My friends and I were saying yesterday on our walk, people always call our dogs 'he' - my friends' dogs are a Boxer and a Rottie which I can kind of understand, but it does annoy me when people say "What's his name?" to my Cavalier, when she is wearing a diamante collar with pink bits on and a pink lead.

You lot are ever so sensitive :-)  I would take these comments as being friendly and if it wasn't, who cares.  I don't understand why parents of large families would be sensitive about it either.  I come from a family of four girls and people often made comments to my mother but I don't think she ever felt anything less than pride in us and laughed off comments about trying for a boy.

> I often meet people with small dogs who say to their own dogs "careful as he may eat you for his dinner"
>

i get this occassionally with the girls which i just laugh at as they are clearly huge softies, what with Keeper having a tendancy to fall over as soon as you look at her lol.

interestingly i never get this with tio, people just don't approach with other dogs (which given that he's none to partial to boys is a good thing!), probably because of his size and appearence. i usually get people (men mostly!) coming up with an awed expression asking what he is can can they say hello lol (he is ever so handsome :))

> i now have 13 all large breed...

Mandy, how on earth do you walk them all?  Do you do it in shifts or rope people into help?  I have days when walking 2 together is more of a chore or trial than a pleasure so totally admire you for managing 13.  do they all get on? and finally how do you sort out cosying in time with you?

Not replying to anyone in particular, just a funny story.

My aunt and I decided to go to Niagara Falls Canada, with Sonny (a black and tan min pin) and Scarlet (a dog I had a while ago, red min pin, natural ear).  Walking down Clifton Hill (very touristy spot, lots of people) this one guy said to us "I know what that one is (refering to Sonny) he's a doberman pinscher! But I dont know what that one is (refering to Scarlet)".  My aunt and I laughed, and said that they were both Miniature Pinschers!  But the way the guy said that he KNEW Sonny was a doberman!  LOL

Hi Ali, Well it is good fun, my mum lives on the property with us in an annexe so both me and mum are home all day with the dogs, so we go out together with two each, i do have land as well so they have free running all day when the weather is nice. they get on really well on the whole. I have one girl who is very dominant with the other girls and 2 males of a very close age that really DONT get on but other than that we are one big happy family.
I rotate all my dogs for sleeping in the house (apart from 3 that much prefer to be outside...their choice) i usually have 6 or 7 indoors each night and they all get a turn on the sofa for cuddles :)

Rotties were always my childhood dream and i always said i would have ONE one day...ha never dreamed i would have 10, i love them all and feel lucky to have them all in my life, my days are devoted to my dogs. I had my first day out last week (just for me) in 3 years, but i really wouldnt be happier any other way :)

>> Rotties were always my childhood dream and i always said i would have ONE one day...ha never dreamed i would have 10,

I haven't hit the teenage point with my boy yet so may change my mind but can see how addictive they are so far.  I take my hat off to you managing 13 dogs.

Neighbours can be such a pain can't they, but very handy to have in a crisis!!.

I had one neighbour who commented to another about our dogs barking one night,(strange lady likes a bit of a stir), but she was soon put in her place when the neighbour she was talking to informed her my dogs barking alerted her to a potential break in.... A point to my boys I think.....

13 Rotties was a lovely sight that must be!!

We went to the beach at West Bay today with all the pack 3 adults and Puppy face! plus my friend and her JRT, then went and sat on the bikers pitch (Lots of motorbikers sit there with the bikes and a cup of tea) we get loads of comments like " Rather feed them for a week than a fortnight" or "Who's taking who for a walk" They are pretty good on the leads so why we get this I don't know!! but we also get the woderfull comment like "What beutifull dogs" or "How well behaved they are" so it's swings and roundabouts really. At the moment with a 12 week old pup we have all the "Ooows and Ahhs" and everyone wants to stroke them so it's great for socialization. We went to my friends Pub for roasty beef and they all laid down fast asleep (they know the drill!!) the thing that annoys me most is when you have them all quiet and your eating and people will insist on chatting and getting them excited....please leave us alone to eat then you can have as many cuddles as you like!!!
Oh and by the way the combined weight is about 24 stone.....but I walk them all together without fear!...and I don't weigh ...quite....that much yet LOL;););)
Aileen

