Ever pretended you didn't know your dog?

tamoo

Anybody else been embarrassed by their pup?

I was at an agility trial and I took Kenya along because the hosting club's president wanted to meet her.  Generally, non-entered dogs are not allowed at AKC events, but Kenya is AKC registered and the club pres said there would be plenty of crating space.  I was scheduled to volunteer in the ring later that day.  DH showed up with Subway, so I was sitting outside the ring eating.  DH went to go check on Kenya.  He thought she had a leash on, so when he opened her crate, he reached for a leash but it wasn't there.  Kenya instinctively took a few steps away and stopped, looking for me.  DH tried to catch her, but she doesn't come to him and instead she ran away!  I was sitting outside the ring, day dreaming, when I hear someone yell "shepherd!".  Sitting beside me were two sheps, so I assumed their friends were calling them in.  Then, I see this shepherd run out of the crating area and onto the course, where about 2 dozen people were doing walk-throughs before the JWW Ex runs.  I'm admiring the balanced movement of this shepherd when it occurs to me that it's a sable shepherd, and as far as I knew, only black and tans were entered that day.  I just FROZE and then saw DH with a panicked look on his face.  The worst part was that there were so many people on the course all trying to grab at her and she was just running from person to person to see if they were me, lol.  I ran out there and was shouting her name, but everyone else was shouting and lunging at her.  Finally, this woman yells "EVERYONE SHUT UP AND STOP GRABBING AT SOMEONE ELSES DOG!"  Everyone freezes, Kenya see me and comes running over, I leash her up and hand her off to DH.  I was mortified, trying to avoid all eye contact when I hear this little old lady come up behind me giggling and she goes, "honey, you brought back so many great memories!  I used to do agility with shepherds and mine ALWAYS got out.  Any time there was a loose shepherd, they didn't even bother saying 'loose shepherd', they just said 'Linda, come get your dog!'".  I felt a little better after that. 

tamoo

Anybody else been embarrassed by their pup?

 You don't know the 1/2 of it.  I promise.

I do agility with badsenjis.  One is nicknamed Tri-ing.  Embarrassed is a state of being for me.  There was the time he sniffed every inch of every slat on the down side of the Aframe, there was the perfect heeling pattern on the JUDGE'S left side, there was the time he decided it would be more fun to sniff the table than continue the run, there was the time a little turd popped out of his butt and he turned around in midair and playbowed at it, there was the time he runs up to a jump only to stop suddenly and stand there and sniff the horizontal bar, there was the time he ran out of the ring and out of the building and ran up and down the highway while several of us were calling his name, there was the time he ran into the other ring, the time he ran amuck and a spectator had to shove liver in his mouth to stop the zoomies, the time he left his sit/stay on the start line to play with the cute sheltie exiting the ring, and of course the time he was suposed to go in a straight line off the teeter, over a jump and into the tunnel that was under the Aframe.  He exits the teeter, takes the jump, runs around the Aframe to enter the other end of the tunnel which wasn't even visible from the teeter.  And most of this was in front of a bunch of people.  Some I see often, some I've never met.  He's also peed on a friend of mine.  (Thankfully she was a dog person - basenjiperson really.)  At least he's entertaining.

Brindlewonderkid has been known to repeatedly take a Ushaped tunnel.  Tunnel, tunnel, tunnel, tunnel.  He was suposed to take the dogwalk.  At his last show we were walking by the canine massage table and he hopped right up there.  (Dumb he ain't!)  So, I guess I get him that next event.

I can't wait to see what Zpuppy has instore for me.

Liesje

tamoo

Anybody else been embarrassed by their pup?

