Jump to content
BC Boards

I guess I was rude, but I don't care. ;)


Recommended Posts

I'm not at all sure that "clear" feeling of superiority is one sided.

 

Of course it's not. Nearly always, people who encounter a culture difference think their own is superior.

 

Nor is the need for politeness and respect of other people.

Right you are!

Also, looking back, I'm pretty sure not one person in this entire thread has been outright rude to anyone who wants to meet their dogs or have their dogs meet. There have been far more reports here (in this thread) of 'rude' or overly emotional reactions to being told no or prevented from doing so than people being upset about the contact/attempt at contact in the first place.

Mmm, why do you think that is? Is it because people in the no-greeting culture are invariably polite, while people in the greeting culture are much more rude and over-emotional? Or might it be a result of who is writing the posts?

Even the OP is a dog in another dog's personal space, the handler saying 'Hey, more space' and then getting screamed at.

I note that the OP, who experienced the interaction first-hand, entitled her thread "I guess I was rude, but I don't care. ;)" To me, the subtext of that is "because she deserved it."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 155
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I don't consider this a cultural thing. I consider it a safety thing.

 

If that girl lets her dog poke his nose up the wrong rear end, she could end up witnessing something very ugly. And, should she jump in to try to protect her dog, as so many of us would, she could end up with a nasty injury.

 

Not all dogs out in public are friendly.

 

If I am in a country where it is considered good manners to stop and speak to someone and I don't, I might hurt someone's feelings.

 

If a child approaches a dog inappropriately, with or without a dog of her own in the mix, she could get bit.

 

This is a safety issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nancy,

Did it ever occur to you that people just don't want to be bothered by you or your dog, no matter how polite your dog may be? There's no rule that says if I take my dog out in public I have to allow every nice dog out there come up to us. I don't know why that's so hard to understand? Is there a reason you feel you HAVE to be able to go greet everyone else's dogs?

 

J.

Julie, I guess you missed the part where I said that Fergie would sit and wait for the other dog to greet her. Once she was more than a bouncy puppy, she was always that polite with new dogs. She didn't ever HAVE to greet anyone - she let then decide if they wanted to greet her.

 

I must say that my real point was that I think it a tad rude to take a dog to a really crowded event and expect that no person or dog will come near. Seems to me that the definition of "crowd" is that contact is inevitable. It's why our kids were mostly deprived of theme parks - DH and I are uncomfortable in crowds. So we generally stay where we are comfortable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Going out on a limb here... I recall reading in any number of threads that at sheepdog trials, dogs are commonly unleashed and seem to get on fine with each other - observing the canine courtesies.

 

Could it be that there is so much friction because the average person, and even the average pet-owner, is woefully ignorant about how well-adjusted, socially astute dogs behave?

 

A large percentage of the dog owners I know in my city environment have unrealistic notions about dog/dog behavior. They are also generally either overprotective to the point of paranoia about every aspect of their dogs' lives - health, feeding, play, etc., or living in some little pink cloud about how two dogs who have never seen each other should be delighted to launch into a glorious fun-filled romp upon catching sight of each other.

 

Another thing to consider is that like me, a lot of my city dog-owning neighbors have rescue dogs with issues. They are not the type of dog that take things in stride. They are afraid, or belligerent, or just confused by the background noise of their history.

 

Dogs that live in a working environment get reality checks early and often. They have a life that enhances their ability to cope with things - other dogs, stroppy livestock, etc. - and gives them a solid sense of their place in the world. Many pet dogs, while loved and well cared for, simply don't have the tool kit to express themselves clearly or to understand the signals that they receive from other dogs.

 

A working dog's landscape is work, and its partnership with ts handler/owner. Everything else seems to be "small stuff" and they don't sweat it.