I too went to the beach today with my two, a few work colleagues and their jrt x chi. We went to a secluded part so we didn't have to interact with other dogs as my boy still needs his second jab, but all the same he needs to eb out and about socialising. I carried him down to the beach and he is a heavy lump already, being 11kg at just under 9 weeks old. Anyway managed to get him onto the beach and all set up. My colleagues/friends started making comments about me 'having my hands full', well yes technically as i have to carry pup for now, but as i said to them when he is allowed to walk on the ground he will do and i don't think it'll be hard work. My older boy is walked on a halti until i allow him to go free running and he's perfect and doesn't pull. Even my family think its going to be a task to walk them together, my older boy is much more up for it and hyper, but still good on a lead, my new boy is sooo laid back, if this lasts then i don't foresee any issues walking on a lead.

As above to all the other comments, yes get these as well. And for any little dog trying to pick a 'fight' with my boy, chances of him eating your dog for dinner - slim to none, he runs a mile when little dogs run at him yapping.. Bless.

Oh and as a PS One small(ish) pup one large ocean.....think she had her paws full...LOL
Aileen

I always get " god you have four dogs" i feel like saying well done for counting!!

At the moment i only take three out as the other one has ligement damaged and know one makes a comment about having 3

Blinking drives me mad

Oh and " you have your hands ful"

At first when we had 3 , we knew the neighbours would say something about havng the 4th but she looks so much like her daughter and took months for them to firgue out we had 4 ......made us laugh!!!

> You lot are ever so sensitive

I can understand why some may be - but I tend to see these comments as 'ice-breakers' and coming from Glasgow, where everyone seems to talk to strangers, I just smile and say something chatty and jokey back.

After PDE aired I read several horror stories about cav owners being abused verbally for walking their dogs.
I have never had this - or any other unpleasant comments about either the breed or number of dogs I own.

I asked my husband why he thought that was..."They wouldn't dare" :-) (And I thought he loved me :-) )

re the first post, what exactly is the complaint?

the neighbour makes some friendly banter?

thats good, isnt it?

i walk 3 big dogs all the time and always get comments, the sled one come up quite often

but its all good friendly neighbourhood sociability, then we have a nice chat

people normally complain when there neighbours arent approachable

I don't usually get comments walking both gsds, people are usually too busy dodging traffic as the walk past us in the middle of the road :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Fortunately I usually walk all the dogs seperately so they have some one to one time and a bit of training.

Edited to add: why can't I do the rolleyes thingy any more??

I've got 6 and we get the 'you've got your hands full there' or 'not another one' or 'I hope you pick up after that lot'.

I smile at the pleasant comments and treat the owners of the unpleasant ones with what my mother used to call my 'boot faced expression'  :(

when i walk our two akitas i get comments such as 'they taking you for a walk again', when i walk an akita with my crested i get people giggling and pointing which always amuses me. when my hubby and i walk the three dogs the favourite comment is 'his and her dogs'. (what makes me laugh the most is the same people say the same thing every day-it would be nice for some new comments)

Well I have two large dogs, who walk beautifully (thankfully) and I've never had a negative comment. I've decided my maximum would be the amount I could walk in one go, which if I have two on each hand would be 4. I have only once been dragged by them and that was when I was standing chatting outside a shop, whose owner came out and flung up the metal window shutters about 3 feet behind me!! Poor doggies, they probably jumped a mile!!!! I do think we have a responsibility though to make sure our dogs are well behaved in public, as the perception of out-of-control pack of dogs is not a good one.

It's always the non-dog owners who can't work out why we would want a dog at all... let alone more than one. We know why don't we???

No you see, my answer would have been 'more than crufts Nooo!, but I am working on having more!' really  frightens them into silence!
The other one I get is  'I bet they're a handful, duh! yes! 4 Goldens are pretty much a handful. My answer to the last man who said that was , yes! but still easier than a man.

we get comments of 'how do you cope in your house with three dogs and 2 cats all the time" - we only have a one bedroom house and we cope just fine.

