letting people pet your dog??

[lucyswoman]

I am almost sure that Lucy would not bite anyone, but I still don't feel comfortable letting some people pet her. You just never know what they are going to do. We have an airbrush business at a mall in a kiosk and I see really crazy stuff all day. One lady was walking her sweet little long haired chihuahua puppy and a mother asked if her little girl could pet the puppy, the woman with the pup said yes and the girl went up to the pup and slapped it with all her might. The mother started to laugh - I sort of let the mother know what I thought.  But you never know what people are going to do, or really know what your dog might do. Heck, I got my nose rearranged by the grandson of Lasie when I was ten.  Lucy hates the guy that mows the lawn and he loves dogs. Even when the the two terriers were falling all over themselves to get him to pet them, Lucy was trotting around him in a wide circle growling. I was so shocked. He is the only person I have ever seen her not like, she isn't even bothered by the people mumbling to themselves on street corners. I feel mean when I don't let people pet her. I'm just curious what others think or do.

[patrick]

I allow and even encourage people to pet my dogs especially when they are youngsters It is critically important that the guard breeds in particular be thoroughly socialised to proper behavior in public.  Lucy's behavior sounds like a fear reaction and fear provokes most dog bites.  I also don't allow my dogs to act in a threatening manner- they can certainly alert me to a person in the yard but once alerted they need to settle.  Behavior like this is a warning and growling definitely is - so many dogs get abandoned to shelters or euthanized in the long run - often for unsafe behavior.  With her being fearful and aggressive at the same time it is very easy for the next step to be a bite. 

[lucyswoman]

I totally agree with you.  I think I know what happened with the man who mows the lawn.  Lucy had only been with me for 2 days, had been in a kennel almost 12 hours coming from DC when my daughters health kept her from keeping her for a while. She was not adjusted and is really just getting her guard instinct. I was able to control her once I got her to listen to me. She has no problem with children running up and wrapping their arms around her. But when I thought about it after the post, I realized this is the problem: Lucy is going to be going back to live with my daughter after she's married and is going to be living in a very dangerous country.  Lucy's job is to protect my 5'2" daughter and make it so she will be able to leave her house. Lucy naturally looks serious and alert on walks, without making mothers grab their children and run. And to be honest, there are people here I do not want thinking she is a push over. We live in a city, with 4 prisons and the state mental hospital that houses violent patients.  We are in an obedience class now and I think I'm going to find a trainer who is experienced in training family guard dogs.

[patrick]

Pyrs are very effective guards without being aggressive.  Most of their guarding is by marking, barking and blocking.  Threatening to bite should be a last resort not a first resort in this breed.  It sounds like she has good instincts.  Being that this is a law suit happy country we need to be careful that our dogs are carefully socialised- people will sue for even a nip  I got sued several years ago because my dog barked at a bicyclist when he went by!  He didn't win but it was no fun going through the legal process