Have you ever been pleased/relieved to be told a dog “is friendly”?

[lingle]

Or to hear more about the dog’s age, training, “people who don’t like dogs” or that said dog is “just having fun”

I personally haven’t - it’s very annoying because I’m often thinking about work/solving a work problem, or getting away from the stresses/conflicts of everyday life when on a walk and if a dog needs to be called away I prefer the owner to just say “sorry” so I can say “no problem” and then we can each get on with our day.

of course the dog owner can curse my failure to embrace the chance to praise their dog/ask what breed it is afterwards - not on my time.

My favourite thing to reply when being told a dog is friendly is "well, I'm not."

I've just got so fed up with it. They can see I have a child who is disproportionately frightened, get your dog and move on please.

It depends. I’ve had to tell people my dog is friendly because when they approach her, she smiles.

Now to most people, it looks likes she’s growling but she isn’t. She’s smiling.

So I reassure people that yes, she’s friendly.

🤔

I don’t really care if the dog is “friendly” when it’s jumping up and getting mud on me. What I would prefer is a dog that is either trained or on a lead. A dog that comes running up and leaps around me is just annoying.

No.

"Friendly" is code for "my dog is poorly trained"

I have been known to advise dog owners that DS is not friendly.

Yes. I'm quite nervous running past dogs at the moment after some horrible experiences. So yes, when an owner spots me keeping my distance says 'it's ok they're friendly' AND keeps them away from me I'm very happy. The crucial bit is the and though but I do appreciate verbal confirmation that they are unlikely to bite me as they grab hold of them.

Soubriqet I think you are joking!

Of course! The assessment of their beloved dog’s qualities fills me with joy when it is cannoning towards me, leaping all over me, thrusting it’s slimy nose in my crotch and coating my freshly ironed cords in wet mud. And especially when it slobbers saliva over my hand as I am trying to eat my sandwich. All is right with the world because the dog is friendly. 🙂🙄

If I felt genuinely threatened by a dog, the owner saying it was friendly wouldn't reassure me. Half the dogs that maul people are described as friendly dogs who had never done anything like it before.

Generally speaking I don't feel threatened by dogs, I feel irritated by them (if they're jumping up at me etc. If they're ignoring me I have no opinion of them). And in that situation, them being friendly is irrelevant. I don't want to be jumped on by a random dog however friendly it is, in the same way that my 3 year old isn't going to injure anybody, but I don't let her run up to people (or dogs) and bother them.

I don't really care.
I'd just be grateful if you'd socialise and train it properly, keep it in control and on a lead and not let if run loose and jump up or bark at people.

I’m weary of people who say their dog is friendly. If it’s friendly it should be obvious. I’ve never felt the need to say it to anyone, I don’t feel like I have anything to prove.

Couldn’t care less about the friendly part. I would like it to be trained with perfect recall if off lead, and on a lead if not.

@Soubriquet You've not got a golden retriever by any chance have you? Failing that, a staffie...?!

And another dog thread. 🙄🙄🙄

No, because I don’t trust other dog owners. Our dogs have perfect recall, they’re gun dogs and don’t move from my side unless told to. I live somewhere that’s very popular for walking/hiking and we get a lot of tourists who bring their camper vans and rough camp. Unfortunately they also bring bloody unruly dogs (like today) shouting “he’s friendly” as this bully breed is barking like a thing possessed at me, meanwhile my 5 were sat perfectly behind me. It’s not the first time I’ve booted a dog coming at me and it won’t be the last, if your dog can’t behave in public then either keep it leashed and muzzled in public or at home.

Yes - if our children do something comparable we don’t try to justify it/explain it, we just say sorry.
unless, I suppose, it is sensible to briefly mention some special needs.

“in the same way that my 3 year old isn't going to injure anybody, but I don't let her run up to people (or dogs) and bother them.”

Booted as in struck? crikey!

Urm, no I’m being serious. She smiles at people. I’ll have to try and get a photo.

She’s a chihuahua but she’s big for a chi. Around 6 kgs and more the size of a jack Russel.

I have another chi who’s a quarter of her size at 2.5kgs the size difference is noticeable

Sorry grouty. Would you like me to explain that the thread is friendly and well-intentioned and tell you its type? Or would you prefer just to move on and get on with your evening?

Twice now I've had HUGE dog breeds not be controlled and come right up to my child. First was a malamute sticking his head in my daughter's pram when she was only about 9 weeks old, second was someone with a boxer puppy who let it go right into my daughter's face as she was walking along at 18 months old.

Both times the owner told me they're friendly and love kids' I absolutely despise dog owners like this.

So yeah it pisses me off too.

Soubriqet are you sure they are approaching your dog, not vice versa?

I love dogs. 🐾❤️

Nope. Because it's only ever said after said dog has approached me.

DH is scared of dogs. After much cajoling from me that dogs do not randomly approach and bite passing strangers he got over it. Then a dog bit him. He was on his regular walk through the village and it was with a woman but not on a lead. It just ran up and bit his hand. I suspect it was a puppy (I wasn't there). Owner was mortified. His had bled badly and GP told DH to go to A&E where he was patched up and given a tetanus.
So now if he sees a dog off a lead half a mile away he turns round and walks the other way.

:)

Every flamin weekend