 

I was at an agility trial and I took Kenya along because the hosting club's president wanted to meet her.  Generally, non-entered dogs are not allowed at AKC events, but Kenya is AKC registered and the club pres said there would be plenty of crating space.  I was scheduled to volunteer in the ring later that day.  DH showed up with Subway, so I was sitting outside the ring eating.  DH went to go check on Kenya.  He thought she had a leash on, so when he opened her crate, he reached for a leash but it wasn't there.  Kenya instinctively took a few steps away and stopped, looking for me.  DH tried to catch her, but she doesn't come to him and instead she ran away!  I was sitting outside the ring, day dreaming, when I hear someone yell "shepherd!".  Sitting beside me were two sheps, so I assumed their friends were calling them in.  Then, I see this shepherd run out of the crating area and onto the course, where about 2 dozen people were doing walk-throughs before the JWW Ex runs.  I'm admiring the balanced movement of this shepherd when it occurs to me that it's a sable shepherd, and as far as I knew, only black and tans were entered that day.  I just FROZE and then saw DH with a panicked look on his face.  The worst part was that there were so many people on the course all trying to grab at her and she was just running from person to person to see if they were me, lol.  I ran out there and was shouting her name, but everyone else was shouting and lunging at her.  Finally, this woman yells "EVERYONE SHUT UP AND STOP GRABBING AT SOMEONE ELSES DOG!"  Everyone freezes, Kenya see me and comes running over, I leash her up and hand her off to DH.  I was mortified, trying to avoid all eye contact when I hear this little old lady come up behind me giggling and she goes, "honey, you brought back so many great memories!  I used to do agility with shepherds and mine ALWAYS got out.  Any time there was a loose shepherd, they didn't even bother saying 'loose shepherd', they just said 'Linda, come get your dog!'".  I felt a little better after that. 

this story made me laugh out loud   especially the person yelling. that sounds like a funny scene in a movie or something lol

so far i havent been THAT mortified.. my dogs have done some pretty stupid things, usually in the hands of other people, or i have been with other people whose dogs were acting up. my cousin insists on walking Bo with just a leash and collar and he pulls like a Mack truck..  i walk him with a halter FOR that very reason.. one occasion when we all went out with the dogs she was walking Bo... i offered the halter because he was going nuts.. she said "No i got'm" ... thats when the little min pin across the street came charging at us... Mattie went crazy.. actually DRAGGING one of the kids (they dont know how to walk a dog.. chihuahuas should NOT drag!) Bo sees Mattie acting the fool so he starts acting the fool, lunging and straining and dragging my cousin towards this min pin. not to HURT the dog.. but to play... which would have hurt her i suppose.. he's almost 80lbs.. and pure puppy. the people across the street were freaking out trying to get to their dog before she got to us - no fence.. - they're nice people... but i'm sure they think i'm raising vicious min pin eaters over here... especially with Bo acting the way he did and with his owner LETTING him do it!! Bo is one of those dogs that will be standing still beside you, all calm and relaxed, then suddenly without warning go leaping like a deer in the opposite direction with you in tow... but NOT with a halter!!

OMG everyone's stories are so funny! Keep 'em coming.

Rupert hasn't done anything as crazy as your stories. We tried agility one summer. He was mostly interested in sniffing around and finding dropped treats, or deciding that all this exercise made him poo. One time we were running through the course; he zigged, I zagged (my mistake). He completely took me out. Swept my legs right out from under me. It was pretty funny. I think he was just as surprised as I was. And of course while I was down he took the opportunity to plaster my face with kisses. "Wow mom, now that was FUNNY!!"

Another story - when we go for walks, we have a "no mailboxes!" rule. He can read pee-mail briefly, but not leave any. So when we pass a mailbox and he starts to look too interested, I'll start jogging and say "No mailboxes!" One time we were passing a mailbox and he only sniffed for a second, then instantly turned around and pooped on it! Right at the base. I was so embarrassed. I had to stand there and let him finish, then pick it up of course.

Oh Rupey, good thing you're so darn cute. 

Edit: Forgot to add that we failed the CGC. He just gets so darn excited when meeting new people and dogs. He boing boing boings (doesn't jump on people, just around them.)  

