PSA: please do not approach dogs and try to pet them without consulting their owners

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people think this is acceptable?

Signed, the owner of a dog who is terrified of people. We’re training her but when a stranger gets in her personal space she lashes out and we move 10 steps back on the training curve.

Because people don’t know. You need to be the responsible one and warn them. The burden is yours, not theirs.

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry this is happening to you, OP, but you are essentially taking walks in public right own now with a loaded weapon. If your dog hurts someone you will not be able to defend yourself by saying they had it coming. Please just steer clear of people on your walks and do not take him into crowded areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree 100%. We had to put down our beloved dog because of this. A strange man suddenly reach down to pet our dog and our dog bit his hand in self defense. The man then threatened to sue us. It was heartbreaking and I wish he would have just asked if he could pet him and I would have said no because my dog was a rescue and had always been afraid of men he didn’t know.

This is so sad, but you were an irresponsible dog owner. If you know your dog could bite, why on earth did you bring it to a place where that possibility could arise? This is on you, not the guy your dog bit. You should have had a muzzle on your dog or never taken your dog to a place where there were people.

[Anonymous]

You can get a doggie jacket that says "DO NOT PET." I used to see a woman with a beautiful friendly-looking cute dog wearing one. I definitely never even thought about asking to pet that dog.

You should try it.

[Anonymous]

I just wish people would teach their kids this!

I walk dogs as a side hustle and I now have a rule that I won't walk more than two at a time because so, so, so many little kids just run up to the dogs without asking. And if I know it's a dog who is scared of people or of a certain type (like men for example), I walk it alone and try to pick a more 'out there' area that I know won't be as busy.

Thankfully, all except two are very awesome kid-friendly dogs. Even so, they are still animals and unpredictable! I used to feel bad about reprimanding a little kid who just ran up and touched without asking but not anymore. It's really shocking how many parents don't even know the protocol! One actually said, "well, I just assumed if it was a mean dog it wouldn't be out in public, you know?" Yes, because everyone knows that mean dogs pee indoors only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Psa: No one cares about your substitute dog/child

Behave better and tell your bratty kids not to pet strange dogs without permission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, what about a muzzle? People tend to stay away from a dog with a muzzle.

That way even if some dumb ass does still approach, your dog can't bite.

Our dog won't wear one, she panics. But is it worth a try?

We’re doing clicker training (click and treat whenever she sees a person) so not possible.

your dog should not be in public

Are you suggesting that all dogs that do not love people should be put down rather than trying to rehabilitate them?

Dogs that will bite strangers essentially unprovoked should be put down, or kept out of public. Biting a child that tries to pet a dog in a public place counts for unprovoked.

It isn't unprovoked if someone touches or tries to touch the dog. The dog feels trapped and as if it is being attacked. Don't do that

Listen to yourself. You just said that if a person--presumably including a child?--tries to touch your dog and the dog bites them, the person is to blame because they "provoked" the dog. NO. It is YOUR FAULT because you brought a dog that is not safe around people, around people and not warn the people or prevent the dog from biting. The legal system definitely does not agree that when a dog bites a person the person is to blame, and you are deluding yourself if you think this.

Tell your brats not to pet dogs without first asking the owner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one cares about your freaking crazy dog. Get it together.

Then stay away from it.

ok well then don't give me the side-eye when I pull my kid to the other side of the sidewalk when you pass with your ugly pit bull, or when tell you to get your ugly, mean pit bull out of the park.

You don't own the park. Don't like what you see, feel free to leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree 100%. We had to put down our beloved dog because of this. A strange man suddenly reach down to pet our dog and our dog bit his hand in self defense. The man then threatened to sue us. It was heartbreaking and I wish he would have just asked if he could pet him and I would have said no because my dog was a rescue and had always been afraid of men he didn’t know.

This happened to my former coworker. She had her dog out on a walk when an unleashed dog ran up to them. It was a noisy little terrier, all bark and no bite, but their dog saw it as a threat to its human and attacked the dog. Her dog had to be put down since it had killed the other dog, not just hurt it.

[Anonymous]

Keep your dog away from playgrounds. If I see one more person standing around a playground with an unfriendly dog acting bothered by kids requesting to pet it, I'm going to lose it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can get a doggie jacket that says "DO NOT PET." I used to see a woman with a beautiful friendly-looking cute dog wearing one. I definitely never even thought about asking to pet that dog.

You should try it.

I was going to suggest the same vest sticker “do not pet”. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree 100%. We had to put down our beloved dog because of this. A strange man suddenly reach down to pet our dog and our dog bit his hand in self defense. The man then threatened to sue us. It was heartbreaking and I wish he would have just asked if he could pet him and I would have said no because my dog was a rescue and had always been afraid of men he didn’t know.

Who said that the dog had to be put down?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you walking your dog to the right of you? Keep it on the furthest area way from other humans (walk on the right just like driving, and dog should be to the right of you).

Oh FFS. Dogs are traditionally trained to heel to the left. People walking dogs should walk to the left, and people approaching should get over the compulsion to act as though a sidewalk has to be treated like a road at all times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you walking your dog to the right of you? Keep it on the furthest area way from other humans (walk on the right just like driving, and dog should be to the right of you).

Oh FFS. Dogs are traditionally trained to heel to the left. People walking dogs should walk to the left, and people approaching should get over the compulsion to act as though a sidewalk has to be treated like a road at all times.

This makes absolutely no sense, like it was leftover from some British dog training program. Dogs should be on your right to maximize distance between your animal and other humans, and other dogs/pets/etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree 100%. We had to put down our beloved dog because of this. A strange man suddenly reach down to pet our dog and our dog bit his hand in self defense. The man then threatened to sue us. It was heartbreaking and I wish he would have just asked if he could pet him and I would have said no because my dog was a rescue and had always been afraid of men he didn’t know.

This happened to my former coworker. She had her dog out on a walk when an unleashed dog ran up to them. It was a noisy little terrier, all bark and no bite, but their dog saw it as a threat to its human and attacked the dog. Her dog had to be put down since it had killed the other dog, not just hurt it.

Yeah. I have had to kick a few unleashed dogs and shove mine behind me to prevent exactly that same thing happening. I walk him at odd hours to avoid other dogs, but it doesn't always work.