I was at dog club last night. It's not my local dog club, but I was given
membership there under the premise that I handle their tracking tests this
year.

I had called a tracking meeting and sat in on some of the classes as i
waited for meeting time. One of the handlers had a ST Bernard puppy, and
she walked in with a big slobbery puppy and let the puppy run up to
everyone, and leave big strings of drool all over their clothes. I assume
they felt comfortable being with dog people, But I know i have space
issues. i have a bad back, and don't like being bumped, jarred, jumped on,
or pulled. It hurts. So I have space issues when it comes to people AND
dogs. i want to touch the dog when I want to, but I don't ever want a dog
invading my space unless i ask.

I wore my best clothes to the meeting and came dogless. When that St
Bernard got done, i had huge strings of drool wiped all over. I felt
imposed upon. I understand the need of socializing a dog, but I really felt
offended when you KNOW you have a dog that's going to goober a person, you
should control your dog and ask first if it's ok.

I think it's just manners.

I have a breed that if they brush up against you, I know you are going to
get white hairs all over your clothes. I try to groom them to keep that to
a minimum, but even in the schools, the roller tape gets packed, and people
get warned they are a breed that will cover you in hair. If you aren't
aware, you are aware of your choice before i allow you to pet my dog.

I was extremely offended that this big goobery St Bernard was imposed on me
without my permission. I think dog clubs should school owners in courtesy
as well as schooling their dogs in manners.

diddy wrote:

I think it's just manners.

It is. I don't like other people's dogs jumping and crawling on me,
either. It's just rude. I'm understanding about it if the owner is
obviously trying to teach the dog some manners, but too often, they
aren't.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

Shelly spoke these words of wisdom in news:fp1edr$7ba
:

diddy wrote:

I think it's just manners.

It is. I don't like other people's dogs jumping and crawling on me,
either. It's just rude. I'm understanding about it if the owner is
obviously trying to teach the dog some manners, but too often, they
aren't.


But this puppy was in puppy class for socialization and manners. But I
STILL think before automagically imposing your dog on someone who is going
to push and shove, impose themselves on you, and then soil you drastically,
you should be ASKED first if it's ok. The lady that sat next to me was
offended also. She's a long time dog owner/trainer with advanced titles. A
dog's dog person (who happened to have the best behaved dog in the class)
She had a little bitty dog who could have easily been crushed and injured
by that big space unaware St Bernard, and is elderly, and worried about
upcoming surgery to avoid her pain she is experiencing. She didn't feel the
mauling by a big overly friendly St Bernard that can and does injure
accidently was particularly welcome either.

In our puppy classes, the little puppies are separated from the big breed
puppies to keep little puppies from being inadvertantly crushed. I was
still very offended because of the goobering. I am going to ask that dog
club that basic OWNER manners guidelines should be offered at least as a
handout in that class. I was wondering if I was wrong.

"diddy" none wrote in message
. ..
(snip)
I was
still very offended because of the goobering. I am going to ask that dog
club that basic OWNER manners guidelines should be offered at least as a
handout in that class. I was wondering if I was wrong.

That is a very good idea. I'm sure many owners are simply unaware that they
are creating a nuisance, and good manners from the owners goes part and
parcel with good manners from the dogs. It should all be part of the same
mindset. As a handout, it will be official and something to pay attention
to.
Karla

"diddy" none wrote in message
. ..
I was extremely offended that this big goobery St Bernard was imposed on
me
without my permission. I think dog clubs should school owners in courtesy
as well as schooling their dogs in manners.

You've got a good point. And this dog isnt' going to be a puppy forever -
he's going to knock people over.
I'd be the one calling the goobery st bernard over to get drooled on.

diddy none said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

I understand the need of socializing a dog, but I really
felt offended when you KNOW you have a dog that's going to
goober a person, you should control your dog and ask first
if it's ok.

Goobering dog or not, it's still an imposition.

I've had a number of people tell me that they prefer puppy Maybe
over puppy X simply because I wait for an invitation before I
allow Maybe to jump all over them.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

Rocky spoke these words of wisdom in
:

diddy none said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

I understand the need of socializing a dog, but I really
felt offended when you KNOW you have a dog that's going to
goober a person, you should control your dog and ask first
if it's ok.

Goobering dog or not, it's still an imposition.

I've had a number of people tell me that they prefer puppy Maybe
over puppy X simply because I wait for an invitation before I
allow Maybe to jump all over them.


I am so relieved to find my being offended by pushy dogs is not
unreasonable, but I'm also aware that I'm a person of espescially sensitive
space issues

"diddy" none wrote in message
. ..
Shelly spoke these words of wisdom in
news:fp1edr$7ba
:

diddy wrote:

I think it's just manners.

It is. I don't like other people's dogs jumping and crawling on me,
either. It's just rude. I'm understanding about it if the owner is
obviously trying to teach the dog some manners, but too often, they
aren't.


