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Rude Little Dog Owner

2K views 26 replies 23 participants last post by  FinnTastic 
#1 ·
I was SO annoyed today! I had my brother's dog Blue at the pet store for some cookies and socialization (to people) and it was fairly busy and Blue was behaving like a perfect gentleman. There was one lady there with a squirmy rat terrier who was very nice and she came up to pet Blue and Blue was very good. Then, this other "lady" comes in carrying her chi and she walks down the aisle towards Blue, scoops her dog up even higher and says in a nasty voice, "DON'T let your dog jump on me."

Say what? Blue was sitting and when this "lady" approached, he stood up and was wagging his tail, showing NO inclination to jump on her. I said in a fairly nasty tone back, "he doesn't jump up" and we walked off. Here's a tip, "lady": if you have a problem with dogs jumping on you, it's probably because you're carrying your rat-dog. Put a leash on that sucker and let him walk like a normal dog.

It shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did, but boy, I was fuming! Here I had just been thinking what a well-behaved boy Blue was being then I get a nasty lady like that. Not to mention she shifted her hand out of the way when she walked by to stop Blue from even touching her.

I'm a big dog fan but I like small dogs, too. I like any dog who doesn't act like an idiot...I had just told the lady with her little rat terrier or min pin how cute he was. But it does seem like some small dog people don't like big dogs? I don't know. I was just so annoyed!
 
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#2 ·
Some little dog people are like that... we had a similar situation some years back when we had two goldens that we'd take to the petstore with us. A woman who did not have a dog with her, but had all the evidence (dog food for small dogs, etc) got in line behind us and she kept looking at our dogs like they terrified and repulsed her. It was bizarre.

This is unrelated, but is Blue still growing? :)
 
#23 ·
Glad it's not just me who's had bad experiences with little dog owners! I don't have a problem with well-behaved little dogs (or their owners) but it seems people think a little dog doesn't need to behave since they can just pick it up and remove it from the situation. Though I've heard from so many trainers that picking up little dogs is bad for the little dogs AND for situations because it makes the big dogs want to jump up whereas they'd be fine if the dog was on the ground like a normal dog. This is definitely ranger's case. He can ignore little dogs until they're lifted up, then he does what fostermom says: lifts himself up on his back paws (but not touching with his front paws) to try to sniff the dog.




Haha, yeah I measured him yesterday and he's not 30'' at the shoulder. He is one BIG BOY. The chi was smaller than his head!


Let me start off by saying that I rarely post, but being a owner to both a small and big dog, I just wanted to give yall a different perspective of little dog.

My 3 year old golden has been raised around a 11 year old maltese (RIP lil girl) and now I have a 9 month old Papillion. My golden boy Neo is probably the perfect example of what a golden should be. He is well behaved, gentle, loves kids, and just overall a sweet guy. He has definatlly rubbed off those traits onto my Papillion Austin. Austin has to live by the same rules that my golden boy does. Hes not allowed to jump on you, not allowed to nip at you, and he has to sit before any one is allowed to pet him.

I do agree that small dogs do have their faults. Austin will sound the alarm before my golden boy does. Austin is definatly a little more skittish around kids, but Neo has slowly been showing him that kids are a good thing, and they come with treats :p:

For the most part, yeah little dogs are a pain in the a** but please keep in mind that there are exceptions to every rule, just like some big dogs are a pain in the a**. Being that Austin shows no fear of big dogs, because thats all he knows, he is the first to great a big dog. Yet the owners of a big dog suddenly get scared and think that he is a bitter even tho I explain that Austin has a big golden brother. All i ask is that everyone please just keep a open mind about little dogs.

I choose to have one because I love the breed. Austin is a sweet boy. Yeah he can have his faults and live up to the breed "stereotype" at times, but I think that is with all dogs.

