So, I had some time alone today with my 5 year old...and we went down to Lake Huron to hunt sea glass (found 51 pieces!!) and I took the dogs with me. I have an Australian Shepherd and a Doberman...both of home look extremely aggressive but are not only sweet, well behaved dogs, but also well trained. I had them both on leashes, and when we got there...I ran into a gal that I work with who has three pitbulls, two adults and one puppy. She had one adult and the pup with her, and she was walking them around the loop at the park. We got to talking, and this woman marched up to us and said that she "Didn't appreciate us bringing such dangerous animals out in public when there were little kids around that could get hurt." Normally, I'd verbally bitch slap this woman into the cosmos but I didn't. I told her that the dogs were all leashed, not barking, growling, or looking at any other person. In fact they were minding their own business....like she should. She huffed and puffed and walked off...the end. Not so much. SHE CALLED THE POLICE and said we were letting aggressive dogs run wild at a park. The Animal Control came and everything. Took about 15 seconds for the officer to see what he had on his hands, and asked us to just put the dogs away or leave, in order to keep the peace. I told him that I would not. My dogs were being no bother, and I was following all posted rules about dogs...they were leashed, under control and I was cleaning up all messes. It really miffs me because if I had a cocker spaniel and was letting it run off it's leash and do whatever...nobody would give a crap. I guess it's just the price of ownership of a breed most people have already declared dangerous. Any other Rogues have a dog that gets a bad rap?
They should have put HER on a leash instead. PC overparenting gets up my nose. Australian cattle dogs are loyal sooks. Dobermans are entirely at the mercy of those that train them. Train them to be snarlingly unsocialble and they will be. Train them to be loveable and they'll be that too. Really, though, we as people are at the mercy of politically correct fools like the woman you ran into. The world just stops entirely when these thin-skinned idiots feel 'threatened'. If she doesn't like dogs and kids mixed together, why take her child to a public park?
We had a Aus. Shep. and it was the most docile dog we ever had. The Uncle I mention so often here on ww2f had two Dobermans and a Weimaraner and again would scare the Be-gee-us out of you but were big babies also. edit here after rereading the post. big oops-ie In that case I'd tell her my dogs were "comfort" animals and I took great comfort in seeing them defend me against dumb people who accost me in public!
I agree whole-heartily that the temperament of the animal depends on the way it's brought up...just like anything else. Our Aussie is the sweetest dog I've ever seen but it's just the way his face is colored, it always looks like he's squinting and giving you the stink eye. We call him the old coyote face.
My sister has a pitbull, its the biggest mush of a dog we have ever had. It's a shame that these dogs get such a negative light shined on them for the few that go astray and attack, or those you hear about used in dog fights. Every dog we've had never aggressive at all, very calm and enjoyable dogs.
I agree with ya' luke'. Our last dog was a Collie/German-Shepard/take-your-pick mix and looked exactly like a Wolf. 115 pounds of pampered pooch! He was thought (rumored?) to have about 10% wolf and to see him you wouldn't need any DNA test to justify the claim. Sadly "Bogie" got into some Raccoon scat and developed a type of parasitic disease that causes swelling of the brain. He was only 2 years old and it has taken us until today, three years later, to get another dog. Three years without a faithful companion is a very long time but thanks to the Wife just "happening" to meet a women in town who had two puppy's to give away we now have a 8 week old, 8 pound bouncing bundle of puddle making puppy. Border-Collie/Golden Retriever mix. With a touch of St. Bernard thrown in from the pups Grandmother. No name yet but she's taken to the place pretty well as she's sleeping in MY spot on the couch right now.
I guess it never occured to her that she could leave if she felt threatened? Jim Morison said it best: "People are strange"
I though there was going to be a "to be followed here" when you refused to leave like you being busted and or the dogs defending you.
There was nothing that he could do really, I was in the right. In the area reserved for dogs, they were leashed, I was picking up their deposits...and I even kept control of my mouth which for me, is a big step!
Doberman are scary as old hell, but extremely lovable if trained properly. That women sounds like more a "cat-lady" then a pitbull lady!
I definitely agree. At one time, my Dad had 11 dogs in the house. It drove my mom crazy but the dogs, which included a doberman and German Shepherd, were really quite tame. I was 7 years old at that time and never once did I feel threatened by them. I have to admit that I learned the hard way never to set up my toy soldiers in the yard when the pekingnese was around.
