Name Some Dog Myths

[lovemesideways]

Too true if you give our bitch an inch she'll take a mile, and it all starts with where they perceive they are in the pecking order... now she has even more competition with our young boy hitting 1 year of age (entire.. at the moment ;-)) so it's strict rules at our house for absolutely everything!

The myth is this is the case for every dog, and it isn't. Be it by virtue of nature or nurture some dogs just don't push the boundaries or have any particular desire to usurp possition. While you'd have hell to pay with your girl over one lessening of a rule(in this case sleeping on the bed), others wouldn't with their dogs.

I think the case for most dogs is that they're above their owners so thats why there isn't an issue. But you're right it depends on the individual dog.

Do you mean to say that most dogs are "above" their owners in the pack? That they see themselves as the boss?

Or am I interpreting that completely wrong

[Staranais]

Whether that is a myth depends on the dog, and the owner, I think.

My girl sleeps on the bed with me with no issues at all & she is definitely no pushover. But we've done a lot of other work outside the bedroom (LOL!) to establish that I'm the head honcho.

[geo]

Too true if you give our bitch an inch she'll take a mile, and it all starts with where they perceive they are in the pecking order... now she has even more competition with our young boy hitting 1 year of age (entire.. at the moment ;-)) so it's strict rules at our house for absolutely everything!

The myth is this is the case for every dog, and it isn't. Be it by virtue of nature or nurture some dogs just don't push the boundaries or have any particular desire to usurp possition. While you'd have hell to pay with your girl over one lessening of a rule(in this case sleeping on the bed), others wouldn't with their dogs.

I think the case for most dogs is that they're above their owners so thats why there isn't an issue. But you're right it depends on the individual dog.

Do you mean to say that most dogs are "above" their owners in the pack? That they see themselves as the boss?

Or am I interpreting that completely wrong

Should've been clearer, it was a tongue in cheek comment.. but i've met quite a few dogs that think they rule the roost.

[Smartypaws]

Too true if you give our bitch an inch she'll take a mile, and it all starts with where they perceive they are in the pecking order... now she has even more competition with our young boy hitting 1 year of age (entire.. at the moment ;-)) so it's strict rules at our house for absolutely everything!

The myth is this is the case for every dog, and it isn't. Be it by virtue of nature or nurture some dogs just don't push the boundaries or have any particular desire to usurp possition. While you'd have hell to pay with your girl over one lessening of a rule(in this case sleeping on the bed), others wouldn't with their dogs.

I think the case for most dogs is that they're above their owners so thats why there isn't an issue. But you're right it depends on the individual dog.

At the risk of being flamed, I offer Patricia McConnell's thoughts on Dominance theory: http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/the-c...ed-as-dominance. This is the first in a series of her BLOGs on this subject and interesting, measured, well thought out reading. Comments from readers at the end are often thought provoking also.

Dominance and Heirarchy are such loaded terms in the context of dog behaviour, and are often confused or confusing to most of us. :rolleyes: Dogs really have very little interest in "being above" their owners in most cases, and Patricia is very eloquent at explaining this. Happy to post elsewhere too if you think this isn't the right thread for it.

[geo]

At the risk of being flamed, I offer Patricia McConnell's thoughts on Dominance theory: http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/the-c...ed-as-dominance. This is the first in a series of her BLOGs on this subject and interesting, measured, well thought out reading. Comments from readers at the end are often thought provoking also.

Dominance and Heirarchy are such loaded terms in the context of dog behaviour, and are often confused or confusing to most of us. :rolleyes: Dogs really have very little interest in "being above" their owners in most cases, and Patricia is very eloquent at explaining this. Happy to post elsewhere too if you think this isn't the right thread for it.

Good read, i'll take some things from that. Parts of it relates to my 2, affection being a primary resource to one but not the bitch unless she has nothing better to do.

maybe you should start another thread, i'd like to hear what people have experienced, especially multi dog owners..

i.e i found the young pup had the older female cornered and she wasn't game enought to pass, now was it because she was near his sleeping area.? or because the bins haven't been collected (even though they're out of sight) and smell a bit.?

[tarope]

Here's a few.

Rotties are a dangerous breed.

Rotties will suddenly snap and turn on you.

Rotties are stupid.

Rotties can't be trusted with kids.

Rotties are guard dogs

Rotties are a very dominant breed and hard to handle (this from a vet).

Rotties are evil devil dogs.

GSD's will turn on you. Can't trust them. Are guard dogs, etc etc etc.

