Hi everyone. I'm a proud Mom of a 10-week old Australian Cattle Dog. He is absolutely gorgeous and most certainly the smartest puppy I've had. I'm already doing quite a lot of subtle training, and he quickly learns the rules of the house. I have a neighbor with two very small kids ( I think age 2 and 3), who keeps asking me about letting the puppy play with her kids. We're sharing a yard, so I tell her that once the puppy is old enough to stay in the yard when I'm gone (without having to worry that he might get stolen), I would be glad for them to play with him.
Now today I was about to take the puppy for a short walk in the park, and as I was sitting in the car, this neighbor came and said: "I thought you're going to let us play with the puppy". Before I could react, she grabbed the puppy out of the car, said "I want to take him inside our hose for a little bit", and took off!!!
I found this totally rude and offensive! I don't just grab her kids to take them in my house! I stepped out of the car, and saw how my scared puppy ran off through their house and she chasing after him, before she brought him back, saying "Oh, he just has to get used to us."
I want my puppy to be socialized and get used to her kids, but I don't feel comfortable just leaving him with them where he is just going to be scared. Plus, I'm also afraid that it would infer with his training. Small kids are not always too gentle with a puppy.
Am I weird or too possessive of my puppy to see it this way? I think once I start leaving him in the yard in a couple of weeks or so, they can play with him then and hopefully also treat him with a bit more respect at that time. I don't want him to bite them or anything once he's grown, since I read Australian Cattle Dog don't usually get along with kids too well. Any suggestions?
Now today I was about to take the puppy for a short walk in the park, and as I was sitting in the car, this neighbor came and said: "I thought you're going to let us play with the puppy". Before I could react, she grabbed the puppy out of the car, said "I want to take him inside our hose for a little bit", and took off!!!
I found this totally rude and offensive! I don't just grab her kids to take them in my house! I stepped out of the car, and saw how my scared puppy ran off through their house and she chasing after him, before she brought him back, saying "Oh, he just has to get used to us."
I want my puppy to be socialized and get used to her kids, but I don't feel comfortable just leaving him with them where he is just going to be scared. Plus, I'm also afraid that it would infer with his training. Small kids are not always too gentle with a puppy.
Am I weird or too possessive of my puppy to see it this way? I think once I start leaving him in the yard in a couple of weeks or so, they can play with him then and hopefully also treat him with a bit more respect at that time. I don't want him to bite them or anything once he's grown, since I read Australian Cattle Dog don't usually get along with kids too well. Any suggestions?