I'm having a problem with my training spots. I'm in an apartment complex that has a lot of kids and no "private" areas. We usually train on the large stretch of grass in front of my apartment.

The problem is not actually with the kids but with the parents. Growing up I was always taught to ask before petting a dog, and to use good judgement when approaching said dog...Apparently that's not standard teaching these days....

It's not just one parent or set of parents. These couples with little children literally go "OH HONEY GO PET THE DOG" followed by a five second period for me to grab Ryuk by his collar and get him into a sit and position my body as a buffer before this little screaming brat lunges on him. I don't want to yank my dog back and yell at the parent since this translates into "I have an aggressive dog that will take your child's face off" which results in a report of an aggressive dog to the complex (yeah, find the logic there). I should note, this is not limited to just the complex, we were at out local pet supply store the other day and I heard the "OMG HONEY GO PET THE DOG" from the OTHER SIDE of the isle followed by a kid appearing out of no where from around the corner. I'm on my toes but this is like some video game "quick, press 'x' to avoid child contact! ah, to late, you lose a life".

It also happens on walks downtown (we try to walk at night now), at the dog park/trails, even in the local state park. These kids "pet" dogs by jumping on them, grabbing their tongues (yes, I'm serious), pulling ears and tails, and hammering them on the head in a "patting" motion. Ryuk likes kids, I'd like to keep it that way. If I tell the child to be gentle 4 out of 5 times the parent causes a scene that I'm verbally abusing their child (please note...I say "please be a little gentler, he likes gentle ear scratches" which makes the brat whine and the parent who only just then arrived on scene shout...). I also now have to watch how I form my child buffer since last time the kid ran into my leg (the child was sprinting towards us) and fell over crying. The parent said I hit her kid and my dog had bitten him, luckily a had 10 eye witnesses and a security camera that said otherwise.

I was considering buying/making a non specific bright colored vest saying "working/in training, please don't pet" in hopes that maybe it'll fend off some stupid parents. My dog is not going to be a working dog and I have no intentions of bringing him places he's not supposed to be to pass him off as a service dog or any of that stuff (insert rant about that here) but is this still unethical? Do you even think it would work? I tried for a while putting a muzzle on him to make him look the part of child eater but apparently a basket muzzle isn't visible enough from more than 10 feet away and now we're doing more retrieving work it's a bit inconvenient.

note: I'm not saying all parents and all kids around here are like that but it's enough to cause concern especially after that kid ran into me. My parents dog recently had a similar issue and they were cited, even WITH witnesses saying their dog had done nothing.

I know there's always the "if you have to ask, it probably is unethical" thing but I'm just not sure this time.

I don't think it's unethical at all. I would do it if I were in you situation. You are stating an honest fact. The only way it would be unethical is if you started telling people he was a service dog or tried gaining access to places with a vest like that.

Frankly, I think you are being very polite in handling the situation. I'd be telling the bratty kids on no uncertain terms that they needed to stay away from my dog. The only ones I let pet my dogs are the ones who come over politely and ask.

 Quote: Mara Jessup

The only ones I let pet my dogs are the ones who come over politely and ask.

I don't even let them pet my dog.

I hate kids.....and puppies.

the training vest works, I would also recommend finding another place to train

On the VERY rare occasion that I have someone think about approaching me, I call my dogs over to me & put them in a down & I stop them when I see them walking my way & tell them I don't let anyone pet my dogs. I work my dogs regularly in public places & on school sports fields while games & gym class etc is going on (my dogs don't even look at them,all they are interested in is me & their balls) & I rarely have anyone approach me. I guess most of the parents in my area have a few more 'smarts' then your's. They don't tell their kids to go pet some 'strange' dogs. Maybe because my dogs are full grown (6 & 3) & look like GSDs(they automatically think: police K9 & don't want their kids near them. I don't know if your dog still looks like the pic you have posted, but if he does, he looks very cute, sweet & approachable to me & that, unfortunately, may be part of the problem. His cute looks don't trigger the 'dangerous dog' idea to the stupid parents. Other then to train you dog in more 'remote' areas where there is less risk of stupid parents with kids around, I'm not sure what you can do. If these people are telling their kids to pet your dog without permission, I don't know if they would pay much attention to a do not pet/working dog vest either. I will say that training right outside of your appartment buliding (although easy access for you) is an invitation to 'neighbors' to come say hello to your dog.

I guess I have no problem being rude to people. My dogs are obscenely cute and love people, I am considerably less cute and cuddly and have more than once picked up one of my dogs and told little Johnny/Susie No and Get the hell out of here. Happily this doesn't happen as often anymore as people being dragged by their dogs across a parking lot to say hello. *sigh*

As a couple rules of life for handling other people's kids.

1)You can't touch them. Ever. Back up, yell, run away if you have to but don't ever touch them.

2) There is no law against being mean and angry so long as you follow rule one. Your neighbors won't love you but are you really out to win a popularity contest?

That is really to bad and the reason there are more kids getting bitten today. But those parents are the same idiots who tell their kids to "go stand by that elk (buffalo, bull, etc.) so I can take your picture.

Try not to be rude to the child, who, having never been taught, doesn't know better. But, with the idiot parent/s take the gloves off (verbally only, of course).

I've only had to get "rude" with a child twice, at the play ground one hyper active monster was throwing the wood chip ground cover at other kids and hitting them as well, he grabbed hold of a stick a was going to throw it at Erika and I yelled at him "Don't even think about it!"

Again at the park this youngster kept running up to a year old Erika flailing his arms and darting away, I kept telling him to stop teasing the dog but he wouldn't quit. Erika went to the end of the leash and went into full aggression mode, I got her back into a foos and that's when I saw this man/mountain come storming over and my first thought was "oh gawd this is going to be ugly" The man reached over and gave the boy a big dope slap to the back of his head and said "BOOOYYYY whad are ya? stupid?" and a few other words of wisdom about teasing large dogs.

I've come to the conclusion I have more control over my dog then my fellow humans therefore I have to accept the fact that I have to select a good area to train in. what also seem to help was to let all the kids get their pets in and let them get bored then move on to training

I bypass the parents and speak to the children themselves. There are a ton of children in my complex too, and it was an adjustment for both my dog and I when we moved here. When a child comes running up to my dog (which rarely happens now), I step between my dog and the child and ask the child not to come closer. I tell them that my dog doesn't like to be petted, but that he likes people, so maybe if they are calm and quiet he'll give them a sniff and wag his tail for them. Works every time.

Murphy's happy wagging stub usually gets a giggle from the child and my dog isn't forced into having someone touching him. Though he hates being petted, he will succumb to it kindly. I don't feel like he should have to.

While the child is getting their sniff I talk to them about the safe way to approach a dog, tell them NEVER to run, and to always ask permission before petting. Usually the parents are in earshot and it gives me the opportunity to open the discussion with them as well. Often a little patience and being willing to educate is enough.

I've even overheard the children in my building educating new children on how to approach a dog, what Murphy likes, etc. It's pretty cool.

 Quote: Kristel Smart

... I've even overheard the children in my building educating new children on how to approach a dog, what Murphy likes, etc. It's pretty cool.

VERY cool!