Blackdogs Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 How do you feel about strangers interacting with your dogs? Are you happy for people in the street to give them a pet? Do you enjoy talking about your dogs with them or would you prefer for yourself and your dogs to be left in peace? I have always made the assumption that other people liked strangers making a fuss of their dogs (providing they are stranger friendly dogs) but I got a sigh and a grumpy look from someone recently when I asked if I could pet their dog. The dog was friendly and loved the attention, but I didn't stay long because the owner (who was waiting for an appointment, not in a rush to go somewhere) did not look happy. How do you feel about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I prefer people not to approach as one of my dogs can be a bit scared of strangers. My other dog is the opposite and loves the attention so as long as people ask first I don't mind them petting him. When we walk past other dogs I usually say "hi, lovely dog" or something along those lines, but I don't assume they want to stop for a chat and pat the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Depends on the dog I have. Some of my dogs can be wary others are very friendly. I also always like strangers to ask. I had one woman that let her child run up and hug my dog before I could do anything, just lucky she loves kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lasareina Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I like people to ask first ... Especially with children... But I am more than happy for people to give them a pat and tell them how cute they are haha. Both of mine are sooks who love attention so I don't really have any issues about them being stressed by the attention. I view it as part of their socialisation. And I must admit I am like a new parent with wanting to talk about them alllll the time... My friends are probably sick to death of me haha We do have a problem where a quick walk around the markets will take several hours due to everyone stopping to talk to the pups :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaCC Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 It depends what I'm doing. If we are just walking around a park or something, sure as long as they ask first. But it's getting annoying when I get people wanting to pat him when he is calm, like at a cafe. I can't believe how many people interrupt conversations or meals just to pat my pup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 As others have said, it depends on which dog. My old boy is an absolute tart and I have to watch how much lead he has as some people don't like big dogs. He's always very happy to be patted (and to have a willing victim to rub his muzzle on) so I don't mind strangers approaching him. My youngest dog is the opposite- he's blind in one eye so really doesn't like having his head patted and despite a lot of positive socialisation, he's wary of strangers anyway. The annoying thing is, the younger dog is very small for a male grey (only 26 kg) so people more willing to approach him for a pat :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clover Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) I like to be left alone. If I am out in public with them I am usually on a mission and don't want to stop for a little chat. My dogs mainly ignore people anyway (like their owner ). Edited October 3, 2013 by Clover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy82 Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I don't like meeting new people or chatting with strangers, so I prefer to be left alone. I'm also training the dogs to ignore other people so that we can walk past without me having to pull my dogs off to the side or get off the path or anything like that, so I find it really annoying when people reach down for a quick pat as we pass them. If I'm sitting on a bench somewhere just waiting, I don't mind if people stop for a quick pat, but I prefer if they don't because I take no pleasure in chatting with strangers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maeby Fünke Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 It depends what I'm doing. If we are just walking around a park or something, sure as long as they ask first. But it's getting annoying when I get people wanting to pat him when he is calm, like at a cafe. I can't believe how many people interrupt conversations or meals just to pat my pup. Me too. It's like having a famous movie star child :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I don't mind if they ask but it annoys me if they descend on the dog without asking. If I am obviously training I can get a bit annoyed with too many interruptions but that can depend on my mood on the day. Most people in that type of circumstance wait until you are finished, I don't mind chatting then :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 As my walks take me past a council playground, I often have little children looking at the dogs and me half smiling half wistful. If I feel like stopping, I will ask them if they want to say hello to the dogs and if I don't feel like stopping, I'll just smile and keep walking. It isn't hard. But I don't like people to just charge up and start patting because I generally have 3 to 5 dogs, a couple of whom are somewhat timid and need to be able to approach people in their own time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lasareina Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I am also usually uncomfortable talking to strangers/new people but I am fine if the topic is my (or anyone else's) dogs :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdf Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Everyone we meet is a potential future greyhound adopter :D so even though I'm not usually the chatty type with strangers I'm happy to talk about my greyhounds. Parents are sometimes wary of big dogs so if their kids look like they really want to pat them I'll let the parents know that my guys are friendly too. My guys like attention and love well behaved kids. It's harder with the puppy. She's not quite 5 months yet and is fluffy and cute and really loves everyone. People just rush up and get her revved up and super excited. If they ask and take it easy it's fine but too many don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mochi Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Everyone we meet is a potential future greyhound adopter :D Wow, impressive attitude - you're such a great ambassador. I really like it when people want to pat my dog. Only a few people have done so and they have all asked first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kajirin Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Scout is an absolute attention wh**e so I have no qualms with people wanting to pat him. He'll just ignore all who pass by unless they say hello to him - then he goes into full wiggle butt mode wanting and lavishing up the attention. Most ask before patting him [usually mothers with small kids]. Older blokes [men in their 70s and 80s] usually just pat him without asking. Older women [also in their 70s and 80s] generally start off with how cute he looks and then go in for a pat. They all end up with hand licks [he still doesn't have a license for his tongue] and a chat. But at the end of the day if it's made them happy for a brief period in time then I'm happy :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I'm quite happy for strangers to approach my dogs. My dogs are generally wagging their butts off when they think someone may approach, and they only jump up on guys whose body language clearly invites them to do so (thump thump with fingers of both hands on the chest, for example). Typical Labradors. They are allowed in the US equivalent of Bunnings. They go up and down the isles with me looking for pats. The dogs love it, as do the store staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I love it when friendly people come and admire and ask to pat my dogs. If I had a different breed that wasn't so friendly I suppose it would be a totally different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandiandwe Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Everyone we meet is a potential future greyhound adopter :D Yup. Here too. One of mine is a therapy dog so she's encouraged to interact with strangers regularly, to the extent that she has pulled my husband off balance and sideways to greet an elderly woman in a wheelchair. Fortunately Brandi was very appropriate and the woman loved dogs. So for Brandi it's always a training opportunity. Hermon adores open car doors, children of all ages and people generally so I'm happy to have people pat him. Paige is a weird little dog so she tends to sled away from attention. She's also the smallest so people go for her first although the others sort that out quickly. But very few people tend to approach me. Mine are all muzzled and Hermon is nearly 38kg of hound so I guess people are wary. Which is also fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison03 Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I don't mind people stopping me for a chat but my little Shihtzu is stranger wary, she likes people from a distance and is interested in them but being touched isn't her thing. She loves watching kids play in the park, wags her back end but doesn't like them overwhelming her, she hides behind my legs. I pick her up and squat down for kids to pat her, she's happy with that. Every now and then I come across a person who knows how to approach her and she loves that, the person who squats down and offers the back of their hand to sniff works well for her. When I see someone with a dog, I'll nod and say " Hello" or "lovely dog" some nod and smile but keep walking, some stop for a doggie chat, either way suits me. I don't touch anyone's dog at all unless invited to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 It doesn't bother me too much. Being a Goldie, she looks very approachable & she loves the attention. I don't find that too many people are interested in chatting, just patting, which suits me fine. I did have one guy stop his car and run over for a pat (he was visiting from O/S & missing his GR), I thought that was pretty funny! When I was young & owned a Keeshond, it used to annoy me that so mamy people would go out of their way to come and pat her. I guess she was a pretty & fairly unusual dog so she got a lot more attention. And I was young & too cool for that. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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