Hi everyone, whilst out walking yesterday we came around a corner to be faced with two REALLY BIG Irish Wolfhounds ( I think anyway ) it was only when we passed them that I realised that we'd grabbed our dogs and sort of ushered them past.

I suppose its just because we're not used to such big dogs so we were a bit nervous of them, but it got me thinking if everyone acts like this it must be horrible for owners and dogs alike to be avoided and never have dogs interact with you.

So I just wondered if people with large breeds do have problems with other people shying away from letting their dogs play with them ? perhaps thats the reason that whenever we have seen big dogs there always seems to be 2 or more of them.

Steve

Yep :) No-one wanted to let their dogs play with Willis when he was a pup - used to really upset me to see them gather up their dogs, glare, and run past.

I generally find it quite amusing now :) We have got used to it...but then Hudson looks wolfey to a lot of children :)

I did object to one idiot thinking Hudson was an Irish Wolfhound the other day though :rolleyes:

I probably speak for lots of giant breed owners when I say the biggest problem I have had is small dogs running up to them and hanging off their necks. Luckily GB's nearly always seem to treat this with the disdain it deserves!

Funny you should say that Jeff,  as i know a Jack Russell who does just that every time he sees a dog thats bigger than him,  which as you can imagine is quite often.

Steve

Hudson pees on little yappy dogs that won't leave him alone

:p :p

:D :D :D

I love meeting big dogs when I'm out with my 3 Staffs because invariably the owners are really happy for their dogs to play with my lot and my 2 younger boys can play as rough as they like without me having to panic that the owners are going to complain and drag their dogs away as the big dogs play just as rough as mine can do!

Actually, that might not have come out quite right, before anyone leaps on me and says I shouldn't allow my dogs to harass other dogs and play rough, I do ask if mine can play with their dogs and if the owner says yes, then I explain that Staffs can play rough, and only if the owner agrees do I then let mine go and play! :-)

We have a lovely Leonberger near us who enjoys a quick run with Morse and his owners are so happy to see it. They are nice people who take great care not to have him barge into any unsuspecting passer by and he never approaches other dogs without permission yet they have had a lot of fearful/angry reactions. Morse also happily plays with a Dane called Lily who is tunnel visioned and a bit deaf ( white with blue eyes so albino?) however another Dane called George flees from the mottled missile. Owners of Weim pups, GSDs and other energetic medium breeds are always happy to see us so maybe I should rent Manic Morse out as a Canine Personal Trainer :D

Wee dogs? Help!

LOL! Must be like standing under Niagara for a yorkshire terrier :D :D

I must admit i'm a bit wary, not of the other dog cos i love big dogs, but my dogs are a bit wary of other dogs (one of them hates any dog), so i just keep an eye out really.

They soon move Chloe :D :D

I let Jazz play with any dog providing its ok with the dog in questions owner.  His best friend is a great dane called Blue they happily trundle round the wood together and then have their mad half hour :D .

There is a lady who has two newfies near us and the younger one plays with a choccy lab.  Whilst out a couple of weeks ago we bumped into them and the newfie had the lab in its mouth :O.  They were only playing though quite happily but it wasnt half a sight.  I know the lady in question must spend about two hours at the wood because alot of people stop to ask what are they etc.

Michelle :)

It is not just large breeds,that some dog owners avoid.Being a border collie owner we have noticed several people who walk purposely in the opposite direction when Spice comes into view,some will put their dogs on leads and literally drag them away from us. I think the poor border collies are very much misunderstood,as are many other breeds I'm sure.

Spice so far,is a very well behaved and friendly dog,who appears to adore all other breeds large or small and is fond of children (and unfortunately anyone playing football )

She loves nothing more than a short game of 'tag' with other dogs,who want to play and whose owners are happy to let them have a little 'fun time' and she comes back quite happily if their dogs have given up on the 'game' or we call her to heel,which at 7months is quite good I think. She also has a 'doggy respect' for the older,frail dogs we have met up with and does not charge at them or pester them in any way and so far they have tolerated her with great patience.

The only problem we have encountered is with labs and their owners,she would happily go home with them!rather than me,so we are working on that problem with a squeaky toy which seems to have more attraction than the labs. :D it has taken a lot of experiments to get her to respond where labs.are concerned we tried everything to coax her into behaving well around them and this latest toy seems to have finally achieved a positive result. :)

Jacqueline.

I find that people will cross the street rather than walk past Abby, Since we got her we have had lots of people tell us that she is a dangerous dog and shouldn't ever be let off the lead she is well socalised never shown any signs of aggression and there is more chance of her licking you to death than anything else It doesnt bother me anymore just makes me even more determined(sp) to ensure she is properly trained and to educate people that all Dobermans are not bad. i can understand that some people may have bad experience with them I mean there is a Great Dane that lives near us that hates all dogs, her owners let her walk herself she has bitten Abby twice and she is not the only dog she has hurt but i do know that not all Great Danes are horrible.
Mary

My Beardies absolutely LOVE Great Danes, mainly because they went to the same ring-craft with some of my friends. They love Rotties too, for the same reason.

lol Kay

Hi Mary, as Ive said before Im getting over being scared of dobes ( one attacked me when I was about 10) and our training class is full of em. On Wednesday night I stroked my first dobe :) a tall young dog called Kino, Morse's partner in crime. Like you his owner is keen to have his dogs ambassadors for his breed and now I find Im confident with well socialised and handled dobermans. Keep up the good work with Abby and the more dobes like her and Kino people see the less fear theyll have Im sure. :)

