Grrrrr! Newbie know-it-all-parents

[jabear]

Today I met a lady with 2-  4 month old Landseer Newfs. I was so excited when I saw them (from very far away)that I ran to her,told her how much I loved the babies, and how this totally made my day. I played with them, hugged them,kissed them and totally got my puppy fix.  They seriously were the cutest things ever and I was soooooo excited.

Here is my issue though with highlights from our brief conversation: When I approach her she looks at me as if I am a freak. I begin the conversation by saying...
"Aw...Newfies!"
"Yes they are. It is a rare type called a Landseer Newfoundland."
"I know. I have an all black boy that is almost 3. He is the love of my life." I then show him to her on the flyer we have for BPO. I am also wearing my tan Newf hat with a black Newf on it.
"They are so rare in Fresno. Nobody ever knows what they are."
"They are not seen that often but there are like 20 in Fresno that we know of. In fact, Lisa has a baby Landseer that is about your pup's age. I should totally let her know. She will be so excited. She also has a boy who is 5."
"Our dog is from a papered breeder. She is an AKC breeder. We wanted a brown but Landseer is so rare here."
"Actually, there is a guy who breeds them and does water work here every weekend. There is also a woman not far who does that too."
"I wanted a brown but they are so rare and even more expensive. They all go for about $5,000".
"It depends on where you live. This guy up north only breeds brown and he is not even close to that expensive. The north is full of browns and the south is full of landseers. California is so wierd huh?"
"We are doing water work with these two and now have to go. Does your dog do that? Did you know that the Landseer is way more active and hardworking than any other Newf?"
"We never got around to doing the actual water work but Bear loves the water. And, I had never heard that but since these were the only 2 Landseers out of the litter I find that interesting. If you want to hang out with other Newf people there are alot of us that get together for the Christmas walk. Let us know."
Enter Michael- "Wow! Look at these two. Bear would love them!"
"Really? You have a Newf? How old?"

So, as you can see she is definintely not the BPO personality but what gives? I spotted the dogs from so far away, was sooo happy to see them, loved them, had a Newf hat on, and a freaking flyer with our logo on it. Not to mention the fact that I tell her about my dog, how old he is and all the people I know that have Newfs in the area. I offer to get together and hang out and she acts like I am a total idiot! This is her first Newf and she did little research before getting them. She tells me all about the breed including books for training this breed specifically since they are so lazy and tempermantal. HELLO? I have one....did 2 years of research before getting him...talk about this breed and others all the time...are apart of 3 Newf clubs, various forums and have my own website dedicated to big dogs!!!! EUGH!

Has this ever happened to anyone else? It is like: Can you ignore me more right now and act more stupid? I know this breed, love this breed, and have owned this beed for 3 years now. You have had your 2 pups for 2 months and think you can know more than I do? She didn't even listen to me and looked so dumb (IMO) and acts like she is the only one on Earth to ever have a Newf. What gives??? Why can't peole just be excited that you love their dog and share that mutual admiration for the dogs together?

People like this give breeds a bad name. At least I got to play with puppies though. 

[jabear]

It is frustrating. If I ran into a Great Dane I wouldn't presum to know everything in the world and tell the owner everything I knew. I would not treat them as if they were an idiiot either. I would love the dog and have a normal conversation. Sometimes I wish I could just take the dog from stupid people.

[mastiffmommy]

What can I say Jabas...... The woman is not too hmmmmm "open" I guess that is the nicest way possible to put her attitude. No it is worse, reading your post made me think of trying to talk to an ice maker, the spit out silly cold stuff over and over and have no idea about anything else and dont know why they do it either.

I have had quite a few "interesting" converstations with people who are confident they know everything there is to know about the breed or dog they have, when they got the very first one 5 min ago and have done no research whatso ever.

In sweden we call them "Besservissers" well it is kinda stolen from the german, but that is what we call them lol....

Marit

[jabear]

I like your Greman phrase. People suck!

[Anky]

Sanity is my first all mine Dane but I did fostering and rescue and transport and all that before I got him.  Not to mention 8 years of research, but whatever.  Anyways, one day I was at Petsmart and I was taking him out of the back of my truck (Which, by the way has Dane rescue stickers on it, and "I'm a memeber of the GDCA" (Great Dane Club of America), so you think I would know my stuff right?  Well a lady is watching me and says "What is your dog mixed with?"  Because Sanity's a puppy I'm used to people thinking he's a Dane mix, so I say "Actually he's a full blood Dane puppy, he's just not finished growing yet."  The woman looks me right in the eye and says "Young lady (I HATE THAT), I KNOW Great Danes, I've had them for years, and that is NOT a great dane.  They don't even come in that color.  Someone lied to you."  I reassured her, that INDEED they come in this color, infact there's a show Dane that is so nice that she's got her championship and she's got this color (Technically the dark brindling is a mismark and as such is a fault.  The stripes should be even between fawn and black.  For those interested, here's a link to Stormi  http://www.ginnie.com/DaDane282.shtml )

The woman goes on to tell me that she knows all about Danes, and that her dogs are all over 200 pounds, one is even 275!  I said "Wow, they must be really fat then huh?"  "NO, all well bred Danes are supposed to be over 200 pounds."  Since only the most hefty Euros I know of are even close to that weight, I ask if they're imports.  She looks at me blankly.  OK then..... 

