Inappropriate dog touching

[LeonardosYoungerModel]

if one more child or adult touches my dog without asking I may scream. Dogs are not toys!!!

Shes very young and a very family friendly breed. I’m socialising her at the moment and doing first walks. I’ve had her breed before and I know that if not properly trained they are a sodding nightmare (bouncy, bitey and big).

It’s a sodding bloody nightmare. Every child, person, stick insect and tosspottingwankweasel going seems intent to not only approach her and touch her, but also encourage her to jump up!!

Half the time they don’t even ask but when they do I’ve said no and they do it anyway!!!!!!! I’ve taught her to ‘place’ between my legs so people have to get level with
my fanny to touch her, and they still do it! Get your head away from my fanny!!!!!!

Why are people so damn thick?! AIBU to think that if it is clear the owner does not want you touching their dog, then you do not touch the bloody dog?! And you definitely do not touch any dog and more importantly do not let your bloody toddler touch a dog without asking but particularly when the owner has said no?! And you don’t bloody put your head near someone’s bloody fanny (thankfully not literally at the moment) to pat their dog who is ignoring you?!

I feel your pain. It’s the entitlement combined with the sheer stupidity that really blows my mind.

They’ll be livid in a few years if your dog lunges and jumps up at them on a walk - because they’ve encouraged her. And it’ll be your fault, even if you’ve done everything right.

Really? I have an utterly adorable KCC and I’m always asked before anyone touches, literally always

I’ve always been asked first.

This topic title sounds a bit odd 😂

I think there's a valid point in there somewhere but can't get past the tweeness and multiple fanny mentions

People have different experiences shocker

Indeed they do, as mumsnet never ceases to open my eyes to…. School gate cliques, narcissistic mothers, neighbours, sisters, group friends holidays that end up in a brawl and horrific hen dos

and now “inappropriate dog touching”!

That'll be a different group of people though. The inappropriate dog touchers won't mind.

The thread title could be taken two ways. Either ‘inappropriate dogs that touch’, or ‘dogs that are touched inappropriately’.

If it’s the first, I would say that all bull breeds plus a lot of other types of dog are indeed inappropriate, and that their ‘touching’ - by means of savage biting - is definitely a problem. It leads to severe injury and death.

If it’s the second, it seems unlikely to happen very much at all. And even if it did I’d be surprised if it were any sort of problem.

So I’m with you on inappropriate dogs that ‘touch’, but not on inappropriate touching of dogs.

I love the ‘leave’ command for this reason 99% of the time when I firmly say ‘leave’ to my dog - it is more directed at a person who is interfering with us and it often works!

firm ‘ leave ‘ and stop sign with the hand !

I was always taught never to touch dogs that I don’t know - and to ask before touching the dogs I do know. Dogs can be unpredictable, even the friendlier breeds and even more so in hot weather. It’s 30 degrees here today.

This title is designed to attract attention.

I have a super cute 7mo sprocker and she’s often off lead. Never has anyone touch her without checking, even yesterday when she was playing with a lab and then lay down belly up inviting tummy rubs in front of the lab owner, he looked at me and asked.

YANBU!

This fucking happens all the time with me and my pup. I’ve had people PICK HIM UP and then get me reflex saying “ah ah!” 😂

It’s just so rude. When I clock one of the crazies from a few metres and they’re gushing and making faces and noises at my dog (baiting you for an interaction), I just ignore and walk straight past them pretending I didn’t see their “subtle hints” too. No time for it - he’s on HIS walk. He doesn’t exist for you.

I’d love to know the reasoning of those voting YABU

You have my sympathy!
I have a long hair breed and children people just touch in passing as the dog is the right hight to run their hands through the dogs hair. I get it, it's tactile calming and just a lovely feeling. Bu my dog doesn't know you! It's dangerous. Imagine I run my hands through every random strangers hair....

YANBU! It's totally bonkers that people do this. I got it most from adults when she was the tiniest little ball of fluff 🥹

It's really frustrating when you are trying to train.

I found children almost always asked (and respected the answer) and the few who didn't ask were all adults!

That’s literally the point of thread titles. To attract attention. To the thread.

See also titles of books, film titles and headlines in news stories.

I was with you until you said that even when they ask, your response is no. Isn't socialisation all about getting your puppy to be... social? As in, able to tolerate people, other animals, noises etc? How is she ever going to be socialised if your default mode is "no, do not touch!" And if she's a very sensitive, nervous or unpredictable breed, then perhaps walking her somewhere she won't come into contact with much is a better option.

And yes, we've always taught our children to ask first, and have always accepted it on the (very rare) occasions we've been told no.

To the pp who lumped all 'bull breeds' in together, please don't do that. I've known many staffies who have been the biggest people pleasers. It's all to do with how well a dog is socialised. Which brings me back to my first point.

Happened all the time to me when my white, fluffy GSD was a pup. She became people reactive for a while and HATES the fist out towards her head touch people do "who are good with dogs" (in their opinion). Thankfully with much work she's fine with people now, unless they do the stupid fist thing, then she'll look like a t-rex!

No, that’s not what socialisation is about.

At most, I think the general advice is you let 1 in 4 people who ask, touch your dog. Otherwise you get what happened to a PP’s GSD.

Can’t you just not stand still with the dog when people approach you? Or just say "please don’t touch the dog, I’m training her"?

Get her a jacket like the ones working dogs wear, that says ‘do not approach/distract me’ and maybe add ‘in training’ or something.

I had to tell a girl off once as I had my young dog with me at the bar in a pub (on lead) and this girl came out of the restaurant, and without any communication with me at all she came from behind, swooped down onto my dog and embraced it with both arms, her hair falling over and her face near to my dog’s face. We did not know this girl at all! I had to say to her how extremely vulnerable she was making both herself, to getting bitten, and my dog, who would be pts if she had reacted and bitten this girl. Girl was about 12. Complete parenting fail though never to teach a kid DO NOT DO THIS!

Someone had better tell the Kennel Club that then, because there's nothing about a 1 in 4 rule - only to take your cue from your puppy's behaviour/ responses to different stimuli.

People round here have coats or harnesses for their puppies, with instructions on. Nervous, reactive, in training, I'm working etc to let people know. I'm a dog walker, if my name doesn't tell you. They are very effective