Author Topic: Rant about some dog owners  (Read 3137 times)

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Offline Pookie

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Rant about some dog owners
« on: August 03, 2017, 05:34:47 PM »
Why do people have dogs if they're not going to train them?

Dee, I'm not including you in this.   :)  :-* :-*

A neighbor asked me to let their dog out to do it's business today, since they were going to be late getting home.  He's a border collie mix, high energy and very smart.  Well, I guess he didn't like how long it was taking for me to figure out his harness, because he sort of bit me.  Barely scraped skin, no bleeding, no big deal in terms of damage.  He did growl in warning first, so it's not like I didn't expect something.

He also growled when I checked his water bowl (outside), and when I went to give him a treat (it was the only way to get him back inside), which I tossed into his food bowl.  When I went to double check that I'd locked the door, he growled again.  When I got home, I called his mommy to let her know what happened, and that I hoped he'd be able to "hold it" until someone got home.

She apologized over and over again, and I'm not mad.  I just don't understand people, because apparently he's done this before, which she'd told me about when she asked me to do today's visit.  Supposedly he doesn't mind being touched.  And he's growled at me before, too, when they were out and asked me to walk him.  But they don't control him very well, IMO.  When she walks him, she lets the retractable leash wayyyyy out so he can go anywhere.  He jumps on me to greet me.  He's light, but he's strong, and I don't understand why they don't work with him more to better control him and his behavior.

Then later this afternoon, someone else in my neighborhood was walking her lab and she was barking and making a fuss.  That dog isn't very well trained, either.  And heaven knows, even though my own mother took her dog to training, once he was home it wasn't really enforced because Dad does what he wants and Mom gave in.

Why do people get dogs, esp. large dogs, if they're not going to do the work to train them so they can control the dog?  I'm sorry, but a 50+ pound dog needs to be taught appropriate behavior and obedience.

Ok, rant over.
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Offline DeeDee

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2017, 06:07:09 PM »
Why? People see good examples of dogs out and about looking all cool and jaunty, and they decide they want a cool dog too, never even thinking about how much work was put into the cool dog they originally saw.

People ask me about my dogs and get a certain look in their eyes, and I start listing every single bad trait about the breeds I'm holding and talk about how hard some of their tendencies were to train out of them.

Retractable leashes and ESPECIALLY dogs that aren't trained? Well let's just say that the person holding the leash better hope they never get legs tangled up in that leash if the dog decides to go into one of its tangents and rips the person's leg apart--at the least leaving a friction burn.

I don't believe in retractable leashes, and both of ours are on 4-foot leashes. The longer the leash, the more momentum a dog can get going and the less control you have. Extra long training leashes are used in only certain circumstances such as training for long-recalls.

Here's an article with a photo that shows what a retractable leash can do when a dog has built up a lot of momentum and the person loses control:

http://www.greendogpetsupply.com/blog/why-we-discontinued-the-sale-of-retractable-leashes/

EDIT: Mine are NEVER off leash if they're not in their fenced area or indoors. I have a breed that can potentially be a problem, and it's my responsibility that he doesn't get in a snit about someone and attack them. He could do a lot of damage. I take ownership of him VERY seriously.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2017, 06:09:41 PM by DeeDee »
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2017, 06:37:37 PM »
I agree with you on all points Dee.  I read a story a number of years ago about an idiot who lost three fingers from a retractable leash. If used at all they should be used as a TOOL, to train RECALL.


Offline Pookie

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2017, 10:59:20 AM »
Quote
  Retractable leashes and ESPECIALLY dogs that aren't trained? Well let's just say that the person holding the leash better hope they never get legs tangled up in that leash if the dog decides to go into one of its tangents and rips the person's leg apart--at the least leaving a friction burn.

Yeah, this dog's mommy has gotten those.  It doesn't seem to change anything.  They don't have a fenced area (we're in condos) but they have a lead they put him on that's attached to something (I forget what), so they can toss balls for him to fetch or just run around.  He's given her friction burns with that.

