Pure Parents

Question:

Well staring at the dog was a mistake.  That is considered a provocation to most dogs.  I think the NO was appropriate and standing your ground. However, the breed plays a factor here.  What I would tolerate from a ‘Rat Dog’ and what I would take from a Rottweiler are not the same.  If faced with a truly dangerous dog,  I would act passive but not submissive and attempt to retreat.  If I could not retreat, then I would become assertive.  Not moving toward the dog, but yelling NO and GO HOME have worked for me. Dogs hate to be yelled at but its not as provocative as staring or moving. I would put your neighbor on notice that in the future Animal Control will be called if their dog is out.  This dog is a public safety issue and the owners are aware of this.  It is stupid and wreckless to let a grumpy old dog be free to attack or provoke others. It is also illegal.  Of course if it was me I would just walk my great dane past their property and see how tough Cujo is then? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> walked over on the sidewalk and the dog began to growl.  I decided to go > knock on their door and tell them to get their dog, but the dog got up > and came toward me and was growling.  

Response:

: I mis-understood.  I thought the dog was on his property and you : entered the yard.  I also qualified my comments that the dog needed to : be confined (fence, line or leash). Ah – I thought you meant on his property *or* confined.  He was on his property, but he was not restrained in any manner. : Yes, that’s what I said.  I was explaining that the dog’s avoiding eye : contact with you was submissive behaviour.  I was not referring to : your behaviour. : No it wasn’t submissive.  You were being dominant and he, in response, : behaved submissively.   Ok, cool – I was getting worried that I had it all backwards. cindi — "Don’t be afraid to treat your kids with more respect than our culture thinks is normal."  _Spiritual Parenting_

Response:

>hi, >: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the dog being on the owner’s >: property.  It should be confined (fence, line or leash) but, I think >: maybe you’re overreacting a bit.  When the dog was growling at you, >: you were invading his turf. >No, I was on the public sidewalk.  After he started growling at me when >I was on the sidewalk, I did start up their walk to their door to tell >them.  When he gets out, he normally does not stay in his yard, as he

I mis-understood.  I thought the dog was on his property and you entered the yard.  I also qualified my comments that the dog needed to be confined (fence, line or leash). >: This is submissive behaviour. >Really?  I was under the impression that avoiding eye contact and slowly >backing away is submissive behavior.

Yes, that’s what I said.  I was explaining that the dog’s avoiding eye contact with you was submissive behaviour.  I was not referring to your behaviour. > I did just the opposite.  I’m not >saying what I did was right or best, but I sure didn’t think it was >submissive.

No it wasn’t submissive.  You were being dominant and he, in response, behaved submissively.   >Yes.  I mentioned that to his owner when she told me that he was getting >aggressive.  She said her vet said he’s just getting old and less >tolerant of people. >: I don’t think animal control can/will do anything about a dog who is >: on its owners property.  Maybe you’re a bit hyper-sensitive in light >: of your daughter’s experience with the other dog.  Just keep her away >: from it. >Animal control will get any dog here who’s not restrained on a leash or >behind a fence.  As for keeping her away from it, she does stay in her

Yes, I agree. Sandra Pover Remove NOSPAM to email

Response:

