Sorry for the little rant but.. I'm SICK of people trying to use my lovely puppy for their own benefit Lately I've had a lot of requests from people to "bring Stanley to help them.." The main ones are help teach their dog recall and socialise their dog. I've explained numerous times that their dog following Stanley isn't teaching their dog recall, they're just following mine and are unsure why!! And I keep getting the requests from everyone about socialising their dog. I'm more than happy for Stanley to be introduced to other dogs, I really don't mind but I'm sick of him being tormented by badly behaved dogs. He's such a placid friendly babe that he would never dream of telling another dog off - so when they start annoying him he just cowers away. Just seems to be "Jenny's got a nice dog, so that'll help us" not realising that Stanley isn't a fluke. He's hours of hard work, patience and love! I feel a bit better now I've gotten that off my chest
It like they don't see the dog as a living breathing thinking entity just as a tool to make their lives easy. I don't like that, dogs have a right to be treated as individual creatures who have needs and self determination. You see this attitude reflected in the way they are treated as chattels. Thoughtlessly treating stanners like this is wrong he is so much more than that. Id be annoyed too. Hope you are both ok and its not upset you too much
Oh, I empathise , Sam is non confrontational and easy going , we also get other owners wanting to accompany us on walks , so that maybe his demeanour will rub off on their dogs ! Sometimes I don't mind, but sometimes I do , I enjoy it just being me and the pair of them without some pesky interloper jumping around them . Poor Stanley , Sam says he feels your pain and I feel your anquish , its not on x
You could take it as a compliment that you have done such an amazing job with Stanley But I would draw the line if any dog started on Stanley so that he cowers away. That's a no, no. x
Oh I would take it as a compliment, but decline politely...saying that your lab is training to detect drug residue in poo which means a lot of stopping and sniffing poo on walks.. in particular hunting out human poo..
Thanks everyone! I'll try and take it as a compliment. I've just started to politely decline. I guess my main worry is that Stanley gets pushed too far and snaps one day, I'd hate to have put him in that position I get so protective of my little sausage! We'll just stick to walking with his nice friends Mila and Basil
I just tell people that my dog is not there as a teaching aid or a form of discipline for theirs they need to work on their own dogs, but I am a c*w who's got to the point were I'm heartly sick of my dogs being affected ill behaved dogs of others.
I can't understand how people think that's acceptable. Molly can be a real hooligan with other dogs sometimes but I wouldn't dream of asking someone with a well behaved dog if they can bring them to be pulverised by Molls. I'd just hurry past red-faced whilst trying to get and maintain Molly's attention
Yes, definitely a compliment to you and Stanley! I don't even think you need to give a reason for not being able to accept every request like this. Most people should take a "I'm sorry, I just don't have time right now" and leave it at that. If they don't - well, then "sausage" to them. I must say, this issue is certainly a "Lab-centric" one. I was never in 20 years asked if one one of my Rotties would help socialise another dog!
Finn was a really good stooge for a time, then got attacked by a GSD whose owner thought Finn could help his dog. Since then, Finn gets in first with the growl and lunge, he will not tolerate any dogs at all. So we are now reduced to street walking on lead, crossing over if we spot any other dogs. I know it's the cowards way out but he has severe arthritis now and can be grumpy anyway. Poor lad!
