I almost had to cut a bitch in obedience class yesterday.

[Zsofia]

The one holding the leash, of course. God, I’m still pissed about it.

Look. My dog is making a lot of noise because he’s scared and nervous. And yes, he has a square head. There were eight other dogs in that class, three of them Captain’s size. We were supposed to take turns taking our dogs around to politely meet all the other dogs, and this overly made-up high heel wearing cunt with a Sheltie gets to my dog and looks at the trainer and says “Should I?”

Should you? You think my dog is fucking dangerous because he’s crying and trying to climb into my lap and he has a big fucking head? You’re not scared of the Weimeraner who sniffs and shows his teeth (not snappishly, just, I dunno, showing his teeth) and you’re not scared of the wiener dog who’s fearful and snarling, noooo, those dogs are fine. You’re scared of poor dear Captain, who last saw this many dogs at the motherfucking shelter where his owners dumped his sweet ass when they had to move to Russia. (And don’t tell me that people in the kind of job where you suddenly have to move to Russia can’t find somebody to take their dog, especially a dog as good as Captain.)

And then the trainer says, “Don’t worry, pit bulls are almost never aggressive.”

And so now I’m in the “Barack Obama is not a Muslim” quandary, because he is not a pit but there is nothing wrong with being a pit. I have my doubts on exactly how much “Catahoulan Leopard Dog” this animal is and I kinda think they’ll do anything to get some dogs adopted, but I was all, “He’s a Catahoulan Leopard Dog! They’re a heritage cur breed, like the Carolina Dog. And he is obviously not dangerous.”

Fucking bitch thinks her dog is too good to sniff my dog’s ass. God, I could have slapped her.

And seriously, shouldn’t a dog person know that this is not what a fighting dog looks like? Look at his chest, look at the way he walks, look at something besides the fact that his head is kind of square. Geez.

[Freudian_Slit]

Maybe she was hesitant because your dog was making the noises and she didn’t want to upset him?

[EmAnJ]

I understand your rant, but I also understand the other ladie’s point of view. Misinformation is rampant, and perhaps rather then automatically seething and getting pissed off, you politely ask her what her fear is based on and then correct that misinformation. Not doing that doesn’t change a thing.

[Zsofia]

@Freudian_Slit

Maybe she was hesitant because your dog was making the noises and she didn’t want to upset him?

Yeah, she had no problem with Snarling Asshole Wiener Dog. Or Barking Barking Barking Coon Hound. Or Toothy Weimeraner. Or, for that matter, Pees on the Floor Yorkie.

[ZipperJJ]

You know what makes dogs scared and nervous? When their handlers are being scared and nervous. And angry.

[Jack_Batty]

In my view, the “cunt” in question may not, in fact, be a cunt; she does sound like she’s in desperate need of dog-owning lessons. It’s probably a good thing she’s taking the class.

She sounds like she has absolutely no confidence in her ability to control her own dog.

“Shoud I?” That’s a pack leader displaying nervousness and apprehension, which her dog will undoubtedly pick up on. I don’t know if I’d go all Tarantino on her. She sounds like she needs a little help getting her dog-owning shit together.

[Euphonious_Polemic]

@Zsofia

Yeah, she had no problem with Snarling Asshole Wiener Dog. Or Barking Barking Barking Coon Hound. Or Toothy Weimeraner. Or, for that matter, Pees on the Floor Yorkie.

These people really need to think up better names for their dogs. (Sit Pees on the Floor! good boy!)

[Zsofia]

@ZipperJJ

You know what makes dogs scared and nervous? When their handlers are being scared and nervous. And angry.

Well, at the time it happened I didn’t even think through exactly what her problem was - it’s only on the ride home that I thought about how she was only scared of my dog, and evidently everybody’s just assuming that Captain’s a much-maligned breed, and that nobody’s looking at the poor dog to see what he’s like. I wasn’t angry then, just kind of puzzled.

And Captain isn’t nervous because I’m nervous. He’s nervous because he’s never been around that many dogs, not to mention all the people, and the dog food, and the adoption cats, and the parakeets and turtles - I mean, there’s a lot going on to a scent hound in a Pet Smart.

[tdn]

Sorry, I can’t get on board with this rant. The fact that she was in a class and asking questions gives her a couple of points in my book.

“Overly made-up high heel wearing cunt” gives her a couple more.

[ZipperJJ]

@Zsofia

And Captain isn’t nervous because I’m nervous. He’s nervous because he’s never been around that many dogs, not to mention all the people, and the dog food, and the adoption cats, and the parakeets and turtles - I mean, there’s a lot going on to a scent hound in a Pet Smart.

Sounds like you’re nervous about all that too.