 

I'm not saying that pet dogs don't have happy lives, but I will venture that they do have lives that are circumscribed by artificial conditions, and frequently have attendant complications behaviorally.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, in dog culture it's a perfectly acceptable and even polite behavior. If they're being polite they'll approach another dog in an arc and not make direct eye contact to indicate their non-confrontational intentions, and if it's reciprocated will move directly into mutual butt sniffing. . . .with the potentially dangerous ends (i.e. teeth) initially away from each other. Trying to impose human cultural/behavioral standards to dog behavior is misguided at best and can lead to some unfortunate misunderstandings at worst.

 

I don't mind Bodhi being approached by other dogs as long as they're not aggressive or -- in dog behavior -- behaving inappropriately. He's got excellent dog skills and as long as he's willing, it's fine with me. If the dog's being inappropriate, he's perfectly capable of communicating this to the other dog and will do just that with an absolute minimum reprimand or warning.

 

Fortunately, most dogs who are out with their humans in public places aren't truly aggressive. Some are clueless, often the retrievers (as are some of the handlers), and if they don't get the hint I'll step in, but I don't usually deny the interaction if Bodhi's willing. I can tell if he's not, and if he doesn't want it I'll either politely decline and/or walk away, or get more direct if I have to.

 

The problem for me is if I'm somewhere with the reactive and people and dogs won't listen, as in the instance I described above. In situations like that I don't think it's simply a clash of expectations. But maybe it is a culture of entitlement that makes people think they have the right to do whatever they want regardless of what others want. I dunno. Whatever it is, it sure makes it harder for me to work with my reactive dog. That incident set Tansy back quite a bit and it's hard enough as it is to be able to take her places to work on it. :(

 

I mean true poking, of the intrusive variety. Like running into the back end of another dog, nose first, without a nice approach. I know sniffing is normal for dogs, but Cal has a knack of doing it really, really intrusively in a way that startles and upsets other dogs. She also does not like when it's done to her!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think there's a big difference between greeting and space invasion. I live in the country. I wave, shake hands, smile or say hello to almost everyone I come across - in town, driving or walking.

 

But I don't randomly hug, slap on the back, etc. I wait for an acknowledgement and some sort of interest or consent before moving past a basic greeting.

 

I've noticed much the same response in off leash well mannered dogs. They acknowledge each others presence, they visually size up each other and send body language cues and the move on to sniffing. It's not an immediate in your face (or up your butt) excitement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't consider this a cultural thing. I consider it a safety thing. . . .

 

This is a safety issue.

 

Some gun owners believe gun ownership is a safety issue, and are motivated to own guns by safety concerns. Some people who don't own a gun believe gun ownership is a safety issue, and are motivated not to own guns by safety concerns. Some people in both camps are unmotivated by safety concerns.

 

That doesn't mean that individual actions and beliefs about gun ownership are not influenced by their respective cultures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whether or not one owns a gun for safety reasons or not, I would be very surprised if anyone would deny that there are safety factors involved with gun ownership, especially when it comes to children handling guns, regardless of particular cultural norms.

 

I would say the same for walking dogs in public. There are matters of safety, and I would consider this to be a clear example of one, regardless of what is accepted or not culturally.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure that I get the superiority comments.I really just don't understand the seemingly over the top reactions of people who think their dogs must be allowed to go up to everyone and anyone. What if instead of letting your dog go up to any other dog, you let it go up to every other person you meet. Do you know if all of those people like dogs? Mightn't some of them actually be afraid of dogs? If they asked you to please keep your dog away because they were afraid, would you be offended? Would you tell them they ought not go out in public where they might encounter people walking dogs? What if it were simply an old, frail person? Maybe they even like dogs, but clearly don't need a dog jumping up on them. Is it wrong of them to ask you to keep your dog away? Should they not go out in public?

 

Dog parks are another story. I do think the presumption is that at least some folks go there to allow their dogs to interact with other dogs. But again, if someone is clearly off playing with their dog by themselves, I also think it would be safe to assume that they aren't seeking such interaction.