I thought that it was because Barney is a big, hairy dog that people tried to avoid him, but if I am realistic, I think it's the fact that he is madly pulling on his lead to get to them to play and I am hanging on for dear life, shouting 'leave it Barney' - and getting ignored.  It must be very scary -  it certainly is for me!!
Lorna

I have two 2 yr old newfies and people with small dogs do generally scoop their dogs into their arms as though we would trample them to death!  And why is it considered funny when little dogs snap and growl at my dogs???  I did have to eat humble pie not to long ago though when I got fed up with yet another owner scooping "their little darling" into her arms as she saw us approaching.  Exasperated I said " no need mine are not the slightest threat to your dog"   Oh I know she replied,  I know they are gentle giants but my dog is a nasty little thing and will go for yours!  So I try not to judge now!!!!!!

my rottie is manic over newfies and bernese, to the point of he blanks me out when we see one and will do this little dance and winge and winge until he can say hello.
Carol

It's not always got to be a big dog that people avoid, as other owners can vouch, it's sometimes just the look of the dog.
I have a Mastiff and a Bullmastiff and people are terrified when we are out on walks.
My two are big softies and once when a woman screamed as we walked past, my dogs ignoring her, my Mastiff fell to the floor and wet herself.
I also have two JRT's and they are little b**gers. When they see someone they bark, even though they are on a lead, if I did leave them off the lead they would run over and jump all over everyone. I am in the middle of rectifying this behaviour but as you know Jrt's are not the easiest of breeds.
I've recently rescued a Presa bitch and although she is a friendly thing people are scared of her so I am muzzling her when out. With a muzzle on everyone wants to stroke her. She never shows aggression but if I mention taking off the muzzle they won't pet her.

When I was growing up, my next door neighbour had a Dane and a Westie - it was hilarious when you walked in the door, they would both be twirling round in circles to greet you, and the Westie would end up running round and round the Dane's legs, right under her tummy...

It's strange, really, the aversion some people have to larger dogs.  I can understand that they look more threatening but it's been my experience that they tend to be very gentle - it's the smaller dogs you have to watch out for!  Bit like Clydesdale horses - don't really bother with anyone, really.  Shetland ponies, though - they can be little gits!

I remember when Chance saw his first Great Dane at Ringcraft. He was gobsmacked His jaw almost reached the floor. ;) All night he watched this HUGE dog ( it was only 5 months old :D ) Once he'd met it he was ok, but I was in stitches. I just love the giant breeds.

One of our doctors has a Newfie. I was walking past his house one day when one of the local 'yobs' shouted at me to 'stay away from there missus, he's got a bear in his garden' He was terrified of it, and wouldn't go past. :D I still tease him about it. He became friends with my son and calmed down as he grew older. The Newfie was just adorable. Though it did look like a bear. :)

I have 2 newfoundlands 4yr old and 5 PJ is pretty big and I can see why some people have a problem with him just by looking. I know that he is a sweety and would not hurt a fly intentionally, I have got to the point where I excercise them separately as people always cross over the road even in the small village that we live in and have done for 7 years and have watched Megan grow up, Then when the 2 dogue de bordeaux turned up and grew and grew I think that they just about finished off any chance I had of trying to convince people that I was sane, and with the 2 Tibetan mastiff's all walked in rotation I think that finally finished it. in I meet savannah from school with one or two of the now and again, it is not usually the children that hang back it is some adults that cannot be convinced that they are not dangerous.

I was walking my akita-inu in the park yesterday,when a woman,approachind us with her westie,lifted her dog untill we got passed.Then round the corner a woman stopped with her yorkie who started snapping and biting at suki's face....untill she flattened it with one of her paw,s!

"It's strange, really, the aversion some people have to larger dogs.  I can understand that they look more threatening but it's been my experience that they tend to be very gentle - it's the smaller dogs you have to watch out for!"

I am sorry but I had to chuckle over this quote. Tee hee hee. (laughing without malice)Yes it is strange that people make generalizations about large dogs. It's even strange also that people make generalizations about small ones. LOL! LOL!

I have a 75 LB dog, an 80 LB one, a 15LB and a 5 LB. When we go on walks and occasionally run into someone, they sometimes go bounding up to say hello. The Chi's are barking, but they're really very friendly, would never ever bite, not aggressive one iota. They're just saying "Hi!!! yippeeeee skippeeee!!!" and then they stop and lick and wiggle in delight with meeting a new person....very friendly. The Lab, no one tends to worry about but the Doberman.....talk about discrimination. And he's as good as gold...super temperament.

So large or small....it's a hard thing to make generalizations that have any accuracy really. I'm sure there are aggressive dogs in both catagories and it so much depends how they're raised.

Poor Suki. I bet she had hurt feelings. That little brat has probably gotten away with acting however it pleases.

Carrie

Carrie,

That is just it, by the sounds of it you have large and small dogs, so do I. :-)

Twice this week I have read comments from people saying that people are stand offish when near their dogs due to size but then go on and do the exact same by saying, " Small dogs are the ones to watch" ROFLOL.. 

At the end of the day I think people in general do not worry directly which breed it is but more about the size. A big dog would flatten you quicker than a small.

We have a lab and westies and all are very well behaved outside.

BFN Pam