" Your dog is reactive because you dont let him say hi or play with other dogs"

[huey507]

@jeromiusintoonesimus “Learn how to control your dogs better” says the person who is literally demonstrating ZERO control over their own dog… no leash, no recall. The hypocrisy is unreal.

But sure, you are your dogs are the problem. /s

 

[mocforums]

@that1starfish It's funnier when you have a person with a 20 pound dog telling you this when you have a 80 pound dog.

 

[huey507]

@mocforums Right there with ya. My reactive boy is 120 lbs, and I know for a fact I’ll have legal action taken against me if my dog so much as even hints at being nasty to anyone. But also, everyone has no problem sending harsh judgment my way because I won’t “just let him be a dog”

 

[madlove]

@huey507 This!

Why am I guilty for protecting my dog and other dogs and people. There are situations where I let my dog off leash and there are ones where I keep him on leash. He's a hunting dog with a high prey drive. He's super fast and agile. So yes, I have to pay attention and supervise every play and walk. I cannot let him just be a dog at all times. There are times for fun and play, in controlled environments. Because as you said - we don't have small dogs. Someone can get hurt if my dog runs into you. There can be legal action if anything negative even remotely happens. Why am I the paranoid one for keeping my eyes open and acting preventative.

 

[savedbygracejoy]

@madlove My reactive girl is only 50lbs, but she’s all black, which adds to the menacing look of her. I got her a white muzzle for contrast so that people can see it for exactly the reasons stated here.
Unfortunately she’s still adorable because she’s got some floof, and she’s generally pretty bouncy as long as you keep your distance.

The other day I took my two non-reactive dogs to a park to hike on leash. There were these three VERY large dogs walking off leas like they were stalking something and licking their lips like my little dog was gonna be lunch. One dog was headed right towards us. I body blocked my dog with my back to the strangers but watching over my shoulder. Since turning your back to a newcomer is a calming signal that translates to “I’m not a threat. See, my teeth are as far from you as I can get them.”. I also recognized the lip licking as a calming signal from the other dog, and his stalking pace was actually proceeding through a perceived corridor with caution.
I found out after they had passed that my husband had picked up his dog.

We’re talking about how well trained our reactive dogs are due to all the extra they need, but let’s not forget that we too have been very well trained. The difference between what I did and what my husband did is that I’m the one who works with our reactive dog and has learned about what to watch for, he was just doing what any average dog owner would do.
BTW our two non-reactive dogs are both total jerks compared to our reactive dog.

 

[madlove]

@savedbygracejoy I have to agree with this that reative dogs are more trained and worked with, more time is continually being invested in them, their training, and obedience than "normal" dogs. A lot of people take all this for granted that dogs behave near perfect without even knowing it's months and years of training, patience, and continuity.

 

[huey507]

@madlove You are not paranoid. You are responsible. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

There’s a huge difference between large/giant dogs and small/medium dogs. And regardless of the size of the dog, there is nothing wrong with knowing your dog and advocating for him/her as YOU see fit. People just really suck at not projecting their “way of doing things” on to others. Keep up the great work, the world sure could use more conscious dog owners like yourself.

 

[madlove]

@huey507 I feel so relieved now. Every once in a while I need a meltdown after my leash reactive dog has another episode or when we bump into a potential tricky situations. But I know my dog, I train with him 3-4 hours every day religiously. By I know my dog, I know the tresholds, he's obedient and we're still working on it every day (I have a feeling reactive dogs are more trained than other "normal" dogs because you have to tackle and manage everything and train).

Even is my dog does smtg bad, like runs up to a runner in the forest (which I try to prevent) I come up and apologize. If my dog plays rough with another dog, and doesn't take the cue to slow down, I stop the play and intervene. I don't let him run up to smaller dogs because he might run into them (he runs like a lunatic and he's very hyper). I know which dogs I can let him play with and which we want to avoid, when to leash him, when to let him off leash. And yes, I have to be a bit paranoid because I'm aware I don't have a 2kg dog I can pick up and problem solved. My dog needs to be very well trained so he's safe, I'm safe, and everyone else is safe. Especially because my dog became reactive after several negative interactions with dogs. So all encounters matter.

So you never know whether the encounter you thought nothing off caused someone to struggle later on.