An Instructor at all breeds once said, If you let your dog on the lounge or bed one day they will attack you. :rolleyes:

Raw meat makes them vicious.

The sad thing is some people believe this crap, and when you ask them have you ever owned a Rottie or GSD the answer is always no. ;)

[spottychick]

I thought the water bottle on lawns rubbish was all about "dogs wont pee in/near a water supply".

Well even if that were true - a bottle full of water on some strangers overly manicured lawn is not "a water supply" to dogs. It's a bottle lying in the middle of nowhere - and therefore an interesting object to be investigated and most likely peed on while you're there. I always imagine a dog thinking along the lines of "hmmmm what's this thing over here...lets see lets SEEE!!!!! ........oh...... BORing!!!!!! just another one of them plastic things.... might as well pee on it now that I'm standing next to it. Smells a bit funny anyway".

Silly people

lovemesideways - that pic in your post a couple of pages back made me spit out my coffee LMAO

I don't think it matters to most people if you call the dog an omnivore or a sub-type of carnivore. It has the same effect, they are animals that mostly eat meat. It would be good to impress the "carnivore" angle on all those people who feed their dogs kibble with sweet FA actual meat content though. And dogs DO derive nutrition from foods other than meat. Just ask my stone-forming dalmatian. He'd be dead if they didn't.

[lovemesideways]

Here's a few.

Rotties are a dangerous breed.

Rotties will suddenly snap and turn on you.

Rotties are stupid.

Rotties can't be trusted with kids.

Rotties are guard dogs

Rotties are a very dominant breed and hard to handle (this from a vet).

Rotties are evil devil dogs.

GSD's will turn on you. Can't trust them. Are guard dogs, etc etc etc.

An Instructor at all breeds once said, If you let your dog on the lounge or bed one day they will attack you.

Raw meat makes them vicious.

The sad thing is some people believe this crap, and when you ask them have you ever owned a Rottie or GSD the answer is always no.

It's worse if they do own the breed. I met someone with this GSD, sweetest little girl. Next time I see them shes on a check chain!!! A 6 month old, very submissive and gentle girl on a check chain? They said it was cause the "breeder" (BYB I'm sure) had told them they need to keep her "in line". Because GSD's have been known to turn on their owners due to a chemical imbalance in their brain, and if they'r afraid of you they won't attack you, just other people...

I thought the water bottle on lawns rubbish was all about "dogs wont pee in/near a water supply".

Well even if that were true - a bottle full of water on some strangers overly manicured lawn is not "a water supply" to dogs. It's a bottle lying in the middle of nowhere - and therefore an interesting object to be investigated and most likely peed on while you're there. I always imagine a dog thinking along the lines of "hmmmm what's this thing over here...lets see lets SEEE!!!!! ........oh...... BORing!!!!!! just another one of them plastic things.... might as well pee on it now that I'm standing next to it. Smells a bit funny anyway".

Silly people

lovemesideways - that pic in your post a couple of pages back made me spit out my coffee LMAO

I don't think it matters to most people if you call the dog an omnivore or a sub-type of carnivore. It has the same effect, they are animals that mostly eat meat. It would be good to impress the "carnivore" angle on all those people who feed their dogs kibble with sweet FA actual meat content though. And dogs DO derive nutrition from foods other than meat. Just ask my stone-forming dalmatian. He'd be dead if they didn't.

Glad you enjoyed it

[DerRottweiler]

1 Rotties are a dangerous breed.

2 Rotties are guard dogs

3 Rotties are a very dominant breed and hard to handle (this from a vet).

I wouldn't say those are all myths...

1: They can be, in the wrong hands. Because the breed is a large breed, this can make them dangerous. That is, they aren't inherently dangerous, but the potential is there.

2: A working Rottweiler is a good guard dog.

3: They can be very dominant and hard to handle, not in general, but I've met a few.

Edited June 15, 2010 by DerRottwelier

[corvus]

The water bottles on the lawn works here! We hustle the doggies past the lawn littered with water bottles lest the crazy dog hater inside see our dogs crapping on their lawn (and us picking it up).

[tarope]

Here's a few.

Rotties are a dangerous breed.

Rotties will suddenly snap and turn on you.

Rotties are stupid.

Rotties can't be trusted with kids.

Rotties are guard dogs

Rotties are a very dominant breed and hard to handle (this from a vet).

Rotties are evil devil dogs.

GSD's will turn on you. Can't trust them. Are guard dogs, etc etc etc.

