Don't The Rules Apply To You Or Something?

[Dory the Doted One]

I've left Dory in a car and had a 'do gooder' rip me a new one for it. And quite frankly I was offended...very offended. Dory had a bowl of water and I was ducking out to check her every few minutes, and I was clock watching. Which is why I KNEW she had not been left unattended for half an hour while 'do gooder' was watching. Hadn't even been at the store for half an hour!! Had a very verbal and heated 'discussion' in the car park. Don't get me wrong, it's nice she was concerned enough to say something. I've done it myself. Just didn't appreciate her gross exageration of the situation. And got effed off when she was screeching at me and calling me a liar.

It was not a planned trip, boyfriend decided to stop and wanted me to see something. :rolleyes: In the end he was taking so damn long and I got sick of constantly ducking in and out. I was not comfortable with leaving her unattended even for a short time. I told him I was going to wait outside with Dory because it was too warm and he was taking way too long.

These days if I'm going anywhere with him I leave Dory at home, he is too unpredictable when it comes to window shopping (has been known to do it on a whim) and doesn't think about the logistics. Sends me stupid. And puts her at risk.

I have been known to leave her in the car still. Cold days, under shade, windows open and never more than half an hour.

[Maxiewolf]

Ive left Brutus in the car and never on a hot day, never in the sun.. the only time I ever leave a dog unattended in the car is in an underground carpark. And again not for very long, though I used to have a genius Idea with my old car. I had 2 sets of keys... one so I could leave it in the car with the engine running and the aircon on, and the other so I could lock the car. Was great when I just wanted to run in and grab a drink or something besides whos gonna "try" and steal my old car with a doberman "chillin" by the aircon taking up the whole back seat?

Plus it had ultra dark tinted windows... and being a black dog the lookeyloos didn't really see him. But yes I jsut cant fathom these people who keep leaving their dogs out of sight!

And as for the ones who break the rules just because their dog is small and not so easily noticed... doesnt make it right.. Why to i *HAVE* to follow the rules just because my dog is big and easily seen? the rules are there usually because of the people who keep doing things they shouldnt in the first place.

[GeckoTree]

A few years back, when I lived in Gympie, I was at the plaza/mall and a teenage girl and her mother were carrying around a kangaroo joey wrapped up in a cloth. The poor little bugger had only the finest covering of fur, had it's head stuck out of the cloth and was shivering.

I saw a Llama tied up outside Freemasons hotel just the other week poor bugger had a NSW scarf wrapped around its neck too.

[whiskedaway]

The only time I've ever left Akira tied up and unattended was when she was younger and I took her for a walk and realised I needed to get butter on the way home. So I quickly tied her up at the servo, ducked in, grabbed my butter and was gone from her for maybe a minute. I'm always afraid that someone is going to pinch her or hurt her if I leave her alone, however I do know most people won't approach her because she doesn't look heaps friendly.

[Christina]

Times have changed. Regular thing to take your dog shopping & in the pub with you when I was growing up. Dogs were tied up outside shops sometimes for a few minutes while the owner popped in or just told to sit & wait if the owner didn't want to take them in. We didn't have to worry about anyone stealing or hassling the dogs. I would be too scared to tie my dog up like that one because of the nutters & druggies in the shopping centre.

Funniest animal in a shop was the goat that got loose in a huge furniture shop in Adelaide several years ago. It ran riot for 4 hours while they tried to catch it, shop closed of course.

Mega damage to everything. No one came forward to claim the goat. Wonder why

[GeckoTree]

A Bull in a china shop comes to mind

Editing, I tie my dog up outside the local corner store etc, no fuss is made.

I wouldn't take her to a shopping centre though, kids have the worst germs, not worth her catching kid cooties.

Edited June 7, 2011 by -GT-

[Dju]

I went into a Woolworths with Hugo when he was a puppy because I'd forgotten that I needed to buy something and I asked the guys at the help/cigarettes desk whether they could get the product for me so I don't have to wander into the store. Funny thing is, because Hugo was in his harness and all, they thought he was a guide dog and even said they wouldn't have stopped me from going in to do the shopping with him.

[cannibalgoldfish]

I would not be surprised if those with little fluffy dogs take offence to your comment about 'little white fluffy things.' They are just as precious to the owner as larger smooth coated dogs are to their owners.

I didn't say they weren't. What is wrong with saying that they were little white fluffy things? They are white, fluffy and as I have no idea what mix they are I said things. I didnt call them nasty or ugly. All of which is beside the point as I dont call them that to the owners face, that was a decription I used here.

P.S. I own small red things, I dont get offended if someone called them that.

[Greytmate]

We get people trying to take their dogs into my work. Most of the time they want to take it to the cafe while they have lunch. When asked to leave they always argue. Never had anyone just say sorry and leave. I work in a museum and they always say "but we are just going to the cafe" Sorry, no dogs at all on the premises.(except for guide dogs ect)

"But we are going to sit outside" Once again, outside is counted as part of the premises.