Hmmmmmm.......let's see.....I couldn't pretend they weren't mine, because they were either attached to me on lead or with me in a ring somewhere, but I've had many a "humbling experience" with some of my dogs.  My lhasa, Winifred, lunged and barked at something the entire time we were doing heel on lead in Nov. B obedience.  The judge finally asked "what is she barking at," and I had to admit that I didn't know.  The judge asked this while we were "heeling."  Ok...I was doing the pattern while dragging my lhasa behind me.  On the heel off lead she never left her initial sit position....same for the recall.  She failed all of the exercises that day...except for the figure 8 (perfect score) and the stand for exam.  Both the judge and I were almost hysterical when we left the ring that day.  She did pick up her 3rd leg the next day and finished her CD (with a score in the upper 180s?).  I had another lhasa, Beau, who used to go limp when stressed.  It was his 1st time to compete in groups and the shows were in a parking garage of all places.  I was setting him up on the table when he started to go down.  I kept trying to prop his legs up and I'd get the front set up and his rear would slowly go down.  Then I'd get the rear up and his front would sloooowly go down.  Finally I just held him up while the judge when over him.  He never would shake, drop his tail, yawn, or show any typical signs of nervousness....he just went limp. 

I'm afraid I have to admit that I was the one that humiliated my border collies, though, instead of the other way around.  I know there were many times when my girl Bizzie wanted to pretend that she had no idea who the human in the ring was.  Luckily my borders were very patient and didn't seem to care how many times I ran into equipment, fell down in the sheep field, or screwed up commands. 

 My lhasas are no longer with me (old age) and I just lost my first border collie this year to complications of a  tick bourne disease.  It's hard to lose dogs but ALL of the memories make the hurt not so bad!  I have a new bc girl (11 mos old) and I'd say that we're going to have a fine old time...and make lots of new memories as well. 

Laura

well really only once - last friday night

We went to the SPCA open house and Bugs is an alumni so he came too.  Bugsy is ALWAYS well behaved in public so I had no worries.  Well until he got out of the car and was instantly set on fire by some scent.  I tried to work him to calm and some woman said boy he tracks like a hound but he don't look like one

Eventually I made the fated decision to take him inside and he was WILD.  I was mortified.  He was pulling like crazy, went up on his hind legs and had his head in some woman's bag, stole a stuffie off a shelf and started eating it - you get the picture.  I would tell him to sit and he would for a millisecond and then he was loonie again.

My best guess is that the two rooms full of cats were to blame but really I have no idea. He has NEVER behaved like that in public.

And yes if I didn't have boith hands on the leash I'd have pretended he wasn't mine 

Unfortunately it's hard to pretend that I don't know my dog... but I have pretended that I don't actually have a dog!

Take this summer, flying from the East Coast to California, stopping off in Atlanta. By this time I knew my little dog had some issues, so I didn't have him out of his carrier or anything like that while we waited during the layover. We went and sat in a nice secluded area while I read a book with his carrier beside me. Rascal was quiet, I was quiet, everything was quiet. All was going perfectly until this rather large woman with a rather large friend came over with their rather large voices and rather large baby. They thump themselves down a couple of seats away from me (when the whooooole row, and the one across from it, were open) and the woman lets loose with this stream of THE most nauseating baby talk I have EVER HEARD. "Oooo, isn't he a cutie widdle babykins? Who's a goober pinky dinky boy? Yes he is! Yes he is!" all of this in this booming, inescapable voice. Rascal, who hadn't made a single noise the entire trip thus far, FLIPPED out and started growling and snarling like a rabid hyena. I guess he didn't like the babytalk either! To avoid a scene, I first covered his carrier with the towel I was carrying around Douglas Adams-style (just for dog-covering purposes). No effect, but the women did turn and kind of stare at me and the growling towel. Soooo, I ever so smoothly slung my growling towel carryon over my shoulder and nonchalantly moved a few rows over, whereupon the ruckus settled down.

I still don't know why he reacted like that, as I too have a habit of speaking annoying babytalk sometimes (particularly to the dog), but gosh if he didn't just go ballistic the instant she opened her mouth! 

So, before I answer this I have to ask what you mean by "really nice guy"?  Really nice looking?  If so, obviously Beau thought the same of his dogs and just went ape over them.  Was one a female?  I hope!  lol 

To answer your question, while I wait for my answers (lol), no, not yet.  Misty's still young though.  Although, there were times when she was even younger and we'd take her down to our boat and we'd sit at the picnic tables they have down there.  Misty would go to go under the tables and constantly smacked her head of the bench seat.  Loudly, too!  Everyone, would just go "Oooowwww!"  That sounded like it hurt.  So in a way, yes, but not really.  I'm sure I'll have my day! 