 

I was at a trial this past weekend. I stayed in the host's house. As soon as I walked in it was clear that the family shed their footwear there near the door. So I did the same. We are mostly a culture that leaves our shoes on, and I sometimes do in my own house as well, but as soon as I saw what the household did, I assumed that the courteous thing to do would be to take mine off.

 

Like someone else said, I do greet people I pass on the sidewalk or street or even the folks who come to board dogs at the farm, unless they clearly are avoiding such contact, because I think it's the polite thing to do. So I don't agree that we are a culture of non-greeters. I am not, however, a hugger, and the only people free to hug me are family and occasionally a close friend. I don't think it makes me some sort of sociopath not worthy of being out in society if I don't want people I hardly know to hug me. Honestly, I don't even like people standing too close to me to talk. I had that experience this past weekend as well. I tried to be charitable and consider that maybe the person had to get that close to be able to hear me more clearly, but it still made me quite uncomfortable and so I broke away from that conversation more quickly than I might otherwise have.

 

Nancy,

I guess I'm having a hard time understanding how, if Fergie was sitting and waiting for the other dog to greet her there would ever be a confrontation with another dog owner. If I didn't want my dog interacting with Fergie I would continue on by. So I'm not clear why someone would need to tell you their dog wasn't friendly if your dog wasn't even approaching. But I suspect that I'm just not going to understand, and that's okay.

 

FWIW, I don't like crowds and I don't like being crowded in upon, but if it's an event I really want to attend, I manage my feelings about the situation so that I can go. That still doesn't mean that I don't cherish what little space I might have in a crowded venue and that I might appreciate not being brushed up against if there's room for others not to do so....

 

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, and regarding sheepdog trials, yes, many dogs do often run loose and some make contact with one another, but in my experience when walking my own pack at trials, I don't let my dogs randomly go up to other people's dogs and vice versa. There might be multiple people walking multiple packs of dogs off leash, but for the most part the dogs are staying with their own pack and sticking near their own human. There are exceptions of course (friends walking their dogs together, etc.).

 

But lest anyone think that the people and dogs at sheepdog trials are the epitome of decorum, I can say that I have seen bad behavior at trials, from male dogs being allowed to pee on things they shouldn't to people simply opening their camper doors and letting their dogs fly with little or no regard for who might be passing by or where their dogs are going or what they're doing once the camper door is shut again. Thankfully those discourteous folks seem to be in the minority.

 

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting thread. I like Eileen's discussion of different cultures.

 

I know people who aren't TOTALLY ignorant of dogs, having owned several, but they aren't even 1/4 as knowledgeable about dogs as the average user here. I honestly think a lot of people have been lucky with the dogs they have and/or knowingly or more likely unknowingly set expectations for their dogs to be essentially what people on this forum would consider "bomb-proof" in terms of temperament (not usually in terms of behavior and training!) Or their dog merely shuts down, which the owner doesn't even seem to recognize, but is in no way dangerous when touched by other people or other dogs. I think people like this really don't understand dogs that won't accept these behaviors. So who knows what they are thinking when you inform them your dog isn't the same way (or you won't let him be treated the same way).

 

We had kind of a cultural head-to-head in my office recently. We allow dogs and Odin has been coming since he was a puppy (so, 7 years). In the past few years more and more people started bringing dogs in and many of them were not trained as Odin is to listen, have commands that you really need in a work environment (like stay, and kennel-up) and not disturb other people or dogs without explicit approval. A few people were first time dog owners and had problematic dogs - as in they were fearful and reactive, and a bit unpredictable to normal office stimuli. One of the dogs might allow people to walk past the owner's cube all week and then suddenly rush and bark at someone who walked by. Another dog (a tiny Chihuahua, which is part of it) was guarding her owner's office from some people and even nipping ankles.