"But we wont be in the museum, we are just walking through to go outside" What part of not allowed in the whole complex with their dog are they missing?

" I was carrying him so he wasn't even touching the ground so it's not like he is even in the museum"

Argh!!!!!!!!!!

It is always little fluffy things as well. Several times people have tried to hide them in backpacks! Maybe people with bigger dogs dont treat them as babies that must be taken everywhere with them?

Of course they are going to argue, I would if I had gone there thinking the dog would be ok. If I couldn't change your mind, at least I would have a chance to voice my displeasure about your anti-dog policy and see if or how you try to justify it. I would also want to find out if it was a management rule, or just you.

If dog owners do not politely and assertively question these things, management won't find out how much business they are losing or find out why they are losing it.

I can't see why you would expect them to say sorry to you, when you are the one booting them out.

Edited June 7, 2011 by Greytmate

[twodoggies2001]

I would not be surprised if those with little fluffy dogs take offence to your comment about 'little white fluffy things.' They are just as precious to the owner as larger smooth coated dogs are to their owners.

I didn't say they weren't. What is wrong with saying that they were little white fluffy things? They are white, fluffy and as I have no idea what mix they are I said things. I didnt call them nasty or ugly. All of which is beside the point as I dont call them that to the owners face, that was a decription I used here.

P.S. I own small red things, I dont get offended if someone called them that.

Even though they may be a mix, they are still dogs, not things and it's good to see that you don't call them by that description to their owner's faces.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

As far as I know in SA and most other states, it is now illegal to tie a dog up and leave it unattended in a public place. Some little old lady visiting the Darwin markets last year or the year before got a big fine for doing it. I'm not sure I was doing the right thing when I put my dog inside a crate in the shade of a tree, while I had lunch with inconsiderate rellies (why couldn't we have an outside table?), but I could see her from the window.

I don't know if that's a rule in QLD but it's the dog ranger I'd be calling. Or I would definitely be taking the dog for a walk. It did look like a nice dog.

As for "it's my guide dog" - I tend to write those kind of people off as mentally or socially handicapped, ie they're entitled to take the handicap spot because their brain doesn't function.

Then again the rules in Europe are much better for dog owners, you can take them most anywhere as long as they behave. And all of the dogs I saw there including one that peed in the pet supplies shop (Mon Dieu!) probably not the first hound to annoint that pole)... were better behaved than most of the children.

[Dju]

I would not be surprised if those with little fluffy dogs take offence to your comment about 'little white fluffy things.' They are just as precious to the owner as larger smooth coated dogs are to their owners.

I didn't say they weren't. What is wrong with saying that they were little white fluffy things? They are white, fluffy and as I have no idea what mix they are I said things. I didnt call them nasty or ugly. All of which is beside the point as I dont call them that to the owners face, that was a decription I used here.

P.S. I own small red things, I dont get offended if someone called them that.

Even though they may be a mix, they are still dogs, not things and it's good to see that you don't call them by that description to their owner's faces.

I think you're being a bit too sensitive about the off-the-cuff comment Che gave. My dad sometimes calls his wife "Pretty young thing", but it doesn't mean he's objectifying her. Anyways, that's

[Boronia]

A few years back, when I lived in Gympie, I was at the plaza/mall and a teenage girl and her mother were carrying around a kangaroo joey wrapped up in a cloth. The poor little bugger had only the finest covering of fur, had it's head stuck out of the cloth and was shivering.

I saw a Llama tied up outside Freemasons hotel just the other week poor bugger had a NSW scarf wrapped around its neck too.

I know the police booked that guy who always rode his horse through the main street and up to the Freemasons at night...if I can remember correctly they booked him for having transport with no tail light

[Maddy]

Even though they may be a mix, they are still dogs, not things and it's good to see that you don't call them by that description to their owner's faces.

I think you're being a bit too sensitive about the off-the-cuff comment Che gave. :

Just a tiny bit, yeah. Plenty of people here refer to long-haired dogs lacking pigmentation and weighing less than 10kg ( :rolleyes: ) as SWFs, no one is picking on anyones' choice of dog, it's just a good, generic description for something that is small, white and fluffy.

I can't help but think this offense stems more from trying to divert attention away from a very legitimate point that was brought up- the owners of SWFs are often guilty of bending rules that the owners of larger dogs would never consider breaking.

As an owner of a large breed of dog, you certainly notice the size bias a hell of a lot more.

[Red Fox]

I have taken my poodle x into the 7-11 and bottle shop occasionally. I don't make it a regular thing, but one time I combined walking her with going to the bottle shop, so we popped inside l ong enough to grab a bottle and pay, and I carried her. At the 7-11 I was driving somewhere with her in the car and needed fuel. I walked her to the door, picked her up and went in and paid. Both times she was inside for maybe 30 seconds. The staff members didn't care.

