done all you could. We can only change ourselves.......and lead by example. You did a fine job. To bad the parents weren't there to see....but if they were, the boy might not have approached.......catch 22!

Maybe you could go to the pet store during the day when the kids are in school so you can still have your outing?

My daughter and I were in petco one time and my daughter asked to pet a dog and the lady said she may bite so my daughter respected that. But later my daughter said why does she bring her here? I explained that she wants to take her dog on an outing so just respect her.

Casey growls at kids sometimes too she does fine with my dauthers but other kids scare her, my daughters best friends sister is special needs and casey gets annoyed I have to be vigilant when she comes over.

I think petco and petsmart should educate the parents that go in the store about teaching their children to ask first or even have a policy that children need to be supervised.