Regarding tiny dogs I’ve gotta agree with Jodi that the nervous little yapping ones seem to way outnumber the calm tiny dogs…Growing up my neighbors had a miniature doberman that was psychotic…he bit almost every kid in the neighborhood 'cause he was so territorial…only dog I ever wanted to kick (wanted to…wouldn’t have).
For a fun story, my labby went to the vet and got the rectal thermometer…the vet tech took her hand off of it for one second to sneeze and it went up labby’s butt all the way…Daisy’s head tilted like the RCA dog’s…but it was almost as if she enjoyed the peculiar sensation…then the vet had to fish and back out…
Jesus, people, the dog bit her thumb badly enough she’s worried about freaking nerve damage and you think she’s too harsh?
We have a Westie. I’m not overly fond of her-I don’t like dogs, mostly. However, before Lexie, we had Lassie, another Westie, and the sweetest, most well-behaved and WELL-TRAINED dog you could ever come across. My grandmother had a Yorkie that was even MORE well-behaved. She was sweet, extremely tolerant and mild-mannered as could be.
Dogs are basically how they’re trained. I think this is more a rant at the OWNER than said mutt.
At first I thought the OP was specifically referring to rat terriers, of which my mom has one. Admittedly, he’s a little spazzy around people (skittish, you might say), but we know damn well that it’s because she didn’t properly socialize him for the first 8 months of his life. He has made dramatic improvements since more people (my brother and I) and more dogs (my dog, plus others) came into his life. My mom becoming a foster home for the local humane society has done wonders for her dogs and mine. The more strange dogs they meet, the better they’re becoming even with strange people.
… And mom’s going to end up adopting one of her fosters, a lab puppy with a crushed hip named Lucky - sweetest damn dog you’ve ever met, and the least selfish dog I’ve ever seen. If you call him or start petting him, he’ll take all the attention you give him, but the moment you stop he goes and lays down, never begs for attention or food, and never steals the other dogs’ food either. I’m beginning to wonder if he’s really a dog…
And then you’d have been arrested and charged with animal abuse and you’d get to spend the night and possibly next day in jail where you would hopefully be assaulted and kicked in the ribs so you would know how the dog that you kicked felt.
Matt, at least one of your relatives was willing to take her. I wound up with a 13-yo cockapoo (cocker-poodle cross) when her elderly owner died. None of his kids was willing to take on the hassle of having an elderly dog (don’t know why, she was in fabulous health and had no behavior problems, other than chasing the kitty once in a while), and they were going to euthanize her. The only reason she got to live the last few years of her life was that one of the techs went to church with my roomie, and she got us to take the poor thing.
I have to think that if someone I loved died and left behind a pet that they absolutely adored, I’d take the animal in for sentimental reasons if nothing else.
[Frink-O-Matic Irony Meter explodes in background]
CCL, I have yet to meet someone that hates animals who is working in the veterinary trade. I too, detest rat-in-a-dog-suit, … er, I mean dog-in-a-rat-suit little ankle biters. I’m proud to say that I’ve met one little Lotsa Assho, … er, I mean Lhasa Apso named Jojo that had the absolute coolest disposition. Calm, friendly and tractable, he was a fine little animal. I cannot say the same for over 90% of all the other small dogs I have met, mostly for reasons well cited by Jodi. Ignore these berks who’re giving you a hard time, they’re the usual peanut gallery. I hope all heals up well and please keep up the good work.
Oddly enough, the nicest small yappy type dog I ever met was a hairless rat terrier. You’d think, of all the dogs that would have a grudge with the world, it would be this one, but he was extraordinarily friendly. Of course, having it jump on you was like getting jumped on by a naked kid, which was more than a little creepy, but still…you have to admire it’s outlook on life.
I hope your thumb heals up all right. I have yet to meet a non-spazzy small dog (though I have met one hyper but quiet teacup poode) and have been nipped and clawed by several. According to my aunt and grandma, my cousin’s chihuahua who I haven’t met yet is actually a nice quiet little dog. I’m forced to believe it because neither of them are dog people, especially small dog people!
