Poor Georgia Got Snubbed

[Michelleva]

We just back from our walk, and around here most people are at work during the day, so it was very quiet, we didn't hardly see anyone, or any other dogs. About 3/4 into our walk Georgia spotted an older lady walking towards us. Georgia pricked her ears up, put on her best doggy grin and walked enthusiastically towards the lady. And what did the lady do, smiled at me and gave Georgia a wide berth. Poor Georgia was devestated, her face dropped instantly, it was almost like she sighed with disappointment.

I just gave her a pat and reminded her that not EVERYONE loves a goofy puppy.

[spottychick]

LOL I dont know how people can resist an enthusiastic puppy or goofy adult dog for that matter LOL

[Gayle.]

I had a similar experience with Isaak last weekend. We had to go to bunnings so we took him and I stood outside while my husband bought stuff. Here's me thinking it would be a great opportunity to socialize a 3 1/2 month old pup as it was busy with the BBQ out the front and people coming and going. And not one person stopped to say hello to him. Everyone just rushed past, despite his best puppy smiles and biggest wigglebutts.

Oh well, thier loss. He's a gorgeous little man and if no one wants to give him a quick pat and say hi, not much we can do.

[Brennan's Mum]

Aww puppy snubbing is the worst

I always have time to comment or smile at a cute dog/puppy

[Mumsie]

I can never resist a dog, young or old, I always smile at the owner and ask if i can have a quick chat with their dog, most are pleased but some do look at me like I am weird. I am especially sooky if on holidays without my dogs, I will literally cross the road to "accidently" run into someone walking a dog just to have some "doggy time"

[MonElite]

Not everyone is dog savvy and not everyone wants to pet a dog/puppy etc. Socialising a puppy with people doesnt mean it has to be petted by everyone. A puppy can happily mingle with hugen number of people and never be petted by anyone. This will not mean that puppy is not socialised.

If you had a child would you want people rush towards your kid and touching it??

On another hand I personally would find it very hard to resist petting a puppy.

[W Sibs]

I have to admit that I'm one of those people who will not really pat strange dogs or puppies... unless I have no choice when puppies or dogs head straight towards me with goofy grins and the whole body wagging with happiness. My neighbours malamute loves to shove her face into my stomach and nudge my hand for a pat... I stand no chance

I will smile and comment on how gorgeous the puppy is though

[persephone]

Not everyone is dog savvy and not everyone wants to pet a dog/puppy etc. Socialising a puppy with people doesnt mean it has to be petted by everyone. A puppy can happily mingle with huge number of people and never be petted by anyone. This will not mean that puppy is not socialised.

x2

I rarely pat or go gooey at someone else's dog/pup. If it is something uncommon in our area , I will sometimes ask the person about it, or comment on it - but that's all.

I probably sidestep pups/dogs heading for me as well .... come to think of it.

[Meea]

The reverse of my normal experience where I get completely ignored and they head straight for the doggie!

[aussielover]

I ask before I attempt to give puppy cuddles!

However, Gayle if I saw Isaak i would probably run straight over and smother him in hugs because he is so adorable (I have a huge soft spot for aussie puppies!).

Having a puppy myself now I do find it quite irritating when people try to call my dog over to them when it is obvious i am trying to train her to walk on a lead WITHOUT being distracted.

Also, one time someone tried to take the lead off me and drag Mindy towards them talk about over enthusiastic!

I also like to get my puppy to settle before I allow others to say hello.

[Snowysal]

I probably sidestep pups/dogs heading for me as well .... come to think of it. :D

Oh pers - I just had a hilarious vision of you quick stepping all over the place and eventually running when you met our lot

They expect people to make them the centre of attention

[megan_]

Not everyone is dog savvy and not everyone wants to pet a dog/puppy etc. Socialising a puppy with people doesnt mean it has to be petted by everyone. A puppy can happily mingle with hugen number of people and never be petted by anyone. This will not mean that puppy is not socialised.

If you had a child would you want people rush towards your kid and touching it??

On another hand I personally would find it very hard to resist petting a puppy.

Agree - I think it is really good for dogs to learn to be among people without interacting with them (so they don't bound up to people all the time).