 

[richeal]

@that1starfish Oh god, story of our (reactive dog owners) lives!
I just wanna scream at them rly.
Like U dont know my dog! U see him for 2min on a walk and think its so cute when he whines and pulls, because he makes u feel special like some sort of dog whisperer. U dont realise he does that to everyone, including old drunk homeless people who then follow us around and harrass us. U dont realise he jumps on little children and old ladies with canes. U dont realise he wants to jump over a busy road in front of a speeding truck to get to some other dog he spotted miles ahead. U dont realise how many dogs mistake his excitement for agression and respond accordingly. U dont realise he chokes himself regularly due to pulling despite the hundreds of different harnesses we tried. U dont realise his hart starts pounding so hard it nearly gives him a heart attack, that this excitement is more than he can handle and he cant even potty, and them comes home all nervous and anxious. U dont realise that I, who spend every waking moment with him, know my own dog better than u do.
F*ck people and their uncalled for advice!
Sorry. Highjacked ur post for my angry rant

 

[that1starfish]

@richeal Rant away!! I completely understand

 

[romans82]

@richeal Totally get this.

 

[confundido]

@that1starfish It's easy for people to be "canine behavioral experts" when they've won the genetic/background lottery with their dogs.

It's like telling the parent of an autistic child to just drop him off at a loud party by himself and he'll be fine.

 

[madlove]

@confundido I think people underestimate a dog's previous experience (especially if they were adopted as an young adult or old dog), how they grew up and what they've been through. Also, their genetics, and breed (especially if they are a crossbreed). There are things training can improve but there are some traits you can only manage and mitigate.

And yes, it does feel like telling a blind person: "Look at that Picasso painting! How come you don't get it, how come you don't see it, it's marvellous! Do you see it, look at it!"

 

[fadingwest307]

@madlove Stare at it long enough, you'll see it !

 

[messenger_of_truth]

@that1starfish I have a reactive 55 lb ACD. Walking him on leash, on my left hand side on the left hand side of the road. Two large(90-100 lbs) labs bolt from the opposite (rh) side of the road from a neighbors house, one hits him from the back and the other from the front.

My dog deals with the one from the front first and then dispatches the one from the rear, all the while the owner is screaming the dogs names and running down his driveway to come get them.

He apologizes profusely and sputters the usual nonsense that they never do that and they always come back because he uses a remote collar....

So I say ... like now, they come right back huh ? This dude proceeds to tell me how I should get my dog some training immediately and he should be muzzled if he is capable of doing damage to his two dogs so quickly.

I just stare at the dude for what seems like an eternity... then ask him if he is fucking joking right now ??

You can't make this shit up, people blow my mind seemingly everyday.

 

[aniska]

@messenger_of_truth My response: "Sir... it's against the law to have off leash dogs not under control... You're the one who needs the training"

 

[dr_jb]

@that1starfish My dog once went to stay with my mum, who has 2 dogs.

My dog was a little bit reactive at the time and more so now, but I told her guidelines and rules to keep my then 6 month old puppy calm and in check.

My mother ignored those rules, and then proceeded to tell me when I came to pick my pup up that she was dangerous and aggressive and I “seriously needed to do something about it”.

I asked her if she followed the things I told her to do, her response was “No. I shouldn’t have to do those things. Your dog is dangerous.”

Like????? Are you kidding me?????

I feel your pain OP.

 

[that1starfish]

@dr_jb Oh my gosh. it's one thing to hear this type of advice from strangers but your own mother, im so sorry!

 

[80sflashbacks]

@that1starfish A lady once happily let her dog come up to mine, when I said, she's nervous she might snap, she replied with "you should have socialised them more" I cried all the way home moaning to my partner "she has friends she knows and loves to see, it's new dogs she's nervous with" blah blah, but yes, it's the mentality of "my dog is fine, therefore everyone's must be" sort of thing. People who don't have experience with reactivity just don't understand it, and just don't think about the issues it can cause us

 

[grateful266]

@that1starfish I regularly hear this from people whose own dogs are right in the middle of exhibiting reactivity, but who haven't categorized their dog's behavior as reactive because it's either moderate in degree or their dog is small enough that they don't see the behavior as dangerous.

Occasionally, this happens when I'm not even with my reactive dog, I'm with one of the two laid back dog-friendly ones, and I'm just moving us away because I don't want their dog giving mine reactivity lessons.