When you have an aggressive/fearful dog, or one that you don't want pet/doesn't want or like to be pet and people are interested in interacting?
Reading a few threads recently I realized that there are a lot more nippy/aggressive/fearful dogs owned here than I thought with great owners managing them.
So when you're out in public with your dog that you don't want pet for whatever reason, what do you tell people? Do you not care and just sound rude? Do you try to explain it? Lie?
As most of you know, Frag has had weird aggression issues in the past, none involving lunging/snapping/biting, and only growling, but still not something I would ever let get to the point, so when we're out in public I do not let strangers pet him. I'm finding it more difficult to convey my reasoning to them, and it's getting on my last nerve. If I don't reason, they don't listen. I don't want to come off as a complete witch before they do anything wrong, but they will do something wrong if I don't have a great reason and I don't want that happening. Just don't want to put Frag in the situation, even if he appears absolutely fantastic with strange people now.
Usually conversations in public go something like this...
Them: "Oh, pretty dog, what's his name?"
Me: "Frag" (apparently this is permission for them to pet my dog..)
Them: *reaches to pet*
Me: Please don't pet my dog. *body blocking/moving*
Them: "Why not?"
Then I either say he doesn't like to be pet and they freak out saying he's aggressive (which I don't want people to think), or I'll say that he has allergies and can't be pet and they condescendingly question it while I want to punch them in their face.
I don't put myself in the position to be approached by many, usually I walk away when I see their interest, but when I do it's so annoying and frustrating. I'd prefer not to be a witch about it, but it's hard to find the right way not to.
So what's everyone else's line?
Reading a few threads recently I realized that there are a lot more nippy/aggressive/fearful dogs owned here than I thought with great owners managing them.
So when you're out in public with your dog that you don't want pet for whatever reason, what do you tell people? Do you not care and just sound rude? Do you try to explain it? Lie?
As most of you know, Frag has had weird aggression issues in the past, none involving lunging/snapping/biting, and only growling, but still not something I would ever let get to the point, so when we're out in public I do not let strangers pet him. I'm finding it more difficult to convey my reasoning to them, and it's getting on my last nerve. If I don't reason, they don't listen. I don't want to come off as a complete witch before they do anything wrong, but they will do something wrong if I don't have a great reason and I don't want that happening. Just don't want to put Frag in the situation, even if he appears absolutely fantastic with strange people now.
Usually conversations in public go something like this...
Them: "Oh, pretty dog, what's his name?"
Me: "Frag" (apparently this is permission for them to pet my dog..)
Them: *reaches to pet*
Me: Please don't pet my dog. *body blocking/moving*
Them: "Why not?"
Then I either say he doesn't like to be pet and they freak out saying he's aggressive (which I don't want people to think), or I'll say that he has allergies and can't be pet and they condescendingly question it while I want to punch them in their face.
I don't put myself in the position to be approached by many, usually I walk away when I see their interest, but when I do it's so annoying and frustrating. I'd prefer not to be a witch about it, but it's hard to find the right way not to.
So what's everyone else's line?