Are people with dogs ignorant, or just blind? Isn’t it obvious that when I am continually shoving their mutt away because it won’t leave me alone that the polite things to do are to tie it up or lock it the basement, or somehow keep it from annoying their guest(s)?
I don’t think that sounds too damn unreasonable. Maybe I don’t like having dog slobber and hair all over my hands and clothes. Maybe I don’t like having some fucking animal (with SHARP toenails!) jump on me continually while I am standing up, just because not many people visit and it spends all day inside.
I don’t give a flying fuck how “cute” the owner thinks it is, nor how “close” they are to their dog. It won’t kill poor Fido to be tied or locked in a room for the few hours I am present.
I just realized how pissed off this makes me today. Twice in the last several weeks (the second time just Saturday) I have visited people with dogs that just wouldn’t BEHAVE. Not only did the owners not do anything about it, one of them serciously acted offended that I was even annoyed!
You have to keep in mind that people consider their pets to be family members…and if they wouldn’t lock their bratty children in the nursery or their obnoxious husband in the bedroom while you visit, they’re not locking their dog up either. Yes, the considerate thing for a host to do is to train or restrain the dog, but the considerate thing for a guest to do is to shut up and deal with it as graciously as possible and then decline further invitations.
Wehn the dog jumps up on you, bring your knee up sharply and knock the dog “ass over teakettle” - it will get the dog off of you and teach the dog some manners.
(oh yeah, remember that the idea is to knock the dog over backwards, not break it’s ribs)
I would think the owner should keep the dog off a guest, completely. I don’t think you’re wrong in objecting to unwanted doggy behaviour.
I wouldn’t expect it to be tied up or locked away though, as that is the dog’s home.
Did you say anything to the owner ? Ask them to keep their dog away ? Tell them you’re not a dog person and would appreciate them restraining their dog in some way ?
In reality though, I would suggest meeting these friends in another location, invite them to your house, or out in public. Dog people generally don’t understand non-dog people, don’t understand what is so objectionable or unwelcome about their dogs. Some dog people also will not think much of a person who doesn’t love their dog, so expect to offend some of them, if you are upfront and ask them to restrain the dog. Others will understand, apologise and keep the dog away from you. Your call whether you want to risk it or not. If you do decide to say something, imagine that it is your host’s child you’re speaking about and phrase things appropriately, so the chances of offending are slimmer.
If I was being bratty to guests, I was put in my room and told to stay there until the visit was over. And if my father was being a pain in the ass, mom might just have told him to go do something in the kitchen or vice versa.
And we do lock our dog up when company comes. We have a back porch with his food and water, and a door that he can see through. Although this is mainly because we was a shelter dog and we are really not sure what he will do all the time. We have always locked up our dogs when they annooyed the guest. We have also rescued people from overly friendly cats. People who don’t are being bad hosts. People should be able to control their dogs (I do not make the same claim about cats, mind ).
I don’t get these people. We have two largeish energetic dogs. They get very excited when people come to the door. Once they calm down they’re fine, but Isaac (a yellow lab) is a lot of dog. And Rusty the golden has a hell of a bark, though he also has less than no bite.
If you come to our house and are uncomfortable with the dogs, for WHATEVER reason, the dogs will be moved outside. If you don’t mind them being around, they are restrained until they calm down and remember how to be civilized, because it is a house rule that dogs do not jump on guests. They’ll figure it completely out one of these days. Even if you say, “It’s fine, let him if he wants,” it’s not okay with us. The last thing we want to do is undermine what progress they’ve made!
If you are a delivery person or a meter reader or mailman, you WILL be barked at, but the dogs WILL be put out or (in the case of the meter reader) in. It saves a lot of headache – literally! – on our part.
Why don’t more people do this? It’s not hard. It’s not mean. The dogs are family, but they can be damned annoying family sometimes, and they’re dogs not humans and at the bottom of the heirarchy. Dogs LIKE knowing their place in the pack. Honestly.
Ha! Just the other day I was at the pharmacy and the owner’s dog (a little mutt married to an old lady) was trying to hump the costumer’s legs and she didn’t do anything (I think she didn’t notice). I was trying not to laugh because everyone was so embarassed, ignoring a dog humping their leg. Had it been me a swift kick (just enough for it to remember) would take care of the problem in no time.
Another favorite is when I’m walking down the street and these rat dogs get in my way and start barking at me. I just keep walking and I run them over most of the time. I figure it’s a lesson learned. It’s great fun to watch the owner’s reaction. Some are apologetic, others are mad.
Oh my.
Yes, Lizard, I do understand that doggie drool is off putting. We dog owners learn to live with it, but it doesn’t make it nice. However locking up a dog is just showing failure on the owners part. A responsible dog owner will not let his dog jump up on visitors unless invited to.
Dogs used to be kept to work with humans. In modern society, they’re mostly kept as company and are therefore family members, even though some people do work with there dogs (hunters ASF). If you have a dog as company/hobby it needs to be properly raised. Letting it roam the fenced in garden, un-supervised, the whole day, not letting it work its natural instincts and often spoiling it at the same time, is sure way of getting an illbehaved doggie…
Gun controll? Hah. Dog controll. On breeders and buyers, with “driver’s license” to own a dog.
