A very disturbing comment

[Jaimie]

And here is my sweet Chach getting ready to devour my niece...lol( the niece that got bit by the golden), doesn't my niece look terrified?.............. ....... I don't think so, she is getting a sweet tender kiss from Chach.

[GrumpyBunny]

NOOOO!  Get that horrible, vicious dog away from that sweet innocent child!  Somebody think of the children!   

Seriously, though, some people are just idiots.  Even people who mean well sometimes just don't understand.  My grandmother, who I know loved me, and probably didn't MEAN to be hurtful, always used to say to me about Cabo - "Ugh, I just can't believe you still have that damn dog.  Why don't you just get rid of it?".  Umm, I would sooner give up my LEG.

What I think is especially hurtful about the "that dog is going to eat that baby" type comments is the reflection not on the dog, but on the owner.  My thought always is "Do you SERIOUSLY think I would have a dog that would do that?  And if I did, do you REALLY think I would just let it prance right up to your child?  Do you SERIOUSLY think I am the type of person who would allow a child to be put in jeopardy?"  That is what really gets me...   

These comments are made by people who obviously don't see or appreciate the huge amount of time, effort and love that we spend insuring that our dogs are well behaved.  I mean, Ranger certainly has his issues, but he is NOT the out of control, jumping, barking mess that some dogs that I see are...  But for some people, a calm 100 lb. Ranger sitting quietly at my side is scarier or "worse" than a quivering, snapping, yipping 10 lb. poodle. 

It think a lot of it comes down to a size/ignorance issue.  Big = scary.  And, for some people, I think all dogs, ESPECIALLY big ones are just always going to be scary, vicious, untrustworthy animals that you shouldn't have in your house.  Ya know what?  Feel bad for them cause they are missing out.... 

Those who get it do, and those who don't never will.

[ZooCrew]

Hear hear, Grumpy

[GeegLuvMyDogs]

Glad you vented Jaimie.  The one thing that comes to mind is that there are people who own dogs and then there are people who REALLY, REALLY love dogs.  I think of myself as pretty much part dog/part person.  Your aunt has owned dogs.  So what.  She clearly doesn't really understand the canine heart.  Then there's those of us who really love dogs, see your doberman mix and your ____bull mix (sorry-four brain cells left at the end of the day and forgot what kind of mix it is) and just want to walk right up and give it kisses (I've been known to walk up to Dobie's-after meeting their owners of course-and get face to face with them and tell them how precious they are..all the while getting kissed in the face).

Loved the comment about Sissy....The Spawn of Satan Yorkie.  As I am owned in part by Angus, the Evil Cairn, I too can attest to the fiesty-ness of the smaller dog (and the complete stupidity of tangling with my cousin's dobie/lab mix last week).

And I know you're right about people thinking big dog=scary.  A FORMER friend of mine BLAMED my Pyr, Sadie, for "mouthing" (she didn't bite because if she would have, she would have taken off the child's arm...but I digress), her daughter on the arm after her daughter deliberately put her finger in Sadie's eye!!  For crying out loud she poked a dog in the eye!!  And this woman had the GALL to blame my Sadie??  Oh, and this woman CLAIMED to love dogs.  This is the woman who bought a "purebred" AKC German Shepherd from MN, took her home to CO, and then caged her whenever we came over because she wasn't properly socialized (meaning:  she would growl and bite us if she had let her out of her kennel).

As the owner of big dogs (and now I hope to never be without them) I have a STRONG distrust of people when they are alone with them.

Hang in there Jaimie.  Don't accept the character assassinations of both you and your four-legged's.