Sanity is getting antsy right about now and starting to fidget and fuss.  She tells me that that means he has a bad temperment?  What?!?!?!  I decide to go inside, and as I walk away the woman yells after me that she's expecting her first litter in a few weeks if I wanted a real Dane.  Thanks but I'll pass.

Ang

PS, don't you *Love* the questions and stupid comments?  Best thing is, everyone thinks they're the first person to ask if you've got a saddle for that thing.

[PupDaddy]

Next time you meet some yahoo like that remember this story, it will get you smiling again:

During WW II an American soldier had been on the front lines in Europe for three months, when he was finally given a week of R&R. He caught a supply boat to a supply base in the south of England, then caught a train to London. The train was extremely crowded and he could not find a seat. He was dead on his feet and walked the length of the train looking for any place to sit down.

Finally he found a compartment with seats facing each other; there was room for two people on each seat. On one side sat only a proper looking, older British lady, with a small dog sitting in the empty seat beside her. "Could I please sit in that seat?" he asked.

The lady was insulted. "You bloody Americans are so rude", she said, "can't you see my dog is sitting there"?

He walked through the train once more and still could not find a seat. He found himself back at the same place.

"Lady I love dogs - have a couple at home - so I would be glad to hold your dog if I can sit down", he said.

The lady replied, "You Americans are not only rude you are arrogant".

He leaned against the wall for a time, but was so tired he finally said, "Lady, I've been on the front lines in Europe for three months with not a decent rest for all that time. Could I please sit there and hold your dog?"

The lady replied, "You Americans are not only rude and arrogant, you are also obnoxious."

With that comment, the soldier calmly stepped in, picked up the dog, threw it out the window, and sat down.The lady was speechless. An older, neatly dressed Englishman sitting across on the other seat spoke up. "Young man, I do not know if all you Americans fit the lady's description of you or not. But I do know that you Americans do a lot of things wrong. You drive on the wrong side of the road, you hold your fork with the wrong hand, and now you have just thrown the wrong bitch out of the window."

[DixieSugarBear]

Sounds like she like the idea of owing working Newfs more than the excitement of loving a big baby. The sad thing for her she is not going to learn very much running her mouth.

Lisa

[jabear]

I am so glad that others have had experiences too! I love dogs and just wish that their parents would be as nice as they are.

[Khiori]

Gosh, that's so sad, Jabear.  I'm sorry you met with such a disagreeable person.  It seems vaguely familar in senario though - the kind that I tend to block from my mind.  It always amazes me when people apparently "purchase" a dog for the rareity of that particular dog.  Must come as a real shock to them to find out if the dog was that rare, only a select few would have them. 

[Bear]

wlemons... that is too funny!!

[Joji]

Sounds like the newbie owner really wants an "it's-so-rare" status symbol. If she really wanted a fabulous status symbol, she should have bought the rare Bullshetland shepard. What?  Never heard of it and you can't see it either? Why, it's standing right next to you.  You have to look very, very closely, otherwise you won't see anything.  Of course, not just anyone can see it ... it takes a good eye and lots of culture and aristocracy to see the dog, whose name to us commoners is abbreviated to just Bullshet. If you don't have the cultured eye, you won't see anything, but I'm sure this woman would see the cute - and rare- Bullshet. And I'm sure she will find the Bullshet to be a fine animal for her purposes. Not only are they rare, but they are also virturally odorless; they don't shed and require no grooming. Plus you can take them anywhere and they are always well-behaved - and did I mention they are rare?!

Yes, I do think that perhaps this woman would do well to return to her newfie and take up ownership of the Bullshet shepard. I think she and the dog would be a perfect match.

:-)
-- Teresa 

[Icerotti]

LOL Joji. Good one.

[vizslamaniac]

Every day we run into some yutz who will insist on correcting my pronunciation of VIZSLA! and I am too polite to correct them back! and then there are some people so knowledgable that they proceed to inform me of how untrainable and jumpy Vizsla are! Today it was from a woman with two Shitzus! She does know just everything about all dogs though. LOL

When I run into another Vizsla owner I am just soooo happy. I have two and I would never assume that I know everything there is to know about them. I learn something every day.  I have been known to stop my car intraffic to give a shout out to other vizsla owners. I wish there were more places other than the dog shows that my guys could see their own kind. How cool would it be to meet another vizsla for some goofy red dog fun at the dog run.

Oh and about the "Its a rare breed" thing. Here in NYC we get a lot of people who get a dog because it is the dog of the moment! or a "rare" breed or some other status/fashion symbol. Last year you couldnt step off the curb without squishing a pug. This year its chihuahuas!
 

[jabear]

You are so right Joji! I should get her babies and she should go out and get the new shepherd. 

I am totally with you Vizslamaniac, I stop traffic, make u turns and shout out whenever I see other Newf owners. How can I not get totally excited about seeing the breed I love and have?? And I must agree with the steoertypical "jumping/untrainable Vizslas" because I have a friend who has one and its bad manners have made the dog unwelcome at our home and had it not been for our trainer who had the best behaved ones ever- I would be like that too.  For every bad dog owner there are many more who redeem the breed...luckil y!

[mitchie]

My friend -who has two newfs, and myself had a conversation about
dog people...there are the type like all of us and then there are
the ones who just don't get it yet.