Dog Community

Posted : 1/10/2007 5:14:21 PM

ORIGINAL: houndlove

We had two almost exact same incidents with unleahsed dogs in one week a couple weeks ago that totally illustrate this attitude.

The first was a tiny little yorkie (either a puppy or a "teacup") who raced on to the path where I was walking with my dogs and proceeded to herd me and my dogs into a circle and then jump and nip at my dogs faces, repeatedly. I couldn't even walk away because the dog was zigzagging through my and my dogs' legs and I was terrified of stepping on it. I just had to stand there trying to figure out how to get out of it, and Conrad and Marlowe kept looking at me like, "I don't know what is going on here, but make it stop!" Meanwhile the owner is callling and calling and calling and meandering slowly over. She finally comes over and scoops her dog up with the usual "oooh you little monster, oh my bad bad widdle poochie" nonsense and walks away. No apology.

Then a few days later, same park, we get accosted by a way over-friendly adolescent weimeraner who definately got hit by the hyper stick repeatedly. Again the dog is jumping around like a complete fool and my dogs are looking at me like "YIKES!" The dog's humans come by and at least apologized and acted like this was a bad thing. Don't get me wrong, these people are idiots too for letting a spazzoid young dog with no recall whatsoever off leash in a city park where there are leash laws. But at least they seemed to understand that this is a problem that needs to be worked on and that my dogs don't enjoy being gushed all over by their gangly teenaged beastie.

Cressida you are my hero. Your hounds look to you to make that thing stop. Mine have quite a different instinct. "If it's aggressive to me and bothering my other packmate, it must die." I can usually control them but gosh to get them to look up at me for help-wow.

Of course this rule has it's exeptions...for Xerxes. He likes all small dogs. They can do whatever they want and he's totally cool with it. The weimie would have been put into place quite quickly though. Xerxes knows the rules and doesn't let other dogs slide. (He won't let dogs jump on me without disciplining them in the process.)

Luvntzus

Posted : 1/10/2007 5:20:06 PM

I can REALLY relate to your story. There's a Pekingese across the hall in my apartment complex that's a little monster because her owners haven't trained her at all. She stands right at the front door and barks her head off all the time (and her shrill voice carries). I've seen them out in the car before and the dog is just barking it's head off and they just sit there doing nothing. [:-] The other day as my husband was coming home, the woman was taking the dog out and I heard it barking especially loudly and snarling also. My husband came inside and said that the dog had lunged and tried to bite at him. The woman just said with no expression "come on, let's go" to her dog. This lady has a few screws loose. [&o]

lorib

Posted : 1/10/2007 6:05:32 PM

I am doing my first paying training with my boss' Yorkies. They haven't been socialized very much (only with their littermates and mom, whommy boss' sister owns) so Gypsy is helping me with this as well as teaching them to walk nicely. They are not toobad, but my boss is dong her part to be responsible (YAY!). Hannah and Tillie are getting lesson #2 this weekends.

Tillie spent a good portion of her time trying to bit eGypsy. Gypsy looked at her like she was a mildly interesting bug and more or less ignored her, which drove Tillie wild. I nipped this behavior as soon a I saw it.

gradyupmybutt

Posted : 1/10/2007 6:21:05 PM

ORIGINAL: the_gopher

ORIGINAL: Presley

I guess I have to ask why your anger is with SMALL untrained dog's instead of just UNTRAINED dogs. The problem has nothing to do with there size...

I fully agree about training dogs but just wanted to point out that it seem's as though you are kind fo bashing "small" dogs. I would have gone postal on the neighbor (knowing you can't because, well, it's your neighbor and you must keep good relations and all that) - he/she needs to know that it's not acceptable to have dogs jumping on people, biting and running in the streets, no matter the size of the dog...

The problem I have with small dogs (and don't get me wrong I lived with a shih tzu for 10 years!) is that many owners over coddle them and baby them. It's "cute" when they jump all over you (yet it's not so cute when they jump on a small child for instance)...and I've found a lack of caring on many small dog owner's parts for obedience training. I don't mean to over generalize, many people who have small dogs do train (and I love them for it), but I've had far more issues with little dogs than I have with larger ones. In grooming, every dog bite I had (which was only like a couple and thankfully nothing too serious) all came from small dogs. I also have issues around my neighboorhood with people letting their little dogs run around in parking lots, and they are hard to see when your trying to backup (and I have gotten into a tiff when I asked them to restrain their dog, so I WOULDN'T run over them when I wanted to get in my car and leave).

Your problem is with their owners not the dogs. As an owner of both a largish dog & a small dog, I expect BOTH my dogs to be polite when meeting people & dogs as well to be under control at all times.

Sandy

Posted : 1/10/2007 7:33:56 PM

There is a lot of good points to this discussion. Having both large and small dogs, I have to catch myself constantly on being indulgent with my little guys. Perhaps indulgent is not the right word, lax, or consistency with training may be a better choice.

Socializing early and often is of utomost importance. I know this is true of all dogs, but especially true of lil dogs.

sandy

astaracheetah

Posted : 1/10/2007 7:44:50 PM

ORIGINAL: Presley

I guess I have to ask why your anger is with SMALL untrained dog's instead of just UNTRAINED dogs. The problem has nothing to do with there size...

>X.x;< .................

