If you come to my house and you are a dog person, I will likely not crate the dog to give her a chance to practice her Chill Dog Skillz. If you don’t mind helping me correct her and whatnot. I have some friends who are helping with the training.
And I have some friends who like dogs, but who aren’t really dog trainers and get themselves into trouble playing with my girl. She has no idea she’s a big powerful dog; she still thinks she’s a tiny puppy and she’s just playing. This scares the hell out of non-dog people. I will crate her when you are in my house if you are one of these people.
She’s not allowed off-leash outside, anywhere, ever. We don’t do dog parks because I can’t trust other people’s dogs not to rush her. She’s a bit fearful, so if another dog scares her and she decides to defend herself, I will be the one held liable because I’m the one with the huge powerful scary pitbull. Nevermind the damn Chihuahua started it. I don’t give other dogs the chance to put my dog in that position.
And we’re working toward her Canine Good Citizen certification, just to give my defense attorney something to work with if she ever does bite anyone. Not that I think that’ll save her, but it might help.
So yes, I join the OP in the pitting of people who do not train their dogs. I’m spending considerable time and expense at it.
This is a good point for those who don’t like dogs. I am NOT saying that dogs should be allowed up on you, etc. But in those instances where you are dealing with an oblivious dog owner, dogs react very strongly to body language. If they’re in a house where they’re too high on the totem pole, they’re going to want to make sure you know that (i.e. dominate you via jumping, licking, sniffing, etc.). This is why owners will tell you to give them a knee (no - not kick them, but be assertive with them). The more you shy away, the more they’re going to advance.
Again - it shouldn’t come to that. The owner should be aware of and control their animal. But if they can’t do that, you’re not entirely helpless and should react intelligently, rather than like a scared 4 year old girl.
I have to go into people’s houses daily for my job. I have to deal with many, many different dogs. IME and in general, people who own bigger dogs seem to be more concerned with training and properly socializing their dogs. people who have small dogs have frequently inadvertently trained them to “chase” people out the door when they leave. They pick up their dogs when they chase people who are leaving and reward them for their behavior without actually intending to do so. On the other hand people with bigger dogs are usualy more aware of the potential for damage and are more on top of training or controlling measures. For example, I see someone who has a pit bull in his home. This dog goes to her crate by command and is confined while I am caring for her “Daddy.” Afterwards, she is let out to meet and greet the visitor politely. This is a pleasant visit for me, even though I have some anxieties about dogs. ( I was bitten by a client’s dog less than a year ago.) On th other hand, another client thinks it is very funny that her small dog chases me out the door when I leave, nipping at my pant legs. I despise that dog and have to fight the urge to kick him across the room.
Shrug. Parents expect that everyone they know will love their kids at any time and age - why should I treat my dogs like second class citizens in their own home? If it’s a tradesperson or something, that’s different, but anyone who knows us knows that this house has dogs. Well trained dogs, that are not locked away simply because another human has walked thru the door.
If someone rings my door, either it’s the plumbler/whatever, we were waiting for them and in that case the dogs are locked up in another room; either it’s someone showing up uninvited (salespersons for ex) and I really prefer having my medium size dog by its collar when I open the door, I feel safer.
When I go out to take a walk I’m not afraid of the cats.
While frozen in place (do NOT look him in the eye, don’t extend your fingers) the owner, if the owner is even around, invariably says Don’t worry! He won’t bite! as wovey-dovey growls you to your spot.
I don’t take sides. I’m afraid of both small dogs AND big dogs! Big dogs can maul you to death, and I’m afraid of being ridiculed for fighting back too strongly against aggressive small dogs that were never properly socialized.
But medium dogs I’m not afraid of. If they attack me, I’d be able to hit them back without fear of being a jerkwad.
Depends who it is. If you’re a cold caller, salesperson, Jehovah’s Witness, campaigner or what-have-you, tough shit. The more uncomfortable you feel, the better. If you’re invited, we’ll have discussed it already and decided on an appropriate course of action.
While we were walking on the on-leash path the other day, someone’s large dog came over to sniff at us. I pointed my dog repellent spray at the dog, and apparently the owner gave me the evil eye for doing that (I didn’t see it - I was busy keeping my eye on the large dog that was too close to me - my husband informed me later). I’m not spraying the dog, because it’s not attacking, but I think it’s good for her to know that not everyone enjoys a strange dog running up to them (not to mention that it’s illegal in multiple ways), and some of us are packing.
It was just the story on Yahoo’s front page that I thought was relevant.
Especially; “Max’s owner, has been cited by Denver Animal Control for a “leash-law”” violation (“because the owner did not have control of the dog at all times”), for allowing a dog to bite and for not having the dog properly vaccinated."
