Doggie Dumb Dumb − 17 July, 2008
There are many different ways of being a dog owner. Some people don’t know much about dogs of all, others know quite a bit. I am somewhere in between. I think I’m closer to “knows quite a bit” than “doesn’t know much”. I don’t claim to be an expert, but if you live with a dog and pay attention to the dog, and if you listen to other people who know a lot about dogs, you can learn a lot about your dog and dogs in general.
Our dog has some issues. She was probably abused before we got her. She got some socialization in a dog group not long after we claimed her. But on two separate occasions other dogs attacked her. One was unprovoked, but in the second case our dog totally brought it on herself. She probably didn’t understand that at the time. After the second attack, she became unpredictable around other dogs. We quit taking her to the dog group. There were just too many dogs to try to sort things out with each dog.
When I’m out with her and we come across another dog, sometimes it goes well and they play. Other times she snarls just a little bit and then they play. Other times she snarls a lot. There have been occasions when she simply would not let it go. I have seen her harass puppies that were very obviously trying to be submissive. It can be frustrating, but I try to use my best judgment when she’s around other dogs.
Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for some other dog owners. The classic greeting in the woods from a person with a dog off leash is, “Oh, he’s friendly!” as if that’s the whole story. It doesn’t take into account the dynamics between the two individual dogs. Another classic greeting is “Is your dog friendly?” My answer will always be, “Maybe. It depends on how she and your dog get along.”
The other day I was at the park with our dog (before she was diagnosed with a sprained wrist). I was feeling quite poorly. I didn’t want to socialize with anyone, and I was in a hurry. I had to get to work. The park is a large one – a grassy field surrounded by trees. Someone had a dog right in the center of the park. They were a long way off. I kept our dog near the edge of the park. I let her know with soft voice commands that she was to stay by me. Some dog owners allow their dogs to go tearing across this field towards other people and dogs. I have always thought that was very bad manners.
Everything about my body language shouted, “I am not coming over there, and I’m not interested in interacting.” I kept my back to this person and his or her dog most of the time, looking over occasionally only to keep track of what was going on. The dog was crouched in the grass. It obviously wanted to play. Every so often I looked over, and it would have moved closer. Clearly, the owner was exerting some sort of control over the animal. But before I knew it, the dog was racing across the field towards us.
At first I thought, “Oh well, maybe they’ll just play.” Instead, my dog, who had looked like she very much wanted to play, went snarling after this dog. She chased it until it ran away. I could hardly blame her. She was on her best behavior. When a dog comes charging at another dog, especially my dog, there’s no guarantee the charging dog will get a friendly response. I simply put a leash on my dog, turned my back on the person and his or her dog, and walked away.
I was flummoxed. What about my body language had suggested that it was reasonable to allow a dog to race across the field toward my dog and me? My dog’s body language said that she wanted to play, but my body language clearly stated, “I am not interested”. Did that person consider my dog’s desires to be more important than mine? Or was that person simply clueless? I think the latter is more likely.
I left the park hoping that the person would connect the dots. “A person is ignoring me, her dog looks friendly, my dog charged over, and her dog snarled and chased it away. Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t let my dog race across the field towards a person who is clearly not interested. Maybe she has a good reason.” The more I understand about dogs, the less patience I have with people who don’t understand them. I wound up thinking that this person was an absolute idiot. That’s probably not quite fair. But I would imagine that people who understand children really well experience the same sort of frustration when dealing with people who do not understand children very well.
Next time I see that dog and that person, I’m outta there!
Our dog has some issues. She was probably abused before we got her. She got some socialization in a dog group not long after we claimed her. But on two separate occasions other dogs attacked her. One was unprovoked, but in the second case our dog totally brought it on herself. She probably didn’t understand that at the time. After the second attack, she became unpredictable around other dogs. We quit taking her to the dog group. There were just too many dogs to try to sort things out with each dog.
When I’m out with her and we come across another dog, sometimes it goes well and they play. Other times she snarls just a little bit and then they play. Other times she snarls a lot. There have been occasions when she simply would not let it go. I have seen her harass puppies that were very obviously trying to be submissive. It can be frustrating, but I try to use my best judgment when she’s around other dogs.
Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for some other dog owners. The classic greeting in the woods from a person with a dog off leash is, “Oh, he’s friendly!” as if that’s the whole story. It doesn’t take into account the dynamics between the two individual dogs. Another classic greeting is “Is your dog friendly?” My answer will always be, “Maybe. It depends on how she and your dog get along.”
The other day I was at the park with our dog (before she was diagnosed with a sprained wrist). I was feeling quite poorly. I didn’t want to socialize with anyone, and I was in a hurry. I had to get to work. The park is a large one – a grassy field surrounded by trees. Someone had a dog right in the center of the park. They were a long way off. I kept our dog near the edge of the park. I let her know with soft voice commands that she was to stay by me. Some dog owners allow their dogs to go tearing across this field towards other people and dogs. I have always thought that was very bad manners.
Everything about my body language shouted, “I am not coming over there, and I’m not interested in interacting.” I kept my back to this person and his or her dog most of the time, looking over occasionally only to keep track of what was going on. The dog was crouched in the grass. It obviously wanted to play. Every so often I looked over, and it would have moved closer. Clearly, the owner was exerting some sort of control over the animal. But before I knew it, the dog was racing across the field towards us.
At first I thought, “Oh well, maybe they’ll just play.” Instead, my dog, who had looked like she very much wanted to play, went snarling after this dog. She chased it until it ran away. I could hardly blame her. She was on her best behavior. When a dog comes charging at another dog, especially my dog, there’s no guarantee the charging dog will get a friendly response. I simply put a leash on my dog, turned my back on the person and his or her dog, and walked away.
I was flummoxed. What about my body language had suggested that it was reasonable to allow a dog to race across the field toward my dog and me? My dog’s body language said that she wanted to play, but my body language clearly stated, “I am not interested”. Did that person consider my dog’s desires to be more important than mine? Or was that person simply clueless? I think the latter is more likely.
I left the park hoping that the person would connect the dots. “A person is ignoring me, her dog looks friendly, my dog charged over, and her dog snarled and chased it away. Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t let my dog race across the field towards a person who is clearly not interested. Maybe she has a good reason.” The more I understand about dogs, the less patience I have with people who don’t understand them. I wound up thinking that this person was an absolute idiot. That’s probably not quite fair. But I would imagine that people who understand children really well experience the same sort of frustration when dealing with people who do not understand children very well.
Next time I see that dog and that person, I’m outta there!
