Unsolicited advice

I was once told that when you get a new puppy, to grab the dog and stare him/her in the eyes until he/she blinked. That made you the superior one. I was told this when I was maybe 8 years old.

One of my favorites is: "Put the dog outside on a concrete slab...they don't get worms that way."
 
I didn't know concrete was a natural dewormer.[sm=lol.gif]

Advice I received was never adopt a pound dog, cause you never know what kind of problems you would be taking on.

I am so happy I declined to follow this advice - Bear and Zoe are the most sweetest, funniest, happy dogs that I have ever met.  I love them both to bits!

I don't think I've been given unsolicited advice. Normally, if the topic of dogs comes up, I will tell them more than they ever wanted to know about dogs, history, different feeding styles, wild canids with similarities and differences,etc. I usually wind it down when their eyes glaze over and they start nodding off to sleep. Then, I became known as the dog guy and people would come to me a dog that they couldn't keep or found. I try to refer them to the only no kill rescue I know of, ARK - Texas.

Let's see never get a dog that was owned by someone else because you have to break all those bad habits.  Don't get a mutt because you do not know what their temperment will be.  Son't get a Rottie because they are mean dogs.  All chows are biters.  Stay away from little dogs they like to bite too. 
I had a Rottie and he was an awesome dog(I raised him from a pup).  I grew up with a great chow.  We had a couple airdale/lab crosses and they were nice dogs.  I now have a 2 year old Shih Tzu who is pre-owned,  He has learned the rulse of the house and he is not a small dog who bites.
Hmm I guess all those people were wrong.
 
Oh yeah a house dog cannot get heartworm...another myth!

If you put burned motor oil on a dogs coat that has mange, it will cure it.
Another was to make the best guard dog, feed it raw meat with gun powder in it. That makes them mean. UGH!! More like kill the poor thing...
The list goes on and on with stupid stuff like this.

I've been told I should dip Emma in burned motor oil. I've been told that my dogs are too skinny, or too fat (Teenie really was obese...). I've been told that I should get rid of Emma before she gets mean (uh... hello! She was *way* meaner then, than she is now!). I've been told that if I let Teenie jump off of the couch---even once--- she'll break her back. I've been told all sorts of crazy stuff, LOL. 

I've been told the same goofy things about pound dogs - sort of like buying an old used car. [] I think a lot of people really believe that dogs are only returned to the shelter for severe behavior problems, and we all know better than that. I've heard of dogs being returned because they shed, they chased a cat, they liked to dig, they drool, they weren't the same *cute little puppy* they used to be, even because they didn't look good with the new decor.[:@] Basically for just being a normal dog.

Joyce

As I was holding a 8 week Rory in my arms all cuddled ina blanket I had some lady at Petsmart tell me since she was a pitbull that I was in possesion of a deadly weapon and it was only a matter of time before she attacked. I just laughed and said "you poor poor ingnorant woman, i am very sad for you", ha ha the B*tch

If you put burned motor oil on a dogs coat that has mange, it will cure it.

 
OMG How many times have I heard that one?! Countless people told my mom this when my moms Golden had a slight mange problem. The word 'vet' never came up in their advice!
 
My VERY ignorant (and old) uncle used to tell everyone that to get a good guard dog you had to hit him, sometimes for no apparent reason! That is Very bad advice because then you get an unstable dog who a) is a fear biter and bites everyone for no reason [like a dobe he had] or b) you get a dog who is absolutely terrified of everything that breathes, and everything that doesnt breathe [like a boxer pup he once had]
 
Also, 'dont give your dog raw meat, you could kill her! only pit bulls can eat raw meat and only to make them mean'
 
Ok, my pup has not died, is not a pit bull, and is sooo sweet she could lick u to death!
 
My fathers pit bull was fed part raw and the worse she could do was whip you to death with her tail!

ORIGINAL: sheprano

As I was holding a 8 week Rory in my arms all cuddled ina blanket I had some lady at Petsmart tell me since she was a pitbull that I was in possesion of a deadly weapon and it was only a matter of time before she attacked. I just laughed and said "you poor poor ingnorant woman, i am very sad for you", ha ha the B*tch

i have heard something along those same lines too. i have also been advised not to get a pit bull/rottweiller/dobe/gsd/etc. because they are all mean and will eventually turn on the owner.

of course in this neck-o-the-woods anything brindle striped=pit bull and any mixed breed with short hair that can't automatically be characterized as any certain breed=pit bull. my brother and his wife have a chi mix that is brindle striped and they have also been told that their dog will turn on them eventually. (HA!) they have also been told that about their gsd/pitbull/lab/? mix. yeah she might turn around and lick your face off! []

the way half-truths and rumors spread i guess the old saying "ignorance breeds ignorance" is really true.

As I was calling Roscoe away from a rude, bordering on aggressive dog at the dog park, I was told that I "had to let them work it out for themselves or I would create a fearful dog."  [&:]  Same person told me I had to alpha roll Roscoe when he got to me to show him I was boss (because he hadn't immediately run over to me, he kind of sauntered).
 
This isn't really unsolicited advice, just more ignorance.  DH and Roscoe were out walking and a woman with a small dog (he doesn't know what kind) was walking toward them. She immediately scooped up her dog and said, "Stay away, [dogsname]. Dalmations are *mean*!"   DH said, "Um, he's not a Dalmation."  (but didn't say anything about Roscoe's temperament one way or the other).  So she let her dog on the ground to go charge Roscoe (who, luckily, wouldn't hurt a fly).  She said her dog was attacked by a Dalmation last week. Well, yeah, if you let your dog go flying up to leashed strange dogs like that.

I have also heard to feed gun powder to make them mean...

Also the one about all GSD, dobermans, pitts, rotts, etc will ALL eventually turn on you, its bred into them.[&:]

Dont let a dog kiss you on the mouth or you will get tape worms.

To make dogs mean you have to slap them in the face.[&o]

If you have more than one dog you have to make them fight so they can figure out whos going to be boss...

You know this makes me sick to read all this and think about all the stupid stuff Ive heard. oor dogs.

Oh yeah... this one while walking the dogs...
 
You should keep your dogs outside all the time, that way you dont ever have to walk them.