Vent!

[JudyN]

And finally, mum, pepper is just like having a child so you are already a grandma so please stop nagging me -we're not having kids!!

[abbyneo]

And finally, mum, pepper is just like having a child so you are already a grandma so please stop nagging me -we're not having kids!!

Ohhhh yes. Yesterday at work while everyone was already making me mad with their stories of getting 4 week old puppies, I also had someone tell me that I can't be that tired because I don't have real kids. Well, excuse me..but my kids have real needs and I spend real money on them and they take up a heck of a lot of time, just like your real kids. This really makes me go on the defensive. Fiancee and I do treat our girls like they're our kids..because they are our kids. I know there are quite a few people on the forum that are around our age (25ish) and I know you guys understand and are in the same position..there are nights that we don't go out with our friends or go to bars,or even just go on a date or whatever because the girls have been here alone all day while we're at work and that just isn't fair to them.

Rachel, maybe someday your mom will embrace her dog-grandchild! My mom and dad ask about their "grand-dogs" (and grand-cat) when they call (we live about 1000 miles from them).

[ClareMarsh]

Well, excuse me..but my kids have real needs and I spend real money on them and they take up a heck of a lot of time, just like your real kids. This really makes me go on the defensive. Fiancee and I do treat our girls like they're our kids..because they are our kids. I know there are quite a few people on the forum that are around our age (25ish) and I know you guys understand and are in the same position..there are nights that we don't go out with our friends or go to bars,or even just go on a date or whatever because the girls have been here alone all day while we're at work and that just isn't fair to them.

They're dependent family members aren't they I mean Ted is part of our family and there is a responsibility that comes with him living with us that means he does impact our lives

Whilst we were in the butchers (of all the places to be dog friendly eh ) I saw a woman yank a JRT off its feet by its collar because it was trying to stop and sniff whilst simultaneously shouting "no, [name of dog] I've told you not to do that". I actually briefly felt sick as I saw it happen, my OH was aghast too, do people actually think that that sort of behaviour is going to get the dog to do what they want, or even that what they want is reasonable? Although having said that she was also dragging a kid behind her so I did find myself wondering what her parenting skills were like

[Ari_RR]

- Oh, wow, look, it's a big dog you have! What kind is it? How old is he?
- He is a Rhodesian Ridgeback, 17 months old.
- Oh, wow, look, he is unneutered!!!
- Yes, he is.
- Are you going to breed him?!?
- No
- Are you going to show him?!?
- No
- You should be careful when there are other dogs...
-

[ClareMarsh]

Oh Ari, haven't you learnt, if you don't neuter him he is going to take charge of your house and may push for world domination

[JudyN]

Plus impregnate every female within a 20-mile radius, and do his best to impregnate every male, and all the humans he meets, too, for good measure

[chay]

two setbacks in one last night

gypsy has been getting more confident in greeting (little, pre-approved) dogs and has even been coming around to some (polite, pre-approved) children though we still most often give the latter a wide berth (even the polite ones, and she's had some fantastic experiences with them recently)

last night, we saw that there were children int he park we usually walk in so just kept walking past instead of through - however, a small pug-cross (?? it seriously looked like a mini bulldog. pug sized, but bulldog shaped and colored!) came BARELLING out from between the children, off leash, right towards us.

sigh

i got between him and gypsy and kind of crouched down ready to try catch him if he got too close (i am still working on my VoD) - the owners calling out "it's ok, he's friendly!" (sigh)

"mine's actually not fond of other dogs, can you call him back please?"

A CHILD starts running over to get the dog (sigh)

meanwhile i have one leg in front of gypsy, one leg kind of soccer-ball-dribbling the other dog as he tries to push past to get a sniff, both are very rigid and stiff, not at all casual friendly chat

child arrives, reaches down to get his dog - AND OVER TO PAT GYPSY'S HEAD (sigh)

at this, gypsy jumps in shock, i smack the kids hand away, the other dog uses the distraction to lunge at gypsy through my legs, i recover and scoop gypsy up and just start carrying her away (i know i shoudlnt do this, but i couldnt manage the other dog AND the child and gypsy and i didnt know what else to do )

menwhile, the dog follows us JUMPING AT GYPSY'S HEELS - with the parents remaining sitting where they are, futilely calling over and over "come here! come here buttons! come on! come!"

halfway down the path, dog still bouncing alongside, i stop and yell back "seriously, come get your dog or it will follow me home" - and only then does one of them get up and come and get the dog. "oh i don't know what's wrong with him. maybe it's because your dog is fluffy?"

she was skittish the rest of the night, husband took her on a different route this morning and thankfully avoided seeing any other dogs or people.

SIGH.

