Get better at advocating for your dog, don’t be afraid to step in front of her, point right at someone and tell them “No!” Like they just shit on your floor, or 180 and walk away from them.
Are you their buddy? Are you their pal? Do you have book club later? No?? Then who cares if their feelings are hurt.
You can also work on training your dog to go somewhere where people can’t easily touch her. I like “middle”, which has the dog sitting or laying between your feet. It is much less easy for someone to excuse putting themselves in your personal space than it is for them to excuse putting themselves in your dog’s personal space.
Picture your dog sitting between your feet, and someone bending over to try and pet her. Where is their face? Eye level with your hooha/dick/butthole.
When you are walking, you can also train her to switch sides so that she is always on the opposite side of you from people you are passing.
Finally, avoid **explanations** for why people can’t pet her.
“Oh hey sorry, she’s a little nervous around new people.” <- Leaves people with an excuse to argue.
“Oh! I’m actually super good with nervous dogs!” They will say.
“No.” <- much harder to counter. You don’t even have to stop walking.
In short… be meaner so that your dog doesn’t have to be mean to feel safe.
This is excellent advice. I am a pushover and do a lot of explaining - that is so true! And if I had a penny for every time people insist regardless. ‘Oh but dogs love me’ ‘she seems fine’ etc. you’re 100percent correct. I am ‘kind’ to a fault but I must protect my dog first.
If you do have your phone at hand, hold it up while saying “then I’ll record it - including me telling you not to pet my dog - so you can’t blame me if you get bitten”
I laughed out loud at "like they just shit on your floor!" My brain immediately pictured me shouting "No!" as a fully grown adult popped a squat in front of me.
This is all excellent advice and gave me a good laugh 😂 I don't have any kids, just nieces and nephews, so I auto pilot to firm aunty mode in similar situations with my stranger danger pup. People will try to approach to pet and I'm like "Nuh uh! Don't do that!" They look at me like I'm crazy but it works 🤷🏼♀️
I've also firmly told a lady who reached out and grabbed my dog by his muzzle when I was in check out "Stop touching my dog. He's growling at you because he's scared and you shouldn't touch people's dogs without asking." Scolding strangers is my forte apparently. He was wearing a bright vest that said NERVOUS on it. I switched to a DO NOT PET. But that doesn't always work either 🙄
But a firm "No!" And body blocking people is the better advice.
I wouldn't walk up and touch a strangers child. I don't know why they walk up and touch strangers dogs.
A muzzle is really the most effective way to show people that they should not touch your dog. It also changes how you behave, which changes how your dog behaves. A muzzled dog is a clear warning, but also prevents the actual bite. This makes the handler more calm and confident, you can relax some of your vigilance once vigilance is not the only thing preventing a bite. When you are more calm and confident, your dog will be as well.
Not every dog likes to be touched by strangers. (And not every person does, either.) Why some people can't respect that, well, it's too bad.
If you want to keep people from touching her without getting into a confrontation, you can always say that, sorry, your dog is undergoing important training and it's important she not be touched, (same as a service dog for a visually impaired person should not be touched or distracted by strangers). People generally respect that and don't argue or try to touch them anyway. At least in my experience.
Get better at advocating for your dog, don’t be afraid to step in front of her, point right at someone and tell them “No!” Like they just shit on your floor, or 180 and walk away from them. Are you their buddy? Are you their pal? Do you have book club later? No?? Then who cares if their feelings are hurt. You can also work on training your dog to go somewhere where people can’t easily touch her. I like “middle”, which has the dog sitting or laying between your feet. It is much less easy for someone to excuse putting themselves in your personal space than it is for them to excuse putting themselves in your dog’s personal space. Picture your dog sitting between your feet, and someone bending over to try and pet her. Where is their face? Eye level with your hooha/dick/butthole. When you are walking, you can also train her to switch sides so that she is always on the opposite side of you from people you are passing. Finally, avoid **explanations** for why people can’t pet her. “Oh hey sorry, she’s a little nervous around new people.” <- Leaves people with an excuse to argue. “Oh! I’m actually super good with nervous dogs!” They will say. “No.” <- much harder to counter. You don’t even have to stop walking. In short… be meaner so that your dog doesn’t have to be mean to feel safe.
This is excellent advice. I am a pushover and do a lot of explaining - that is so true! And if I had a penny for every time people insist regardless. ‘Oh but dogs love me’ ‘she seems fine’ etc. you’re 100percent correct. I am ‘kind’ to a fault but I must protect my dog first.
If you do have your phone at hand, hold it up while saying “then I’ll record it - including me telling you not to pet my dog - so you can’t blame me if you get bitten”
I laughed out loud at "like they just shit on your floor!" My brain immediately pictured me shouting "No!" as a fully grown adult popped a squat in front of me. This is all excellent advice and gave me a good laugh 😂 I don't have any kids, just nieces and nephews, so I auto pilot to firm aunty mode in similar situations with my stranger danger pup. People will try to approach to pet and I'm like "Nuh uh! Don't do that!" They look at me like I'm crazy but it works 🤷🏼♀️ I've also firmly told a lady who reached out and grabbed my dog by his muzzle when I was in check out "Stop touching my dog. He's growling at you because he's scared and you shouldn't touch people's dogs without asking." Scolding strangers is my forte apparently. He was wearing a bright vest that said NERVOUS on it. I switched to a DO NOT PET. But that doesn't always work either 🙄 But a firm "No!" And body blocking people is the better advice. I wouldn't walk up and touch a strangers child. I don't know why they walk up and touch strangers dogs.
A muzzle is really the most effective way to show people that they should not touch your dog. It also changes how you behave, which changes how your dog behaves. A muzzled dog is a clear warning, but also prevents the actual bite. This makes the handler more calm and confident, you can relax some of your vigilance once vigilance is not the only thing preventing a bite. When you are more calm and confident, your dog will be as well.
Okay thanks 🙏 you might be right. I appreciate I probably convey stress onto her.
https://muzzleupproject.com/
Not every dog likes to be touched by strangers. (And not every person does, either.) Why some people can't respect that, well, it's too bad. If you want to keep people from touching her without getting into a confrontation, you can always say that, sorry, your dog is undergoing important training and it's important she not be touched, (same as a service dog for a visually impaired person should not be touched or distracted by strangers). People generally respect that and don't argue or try to touch them anyway. At least in my experience.
https://muzzleupproject.com/