While Jeanne Sager with sheknows was with her daughter, when a nearby dog starts barking rapidly. The owner tries to calm down the barking dog, and tried to convince them that the dog meant no harm, and that the girl should even come and pet the dog. But her daughter doesn’t have a good history with dogs, even being bitten before.

And while the dog owner had no idea of that (how could he?), it still means unwittingly scaring a little girl. Just because you know and think that your dog is adorable and sweet, doesn’t mean children should have to deal with the fear, out of nowhere.

The CDC thinks that roughly four and a half million people are bitten by dogs each year, and the most common attacks are perpetrated onto children between the ages of five and nine. And when a child is afraid of dogs, that fear can become much more real.

Read the Full Article: No, my terrified kid doesn’t want to pet your doggie