I moved into a house 3 1/2 years ago that backs onto a park. I have walked my JRT and GSD there together at least once a day since and have met lots of people who say hello. Since I got my new pup 6 weeks ago I've walked him with my JRt and lots of people have stopped for a chat and I've made lots of new friends. I'm now walking my GSD alone there twice a day as she can't go much further and again people just say hello. Its made me realise how people judge certain breeds.

flora2

be proud and just tell them.
why should you not have as many dogs as you feel able to look after?

i generally get comments from alot of people but not bad comments as i have 3 staffs and people pass nice comments on how lovely and well behaved they all are but personally i would just ignore them dont give them the satisfaction of biting on their comment so wen u walk your dogs agai they probably wont comment.i could also blurt out a comment back if you feel you have to in a funny way and say you should see the other 2 im getting at the end of the week lol

I have 3 kids and 3 dogs and get comments on both. 'Are they ALL yours?' and all the comments on having your hands full, not too mention what a mixture they are. I ignore them all and just smile sweetly and move on. My mum has 2 dogs and was shocked when I got my third. People don't tend to think I'm nuts til they find out I've also got 6 ferrets, then they know I'm insane, especially when I say that we show them, like the dogs!! Still, I'm happy so it really doesn't matter!

snap shanab i got  3 dogs n 3 kids too and a litter of pups on their way soon so hey im happy to.i think its lovely to be able to home an animal its becomes family so wot the heck to them.wouldnt be without them all.so shanab i couldnt have said wot u said betta meself,lol oh  and
by the way im totally 100% completely n utterly nuts anyway lol.babygaldee

> yes! but still easier than a man.

My stock answer has always been 'far easier than the kids'

i agree.

People sometimes seem surprised when I say I have 3 and am angling for a 4th, but I don't care. Most of my friends have loads more! :-D My hubby says he's embarrassed to tell people how many we have, but I pointed out he didn't have to tell the truth as they're unlikely ever to go to a work meeting with him!

> My hubby says he's embarrassed to tell people how many we have

LOL mine too, When we had just the Labs hubby was embarrassed to tell them we were getting a third :).

I usually get the comment 'you've got your hands full' too, we have 4 children and 3 dogs also but i love our big family and i usually just reply 'yes, we have' and smile! :)

yes people always say hav thee got another and who's taking who for a walk

Sheila.

nearly always get comments, 3 bernese mountains and now a springer! We do get alot of attention like oh must cost you a fortune in feeding! And oh what a handful, i just smile, we used to get people walking passed with their smaller dogs saying, oh yours would eat my small dog for breakfast! But since springer has come along no one says it anymore!

I get what a beautiful girl about Whistler (but his back end view usually dispells that myth, he's all bloke).
Regarding both dogs no not really they more remark on Jake having different colour eyes. Im glad they are older now as they ignor most people, Jake loves kids though so I lead him when I see one approaching, or they get washed quicker than that. Ive stopped Whistler licking but Jake is a demon face washer for small people, its a habit I must get him out of.

On my walk this morning I had someone comment "you have your hands full" - I only had 2 dogs! Then again, one of them was screaming at me to walk to the field faster :-D (yes it was the Toller!)

it is quite amazing how people remember you by your dogs, since i had this new rescue springer i take her out seperate from the others if i on my own, and i have had several people say, where are your large dogs? Or aremt you the lady with the st bernards? Where are they? It is quite funny people either think my dogs are st bernards or newfoundlands! Clearly you can see they are different! Especially now eastenders has a bernese and a st bernard on the program you can see how different they are ! :)

> 7 years on and i now have 13

Oh how perfectly normal you sound   ;-) 

My mother is not an animal lover, and when she asked why I was getting another, I said "Because I can"

Have to admit that I no longer reply when people ask how many I've got.

hi luckydog its donna omg i cant believe im guna keep one of the pups from my bitch litter as i want a fourth dog too .level out my leads with joiners lol.i dont care what people think im proud of my dogs and my dogs love me very much so thats all that matters to.donna