I walked with her and the dog once and held the leash.  I kept it short, like 4 feet or so.  I suspect she didn't like that I didn't let him "roam" by giving him more leash.

They're nice people.  They just don't seem to "get it" that this dog needs serious training.

Thanks for listening/responding to my rant.  You're absolutely right.  They just don't realize the work that goes into getting a dog to be that "cool" dog they see elsewhere.  *sigh*

Do you think if I put Rescue Remedy on my hands, that it would help keep this dog from getting cranky?  For the life of me, I can't figure out why he got the way he did yesterday.  I wondered if he dislikes that harness, but his mom didn't seem to think so.

BTW, he knew he was in trouble -- she told me he had his tail between his legs when she got home.
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Offline DeeDee

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2017, 11:12:18 AM »



Do you think if I put Rescue Remedy on my hands, that it would help keep this dog from getting cranky?  For the life of me, I can't figure out why he got the way he did yesterday.  I wondered if he dislikes that harness, but his mom didn't seem to think so.


It MIGHT, but I'm not guaranteeing it. I suspect this dog's lack of training signals that most likely, along with lack of training, the dog received a huge lack of socialization. Socialization is one of the most important parts of training to have a dog that isn't anti-people.

The snapping sounds a lot like a dog that hasn't been socialized so is extremely selfish of its perceived belongings--house, bowl, yard, etc.--and is resource-guarding. It doesn't have a good relationship with people, so its relationships are THINGS.

Tail between its legs when she got home? That sounds more like an accident occurred somewhere, and she just hasn't found it yet. Unless she started fussing at it the second she walked into the door.

Your best bet to keep the dog from snapping at you is to build a relationship with it, and that's going to take daily interaction with some training and treats. He's going to need to look at you as one of his Gods that regularly provide meaningful things.
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Pookie

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2017, 11:35:15 AM »
Quote
The snapping sounds a lot like a dog that hasn't been socialized so is extremely selfish of its perceived belongings--house, bowl, yard, etc.--and is resource-guarding. It doesn't have a good relationship with people, so its relationships are THINGS.

Thanks, Dee, I appreciate the insight.  You may be on to something, because I'm not sure how much socialization he's had, outside of the interactions with others during walks.  They don't ask me to take him out very often (this was only the 2nd time) so I doubt I'd have the chance to interact with him daily.  And after yesterday, I doubt they'll ask me to do it again.

Quote
Tail between its legs when she got home? That sounds more like an accident occurred somewhere, and she just hasn't found it yet.

Yeah, she didn't mention it but we didn't talk much last night.  When I called her after the incident, I did suggest using the pee pads so that if they're going to be gone for a long time he could use those.  Her response was that he's "probably too old" to use them.  I didn't bother arguing with her about it.
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Offline Pookie

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2017, 11:21:44 PM »
And let me just say "Thank you, DeeDee" for being a good dog-mom and taking the time and effort to train your dogs.  I'm sure they're extremely well-behaved and well-trained.  Thank you for setting a good example and being responsible, not just for other people's sake, but for your boys'.   DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy
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Offline DeeDee

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2017, 08:52:42 AM »
And let me just say "Thank you, DeeDee" for being a good dog-mom and taking the time and effort to train your dogs. 

Thank you so much. Pookie. I try. That's not to say that Vlad is always going to be happy around some strangers when he's stressed now since Addison's, but I just don't let him near people when he shows certain signs about them. It's pretty easy to make him go into another direction if I see certain body language.
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2017, 09:18:38 AM »
And let me just say "Thank you, DeeDee" for being a good dog-mom and taking the time and effort to train your dogs.  I'm sure they're extremely well-behaved and well-trained.  Thank you for setting a good example and being responsible, not just for other people's sake, but for your boys'.   DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy

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Offline Lola

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Re: Rant about some dog owners
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2017, 10:09:15 PM »
Border Collies are HIGH energy!  I can't imagine leaving one locked up for hours... even WITH proper training. 

I have nothing good/nice to say about retractable leashes, or the people that use them.
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