Teaching Children Respect For Animals

While attending my grandson's birthday I stepped outside for a few minutes and while standing on the deck I witnessed three boys playing with a Mastiff type dog. She seemed very friendly and easy going but what caught my attention was how the boys were treating this loveable animal. The biggest boy, obviously the dogs owner was telling the dog to go after one of his friends. Thankfully, the dog didn't listen or didn't understand the command because if she had gone after the smaller boy he would have been seriously injured. After a time the older boy put the dog back behind the fenced in yard but his teasing didn't stop there. He had a basketball he started throwing at the fence toward the dog. Naturally, the dog couldn't get to the ball but was hitting the fence with her nose in her attempt. At that point, I yelled at them to stop, which they did, but I'm sure they will do it again when I'm not around to say anything. Later I asked my daughter about the neighbor and she informed me that it would do no good to say anything to the parents.

This reminded me of an incident that happened years ago to a mixed breed dog I had when my kids were young. Pop Corn was a sweet Collie mix who usually didn't bother anyone unless they came to the back fence. It was his job to guard the back of the house and he knew it.

One day a neighbor knocked on my door to tell me my dog had bitten one of the boys on the block. He threatened to shoot my dog if it happened again. Thankfully, the boy only received a few scratches but I was worried about having a biting dog in my home with young kids.

I took Pop Corn to the shelter and had a talk with one of the managers. He talked me into taking my dog home and keeping an eye on him to see what might have caused him to attack the boys. I had calmed down by then and agreed.

It didn't take long to learn what happened. It seems the boys had been teasing my dog. Hitting the fence with a strap and running a stick across the links. Pop Corn went ballistic.

I hurried around back, caught both boys red handed and walked them both to their parents. Back then, parents took responsibility for their children and both boys were punished. I also stopped by the home of the neighbor who had threatened me and informed him what the boys had done. There was no apology forth coming so I informed him that if anything happened to my dog I would press charges. Peace was restored to the neighborhood once more.

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