This is quite a long one but I'm going to try and make it short. On Sunday evening I was taking Bert for a walk in the Park next to where I live ( I live in central London and my park gets very busy especially on a lovely hot day ). Bert is great off lead and just snufffles along minding his owning business and saying hello to the odd dog. I always keep a watchful eye on him as there are alot of people in the park and mostly because I don't want someone to steal him!
Anyway we were wandering along and this boy around 7 years old comes running out from nowwhere and starts chasing Bert and barking at him (poor Bert got such a fright and just took off), the group of men he was with were sitting in a circle under a tree laughing! I saw red and starting yelling and chasing this boy back to the group of men not sure where they were from but were of Asian orgin. I ofcourse abused them and pointed out he could have got bitten and the boy should not be allowed to chase dogs as it was by no way FUNNY! They said nothing in response to me just sat there starring at me, so I walked away just fumming!
I calmed down and a couple who witnessed the whole thing said "I can't believe they didn't say sorry"! I thought Bert should be ok and I didn't think the event would effect him at all but I was wrong!
This morning while on our walk we came across a young guy around 16 wearing all black with a Bandana on his head and Bert rushed up towards him with hackles up and growled at him. I was totally taken back as he has never ever ever growled at anybody, I didn't tell him off for doing it as it happened so quickly but I really can't have him going up to people in the park and growling at them!
I'm so angry as I have spend so much time training him and I have a lovely very well behaved dog who you can take anywhere and he's no problem and now because of this stupid boy he has developed a problem. Do you think it's a one off and he'll recover from the event?
What should I DO?

Hi BB,

This is sadly a common situation that I used to see frequently when I used to use beaches and public parks with my dogs. I don't do this anymore as the GP always ruin my and my dogs walks, so we have relocated out of choice.

But you should be able to use a public area without being harrassed. Alas some idiots will always spoil it.

For now, I would keep Bert on a lead. Yes, I know that you shouldn't have to, but until you're sure of his responses it is better for his and your sake to be safe rather than sorry.

If he displays the same response again, I would distract him and ignore his behaviour. Don't make a big issue out of it. Don't avoid youths just keep doing what you always do, but with his lead on.

I can understand your anger and believe me, there have been times when I have lost control of my temper and verbally abused people for such inane, thoughtless behaviour. Sadly, it probably doesn't educate them!

Alas there doesn't generally seem to be any canine respect courses that are run in schools. I do believe that parents should do this though, I have taught mine and she wouldn't dream of going near a strange dog without my and the owners permission first.

Sorry I can't be of more help. Just a shame that people/kids aren't as well trained and behaved as some of our canine friends :(

Not at all in my experience.  I volunteered my help in this respect to the Dog warden service, but they had no plans in that direction, not surprising as the service in Bristol comes under 'Pest control' though the actual wardens I have met are very nice.

We have an excellent extra curricular scheme in a local city which meant we along with the police & an all breed rescue would go into schools & give talks & demostrations with our dogs to the kids as part of a structured learning plan. Sadly for just one year the political party in power changed & funding was withdrawn & the teacher co-ordinating the scheme was made redundant & the funding given to more soccer coaching for 10 years So we are now waiting to see if a bid is successful for when the 10 years ends

I think they were probably arab kids, I walk ken gds and hyde park, not far though with my OAP, and its just their way, its always been like that with them, most times though their parents call them back or tel them not to and apologise, but dogs are only very rarely pets in their culture and it depends what area they are from.

We have that problem with most coloured kids around here too, not sure what ethnic origin they are, but they stand there or run up to the dogs barking while the parents smile on.  There are a few white ones do it to even older white ones.
I tell you if my kids had ever run round barking like a dog in public I would have been worried about thier Mental health.
Hope your dog soon gets over it and I know in the school where I work we have no education like that.
Perhaps I will suggest it.

Bev

Similar thing happened to us the other eve.,not as bad as your experience but made me see red,little boy who lives across the way from us came running out of his garden to see Zanta as they usually do and give her treats she is always on her lead as bit boistrous at the moment,anyway she was a bit hyped up and we were talking to a neighbour,so suggested they leave her thisevening,anyway next thing I know he is standing about 2 ft away and throws his leg out to kick her in the chest,didnt make contact but all the same I shouted at him and said you shouldnt do that to dogs not even pretendto kick them because they could bite and you can seriously hurt them,and he said if she bit me would she go to heaven my reply was no she would not if you kicked her deliberately thats the last place she would be going,muttered under breath you might though,anyway after a long lecture he went away he is one of twins and they are the neighbourhood tearaways at 7,and believe it or not their mum dishes out ASBO'S,which most of us find amusing as we think she will be dishing them out on her sons before long.I think the problem is some parents have no idea how to teach their children any form of behaviour towards animals and are possibly not allowed to keep even a hamster and learn they are living feeling creatures,I was taught these things as a child and a lot of other things that parents dont seem to be aware of these days,hasten to add not all parents,like manners etc.,

OOOps my post should have read

"We had a good .......

Sadly it was stopped by a change of political party :(

Poor Bert I hope he gets over it soon. 

The kids down at our local school get a very good education on dogs as everytime we have a litter we take a few pups into the school to meet the kids and the kids and puppies love it.  We let all the children make a fuss if they want to and show them how to hold the puppies and make a fuss in a sensible way.  The teachers are all very sensible and tell them to sit down quietely while we pass them around. 

Unfortunately I am afraid there seems to be two types of kids the ones that make a screeching noise and run of if the dog is passing like the dogs are going to hurt them and the other kind who think that dogs are fair game for anything.  One particular horrible little example was lucky to escape with its life on Sunday when it came up and thumped Tigger on the head before my husband could stop it. 

I dont know about ethnic minorities as we dont have many in this area but I think most kids can be stupid giving the right set of circumstances.

Seems like that some areas in schools they are quite good at educating the children about dogs and others not at all.

I know that the KC do that Safe & Sound Scheme as I saw a demostration at Discover Dogs last year but I don't know if they go around the schools. It would be great if they had a program that they could run all over the country!

I'm going to lead walk Bert for a while and see hows he his, I doubt he'll growl at anybody again but will keep an eye on him ( I don't want to or think I should have to but I don't want anybody to accuse me of having an aggressive dog ).

It's difficult in my area as it is so highly populated there are always loads of people in the park which is why I made sure my dog was fully trained and I have full control of him out on a walk. It's just anoying that people ruin it for you, hopefully if won't happen again and won't ruin my dogs good nature.

Thanks for everyones replies it's really interesting as alot of you have had a similar sort of experience.

Keep him on a loose lead near kids and use classical conditioning to help him overcome his worry. This is basically associating something bad with something good, so that in the end he isn't bothered about the bad thing.

So, each time a kid comes near, open the bar and Bert gets fun, food treats, a toy, a game, fuss, whatever he likes best; as the kids go past or you walk away, close the bar.

Don't worry about what Bert does - this doesn't work on "reward" for good or bad behaviour, it's deeper than that. You can look up more on the internet :)

Lindsay
x

Hi - I think you need to resocialise your dog to people of different appearances and to kids again.  Try to stand somewhere where different people might pass and treat your dog every time one passes and he shows no response.  If he does ok with this, try to enlist some people wearing strange clothes and of different ethinic origins and if still ok, kids, to come and give him a treat - as long as he shows no fear.

Although I don't condone the behaviour of the child you mention, I cannot condone the way some posters have described the offending group.  What happened to racial equality?