Dealing with ‘touchers’

[PoliticalPossum]

Can anyone give me any advice on how to deal with ‘touchers’ I.e the entitled bastards people who, even when they’ve asked and you’ve said no, try and touch your dog.

I’ve tried everything. Collar saying ‘do not touch’, telling people he’s aggressive (he’s not) to try and get them to go away, telling them forcefully no and, finally, telling them to (not very nicely) go away. I am fortunately blessed with a ‘resting bitch face’ which also does not seem to work.

Nothing works!!! The sense of entitlement of random people (including other dog owners) to pet my dog is starting to drive me insane. He’s a common ‘family friendly’ breed and is, unfortunately, incredibly beautiful - which seems to draw them in. When I had Rotties no one ever petted them! But him? Like flies to shit.

So, does anyone have any ideas?

I say that as both a dog owner and someone who always asks and respects the owner's answer btw

When I had greyhounds people would give us a swerve and tell kids they bite when they saw they were wearing a muzzle and flocked more without (when they could bite😂) so that may help scare some away.

It's surprising more people aren't bitten by dogs, they really are quite tolerant to human stupidity.

May I also recommend a ridgie boy to deter people. Oursreally big boy rarely has attempts to pat as "he's aggressive, just look at the hair on his back" - what they say, not us. It works in our favour, as most people just give him a swerve, although his 'I will kill you' face also helps to deter the most eager of people (usually men....his huge boof also puts them off, which he gives off at anyone who stares for too long or seems too interested!)

He's just rolled in sh!t

Obviously my last dog was the cutest dog that ever lived 😀because everyone wanted to give her a tickle or a treat.
I always say that if I get another dog I'm going to pick the ugliest, most unfriendly looking dog in the rescue centre and hopefully everyone will give her a wide swerve.

You need to bulk up the do not touch stuff with lots of yellow IME. Collar not enough.

You can get a yellow lead with DO NOT TOUCH printed all over it and also a bulkier DO NOT TOUCH sleeve for the lead in yellow. You can also get a yellow bandana with the same, even a coat.

People still ask to touch my cute fluffy dog - they wonder if the warning is actually true. So I tell them he'll bite if they persist. And they say: really? But at least they don't touch!

The dogs that like being touched- surely letting him being touched by a range of people makes your dog more relaxed and less likely to be nervous about people he meets outside? I heard a vet talking about some of the tougher breeds and she said it’s a vicious circle of people staying away from them so they’re nervous around people and more likely to get into an altercation. She also said dogs that aren’t properly socialised to the general public are the ones that turn reactive because they’ve been taught to avoid anyone other than their owner.

The people who shout ‘no’ and tell people to fuck off- is there not enough shit and unpleasantness in the world at the moment?

“I’m going back to Rotties after this…maybe a Turkish Kangal - ain’t no one gonna pet one of them 😀”

🫣I would. 🤣 Obviously would ask first. You can normally tell if someone is friendly and wants to interact.
There’s a Tibetan mastiff around here and I can tell the owner doesn’t want to interact, will cross over that kind of thing. He dropped some poop bags once (the roll) so I called after him and he came to get them off me, thanked me.

The problem is people always want to touch the cuties, but they don’t like being jumped on. It was a nightmare training mine, as people wanted to fuss him all the time.

Well, when my DC were pushchair-sized I'd get random people wanting to interact with them: say hello, chat, smile. It wasn't a problem; if I'd had a DC who found it frightening I'd have said so, but they used to grin and 'chat' back. I reckoned it was good for their social development. One old chap became a regular supplier of strawberries across his garden fence - 'Ooh, now, let me see if I've got enough ripe ones to go round - and one for mum too!'

The people who want to touch my dogs are mostly sensible enough to take my advice about the younger one being a bit shy, as the older one tarts around being a total attention whore. Sure, people who insist on interacting with a dog lying quietly under a pub table or when they've been asked not to are a pita, but IME most people aren't like that.

But if you walked over and started cuddling a small child that belonged to a random stranger, just because you thought it looked cute, you'd be labelled a weirdo or something beginning with p... So what gives you the right to cuddle a strangers dog that is just as much a family member as their small child is?

We had an attempted dognapping of one of our puppies just because we had been friendly and open and allowed someone to stroke him and ask us questions a couple of days before. This changed how much access we allowed people to have with our subsequent two pups.

Do not dare to tell me that I have to allow people free access to pet my dogs against my wishes because I will not do that. And none of my dogs have been reactive.

A muzzle is a terrific deterrent, illogical though it is.

A lot of people want to stroke our dogs as they are fairly small and very fluffy and cute and most of the time I actually don't mind and think it's really lovely as I love stroking dogs too but I completely understand you. Everyone always asks for me!! Unbelievable that people actually think they are entitled to stroking your dog without permission.

