Let the stereotypes begin.

Yeah, I used to get it a lot with the Bobster (PB) and he is just this friendly little butt wagging guy...except when rabbits are just a few feet away... But... we have a routine (like we do with dogs) and I think it helps folks to see that he knows there are rules and that he is not out of control.  I have to say that now on our routine walks he has "fans" young and old who come and make a fuss over him etc.  

Beejou, the hardest thing in the world, when you want everyone to LIKE your dog, is to take control of a situation like that so you CAN educate.  And honestly -- none of us think on our feet *that* well -- but since you've had one situation like this ... now you *can* think thru what you'd say in future.  That's what your much of your training is all about -- it's about anticipating situations and knowing the best response and practicing how to respond that way.

You can do a TON of damage control that way -- for example, while showing the kid how to offer a FLAT hand palm up for sniffing you can also say "Hey, your Mom's wise to let you know all dogs are NOT nice ... but WHAT IF?? What if you're in a park and there's a dog there - and maybe not leashed and he looks mean or growls.  Do you know the right trick to use??  Pretend you're a TREE!!  Yep really.  Know why you should never *run* from a mean dog?  Do you know what the word "prey" means?  Prey is what a dog chases -- like "lunch".  A dog always wants to chase.  And a mean dog will chase to hurt you.  Not play.  And chances are the dog will run faster JUST because he IS a predator.... ?? 

Seriously -- since you ARE in law enforcement, it would be a great project to begin to develop an educational CLASS -- for use in schools or anywhere.  But to give kids basic information on how to NOT approach a dog. 

Here in Orlando several years ago there was a horrible accident -- a yard right next door to an elementary school with a chained pitbull.  Kids, of course, used to plague the dog just to make him bark.  so he hated kids.  And one day, for some reason he was off the chain and IN the house and some idiot opened the door right at 3:15 as hundreds of children ran out of the school building.  The dog broke away and made a beeline for the school yard.  HUNDREDS of children (and screaming adults *sigh*) RAN AWAY.  But of course there is always one child who is last.  And he stumbled and fell ... and got mauled.  Badly. 

Of course the dog was PTS ... the owner "fined" (stupid -- the owner literally got a slap on the wrist and it was SOOO stupid to have this dog uncontained knowing it was a risk and hated kids -- but of course they thought it was FUNNY that he'd bark at the kids and "keep them away from the house";).

But I was grieved then because NO ONE -- None of the media, none of the news stories, NO ONE MENTIONED AT ALL at the time that NO ONE should have run.

I couldn't believe that in *that* situation -- where all the school authorities KNEW ABOUT THAT DOG -- they **Knew** that dog was chained often, but sometimes inside, they KNEW the dog hated the kids.  Right next door -- I mean SOOOOOOOOO set up for exactly what DID happen. 

But even the teachers SCREAMED AND RAN. 

How stupid.  Why did NO one ever say "let's teach the kids some safety -- teach them FREEZE .. not run.  Because if they run someone will get hurt."  But they never do.  It seems like no one ever teaches kids any safety lessons about strange animals. 

All of this makes me think the general public is horribly misinformed. Fluffy small dogs are nice and girls, "power" breeds will rip your face off and are all male, the world is flat... you know, all that good stuff.

It shocks me how unlearned people are about something as common as DOGS!

Speaking of the petting issue.... when people do pet T-Bone they go over his head. I would never pet a stranger's dog that way. Sometimes he'll back up if it is a large person or man. It scares some dogs. Why why why do people do it?

Beejou

Amanda, I have to ask.... people actually have the NERVE to come up to you and tell you that your Dobe is going to TURN ON YOU? Like some sort of hellish PSA?

It happens pretty frequently.  Wednesday, it happened in the waiting room at our vet's clinic.  The guy who was telling me this had a very obnoxious golden, so when he told me about what was eventually going to happen to Bev, I showed him this picture on my phone, & told him that it was already starting. 

 I told him that this was all that we could find of my neighbor.  The guy got really quiet, got up & moved away from us.  I was so thankful to get him & his annoying dog away from us that I didn't even feel bad telling him that. 

Beejou

Sometimes he'll back up if it is a large person or man. It scares some dogs. Why why why do people do it?

The AKK so rarely get bad comments (as they are mostly thought to be husky puppies), but I did have the weirdest experience a few months ago.  DH and I had taken Honor and Nike for a walk, and as we passed a mom and her 3-4 year old son on the sidewalk, the boy was saying something about the dogs to his mom, and the woman takes one look at Honor and starts yelling "No! That's a MEAN MEAN dog, DON'T TOUCH IT! IT BITES!"...

We just passed on by, but I'm still SO nonplussed as to what the problem was.  I have never seen her before that or since, and Honor has never ever bitten anyone.  Nor my other two.  VERY weird.