FWIW - whenever I am alwking my dogs I always give people a wide berth (longer than the lenght of their lead) so that they aren't "forced" to interact with my dogs. Most people give a big "thank you" for this.

[Gayle.]

Gosh, what a sad and sorry lot of "dog lovers" we have here. Are you so uninterested in dogs that you wouldn't even acknowledge a cute puppy?

[LizT]

Gosh, what a sad and sorry lot of "dog lovers" we have here. Are you so uninterested in dogs that you wouldn't even acknowledge a cute puppy?

I must admit if I make eye contact with the owner I usually comment on the puppy but don't touch unless a conversation is struck up and the pup comes over to me.

It's like with kids, not everyone thinks your kid is as adorable as you do LOL

Also I really don't relish someones half grown pup jumping up on me which sadly is most often the case if you approach a 'goofy' pup, usually one word to it and it's gone...no control... a complete idiot (not saying yours would be, just saying what I've experienced) so perhaps the 'old Lady' has been jumped on once too many times by a strangers young dog. Or maybe she doesn't really like dogs....hmmmm there's a novel concept.

[Niques]

I would smile at the owner and pup and maybe make a comment, but I wouldn't make a beeline for a puppy to pat it. Particularly now that I actually have a dog - my puppy goes insane around other people and dogs and there is nothing more annoying than people slowing down, changing their path towards him or plain stopping in the middle of the footpath to talk to him when all I want is to teach him to be able to walk past people without expecting attention.

[Ons]

okay I have decided I'm officially crazy because if I see a dog when I'm walking without my dogs (if I am with my dogs I'm too busy making sure they are behaving) I talk to the dog and ask how it is and whether its enjoying its outings. Sometimes I'll pat the dog, often not but I always acknowledge it.

More recent times I have spoken to the friendliest ever german shepherd and rottweiler, dogs that I have never had much contact with so it was nice to meet them and frequently I see a bloke with his dog having a coffee. The dog just wags his tail now when he sees me and the bloke always has a chat, he is a brindle cross mastiff type dog so another dog that I wouldn't have much contact with.

I think I would go gaga if I came across an aussie puppy! I'd love a conversation with him.

[OSoSwift]

I ONLY pat a puppy if I ask the owner - as well as making sure the kids do the same.

I always ask to pat the puppy though, so if you saw me and were happy for me to pat, talk to and pick up your puppy I would. After a while you probably have to ask me to put the puppy down and rack off!

[Gayle.]

If we ever meet other people with their dogs or puppies out and about, we always stop for a quick chat, or even just a hello in passing. I LOVE dogs and I absolutely adore puppies and I never pass up an opportunity to acknowledge other dog owners and ask about their dogs. Yes, I always ask before touching the dog but jeeze.....if dog owners can't acknowledge other dog owners, what bloody hope have we got in getting dogs more accepted in the community.

BTW, all puppies ARE cute, all children are not.

I think I would go gaga if I came across an aussie puppy! I'd love a conversation with him.

And he would love a conversation with you. He's a nice little bloke, doesn't jump or nip, just loves a scratch behind the ears and to be told he's a good boy.

[Michelleva]

I had a similar experience with Isaak last weekend. We had to go to bunnings so we took him and I stood outside while my husband bought stuff. Here's me thinking it would be a great opportunity to socialize a 3 1/2 month old pup as it was busy with the BBQ out the front and people coming and going. And not one person stopped to say hello to him. Everyone just rushed past, despite his best puppy smiles and biggest wigglebutts.

Oh well, thier loss. He's a gorgeous little man and if no one wants to give him a quick pat and say hi, not much we can do.

No way could I have passed up a cuddle with Isaak, he's adorable. I often get chatting with other dog owners, it doesn't necessarily mean I pet their dogs though, it depends on the dog.

Don't worry Georgia got over the disappointment in a milli-second.

[Gayle.]

I would actually have really appreciated it if someone had stopped and asked to pat him because he needs to get used to being touched by strangers, and it's good opportunity to teach him to stay still while he's being patted. We don't have enough visitors to get plenty of hands-on experience from others, and where we live it's so quiet that I never see anyone else when I'm out walking.

Thank goodness for the dog club though. Plenty of willing puppy-pat volunteers there.