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Post by ripley on Aug 6, 2004 17:48:23 GMT -5
OK, my friend and her family are notoriously UN-dog-savvy. Their 2 chihuahuas endure "baby holding" in which the dog is picked up by its armpits and then shifted into a normal holding position. They've known Ripley ever since I got him, and my friend is his "god-slave". Well, they seem to think that Ripley should be treated exactly as their dogs are!! EVERY SINGLE TIME they come over to my house, and Ripley goes to greet them, they all pick him up by HIS FREAKING ARMPITS and make him yelp! THEIR dog has been picked up like that since he was 8 weeks old and his leg bones have grown differently to accommodate a thumb being constantly under his armpit, with his entire 7 pounds resting on that. Ripley's HASN'T! So, I tell them, gently and respectfully every time, "He's not built like your dog, and that hurts him" and I ask them to please not hold him that way. THEY say "It probably doesn't hurt him as much as you think it does, some dogs are just babies about being picked up". Regardless, people, it's MY DOG. So now, poor Ripley is crated and leashed every time they come over to prevent his being injured. I tell them REPEATEDLY that he doesn't LIKE to be held and carried, and that the way they pick him up is uncomfortable, and they continue to unknowingly do it. My friend, also, talks to him in this "BABY VOICE" that he's entirely un-used to, and it gets him to start barking and being hyper. He knows this command: "TELL ME", and he'll growl/bark for me when I say that. Well, my friend seems to be fascinated by that, and all she does when my dog is in the room is say, in a baby voice, "tell me, Ripley, tell me! TELL ME!!!!" until I'm ready to pull my hair out. I don't feel comfortable correcting Ripley too hard for being so hyper when she's obviously aggravating him, But OMG, how friggin stubborn can you get?! She's fantastic to be around when she's not upsetting my dog, but SHE WON'T LEAVE HIM ALONE! Grr.. It just makes me sooooo mad, and I don't really know what to do since they come over so often... I've snapped at them before, and I've convinced the Dad to not pick him up as much, but my friend and her mom just keep doing it. Am I overreacting and being too possessive here?!
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Post by Brooke on Aug 6, 2004 22:30:30 GMT -5
I don't think you are over-reacting at all. I think it's your right to voice not only your concerns but your rules with your dog and be able to enforce them without lip. Small dogs are over-babied way too often and it causes behavior issues. So it's a valid concern. I would just tell them to please not dis-respect your wishes with your dog just as you do not with theirs. 1. The dog IS either in pain or 2. obviously doesn't want to be picked up to begin with since he's being a "baby" about it ....tell them to take a "hint" either way leave him alone.
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Post by ripley on Aug 6, 2004 22:42:37 GMT -5
That's the PROBLEM! They don't listen when I tell them to leave him on the ground (I tried to explain how to pick him up, and they must forget quicker than my yellow lab, because the next thing I know, it's YIP!) I dunno, maybe these people over-stereotype little dogs as being lap dogs that love to be held. (Ripley = Lap dog. HAHAHA ) Ah well, I just needed to vent, it's been driving me insane.
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Post by Richard on Aug 6, 2004 22:45:11 GMT -5
Either that or next time they come over just tell the classic "white lie".....Ripley isn't feeling too good today and he's been throwing up (do this while they're going to reach for him)....then add, he's had non-stop dhiareha too....then you can whisk Ripley out of the room (thus saving the molesting by the friends) and not have to save your dog <sigh> yet again. (trust me this works, I've used it before when the realitives I don't like are coming over....my armpits hurt like he!! after they left until I used this routine!!!) Then again, when you get your rescue GSD one day, invite them over and see if they can pick up a 85lb dog from under the arms....ho ho you say, not so easy and dont' worry, plastic surgery can fix that nose......!! -Richard
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Post by ripley on Aug 6, 2004 22:53:11 GMT -5
OMG, that's great, that would keep me laughing for hours to see the expression on their face when I tell them that! Oh, and I wouldn't doubt it about them picking up (at least trying to) a GSD. They allow their Labrador (The one that injured me, I might add. LOL) to crawl up into their laps while they're watching TV and let him lick them with that slimy lab slobber all over their faces until he gets what he wants.
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Post by sibemom on Aug 7, 2004 3:30:30 GMT -5
I agree just take him out of the situation because they just don't get it There is one of my students that comes over sometimes to visit and I always have to put the dogs away because he will aggrivate Blade untill he gets him SOOOOOOOOOO HYPER, it takes a couple of hours to settle him down. I have explained that we do not play rough with the dogs because of having a young child in the home we do not want to encourage that type of behaivor. He doesnt get it. Once he kept at him untill the dog got so crazy. He jumped up and ripped the pocket off his shirt. He got mad, and I said "DON'T EVEN GO THERE " "I told you that if you get rough with him you are doing it at your own risk, and he will play BUT you are not going to be able to handle it" Blade would never bite but he will give you one heck of a run for your money in the rough play department. So now if he shows up on my doorstep I put both dogs in their crates, untill he leaves. Blade is very well mannered but a dog can only take so much
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Post by Nicole on Aug 7, 2004 7:20:53 GMT -5
I agree that you should put Ripley away when they come over and perhaps eventually they will get the message. I know that it is hard to be direct with friends but there reaches a point where you have to just do it. Say I have told you countless times that I don't want you doing this and you still do it anyway and so Ripley cannot come out to play with you anymore. If you stop doing this I will let you see Ripley. Train your friend like you would your dog. One armpit grap, say no to your friend and put the dog away. Try again.... and so on. They will get the hint. Honestly, a good friend would respect your wishes. If they don't then they don't deserve to play with Ripley.
