Not Everyone's a Newbie Who Looks It!!

[lins_saving_grace]

LMAO! 
you could take him.    Go ahead...pop him in the nose.

[Janisjin]

speaking about people having no clue about your breed of dog, I've also heard people tell each other that my akita is a husky. Some people don't ask me but talk among themselves and I just hear them say he's a husky, husky mix, malamute, etc.

I also heard a woman say to her friend as we walked by the other day:

Woman's Friend: Oh, look at the puppy. What kind of puppy is that?
Woman (in a snobby voice): It's a husky. A poorly bred husky--his markings are all crooked.

AARRRGGGG!!!!!

[Janisjin]

The absolute worst thing that anyone has ever said to me was last spring when I had Hutch out for a walk. A big rough-n-tough man was admiring Hutch and then had the nerve to tell me that is an awful lot of dog for a woman to be out walking!!! .

UGH!! I haven't gotten that one YET, but will soon. When I walk my mix breed, I get a lot of guys thinking they are making a joke by saying "gee, couldn't you have gotten a larger dog?" or "You could put a saddle on him and ride him?" or the classic, "who's walking who?" or "you better hold on tight to his leash" (and my mix isn't that big! he's only about 85 pounds!)

[GrumpyBunny]

I also heard a woman say to her friend as we walked by the other day:

Woman's Friend: Oh, look at the puppy. What kind of puppy is that?
Woman (in a snobby voice): It's a husky. A poorly bred husky--his markings are all crooked.

AARRRGGGG!!!!!

OMG - What a HORRIBLE thing to say!  The only reason for a comment like that is to try to show someone how smart and knowledgable you are - and, obviously, she wasn't!     You would think someone that would be able to make a judgement call on the breeding of particular species of dog would at least be able to recognize the species they were supposed to be an expert on, heh heh....   

That kind of thing just really p****s me off - what if your dog WAS a husky, and what if it WAS poorly bred?  It would still be an awful thing to call attention to, and not the dogs fault. 

My last dog was a shelter dog.  My current dog is a shelter dog.  My next dog will probably be a shelter dog or a rescue dog.  And there will probably be a reason that the dog was in a shelter or rescue.  Maybe it will be a bad representation of its breed standard, with poor confirmation.  Maybe some idiot will have cropped its ears with a pair of scissors.  Maybe it will have a history of abuse that causes it to have some behavior problem, or be shy with people, or aggressive with other dogs...  And heaven help the person who points it out in a loud voice to their friends to try to make themselves look clever! 

OK, done ranting...   

[BabsT]

You missed the point of this womans whole post...it isnt the fact that this person called her dog a husky it is the fact that she took it upon herself to tell her that her dog is a husky and pretty much how to raise it.  It is all in presentation.. .if someone asked her in a frienldy manner is that a husky and she said no it is an akita and went on from there it would have been different

It has nothing to do where she got her from BUT is it wrong for someone wanting a true representation of the breed from a reputable dedicated breeder?

[GrumpyBunny]

You missed the point of this womans whole post...it isnt the fact that this person called her dog a husky it is the fact that she took it upon herself to tell her that her dog is a husky and pretty much how to raise it.  It is all in presentation.. .if someone asked her in a frienldy manner is that a husky and she said no it is an akita and went on from there it would have been different

It has nothing to do where she got her from BUT is it wrong for someone wanting a true representation of the breed from a reputable dedicated breeder?

No, I am pretty sure I understood the point, but I think you may have misunderstood what I was saying.  I was just mentioning the irony of the woman positioning herself as a "husky expert" to comment on a dog that she obviously could not identify as NOT a husky.  I got the bigger picture too though...   

I have absolutely NOTHING against someone wanting a true representation of a breed from a reputable dedicated breeder. - I am not sure why you would think I do.  I don't think a mixed breed is any better than purebred, a rescue dog any better than a dog from a great breeder or vice versa.  I think they all have huge value inherently just by being dogs...  I was just pointing out the fact that it is rude to make a negative comment about anyone's dog and tell them how to raise it - purebred or otherwise. 

