If someone says u can’t pet their dog YOU BACK THE FUCK OFF AND DONT OET THEIR DOG

[idahotater]

@ilmc River is adorable!

I’ve also had people disregard me asking them not to touch my dog and every single time I am baffled that people simply do not listen. My dog is a border collie and I’m biased, he’s cute AF and wears this little smile around town that draws people in. Usually I explain he’s not good with strangers petting him and the vast majority of people get it. Occasionally someone will either try to pet him OR they instantly flip a switch and become combative. I do not understand that mentality at all.

 

[ilmc]

@idahotater I just don’t get it why can’t ppl just move on and accept that they can’t pet that dog that day it’s not that big of a deal and it’s not that hard to understand

 

[akbest]

@ilmc A thought: Consider getting a “working” vest or leash. Then you can tell people you’re training the dog and she “can’t be disturbed right now”.

 

[akbest]

I have a “nervous” leash tag for my dog but I think a “working” tag/vest would work better cause it avoids the “all dogs like me” scenario. You could say “she is in training to ignore people; please help me with her training by ignoring her” or « please don’t set back her training ». Just some ideas. FYI if you find a vest you want online PM me—happy to help you buy one!

 

[ilmc]

@akbest Probably a good idea I’ll look into it

 

[adita]

@akbest Oddly enough, I've overhead people make that assumption about my dog when he wears just a regular harness with his leash. It might be a cheaper than a special labelled one while you wait

 

[randomuser1]

@ilmc I'm coming into this issue a lot lately with COVID. We got a puppy (blue heeler) right before lockdown hit and have been battling people trying to pet him on walks for months now. We tell strangers no due to a possible transmission of the virus even though neither of are immune compromised we don't take the chance because we can't afford to self quarentine for 2 weeks or more. We live in a metro area so its either we walk around the neighborhood or go to some of the local parks. He's a puppy so people of course want to pet him but most are good about admiring from a distance. Every once in a while we get someone who asks and about 98 percent of them are respectful when I say no. I'm very patient with people when it comes to this because hey, who doesn't want to pet a puppy? What I don't have patients with is the 2 percent of people that pet my fucking dog while asking if they can. They don't wait until I give them permission they just do it and ask while they have hands on my dog. So irritating people can't use common sense and respect boundaries during a pandemic.

 

[ilmc]

@randomuser1 Even outside of a pandemic that’s annoying but I hear u the more people who are out the worse it gets

 

[randomuser1]

@ilmc Absolutely and I'm not stingy about it. By all means under normal circumstances pet my puppy, I'd love for him to be more socialized. I just don't want to have to give my dog a bath everytime some mouth breather pets my dog because my significant other and I work with people that could be at risk. Sucks I feel like I have to wait to take my 6 month old puppy out in public until this is over just because people can't control themselves

 

[ilmc]

@randomuser1 If u really don’t want ppl petting him I would buy a vest that says do not pet or in training on it that tends to steer some ppl away if only bc assume it’s like when u don’t pet a service dog that is if they think about it before they ask

 

[randomuser1]

@ilmc Yeah maybe. Just sucks it has to come to that

 

[ilmc]

@randomuser1 I agree but I don’t know what else I personally would do. I find that kind of thing is better for me bc River truly is reactive to ppl coming near her but it sucks if it has to come to that for a friendly (I assume) puppy

 

[howdodrive]

@ilmc things like this used to happen to me all the time when I was your age!!! I adopted a jack russell/beagle/lord knows what else/mutt when I was about 11 or 12. my mom got him specifically for me, he was about 3 years old, and ended up being very fear aggressive towards strangers and protective of me. I would constantly tell people “do not come near my dog, he is aggressive” but I still always had little kids come up and try to pet him. 10 years later I now have a very very sweet and friendly BBM that I adopted from my work, and although I know he is pretty much perfect, I still get anxious sometimes because of my previous experiences. but you are doing awesome! good luck dealing with the idiots

 

[ilmc]

@howdodrive Yea there’s definitely a whole thing around “oh well a kids walking it so it musty be fine” and I wish ppl would just get over it and realize some dogs are just reactive and that’s that it doesn’t mean a kid can’t walk them especially in situations where the dog is actually MY dog so of course I walk her it doesn’t mean anything friendliness wise

 

[stephknce]

@ilmc your dog is so beautiful and i can see why people (especially kids) would want to. BUT if the owner of the dog has told you not to pet it, why in the everloving fuck would you still let your kid pet it! anyway good post OP sucks that people are such asshats

 

[ilmc]

@stephknce Thank u I’m glad to see u understand what I’m saying about the situation I feel that it’s the parents responsibility to keep their kid safe just as it’s mine to keep River safe and in control. If they listen to me I can focus on her and everybody ends up much better off

 

[fbgah]

@ilmc Oh just wait until they try and pet a police dog that is calmly sitting by their handler/officer. That’ll end real well. /s

 

[mrnat27]

@ilmc Oh I hate that! I’ve got an 8 pound Morkie rescue. He’s people aggressive but since he’s calm in my arms, on the ground on a leash is completely different, people will just walk up to him and try to pet. I always warn them “hey don’t do that he is aggressive” but some people just keep on trying. Especially those people with kids. I live in an apartment complex so it’s fairly consistent. I just want to shake those people and yell about how they can’t run up to any dog and lunge at them for pets even if they are small. But of course I’m the asshole if I deny Karen’s kids. We’ve gotta protect ourselves and our dogs because just one bite and that person can have my dog removed from me or try to have him put down. It’s so frustrating.

If you want to see some pictures of him. Ander’s Pictures