Mini-Rant

But, anyway, I don't let my dog around *any* breed of dog, on leash, unless it's one of his 'friends'. I see no reason to let my dog do a sniff-n-greet with every dog we pass when we're out walking, especially dogs that are bigger than him. He's terrified of dogs bigger than him, and usually people don't have their big dogs under control, so if it's tight quarters, I'll even dare to pick him up, rather than let him have a meltdown.

In a nutshell, it's not you, it's us :)

 Oh no I can respect that. I don't trust dogs around my dog unless I know them, but the looks people will give is what gets to me.

 It's not just your breed.  I've got a Springer Spaniel, and I get to watch kids take off running from her, and parents pulling the kids away.  I don't mind the kids staying away from her, but there is no reason to grab the kid by the arm and pull them away.  And running away is really a good way to deal with a hunting dog.  There should be mandatory training on how to greet or not greet dogs.

The first walk I made with Piper into town, we met a young Brittany on leash.  They touched noses and the Brit grabbed Pipers muzzle.  Not to hurt but apparently to establish who's who.  We tend to stay away from strangers now.

Wow.  People have bad reactions to springer spaniels??  Never would have thought.

I know how things can be although my bad reactions are usually towards Benny, my pom.  When we go out in public, while we were training, he would wear a head halter, not for control, but for calming him.  He is much calmer around other dogs when he wears it, so I use it to comfort him.  Well many people think it is a muzzle and will pull their kids away (which I am totally fine with because he isn't crazy about kids he doesn't know), but I really don't want them having a bad reaction toward small breed dogs.

Some people just don't know better (and don't care to know better) and you just need to brush it off.  Sad but true.

For what it's worth, I love pits.  I have met tons of them and know how sweet they can be.

DougB

 It's not just your breed.  I've got a Springer Spaniel, and I get to watch kids take off running from her, and parents pulling the kids away.  I don't mind the kids staying away from her, but there is no reason to grab the kid by the arm and pull them away.  And running away is really a good way to deal with a hunting dog.  There should be mandatory training on how to greet or not greet dogs.

The first walk I made with Piper into town, we met a young Brittany on leash.  They touched noses and the Brit grabbed Pipers muzzle.  Not to hurt but apparently to establish who's who.  We tend to stay away from strangers now.

Wow really? That's crazy and oh yeah running from a dog, great job there. *Rolls eyes*

Yeah I tend to keep Simba away from other dogs just because I'm out there to walk him, just as others are with their dogs. I hate when people press to have their dogs to greet other ones. 

I would rather have people be cautious of my dogs for no good reason than be rude to them.  There are certain people in my neighborhood whom I prefer have the fantasy that my dogs are man-eating police dogs because these people have no business being around any dog.

There are also people that genuinely dislike dogs or are afraid for good reason.  I do not expect my dogs to change their mind.

What funny to me is that more people avoid Coke than my GSDs and he is our lap dog.  They think he is a Rottweiler.  No one ever has a problem approaching Nikon, especially little kids and he looooooooves them.  They assume Kenya is a police dog or part wolf or both and are cautious, which is fine since she is aloof and doesn't like kids.

georgie4682

Wow.  People have bad reactions to springer spaniels??  Never would have thought.

Back in the day, "Springer Rage" was all anyone outside the breed knew about Springers.  Kinda like "Dobes' brains explode in their heads and they turn on their owners." 

punkchica321

When will people stop being so prejudice towards certain breeds of dogs? I'm getting annoyed over how cautious people seem to be around Simba just because he resembles a pit bull. I'm sure I'm not the only one on this forum who have had people become scared/cautious over seeing a dog of yours.

  You know what... this weekend I had a really good experience.  I normally get lots of startled and disdainful "...*Gasp!* That's one of those..." insert-wrong-breed or "vicious DoVerman" here.  Yes, with the V.  However, I was walking around downtown Denver with G on our way to/from the St Patrick's Day parade (quite a lot because I forgot where we parked and circled several blocks) and was surprised by the number of people I could overhear saying "Yeah, but, they're actually really nice.  They just have a bad rap.  It's all in how you raise and train them."  I kid you not, I heard it at least 7 or 8 times.  AND, Every.Single.Child asked permission before asking to pat her, and they did the same to any other dog they saw, regardless of breed.  (Well, except for this one-year old who took an unsteady flying leap at G to pat her and her mom almost crapped a brick)  I was astonished and pleased.

EDUCATION WORKS!!!  Now, granted, there's a pitbull ban here in Denver, so the officials are bassackwards, but the population of dog-savvy people was impressive.  So, don't give up hope, and promote education of dog care and ownership where ever you can, and fight breed-specific DIS-education/MIS-information whenever you can.

georgie4682

Wow.  People have bad reactions to springer spaniels??  Never would have thought.

I know how things can be although my bad reactions are usually towards Benny, my pom.  When we go out in public, while we were training, he would wear a head halter, not for control, but for calming him.  He is much calmer around other dogs when he wears it, so I use it to comfort him.  Well many people think it is a muzzle and will pull their kids away (which I am totally fine with because he isn't crazy about kids he doesn't know), but I really don't want them having a bad reaction toward small breed dogs.

