Wierd: I am very scared of dogs....

[sulawesigirl4]

We might be taking away the beagle that's living next to you. We're trying to get one from a rescue, and many of the homes are in Virginia.

That would be awesome. lol. He ruins all my plans for a relaxing summer afternoon on my deck with a good book, a glass of wine and food on the grill. damn beagle! you are welcome to him.

 

[annie_vox]

are you coming to live with me?

hmm you all are making me reconsider what kind of dog I want. maybe i'll just go with a mixed breed...i dont know

Can I make a suggestion?

Here's my favourite dog:

A Weimaraner. I think this is the most beautiful breed ever, and they're very inteligent and kind... They just need a lot of space and a good owner who knows how to take good care of them. People call him "the silver phamtom". They have a lot of attitude and they also know how to protect the ones they love.
You can also go for a mixed breed... I like that kind of dogs a lot

 

[Justin24]

Black Labs Rule All!!!

Here is my baby.

 

[redhotswami]

Can I make a suggestion?

Here's my favourite dog:

A Weimaraner. I think this is the most beautiful breed ever, and they're very inteligent and kind... They just need a lot of space and a good owner who knows how to take good care of them. People call him "the silver phamtom". They have a lot of attitude and they also know how to protect the ones they love.
You can also go for a mixed breed... I like that kind of dogs a lot

There is one that lives in the next apt complex over. Anytime I'm walking my dog, he rushes up to the glass window and bellows the scariest bark I have ever heard in my life

I agree, he is pretty though!

 

[annie_vox]

^^Yeah they can be scary sometimes I think it's those eyes that seem to be made of water and that serious face. They were trained as police dogs once like the German Shephards but it wasn't for a long time...
I never had one, but I know someone who has and the dog is really sweet with the ones he knows, but he doesn't let strangers get into the house when there is nobody home.
I guess it always depend on how you educate the dog... a friend of mine has a Rottweiller who is one of the sweetest dogs I know (besides my own dog), even to the other dog she has and the cat, of course people are scared of him just because he's a Rottweiller, and no one walks into that house when he's around. and that's the plan

 

[phillyfan26]

My brother has a fear of dogs that is essentially baseless. Even leashed dogs cannot come within 100 feet of him without him finding some place to keep the dog away.

 

[lil_witch]

My brother has a fear of dogs that is essentially baseless. Even leashed dogs cannot come within 100 feet of him without him finding some place to keep the dog away.

^^^ that could be me!! (apart from the fact that I'm a girl)
and yes, the more the owner says: "It's so nice, it won't hurt you ", the more I get scared

 

[Babydoll]

I also dislike how some people just don't understand the fear and make fun of it....

 

[lil_witch]

yeah, I know what you're talking about...insensitive people

 

[verte76]

I'm terrified of dogs, even the next-door neighbors. That dog is huge. I can't stand to be jumped on on. When I was in high school I had to walk past a house that had a doberman pinscher in front of it. I'd walk on the wall so it couldn't get me. This was all despite the fact that the dog was locked up and there was a fence. We have least laws in Birmingham. Yes, I'm petrified of dogs.

 

[Babydoll]

Thank God I'm not the only one.

 

[verte76]

Thank God I'm not the only one.

No, you sure are not!

 

[gman]

I am shit scared of seagulls, at nesting time. They keep dive bombing me. And i dont mind saying, am scared shitless. Wish the wee fekers would take their chances with me on the ground.....add kick their egg layin ass. I have a problem wi nerves as it is, without this to worry about. And its nesting time now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bonochick]

I'm not scared of dogs at all...I have two labs. However, one of them bit me this past weekend. She started freaking out while some people were walking by our campsite. I don't know what the heck was wrong, she must have gotten a really bad vibe from them, she was going crazy. I went to calm her down, and she chomped down on my arm. It didn't seem like she'd even realized she'd done it. Once the people were gone, she was fine and giving me love and affection. She didn't break the skin, but I've got a bad bruise.

There was no excuse for her to bite me...but, then again, I was stupid for having my hands and arms by her mouth when she was so upset.

When I was a kid, I got bit by a loose dalmation and chased down the street. THAT freaked me out.

I still dogs though. I can understand why others are scared though, it's not always kisses and wagging tails!

 

[JCOSTER]

I also dislike how some people just don't understand the fear and make fun of it....

I had people tell me and my son, well its just a little dog whats the big deal. The smaller the dog was the worse his fear was.

Being afraid of dogs is not an irrational fear. It is a very serious fear and took 7-8 long years for my son to become adjusted. He still isn't that crazy about dogs but he can go near them and not run and he loves his dog very much.

 

[Babydoll]

Yesterday when our friend brought over her miniature Doberman , I was in my room and heard it bark and my heart started racing.

I don't know what I'd do if a dog jumped on me. I really don't. Have a heart attack, faint....

 

[Liesje]

I'm not scared of dogs at all...I have two labs. However, one of them bit me this past weekend. She started freaking out while some people were walking by our campsite. I don't know what the heck was wrong, she must have gotten a really bad vibe from them, she was going crazy. I went to calm her down, and she chomped down on my arm. It didn't seem like she'd even realized she'd done it. Once the people were gone, she was fine and giving me love and affection. She didn't break the skin, but I've got a bad bruise.

