Chris

Good responce and its true.
A less controllable dog or a less unaware dog owner and this could have turn into one of those terrible stories of a child being biten in the face.

Most parents over or underact like these parents in your situations. I've seen parent just at the sight of a certain type dog on leash, will stand to the side of the trail frowning and cuddling their child. Like how dare you walk that type dog in the park.

I respect this more then the ones that just let the kid run up and want to pet, feed or play with a unknown dog's toy. Poor judgement on the part of the parent. It also shows that if there is one responsible person things can turn out ok.

David

I think its the parent's fault, the kid is innocent, the dog is unpredictable, the parents are irresponcible and ignorant.

In your opinion is it the over all lack of strenght to control a dog that makes a child handling a dog questionable or is it that the dog does not respect them as one of leaders? I noticed that the dog was pulling the child down the street, as if once off balance she could not re-gain her feeting/contorl.

Then I've seen tiny 8-10 yrs olds that seem to have control over their huge dog under mild distratctions. I like the idea of parent/adult supervised handling of the animal, by the child. There are the rare occassions where it's only the child and the dog.

You asked me if its about the child not being strong enough or does the dog not respect them? I said its hard to find a child under 12 or 13 that can train a dog effectively. Well, IMO, the dog for one has a good idea of pack order in the home. I get women clients that a large percent will say" It listens to my husband but just wants to jump on me and bite or ignores me". Sometimes it is the other way around though! But my point being is the dog usually has a hard time recognizing a child as being in a position of authority.The other thing about the child training a dog is first they have to contend with the dog's lack of respect for them and second they usually have terrible timing because they dont understand the importance of it and third they are bad about being consistent.Ive had an 11 year old girl that did a fair job at training a dog but never a boy that young. I know there are exceptions to this,but once again this is only my opinion based on my experience and I am talking about basic obedience.

So no matter how well trained the dog is by the child handler, if under distraction the dog may break his training routine. If he doesn't respect the handler/child.

I guess that answered my next question could a 6-7 yr old control a adolesant size dog (50-60lb), unsupervised. A lot parents let the kid take the dog out to releive himself and such.

I used to think that if trained the dog responded because he was conditioned to think that he was last in the pack and that regardless of the size of the handler the dog was obedeient because of his williness to please.

Is it that hard for a child to gain the respect of a dog, isn't attitude. Some kids can project that, can the dog tell when you are bluffing???

In response to: "can the dog tell if you are bluffing?"

I have always thought that a dog has an incredible ability to pick up on our mood through body language, tone of voice, and even hormone release.

Also, I thought that when dogs stare at each other for a brief second before a fight that they were sizing each other up, right?

Do you think they size us up in every day life, and is that a factor in their respect towards us?
IMO I think so.

IMO no child who is not atleast 13 years old should walk a dog over 40 lbs.

-JS

Let me add just one more thing!

As far as a dog sizing us up, and that affecting their respect for us. I believe that a commanding presence is the number one thing that gains their respect. If you are a strong confident leader in their eyes, you will be able to control them.

-JS

John

Our dogs sizing us up daily, is a different way of looking, at dog - human, inter-relationship.

I don't thinks it's done daily if you started Ob training at a young age, but I do think that occassionally when you want them to do or stop doing something they really want to do or don't want to do. I think they give a once over, then usually they comply because they know from the past that its a not a good thing to buck the system.

That what I was asking, if a child (7-9) got his bluff in with help an adult, trainer could he control a large dog on and off leash? Just verbally so there is less chance of a dog establishing that he is stronger.

Off leash most dogs know you can't stop them (right then and there, unless you use the E-collar or throw chain technique), it just been burnt into their memory that I'll get it later, if I don't comply. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />