Rudeness!

[puppydog]

Yesterday was agility training with Ben.
There is a totally clueless woman with an out of control mixed breed dog. This dog yaps, humps and rushes all over with this woman being dragged after her laughing and saying "No Gabbi" all the time.

I try to keep Ben away from direct confrontations with dogs because he is DR. I explained that to the class at the beginning and asked them to not allow their dogs to rush him.

Yesterday he comes in, being dragged by the yapping humper whining and attention seeking the whole time.
She lets this dog rush right up to Ben, barking and getting in his face.
Of course Ben reacted and growled and airsnapped. He didn't rush forward or anything.

She pulls her dog back and proceeds to call Ben a cheeky little yapper! I was SO ANGRY! He just defended himself. There was no need to call him cheeky! Her dog was being plain RUDE!

I spoke up and told her that it is rude to allow her dog to rush others and that Ben is fear reactive. She just stood there and rolled her eyes and said "Oh, so that is what we are calling it now". I was fuming at this stage and very nearly said something.

I would have too but while she was making comments about my dog, who was politely sitting in heel, he dog rushed a fearful rescue collie who took EXTREME exception to it and attacked her dog.

She just pulled her dog away but didn't feel the need to call her cheeky because she is a medium sized dog and not a toy! I just get so angry that when a small dog defends itself it is cheeky but a large or medium dog is not.

That woman is really useless and I hate being in the class with her. She and her dog disrupt continuously!

 

[jasmom87]

I'm sorry this happened to you. I don't understand why people are so rude.

 

[CaliTerp07]

It's worth speaking to the instructor. I know all the agility classes here said that aggression and/or out of control dogs will not be tolerated, and will be excused from the class without refund.

I'm curious why the instructor didn't step in? Mine's constantly reprimanding owners when their dog is being unruly.

 

[puppydog]

I'm curious why the instructor didn't step in? Mine's constantly reprimanding owners when their dog is being unruly.

She didn't step in because she was getting something out of her car and this woman had just been dragged into the arena.
I also have a feeling that our instructor is a little confrontation shy because she continually asks this woman nicely to follow instructions but she is usually off doing her own thing or ignoring the instructions.

I am more forward with things like this and I will say something more in your face in future. I was just so shocked at her reaction. She is just one of those people, you know, the attention seeking and useless type.

I will keep and eye next week and step in and get rude if I have to. It is not fair on Ben to be distracted like that.

 

[CaliTerp07]

Ahh, gotcha.

Well, then yes. I think you have every right to step in if the instructor isn't going to. Sorry you have to deal with it

 

[puppydog]

Thanks! I just think I may also be quite defensive about the little dog issue. It is really unfair that little dogs get lumped as cheeky because they react to rude dogs. What is he supposed to do? Just take it because he is small! Sigh!

 

[Fran101]

that just is EXTREMELY RUDE!

i will admit, sometimes kenya gets a little crazy and wants to meet new dogs soo much that she does try to drag me towards them to go sniff and play and w/e but i ALWAYS pull her back and if needed, take her out of the situation. even if the owners tell me its ok, its not ok for her to think she can drag me towards dogs she likes.

One day at the begining of training, they gave us these leathers leads, and kenya draged me towards a chi, she got in his face and the chi bit her on the nose. I said I was sorry and that im sorry for letting her get in his face, but the leash i was using was burning my hands as i tried to pull her back. the owner was very nice about it and said i was the FIRST person to ever EVER say she was sorry when their dogs got in his face and he defended himself.
The dog wasnt being "cheeky" "yappy" "nippy" or aggresive. kenya was being rude, plain and simple and I should've had more control over her. ANY dog that isnt as crazy OMGLETSPLAY as kenya would of reacted the same way, doesn't make a diffrence that this dog is small.

 

[puppydog]

that just is EXTREMELY RUDE!

i will admit, sometimes kenya gets a little crazy and wants to meet new dogs soo much that she does try to drag me towards them to go sniff and play and w/e but i ALWAYS pull her back and if needed, take her out of the situation. even if the owners tell me its ok, its not ok for her to think she can drag me towards dogs she likes.

One day at the begining of training, they gave us these leathers leads, and kenya draged me towards a chi, she got in his face and the chi bit her on the nose. I said I was sorry and that im sorry for letting her get in his face, but the leash i was using was burning my hands as i tried to pull her back. the owner was very nice about it and said i was the FIRST person to ever EVER say she was sorry when their dogs got in his face and he defended himself.
The dog wasnt being "cheeky" "yappy" "nippy" or aggresive. kenya was being rude, plain and simple and I should've had more control over her. ANY dog that isnt as crazy OMGLETSPLAY as kenya would of reacted the same way, doesn't make a diffrence that this dog is small.

Thank you for that! It is nice to hear that some people, at least, understand.

