Do You Like It When Strangers Interact With Your Dogs?

[DesertDobes]

Absolutely. What a wonderful opportunity to promote purebred dogs and good temperaments. IMHO, little beats this for showcasing a breed.

I agree wholeheartedly

Maybe I'm just unlucky but when people get too full on with my dogs and I remove them, then I look like a crazy dog lady and my dog seems aggressive even when I just say "oh he doesn't like being held/ cuddled"

So many people like to cuddle dogs and I know some dogs don't mind but both of mine certainly don't enjoy it from a stranger.

Edit to add, I used to really enjoy having the dogs admired out in public before a few people spoiled it for me and the kids and part of that was because I enjoyed promoting the virtues of purebred dogs and dobes.

Edited October 5, 2013 by DesertDobes

[BlackJaq]

Mmm yes, some people certainly seem to think that any dog had better like anything they dish out... It seems dogs need to be truly idiot proof these days...

I probably look like a crazy dog lady, too, when I push the dog behind me due to an imminent inappropriate interaction, but I don't really care, because those people are the nutty ones, not me :laugh: I'd never rub my face on a strange dog, yet lots of people don't seem to have that sort of dog sense and I don't want my dog to be the one to pay the price.

I try to explain what part of the interaction bothered me and if they don't accept it then I just go on my merry way. If I get upset over it, it seems to affect the dogs a lot more than the inappropriate interaction so I choose to walk away, so far so good.

[trinabean]

It's a bit embarrassing when strangers want to pat Bruno because he dislikes being patted on the head and shies away (and most people try to pat this way). And he is wary of strangers when he is on- lead. He gets easily over- excited too, so unless the person listens to me in how they interact with him (please don't pat his head/ try to hug him etc) they tend to end up bounced and slobbered on. I find men are often the worst. They have a tendency to a. Not listen to instruction and b. try to razz big boofy dogs up. I've decided that it's easier to avoid putting Bruno in that position.

[BlackJaq]

It's a bit embarrassing when strangers want to pat Bruno because he dislikes being patted on the head and shies away (and most people try to pat this way). And he is wary of strangers when he is on- lead. He gets easily over- excited too, so unless the person listens to me in how they interact with him (please don't pat his head/ try to hug him etc) they tend to end up bounced and slobbered on. I find men are often the worst. They have a tendency to a. Not listen to instruction and b. try to razz big boofy dogs up. I've decided that it's easier to avoid putting Bruno in that position.

Foxy doesn't like it either and you re right, most men will still try, despite her dodging their hand and me trying to tell them what she does like *sigh*

[Trisven13]

I love it when people pay attention to my dogs and my dogs love it too.

[cali]

I don't mind to a point, but honestly people have held me up for OVER AN HOUR, I cant get away, people will quite literally follow me, turn around and chase me down..run out of their houses and across the street, stop their cars in the middle of streets, I was once ambushed by FIVE bus loads of kids outside a school, I was rescued by some teachers! I have tried to take my dogs for a quick run at a field 5 blocks away and taken over an hour to get there because of people stopping me for my dogs. and that is a benefit of Gypsy...she bites. so I don't keep that a secret, as soon as someone tries to talk to me I pull the "Gypsy card" and say "sorry, this one isn't friendly and I don't want anyone to get hurt" and I keep going. I still get weirdo's who chase me down, but playing the Gypsy Card still gets me out faster..except for one lady... I will take very bizarre routes to avoid passing her house because she runs out of her house and chases me down, and will follow me when I try to leave, she will hold me up for a good 30 min or so..usually when I am actually in a hurry lol

[Staffyluv]

I am happy if people ask if they can say hello..

Zig isn't particularly interested in other people when we are out (different here at home, he will say hello to everyone)..

If they have a dog it is a different story - he loves other dogs and wants to say hello to the dog.

[Diva]

I don't mind, and I am pretty good at excusing myself after a few minutes so as not to get stuck. I don't like people who want to grab at them but that is rare.

[Alkhe]

I LOVE it. In fact, I almost get offended when people don't pay attention to us! :laugh: I also like getting the chance to talk to people about fostering, because when people fall in love wiht my foster dog (which they invariably do, because he is so bloody adorable) I can talk about how he's a foster dog! It's great.

I always take a dog with me when I go up the street to get a coffee, and tie them up next to the door while I wait - they are literally 1 metre from me and I watch the whole time, don't worry (I'm totally paranoid!). If people walk past and don't actually at least SMILE at the dog I wonder what's wrong with them.. :D

My dogs tend to attract women, and my Toy Poodle in partcular attracts older women - I have had a lot of comments about how you don't seen poodles anymore, and how pretty she is and how you don't see silver poodles much.

[Loving my Oldies]

I LOVE it. In fact, I almost get offended when people don't pay attention to us! :laugh:

Trust you

If someone stops to talk to me, I ALWAYS stress that mine are all adopted from pounds. And people will quite often ask me how I ended up with so many (well I don't think that, but others do :laugh: :laugh: ), so it gives me the opportunity, like you Alkhe, to talk about rescuing, fostering, pounds, etc etc.

[mixeduppup]

I'll never forget the day I had 3 of my dogs with me Baxter and Maybe who are everyone's best friend and Torque who can be sporadically toey. Anyway this lady saw my dogs and advanced for a pat. I politely told her that I'd prefer she didn't pat them. She completely ignored me and kept walking toward saying "Oh I have dogs at home". Torque backed right up and hid behind me, obviously trying to avoid her. SHE BYPASSED THE TWO THAT WERE FRIENDLY AND TRIED TO DUCK BEHIND ME TO PAT TORQUE! That's when I did the whole stepping in front of the dog and said "I wouldn't she'll bite you" to which she said "It's Ok I have dogs at home". She saw i wasn't going to let her so gave the two friendly ones a quick pat and walked on. It was so odd, some people are weird.

Edited October 7, 2013 by mixeduppup

[BlackJaq]

I'll never forget the day I had 3 of my dogs with me Baxter and Maybe who are everyone's best friend and Torque who can be sporadically toey. Anyway this lady saw my dogs and advanced for a pat. I politely told her that I'd prefer she didn't pat them. She completely ignored me and kept walking toward saying "Oh I have dogs at home". Torque backed right up and hid behind me, obviously trying to avoid her. SHE BYPASSED THE TWO THAT WERE FRIENDLY AND TRIED TO DUCK BEHIND ME TO PAT TORQUE! That's when I did the whole stepping in front of the dog and said "I wouldn't she'll bite you" to which she said "It's Ok I have dogs at home". She saw i wasn't going to let her so gave the two friendly ones a quick pat and walked on. It was so odd, some people are weird.

Damn right they are!

I had an older guy who may or may not have been drunk, advance on me once during a road rage incident (we were getting lunch at a cafe and he followed us and got out of his car).. I had Foxy with me on a lead and she saw him coming as soon as he got out of his car and she was burring up at his body language, raising her hackles and growling and when he kept coming she started all out snarling at him and leaning into the lead until her front legs were raising off the floor and yet this idiot still kept coming.

When I yelled out for him to stop or she will bite him he shouted back all undignified that she shouldn't be in public then because dangerous dogs aren't allowed in public.. What, did he think a Weimaraner would just stand by and placidly watch him do whatever he thought he was going to do?

I do believe he would have walked right into her range if I didn't shout at him and then who knows what she might have done... I wonder how some peole get as old as they do sometimes

Edited October 7, 2013 by BlackJaq