The people you visit should tell you to turn your back to the dog when it jumps. And they should do that too. My puppy is only 4 months old, but he already knows that you only get to jump up and slobber, when invited, i.e. when I or someone else go down on the knees to greet the dog on an even level. Whenever he tries to jump, I just turn my back and ignore him. Works like a charm.
Kicking a dog is inexcusable if you’re not actually defending yourself. If a dog is humping your leg, pull it off by grabbing the skin of the neck. Save the kicking for the owner who didn’t raise the dog properly.
Yeah, but not “sharply,” IMO. My beagles are overfriendly. Rather than beat it out of them and turn them into cowardly biting dogs, would you please just knock them down and ignore them? Oh, and knock them down. Go ahead, just do not do it “sharply.” Again, the idea is to move them off you with just enough force to make it clear you don’t want them there without seeming aggressive.
It is almost impossible to teach some dogs to not jump when they are overexcited. I just “ignore” them until they calm down.
I move away from them as they jump. I try to be standoffish without seeming mean. I’ll say their names, but do not pay any direct attention to them when I first come home. If they get me, if I didn’t move away fast enough – or the little beagle hits the back of my knee (her favorite strategy for giant felling) – I “body the beagle out” as if I was playing basketball with, eh, four or five fouls. [/unnecessary analogy] Anyway, with a beagle, a small shove with my knee – not to be confused with kneeing the dog (it’s already there) – is sufficient.
There is no chance my 80 lb dog will jump on any guest. That, my friends, would be a whole other problem. I love big, overfriendly, dogs. It’s an acquired taste and I like to shove them around playfully – which they usually love. Keeps them off also.
I would put away my dogs if someone wanted me to do that. OTOH, anyone that hated a friendly beagle would make me a little suspicious. They aren’t going to slobber all over you unless you put your face down by theirs and start making “kissy” face or whatever. Plus, they have short legs. If ignored, they will calm down in a minute.
in only a very slight hijack, i would ask dog owners just why they would assume that their barking dogs are not bothering anyone?
if it is loud enough to keep me awake three doors down, you have to be hearing it and turning a deaf ear, or maybe you just don’t care if the rest of the neighborhood can’t sleep.
Amen, brother/sister! Just now I’m sitting in my room and this high pitched barking is driving me insane. I don’t know where it is coming from exactly but no one complains around here? How is this possible? FurthermoreI think this dog must be neglected. It won’t stop barking, all the fucking time. I can’t take it anymore! GAH!
Dogs are social creatures that want contact with humans and animals around them. Their jumping isn’t to irritate you; they just want to get closer to your face. Try getting down meeting the dog face to face during your intial introduction. They’ll be less likely to jump later onl at least that’s been my experience.
Hubby and I were trying to figure out what to do with Boomer the dog on Thanksgiving Day.
He doesn’t jump or bark but he will sit and stare at you, and if you pet him or pat his head he’ll be by your side all day long. Some people don’t like that but they’re too unassertive to say so.
The little ones will want to play with him – he loves to chase and wrestle – and from past experience the parents will tell the kids to leave the dog alone but they won’t, and pretty soon someone has an accidental scratch or bump.
We were thinking of letting Boomer say hello to everyone, and then putting him in the basement (which is nice and warm, we almost live there) with some treats.
It’d be for about 4-5 hours, during the time of day when he’s normally napping.
AuntiePam - everyone with a dog is an expert, graduated from the “University of a friend told me” or the “College of something told me at the coffee break at work”.
No, I don’t think Boomer would suffer, but he wouldn’t be happy. All the commotion and he can’t be a part of it. For the odd time, it’s not like it’s gonna damage him, but IMHO*, it’s the easy way out, like putting the kids in front of the tv with a new PS2 game, so the grown ups won’t be bothered.
I educate people who come to my apt. beforehand, telling them what to expect and how they should behave around my dog (since no two dogs are alike). If they can’t abide that, then they can’t come to my house - we’ll have to meet somewhere else.
*Not trying to flame anyone here. There are times when I wish there was dog valium, but the more I work with my dog and expose him to all sorts of situations, sounds, dogs, people, locations, the better he gets at blending in, i.e. fun&games with other dogs, but only without leash and collar, fun&games with me, when I say so, relaxing in other people’s houses, ASF.
Isn’t it weird? I have had dogs all my life until recently and none of them were ever allowed to be barkers. Takes a lot of training for some but always worth it. I remembered hearing a stat so went looking for it and found it here
My mother had a dog that barked incessantly, she just refused to notice it I think and was always surprised when the council ranger showed up with complaints and warnings. I have no idea how she blocked it out or why she wouldn’t take responsibility.
Barking dogs, gunshots, loud or no mufflers, women and children screaming, police and ambulance sirens - all just part of the symphony of the city. Probably need to move to the country if you can’t handle it.
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