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Post by ripley on Aug 7, 2004 13:46:50 GMT -5
I guess I will start putting him in his crate when they come over... Thanks for the suggestions, guys!
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Post by Iluvmypup on Sept 6, 2004 10:02:46 GMT -5
This post aggrivated me soooo much, just because I can relate to practically everything you said. ;D My yellow lab SPEAKS upon command, and when a certain couple comes over, they have a thrill with it. "SPEAK!...C'mon..SPEAK!". She'll keep doing it but starts getting confused why she isn't getting praised for a job well done. I usually step in, praise her, and tell the company "Thats enough for now...I don't want her to get confused, if you know what I mean." They stop...then, after my lab has fallen asleep, they start calling her to them.."Does your dog jump on people on command? I'd like to see how tall she is compared to my dog who is, like, always jumping on me." I just roll my eyes... ...and say "No, she won't jump on command..I always found that a very useless trick to teach, especially for a 70 pound lab." But still, they try to get her to jump, while I click and treat her for remaining seated... Its actually a great training set-up in the long run. AND I HATE THAT "BABY TALK"!!! I baby talk all my dogs, but not as far to get them going and hyper and out-of-control. My goodness, what is it with people? Ahh...that felt good to get it out... ;D I just wanted to say how much I can relate and how annoying people who know nothing about dogs can be. They have wild dogs and wonder why, thinking that my dogs were 'born good', while theirs are 'untrainable'. Right...
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Post by ripley on Sept 6, 2004 13:54:33 GMT -5
Haha, Luv, are you sure it's not the same couple who harrasses my dog?? Ripley will make a cute little 'woo woo' sound on command, so when I say "tell me, Rippy" he does his woo and gets his praise. Well, my friend is OBSESSED with that noise.. She giggles like a crazy schoolgirl whenever she hears that, so she keeps making him do that, but never praises him. So then he stops doing it, and won't do it for me for awhile either. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just implant 'dog knowledge chips' into those people's brains? It's brain surgery, yes, but it's gotta be easier than getting them to do what you ask.
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Post by Iluvmypup on Sept 6, 2004 18:04:42 GMT -5
Yep...we could make millions... That would be very nice. I wish they would just read ONE book on dog behaviour, is that asking too much? For them yes...they 'don't have time'.
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Post by ripley on Sept 6, 2004 18:30:32 GMT -5
Then they shouldn't have the time to touch or interact with my dog. There are some VERY simple, easy-to-read, and SHORT books that cover dog behavior and training very well. if they would read those, they'd understand why I yell at them when they undo all the training I've tried to do.
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Post by Iluvmypup on Sept 7, 2004 11:46:34 GMT -5
But, they're experts on dog training...and think its us who need to understand that we are being cruel to our dogs when we teach them manners and how to behave. Its such an annoying thing...people are braindead sometimes.
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Post by ripley on Sept 7, 2004 12:52:17 GMT -5
OMG today just really got me PO'ED!!!! These people were visititng, and they asked me if Ripley could do any tricks, so I started demonstrating. Ripley uses mainly hand signals as his cues to do tricks, but sometimes I use a verbal command as well. Well, these 'EXPERT' dog trainers looked at him doing all 200 of his tricks (Which *I* think he does WONDERFULLY, and even my agility instructor is very impressed) and these folks say "Well, pretty good for a dog that's not too bright." WTF?! So then they explain that the truly intelligent dogs don't need hand signals, they can recognize words without having to be SHOWN. My attempts to tell them that using hand signals forces the dog to be watching you for instruction was futile.. THEY knew best, because THEIR dog doesn't need hand commands. (Might I point out that said dog has NO obedience training and is the mouthiest thing I've ever been around.) People...
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Post by Iluvmypup on Sept 7, 2004 13:30:57 GMT -5
Lol...no, I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at how rediculous people can be. They think hand signals make a dog not 'that bright' because a well-trained dog doesn't need to be shown how to do it? GIVE ME A BREAK!! Just ignore them...and next time I wouldn't give them the pleasure of seeing Ripley perform his tricks. If they don't appreciate them and the hard work you put into it, then they don't deserve to see them. And, OH MY DOG! Ripley knows 200 tricks? Wow...he's one smart boy. My doberman knows 50 commands/tricks, and I thought that was pretty good...haha. ;D
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