But this puppy was in puppy class for socialization and manners. But I
STILL think before automagically imposing your dog on someone who is
going
to push and shove, impose themselves on you, and then soil you
drastically,
you should be ASKED first if it's ok. The lady that sat next to me was
offended also. She's a long time dog owner/trainer with advanced titles.
A
dog's dog person (who happened to have the best behaved dog in the class)
She had a little bitty dog who could have easily been crushed and injured
by that big space unaware St Bernard, and is elderly, and worried about
upcoming surgery to avoid her pain she is experiencing. She didn't feel
the
mauling by a big overly friendly St Bernard that can and does injure
accidently was particularly welcome either.

In our puppy classes, the little puppies are separated from the big breed
puppies to keep little puppies from being inadvertantly crushed. I was
still very offended because of the goobering. I am going to ask that dog
club that basic OWNER manners guidelines should be offered at least as a
handout in that class. I was wondering if I was wrong.

I understand your issues with this, and I agree that a big puppy like this
StB should not be allowed to act this way in a general meeting. But if this
happened in puppy class, it should have been seen by the instructor and
handled appropriately. Otherwise it just seems like common sense for
someone to be expected to control their dog, even if it is a puppy, or not
be allowed to be in that situation.

I can remember when Muttley would jump up a lot, and it was sort of fun for
me sometimes to "dance" with him, but not when his paws were dirty with mud
or worse. And my friend Helene, who originally rescued him, was unable to
tolerate his exuberant displays of affection, as she only weighs half what
I do and has limited use of one arm. But he has settled down a lot since
those days, partly from training and partly from maturity. I think he acted
pretty well with new people on his visit to Riderwood. He sat nicely in the
shotgun seat when we talked to the guard, and I just said he was my ugly
dog-face brother Actually, I think there were lots of other dogs coming
in at that time.

Paul and Muttley

"Paul E. Schoen" spoke these words of wisdom in
:


"diddy" none wrote in message
. ..
Shelly spoke these words of wisdom in
news:fp1edr$7ba
:

diddy wrote:

I think it's just manners.

It is. I don't like other people's dogs jumping and crawling on me,
either. It's just rude. I'm understanding about it if the owner is
obviously trying to teach the dog some manners, but too often, they
aren't.


But this puppy was in puppy class for socialization and manners. But I
STILL think before automagically imposing your dog on someone who is
going
to push and shove, impose themselves on you, and then soil you
drastically,
you should be ASKED first if it's ok. The lady that sat next to me was
offended also. She's a long time dog owner/trainer with advanced
titles. A
dog's dog person (who happened to have the best behaved dog in the
class) She had a little bitty dog who could have easily been crushed
and injured by that big space unaware St Bernard, and is elderly, and
worried about upcoming surgery to avoid her pain she is experiencing.
She didn't feel the
mauling by a big overly friendly St Bernard that can and does injure
accidently was particularly welcome either.

In our puppy classes, the little puppies are separated from the big
breed puppies to keep little puppies from being inadvertantly crushed.
I was still very offended because of the goobering. I am going to ask
that dog club that basic OWNER manners guidelines should be offered at
least as a handout in that class. I was wondering if I was wrong.

I understand your issues with this, and I agree that a big puppy like
this StB should not be allowed to act this way in a general meeting. But
if this happened in puppy class, it should have been seen by the
instructor and handled appropriately. Otherwise it just seems like
common sense for someone to be expected to control their dog, even if it
is a puppy, or not be allowed to be in that situation.

I can remember when Muttley would jump up a lot, and it was sort of fun
for me sometimes to "dance" with him, but not when his paws were dirty
with mud or worse. And my friend Helene, who originally rescued him, was
unable to tolerate his exuberant displays of affection, as she only
weighs half what I do and has limited use of one arm. But he has settled
down a lot since those days, partly from training and partly from
maturity. I think he acted pretty well with new people on his visit to
Riderwood. He sat nicely in the shotgun seat when we talked to the
guard, and I just said he was my ugly dog-face brother Actually, I
think there were lots of other dogs coming in at that time.

Paul and Muttley
Muttley never hit my radar of out of control dogs. He was VERY well
mannered, and for all I had read about him, I was pleasantly surprised and
amazed at his manners considering his history. I still made sure Tuck
never came close to him.

diddy none wrote in
:

I am so relieved to find my being offended by pushy dogs is not
unreasonable, but I'm also aware that I'm a person of espescially
sensitive space issues

You aren't the only one. I'm less bothered by pushy dogs than people
who invade my personal space, but it still bugs me. Some folks don't
have any personal space issues, though, so they really don't
understand that their behavior (or their dogs, perhaps) is a problem.
I don't know that that makes them rude. Maybe they're just as
handicapped as you or I, but in the opposite direction?

All I know is that I do not like space invaders!

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)