Sorry for my rant, but I just felt the need to defend the little guys since I do love both small and big. I do agree tho that it does have to deal a great bit with the owners. Maybe I'm just one of those people who won't let my little guy do something that by big boy isn't allowed to do. Perhaps tho, those of you who do have a big dog, don't be so unsure of a little dog if they come up to greet your big dog. If the owner explains that they little one is used to big dogs, then let them play. The little guy will know how to hold his own. :p:
Sorry, I should have clarified my post title - the little dog wasn't rude, the OWNER was. I have no problem with nice little dogs and honestly, the chi wasn't barking or causing a commotion, he was just sitting nicely in the "lady's" arms. It was the owner's attitude towards a big dog that I found repulsive. The other lady in the store who had the little rat terrier/min pin was super nice, as was her dog. She came over to pet Blue and I complimented her cute dog because he/she was a cutie!

I just don't like the attitude of some small dog owners. No one's saying you need to love big dogs, but at least don't act like they're repulsive as you're walking by. A good dog is a good dog, no matter what the size.

And thanks everyone for the compliments on Blue's behaviour! He gets intense socialization everytime I get him and he's getting better and better. No growling or fear at the pet store (second time in a row).

For anyone who may not have seen a pic of Blue, here's Ginormous Blue (AKA Big Head):
 
#3 ·
Here's a tip, "lady": if you have a problem with dogs jumping on you, it's probably because you're carrying your rat-dog. Put a leash on that sucker and let him walk like a normal dog.
LOL!! I know you're fuming, and I totally understand you! This just made me laugh how you said it :)

But it does seem like some small dog people don't like big dogs? I don't know. I was just so annoyed!
I agree with you on this.

I personally am not a big fan of small dogs, mostly because of what the owners make them into.... yappy little princes and princesses! :p:
(I know I'm generalizing here :) )
 
#6 ·
Actually, Jasper and Danny are not jumpers. If they jump up next to you, the don't put their paws on you. But if you are carrying a cat or a small dog (or puppy) they can't contain their curiosity and will jump up to sniff them (still no paws on you). I think Blue did admirably well, personally. I probably would have told the woman to take her stick out of....well you know where.
 
#7 ·
YEAH Blue!! You did so good today, be proud of yourself buddy. I have a bad habit of busting out laughing at people getting all huffing while holding "dog wanna-bees". It is a defense response but it's either laugh at them or get in their face and blast them. It's better not to "BLAST".

Dogs are dogs and I feel real sorry for little dogs that are not allowed toe "dogs".
 
#8 ·
Ah well, this isn't the same but I've heard parents walk by with their kids and go "don't get near the biiiiiigggg dog, she will BITE you!" and in the same breath "oh look at that little one.. sooo cute! go pet it!" when there's a little dog straining on its leash like some rabid animal.

BAH.
 
#9 ·
Little dog owners have the biggest attitude it seems. With the except of the little dog owners who have been in Tucker's obedience class, whose dogs were the sweetest things, I typically despise them. They come off as snotty with a better than thou attitude. No thanks. Take your little brat of a dog and keep walking. Been there. Good job Blue! Way to make your Aunt proud....
 
#10 ·
Next time just kindly let them know that his brain is bigger than their entire dog (maybe a bit of an exaggeration, I know), and that they don't need to worry about him because he's more intelligent than their dog will ever be.

Small dog people please don't kill me for that comment... I actually think that small dogs are pretty cute I just don't like a lot of their owners. It's the dressing a dog in funny clothes thing that gets me :).
 
#11 ·
Our neighbors have a little 7 pound guy (that I love) and the husband always says "How bright can he actually be, his brain is the size of a walnut". Cute dog though!

Now in regards to the rude lady in the words of my husband my golden retriever was bit twice once by a toy poodle, and the other time another small dog. He was doing absolutely nothing at the time either, just minding his business.
 
#13 ·
LOL...these little rats are the once that will bite, one of my clients dogs a little mix, don't even know what he is, no more then 5 pounds turned into a demon last week, he was coming after me, he was gonna kill me if I didn't get away from him..lmao

Blue did really good, my guys usually ignore these little once..to many bad encounters..lol
 
#14 ·
We're not fans of ankle biters, either. Although they may be cute, they're just toys aren't they?

Cole and I walked into PetSmart one day - and let me say he is always a perfect gentlemen when we are in stores. He's never rude at all. So, we walk in and immediately, and I mean IMMEDIATELY here's a Saint Bernard that barked so loud and mean that I almost wet MYSELF! I can't even imagine how Coley felt! I was so pissed off I wanted to yell at them.