hi,

: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the dog being on the owner’s : property.  It should be confined (fence, line or leash) but, I think : maybe you’re overreacting a bit.  When the dog was growling at you, : you were invading his turf. No, I was on the public sidewalk.  After he started growling at me when I was on the sidewalk, I did start up their walk to their door to tell them.  When he gets out, he normally does not stay in his yard, as he usually comes to my yard to go potty, and he walks along the public sidewalk up and down.  Just 10 minutes or so ago, I went out to check my mail, and he was on the public sidewalk in front of his house, and he looked toward me and growled.  I guess if we lived in a place that had bigger yards, I’d not be so concerned.  But our yards are about 20 feet or so from front door to sidewalk.   : This is submissive behaviour. Really?  I was under the impression that avoiding eye contact and slowly backing away is submissive behavior.  I did just the opposite.  I’m not saying what I did was right or best, but I sure didn’t think it was submissive.   : It sounds like the dog should be seen by a vet as it may be sick and : in pain. Yes.  I mentioned that to his owner when she told me that he was getting aggressive.  She said her vet said he’s just getting old and less tolerant of people. : I don’t think animal control can/will do anything about a dog who is : on its owners property.  Maybe you’re a bit hyper-sensitive in light : of your daughter’s experience with the other dog.  Just keep her away : from it. Animal control will get any dog here who’s not restrained on a leash or behind a fence.  As for keeping her away from it, she does stay in her own yard, but we are all entitled to walk on the public sidewalk.  the kids all use the sidewalk to walk back and forth to each other’s houses, etc.   cindi — "Don’t be afraid to treat your kids with more respect than our culture thinks is normal."  _Spiritual Parenting_

Response:

: I don’t think animal control can/will do anything about a dog who is : on its owners property.  Maybe you’re a bit hyper-sensitive in light : of your daughter’s experience with the other dog.  Just keep her away : from it. Sorry, I can’t agree.  If the dog is touchable by a child, meaning not separated by a fence, the dog should be child safe.  If a ball rolls into the yard most children will try to retrieve it.  If the children are playing tag or some such game it is easy for one child to swing wide and accidentally enter an open unfenced yard.  In most of the United States a person is entitled to use only reasonable force to repel a trespasser.  Generally inflicting bite wounds on a casually trespassing child is not considered to be reasonable force. Also in most states the walkway leading to the house, unless posted and fenced, is an invitation to persons with lawful business to enter.  In most states that pathway must be safe from known hazards. A delivery person, a visiting neighbor, a police officer responding to the house, should be able to walk from the public sidewalk up the unfenced and unposted wlakway to the house without the risk of getting bitten.  At least that is the law in most of the United States. The law could be different in some particular state, or in other countries. — Diane Blackman   _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _ You must speak to be heard.  Silence assumes assent.

Response:

>few days after she told me that, her dog was sitting her front yard.  I >walked over on the sidewalk and the dog began to growl.  I decided to go >knock on their door and tell them to get their dog, but the dog got up >and came toward me and was growling.  

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the dog being on the owner’s property.  It should be confined (fence, line or leash) but, I think maybe you’re overreacting a bit.  When the dog was growling at you, you were invading his turf. >I was pretty mad that he’d "dare" to do that and I said sternly "NO!" and >stared at him.  He turned away and wouldn’t look at me but he was still

This is submissive behaviour. >snarling and growling a lot.  My daughter and her friend were on my front >porch, and the houses are so close together that the dog was only about >15 feet from the.  I made them go inside and we called the neighbor on >the phone.  since then the dog has been out front a few more times, but >when they see that I’ve seen the dog they put him in.   >So — I guess it’s probably stupid of me to tell the dog no… I just >read that when a dog is snarling at you, you should act submissive.  I

Depends on the dog.  With a large, aggressive, dominant type of dog that isn’t yours, avoid eye contact as that is perceived to be a challenge.   >guess I feel like I could kick his butt if I had to, and like no dog is >gonna get away with growling at me, or something like that.  He’s a >medium kind of terrier mix, I guess, and he’s old.  I guess I feel that >acting submissive is letting him get away with it, teaching him that it’s >ok, or something.  What do you think?  Am I just being stupid?  

It sounds like the dog should be seen by a vet as it may be sick and in pain. >the other issue is, of course, the dog should not be out, period.  My >daughter was just alreaady attacked by the other neighbor’s dog… Of >course I assume I should call animal control or something the next time I >see him out… right?

I don’t think animal control can/will do anything about a dog who is on its owners property.  Maybe you’re a bit hyper-sensitive in light of your daughter’s experience with the other dog.  Just keep her away from it. Sandra Pover Remove NOSPAM to email

Response: