Does your dog attract attention?

[Princesspeach1980]

We're on holiday with the mini hound this week and I can't believe how much attention he has attracted. We keep getting mobbed by kids and adults who all want to stroke him and ask about him. It's lovely and we do get into conversation with all kinds of people, but sometimes it's a bit much when you just want to sit and relax. I'm also a bit when people pick him up without asking, or give him kisses!

He is quite distinctive, he's a chi X jrt and really tiny, but I'm still surprised how interested people are. Luckily he loves the attention, but he is now getting into the habit of trying to happily approach and greet everyone he sees, because he's used to strangers calling him over and making a fuss.

We have never had this with our other dogs in the past, just wondered if anyone else has this experience?

Chihuahua here - always get a huge amount of attention!

Oh yes. Two apricot toy poodles (not technically my own but I look after them every day and they've sort of become my 'adopted' dogs- the owner pays their bills and gives them a bed for the night on weekdays- it's a long story)

They are beautiful. Especially the boy who is tall for a toy poodle and has a lovely trot and melty brown eyes. The girl (brother and sister, same litter) is very sweet and cute but quite stumpy and not very clever. They both get heaps of attention but they are stand-offish with strangers, they'd never let a random person fuss them and they stick to me like glue. If someone really wants a stroke I hold girl dog who will permit a slight touch, but the boy won't have it. People ask about them lots though, one bloke swore to me I had it wrong and they were definitely bichon frise

They are very very affectionate indoors, just not in public!

We have an Italian Greyhound, so smaller than a whippet.
We get the "ooh what is it, how big will he be when he's fully grown?"
He is 4, so fully grown. He used to be okay with the fuss but I can see he's not keen on it now, so I don't allow people to touch him, it's not fair on him.
One daft bat tried to pick him up and he did this death scream, that they are notorious for, scared the living daylights out of her

Not usually the individual dogs, but the fact that I am out with four or five is usually enough to attract attention :)
Ddg3 is the one who will get the most comments, because he is huge and hairy, and adores children, so is quite happy to to the meet and greets for the whole pack.

Yes, small and fluffy so all the children I pass want to stroke her and when people stop to chat she will leap into my arms so she's on their level, which always impresses.

Fortunately, she loves the fuss and admiration but it does mean a walk can take forever. I really don't mind if I not in a particular hurry and sometimes, if one child in a group is holding back and a bit nervous I'm very pleased if they feel happy to stroke her and perhaps she's helped them towards feeling more comfortable around dogs.

I've also had some nasty remarks about her size, although she isn't that tiny, I've seen lots of smaller dogs, but generally it's all positive.

Yes, especially from other owners of the same breed. He's got an unusual colouring and is a very good example of the breed so he gets lots of comments about that. He also does a very silly kangaroo impression when off the lead and literally bounces with excitement so makes people laugh.

I've two GSDs, both are giants! ...one is about 90% black, just a hint of tan about his points, he has the wiry type coat, deep deep amber eyes and an air of superior authority that keeps all but the sincerest fans of GSDs well away, which is a shame as he loves meeting people and making friends

The other is a soft floofy long haired, ear ringleted, feathery tailed bear of a dog, not quite sable, but not quite tan either, typical GSD black bits and everyone always wants to get a hold of him and tbh unless they have a ball to throw then he really is not in the least bit bothered about interacting with strangers. He has a very puppyish gangly demeanour too, and folks are often surprised when we say he is six.

On the whole their size means people tend not to risk an introduction, especially if they are out together, but on my own with floofypants and everyone wants to talk to him.

We have a crufts winning heritage cocker. Beautiful Shimmery dog! People always want to stop and chat and the monster did finds his way onto his back did tummy rubs! Since he was a tiny puppy he has regularly stayed with a dog sitter with little girl (who lets him sleep on her bed - something banned at home!) so he now has a patented trot up to little girl, look cute, offer a paw... Get all the love!

Yep, people seem to flock when they see these two coming. I don't mind, the one on the left is a rescue so it does him good to socialise but he does like to use his very loud outdoor bark when people approach which can be a bit of a shock

When we walk through town we leave ourselves an extra 30 mins because we get stopped so often by so many people and market days are completely nuts, we have about 5 stall holders who regularly pop out to give them both a fuss!

Best comment i ever got was "do your dogs have dwarfism??" to which i replied.. "Nah, you know how people saw off shotguns to make them more manageable? Well these are sawn-off bloodhounds"

Yup. If it's not the wonderfully behaved jrt, it's the beautiful but delinquent fox doppelgänger.

Every.single.walk.

Couldn't resist putting a pic.

Yes Eric is a magnet for children and ladies,think he's too pretty for men to be interested tbh and because he's small and cute he's not at all scary . He laps up the attention though so don't mind too much unless I'm in a rush anyway.
He has it sussed now because quite a few of his regular fans have a treat in their pocket for him so he approaches very enthusiastically, sits and gives them his paw which guarantees admiration of his "perfect manners" (it's purely a means to an end) and the inevitable titbit

Yes, my dog's a small border terrier who can't quite master how to walk so she sort of trots. She wears a pink polka dot collar with a big pink bow and has a matching lead. She's always being told how pretty she is.

We have a Spoodle. People and kids often want to give him a pet as he looks like a Teddy Bear.
Unfortunately he also loves to roll in dead things (dead hedgehog is a particular favourite). So I often have to avoid people :)

we couldn't leave the house without being stopped with our first pup Marty a beagle, people wanted to fuss him all the time (to be fair he was gorgeous) but it drove me nuts. I've had shepherds etc my whole life with health and anxiety problems and I think it's wrong to walk up to someone's dog and just start fussing you don't know the background or temperament of the dog.

We now have two beagles, Marty still gets fussed but the younger Bub is very nervous and this can cause problems when people approach.

It's nice that people are appreciative they just need to think a bit more!

I have a 5 month old basenji who loves people and other dogs. Often people stop to ask what breed he is, good thing he is friendly my old basenji was a right grump! Although sometimes he wants to stop to see people I would rather avoid,

Yes all the time we have the same as you but ours is a little girl and she is hilarious so I'm not surprised,we have 3 dogs so we get it alot,we also have a Greyhound as well and people always stop us to make a fuss of him,lots of people tell us about Greyhounds they had or they're friends or family had and he is so adorable he loves children and our other little girl we think she's a jack russell cross she's gorgeous she gets loads of attention from little girls because she looks like she has Egyptian eyes with eye liner around them,that always fascinates any girls that stop us to give her a fuss.

Yes, a fair bit. We have a very silly cocker, but he is rather beautiful.

Children love him, because he's very fluffy. He's not that interested in them - he has lots of children at home, so they chase him around.

Adults always ask about him too, just as general chit-chat, what type he is, and they're always a little surprised to find out he was a rescue dog.

Yes. I have a pug. Everyone wants to strike him and take photos. Luckily he is a total diva and loves it.

Yes. I have a pug. Everyone wants to stroke him and take photos. Luckily he is a total diva and loves it.

Just to add - he is not as beautiful as swissgemma's award winning cocker upthread - he looks like a scruffy mongrel in comparison.

He frequently also looks like.....

Ah, now that one in the mud could be mine.... mud is a magnet to him.

He also swims in any body of water going!

picklypopcorn GORGEOUS! If I had a quid for everyone who says either, 'Ooh, a sausage dog!' (er, no) or 'Oooh, it's Fred!' I could almost pay for his Bonio habit...