Callie, you make an excellent point. My class is always looking for ways to reach out to the community and educate on important topics. My prof will probably help me organize this (we already have a downtown ambassador program where we walk the streets reminding people of laws and assisting those who need help). As I am going into K9, this is VERY relevant to the field. I will start brainstorming on this ASAP!

The situation you describe with the pit is horrible, I suppose this is why all power breeds get a bad rap. I have to liken it to people who are afraid to fly.... though it's very safe travel, there's so much hype around what DOES go wrong it scares the bejeezus out of folks.

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Amanda, I really, REALLY LOLed on that one! Too funny!!!!

Beejou

there's so much hype around what DOES go wrong it scares the bejeezus out of folks.

But it's also the situation where you can truly set a situation up so no one CAN win.  This particular situation I described was just sooooo set up for disaster.  NO ONE did the right thing -- the school *Knew* it had a huge problem next door but no one made any effort to minimize it.  Part of it is this thing we deal with in the warmer climates where dogs are so routinely left OUTSIDE all the time TIED or chained and just left to get more and more aggressive.  A + B = C or here School Children allowed to be mean + Frustrated Dog = Disaster someday. 

I am lucky in that half of the town knows Gypsy and knows she loves everyone.  We are just starting to get the "rat dog" comments about Radar..  We STILL get the "killer Pit Bull" comments from people who don't know Gypsy.  Yeah, she's such a killer that she will let a five pound  little guy take food right out of her dish!

I get comments about my 'rat dogs' ...but usually only from people with ill mannered larger dogs for some reason.

But most of the comments get aimed at Aesop...who must surely have grown into a biter by now. Because all Chows are evil dontcha know.

BEVOLASVEGAS

I get the "stupid boxer" comments about Chyna & Brutus.

Oh, I get "stupid lab" a lot! Despite the fact that labs are used for so many jobs (seeing eye, detection, SAR, therapy, etc, etc, etc).....jeeze, they're just so dumb........ Or, because Apollo is so big (100lbs) and he will sit/stand for lots of loving from anyone I get the, "awww whatta big, dumb, goofy dog he is!".  

Whenever I take Chloe out, I ALWAYS get "Oh, that's one of those dogs from the ugliest dog competition, isn't it?"  Typically that's followed by, "But she doesn't look ugly to me."  I hate that competition.

Other ones we get are the yappy rats stereotype, or the froo froo dogs.  Someone tell Kya when she's rolling in something dead that's she's froo froo and girly and should smell like flowers.

Occasionally, I'll get look at the puppy comments.  Both my dogs are adult. 

The strangest we got was some kid walking past with his family who said "Look at that cat."  It was about Kya O_o. 

I LOVE that pic of Bevo.  What a perfect comeback.  LOL

recent conversation at the back of my fence............

Teenage boy (new backyard neighbor): Is that a German Shepherd?

Me: Yes (OMG! a teenage boy who knows dogs?! yea the neighborhood is looking up)

Teenage boy: Does he work for the police?

Me: Ummm, no, he is just a pet (I always knew teenage boys were dumb)

The parents were much more saavy, I can only hope he will get smarter with age, but I highly doubt it.

 Most people don't know what Belgians are so don't hear many stereotypes. Usually it is "Is that a black collie"..."Is that a Schipperke?". Or I get scolded for bringing my wolf hybrids out in public. Some people think they are mean because of how they look. Pointy, toothy and all black, they are the classic Big Bad Wolf to some.

  The GSDs, I have heard it all - the good, the bad and the stupid. I have had a lot of people who love the breed want to talk about them. But have heard they will turn on you, that they can never, ever be trusted and that all GSDs bite. Everyone always seems to know someone who has a GSD that is "this big" (46" at the shoulder and at least 400lbs).

 When I had a Dobe mix, I heard his brain would "probably" explode (since he was a mix it wasn't a sure thing) and he would "probably" turn on me. People at my mom's work urged her to "get rid of him for safety reasons". He lived to be an old dog and his brain never outgrew his skull ;)

  I was working with a Boxer for someone and was surprised at the overwhelmingly postive remarks I got about him when I had him out. Most everyone loved him, loved Boxers and wanted to talk about the great Boxer they have/had or that a friend or family member has/had. He was a very muscular, solid dog cropped ears and I really would have thought more people would have been afraid of him.

 I raised a greyhound puppy once and was constantly asked if she had been a racing dog, even when she was 3-4 months old. Some people became angry when I said she was from a breeder and not a rescue and scolded me for not getting a rescue one. Several people suggested that I take her to the track (we have one about an hour or so from here) and give her a try at racing, maybe make some money. The probably funniest thing anyone has ever said about a dog I had was about her. She was probably 6 or so months old and I had her at a flea market with me. A mother said to her children "Look at the goat! See the girl walking the goat?!" and pointed in my direction. They came up to see the goat and hard as it is to believe, they all continued to think she was a goat until I said other wise