Masking Poor Dog Behaviour? - Page 1

Why do some Owners who you pass with dogs, that respond with bad attitude (dog not Owner) LOL - Then attempt to mask the bad manners or distract from their dog to yours?

They speak to the dog in a chirpy general manner - "Stop it, that's not nice" - (as if the dog cares for their opinion about it)!!! 

Or they stand rigid to one side holding tightly to the lead with the dog barking in front (acting more like a Post that the dog is attached to)!

Even heard Owners say to their dog; "No, they (mine) do not want to play with you".  PLAY???  (Do these Owners think I am as daft as their dogs have been allowed to become barking mad)?!!

Or, they have the audacity to deflect by saying to their dog - "Those dogs (mine) could eat you".  (It is their dog with the issue, not the diet possibilities of mine)!


If one of my dogs should act inappropriately, (I would be surprised, as I don't expect them to act obnoxious for no good reason).  However, I would not hesitate to give a reprimand, that clearly expressed my displeasure.  So why can't other dog Owners?


Vixen

Admittedly, my GSD needs work in some areas (and we are working on it), but when out on a walk she generally minds her own business unless she's bothered or distracted by another dog - and even then she just stops and stares.  I usually walk both dogs together and more often than not, I encounter small dogs (on and off leash) that come running up on us, barking up a storm and stop just short of my dogs' leashes.  The comment I hear most is "<insert dog's name> likes to play with the big dogs.  He/She doesn't know he/she's small."  Meanwhile, the small dog is barking and up on it's hind legs right in front of my dogs.  Of course, this gets my dogs excited/agitated and I have to work to control the GSD (one of the areas we're working on with her) and get her moving.

Maybe these little dogs do want to play, but I'm fairly certain that if I allowed my (larger) dogs to behave the same way in an attempt at playing, these folks would be singing a different tune.  I usually make every effort to cross the street or give wide berth if I see them coming just because it's less hassle.  I always appreciate seeing an owner attempting to correct his dog's behavior...at least I know they're working on it much the same way I am.

Of course I'd never actually do this, but sometimes I'd like to...OOPS...drop the leash and say "Oh sure, they can play.  And don't mind the fact that they've now got your dog on it's back, they're just playing and don't realize how big they are."  (I don't view my dogs as aggressive, but they can be pretty rough when they're playing with each other.)

"Are people perhaps indifferent to these possibilities, not respectful of other people's intent, or incapable of taking appropriate control?"

Not sure, but all I can do is try to handle such situations reflective of a manner I'd like to see.  Doesn't really work, but oh well.  I'll just keep crossing the street, working with my dogs, and hopefully never have a situation that escalates out of my control.

 

First of all


then,


These people know much less about dogs than you do.  They mean you and your dogs no harm.

When they say, "Stop it, that's not nice", it means "I know my yappy lunging dog is being rude and behaving poorly, I just dont know what to do about it."  They are trying to deflect the tension in the situation by admitting to you that their dog is "not nice".

When they say, "No, they (mine) do not want to play with you", what they are really saying to their lunging yappy dog is, "No dog wants to play with you, you idiot."  They are dissing their own misbehaving dog.

When they say, "Those dogs (mine) could eat you", what they are really saying to their lunging yappy punk dog is, "You idiot, you're acting all tuff but if you were to be stupid enough to try and fight those dogs, they could kill you if they wanted."

Maybe those people just feel bad about their dog behavior and just don't know how to act in front of you.  My 2 dogs almost ate a Westie last week, the master had a 30 feet long leash so the poor Westie came in my own yard to "play" with my dogs.....The poor lady told me : "My Stanley loves to play with other dogs."  She probably meant : Stanley is stupid, I don't know how to train it, and it's just too bad you came in time so Stanley still alive."

Ya, they are saying it for your benefit, not for their dogs.

     mfh27 and Red Sable...Good post...True too...: )

    Vixen...I am one of those people you are speaking about..I have said most of those things ..lol..I just was not born with the capability of understanding dog behavior and training....Maybe some folks are..I am a work in progress...: )