How dare they have a dog like that unmuzzled in a pet store. Everytime we walked around the corner, that dog acted like he wanted to attack. Yes, Cole was intact at the time but OMG!!! We weren't the only ones he was aggressive towards, either. I could hear him posturing several rows away. How in the world could you miss that demon dog!

Some dogs people!
 
#17 ·
I have an almost 14 year old Chihuahua. I inherited her from my grandma when she was just a year old. I dressed her up and took her everywhere with me. Then I decided I wanted a "real dog" and got Zoe as a pup. A pup was all I could bring in because Minnie (chi) would not have an adult dog in the house. Seven years later Minnie is the pack leader but very tolerant of all the dogs and fosters brought in. Zoe taught her how to be a 6lb golden. Although, she doesn't like people she doesn't know picking her up and little kids rushing toward her. It is funny how when I have them all out together how people gravitate toward the small dog. I always tell them "she will bite you, but these big dogs would love you to pet them". Minnie is actually so ugly she is cute! My mom does take her to the assisted living facility and she runs around there and gets treats from everyone and is a pretty good girl, which I attribute to her "golden training". I will probably never have a small dog again, but i made a commitment and I do love her! I think some people generalize big dogs because of people like the one with the St Bernard at the pet store.
 
#18 ·
Some little dog owners are a nightmare. I got into arguments with them more than once. They scoop their dogs up when they see Cooper (even when Cooper was 5/6 months old!) and insist that "he's too big!" as if that meant he's a hazard.

When I was studying to be a vet tech, one of the things our teacher told us is that little dogs can suffer from severe pain due to the lack of exercise when their owners just carry them everywhere and don't let them walk. It can become so severe that it sometimes takes months of rehabilitation for the legs to work properly again.

Personally, I'm not a very big fan of small dogs but I do like some of them. Not surprisingly, the ones I like have amazing owners that treat them like dogs, not dolls. And Cooper is a fan of toy poodles, he just loves them.

BTW, I really like St Bernards, but I've met some that were highly aggressive and impossible to control. I wouldn't own one.
 
#19 ·
I couldn't own a "toy" dog but my fav dog was my jack russel mix...

And I hate those who can't let their dog be a dog. I never treated my jack russel any different because she was small. She LOVED bigger dogs.

When I only had Hayden people with smaller dogs always scooped them up. She liked the little things and only wanted to run beside them.


As far as aggressive behavior goes i've been bitten by more little dogs than big. Only one "big" dog got me and it was a very aggressive Chow mix (I was a groomer). When I worked at Petsmart I had this Pom that was so docile... until it started to wake up... They don't take aggressive dogs or drugged dogs. The lady drugged it and didn't say a word. I went to get him to finish his groom up and the little ........ dog..... bit right through my thumb. Thankfully i'm not tall since I dropped him. Co workers heard me cuss (oops lol) and came trotting in. No one could get near him so they used whatever they could to "hoard" him back into the cage. Had to make the owner get him. She told me she was sorry and all I could do is glare at her. It hurts when they get to the bone!! She's lucky I can control my anger because my first thought was this thing is about the size of a **** football - lets see. And i'm a VERY big animal lover.. Chow bite didn't piss me off one bit! But then again the owner told me the Chow bites...

Oohhh and those little white dogs .. uhm.. Crap been too long I can't remember breeds. They have a diva personality. Sweet little things until you try to groom them. WOW! I take them off the grooming table and they want to play. It's the oddest thing ever.
 
#20 ·
Let me start off by saying that I rarely post, but being a owner to both a small and big dog, I just wanted to give yall a different perspective of little dog.

My 3 year old golden has been raised around a 11 year old maltese (RIP lil girl) and now I have a 9 month old Papillion. My golden boy Neo is probably the perfect example of what a golden should be. He is well behaved, gentle, loves kids, and just overall a sweet guy. He has definatlly rubbed off those traits onto my Papillion Austin. Austin has to live by the same rules that my golden boy does. Hes not allowed to jump on you, not allowed to nip at you, and he has to sit before any one is allowed to pet him.

