Mom Asking Permission for Child to Pet Service Dog Praised—’Great Lesson’

A mom has gone viral on TikTok for demonstrating the importance of teaching children to ask permission before petting dogs.

The video, posted by Haylee Graves who owns a service dog named Jake, captured the interaction between her, the mom and her young daughter. Graves, who goes by @hayleeand.herdogs on TikTok, called the conversation “the most wholesome moment” in her caption.

Newsweek reached out to @hayleeand.herdogs via TikTok. We could not verify details of the case.

The clip, which shows Jake throughout the encounter, begins with the mother and daughter approaching Haylee who was pausing to take a break. “He is a service dog, but if she wants to say hi to him, she can,” Graves says to the mom.

The mom then explains her reasoning: “I’m trying to teach her young to ask her to pet dogs.” Graves tells her that’s a very good thing to teach, while the mom asks about Jake’s future. Graves says that the dog is getting ready to retire but will remain with her as a companion.

As they say their goodbyes, Graves offers praise for the mother’s parenting approach: “I think it’s awesome, even though she’s young, teaching her to ask and not just go up to any dog.”

It is important to ask permission before approaching or petting any canine, particularly service dogs. They are especially trained to assist their handlers with tasks related to their disabilities, and distractions—such as sudden petting or interaction—can interfere with the dog’s ability to perform its duties.

Beyond service animals, not all dogs are comfortable with strangers approaching them, and some may react unpredictably out of fear or anxiety. By teaching children to ask before petting, parents can help prevent potential accidents and also instill respect for adults.

Graves’ clip has received more than 1.1 million views. Many other TikTok users commented, praising the mom for her thoughtful interaction with Graves. One called it so “sweet and respectful,” while another loved how the mom was educating her daughter.

“Also her being so gentle with the dog will help her relationship with any animal in the future,” a third wrote.

One user, known as @theapeak09, commented how young children often don’t understand that they have to be gentle with animals. “Such a great and respectful mother,” they added.

Another who commented on the sweet interaction wrote: “I wish everyone who ever gets annoyed about service animal etiquette could see that this is all we want.”

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