 

I spoke to the owners of the problematic dogs trying to get them to see that they needed to have their dog behave to certain standards to be able to come here, and brought up better management as a possible way to help with that (i.e. use of crates etc.) I was NOT appreciated by either owner for this. Both of them were working with trainers at this point with their dogs (and good for them!), and both had absorbed the idea that it is always on the onus of OTHER people and OTHER dogs to approach their dogs correctly or not at all. For a person to do any less was rude and spoke of not understanding dogs. They were defensive and not hearing me that in this environment, any type of person might be around and the dogs are only here as long as they don't affect work or cause problems, and it was actually their responsibility as owners to ensure their dog was safe and suitable for this environment. I know dogs, but I'm still going to walk into your office and therefore personal space unapologetically if I need to and shouldn't need to have some sort of complicated treat-giving ritual to stop the guarding behavior so I can talk to the person about what I need to talk to them about. In this culture, our dogs need to be bomb-proof, in other words. If they can't be that by innate temperament or some combination of training and management, then they shouldn't be brought here.

 

In the end, one dog got banned from the office, and the other dog unexpectedly slipped her leash, and rushed and bit someone who was apparently walking towards her owner in a way the dog didn't like. Unfortunately, that owner chose to have that dog euthanized.

 

This is an extreme situation, to be sure. We want to have a dog friendly office but the purpose of this place is strictly for people and our work. The dogs are a bonus that will not be allowed if they become too much trouble. On the opposite end of the spectrum is going to a (non-dog) park. But there are situations in between, as I think Nancy is describing. If you go to a very crowded function or event or outdoor restaurant, and you know it will be crowded, I DO think you should not bring a dog that can't be trusted if everything doesn't go perfectly, with everyone keeping their dogs and their hands away from you at all times unless you formally consent. What if a child accidently fell on your dog? That actually happened to Odin at a restaurant I took him to once. The kid didn't mean to. I know other dogs that are great dogs, but if that same thing happened they'd be likely to bite the child or at least react in a way that would scare people. I really don't think those dogs should be brought into situations like that. Just my 2 c.

 

I do get what others are saying about clueless people, and yes there are a lot of them out there...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I DO think you should not bring a dog that can't be trusted if everything doesn't go perfectly, with everyone keeping their dogs and their hands away from you at all times unless you formally consent.

 

The thing for me is - I agree with this.

 

But I don't think that being in that location or knowing that my dog WILL NOT bite or hurt anyone for any reason short of having a seizure or something equally insane, means that I have given up my right to say 'no' to dog/dog introductions or people petting my dog.

 

It means my dog needs to be controlled, tolerant, well behaved and safe - absolutely!

 

But it doesn't mean I can't say 'she doesn't like that, don't do it' or 'no thanks' to letting the dogs sniff each other. That doesn't mean there's going to be a brawl, it just means *I don't want to*, and I really... don't see that saying no to someone who wants to pet my dog or have our dogs meet is rude. It certainly doesn't mean I have to smile and let it continue if someone just grabs my dog.

 

There are other reasons for saying no. Sometimes that no means the dog is going to be upset. Sometimes it means the dog is sore or feeling under the weather and you don't think it would enjoy the contact (as opposed to aggress) Sometimes it means the handler is anxious, or busy, or waiting on someone, or just doesn't feel like it, or doesn't trust the other dog or the person and doesn't want them that close or lingering.

 

"No" should be okay without the assumption being 'the dog is dangerous and shouldn't be here'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's no such thing as a dog that won't bite.

 

And yes, people should gauge whether their dog is trustworthy in a given venue.

 

Oh, absolutely. I know there are stimuli that I would expect him to potentially bite in reaction to, and I will do whatever I need to to protect him from those situations. I have 99.99% confidence my dog won't bite or overreact in a scary way just because someone else's dog was cluelessly rude, a kid or adult pet him without asking, or fell on him, etc. If his behavior ever changed and I no longer had that confidence, as often happens with older dogs etc., I'll treat things differently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thing for me is - I agree with this.

