"mean dogs"

People would cross the street when Gracie was 13 weeks old, trotting next to me on leash.  You want to tell me that they wouldn't have come running over to play with her had she been a Golden at the same age?
 
It's the reason my landlord's lawyer insisted I have renters insurance - because the Doberman would be a liability.  I won't blame my landlord - she's done more to help welcome my Gracie into the circle of snottier dog-beach people than I could have done on my own.  (Of course, I might not have cared, but it makes it easier to not get the disdainful looks for having a Dobe on the sidewalk.)
 

I've had my husbands friends tell me Sky was going to grow up to aggressive and untrainable. I went on to tell them not all GSD are like that is just bad owners that make them that way.  I've even gotten dirty looks over my Siberian Husky at the vets office which I figured was the whole is that a wolf thing. 

I had a truly dangerous dog for a while.  She now lives with the air force and works on military tarmacs, where she doesn't meet many children.  If I hadn't had the opportunity to place her there, I would have had to put her down.

She hated children of a certain age - the exact age that children wander from their parents and come to hug the pretty fluffy doggy.  She hated being hugged by anyone, in fact - or grabbed by the collar under certain circumstances, which weren't always consistent.

I handled her carefully for a while but I found that this isn't a safe world for a dog with a hair trigger.  People have no sense when it comes to dogs anymore - they assume every dog is safe, when sensible people used to assume the opposite.  Remember the Pink Panther joke about "Does your dog bite?"  Can you believe that was once a common way to ask permission to pet the dog?

A dangerous Border collie is a dangerous dog indeed.  Their resemblance to "lassie dogs" is disarming, they react with lightening speed and deadly aim, and they have no natural bite inhibition.  I put down biters in rescue without mercy, but I was a hypocrite with the dog I'd raised from a pup. 

It was easy to make excuses when she was usually fine and under complete control.  I finally learned that on the rare occaisions when she bit or tried to bite, no one cared about extenuating circumstances or the fact that 99% of the time she was safe.  The problem was that she was like a hand grenade with a loose pin.  I was actually picking up the phone to call the vet, when I got the call that saved Trim's life.

Border collies are not one of the breeds that people typically think of as "mean" but I consider them right up there, though I love the breed.  the potential is there, just as it is with other breeds, but consider this - some of the more scary-looking  breeds have their looks protect them from people's stupidity on a daily basis (I'm not talking about public stupidity as expressed through BSL).  I can't tell you how many times I wished I had a huge Bouvier or a German shepherd on the end of the leash rather than a gorgeous, tri-colored BC with a flowing coat and a disarming smile.

ORIGINAL: brookcove

I handled her carefully for a while but I found that this isn't a safe world for a dog with a hair trigger.  People have no sense when it comes to dogs anymore - they assume every dog is safe, when sensible people used to assume the opposite.  Remember the Pink Panther joke about "Does your dog bite?"  Can you believe that was once a common way to ask permission to pet the dog?

 
When I went to the IKC show in Chicago, I always asked before I could pet someone's dog.  The owners were endlessly greatful that I asked, and I repeatedly observed parents allowing their children to go up and hug multiple strange dogs throughout the show.  It's littel wonder that bench shows are few and far between these days. 

I was out last week and this woman (whom, I'm sorry, appeared drunk) approached me suddenly to tell me she has a Rottie but didn't bring him because he was limping from something swollen between his back toes.... She promptly reached down and grabbed Gracie's foot to prod between her toes to demonstrate what she meant...  WTH!  She's damn lucky Gracie doesn't care - but some Dobes would've gotten a nip at her...

I've had the same problems with my basenjis.  In fact, last time I went to the vet it was because the malinois had a lump.  I had a new vet and after he checked out the mal, he was typing info into the computer and I mentioned my other dogs were basenjis.  He did not turn around but said "Well, uhm how are their, errr, uhm, how are their temperaments?"   Sounded like he'd met someone else's basenjis.
 
I also had some strange looks when I started lure coursing.  It was to be brindlewonderkid's first SC leg and I could tell there was some real hesitantcy about my little basenji when we showed up.  Of course by the end of the day, everyone was loving on him and asking me about him.  It didn't hurt that he has a lovely way with people and went home with the best in field ribbon.  []
 
I just ask that people allow my dogs a fair chance.  They haven't disappointed me yet.  (Of course most of the local agility people don't know about evil badsenjis as they only know mine.)

I can't tell you how many times I wished I had a huge Bouvier or a German shepherd on the end of the leash rather than a gorgeous, tri-colored BC with a flowing coat and a disarming smile

 
Sometimes, Sequoyah wishes I had a Pit on the end of a leash instead of her - the herders really don't want their personal space invaded sometimes, now do they? [sm=no%20no%20smiley.gif] [sm=lol.gif]
Alas, it's true that the flashy colored or coated dogs get too much attention sometimes...