I don't really have a problem with dogs being inside anywhere, as long as it's not a food place and the dog is well behaved. I wouldn't personally tie my dogs up anywhere and leave them unattended, but I have often wished I could take them into the shopping centre with me. Be nice socialisation for them. I sometimes see people carrying small dogs around in their purses/bags at the shopping centre, and it doesn't bother me at all.

Try doing that with a larger dog.

It bothers me that a puppy or toy breed is welcomed in many public places yet a large, well trained adult dog is not. A dog is a dog and the rules should be the same for all.

I was at Spotlight this morning and they asked for the owner of a car to come to the front. She'd left her dog in the car with all the windows up and customers coming into the store were telling staff. It is overcast and not hot today, but still it wasn't the right thing to do. Anyway, the lady cracked it and said people should just mind their own business. She did leave though, so she must of felt bad.

People should mind their own business. If it was a cool day and the dog was not distressed then what's the problem?

I most certainly wouldn't leave my dog in the car with the windows down. What if some idiot stuck their hand in and got bitten? And we all know who would get the blame then....

[IngeK]

Maybe people with bigger dogs dont treat them as babies that must be taken everywhere with them?

so people that see their dog as part of the family and take it with them in a lot of occasions treat them as babies

Good on the lady for bringing the dog in...who knows what she quickly had to get. If 'we' as dogpeople already disagree with this imagine people without dogs. And I think thats why a lot of placed dont allow dogs here.

[Maxiewolf]

Maybe people with bigger dogs dont treat them as babies that must be taken everywhere with them?

so people that see their dog as part of the family and take it with them in a lot of occasions treat them as babies

Good on the lady for bringing the dog in...who knows what she quickly had to get. If 'we' as dogpeople already disagree with this imagine people without dogs. And I think thats why a lot of placed dont allow dogs here.

She didnt "quickly" get anything, the dog was alone for some time, there is a clear sign outside the shopping centre that says no dogs except guide dogs, I watched the poor dog get concerned/affraid everytime someone sat down on the bench or walked around it..

I disagree with the dog being there because there is a sign saying no dogs allowed... and if she is "allowed" to bring her dog into a shopping centre then why cant I? Because i respect the rules? I personally think it sucks the amount of places where you CANT take your dog... Was more this woman thought she and her dog where 'above' the rules (I listened to the cleaner politely explain that the dog wasnt permitted inside because it wasnt a guide dog.. (and you can see the silly answer she gave to that - the woman wasnt disabled/blind/ or in need of assistance.. and if it was an assistance dog then there is no reason at all to tie it up unattended for so long.)

Mind you... there have been lots of dogs in this centre... i have watched someone walk right past the kiosk i work in with a small fluffy puppy... allowed it to piddle in the middle of the walkway and walk off! The customer I was with made such comments about filthy dogs etc... others complained about the dog... no one blamed the owner... I cleaned up the puppy pee myself because I was sick of hearing everyone whine about it. THIS is why Dogs are not allowed in most public places... I'm not saying its good. But theres just not enough Responsible people around to "win" the battle of dogs being accepted it seems.

[persephone]

in our local shops there is a lady who uses a scooter/gopher ..and her little elderly SWF is always sitting on the scooter . She leaves it tied to the scooter when she does her shopping .. no- one has ever complained ... the little dog hasn't ever put a foot wrong ..it has water when weather is warm.. a coat when weather is cold

[aussielover]

Well I love my dog and consider her part of the family but I certainly don't expect her to be welcome anywhere and everywhere.

I think it is rude to just bring a dog into a shop or cafe and assume it will be ok. I love dogs, but they are not little people and should not be treated as such, and I certainly don't expect everyone else to share my love of dogs.

I always ask the owners of shops if it is ok, even in pet supply stores.

I do not see the need for dogs other than assistance dogs to have access to shopping centres, so I find it odd that some people seem to want dogs to have almost the same access as humans?

In regard to small fluffies- one thing that I do find very irritating is when they are at cafes and are downright aggressive and carry on when another dog walks past. No wonder people complain about dogs being at cafes. This sort of carry on and behaviour would not be tolerated in a larger dog and would most likely result in the larger dog being labelled as dangerous.

If your dogs are in public they should only be in areas where they are allowed- legally and also at the owners discretion and they should be well behaved.

[aussielover]

so people that see their dog as part of the family and take it with them in a lot of occasions treat them as babies

Um, if they take them into shops and shopping centres- YES

If they feel the need for the dog to accompany them all the time, everywhere- YES

Why would you need to take your dog to a shopping centre- surely it can be on its own for an hour or so.

For goodness sake a dog is not a baby that needs 24/7 care

Good on the lady for bringing the dog in...who knows what she quickly had to get. If 'we' as dogpeople already disagree with this imagine people without dogs. And I think thats why a lot of placed dont allow dogs here.

I think the problem is that some "dog people" sometimes do not respect the opinions and requests of non dog people.

Do you actually think dogs should be allowed everywhere?