[Nettle]

Agh Chay what a nightmare

[ClareMarsh]

This reminds me of a close encounter I had with a puppy who's owners were happily drinking straight from their bottle of wine and had no recall on their off lead dog. I could not stop even with VoD which I normally can, Ted is confident but does not like boisterous dogs and I don't like lazy owners. I ended up picking him up and only as I started walking off with this pup trying to jump up me did the owner appear

Anyway if Gypsy is ok with being picked up (and that is a big IF because a lot of dogs aren't) and you are ever in two minds about the other dog then just pick Gypsy up earlier before she realises what is going on or even sees the other dog and when you are more likely to do it calmly and in a fun way (you can even stick a treat under her nose as you walk off, she won't even know there was a dog ). This is what I do, in fact I have taught Ted to jump up onto my lap and then from there I lift him so he thinks it's a game. Ted is a confident little thing but I manage who he meets and doing this has not dented his confidence at all, provided you are sensible and you're not constantly scooping her up you'll be ok. In fact if he gets uncomfortable if a dog he's met is too boisterous etc he will come and put his paws on my leg which means "get me away from this mum"

[WufWuf]

Keep your dogs indoors or behind a fence that actually works to keep them in and use a freakin' lead people.

I'm sick of loose dogs I am, last week/week before I had to kick a JRT, who was in full attack mode, in the head- he had serious intent to harm, I didn't aim for his head but quickly stuck out my leg to prevent him reaching Honey and got him on the head. Where was the owner, well inside the house of course. Did they come out to see what was happening? Nope. Do I still feel bad for kicking him in the head? Yup.

Yesterday a loose spainel ran full speed past Honey on the street and scared the bejajsus out of her, where was the owner? Waaay down the road.

This morning a loose sprollie did the same thing at a fairly busy intersection, where was the owner? Struggling to cross the road with the 3 dogs he did have on (flexi) leads (husky and 2 terriers).

Just up the street the attack JRT from before appeared out of a badly fenced garden and crossed the road as a van was coming which ment I couldn't VoD him without getting him killed so I scared the bejaysus out of poor Honey when I went to scoop her up (I told her I was going to but she had her nose full and didn't hear me) she got such a fright she collapsed and I had to just pick her up anyway as the jacker was now on the same side of the street just a few feet behind us, I think he remembered me though as he didn't come any closer once I picked her up.

I know it must sound like I keep putting Honey in harms way but there simply isn't anywhere that doesn't have dogs around here. Mostly these days we do fine and I can avoid her seeing any dogs at all or seeing any too close, it's just the crazy loose dogs on streets that I can't stop - the streets are narrow so if I scare them they have a strong chance of being driven into the road and I can't have their death on my conscience.

Oh last one - to the girl who goes running with her staffy at the weekends - it's great that you do this for your dog but have you any idea what it looks like to my dog to see you and your dog running at her? No I guess not because even when you see me trying to get out of the way you just keep on coming at full tilt

[JudyN]

This morning I met a couple I've chatted to a couple of times before in the woods, who have a pack of about five dogs. Jasper went up to the owners to say hello and check out their pockets, but one, a standard schnauzer, I think, had a go at him out of jealousy. I wasn't concerned - Jasper was fine and I'm not sure if there was any risk of him being bitten - it may just have been swearing. However, the schnauzer got a good thwack over its backside with a lead That's really going to make it feel relaxed round strange dogs in the future..... not

[bendog]

If you know your dog isn't totally happy with other dogs please put it on a lead, or tell approaching people with dogs. I do with bendog so its not like it's hard. Poppy ran up to a dog in the woods today, she greeted about 4 or 5 dogs in total, all with no problems, all off lead, all bigger than her. There was one yorkie on a lead so we put ours on too and kept out tge way. Then we met a rough collie, I don't think pop was being rude, she was wriggly and going to sniff the other dogs mouth from below when it snarled at her. Thankfully pop got the hint and backed off, running back to me, but if I'd known the other dog wasn't ok with being approached I wouldn't have let her run over in the first place. Most off lead dogs in the woods are friendly so I normally am more relaxed about letting her meet them there.

[chay]

thanks guys - the upside is i have got my guard back up, so many good encounters recently and it was just that moment's hesitation that changed it from "hmm, kids and a dog in the park today, better cross the road" to "hmm, kids and a dog in the park...i'm sure it will be fine!"

[Erica]

We have a neighborhood email list thing to keep in touch with our neighbors...recently someone complained about dogs barking constantly and asked for people to stop them. (this part is fine, though I haven't heard a constantly barking dog anywhere in our neighborhood.) our neighbor across the street - a human psychologist who is highly allergic to animals and has never owned or lived with a dog - said that anyone with a constantly barking dog should talk to their vet about medication. Not a trainer or behaviorist, no - straight to the drugs! Ugh >: ( and he implied that dogs should never ever be allowed to bark ever and that a dog that barks has serious issues. YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH DOGS MR. KINDLY SHUT YOUR FACE. And you're not in the neighborhood enough to really warrant an opinion on the issue. Our dogs will bark, we will determine what theyre barking at, they will stop barking. They will, against your fancy PHD advice, continue to be allowed to bark and won't be MEDICATED for stinkingBARKING. DON'T GIVE ADVICE ABOUT THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

[Nettle]

Yeah, so many never know what they don't know.....


I am incandescent with rage today. I have just been to see an exceptionally good breeder of very very good puppies. She puts her heart and soul into her puppies - they get a fantastic start in life. And as you would expect, she homes them very carefully.

Except. Except that we had a bit of a get-together with puppies from two previous litters - and one has been spayed at FOUR MONTHS (now seven months old).

There was a collective sound of jaws dropping when she told us.

The vet had advised her that it was essential or the dog would get cancer.

Such a long long way we have to go still