This could work, in theory. But for his own safety (he's intact) I won't muzzle him. 😞

Yes it's crap OP.

I have sweet teddy bear cut mini poodle. So she looks like the kindest sweetest little fluffball. But she is not good with people she doesn't know. Normally it's grown men in the pub who shove their hand in her face before I can get the words out to say 'no she's not friendly to strangers' and she goes for them. And they are always hugely surprised and embarrassed. Kids always ask though and (she's actually good with kids) I always say no. They usually listen.

But spend half an hour in our house and she's your friend. Especially if you ignore her. 😂

@PoliticalPossum what does him being intact have to do with you not wanting to muzzle him?

No hate, I just genuinely can't see the connection!

Intact male dogs are often challenged or attacked by other intact males. Muzzling means the dog would have no means to defend himself and, since he himself is not aggressive, is probably not a sensible option.

Interesting @PyreneanAubrie - I walk multiple intact males and none of them have ever been attacked or challenged!

I'd say you've been pretty lucky.

We've had several bad experiences of our last three boys being attacked or threatened by other dogs even though none of ours were ever off the lead in a public space.

Get him one of those costs off if Amazon that says 'nervous dog' or 'service dog in training'.

Nothing works. I just don’t take my people magnets (leonbergers obviously!) into busy places any more.

Its made it almost impossible to take mine to nice days out, no fun being unable to walk 3 steps or have a conversation over a cuppa. Or worse the people letting dogs into their spaces/sniff them as they are lying down minding their own business then laughing when the said dog inevitably starts going mental at mine (which they almost always do as they have never seen ‘anything so big!’)

My dogs are friendly but I don’t want hoards of people grabbing them all the time. They also dislike strange dogs now after years of being barked and lunged at 😩

Before anyone calls me miserable. I love talking about them and the breed, I will answer any questions people have…just don’t touch!!

@Leonberger

So glad it's not just me that has random mutts lunging/barking/snapping at my calm giant breed dogs. Even our 6 month girl was set upon by a hyper male spaniel a couple of weeks ago - she was on the lead, the aggressive dog was loose 😠
Sometimes it feels like every other canine develops "small man syndrome" when they see a big dog and the owners always, always excuse it 😡

We love Leos BTW, we almost got one years ago but ended up with yet another Pyrenean 🙄

Nothing works. I just don’t take my people magnets (leonbergers obviously!) into busy places any more.

This is my worry @Leonberger! nothing seems to persuade them. ‘Nervous collars’ just get the response of ‘oh is he scared’ - and they carry on patting! I will persevere in taking him out though - he loves watching the world go by and I dont want him to miss out…maybe I’ll get a Chi or a Daschund - they’re usually anti-people so might protect him!

We get it alot with my little cori cross, my dog might like everyone but I don't.

If I can't just walk off this usually works "she's got contagious conjunctivitis it's cost a fortune in vet bills and she may loose an eye"

She's never had an issue with her eyes

Nope not just you! It’s constant!
We can’t walk anywhere without being lunged and yapped at by some random cockerpoo or similar. Usually followed by the owner stating he’s never done that before or he’s usually friendly so it must be my dogs fault for existing.

Even dogs that are friendly with others are not to mine. My biggest fella (80kgs so a fair size) is a sweetheart but is lunged/barked at and growled at multiple times a walk. Hes been bitten 3 times now, luckily he’s so fluffy he’s not been damaged but it’s knocked his confidence a lot. Now he’s very defensive and will grumble if he thinks another dog will get in his space.

Usually other dog owners will laugh and say something like ‘don’t do that it will eat you’ but I doubt they would laugh if the shoe was on the other foot…

@Leonberger Yup. You can predict the exact words; "oh he's never done that before", "he's normally really friendly".

Your 80kg chap sounds really impressive; ours are mere lightweights compared to that! It's not surprising he's learned to be defensive though, after so many bad experiences.

We've had two PMD injured in dog attacks, on both occasions ours was on the lead and the attacking dog was loose. Our previous male suffered puncture wounds to his head and face as a 16 week old puppy (aggressor was a black Lab). Puppy was very traumatised by that and so was I, it took a long time for us to get over it. Our first boy had needed vet treatment as a young adult, for a deep bite on his flank - that was from a Border collie that just shot of the woods and leapt on his back 😨 Fortunately, although we've had other minor incidents with a couple of GSD, various terriers and toys, the aggressors have generally just ended up with a mouthful of white fluff 😬

But yes, it happens far too frequently and even our bitches have been on the receiving end of dog aggression, so it's not just entire males. Our current pup (female, 6 months) is very calm and placid and I do have complete paranoia since the grumbling Sprocker incident a few weeks back, but she seems fine.

I do love having a giant breed but could definitely do without the constant harassment from people and dogs 😠