 

[cinnamon]

There's one dog in our agility class that will come over and try to sniff/greet my sheltie. I keep a close eye on him because my dog won't tolerate it. She'll snarl a warning at him then snap--which she has done in the past.

We were setting up equipment and as I glance over, nosy dog is almost at my dog. I had no problem loudly telling him nicely not to let his dog near mine. He wasn't even paying attention to what his dog was doing.

The one night mine did snap at theirs, I did not apologize. I'd already warned them she needed her space.

I'd be talking to the instructor pronto.

 

[puppydog]

I won't correct Ben at all for snapping. I just stand there and look at the owner of the offending dog. If they say something I just tell them to keep their dog away. It makes me so angry!

 

[Laurelin]

Thank you for that! It is nice to hear that some people, at least, understand.

Oh, I agree! You get that a lot with little dogs, unfortunately. People seem to be just waiting to jump in and call your dog aggressive simply because of the reputation small dogs have for being nasty. It's so frustrating especially when you have a DR dog and an owner with an unruly dog goes off on YOU and your dog for having a dog that doesn't tolerate it. 99% of the people we meet will comment on how well behaved Summer is compared to most dogs (especially toy dogs) but I guess some people you can never please. If I warn a person being stupid that she doesn't like other dogs then I almost always get a comment about her size and dogs her size in general. It's annoying.

Luckily at agility, everyone's been so understanding of the DR dogs. We had initially a DA dog and three DR dogs in class, now we only have the two DR dogs and my instructor's DA bc. The only dog that really had a problem was this lab/bc that was obviously undertrained. It was bouncy and in all the dogs' faces. Well, it turns out the man just adopted her and she did need some leash training/socialization. In a few weeks she's been a lot better. She did set off the JRT once but the man apologized and apologized for his dog's behavior. He started staying after class to work on her basic obedience (which she had none) and whenever she gets riled up still he pulls her out and waits for her to calm down. The only instances where Summer has growled, the other dogs' owners have been very understanding and apologetic. It was something we talked about at the beginning of the classes. Most of them have worked with a DR dog before so they know the challenges of it. It's unfortunate the two remaining DR dogs are the two small ones now (the other DA/DR dogs were big). It's really the first place I've been where no one has made a nasty comment about my dog's size. It's so nice, they actually treat her like a dog.

 

[puppydog]

My honest opinion is that the owner is an idiot. She just disrupts in general and therefore her dog is taking cues from her. It is just frustrating and hit a nerve with me! Grrrrrrrr!

 

[Fran101]

you people make me want a papillon soo bad!! no matter what you post! lol
ill have my tri colored pap.. ive just gotta be patient. which sucks! lol

 

[Laurelin]

I'd talk to the instructor. I know mine sat down and talked to the lab owner a bit though he was already aware his dog was causing issues. If she can't control her dog then it needs some obedience first.

 

[bubbatd]

Rude and uncalled for ..... but I'm glad she's at least going to a class for the sake of her dog !

 

[Laurelin]

you people make me want a papillon soo bad!! no matter what you post! lol
ill have my tri colored pap.. ive just gotta be patient. which sucks! lol

Lol, even my post about my dog not liking other dogs? That's like me watching the bc wednesday demolishing a soccer ball and thinking 'I want one of those!'

 

[Fran101]

Lol, even my post about my dog not liking other dogs? That's like me watching the bc wednesday demolishing a soccer ball and thinking 'I want one of those!'

lol im that girl at training class who passes by the crate with the papillon in it and just STANDS THERE. im pretty sure his owner thinks im nuts lol but hes the only pap ive ever seen in person other than my grandmothers phalene so im so curious lol

 

[Laurelin]

Rude and uncalled for ..... but I'm glad she's at least going to a class for the sake of her dog !

I'd be glad if she was putting work into it. If she sees nothing wrong with her dog's behavior though, all her being there is going to do is just cause the DR/fearful dogs to have even more bad experiences with other dogs and escalate their problems. It's very easy to have a lot of training undone by a single bad encounter.

 

[JudithMary]

Ugg that is so annoying. I meet so many people who just allow their dogs to march right up and don't pay any attention at all. THis woman sounds really aggravating. Can the instructor not ask her to keep her dog close and obedient. I would think that for agility training the dog should already be better trained in simple commands.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

I'd sit down and have a talk with the instructor before the next class.. whether that means going to meet somewhere during the week, or a phone call.

Express your concerns. There are many DR dogs playing agility. Only the people playing with them are generally very diligent to protect their dog's personal space bubbles... and other owners at trials usually try awfully hard to keep their dogs out of other dogs faces.

You sound like you are trying very hard to make this experience a good one for you and for Ben. The other lady seems to be clueless and not understand dog behaviour very well.

I'd talk with the instructor and say that she needs to have a talk with the other woman as to keeping her dog under control. Maybe they need to be in obedience classes to work on that first. And if she isn't willing to keep the class under control.. that you will be speaking to this lady as it is unacceptable and is making class a not fun experience for you.