|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:43 am
Kokonotsu It's dumb how even when confronted with information like yours, people still insist big dog = bad and little dog = no problem. I've met some mean dogs of varying sizes, and good dogs of varying sizes too, but people always insist the bigger ones are badder first. I guess that's why responsivble dog trainers have to work so hard to propagate that not all dogs are bad. What really upsets me about this steriotype is that people who have smaller dogs think that rules don't apply to them, that would apply to bigger dogs. Yesterday, my sister and I took my niece to the park. This lady came over to the park with her miniature poodle, and it didn't have a leash on! I just about pooped myself because dogs are not allowed at the park (otherwise mine would have been there) and if you are going to break the rules, at least put your dayum dog on a leash. This upset me so bad. If I would have had my Laika there, I know thre would have been a complaint, but no, not the mini poodle who did not have a leash on. The thing is...it did not seem friendly. When this little girl went to pet it, it ran as if it was scared. The owner did not even tell the girl to leave her dog alone. I am sure if the girl would have even gotten in bite's reach of the poddle, he would have bitten her. Things like these upset me to no end...
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 10:48 pm
Pistil My dog is a thirty-three pound (supposed to be 22) terrier mix, and has to wear a body collar instead of a regular one due to a 'collapsed trachea'. He had done good with a regular collar until recently, but earlier this year he was coughing and wheezing nearly continuously so we switched. He's been doing much better now that he has no pressure on his throat. Anyway, on with the story: Yesterday (I think) I was walking my dog. This guy was walking towards us, not a big deal ("Lucky heads up" *brings closer to my side so that the man doesn't have to walk on the boulevard*), only I guess the guy thought it was a big deal. He pointed to the yard we were passing, said... something... (he had a very heavy African accent), then went onto the yard (which meant around bushes) to pass us. Wow. He was afraid of my dog! It was probably a phobia or something, but I'm sure the body collar didn't help in his mind. I think using anything other than the normal collar gives the impression that "something's wrong with this dog". If my dog had been wearing a regular collar, I'm sure the man would've been okay merely passing on the boulevard. What is a body collar, and where can I get one to try? My Daisy has tracheal damage, and her Sense-ation harness wears her fur off. Her regular harness still rides too close to her trachea. (Sorry about the dog-walking woes, by the way. Daisy is an APBT, so I can totally relate.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:35 am
When we have people over at our house, if they're afraid of any of our dogs, it's the two shepherds. =/ The thing is, I'm not worried at all that they'd bite anyone, but the same people run up to my sheltie (I do mean run, too) and lean over her to pet her. I'm always worried that someone is going to do that when I'm not there to tell them not to, because she really is a nervous dog, and would snap if she felt threatened. Try and explain this, though, and they disagree. D: Like I don't know my dog better than they do!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:06 pm
I don't really understand how people would get freaked out over a dog wearing a harness. I can understand a muzzle, and why people would make that assumption, but not a harness. Often seeing-eye dogs and rescue dogs and such wear harnesses, and they're not "mean" in any way. They are trained not to freak out over people, because they deal with people and see people on a daily basis. So, I really don't understand where that negative association comes from. I've never associated a harness with mean dogs.
It's a shame that person did what he did, yelling at you and your dog. (What a cutie, btw.) I can't say I've ever had to deal with that, but that kind of thing would just infuriate me. Especially if the dog is friendly. I admit, I do show caution at first when meeting a big dog for the first time, but I don't just assume it's a horrible dog. Usually all it takes is for the owner to tell me it's friendly, or for the dog to show signs of being friendly (sniffing, asking to be petted, etc.) Once that's out of the way, I'm already making friends with the dog. razz I always let them sniff me first anyway. Only reason I show caution is, I don't know the dog, and I realize a bigger dog could hurt me more than a smaller one could. But then, I do show caution with little dogs, too, come to think of it. No reason not to.
That's true, though. Not all small dogs are mean or unfriendly, but a lot are. I find a lot more friendly, fun-loving big dogs out there. Meanest dog I ever met: chihuahua.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
