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Don't Pet The Dang Dog!!

25K views 297 replies 52 participants last post by  Gwenhwyfair 
#1 ·
#11 ·
No, no and NO!

If more people would just mind their own business we could take our dogs to a lot more public places.

You can make two arguments against this "all dogs are inherently public property" meme that's taken hold.

1) you don't allow perfect strangers to walk up and start fondling your child out of the blue why should it be tolerated with dogs?

2) Dogs are property just like your car, wallet or purse, since when is it OK for a complete stranger to walk up grab your purse, wallet or just jump into your car?

Take your pick but either way this guy is 150% spot on.
 
#12 ·
It's happened to me several times. On one occasion I watched as a couple walked by with their golden (who was heeling very nicely on leash btw) some people picnicking near by literally try to lure the dog with food to come to them. They stuck a container of food under the dogs nose.

Yup, that bad.

Now that Ilda is full grown I don't have that problem though, she's got the aloof GSD thing down pat.
 
#13 · (Edited)
The other day I was walking a client dog what was extremely leash aggressive to dogs and has sent one to the vet before coming in for training. So we were still working on it although she was by that point almost completely over it when some dog walking a lady on a long leash pulled our way and the lady just let her do it and was going to just let them meet. Had to rush the dog off the side of the path to prevent a face to face but the dog didn't react so yay? Dog is trained.

Never struck her as odd I was walking a small dog on both a prong collar and an e collar despite the fact I'm an in shape 200 pound guy.

Less recent example was when Zebu was a puppy and was losing his mind barking at a stuffed animal dog at a Petsmart adoption table, weirdly enough ignoring the real dogs at the table, and some lady let her dog come up behind him and goose him when he was in that mind state. I didn't even see her coming. No fight happened but had he been older that easily could have been a bite.
 
#17 ·
The man addressed the "well trained" dog aspect in his video.

O.k. Then argument 2 fits for you.

He made valid points and I will not and do not accept that my dog is fundamentally public property.

It would be much better, for the well trained and not so well trained dogs if strangers would leave them alone, period.
 
#15 ·
Nobody has ever just walked up and pet my dogs. A couple of people have asked before petting them. I attribute this mostly to my body language. I don't want people approaching me when I'm training/walking my dogs and it may show. I'm also very aware of my surroundings when I'm out.

If anyone did just walk up and touch/pet my dogs without asking first they would hear a not very polite response from me, but I see people well before they get in distance to pet the dogs.
 
#19 ·
Guess it kinda depends on the dog, my guy is well trained and most, people I encounter grateful for that. No problems in public I get lots of compliments but few folks want to actually pet him!

I couldn't imagine someone trying to "lure" him away from me?? Live and learn. :)
 
#20 ·
Actually, talk with people who have working service dogs. Even when the dogs have vests on saying the 'please do not pet', 'working service dog' people try to interfere.

Hang out with some service dog owners, you'll hear a lot of examples of this problem.

It doesn't happen all the time when I'm out with mine but on several occasions I've had people whistle, make clicking sounds while patting their leg and last week while working (with my trainer) a guy drove by, slowed down, and started barking really loud! :crazy:
 
#21 ·
Well I'm stunned but I guess you should never be surprised by how stupid some people can be! Now I know.

Boxers(American) immediately come to mind as a dog that can be easily subjected to being lured!

My reaction to something like that happening on a walk would make that guy look mild!:eek:
 
#23 ·
When training is done correctly, every single distraction becomes a cue to watch you more closely for the dog----and respond only to your commands.

---------" On one occasion I watched as a couple walked by with their golden (who was heeling very nicely on leash btw) some people picnicking near by literally try to lure the dog with food to come to them. They stuck a container of food under the dogs nose."-----------

This is why you never use treats for training.

Two things to keep in mind. You have NO control over anything except yourself and your dog. But, when you have trained properly, that is all you need.

It is easier to train your dog than people...............dogs are smarter and will learn, people won't.
 
#24 · (Edited)
This is why you never use treats for training.
Not sure about "never" but I take your point! I was always kinda "tight fisted" with the treats myself! Kinda of a "cause I say so guy" myself!
Two things to keep in mind. You have NO control over anything except yourself and your dog. But, when you have trained properly, that is all you need.

It is easier to train your dog than people...............dogs are smarter and will learn, people won't.
Company and guest, yes other wise "perfectly trained Boxers" company came over dog listens, company doesn't chaos ensues!

Hard to train "guest!"

Will add making folks feel "welcome is not really a problem with my GSD!" More like "nice to see you..when are you leaving!":D
 
#28 ·
You have no idea how many times a day I want to yell this to everyone around me!! Lol. Thankfully my girl ignores it now.... But it still makes me so angry! She is a SD... So that means EVERY human wants to call her. Yesterday we had two kids on hands and knees barking and growling at her, as their mom smiled and laughed watching her children crawl up behind a strange dog.





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#30 ·
Yup, that's what I hear from SD owners especially. Sorry you have to deal with that....but glad the video gave you a chuckle. :)

You have no idea how many times a day I want to yell this to everyone around me!! Lol. Thankfully my girl ignores it now.... But it still makes me so angry! She is a SD... So that means EVERY human wants to call her. Yesterday we had two kids on hands and knees barking and growling at her, as their mom smiled and laughed watching her children crawl up behind a strange dog.





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#29 ·
I LOVE this video!

Sabi was a dream dog and highly tolerant of fools and small children, Bud is well behaved but don't push your luck and my darling Shadow has issues.

