do you let strangers touch your dog(s)? - Page 6

You have your dog for socializing?  Well that's great, go to the park, let everyone pet your dog, if that's what you want to do.  My dog is not here so I can socialize, that's the farthest thing from my mind, and frankly I wouldn't give a shit if someone got huffy after I politely told them they couldn't pet my dog, hell that tells me they are an asshole and not worth my time anyway! 

EDITED TO ADD:  SORRY FOR THE THREE-IN-A-ROW POSTS.  I MUST HAVE F'ED UP WHEN I HIT ENTER ON THE ORIGINAL POST!

You have your dog for socializing?
Yup....that's his job in being a service dog.  So I can be out in public and have anxiety attacks less often.  If it weren't for that particular dog, I'd be holed up in the house and barely able to run some errands.  If it weren't for my dogs in general, I'd have no social life.  When Strauss is WORKING, no, people do not pet him.  When he's off duty and we're just out around town?  As long as they ask first, I certainly don't mind

I agree that you have the right to allow or not to allow people to approach or pet your dogs.  However, I am surprised at the number of people that are so adamant about anyone touching their dogs and acting like anyone asking is an idiot.  It should make you happy that the breed is trusted enough to seem approachable.  I've never had anyone just run up and give my dog a bear hug and can't believe it's such a common experience.  But, you also make it seem as though the GSD is so aloof as to not be trusted around anyone except their own "pack".  One question: Why then is everyone surprised or shocked when strangers "assume" all GSDs are bad?  Also, why would it come as such a surprise when they are included in breed specific banning if their owners can't trust them to meet strangers?  Aloof, yes, untrustworthy, no, the dog is supposed to be approachable.  I know this will cause havoc but listen to yourselves.  Yes, some are working dogs, but they should know when they're working and when they're not.  The circumstances are completely different and it's also supposed to be characteristic of the breed to know the difference.

Where was the word idiot used?  They are my dogs.  I control who pets them and who doesn't.  Period.  I don't say people asking are idiots, though some are.  At least they asked, sometimes.  It's my right to decline.  Saying no thank you is all I should have to say.  To the public and to fellow dog owners.   Even Xeph admits when her service dog is working he is off limits to being petted. Think of mine as service dogs, they take care of me and listen to me. 

"May I pet your dog?"  Yes you may pet my dog, his/her name is.......
"May I pet your dog?" No thank you, not today.

Every single one of my dogs were petted by people they knew and people they didn't know at the club Sunday.  I was fortunate enough to be allowed to pet a Boceron pup at the club Sunday, a beautiful handsome young male, very friendly. His owner petted some of my dogs too.

I can accept the fact some of you let anybody pet their dog.  Why can you not give the same courtesy to those of us that chose not to.  Claiming we are not socializing our dogs, or fostering the mean GSD public attitude is not being willing to accept we each get to make our own choices with our own dogs.

Hey RONNIE!  Wanna come pet my dogs?  I'll let RONNIE pet them.

With my permission and an introduction from me absolutely.  My 2 shepherds are both rescues. Klytie is VERY outgoing and friendly with everyone. She LOVES to have folks pet and play with her.  But she is protective in the right situations. Duke was a feral dog before coming here, and his normal thing under stress is to withdraw.  I've been encouraging people to pet him, and he's starting to come up to them willingly instead of doing avoidence.  With this as part of his rehab program he's really making progress.  The rest of the pack (Lab, Basset and Tibetan spaniel) also LOVE everyone.  The Chihuahua likes kids, and tolerates women... but isn't fond at all of men...

Even Xeph admits when her service dog is working he is off limits to being petted.
Yes, when he's WORKING!  But he's not ALWAYS working!

Think of mine as service dogs, they take care of me and listen to me.
It's not at all the same....your dogs aren't performing any task specific to helping you function in every day life (unless you have some disability which of course you wouldn't have to disclose).  If they're just "out and about" people are going to express interest.

When Strauss and I are out training, if somebody asks me to pet while I'm in the middle of a heeling pattern I say "If you'll wait just a moment, I'll be happy to let you say hi to him."  And when they're done telling him and myself what a nice dog he is, we go back to work and continue on our merry way.

In posting earlier on this thread, it has occured to me that I have forgotten my own hard fast rule in regards to dogs, and that is that there are few hard fast rules.  Sinility is scary.

When it comes to socializing my dogs, and whether or not I allow people to pet them, depends on the temperament and purpose of the dog.  If I have a dog that is going to be quite civil, I will allow much more in the way of petting etc.  I do this in order to nuetralize his aggression, as I do not want to create a monster.

If I have a dog that is overly friendly, will run up to anyone, even to the point of ignoring me so they can get a petting, and if this dog is going to be a pp dog, than I do not allow it.

Bottom line, IMO, one has to know the dog, what's behind the dog, what I want to use the dog for, and watch his reactions to people in public.  It is a constant job of being aware of where your dogs head is at, and I think most would agree that there is not a black and white rule, method or formula for this or many issues with gsds.  At least that is how I view it.  It is more work to know your dog, but it beats any formula. 

As Xeph has stated, it is one of our most critical responsabilities to keep the public in the loop as to the truth about our dogs and why we do what we do.  If we do not take on this responsability, PETA , SPCA, and Humane Society will educate them, and we know what that will lead to.

My dog goes everywhere with me.  That includes client's houses and offices.

I take him to the dog park 5-6 days a week.  He is the best behaved dog there.  He never jumps up on anyone or dominates them.  He gets along with other dogs and shares his toys.

We practice heeling patterns in stores, Bed Bath and Beyond has great aisles that are narrow and have lots of sudden turns..  We also go to Home Depot, OSH, the local hardware store on weekdays, the bank and of course, dog stores like Petco and Pet Food Express.

I have socialized him as much as possible. 

He is still very domineering to anyone who comes to the house that he has not met before.  It is very tricky having a repairman come hear.  It is a whole process.

I cannot imagine what he would be like if I didn't socialize him and expose him to strangers.

He is sixteen months old now and full maturity hasn't hit yet.

Michele

By the way, for those of you who think I let absolutely ANYBODY touch my dog, I can assure you THAT is not true!

I was in PetCo a couple days ago, killing time with the Mouse, and a lovely lady complimented on my dog and asked if she could pet.  Since Strauss was off duty, he was allowed to schmooze a bit.  Her husband, on the other hand, was a CLOD, and was saying all sorts of nasty things about my dog (the twit even offered my dog CHOCOLATE!). 

Strauss looked to me as he was being offered an M&M....he always looks to me before he takes food from others with the exception of 3-4 people at my kennel club.  I told him "Pfui, leave it." and he did

"I give my dog chocolate all the time," he said
"Yes well, just because you're irresponsible with YOUR dog doesn't mean I'll allow you to be irresponsible with MINE!" and Strauss and I went on our way.

I most certainly did not let HIM touch my dog (and Strauss didn't really seem to want any part of him, aside from the cookie in his hand)!

Now, Strauss weighs 87 pounds, and I know that one peanut M&M certainly won't kill him (wouldn't even give him a stomach ache), but I don't want him getting the idea of chocolate at ALL, and I certainly wasn't going to let somebody's ignorance (arrogance more like it) make my dog the worse for wear x.x

I'm a discriminating owner myself, but cetainly not so much as some others.