 

But I don't think that being in that location or knowing that my dog WILL NOT bite or hurt anyone for any reason short of having a seizure or something equally insane, means that I have given up my right to say 'no' to dog/dog introductions or people petting my dog.

 

It means my dog needs to be controlled, tolerant, well behaved and safe - absolutely!

 

But it doesn't mean I can't say 'she doesn't like that, don't do it' or 'no thanks' to letting the dogs sniff each other. That doesn't mean there's going to be a brawl, it just means *I don't want to*, and I really... don't see that saying no to someone who wants to pet my dog or have our dogs meet is rude. It certainly doesn't mean I have to smile and let it continue if someone just grabs my dog.

 

There are other reasons for saying no. Sometimes that no means the dog is going to be upset. Sometimes it means the dog is sore or feeling under the weather and you don't think it would enjoy the contact (as opposed to aggress) Sometimes it means the handler is anxious, or busy, or waiting on someone, or just doesn't feel like it, or doesn't trust the other dog or the person and doesn't want them that close or lingering.

 

"No" should be okay without the assumption being 'the dog is dangerous and shouldn't be here'.

I agree, and you are dog savvy unlike the new owners at my office I described who had absorbed the part of good manners "culture" from their trainers you want to expect from others before they had truly understood what the full set of things they needed to do as owners were.

 

But your last sentence is sort of the crux of the matter. Some people's offended reactions are likely because when they hear no, they are thinking it is because the dog is dangerous and shouldn't be there. Sometimes they are being babies and who cares if they think your dog is dangerous or you are rude, because you are in a time and location where you have every reason to expect people to behave themselves, and if not, you can tell them to. And again, there are some situations where it's crowded enough, and I think Nancy was describing this too, that you should probably go expecting there will be some less-than-totally-polite behavior from other people and other dogs, and take into account that you may not feasibly be able to keep everyone away from you and your dog in a perfect bubble, at least without having to be rude or scare other people. Hopefully this makes sense - I'm not saying this was the situation in the OP necessarily, either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I *do* agree that you need to have a dog that demonstrates reliability in public before you take it in public. But I can expect to walk in public without random strangers giving me bear hugs so I don't think that it's unreasonable to expect the same thing for my dog. Even if they are going to be okay if it happens.

 

I'll add that Kenzi is an incredibly most people oriented dog. She would have been very happy to run over and climb on random strangers for attention. But many random strangers don't appreciate being jump on by energetic dogs. So I wouldn't let her without permission. However numerous people have thought it just fine to come over and pet her without asking. On many occasions I was very tempted to let go of the leash and let my sweet little dog happily overwhelm them with her energy and excitement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, and you are dog savvy unlike the new owners at my office I described who had absorbed the part of good manners "culture" from their trainers you want to expect from others before they had truly understood what the full set of things they needed to do as owners were.

 

But your last sentence is sort of the crux of the matter. Some people's offended reactions are likely because when they hear no, they are thinking it is because the dog is dangerous and shouldn't be there. Sometimes they are being babies and who cares if they think your dog is dangerous or you are rude, because you are in a time and location where you have every reason to expect people to behave themselves, and if not, you can tell them to. And again, there are some situations where it's crowded enough, and I think Nancy was describing this too, that you should probably go expecting there will be some less-than-totally-polite behavior from other people and other dogs, and take into account that you may not feasibly be able to keep everyone away from you and your dog in a perfect bubble, at least without having to be rude or scare other people. Hopefully this makes sense - I'm not saying this was the situation in the OP necessarily, either.

 

Yes. If we're in a packed crowd, I expect people to be within my dog's 'space' bubble - and I expect dogs to end up there, too. I will still often have her sitting between my feet or in my lap in some circumstances just to give her a little protection from being trampled (of mine the dogs most likely to be in this scenario are small enough TO be stepped on), but it's just part and parcel with a packed house.

