It's A Burden Being Different...

[brintey]

My Leos and Pyrs get a lot of comments, people following us, people stopping their cars in the middle of the road to point and stare. The best has been while down in Melbourne a couple of years ago for a show. My friend and I went out for coffee with our 3 Leos. A whole coachload of asian tourists stopped and they all had their photos taken with the dogs! They treated them as if they were some sort of wild lion or tiger though... they would stand behind us and tentatively giggle, snake a hand out for a quick pat when the dog wasnt looking and then smile at each other like theyd been incredibly brave!

[Poodle Mum]

Looking a bit different!!...try walking a black standard male poodle in continental trim!!....lol

Every time I go out I get comments. But it's the stupid sniggering comments or the laughing!! Not just kids either!! adults can be sooo rude. I don't know where people get off sometimes?

I get that it is an unusual trim.....but.... When I have the whole crew together (5) I sometimes think I wish one of you idiots will walk into a telegraph pole or a tree, they are turning around so much!!!!....lol

Maybe I'm just sensitive!

[Rosetta]

Looking a bit different!!...try walking a black standard male poodle in continental trim!!....lol

Every time I go out I get comments. But it's the stupid sniggering comments or the laughing!! Not just kids either!! adults can be sooo rude. I don't know where people get off sometimes?

I get that it is an unusual trim.....but.... When I have the whole crew together (5) I sometimes think I wish one of you idiots will walk into a telegraph pole or a tree, they are turning around so much!!!!....lol

Maybe I'm just sensitive!

Those people have no class - I love the Standards in full trim. So elegant :)

[wings]

I get stopped with Hansel quite a bit particularly by some of the older generation. A lot of them say they don't really see the dachshunds around anymore or their family once owned one.

Thankfully they have all been very polite, they ask if they can have a pat and when I say yes they don't force themselves on Hansel. He used to be a bit shy with new people but he has worked out that new people often mean new pats :laugh:

[Bjelkier]

Try owning Samoyeds. I've never been out with the dogs and not had people come and ask about them. Children and men seem the most interested. I was stopped at the petrol station the other day by a young guy who wanted to know about Wolf. I've had bus loads of tourists stick their hands through my car windows to pat the dogs not once but twice.

There are days I've not wanted to talk to strangers but being friendly and chatty gives pedgiree owners a good name so I suck it up.

[sparkycat]

I have a huge coated beautiful Lappie who loves everyone and anyone who ignores her gets howled at :laugh: I really enjoy taking her out and getting stopped even if most people think she is a BC X that is until she howls. :laugh:

[tikira]

We too have a fanclub with Jingo. He is the smallest puppy at dog training, and whenever he does something he gets cheered. "Yay, good little Jingo you sat" :laugh: and all the dogs make a beeline straight to him.... so we have found out Jack Russell's can be popular!

We are flattered, and Jingo is getting a big head :rofl.

Di

[Little Gifts]

KC it is my dream to see a real live basset once in my life so I have to fess up and say I would be one of those irritating people wanting to meet, touch, kiss Josie! In my excitement I would not be able to read your 'bugger off' death stare! Even after all the doggy events I've been to over the last year I still haven't met this breed! I think it's the ears that I love most - long and silky and floppy.

[Flashsmum]

Really? I have a couple of supermodels and love stopping and talking to people about greyhounds :)

Harry is a bit like that, he's always up for pats and cuddles. Being a greyhound, so many people talk about how their family/friends/uncle used to have greyhounds and aren't they a lovely breed! I like the fact that I can tell people that aren't familiar with them about how special they are, although sometimes I just want to get home!

I both love and dislike the attention when I have my guys out in public. The main issue is that Kirah, being small and cute, everyone wants to pat her -- she's wary of strangers and doesn't really want to interact with anyone other than me. Zeus on the other hand loves the attention but because he's not cute, fluffy-ish and little, he's often ignored. If anything and it was me approaching my two dogs, I'd want to know about Zeus because he's so goofy looking -- only problem with that is he's a "designer dog".

Having said that, by people asking about Zeus when they do, I do not hesitate to tell them that yes, whilst he did win the pretty looks lottery, he's not a cross I'd ever wish to own again. He's a lot of hard work and definitely not for a time poor family looking for a dog to be content alone in the backyard for half the day.

I dislike hearing Kirah being called Toto -- Toto was a Cairn Terrier, Kirah is an Australian Terrier, developed here in Aus. There is mostly likely Cairn in the Aussie's make-up, but the exact breeds used in their development is an unknown. Other than that, I love talking to people about Aussies because very few people know about them, and are usually very surprised to learn that they are indeed an Aussie dog, unlike the Aussie Shep.

My Auntie in Finland has an Australian Terrier and is always stopped and asked what sort of dog he is! She tells people that she has one because her sister lives over hear, and it's a good connection between them!