ORIGINAL: sheprano

ORIGINAL: Angelique

Small dogs are no more "born" with behavioral and anti-social behaviors than big dogs. It is almost always an owner created problem. Small dogs are however, far more easily spoiled and babied by their owners.

I'm sure this is what the OP meant. Too many people with small dogs dont take the time to train htem because they are so little. Also small dogfs are the number one biters but you dont hear about it as much because they hardly call for a ER visit

Yes, this is what I meant (I sure wish people would ask before assuming sometimes). I'm not bashing small dogs... *I* have a small dog. A well-behaved small dog, because I provided him with proper training and socialization. >9.9<

I was bashing the OWNERS who do not TRAIN their small dogs. I'm well aware that there are untrained large dogs as well. I get followed up the street (barked at/charged/etc.) weekly by new dogs of all sizes, because their owners cannot teach them to COME. I'm afraid I've moved into a neighborhood of idiotic dog owners. >X.x;<

But lemme say it one more time - THIS particular thread is about small dog owners who do NO training, spoil their dogs, and let them attack people. It is something I can't STAND. >O\/o<

I hope the people who assumed that see this. I figured I had been here long enough (over 2 years) that you guys would know I'm not like that but I guess I was wrong. >X.x;<

ORIGINAL: Angelique

If you do get the Direct Stop spray, be sure you aim at the owner carefully, to avoid hitting the dogs! []

Nothing would make me happier lmfao...

astaracheetah

Posted : 1/10/2007 7:57:03 PM

Woops, duplicate... >X.x;<

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 1/10/2007 8:01:12 PM

ORIGINAL: astaracheeta

I hope the people who assumed that see this. I figured I had been here long enough (over 2 years) that you guys would know I'm not like that but I guess I was wrong. >X.x;<

I knew EXACTLY what you meant! The trainer Max had in obedience school used to have a saying: If the behavior is one you wouldn't accept from a 90 lb. dog, then don't accept it from a 9 lb. dog. []

Joyce

Liv

Posted : 1/10/2007 8:18:26 PM

ORIGINAL: luvinmydoggies

What really pushes my buttons is when people have small dogs that get carried everywhere they go. They have legs for a reason!! I have a papillon and he walks wonderful on his leash. They should all be taught the same manners, big or small.

I definatly agree with you! I can't stand it when people come to my house and "oooo look at the little dog I think I need to carry it everywhere" Drives me nuts. Older woman and children are the worst for this IMO My oldest Pom was leash trained and she gets almost an annoyed look when someone tries to carry her around [sm=lol.gif]

gradyupmybutt

Posted : 1/10/2007 10:35:30 PM

ORIGINAL: astaracheetah

I was bashing the OWNERS who do not TRAIN their small dogs.

Just to be clear, I was not responding to your remarks. Although I have to admit they did initially get me going. Then I re-read your post & saw where you where you were going.

astaracheetah

Posted : 1/10/2007 10:59:23 PM

I know, and that was not direct toward you. It looked like you were talking to somebody else, not me. >O.o<

griffinej5

Posted : 1/10/2007 11:43:23 PM

ORIGINAL: fuzzy_dogs_mom

I knew EXACTLY what you meant! The trainer Max had in obedience school used to have a saying: If the behavior is one you wouldn't accept from a 90 lb. dog, then don't accept it from a 9 lb. dog. []

Joyce

I think i've heard that one too, or something quite similiar. I actually think i've heard it in regards to children as well. If you accept a behavior from one than accept it from all, and if you don't like it when a big dog or a big kid does it, then don't accept that from little kids or little dogs.

astaracheetah

Posted : 1/11/2007 12:48:01 AM

Ugh... I went to Petsmart and they were all out of DirectStop. >X.x;< I'm just glad I didn't have my dogs with me when it happened, especially Eevee... they might've attacked her, she would've defended herself, and there would have been a fight, because they weren't on leashes. I need to carry some sort of aversive in my pocket until I get some DirectStop or similar...

sillysally

Posted : 1/11/2007 2:59:20 AM

My aunt has a maltese who is SPOILED beyond all reason. She is fed off of my aunt's plate so she expects to be fed off of everyone's plate. Actually, my aunt also expects everyone to share their food with the dog. She'll say things like "Oh look, Maggie wants a little of your turkey." I just look at the dog and say "Oh, sorry Maggie, but I don't give doggies food off my plate." She's also a hella resource guarder. My aunt is completely convinced that when Maggie vicously snarls at anyone within 2 feet of her treat that it's "because she wants you to play with her." Right. Would she still think that if my 55 lb pit bull was doing the same thing? I think not.

That's not to say that I don't like little dogs though. My first dog was a mini dachshund and I'd someday love to own a papillon.

jeano

Posted : 1/11/2007 4:26:25 AM

Sofia was attacked by a tennis ball with hair, um, I mean, a "teacup" Yorkie. It SCARED her. I picked her partway up because I was afraid if Sofie did decide to defend herself, then Goodbye, Yorkie! And I, too, was terrified of stepping on it!

Oh, and this happend the second we stepped in the door of the music store where I work! The owner did start putting it on a leash, thank God.

I like reasonably small dogs who are paid attention to and trained. But brainless little "teacup" things, well, bleah.

Astaracheetah, I knew exactly what you were talking about. No problem here. People who think little dogs being horrible is "cute" need to move to their own planet...

People Who Don't Train Their Little Dogs