 

The reverse of that is, I guess, somewhere like an uncrowded petstore or a dog friendly sidewalk cafe. You CAN reasonably assume my dog is friendly in those scenarios and I do expect some degree of at least interest and people who want to interact/allow their dogs to interact. I just wish (and I know it's not really reality) that it was something that was 'asked' (either explicitly or implicitly) rather than assumed or at least that saying 'Not right now' wasn't often assumed to mean the dog was going to tear someone's face off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Julie P wrote: "I'm not sure that I get the superiority comments.I really just don't understand the seemingly over the top reactions of people who think their dogs must be allowed to go up to everyone and anyone. What if instead of letting your dog go up to any other dog, you let it go up to every other person you meet. Do you know if all of those people like dogs? Mightn't some of them actually be afraid of dogs? If they asked you to please keep your dog away because they were afraid, would you be offended? Would you tell them they ought not go out in public where they might encounter people walking dogs? What if it were simply an old, frail person? Maybe they even like dogs, but clearly don't need a dog jumping up on them. Is it wrong of them to ask you to keep your dog away? Should they not go out in public?"

 

This.

 

I went to college with a lot of Muslims. I also took my dogs to college and it was not unusual for me to show up to class with one or two. I always made sure my dogs NEVER made contact with them in order to respect their culture (they are not supposed to touch dogs). If I was on campus studying and my lab group texted me for an unscheduled meeting, I would put the dogs in a down stay behind me so that they did not come over and interact with anyone during our meetings. If we happened to be walking across campus together and discussing something, I would walk the dogs on the opposite side to put some distance between them.

 

They knew I was the dog crazy pre vet student and respected that I often had a dog with me. They never complained about it. I knew they were Muslim and did not want to be touched by my dogs. If we could get along as well as we did, I don't understand why others can't be as willing to accept the wishes of others and honor them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently brought my rescue caucassion ovcharka and my 6 month old bc Nanny to petco for a rabies clinic. Nika the CO has only been here 3 weeks. I am not familiar with all of her personality. I first asked if I could wait till the end and they might be able to come out to my car. Nope that was against the rules.

So in we come (both are nicely leash trained and like each other)

Nika goes 140lbs and has had all of her ears cropped off by her Russian breeder (breed standard)

I was amazed at the stupid adults that cruzed right up to her face. I said rather loudly that she is a rescue and I have no idea if she will bite strangers.

All the kids kept back and were nervous with her big ol head at their eye level. But adults....wth?

I went down a back isle to wait our turn. Most people saw us sitting quietly on the floor and turned the other way.

Until a stupid young lady with a petco grooming jacket on comes up and asked if this was where biting dogs waited. I looked at her and shook my head saying no but it could be if she brought her "biting" dog to us.

She still didn't get it. Other employees shooed her away from us.

We got our shots with no incidence. I found out Nika is pretty bomb proof (I kinda knew this) and petco is full of idiots.

Including the vet who did our shots. She accused me of butchering my dogs ears even though I explained she was a rescue and I hadn't had her that long. Then she told me I must be totally mistaken that Nanny couldn't be 6 months because she had a full set of adult teeth. I again explained I had bred her and knew her exact b-day. She shook her head and said I must be mistaken. And that she really didn't look pure bred.

I really did want to tell Nika to bite her, just a little bit. But I refrained.

Long story longer. I thought Nika was scarry looking enough I could keep people away. Not the case.

We were only there because my vet was closed and I was leaving town so had decided it was pretty important to get a rabies shot before I left.

Stupid people. Kids are teachable, I use my dogs to explain some are nice and some are not and you can't tell the difference by looking at them. But adults....not so much!

Btw

Did i mention love my new LGD and am totally lucky I found her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found her through fb and the lgd pages. I ended up talking with her breeder in CA but I didn't want a puppy. I recently lost 9 sheep to neighborhood dogs. Jesse is a defensive dog not an aggressive dog. She tried her heart out but couldn't do it. So i needed an out of the box lgd.

