My dog is not walking petting zoo!

We don't have too much trouble thankfully. The majority of people seem aware of the correct way to approach a dog and know better than to try and force their attentions.

Even the children are generally good, although there are a few that seem to think it's OK to rush up and pat every do they see, including ones tied up.

There are various leads/collars/harness available saying things like 'Dog In Training - Please Do Not Touch'or 'Give Me Space' which can help.
 
I dont mind people petting my dog, because he's a human lover. He was attacked by other dogs on multiple occasions, so he's careful around dogs..... but he loves people. He's acually asking for their attention if they happen to ignore him. The only problem is that sometimes he gets too excited and wild. Bud if he could he would lick your face off lol. Sometimes he's the one who takes the first step. He even stalks people. He's very curious dog. Only group of people he doesnt seem to enjoy are young children, but I think it's understandable. They tend to be very noisy and usually have no idea how to behave around dogs.
 
this is a great topic. we take chauncey everywhere we can and people just come up, I always say to chauncey were going say hello so sit, I try to prepare him that I am watching and such. He doesnt mind once or twice but after the 9th time he does get tired of it. I have learned I need to start carrying treats because the paw shaking business he doesn't like doing for free. He has learned these people want to shake his paw but they aren't coughing up the goods and he refuses to look at them anymore. Pappa says (after hearing about the dog who bit someone and is under dog pound arrest till something is settled about his life), I don't want people petting him it isn't fair to him to have hands reaching out and stuff, and it isn't fair to any of us to take a chance and he is the one who pays the ulitmate price. I do remind him if you want to do therapy and visit nursing homes he will have to learn to be petted. We are never sure quite yet what we should do.
 
This is a great topic. Seems strange that dog lovers would complain about people wanting to love on their dogs.

Shouldn't our goal be to encourage that and make places more dog friendly instead of reacting negatively to such behavior? If someone doesn't know how to approach a dog, it's a great opportunity to educate them, so they next cute fluffy dog they meet, they can do it appropriately.

I just rather have this problem, than a neighborhood that doesn't welcome pets at all.

Those "in-training" patches/harnesses/collars/leashes are great if you really don't want your dog approached though. Easily keys people that now is not the time to grab/apprach the dog.
 
Trip said:
Those "in-training" patches/harnesses/collars/leashes are great if you really don't want your dog approached though. Easily keys people that now is not the time to grab/apprach the dog.
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assuming that people know what it means or care or even notice it:rolleyes2:
 
Trip said:
This is a great topic. Seems strange that dog lovers would complain about people wanting to love on their dogs.

Shouldn't our goal be to encourage that and make places more dog friendly instead of reacting negatively to such behavior? If someone doesn't know how to approach a dog, it's a great opportunity to educate them, so they next cute fluffy dog they meet, they can do it appropriately...
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I sort of agree with you on one level, but I understand those pet owners that feel (for whatever their reason is) that they don't want their dog approached. With my last Sheltie, I never seemed to encounter an issue. Perhaps it was because I was so selective in terms of when and where I took my dog. Perhaps it was because I was pretty blunt and direct during the few times I had a problem with someone approaching my dog. In any case, I had very few problems.

I think the problem comes down to 2 things: 1) we don't all agree on what is appropriate or correct behavior (whether it is the appropriate way to approach an unfamiliar animal or any other situation); and 2) there just seems to be a pervasive attitude among many of us that we have a right to do anything we darn well please, anytime we choose to do it. That seems to include walking up to an unfamiliar pet and getting into his space without seeking permission from the pet owner. Perhaps I have become a crotchety old man, but I see this attitude of "its my right" as the root of many of the problems we encounter.

I would agree that I would much prefer living in a neighborhood accepting of pets rather than an unaccepting one, but that's a separate issue from folks feeling entitled to encroach upon my dog's space without my approval.
 
JLSOhio51 said:
I sort of agree with you on one level, but I understand those pet owners that feel (for whatever their reason is) that they don't want their dog approached. With my last Sheltie, I never seemed to encounter an issue. Perhaps it was because I was so selective in terms of when and where I took my dog. Perhaps it was because I was pretty blunt and direct during the few times I had a problem with someone approaching my dog. In any case, I had very few problems.

I think the problem comes down to 2 things: 1) we don't all agree on what is appropriate or correct behavior (whether it is the appropriate way to approach an unfamiliar animal or any other situation); and 2) there just seems to be a pervasive attitude among many of us that we have a right to do anything we darn well please, anytime we choose to do it. That seems to include walking up to an unfamiliar pet and getting into his space without seeking permission from the pet owner. Perhaps I have become a crotchety old man, but I see this attitude of "its my right" as the root of many of the problems we encounter.

I would agree that I would much prefer living in a neighborhood accepting of pets rather than an unaccepting one, but that's a separate issue from folks feeling entitled to encroach upon my dog's space without my approval.
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You got to remember, not everyone is a dog owner and knows the basics of approaching dogs. What you may see as "it's my right", may just be someone trying to be nice and social.

I don't think it is a seperate issue. A dog friendly neighborhood is going to be inviting and you will get more people that want to get to know your dog. With more people that are dog friendly, you are going to have more humans not as trained as others. If you have a place that doesn't care about animals, then you could start running into issues where they may be less caring and have less forgiveness if your dog doesn't follow the rules.

There has to be somewhere in the middle to meet. Either that or move to the country where you can be as anti social as you want. :biggrin2:
 
Trip said:
You got to remember, not everyone is a dog owner and knows the basics of approaching dogs. What you may see as "it's my right", may just be someone trying to be nice and social.
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I realize that not everyone is a dog owner, but I don't really see this as a "dog issue". I think it is an issue of what many of us have devolved into as a society. As a child, I was raised that I had no right to encroach upon someone else's "space" without at least asking permission or engaging the owner before entering their space. I didn't go up and sit on a stranger's porch or start playing with the neighbor's children's toys in the yard, without gaining permission. Those type of civil niceties are going by the wayside. I don't doubt people are "just trying to be friendly" (in some cases), but "being friendly" shouldn't signal a dismissal of common sense rules. One can be just as friendly (and perhaps much safer) after asking if it is OK if I pet your dog.
Trip said:
I don't think it is a seperate issue. A dog friendly neighborhood is going to be inviting and you will get more people that want to get to know your dog. With more people that are dog friendly, you are going to have more humans not as trained as others. If you have a place that doesn't care about animals, then you could start running into issues where they may be less caring and have less forgiveness if your dog doesn't follow the rules...
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I agree with all of that, but that really doesn't address my point. The reason I see these as separate issues is in a friendly or unfriendly neighborhood, if people employ the simple common sense tactic of asking before reaching for my dog (and risking a potentially nasty outcome), a possible unpleasant outcome can be avoided. PLUS, there is a greater likelihood that a negative response from me would be avoided. This remains the same whether the neighborhood is animal friendly or animal unfriendly (but I do agree, I much prefer a animal friendly neighborhood).
I don't see any of this as a major concern, only that I think that there are reasons for why people feel entitled to approach someone else's space. I do not necessarily ascribe negative or nefarious intent to their actions, just that there are reasons for them.
 
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