Walkin my dog one day...

[JustAGirl]

So I was reading this thread:

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/showthread.php?t=22487

and realized I had a story, but was not Sightings or SC worthy, as it was my dog.

My fiance and I had lived in an apartment complex. I took my dog (41 lb black lab mix, loves people and loves to lick!) for a walk and some neighbor kids came up to me, asked me about petting him, and I said yes. My dog was great, licked the kid to death.

A while goes by (months, I dunno). I'm walking my dog again. I hear a kid (I think the same kid, or a sibling of the other kid) shout "DOGGY".

My dog stops in his tracks, stares down the kid. Tail wagging like crazy. No hackles up or anything. Kid comes closer, my dog barks once (tail still wagging happily).

This kid STOPS in his tracks, and back peddles so fast, he trips and falls. I stifle a laugh and head into the apartment.

I really wish parents would teach their kids how to properly handle coming up to a dog. The former did really well, and got licked to death :) The second one just had no clue how to handle himself.

[iradney]

Yeah, my muttock is the same. He barks excited when he sees new people, but he would never bite. TTO and I swear that if someone breaks into our house one day, he'll get licked and played with, but never bitten! I just wish people would learn to read doggy body language :(

[FuzzyKitten99]

Yeah, my muttock is the same. He barks excited when he sees new people, but he would never bite. TTO and I swear that if someone breaks into our house one day, he'll get licked and played with, but never bitten! I just wish people would learn to read doggy body language :(

I feel your pain... my dog is useless too. He's a purebred Siberian Husky, but as any husky owner will tell you... they are forever puppies.

If someone new or a friend comes over who Buster hasn't seen in a while, he does this low growling thing that sounds like he's being threatening, but it is his way of saying "I'm here too! Pay attention to me! You didn't say 'hi' to me, dammit!"

Anyone who is either afraid of or doesn't like dogs or for some reason is the least likely person to give him affection, will be the one he sits by and leans against the whole time we have guests. He basically is thinking he will win your love and force you to like him!

[Kittish]

I'm not a dog person, but even I know that ears up and perked forward, tail up (and probably wagging, but doesn't have to be), and big doggy grin equals "Hi! Howareya?" in dog language. The warning signs are just as easy to read- ears back, tail held straight out behind or down, hackles raised and no grin equals "Make my day, punk."

[Part-Time Parrothead]

My dog is afraid of new people. She doesn't like going out, and if she meets someone, she tries to hide behind me. (Yes, I am socializing her, but it's slow going.)

[BookstoreEscapee]

Pablo will let just about anyone hold him and pet him, but he doesn't get excited to see people, except for me and his daddy. He's just the mellowest dog there is. I've only heard of him growling at someone once (the boyfriend of my ex's friend's daughter, who the girl's mother didn't particularly like, either, go figure!) He does not, however, want to meet other dogs, and will make his displeasure known if they get too close.

If someone new or a friend comes over who Buster hasn't seen in a while, he does this low growling thing that sounds like he's being threatening, but it is his way of saying "I'm here too! Pay attention to me! You didn't say 'hi' to me, dammit!"

A girl I used to work with has neighbors who travel a lot, and she always house sits for them. She is allowed to have people over and often throws a parties when she's there. They have 2 schnauzers, and when you get there you have to give the boy a Snausage and then you are A-OK with him. (The girl doesn't like strangers and usually spends most of her time hiding upstairs in the bedroom.)

[powerboy]

My girl dog, loves everyone. But will bark if she doesn't know you. The boy dog, is very protective of his family. If someone is going down the street, he will bark like hell. Also the girl dog(Precious Cuddles(P.C.) gets her own way with her brother Timon(boy dog in story). If she stays out for longer then he thinks she should be, he will cry and be worried until he sees her. Usually we have to let him out because he will keep crying.

[Rubyred]

My dog really really doesn't like most other dogs (she's ok with my moms labs and the Boxer puppy downstairs but that's it) and she will try to attack them if they get too close to me. I had her evaluated by a friend of mine who is an animal behaviorist and she told me that my dog honestly thinks that she is protecting me from all these other dogs that she thinks are going to "steal" her mommy. We're working on this but it is pretty slow going as she is very attached to me and I adopted her as an adult dog who was already pretty set in her ways. (She has a few more behavior issues as well).

Lately I've been finding a plethora of dog owners who just don't seem to undersatnd that just because their dog is friendly doesn't mean that everyone elses is too. They walk their dogs with no leash on (in public areas- I live in an apartment complex) and when Fido/Fluffy comes bounding up to Brandy (my dog) to try and play, the other owner gets all huffy when I pick up my dog.

Without fail then next line out of their mouths is "He/She is very friendly/won't bite/is only trying to play". I actually had one a**hole say to me ""Oh all the b**ches love him. Don't worry about it" after asking him to please grab his male boxer who was standing at my feet trying to sniff my dog who was snarling, barking and trying to maul him from my arms.

This frustrates me to no end because I love dogs and I would hate to see one attacked. Yes, my dog might weigh 25 lbs but what if she was bigger. She could inflict some serious damage by the time either owner would be able to separate them.

The only time a dog should be off of it's leash is if the dog is so well trained that it will not leave it's masters side or if it is so old it really can't get anywhere anyway (like my moms Yellow Lab, she's still very happy..just very slow)

Rant over.:D