The breeder sent me to her. She was living in Mississippi in a garage. Her family moved from MO country to Mississippi city.

I talked to them for a week and drove down to pick her up.

She has a lot of learning to do to be a totally outside dog but she is doing her job.

I am out of town for work most of the time sept. Through dec. The 2 attacks happened my first week of out of town.

So I scrambled very hard to work it out!

She is a blessing!

post-2529-0-24252100-1445954404_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was thinking about all that has been discussed here for a bit.

Cultural might not be the word I would use. More like neighborhood rules.

I think Chene's dog park is a free for all dog park. She acts or does what others do at that park. Other neighboring (dog or not) parks might be totally different. People tend to act in kind depending on where they are.

I have a pack of dogs. They play quite well with each other. Like family kids. But they dont know other dog rules and probably wouldnt play without knowing what's expected of them. Single dogs have to adapt to the dogs around them if they want to interact with any dogs. An ever changing situation for sure.

I could never let my dogs interrupt another's fetch game. The other dog wouldn't have a chance...our home rules are whoever gets it ownes the ball. The poor dog that they joined would never get the ball again.

So if my dog did "steal" the ball I'd make them stop. Smile and move on. I don't feel the need to appoligize. It's just a game.

I doubt most dogs would join our rough game but if they did and won the ball mine wouldn't try to fight them. They'd just run that much harder and faster the next throw.

As far as the pittie sniffing butts, I have a feeling since you said your dog really didn't mind, that it was a bit of breed "scare" for you. If it had been a young not reputation ruined pitty, but a friendly smaller mutt, you probably wouldn't have been rude (if you truely were)

 

I can and do smile and say in one way or another F-off if i feel the need and the person or kid never realizes what happened until it's over. ;) I think that comes with age. Lol

My dogs, even the jerky one will tolerate a lot from strang dogs, I expect that. But I would surely intervene before my dogs ever decided they had enough of a rude dog. They expect that of me.

 

I am blessed to have acreage and availability of other places that I don't need a leash. Reading this long thread reminds of just how lucky I am.

Btw

My dogs fetch game is very odd. As I said, the first one to get the ball "wins" but the jerk dog (who still thinks he's alpha) can never get there fast enough to fetch the ball. So my 2 other fetching girls run around with the prize for a moment then drop it at Mick's feet. No one but him returns the ball. Ever! The young one just sits on my feet and watches. She doesn't know the rules quite yet so she doesn't want to play. Although she does play if I take her out alone.

IMO if my dog wasn't just about bomb proof I probably wouldn't take him to places where we could get in trouble. Just easier that way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It didn't sound like a pit bull thing? I mean, mostly I've had big mixed-breed dogs doing that to my dogs, and it irritates me no end when the owners don't bother to keep some kind of control or stop their dogs walking with their heads under my dog's arse. Even if the dog doesn't mind, or doesn't appear to mind, the other dog is still being rude. Unless my dog is ecstatic to see that dog and wants to hang out with them, I feel it's my job to protect my dogs from rude dogs. They shouldn't HAVE to show obvious signs of getting annoyed.

 

Sometimes you don't have the option of not taking dogs where you could get in trouble. If you have a dog who is afraid of everything, sooner or later you have to either decide to never take them out of the house, or to work on training. If you have a dog who is intermittently grumpy (usually with rude dogs), but needs walking for her arthritis, there aren't a lot of places and times near me where you can walk them and be *sure* of not meeting other dogs. I mean 3am you'll meet someone with a dog.

 

I understand what you're saying, but I've come across too many owners of dogs who do not realise that every other dog might not want to greet theirs, and think that any dog who cannot greet every dog 'shouldn't be out'. That is simply not fair to the person who has their dog under control and is managing it.

 

If you have the nastiest dog alive but it's on a lead, possibly muzzled, not bothering or going to bother me or mine, I'd much rather meet you than 10 'bomb proof' dogs who are going to be rude or oblivious, or just interact in unwanted ways.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...