I do agree that small dogs do have their faults. Austin will sound the alarm before my golden boy does. Austin is definatly a little more skittish around kids, but Neo has slowly been showing him that kids are a good thing, and they come with treats :p:

For the most part, yeah little dogs are a pain in the a** but please keep in mind that there are exceptions to every rule, just like some big dogs are a pain in the a**. Being that Austin shows no fear of big dogs, because thats all he knows, he is the first to great a big dog. Yet the owners of a big dog suddenly get scared and think that he is a bitter even tho I explain that Austin has a big golden brother. All i ask is that everyone please just keep a open mind about little dogs.

I choose to have one because I love the breed. Austin is a sweet boy. Yeah he can have his faults and live up to the breed "stereotype" at times, but I think that is with all dogs.

Sorry for my rant, but I just felt the need to defend the little guys since I do love both small and big. I do agree tho that it does have to deal a great bit with the owners. Maybe I'm just one of those people who won't let my little guy do something that by big boy isn't allowed to do. Perhaps tho, those of you who do have a big dog, don't be so unsure of a little dog if they come up to greet your big dog. If the owner explains that they little one is used to big dogs, then let them play. The little guy will know how to hold his own. :p:
 
#21 ·
Honestly, it's really not the small dogs fault it's the owners. There are plenty of small dogs that are treated like a dog but we just don't see/hear about them, it's only the "toys" that area treated like a doll or baby that have no idea how to interact with other dogs or humans. It is very sad too because they are DOGS.

Give me a big ole Tom-Cat any day, my Isaac (a big tuxedo) used to lay out on our patio when we lived in Yonkers. The neighbors Yorkie would run over barking and growling and all he ever did was look at the Yorkie, yawn and go back to sleep. That poor dog would look so confused.... but he always just "shut-up" and sauntered back home. Isaac was a true "pack leader". :) I have adopted his philosophy when it comes to little dogs - ignore them. Now some of the owners... not so easy!! ;)
 
#22 ·
Went to petland yesterday (didn't buy anything, wanted to work the foster with distractions and then took Ticket in to see fishies). Ticket was sitting behaving himself and this woman 'let' her little dog drag her over and he was sniffing Ticket's butt. This little dog was hackles up at first and I thought 'uh oh' but Ticket looked first and just wagged and it was fine. Then the woman said 'sorry about that' and I just said 'oh it's fine, had it been a sheltie there might have been blood. Made her think maybe she should just let her little dog go up big dog's butts in tight spaces - or to approach from the front so they can see each other. Ticket has gotten much better about little dogs at least.
 
#24 ·
I love any dog, small, medium, large, or XL as long as it is not a biter or an excessive barker. My experience has been that Pit Bull owners can have a far worse attitude than Toy Poodle owners. Personally, I think that GR's are the best; but that's my opinion and other people are entitled to theirs.

Here's another perspective. My 95 year old mother lives in a lovely assisted living facility where pets are allowed as long as they are under 20 lbs. Many people have cats but the dog owners have to stick to the smaller breeds. Most of the dog owners had larger dogs when they were young but have no choice now. When I visit mom I see beautiful well cared for dogs who have owners who love them. These tiny dogs are lifesavers for their owners because caring for the dog, walking it, socializing with it, etc. gives many an elderly person a sense of purpose and a loving companion. Not a yappy snobby owner in the group.
 

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#27 ·
I was dog sitting once and we were walking on a busy street in the city by a cafe. Now, this dog was the sweetest dog in the whole world... I loved him and he wasn't even mine. Anyway, we were walking by this cafe with some tables outside and there is a little yorkie barking at us. Domino was a mix of lab, pit, boxer and probably some other things, but he looked mostly like a lab. This couple's yorkie was barking and lunging at us. Do you know what the owners did? They were urging there dog on!!! They said things like get 'em, good dog get 'em. I was so ANNOYED. Domino, the dog I was dog sitting, could care less that this snarly little dog was growling and lunging at him and continued to walk. They were lucky b/c another dog might or reacted to their yorkie's nonsense and done some serious damage.
All this to say that small dog owners are idiotic when it comes to their dogs. Good boy , Blue. You did a great job.
 
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