I don’t think this class is a good match for you. A big shelter dog needs something more professional and less overall distracting. Yeah, it’s cool to expose your dog to all the excitement of PetCo and get him used to being around dogs and people…but the “trainer” didn’t even know his breed. He needs room to practice and a quiet environment where he can focus on you and the task at hand. Those in-store “obedience classes” are a ripoff. Take him to PetCo to walk around for fun, but don’t expect your experience with the classes to get better.

[Claire_Beauchamp]

Yeah I’m not feeling it. I can barely tell one breed of dog from another, so for someone to think to get in my face because I mistook Breed X for Breed Y is over the top. Second, I hear all the pit bull owners talk about how sweet and gentle and not dangerous at all they are, yet they scare the crap outta me. I wouldn’t get near one with a ten-foot pole. They are a breed that was bred specifically to be aggressive and fight and clamp down with specifically-bred jaws of steel. I don’t care how well-raised your pit is and how much fun they have playing with your toddler and how much you think they’re just the sweetest li’l ole baby. Get it the fuck away from me.

[Eyebrows_0f_Doom]

@Claire_Beauchamp

Yeah I’m not feeling it. I can barely tell one breed of dog from another, so for someone to think to get in my face because I mistook Breed X for Breed Y is over the top. Second, I hear all the pit bull owners talk about how sweet and gentle and not dangerous at all they are, yet they scare the crap outta me. I wouldn’t get near one with a ten-foot pole. They are a breed that was bred specifically to be aggressive and fight and clamp down with specifically-bred jaws of steel. I don’t care how well-raised your pit is and how much fun they have playing with your toddler and how much you think they’re just the sweetest li’l ole baby. Get it the fuck away from me.

The photos of the dog in the OP look nothing like a pit bull. He looks like a generic dog.

[sandra_nz]

It’s a shame you got so het up about it, as I think she was really just ignorant and you missed a great opportunity to correct her misunderstanding in a polite way that she’d listen to.

By the way, your dog is gorgeous!

[Rubystreak]

Just to be devil’s advocate, how do you know she was scared of your dog? Maybe she was worried that bringing her dog near yours would upset Captain and freak him out more, so she wanted to know if you thought it was OK. It’s the instructor, with her, “Oh, pit bulls aren’t dangerous!” who was making unhelpful assumptions. But maybe I misapprehended the situation.

PS— I agree that your dog does not look like a pit bull anyway.

[Munch]

@ZipperJJ

You know what makes dogs scared and nervous? When their handlers are being scared and nervous. And angry.

Yup. That’s the ONLY reason dogs get scared and nervous. The only one - you can look it up. Good point, ZipperJJ… :rolleyes:

[Freudian_Slit]

@Rubystreak

Just to be devil’s advocate, how do you know she was scared of your dog? Maybe she was worried that bringing her dog near yours would upset Captain and freak him out more, so she wanted to know if you thought it was OK. It’s the instructor, with her, “Oh, pit bulls aren’t dangerous!” who was making unhelpful assumptions. But maybe I misapprehended the situation.

PS— I agree that your dog does not look like a pit bull anyway.

Pssst, see the first response in this thread.

@Zsofia

Yeah, she had no problem with Snarling Asshole Wiener Dog. Or Barking Barking Barking Coon Hound. Or Toothy Weimeraner. Or, for that matter, Pees on the Floor Yorkie.

[Shirley_Ujest]

Any dog can be dangerous at any time.

I am more afraid of chihuahua’s, weener dogs and yorkies than I am of pits, rotties, shepards or mastiffs. Because little dogs have a napoleon complex and are usually the boss of the house. “You there! Did you see it ! It was a SQUIRREL outside the WINDOW !!! Why are you sitting down!!! Why are you walking across the floor!!! WHY WHY WHY!!!”

Big dogs are more along the lines of ’ Hi, come love me and I need a nap…ooooh food!"

I have returned plenty of larger dogs found wandering around the sticks here and every time I have come across a BIG dog, they have come to me and have been friendly. Little dogs always run away.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

@Zsofia

And seriously, shouldn’t a dog person know that this is not what a fighting dog looks like? Look at his chest, look at the way he walks, look at something besides the fact that his head is kind of square. Geez.

@Rubystreak

PS— I agree that your dog does not look like a pit bull anyway.

I have to disagree. I’m a dog lover- not a dog expert- but I wouldn’t want to meet yours in a dark alley. Or even a well-lit one. I’m sure he is adorable (the second picture definitely is!) but I can see how somebody might be scared of him.

[tdn]

@sandra_nz

By the way, your dog is gorgeous!

Agreed, that is a beautiful animal.

[Marienee]

I have no thoughts about the woman, bless her heart. But if the trainer thinks that dog in the photo is a pit bull, then I would look for another class.

I do not own a dog, have never owned a dog, have no plans to own a dog, and am not a dog person in general. And even I can tell that your dog is not a pit.