Cita

Unfortunately it's hard to pretend that I don't know my dog... but I have pretended that I don't actually have a dog!

Take this summer, flying from the East Coast to California, stopping off in Atlanta. By this time I knew my little dog had some issues, so I didn't have him out of his carrier or anything like that while we waited during the layover. We went and sat in a nice secluded area while I read a book with his carrier beside me. Rascal was quiet, I was quiet, everything was quiet. All was going perfectly until this rather large woman with a rather large friend came over with their rather large voices and rather large baby. They thump themselves down a couple of seats away from me (when the whooooole row, and the one across from it, were open) and the woman lets loose with this stream of THE most nauseating baby talk I have EVER HEARD. "Oooo, isn't he a cutie widdle babykins? Who's a goober pinky dinky boy? Yes he is! Yes he is!" all of this in this booming, inescapable voice. Rascal, who hadn't made a single noise the entire trip thus far, FLIPPED out and started growling and snarling like a rabid hyena. I guess he didn't like the babytalk either! To avoid a scene, I first covered his carrier with the towel I was carrying around Douglas Adams-style (just for dog-covering purposes). No effect, but the women did turn and kind of stare at me and the growling towel. Soooo, I ever so smoothly slung my growling towel carryon over my shoulder and nonchalantly moved a few rows over, whereupon the ruckus settled down.

I still don't know why he reacted like that, as I too have a habit of speaking annoying babytalk sometimes (particularly to the dog), but gosh if he didn't just go ballistic the instant she opened her mouth! 

Years ago, every Friday my two doxies and I would drive 3 hrs home. Not liking the highway rest stops, we would stop at Petsmart/PetCo.  Every time we stopped, the boys would bark and bark and pull me to the shelf where their food was. Once we got there they would settle down. This alone was bad enough, but one day, while looking at something on the shelf, I look down and one dog was missing.....but the leash was under the shelf and wiggling. I had to get down on all four to see my little guy had crawled under the shelf to get some spilt food. Ever try to get a doxie out from under a shelf when they did not what to leave a treat? When I got him out he was no longer a short hair black and tan, but something closer to a fuzzy gray. One of the clerk came over to see what I was doing and I told him my dog was helping to clean the store and that they realy need to clean under the shelves.

 Then there was the night around 4th July, I had one of the doxies under my arm. They had gotten out and as I was walking home, some one set off a fire cracker. The dog I was carring did not seem bothered and I did not think anything of it until my neighbor call out "Your dog is leaking" and I looked behind me to see a trail about two houses long. The poor little guy was scared and peed. How he managed not to get me wet I don't know, nor was he shaking. So, we hurried up and went home.

SuzySue

 Then there was the night around 4th July, I had one of the doxies under my arm. They had gotten out and as I was walking home, some one set off a fire cracker. The dog I was carring did not seem bothered and I did not think anything of it until my neighbor call out "Your dog is leaking" and I looked behind me to see a trail about two houses long. The poor little guy was scared and peed. How he managed not to get me wet I don't know, nor was he shaking. So, we hurried up and went home.

Oh no, poor baby!!! That's pretty funny, though, especially considering you didn't notice it at first! 

 You dog is leaking!! Oh that is too funny!

Janet808

So, before I answer this I have to ask what you mean by "really nice guy"?  Really nice looking?  If so, obviously Beau thought the same of his dogs and just went ape over them.  Was one a female?  I hope!  lol 

 

Ok, beat this....

 Ginny is not the most observant dog in the world. She has a tendency to look over her shoulder and keep walking forwards. She has smacked into everything from tree trunks to people's legs doing this. But the worst time...

 We're walking on a sidewalk, a row of parked cars to our right. Ginny's looking back, at a squirrel or something, and I am urging her on, trying to get her to face forward again as we walk.  Step Step Step...

CRACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She walks straight into a car bumper at trotting speed. It was like something out a cartoon. The noise was so loud that a lady across the lot gasped and yelled "Is your dog ok????" Needless to say, I felt like I was walking a retarded dog...:) She then almost fell over on the grass because she tried to keep walking forward and hadn't gotten her balance back yet. Woops.