Why do people do this?

[Laurelin]

Like I really just don't get it....

Say you have met a dog a couple times. Dog is shy warming up to you but the last couple times is warming up a bit.

Next time you see the dog, would it occur to you to run, squealing up to the dog, then pick it up and shove it into your face while you cuddle it and tell it to 'give you kissy kisses'? I really thought Mia was going to bite her on the nose. Luckily she didn't and I got her and explained that Mia does not appreciate people shoving their faces in hers.

And I thought this person was sane before.... Caught me totally off guard.

I know if I barely know a dog then sticking my face in it's face is not something I'm going to even think of doing.

 

[Laurelin]

Also just as intriguing is how people don't seem to be able to read obvious dog body language. When a dog goes whale eyed, ears pinned back and is literally pulling away from you means the dog DOES NOT WANT to be held nor do they want to 'give you kisses'.

 

[Renee750il]

I have seen people try to act like that with Kharma.

Yes, there really is some phenomenally stuptastic DNA in the gene pool.

 

[HayleyMarie]

Ah I hate when people do that.

Teagan hates people that are not her people it takes her a LONG time to warm up to them and she freaks when people come up to her demanding love from Teagan.

Renee, I cant imagine people are stupid. How does Kharma react?

 

[Gypsydals]

Because sadly some people just don't think. I mean would you ever think about just thrusting your hand in a vehicle window to pet a dog with out asking first? Ivan and I had that happen last night. THANK god Ivan behaved himself.
I have found myself not letting people/kids(mostly) not pet Ivan when they just come running up to him. If they walk up calmly and ask to pet him, then they can.

 

[Renee750il]

It depends on where we are and HOW they approach. Most of the time, if it's during the day or someplace like at the store she gives 'em The Look. It generally stops them, especially when they get just close enough to realize how big she really is, lol. It's kind of a trip to suddenly realize that you are rushing at a dog who can put your entire face in her mouth without any strain whatsoever. If it's at night when we're out walking she puts herself between me and them and rumbles deep in her chest while she does the sideways Fila glare. She has, on occasion, when the person seemed a little too intent and not exactly friendly, stood up on her hind legs and roared at them. That's always amusing

I'm really proud of her, though. She's a real rock.

 

[HayleyMarie]

It depends on where we are and HOW they approach. Most of the time, if it's during the day or someplace like at the store she gives 'em The Look. It generally stops them, especially when they get just close enough to realize how big she really is, lol. It's kind of a trip to suddenly realize that you are rushing at a dog who can put your entire face in her mouth without any strain whatsoever. If it's at night when we're out walking she puts herself between me and them and rumbles deep in her chest while she does the sideways Fila glare. She has, on occasion, when the person seemed a little too intent and not exactly friendly, stood up on her hind legs and roared at them. That's always amusing

I'm really proud of her, though. She's a real rock.

Ha ha she sounds like a rock. I have never met her, but Renee I love your dog Your one lucky gal to be owned by Kharma.

 

[Laurelin]

I mean... I know Mia is small and cute and this girl is pretty familiar with Summer, who would have thought being scooped up by a stranger was the BEST thing ever, but really? I mean I can't think of ever shoving an dog I don't know up against my face. Even a papillon or chihuahua bite to the face could be pretty bad.

 

[milos_mommy]

For some reason people who aren't really into dog training and behavior seem to think almost all dogs are supposed to LOVE everyone and if a dog wants to bite someone for invading their space, there is something wrong with it.

Now, I very often go and kneel down or bend down with my face a foot or so away from a dog I've only met a few times and ask for a kiss....but I can't imagine holding the dog and trying to do that....

 

[Snark]

Yeep! Where has common sense gone?? There was a story on the news a couple of years ago about a kid who was bitten in the face by a stray dog (the news, of course, showed Rotties for the lead-in - the dog was a cocker). Anyway, the kid was bitten because he went up a strange, loose dog and gave it a big hug around the neck. The parents? Totally clueless... "Well, gosh, my son didn't know a dog could bite. He thought all dogs were friendly!"

Someone rushing at Riley would totally freak him out and I usually wind up stepping between him and the approaching person (usually a kid). He ducks from strangers trying to quietly pet him and he absolutely hates having the top of his head patted...

Murph and Mick will tolerate people rushing up to them and while Mick tends to have the more volatile temper, Murphy is the one I keep an eagle eye on... He just gets that 'look'.

 

[Doberluv]

What is it about people that they feel such a powerful compulsion to pat a dog? Why is patting their first and foremost obsession and goal when meeting a dog? It irritates me so much that I am conjuring up an image...like a nightmare or psychotic hallucination of thousands of arms and hands reaching out in desperation to pat or touch my dog. These arms are coming up and outward from a big hole in the ground or behind bars, like in a prison. No other part of their bodies, no faces can be seen. It's just arms and hands with very long fingers. lol. All these arms and hands stretching, reaching, straining....never-ending groping for my dog. :yikes:

I don't expect everyone out there to be experts at reading all kinds of dog body language. There are so many minute, subtle expressions and positions, things they do with their tongues, mouth, eyes, feet, tails, ears etc...tiny things. BUT.....good grief. Something so universal like crouching down, ears back, wide eyed, tucking the tail...these things should be apparent to anyone because it's not just dog body language. People showing extreme fear will do many of those things. So, what is missing in these people who can't read basic body language? I guess the lifeguard wasn't on duty at that gene pool.

