[MarkL]

I've got a friend who's 13 year old son is terrified of dogs he doesn't know, and if he had been among those kids, he would have been seriously traumatized. He's just barely able to deal with his dad's Golden Retriever, the world's friendliest dog, but he will not be alone with the dog.

The problem is that we know nothing about the kids and their former experiences... You can't just expect a child to "walk it off."

My friend's son's experience was being attacked by a rotweiller when he was about 4, having an ear bitten off, being partially evicerated, and actually having died on the operating table and being revived, after having being "life-flighted" to Children's Mercy Hospital in KCMO. More than 170 stitches.

Mark

[Dianna]

I've got a friend who's 13 year old son is terrified of dogs he doesn't know, and if he had been among those kids, he would have been seriously traumatized. He's just barely able to deal with his dad's Golden Retriever, the world's friendliest dog, but he will not be alone with the dog.

I can understand that. And if one or two children in particular were absolutely terrified, then of course they should have some comfort.

My problem was with the idea that the children in general all needed "counselling". I hate to think that we are raising kids to think they need a professional for every experience which is unpleasant.