Some people just don't know better (and don't care to know better) and you just need to brush it off.  Sad but true.

For what it's worth, I love pits.  I have met tons of them and know how sweet they can be.

It's true I do need to brush it off, even though it does annoy me sometimes. :-/ 

 Lucky! I've never met a pit before sadly. Actually no, on a walk with Simba I did, he was not fond of Simba. Luckily I know that just because he doesn't like dogs doesn't mean he's a bad dog. 

I wish people were more cautious around my dog(s). I had Benny at petsmart this weekend, and aside from the 'is that a burmese mountain dog' comments - every child was petting him. Which he was fine with, but I would really like them to ask. If I'm in a particularly pissy mood - I do pull my dog away and tell them to ASK next time so they don't get bit.

Benny got rolled at the park this weekend by a very large boxer. And after the owner pulled him off, he let him go again. Needless to say - I was FURIOUS, but that's not the point. When he grabbed the second dog - I loudly told him to get his dog out. NOW. After he left, someone made the comment 'the owner said he was all boxer, but I know he has pit in him'. I kindly responded - no. That's a boxer, there is not one ounce of pitty in him. Shut that person up. People see what they want to see. (Benny was fine, just slobbery, I think that guy just didn't understand how to play nice) 

Liesje

I would rather have people be cautious of my dogs for no good reason than be rude to them.  There are certain people in my neighborhood whom I prefer have the fantasy that my dogs are man-eating police dogs because these people have no business being around any dog.

Personally one of the things I like about large dogs, especially a number of breeds I am drawn to is by appearance alone they tend to make people think twice before approaching.  Then again I can be rather antisocial to begin with. >____>

 When I was a kid we had a dobe and I walked him everywhere. My parents never worried about me being snatched because people would literally cross the street to avoid him.

sl2crmeg

He's terrified of dogs bigger than him, and usually people don't have their big dogs under control, so if it's tight quarters, I'll even dare to pick him up, rather than let him have a meltdown

with reason -- PUnkachica I think it was before you joined, but last fall Pirate got badly mauled by ... yep, a pit.  BAD OWNER -- but it left Pi pretty shaken and VERY hurt at the time.

but all of us as dog owners suffer for the idiocy of others.  I had a boxer pit mix who looked quite a bit like your dog -- and I got the 'dangerous dog' thing all over the place.  Made me pretty mad -- cos she did pet therapy.  She also had super bad lungs and I kept a t-shirt on her all the time, AND she wore "jeans" because she was incontinent from the heart meds she took.

One day a guy walked up to me at Give Kids the World where she was volunteering with me doing pet therapy -- and he said to me 'Normally I'd honestly be worried about a dog who looked like that -- but it's hard to be afraid of a dog in a t-shirt and jeans!"

I proceeded to educate him a bit on the fact that her breeds actually was what made her very suitable FOR pet therapy (and she was a boxer/pit).  Personable breeds who love people.

 The best thing YOU can do Punkachica is TRAIN.  Make sure your dog is an exemplary representative of it's breeds.  It really does speak louder than words.

I understand your frustration.  But, like others here, I don't mind one bit if people think my "big black dogs" are too scary to approach.  If that's their mindset, I'd rather they not interact with my boys.  I definitely see it more with adults around here than with kids.  If the neighborhood kids are out playing when we come home from a walk, they always want to pet the dogs (and amazingly, they always ask permission!).  But the dogs barking their fool heads off when a stranger comes to the door has worked many a time to ward off people trying to sell us gutter cleaning, a new roof, etc.  Works for me, lol!!

Some friends of ours have two boxers.  They said people ask them if they're pitties constantly. 

This is how you should look at it, Andrea.  Let their looks/comments roll right off you, and continue to do what you're doing with Simba to ensure that he's a good embassador for his "breed," whatever people think his breed may be.

erica1989

I wish people were more cautious around my dog(s). I had Benny at petsmart this weekend, and aside from the 'is that a burmese mountain dog' comments - every child was petting him. Which he was fine with, but I would really like them to ask. If I'm in a particularly pissy mood - I do pull my dog away and tell them to ASK next time so they don't get bit.

Benny got rolled at the park this weekend by a very large boxer. And after the owner pulled him off, he let him go again. Needless to say - I was FURIOUS, but that's not the point. When he grabbed the second dog - I loudly told him to get his dog out. NOW. After he left, someone made the comment 'the owner said he was all boxer, but I know he has pit in him'. I kindly responded - no. That's a boxer, there is not one ounce of pitty in him. Shut that person up. People see what they want to see. (Benny was fine, just slobbery, I think that guy just didn't understand how to play nice) 

Which is fair, for them to have to ask before you allow them to pet him I can totally understand that.

Wow, just because he played rough they assume he has pit in him. Haha go you! And glad to hear Benny was alright.