Has This Ever Happened To You As A Dog Owner?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
Yesterday I was put in an awkward situation when I had my 8 month old Dachshund pup in a local Tackle and Pet Supply store.
My boyfriend and I stopped at our favorite pet supply store with our Dachshund and Greyhound/Boxer mix. This is a store that we frequent about 3 times a month for supplies (sometimes just to get the dogs out especially in winter) Both of our dogs have been going there since they were puppies and finished their shots, and both dogs are very obediant and quiet in the store. The people who work there know us, and love seeing us come in with the dogs. This was a trip to treat them to some fresh bully sticks before a long road trip we have coming up.
Anyways here is my issue and what happened. My dachshund and I were in one Aisle picking out treats while my boyfriend and our mutt were looking at new collars. A lady with a little girl from about 2 aisles across the store came stamping at us and proceeded to tell me to get that heathen of a dog out of the store, it was a danger and menace to all of the customers. I looked down at my Dachshund to find him still sitting quietly at the position I put him at and waiting intently for me to tell him to come on, and I assumed she had saw the larger dog who looks kind of bullyish and was worried irrationally because of that. I assured her that the mix was fine, has been through training, and she didn’t have to worry. She THEN begins to tell me its not our mix she is worried about but our dachshund! And started to tell me that there is no such thing as a good dachshund.
I understand they can be snippy if provoked and thats why I spent such a large amount of money on my dog for buying from a breeder who has bred for health and temperament as well as had the dog being socialized from a VERY young age and been working through classes with him.
Has anyone else been questioned about their dog or offended by someone who didn’t understand when you had a dog that wasn’t typically viewed as a potential threat. (Or if your a “dangerous” dog owner what absurdities have you had to endure.!)
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Holy crap, I would have b*tch slapped that woman. I have a mutt, who maybe to some people might look like a Doberman mix, but luckily I’ve never had any ignorant comments. I’m shocked that this woman beraded you so for purely OWNING a Dachshund. I can see maybe if the dog was growling at every person it saw and was lunging to try and bite this woman or her girl, but the freaking dog was doing nothing.
Every day I see more and more that proves some members of the human race are lacking quite a large piece of their common sense. Or rather it just reminds me that common sense isn’t very common. People suck. I’m sorry you have to endure crap like that.
I have a Siberian Husky and at the dog park this lady told me that Dakota was being very aggressive…..A kid didn’t want his dog near mine because he was intimidated by Dakota. Dachshunds are very cute and are precious. I would’ve told the lady to go about her business and don’t talk to me. lol. What a jerk. Good for you for reassuring her. Teaching a little girl how to judge a dog or to be a comeplete *** to someone needs some new parenting skills. Wow.
Unfortunately I get it somewhat frequently and there is nothing you can do about someone SO ignorant. People who are just slightly misinformed I give my side to – but that woman I would have loved to punch…
I have 2 Akitas, both extremely well-behaved, trained, decently friendly (meaning, sometimes friendly sometimes aloof with people coming up to them). I live in NYC, however, so I am constantly in contact with people whose dogs are on retractable leashes (or even standard leashes), walked 6 feet in front of their owners, lunging at my dogs, etc. If my dogs react in any way to another dogs aggression, my dogs are monsters and I am told akitas are dog aggressive and should not be allowed with other dogs. I will agree that my male, when not with me, is dominant – therefore I do not take him to a dog run and he is not with other large male dogs unsupervised (he can do controlled play dates – so long as neither dogs tries to “take charge”).
I also get comments from tourists, who feel it is their place to approach me on the street to “warn” me about my dogs and how they will turn on me. I try to educate those people on the breed – that while they are independent and stubborn and frustrating to train – they are also extremely loving, loyal and amusing. I explain that my dogs work everyday – they guard my apartment, they go for walks amounting to about 2 hours a day, and they enjoy the living quarters – since they are right in with me, my husband and my 2 cats – and for those dogs, that life, with consistent rules, is enjoyable. Most people probably think I’m crazy – but some will soften and ask follow-up questions and play with my dogs. And I hope those people walk away with a little more perspective that every dog is different and that the “negative” rumors about a breed are never the whole story.
I had two cocker spaniels and a rottweiler growing up. I honestly could not win when walking Jade and Spike together or when I took Empress out if there weren’t people going on about “Cocker” Rage it was someone going on about how Empress was going to turn on me and my family one day. None of the dogs were EVER a problem to us or anyone for that matter.
I had people with their untrained lap dogs going berserk at the ends of their leashes while my dogs would even blink an eye let alone actually react to what was going. All the while the owners would either be going on about how bad my dogs were or coddling their lil terrors.
l was at the coast at Easter and was sat having a coffee outside a cafe, my three dogs, two Labs and my white English Bull Terrier pup were all laid down having a rest. Two children were looking at the dogs when the Mother said “Don’t touch that white one”, this really annoyed me, fair enough if she doesn’t want her children touching dogs, but to just single out my little Alfie. People have the wrong impression of them, they are one of the sweetest breeds l know, great with people and other dogs, but stupid, ignorant people just this woman send out the wrong message.
This wasn’t the first time that Alfie’s had that response, and l imagine it won’t be the last.
I guess I’m the owner of a dog that would be considered a “dangerous” breed by many people. We have a Bull Terrier that is very sweet, but people still cross over when we walk towards them. We got him a backpack to wear while we are walking and I’ve received a totally different response. It’s really weird, but I would say that 75% of people that we walk by are no longer intimidated by him. I guess it tones down his intimidating look.
I wouldn’t worry about what people say or think. The dachshunds I’ve met have been really well behaved and gentle.
I was walking up the road with my Staffy when she was a pup and this couple stopped and gave her loads of attention and cuddles saying oh what a cute puppy, then asked what breed she was and backed right off and told me I should just get her pts right then because she’d kill a child one day.
My pup was sitting quietly at my heel waiting to be told what to do and their springer spaniel was bouncing about, chewing the lead, barking and pulling. I went on to say a big speel about deed not breed etc and then asked what’s a non-dangerous dog to them.
They listed dogs including a lab, springer and collie, I told them how I’d been bitten by a neighbours lab, I said my sis got bitten by my aunties collie, I told them about my friends cousin who had plastic surgery as a result of bein bitten on the face by a springer.
Their response to these three things were oh well those are just bad dogs. So I said are the Staffys you’ve read about not just bad dogs too then, nope Staffy’s are a bad breed.
Pure ignorance.
I would have just told her if she didn’t like him dog being there she could leave. I would explain that pets are allowed in the store and until store management asks me to leave, then I’m not going anywhere. Some people are so rude. I can’t believe it.
wow thats crazy she came up to you for your dachshund.
and i always get the rudest and dumbest comments about my pit bull mix eventhough he is friendly and loves other dogs!!! like…. oh i need to get my dogs away from yors, at a dog park because he is a pit bull, like why would i bring a unfriendly pit to a dog park? and esp when little kids try to pet my dog their mothers freak out and call/yell at their kids, eventhough my 8 year old brother is there with me u know??
aghh i hate it when eople assume ish and are rude b.c od the sterotyped dogs
That has never happened to me, but I swear this to you…
I would have lost it on that woman!
I have a dachshund, and my Miles is the sweetest, silliest little thing ever.
How dare she say that to you, and in the pet store of all places. If she is afraid of dogs, don’t go to a pet store like that.
I hope you laid into her!
ADD – aww, Mongo, I am so sad that breeds like yours have such a bad rap! Here in Ontario, Canada, those breeds are banned and I think that it is ridiculous. It is also a gross infringement of our rights as dog owners. Makes me so sad.