Jose` is very mildly timid at first. He isn't afraid but would prefer not to have his head be the first thing someone reaches for to pat. He will duck his head down. This is really quite normal for a lot of dogs, especially when the stranger is looming way over them. He doesn't look otherwise all that worried. But he is obviously trying to avoid being hovered over and having his head gone after. And still, they persist, reaching further in order to touch him. It's like, let the poor dog warm up to you on his own. It only takes about 10 seconds of visiting and he's all about making friends.

Yeah, people who put their faces in the faces of dogs they don't know are asking for a bite. And yeah, a little dog's teeth are sharp. Jose` just about bit my finger off one time, taking a treat when I didn't bend down far enough for him. It was while we were in motion and he felt a need to jump a little bit and grab. (my fault) But let me tell you, it HURT! LOL.

 

[Renee750il]

I don't get the whole pat on the head thing either. I've NEVER seen an animal like having their skull dribbled like a basketball.

 

[Fran101]

People do this to romeo.
ALL. THE. TIME.

We see them on a walk. They ask to pet him, I say yes, they come up and romeo is friendly.
next time we see them they think we are BEST FRIENDS. come running up like "ROMEO!!" and pick him up

WHY DO PEOPLE PICK DOGS UP WITHOUT ASKING?!

Romeo is a very friendly dog and he likes to meet people, but he does NOT like being picked up mid walk by people he barely knows. Ugh.

I think its COMMON SENSE. Come to think of it, I would never even ask someone to pick up their dog! what an odd thing to do.

Call me crazy. but I don't walk up to people and ask to pet their dogs either.

I dunno.. its a dog. I don't know why people get SOOO Excited like I just rolled up with a tiger. like WOW I MUST TOUCH THIS EXOTIC BEAST!

I enjoy walking my dog with my ipod and going for a run without being stopped and "chatting" with total strangers.. and hearing a story about their dogs.. its just annoying after a while

 

[Laurelin]

Yeah I don't actually ask to pet any dogs either. It is just not something I'm terribly interested in- petting strange dogs. I will talk with people sometimes and I usually will talk to other dog people too if I have my two with me. I'll pet dogs I've gotten to know, but I dont' go out asking to pet dogs at the park at all. But people just assume you can run up and grab at a little dog- it's crazy. It's asking to be bit and it's really not the dog's fault at all. I believe this is a lot of the 'nasty little dog' stories you hear. People just don't treat little dogs like they could bite.

I was telling my trainer about this and she brought up a good point. Imagine you're the size of a small dog and someone human sized came up and got in your face and started manhandling you... as she put it, we'd "flip a ****" lol.

and after all that, the girl STILL didn't know she'd done anything wrong. Mia gave her an appeasement lick on the nose and the girl was like "Oh she's so sweet, she LOVES me now." All while her ears are pinned to her head and her eyes are wide and bulging and she's pulling back from her. It was clear she was terrified, not showing affection. I'm going to have to pay more attention, I thought since I knew this person a bit that they wouldn't do something so dumb around Mia...

 

[puppydog]

Oh lord, sing me that song.

It is amazing how many children will come up to my dogs. The Paps will make themselves scarce but Lilly is uber child friendly. She loves being patted and rubbed but then the kid will try and pick her up. She will do a little air snap and try and walk away. It is stupid how often the child follows her trying to pick her up after she has clearly told them no. When I intervene and tell them she doesn't like it I get looked at as if I have three heads!

 

[RD]

Eve likes it when -I- pat her on the head. When she was a puppy, I manhandled her in all sorts of ways and it's our way of communicating. I trust her with her teeth and claws, and she trusts me with my hands.

I dribble her head like a basketball when she puts her head in my lap.

I also have one spot on her muzzle that I rub when I'm stressed or when she's trying to get me out of a panic attack. It's almost completely hairless and she's only 3 years old... No dog LIKES having one spot touched constantly for a long period of time, but she tolerates it from me.

From strangers? Good God, please don't squeal and writhe around in an attempt to pat my dog on the head. If she was "in uniform" and in working mode, she'd accept it with much disdain. Otherwise? You'd get 30lbs of frenetic energy launching itself at your face. I put her in a sit to greet people for a reason, please don't try to rile her up.

 

[BerryBye]

I am with you guys 110% on this one! This is my biggest pet peeve!

Who do people think they are?
I can’t believe people pick up your little dogs …how violating! I wouldn’t pick up a strange baby and start cuddling it, that would be wildly inappropriate…so why do people think they have a RIGHT to do that to a dog??

I have a shy dog, so I’ll say “please leave him alone – if he was a child you wouldn’t be trying to pull him out from behind me would you?â€. Then they just look at me like I’m crazy and some even blatantly ignore me and TRY AGAIN. **head explodes**

Some people are just too dense for words!