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.