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Puppies, A Social Experience Apparently


lovemesideways
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Oh this touches a raw nerve, I used to walk all six of my dogs together but had to stop due to idiots. I now do three separate walks, which makes me fit but annoyed. I've had people grab my dogs tails, stick cameras in their faces without asking, grab their leads and drag them over, I've had on girl see me coming and run straight into the middle of all my dogs and start baby talking and squealing like an idiot, then complaining when the dogs growled at her...it drives me nuts

That is annoying. However, please keep in mind that walking more than four dogs in public by one person is illegal in NSW and is not considered effective control (section 13, subsection 4 of the Companion Animals Act NSW). I assume you are in NSW since that's what your signature says.

Edited by Odin-Genie
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You don't walk upto and put your hands all over or jump in the front seat of someone's new car. You don't walk up to someone with a new born baby, ask for a cuddle and take it out of their hands regardless of what the mother/father says. You don't go into a play ground and start playing with other people's children.

So why do people consider it acceptable to do it with a dog ?

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I think babies (of any type of animal) prompt a sense of caring in people. Its an instinctual thing to promote survival. Why else would someone look after a crying, feeding, sleep depriving baby? :laugh: People seem to gravitate to puppies because they're so cute, not everyone gets the same feelings from looking or touching a great car.

It certainly doesn't excuse patting or touching someone elses puppy but the need to touch and showing caring toward a baby seems to over-ride natural inhibitions (IMO).

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Oh this touches a raw nerve, I used to walk all six of my dogs together but had to stop due to idiots. I now do three separate walks, which makes me fit but annoyed. I've had people grab my dogs tails, stick cameras in their faces without asking, grab their leads and drag them over, I've had on girl see me coming and run straight into the middle of all my dogs and start baby talking and squealing like an idiot, then complaining when the dogs growled at her...it drives me nuts

That is annoying. However, please keep in mind that walking more than four dogs in public by one person is illegal in NSW and is not considered effective control (section 13, subsection 4 of the Companion Animals Act NSW). I assume you are in NSW since that's what your signature says.

I had no idea. Thanks for letting me know. I'm actually friends with the police around here and they all waved at me when I did. But I'm glad I know now, I won't do it again!

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You should have the right to decide who pats your puppy or dog for that matter however some people just assume they are common property and they and their children have a right to run up to them, pat them and half the time that is more like a robust thump, pull their ears, hit them with toys etc. When we were kids we were not allowed to touch anyone's dogs without permission and we were not encouraged to pat dogs we didn't know anyway because of the risk of hydatids.

However common courtesy is not so common anymore it seems and people expect to get what they want when they want it and think they have the right to abuse anyone that implies that their attention is not appreciated especially if it means satisfing a childs demands. And some people just don't get that no means no and you aren't just saying it for fun.

Should also be remembered that if a person hurts/scares your pup/dog in this day and age it will be the pup/dog that is held responsible if it snaps not the totally inappropriate behaviour of the human involved.

Edited by Mags
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I don't let my children walk upto any dog and Pat it I try to drum into them you just never know .. A puppy that is hard, although we have never had this happen all dogs near us are adults, but I can imagine they would want to as puppies are so cute.. I still think I would ask the owner first and especially now as I have read this thread :-)

Unfortunately what we might think is the correct way to act socially others fall short... Just how it is and I imagine I will have the same issues where I live as people can't even wear shoes in a retail store or wear deodorant :-(

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The owners of a puppy i show (and bred) took the puppy down to the market to get some socialisation in big crowds. he was doing perfectly fine, until someone grabbed him from behind to pet him, and then when the owners asked for the person to please come around so the dog could see him, and to stroke him under the chin, the moron said that he had GSPs and "knew what he was doing"... of course, the trembling puppy told a different story :mad

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I dont want to take this thread off topic, but a few people have mentioned the similarity between people wanting to pat puppies, and coo over human babies....this certainly does happen and it makes me madder than anything...with BOTH my children I have had complete strangers walk right up to me and try to pull shawls and slings to one side to poke and prod my babies when they were literally afew days old....and then the "mama tiger" thing kicks in and they wonder why they cop a mouthful.

If the OP is half as irritated by the unwanted physical attention her pup recieves as I am with the attenton my skinkids get I can understand her feeling like she wants to tell people to bog off.

It's a huge bugbear of mine that people can't keep their hands to themselves, and can't seem to understand that even if they do ask first, the owner/mum has the right to say no and not be questioned on it.

It's great to socialise puppies, but the owner reserves the right to decide who may and may not pat the puppy.