BabsT, if I saw you on the street with Zero, I would be the first to remark on your gorgeous, beautiful boy.  But if I thought he was butt-ugly, (and you know I don't), I surely wouldn't mention it to you or give you advice on how to raise him the right way to make him less ugly.  That is all that I was saying. 

There are dogs out there that were bred for the wrong reasons, have personality issues, or are just plain ugly.  But they are worthy of love too and that is what I meant by saying "what if her dog WAS a badly-bred husky"...  It would have made the comment no less rude, even it it was true.  That is all I am saying - that people shouldn't position themselves as experts on other peoples dogs.

[BabsT]

Then I did misunderstand, my bad    Funny part is, I have had people come up to me and tell me my dog is ugly...My response was and i feel you are ugly JK...I just told them thats ok he isnt your dog

[GrumpyBunny]

No worries, it was probably more due to me being a bad writer...   

Seriously though, Zero is one of the most gorgeous dogs I have ever seen.  There is just something about his face, especially the eyes... 

I just can't imagine why people say some of the things they do. 

[BabsT]

I dont know but they have their opinion LOL...I tend to find the cutness in most breeds..their are very few dogs that I find just down right ugly and even at that it is only the looks not the temp of the dog

Thanks for your compliments on Zero...he is my fluffanutta

[Janisjin]

BabsT: your boy is so handsome. he has the look of a wise king that knows more than me! 

And I loooove the picture of your babe, grumpybunny--such a perfect shot of a happy puppy! 

[JimB]

I have to agree with you about Akitas, mine (Randy) is going to be 7 in April and is my 2nd one.  Our first, Mitch lived 14 years and was the best dog I've ever had.  He was great with our 2 children and raised them well.  He also raised the meanest cat you have ever seen, and was a great buddy our lab / golden receiver mix. They would take off to get into trouble occasionally, but usually would stay on our property (2.5 Acres) in the high sierra.

They often went down to State Route 168 in order to stop traffic with intimidation tactics.  I do not understand to this day why they were never hit, they were known to have stopped log trucks, and the local highway patrol and sheriffs brought them home more than once.  I somtimes felt like they were teens out to see how far they could push their parents.

Randy our current dog loves to get out, but somehow he has got the idea he has to be in our backyard to go to the bathroom.  This very strange concept has two benefits, he's quite welcome at our neighbors, and he comes home soon to get a little relief.  Dogs are neat, I don't think I'll ever completely understand the way they think, but they do think, they do have a sense of humor, they do like to tease and be teased, and they do have strong emotions.

Both of my Akitas have loved people, except Randy has taken a strong exception to Terminex people.  I think one sprayed him with their pesticide once and he has never forgotten (OR forgiven) that smell.  We have had several large gatherings in 'his' backyard with as many as 50 people and food without any problems at all.  He will not eat any food, unless you put it on the ground and step away.

[chaos270]

Don't worry I get the same...honey are you sure you can handle that dog or that horse.  I've been around both dogs and horses and leading both since I could walk.  I'm 5'2 and quite the lightweight and probably look like a 12 year old, although I'm 18.  So I get shocked looks when leading or riding my 1100 lb warmblood who has a stubborn streak a mile wide.  But I was the first on her back when I was four and have been riding her ever since.  But I'm always in complete control.  Kali walks at my side and she can be a handful but I generally have control.  Plus according to dog experts Kali was a golden/ black lab mix...and a couple of other creative crossings.  But it's nice when I do run into people that realize she's a newf and allow the slobbers she doles out to everyone she meets.  I guess the stupid make you appreciate the knowledgable.

[Senghe]

Ahhh, you'll get used to it. I used to get all that and worse with my shar-pei. They used to tell me how unhealthy my breed is and how they get infected skin because of the wrinkles - this was when faced with my two on staring at them who were the picture of health. I got to the stage where it was all water off a duck's back.

The only reason I don't get any hassle with Flynn is because nobody knows what on earth a Tibetan Mastiff is. It was the same when I used to walk my friend's male Akita. The breed had only been in the UK a year or two so nobody knew Storm was supposed to be 'mean'. Good job really as everybody loved him and he even used to visit the local library so the girls who worked there could fuss over him and give him cuddles.