I've had a police car stop next to me and ask about Whitney (she is a small dane) because she looked like his one, that he was trying to rehome He asked if I wanted him, because they were having a baby. I referred him to Great Dane Rescue, and always wondered what happened to him!

[LisaCC]

I get it a lot. I like to take Nova down the main streets as I think it is doing wonders for his training. He will do a perfect heel down the main street of Wagga now if I ask him

I don't mind polite people stopping us, it's good for the breed and pedigrees in general, and good for Nova. Now that he is looking less like a ball of fluff I also find a large amount of fit looking men want to meet him, and ask about the breed for running, hiking partners

What I don't like is rude people. I get people just come up behind us and touch him, I get a god awful amount of parents telling their children to run up and pat a strange dog without asking. All the above while I may be having coffee or talking with another person. I also get a very large amount of people who tell me I've been duped and my Aussie is a worthless mutt and those who don't believe me when I tell them he has a NBT. Nope I'm a horrible puppy tail chopper.

[cali]

ok now I am curious lol are Bassets not common in Aus? cuz they are a dime a dozen here, the whole concept of "different" and "basset" in the same sentence baffles me lol I see at LEAST 3 bassets every single day....

[Loving my Oldies]

My first dogs were two Maltese puppies. They were really gorgeous looking dogs , the female was very tiny and we used to get lots of attention. I was even approached of several occasions by people wanting to buy them

We were out walking once when a woman about 25 yards away started, so I thought having a "turn". She was throwing her hands in the air and then bending over touching her knees. I thought, "OMG, she is having a fit!"

I hurried towards her and as I came closer, I heard, "They are so beautiful. They are so beautiful."

All that said, I think it would become very irksome, Kelpiecuddles, to have that level of attention.

As with another poster, the comments I get are mostly due to the number (five) I walk. The most annoying was from a man who stopped his van and said, "I hope they're not all yours."

[Tassie]

I actually love walking through town or round the wharf with the 2 BCs. Both mine love people (though not unknown dogs) and Kirra in particular is very disappointed if a dogless person does not invite her over for a chat. She's always happy to do tricks for people. We get lots of chats from people in tourist season - especialy BC owners who miss their dogs left at home. I often joke that we should be able to get employment from the tourist board :) .

All that said, I wouldn't take the dogs through town or round the wharf if I was on a tight schedule for getting from point A to point B.

[sheena]

I get stopped if I walk my two in public places & I don't mind it a bit. Good training for my dogs as I always ask for a sit before they are patted & I watch very closely for any sign of jumping up & nip it in the bud. What I DON'T like is people walking their dogs up to my dogs for a meet & greet without asking first & I really hate it when people compliment my dogs then ask would I be interested in mating with their back yard dog

[LisaCC]

I get stopped if I walk my two in public places & I don't mind it a bit. Good training for my dogs as I always ask for a sit before they are patted & I watch very closely for any sign of jumping up & nip it in the bud. What I DON'T like is people walking their dogs up to my dogs for a meet & greet without asking first & I really hate it when people compliment my dogs then ask would I be interested in mating with their back yard dog

OHYES! Especially after I've just had to explain what he even is! I got asked this when I was still carrying him, wanted to "put a lay-by on stud duties". Noooo!

Oh and not forgetting the "What the hell is that?", "Well Sir, I do believe that is a dog".

[Guest Maeby Fünke]

I really hate it when people compliment my dogs then ask would I be interested in mating with their back yard dog

Me too! And when I explain that he is desexed they ask me for his breeder's number!

And you should see the other (female) Pug and how badly bred they are... Scrawny, spider-legs and a smutty coat, ugh!

eta

They can't seem to understand why he is desexed.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Maeby Fünke

[sheena]

I was approached enthusiastically by a lady once while I was walking my girl BC who has lovely pricked ears. "OMG ....a long haired kelpie!!!!...I have always adored long haired kelpies...are you planning to breed ?????"""

[minimax]

I really hate it when people compliment my dogs then ask would I be interested in mating with their back yard dog

Me too! And when I explain that he is desexed they ask me for his breeder's number!

And you should see the other (female) Pug and how badly bred they are... Scrawny, spider-legs and a smutty coat, ugh!

eta

They can't seem to understand why he is desexed.

Oi, my smutty coat boy has an awesome pedigree and is very well bred :p

[Guest Maeby Fünke]

Oi, my smutty coat boy has an awesome pedigree and is very well bred :p

Your boy isn't smutty :)

Smutty is a reference to the grey colouring in a fawn coat, which some breeders are now calling silver

Edited November 11, 2013 by Maeby Fünke

[The Spotted Devil]

There are photos of my Dally with tourists from all over the world - he is an absolute magnet! I often set the dogs up in sit/drop stays around tourist attractions for our own photos as a means of documenting our holiday....that always draws some notice although it's Ziggy they fall for. I always take the opportunity to point out that they're not BORN this obedient.....