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Sparky Tansy, while I dont have any markets etc around to have my pup grabbed from behind, I did have a Judge do just that. Of course, it didn't have anything to do with the fact that my pup had consistantly beaten hers, different breed, for P.I.G. Pup turned around to look and got dropped for 'temperament' :mad

Anyway 'Karma' - same weekend we went right through to Puppy in Show at a Royal again leaving her behind :laugh:

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Sparky Tansy, while I dont have any markets etc around to have my pup grabbed from behind, I did have a Judge do just that. Of course, it didn't have anything to do with the fact that my pup had consistantly beaten hers, different breed, for P.I.G. Pup turned around to look and got dropped for 'temperament' :mad

Anyway 'Karma' - same weekend we went right through to Puppy in Show at a Royal again leaving her behind :laugh:

How very interesting pebbles. The reason the owners were out socialising him was because he had a 'scared' moment in the ring the weekend before, which hadn't happened before and I put down to a fear period. The judge stood directly in front of him and started at him before approaching front on. Now while many judges do this and dogs usually learn, it scared him. I do wish judges would approach dogs in the same manner as the obedience trial judges. He was withdrawn due to his behaviour however his sister was awarded Minor in Group - the judge liked both puppies.

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I dont want to take this thread off topic, but a few people have mentioned the similarity between people wanting to pat puppies, and coo over human babies....this certainly does happen and it makes me madder than anything...with BOTH my children I have had complete strangers walk right up to me and try to pull shawls and slings to one side to poke and prod my babies when they were literally afew days old....and then the "mama tiger" thing kicks in and they wonder why they cop a mouthful.

If the OP is half as irritated by the unwanted physical attention her pup recieves as I am with the attenton my skinkids get I can understand her feeling like she wants to tell people to bog off.

It's a huge bugbear of mine that people can't keep their hands to themselves, and can't seem to understand that even if they do ask first, the owner/mum has the right to say no and not be questioned on it.

It's great to socialise puppies, but the owner reserves the right to decide who may and may not pat the puppy.

OT but a story about inappropriate skinkid harassment -

When my older brother was a baby he was very cute with white blonde hair and bright blue eyes. (God have things changed now - He's feral :laugh: ) My mum was holidaying somewhere (This was the 70s) and a Chinese lady kept harassing her to sell my brother to her and kept trying to pick him up. :eek:

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I got mugged by a bus load of Japanese Tourists who wanted to touch, hold and take pictures of my daughter. She was a very blonde and blue eyed baby then. I was shocked when they tried to take her out of my arms. But I have a very strong grip. lol

And to keep it on topic.....I told pictures fine....holding, "no no. No hold". They seemed ok with that. I had never experienced anything like it before and was quite baffled by it.

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I get so mad at people who do this. Got told off by a lady at the shops the other day when I asked her to leave a screaming michaela alone. She is a serial stick head in covered pram offender-I have to watch out for her and run now

Despite it being untrue I have often resorted to telling people my dogs bite when they argue with my 'no touchiest' rule. It generally gets rid of them!

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Yeah I don't like people touching my dog without asking. If they say politely "Oh what a gorgeous dog can I pat him" no worries! But just walking up and cuddling him is not on.

The part I hate the most is when people come up to us, pat him and make baby noises, AND COMPLETELY IGNORE ME. Hello, there's something attached to the other end of the lead here sweetheart.... :mad

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I totally get where LMS is coming from. It can be really tricky.

When I am out and about doing some socialising/neutralising training with pups/young dogs, I try to always take my OH to play the social component of our unit. This way I do not have to be interrupted, but also do not finish up feeling like I may have been too short, rude or abrupt with people because I am fully engaged with my training.

I ask OH to acknowledge people, smile, chat where appropriate and if they are asking to pat or meet said pup, he will give them some instruction on what we expect them to do and wait for me to say we are ready.

We always endeavour to spend as much time talking with the GP about our dogs/breed as they do tend to get a lot of negative publicity.

It is all very time consuming, a lot of work, but we enjoy it and believe it is all a crucial part being so heavily involved in dogs and trying to support our breed. All the PR work is a totally separate thing from us being out training our dogs, but we can combine them at times and find this even more rewarding and successful in both aspects.

Much of my public training requires me to approach people to request some assistance with training my dog. some people are up for it and others are not. I am always very appreciative for those that agree to be involved. I even go out with small gifts as incentive.

Edited by dyzney
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I dont want to take this thread off topic, but a few people have mentioned the similarity between people wanting to pat puppies, and coo over human babies....this certainly does happen and it makes me madder than anything...with BOTH my children I have had complete strangers walk right up to me and try to pull shawls and slings to one side to poke and prod my babies when they were literally afew days old....and then the "mama tiger" thing kicks in and they wonder why they cop a mouthful.

If the OP is half as irritated by the unwanted physical attention her pup recieves as I am with the attenton my skinkids get I can understand her feeling like she wants to tell people to bog off.

It's a huge bugbear of mine that people can't keep their hands to themselves, and can't seem to understand that even if they do ask first, the owner/mum has the right to say no and not be questioned on it.

You see, I don't get that either. Like another poster my daughter has exceptionally blue eyes and people always comment *. As a baby, people would often stroke her head or touch her cheeks etc and it's just never bothered me. Same with touching my tummy when pregnant, people are just trying to share some joy. I think society is becoming so intolerant and cold towards strangers. I guess it's my country upbringing of being friendly to passersby, people at the shops etc.

* Off topic even further but people comment so much on my daughters eyes that now when they say 'what blue eyes you have', she replies "I know, they're the bluest eyes in the world" :laugh: Out of the mouth of babes. She has come to seriously believe it as she has grown up with strangers telling her that all the time.

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