They are my dogs and my responsibility, ask me nicely or walk away. I have made this guy look like a Sunday school teacher in defense of Shadow. Muzzled, leashed and appropriately moved aside and blocked I have literally had people hanging over me, trying to pet her while crooning 'nice puppy'.
Does she look nice? Does she seem happy? I have had people try to snatch the leash from me, I have had people growl at Bud-no not kidding, I have had people try and lure all of my dogs with toys and treats. I have tried being nice, I have tried being polite. Now I just tell them where to go and how to get there.
 
#31 ·
Never had someone try to pat dex or ty, but shiloh people are drawn too. Kids are like awesome to her. I took her to the park one night and she was swarmed by kids who loved her floppy years, her tail was going a mile a minute and she was on her back in heaven. The other two dont get patted, they avoid unless im standing there talking to them then usually the person will beable to get a pat in.
 
#35 ·
That's great. What about the people who didn't have that option? Or folks like me who have a dog with some problems? I have every right to walk around and as long as she is properly managed, so does Shadow. I should not have to deal with crazy people who are not only invading my personal space but touching something that belongs to me.
It is my responsibility as her guardian to ensure that rude peoples actions do not put her in jeopardy.
 
#40 ·
I found the video quite amusing. Maybe Sparra doesn't think so cuz the video is talking about people like him/her? :)

I've had kids bark at my dog. I've had a little girl open a screen door to try and pet my dog sitting on the other side. Things happen. Gotta train your dog. But I do feel every dog whether well behaved or not has the right to walk down the street without some bafoon trying to touch it.
 
#41 ·
I didn't find the video funny at all.

The man was angry. Why? Someone he knew, some dog he knew probably bit someone who came up and petted it. Possibly one of the dogs he trained. Not the dog he currently was walking, probably. But the man was seriously angry, and not because someone tried to interact with the dog, probably because the interaction was not appropriate, and consequences happened. The dog needed more training. The dog has a bite history.

Yes, go and get your own dog. That's really great advice. Not everyone out there should own a dog. Sorry folks, but if only the people that should own dogs, owned dogs, maybe there wouldn't be any problem at all with all the people that shouldn't own dogs for whatever reason interacting with the dogs that are there. So someone realizes they work too much, and they travel too much to own a dog, and have chosen not to. They should also decide that they should live in a world devoid of canines because they do not own one.

It is really not a good video, because it gives the wrong message. It says, that if I need to train my dog, if I need to correct my dog, then well, maybe I don't have to. Maybe it is really every one else's problem, not my dog's problem. So I am going to sit back and not socialize my dog, and not work on their reactivity or problems, because everyone else in the world should just go and get their own dog and leave mine be.

The people that truly need to see this man's opinion on the subject are not dog people and they are not spending time on the internet looking up dog videos. So they aren't seeing it. Who is seeing it are those who have dogs with issues, and wish the rest of the world would ignore their dog so that they can be lazier, less vigilant with their dog.

If your dog cannot manage normal human contact, than you, the owner has to head that off before it gets to the place where you need to correct your dog.

Please, people, if your dog has an issue, then politely tell people that he isn't a people-dog, sorry. But understand that not everyone out there that loves dogs, owns one. Maybe some people love dogs enough not to own one right now: while they are yet in school, while they are renting, while they are working a lot of overtime, while they are spending nearly full-time helping with aging parents, while they travel a lot for their job. For those of us whose dogs are not having problems, please share a moment with someone who can't or doesn't own a dog right now.

Don't hang on to them, putting your anti-social personality onto the dog.

I disliked the video. I disagree with it. I understand the guy's frustration. But it is not something we should embrace.
 
#45 ·
So the general consensus here is
that no dog that isn't perfectly trained should be out in public, how do we train them then?
that every person around has every right to do whatever they please to my dogs whether it is nice or not, then why am I held responsible for what is essentially public property?
that I as a person have no right to expect personal space and that a person who gets upset about this is wrong.
 
#49 ·
I think the key word in Sparra's comment was "busy".

There is no such thing as a perfectly trained dog, so we have to aim for well-trained and that takes the pressure off. :)

But if a dog has behavioural issues, it would not be wise to expose that dog to that much stimuli. And if the dog is aggressive, then certainly a busy street would be a very bad idea. Yes, it is important to train that dog but I think Sparra meant it would be prudent to start that dog off in an area where there is less sensory stimulation and work that dog up in the level of distraction.

I don't think it is about every person having the right to do as they please to your dog. You have every right to tell someone not to pet your dog if they approach it w/o your permission. I do that. You also have every right to deny when someone asks to pet your dog.

Hope I helped clear some of that up. I am not taking anybody side, but I think there is a lot of miscommunication in the heat of debate.
 
#46 ·
Yes and people don't use common sense. Dogs don't come trained. Why call and slap your knee to a dog trying to get its attention? Some dogs are out in the real world to train. You don't fix aggression issues by never taking the dog outside.

Maybe your dog came out the womb well behaved cuz you're special? Mine also came out the womb pretty well trained so I find it assuming when people purposely try to get my dogs attention. But I do understand the frustration of owners who have issues with their dogs. You, on the other hand, don't get the big picture.
 
#48 ·
You don't fix aggression issues by never taking the dog outside.

You, on the other hand, don't get the big picture.
If people want to take their aggressive dogs out in public to "fix" them.......go right ahead....if it bites a child who runs up and pats it....dead dog.....that is the big picture....no judge is gonna sit there and listen to you whinge all day about how the child was a bafoon and shouldn't have pet your aggressive dog......and I'm the one missing the big picture.....
 
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