Small dogs CAN be trained. I wish more people would.
I love animals and dogs in particular but I am very annoyed by people who refuse to teach their dogs even basic good behavior. If all you can teach them is Come, sit, and stay, they will be much more pleasant to be around. "Go lay down (or go to bed, your kennel, whatever) is also pretty useful, as is “quiet”. A dogs that hasn’t been socialized is a true pain in the ass.
If you are a pet owner, it is inevitable that it will have to endure something unpleasant eventually. I’ve had to wrassle with my dogs when they didn’t want their toenails clipped or didn’t feel like getting groomed but that usually consists of trying to pull away, not lunging and snapping. If a dog is in pain or scared they will usually snap at whatever is hurting them-- not the person holding it. At least that has been my experience.
When a little dog acts like a rat bastard it is almost always the owner’s fault. A dog is never too small to learn how to get along with others, follow the rules and not be a pain in the ass to be around. That goes for children too.
Just a word to say thanks, CCL, for all the good work that you do for all those pets and people. I didn’t know you worked at a specialty hospital. Dealing with animals at the end of their lives is possibly the most heartbreaking job I can think of, but so necessary. I guess it would be easier for you do to healthy puppy exams, but I’m sure glad that there are good people doing the less sexy stuff too.
Specialty Vet. Yikes. I’m sorry, CCL, that you’re surrounded by such high stress situations. I don’t think I’d be able to do it. Certainly your situation is different from Joe Smith’s Vet Shack on Addison, and had I known that ahead of time, I wouldn’t have posted. Hope your thumb gets better without any damage. Any word on the pup’s condition?
I do have to say that I disagree with “everyone understands snapping about the thermometer”. My beagle snapped at a thermometer (without breaking the skin) and now she’s labeled a ‘vicious dog’ at my vet :rolleyes:
I have a Rat Terrier. Best. Dog. Ever. He’s not aggressive, except towards rats and cats. He doesn’t bark, except when somebody knocks on the door. He doesn’t bite, not even the vet who sticks him with needles when he gets his shots.
Best companion dog I’ve seen. Smarter than a number of the posters in this thread. Likes nothing better than to curl up in my lap and take a nap. Sleeps in my bed.
I’ve never talked to another Rat Terrier owner who told any different story.
CCL strikes me as a sour old biddy who I think I would like to bite myself…but she’d cut my head off. So with that thought, I say, “Bite me, you crazy old hag”.
And I fucking hate cats. Stupid. Muther. Fuckers. My dog hates cats, too. That’s why we’re such close buddies.
I can’t speak for him, but even though I hate stupid cats, I don’t pit them, or revel in the fact one of them is going to be put down.
After reading the OP, all I can picture is CCL as the Witch in “The Wizard of Oz”. “I’ll get you, and your little dog, too!”
I’m not advocating that the dog be put down for the express purpose of rabies testing. I’m saying that if the dog doesn’t make it, or the owners decide to euthanize, his head’s coming off. It doesn’t matter what his age, personality, or vaccine status is, nor what I think on the subject. It’s state law. Any animal that has bitten or scratched someone in the ten days before it dies or is euthanized HAS to be tested.
I don’t much care if this animal lives or dies, although it bothers me to feel that way about a patient. Unlike a lot of our patients, I don’t feel that this dog’s loss would make the world a poorer place. At the same time, though, I kinda hope he pulls through so he can go on to bite the shit out of the people who never bothered to socialize him.
** Duke of Rat** I understand that since you have a small dog, you find it offensive what the OP said, but that is in no way an invitation to badmouth CrazyCatLady.
Btw if you ever got injured by a cat, like the Op did from that dog, you’d be pretty pissed too.
I’m sure that your Rat Terrier is a great dog as you say/ what most here wanted to say is that it is the fault of the owners for not teaching their dogs to not viciously attack just about anything that moves…
But if you have a bad experience with something (and it is the fault of another) you’re more inclined to try and avoid + have more bitter feelings about them.
I agree though that enticing that all Rat Terriers/small dogs to be socially unfit and to be treated badly /or be put down is an extreme.