I had a horrible experience with Kaiser this weekend. Kaiser may look mean...He's a BLACK gsd and he's bigger than he should be, but if he was truly mean, i wouldnt take him in public. I took him to petsmart to pick out a few toys this weekend. When i was walking through an aisle with him, there was a basset pup sitting in the floor. When i passed the pup, I let Kaiser sniff her...he loves pups and just kissed her head. The girl quickly snatched up her pup and gave me a dirty look. I responded by saying, "Oh, he wouldn't hurt her, he knows she's a baby." the girl rudely rolled her eyes and walked off, saying nothing. So, when i passed her later, Kaiser wagged his tail and i pulled him close to me, and said where she could hear me, "sorry kais, she wont let her dog be near you." Then, when i was walking out, a young woman was walking in. She gasped, grabbed her chest and took like 6 steps back. At first i was very confused and thought maybe she had seen a bee. She was staring at Kaiser, who was sitting there wagging his tail. I told her that he was friendly, but i guess she didn't believe me and waited until i walked out to walk in. I just don't get it...

I used to be annoyed with people and their reactions to Roxie.  Now I don't even care. 

She was a lot smaller than she is now, but the idiots would say something along the lines of, "She's one of those rottweilers!"  So dumb.  They'd say this while she would be wanting to meet them and their dogs.  She's much bigger now -- 46 pounds to be exact -- so it can only get worse, as far as the unwarranted reactions go.

But I've learned to ignore the idiocy of others.  She's my girl, I know how loving she is, and that's all that matters to me.

Mean dog hmm? Well, i'm not sure why the reasons..im sure the owners mistreated him or something, but this is a lil story.
 
About 2 blocks away was a huge, male rott. I'd walk my poms, and the rott would bark like there's no tomorrow. So i'd stop walking them on that sidewalk. And walk them across it =) but the rott would growl and bark still. So i stopped completly. Anywho, i've seen the huge rott been walked before. My poms were literally afraid of him. The first little thing was I was outside watering the grass, my pom Luna wasout with me when the stupid guy wasn't holding on right and the rott took of running. I was around, what...10? I had dropped the hose, grabbed my female pom and ran into my garage. The rott fallowed me down the street, i was stupid for acting so scared lol. But I had continued to run, I made it into my garage and squeezed into the 2 cars inside. Luckily the rott was unable to get me, my dad had run outside and the drama began. Well, the dog was taken away bye the dumb owner, and i never saw him again. Good thing they moved, but...i would always say he was the mean dog.
 
For a while I was scared of that breed, but I never was scared of pitbulls since I owned one before and she was a sweetheart. =) But the phrase mean dog was used for me when dogs would growl and snap. Today, i dont really use that phrase..I usually just say stupid owners lol []

I have the problem of most people wanting to run up and pet my dog b/c she is so unusual looking. I can't count how many times someone has asked if she is a white golden retriever or an albino. It is actually pretty funny. The problem is that people don't ask first if they can pet her and they can be very stupid about how they approach. It is especially terrifying when children run at us unsupervised. I just wish people would think or be less ignorant! I always grew up knowig you should ask to pet a strange dog and you should never run up towards a strange animal and touch it. ugh!

Poor Beau got the "he just looks so mean" comments at the vets office yesterday. I don't know if it's his markings, or his eyes, but people think right away, the he's aggressive. When really, he's a teddy bear. Unless you come in his yard while I'm not there. That's a different story.
 
When we're out with Sasha, people pull their children away. Not sure why, it must be a german shepherd thing. Or pitbull, or rottweiler, or dobbie thing... I could go on forever.  

I've never really noticed the whole 'mean breed' thing. In my opinion everything should be taken on a individual basis.
The nicest dog I've known was a rott/dob mix. And there was a really sweet German shepherd who lived down the street from us.

Still, I have to play the devils advocate. Some people do have fear of dogs in general or may have been traumatized by a particular type of dog. I am a little bit leery of chows because one bit me when I was younger. I am not saying it is rational, I know many chows are sweet, and they are beautiful dogs, but one bad experience has made me leery. People don't really need reasons to be afraid of something. Good example. Today we went out to our storage to do some stuff. There were quite a few daddy long-legs there. I have to say I freaked out a few times. Daddy long-legs are harmless, I know that, but I still freaked. I even knew it while I was freaking. I'm guessing it is sometimes that way with humans and dogs that have a bad rap.  It normally comes down to humans error, either in getting a dog they couldn't handle and it turning bad and getting all over the news, or human error in judging a dog by its cover. But as they say, 'To err is human, to forgive is devine.'

OMG when I had my chow living with me people would cross the street just so they didnt have to pass her on the side walk, right from when I got her at 3 months old. She was like a foot tall and people would not touch her, it make socializing them really hard, and the shibas everyone just assums they bite, it used to annoy me, but after reading this I am kinda glad now.

But when I take them with me to the free waterpark so my son can play peolpe always ask if they bite. I say no and they love the attention, but do people really take dogs to kids parks when they are people aggresive, and if so why?

Just to add peole still refuse to pet Pippin, my Chow, event though, at 7, she is the sweetest dog even the town dog catcher refuses to pick her up when she gets loose, they just call my friend who has her now to come get her, LOL.

ORIGINAL: hlb118

Poor Beau got the "he just looks so mean" comments at the vets office yesterday. I don't know if it's his markings, or his eyes, but people think right away, the he's aggressive. When really, he's a teddy bear. Unless you come in his yard while I'm not there. That's a different story.

When we're out with Sasha, people pull their children away. Not sure why, it must be a german shepherd thing. Or pitbull, or rottweiler, or dobbie thing... I could go on forever.  

 
We had a vet tech look at Sally (who was wagging and doing the happy dog dance) and say, "Wow, you look like you could rip someone's face off, but you're just a sweetie."  Ummm, thanks, I think?