Do your dogs give off the right impression?

[Toller_08]

Very few people actually get to meet the real Dance. Mainly because she can be shy with people so unless you've met her a few times, she hardly shows any of her actual personality. She just barks and hides. So people think she's a rescue, or that I must beat her, or that she's yappy. Or alternatively, she comes across as the most naturally well behaved, easiest dog in the world and fools people into thinking that all Tollers would make the perfect family dog for them. Nobody gets to see her mischevious, ever so happy and full of joy side. Which is how she is most of the time.

The Dobes also give a false impression of behaviour. Keira especially is virtually bombproof in public, doesn't react poorly to anything, totally ignores other dogs, etc. Combine that with the fact that everyone thinks she's a puppy, they think Dobermans must just be the easiest puppies to raise haha. I quickly tell them that's not the case and tell them how much time and training is put into my dogs. Keira

Depending on his mood, Ripley can either come across as the easiest, sweetest dog in the world or the most hyper, noisy, pushy dog in the world. Mostly it's the former more often than the latter. But in certain environments (training class or vet clinic, where his mind explodes by being surrounded by other dogs even after three years of constantly training and being around them), he probably comes off as quite obnoxious on occassion. He's whiny, moany, bouncy, unfocused, etc. Not always, and I am generally able to get him back to me, but he still as those moments where people are like "omg, how do you live with him?".

But all in all, I think my dogs all generally come across as very easy, well behaved dogs and people don't realize that they don't just naturally come that way.

[CharlieDog]

The boys are pretty similar out in public. They don't really like interacting with strangers and both do the herding dog thing of scanning the horizon for whatever it is they're looking for. They'll both duck away from hands they don't want touching them, which does cause people to tell me how "shy" they are, and how I need to work on that with them. It's hard for me to say "um, they're not shy, they just don't like you/have any use for you"

Enzo and Indy are the opposite. Enzo LOOOOVES people. And she makes eyes at them, dances, wooo wooooos at them, and just in general is a nutcase. Indy will still fling herself at people, so they generally think that she likes them, but she's scoping them out for a food pouch. No food, no attention after that, lol, unless you have a tug toy

[monkeys23]

They are both generally people whores in public.
Except with certain people the below applies. Especially people with super rude, pushy body language.

Originally Posted by CharlieDog

They'll both duck away from hands they don't want touching them, which does cause people to tell me how "shy" they are, and how I need to work on that with them. It's hard for me to say "um, they're not shy, they just don't like you/have any use for you"

Lily is so transparent and loves attention and is a giant food *****. She is a huge show off with people whenever I take her to some public thing where there are lots people. She loves working the crowd. Princess drama queen is an apt title. And yes she's like that at home too... always drama, drama, drama...

Scout's a little more low key, she's just happy to be doing what I'm doing.

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

No, Violet is crazy around strangers/guests. She cries/pulls-if she's on leash /jumps/etc. Normally she's actually fairly laid back as long as she gets her exercise.

[jenv101]

We get the "well behaved" comments a lot, because they actually listen to us and people seem amazed at that...lol... but the dogs do not give off a calm vibe in public, usually they are wired and whiny so in that respect people realize they are high energy, but I think a lot assume they are just 'well behaved' by nature and hours of training has nothing to do with it.

[Shakou]

Unfortunately, no in most cases, particularly with Ma'ii. People see how high energy he is and seem to equate that to a dog that has zero training and is a general terror. So when I tell him to "sit, stay, lay down" and he immediately stops what he's doing and does it, their expressions are priceless x3

In most situations people get Charlotte. She's such a gentle, mellow, love bug and gives off a very positive vibe- with people. The problem is people see her this way, and automatically assume she's that way with other dogs too, and she could never be mean or nasty to anything. Wrong. Give her one second, and that sweet, mellow marshmallow that was just curled up in your lap, snuggling you will be latched onto your dog, ripping off pieces of it. Not a joke.

[Brattina88]

Originally Posted by Beanie

People do tend to think my dogs are very calm because they are well trained and generally behave well in public. Calm definitely isn't the word... "good dog" is.

This is sooo my two!
new person "Omigosh they're so calm! They're perfectly well behaved."
and this is me: " are you kidding?!"
But, yea, I have worked with them a lot, and I have high expectations of them.... especially in public. I don't want to be that person who causes everyone else's dogs to not be allowed in public lol


As far as personality, Bailey appears to be a bubbly friendly everyone-look-at-me dog, but if someone approaches her head on, or unexpectedly she darts off behind me, she can be shy and doesn't like confrontation. She does walk next to be very bouncy and happy go lucky, heeling nicely, attentive to me and yet observant of everyone else and butt wiggling at them, so I can see why it confuses people.

With Maddie, she's more of a what you see is what you get She loves everybody (and if she doesn't I've learned to be careful with that person!!), she's excited but not over the top, friendly but not annoyingly so, and pretty laid back - takes everything in stride.

[ihartgonzo]

Gonzo is MUCH nicer to strangers out in public than he is at home, luckily. He'll rub against and lick anyone who comes up to pet him... at home, he's wary and takes a while to trust people. So I would say he gives off a much better impression than what is reality.

Fozzie is always himself! He's less affectionate out in public, with other people to see and things to smell, than he is at home but he greets every stranger more excitedly than he greets me. People think he's the coolest dog ever no matter where they meet him.

[Sit Stay]

I think Quinn gives off a fairly accurate first impression. She may seem a little silly at first because she is so friendly and loves 90% of the people she meets, but within about 5 minutes she's settled back down and is happy just lying down and smiling at people when they pass, which is totally her LOL.

[bearpaw]

Not. Even. Close.

I always hear, "Aw! He's so well-behaved!" / "He must be a shy boy." My mom nicknamed him the tornado. He randomly starts running around like crazy in the house, carries blankets like Linus, and could carry enough sticks to keep a fire going for days.

Sometimes he acts like he doesn't even notice people, other times he's terrified and either barking or skittish and silent. We went to PetSmart just yesterday, and the cashier went around the counter to give him treats, and he jumped back. At home, he's a VACUUM. There is no treat he doesn't like. When I offered him the treat in the parking lot, he nearly took my arm with it.

He's the most playful, loving, and happy boy at home, but he still needs some work outside the house. Walks have improved drastically () with lots of positive reinforcement and happy voices (I say YAY whenever we don't try to eat passerby's and bunnies, etc.).