There was no excuse for her to bite me...but, then again, I was stupid for having my hands and arms by her mouth when she was so upset.

Were you reaching for her collar when she bit? I've read 20% of all dog bites occur because someone reached for a collar, but based on experience I'd bet on it being the majority of dog bite incidents. For some reason this really startles the dog and they issue a corrective bite without thinking (well, dogs never think or rationalize, only react). It's scary because it's your own dog, but it's a very common thing. In the dog world, they correct each other with bites to the neck, so if they are not conditioned to understand that collar grabs = treat delivery, they assume a collar grab is a correction and when they are already anxious, they will correct right back, hence the quick nip to the hand.

If your dog doesn't normally react like that, something about those people probably scared her. Most aggression is fear based. They are acting defensively rather than actually wanting to tear into the dog or person passing by.

Make sure when you're calming her down she is done being fearful and aggressive, otherwise the "calming down" actually reinforces the behaviors she's exhibiting (ie, the dog thinks "Hmmm, BC comes to me to calm me down when I'm all worked up like this, and I like when BC is calming me down and coming to me instead of me having to go to her, so I'm gonna always get worked up like this!!"). If she doesn't stop barking and going nuts with a simple "no" or stop command, ignore her and then work on a "leave it" command once she's ready to be calm.

 

[Bonochick]

Yep, I was going for the collar...from behind. I know, not smart. She whipped her head around and clamped down on my arm. It was all for like just a second though, she was such a whirlwind. I was NOT pleased, and it kind of freaked me out, but I didn't handle the situation correctly, so I really can't blame her for reacting how she did.

 

[Liesje]

It sucks because it's so instinctive for us humans. I've done the same thing, which actually intensified the bites the dog was already giving me. I grabbed for his collar to try to wrestle him off me and down to the ground, but the collar grab only made him escalate and THATS when I received the bites that are still giving me pains.

You can condition them to like collar grabs, but even then in a situation where the dog is reacting aggressively out of fear, they may or may not remember that collar grabs = treats.

 

[anitram]

My parents conditioned our Collie that as soon as they touch the collar, he sits down. Within split seconds. He's never grabbed us while reaching for the collar.

 

[Liesje]

Yesterday when our friend brought over her miniature Doberman , I was in my room and heard it bark and my heart started racing.

If it makes you feel any better, I love dogs, work w/ them all the time now, and I never know what the heck to do with those little minpins! They are smaller than my cats. Wierd! BTW, minpins aren't a mini Dobie, they are an older breed than a Doberman and have a very different temperament standard than that of a Dobie.

Today was my first ever all out, going for the juggular, big dog dog fight! Nothing to get your adrenaline going like an aggressive male boxer ripping at a boxer/mastiff and his lead being the one that was dropped (NOT by me).

 

[Bonochick]

My sister used a huge dog named Carl that was very protective of her. If he wasn't familiar with you, he could be kind of intimidating, so he made people nervous sometimes...even people like me who love dogs. He still didn't know me well when I went to visit this one time, and I was nervous to walk past him to get to the door...so I brought a sandwich with me to throw at him.

He really was a gentle giant, but he just wanted to make sure my sister was safe.


This is my favorite pic of them:

 

[Liesje]

Ooooo, what a beautiful Leonberger boy!

 

[redhotswami]

aww how sweet!

 

[AtomicBono]

This is my favorite pic of them:

that is a HUGE dog! though from my experience, those huge dogs are usually quite gentle and rather lazy...like great danes...

 

[annie_vox]

^^ that's such a sweet pic... He protects her well, I'm sure

 

[Liesje]

Tomorrow we're going to the Apple Blossom Cluster. It's a huge AKC dog show and hour from here. Babydoll, if you lived near by, we'd take you along to help with your fear. I guarantee you'd find a dog to fall in love with.

 

[yolland]

^ Are there any good comprehensive websites for finding out about all the various dog shows held around the country, schedules, etc. ?

 

[Liesje]

Honestly, I've yet to find one. I belong to a dog forum so I get most of my information from there in the Events forum. I had no idea that this show was taking place until someone said "hey you are from MI are you going to the Cluster?" I checked the AKC's site and they don't even have it listed under events. Instead, they have each of the individual kennel clubs participating in the event listed individually. Someone showing her Malinois' sent me a link to the page indicating which rings each judge was judging so that's what I have.

I've had slightly better luck w/ the UKC's website. I went to their Events section and found their Premiere event for Michigan in June. I'll probably go to that one too if my breeder decides to go.

It's hard to get a comprehensive list b/c there's so many kennel clubs and each show is also hosted by smaller kennel clubs. For example, the show tomorrow looks like pretty much every breed, but our GS Pointer club is doing their own sweepstakes and such.

 

[JanuaryStar]

Wow Babydoll, this sounds like the exact thing I had for a very long time!! When I was younger, I was scared shitless of dogs... I mean I only had to see one (even if it was 500 m away) and I was like 'I have to get out of here!' Somehow it changed a bit though... My father has a dog now, it's very sweet... But I always kept having this anxiety towards dogs, I don't know why though