An Instructor at all breeds once said, If you let your dog on the lounge or bed one day they will attack you.

Raw meat makes them vicious.

The sad thing is some people believe this crap, and when you ask them have you ever owned a Rottie or GSD the answer is always no.

Lovemesideways

It's worse if they do own the breed. I met someone with this GSD, sweetest little girl. Next time I see them shes on a check chain!!! A 6 month old, very submissive and gentle girl on a check chain? They said it was cause the "breeder" (BYB I'm sure) had told them they need to keep her "in line". Because GSD's have been known to turn on their owners due to a chemical imbalance in their brain, and if they'r afraid of you they won't attack you, just other people...

Both mine went to obedience training run by the GSDL and at 6mths you start using a check chain, nothing wrong with that but it's the way you use it is important. My two couldn't wait to get there, because it's fun and not something to be scared of and they didn't turn on me. :D

It's no wonder some people are scared of GSD's when some fool tells them that they have something wrong with their brain and if their scared of you they'll only attack other people.

Edited June 15, 2010 by tarope

[jata]

And another aggression one, any dog with wrinkles on it's forehead will attack you.

Oh crap

[HeavyPaws]

The water one is because dog's can't see clear things, so they think the water is suspended in the air, and get scared.

My Dad still believes this, and tells me all the time how his mini foxie is so clever, because she's figured out that the water can be picked up, and how funny it must look to another dog, his dog carrying around water floating in air

[tarope]

1 Rotties are a dangerous breed.

2 Rotties are guard dogs

3 Rotties are a very dominant breed and hard to handle (this from a vet).

I wouldn't say those are all myths...

1: They can be, in the wrong hands. Because the breed is a large breed, this can make them dangerous. That is, they aren't inherently dangerous, but the potential is there.

2: A working Rottweiler is a good guard dog.

3: They can be very dominant and hard to handle, not in general, but I've met a few.

All are myths as a dog of any breed can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Large doesn't make them dangerous either, unless they stand on your toes.

As for dominant and hard to handle, this is the biggest myth of all if you train your Rottie pup from a young age with the help of obedience instructors in the Rottweiler club you will never have a problem.

I have never seen a Rottie that obedience instructors in the Rottweiler club of NSW could not handle, all are like putty in their hands.

[dog enthusiest]

well i remember hearing around the tracks one person believed extacy was made from a bitch in heat and dog seamen...

[lovemesideways]

Ok! I'm on my way to making a video on these myths, so I've gone through all of them, and these are my the ones I think I will address in the video.

Any other really common or really funny myths people have to add?

If a dog wags his tail, he’s happy

A wellness indicator in a dog is how dry/wet hot/cold their nose is.

Feeding a dog raw meat will give it the taste of blood and make it want to hunt & kill ( Love this one)

"Soft drink bottles full of water will stop dogs peeing on your garden." Because the dog will know it's fresh water and so won't pee or poop there

or

Because dog's can't see clear things, so they think the water is suspended in the air, and get scared.

The bull breed "lock jaw" myth!

GSD's, Rotties, Pittbulls have been known to turn on their owners due to a chemical imbalance in their brain,

If you hold a pug upside down their eyes will pop out.

If you let your dog take a tug toy from you - you will lose alpha / leader status in that dog's eyes. (even if the dog brings it straight back?) or If you play tug with a dog - you encourage aggression and dominance behaviour in the dog.

Apparently the Stafford's skull needs to "be" split.....eg, you split its skull yourself.....or it can die as the brain grows too large for the skull.

And then there are all these which are just so random that maybe I should add them too.

To do with Looks

If the roof of a dogs mouth is black or has black markings means he/she is stupid.

OR

I have heard that if the roof of the mouth is black it means they are a pure breed

OR

if your dog has pigmentation in their mouth it means they will become aggressive.

OR

the black roof of mouth meant the dog was really smart

Don't trust a dog with orange eyebrows.

Only dogs with three hairs growing out of the freckle under their chin are any good as pets.

Dogs with light or yellow eyes are evil.

Any dog with wrinkles on it's forehead will attack you

[SpikesPuppy]

The runt is the best in the litter

I can't disagree with this

My girl was the runt in a litter of 7. A few weeks ago, at just 3 years of age, she went Best in Specialty Show - and only 5 mnths after her first litter of 6!

And part of me also wants to agree with the litter myth- after having her babies, she has changed and become a happier dog - more confident in herself and pre-litter she was a slug in the show ring, now she prances about as if she owns the place!