Ignorant People

[jaxnvilleguy]

I just cannot stand ignorant people. Last night I was walking my China. Crossing the street there was an ignorant idiot that yelled out I have a Pit and he will bite your Rottie's neck off. So I turned around, shook my and continued walking. Why do idiots think that just because you have a Pit or even a Rottie that the dog is a fighter. The only fight that would have happened would of been between me and that fool and if I would have saw his Dog coming for China, I would have jumped in front and beat that dog down. I know that you should not hit a dog, but I am China's owner and it is my responsibilty to protect her and keep her out of harms way. It is because of people like that idiot that dogs get bad reputations.

[Dbl G]

The reason being is that knowledge for most means learning something new and ignorance is an easy path.
Share the knowledge and empower yourself and others is a good approach,,,,
We here in Georgia are in the midst of suffering some blows thanks to ignorance. We have a few counties that are banning all "Pit's", I ask,,, how variances are there within the breed that are not the "favored" Terrrier.
Ignorance, available locally..

[observer]

And why we have to fight BSL all over the country.

[felicityjay]

I can totally understand your anger! How shocking and ignorant!!!!

I can not understand how people can own dogs and see them as weapons or macho accessories!!! How can they see their dog fight and risk it getting hurt???!!!!!~

As you say these are exactly the sort of people that get breeds a bad name and risk our right to own our pets!

[felicityjay]

also I totally agree with your attitude...there is no way i would let a dog reach mine without trying to beat it back first!!!! i may only be a skinny girl but you are right it is our responsibility as owners to protect our dogs - it is not the other dogs fault of course it is the owners but i wouldn't hesitate either!

[MShaw]

I'd start carrying pepper spray on your walks if you have people like that in your path. The thing is, a big pitt, or rott, that's trained to fight, would tear you to pieces. In an instant, I'd probably do the same thing, but since you know this guy's around, I'd pack some pepper spray or some mase if you can get a hold of it.

The truth is, his pitt is probably a lap dog, just like all of our rotties, and the owner's just an idiot, but its better to be safe than sorry.

[CanineCoach]

The other day I was walking Molly in my neighborhood, taking my usual route. I always try to go out before all the kids are walking home from school because I recognize that just seeing a rott can freak some people out and I do try to be sensitive to that. As I'm passing by a house where there are two little, yapping dogs going nuts running up and down the length of the fence, the homeowner is getting her mail and looks at Molly and says to me, "I hope that thing never gets away from you!", like I'm putting the entire neighbor in danger by walking my very well behaved dog. She calls my rottie a "thing!" and all the while her dogs are out of control on the other side of the fence. So glad we spent all that time on "Leave it" as Molly was completely unplussed and walking calmly on the sidewalk as if nothing was going on. She's pretty desensitized to such nonsense since we have a neighborhood full of frustrated, always-fenced dogs. But, I was so dumbfounded by this remark I could not even respond. My husband said I should have come up with something to reply, but honestly, what is there to say?

You want to think that your well-trained dog is a credit to the breed and yet there are some people who just can't see anything but big mean rottweiler. Part of me says, find another route, part of me says, just keep walking passed that house.

[GypsysMom]

Well here in Michigan they are trying for the banning of pittbulls and wanting people to only own 1 of a "dangerous breed" its becuase of stupid people that lovable family pets are said to ve vicious.. the prosecuter here thinks there is a difference between a Golden running loose then a pittbull, I to would carry something to protect you and your dog, My neighbors dog is mean and he is a Golden, I was walking Cash out yesterday to go potty and his dog came running out growling and barking and trying to nip through the fence, Cash just goes about his business and finishes his pee, lol, he could care less if that dog was barking at him.. and then Jim the owner goes to grab the dog to shut him up and he went for his hand... Glad their isnt a difference in an agressive golden then a pitt bull

[Obelix]

It has always been that way and I think the efforts people make to educate the ignorant only reduces damage a bit.Don't give up trying to be a good and educated owner yourself,because what you do and how you act and behave tells the "idiots" more than a thousand words.If this can be any comfort to you:the longer you own a Rottweiler the more you are going to act like them,means ;having a thick skin and a hard,(sometimes)stubborn head.The people(in this case you,the owner) say whatever they want,he(the Rottweiler) will listen to it whenever he wants.

[ismv]

I probably don't need to add to this, but I had a neighborhood lady (and parent of one of my daughter's school mates) say to me as I was walking my puppy to the bus stop: "Oh, you got one of those devil dogs! Yeah, he's nice now but just wait until he grows up. Don't you remember Damian?!!" I assumed she was referring to that movie in the 70's....I just looked at her, not caring anymore about stupid people...and said; "Thanks, Claire, you really seem to know a lot about dogs." I stood their long enough for her to let that sink in, and took my Rottie and English Bulldog on our merry way.

Not only that...my next door neighbor has THE MOST VICIOUS toy poodle that tried to attack my now deceased :-( Bullmastiff, my English Bulldog and the Rott pup on separate occasions. This neighbor had the balls to tell me that she wanted my pup and her dog to meet before my boy got too big and would eat her! HA! So I sat on my driveway and finally asked...."Why is it that people with little dogs seem to think that it is ok that their dogs are aggressive, but people with larger dogs can't? Seems to me that all of your dogs aggression and lack of socialization would be exactly the type of dog to instigate a fight...were my dogs not as well behaved as they are." Another stunned silence....Then I just sat and watched as my trained little baby sat by me as if to say..."What a neurotic little bitch!" And I mean...the poodle...not me LOL!

[gail1951]

I to understand the problems of wanting to fight for my dog. My husband is a retired Chicago P O, heck he gave me some oven cleaner to spray if I ever needed it. At that time it carrid lye in the cannister. Now that we live in a rural area I never think of it.

We have to educate the uneducated. Hard job, but it must be done.

[SABELLESMOM]

This brings to mind a true story...my own. Let me preface my remarks by saying, we are fortunate to live where we have many good and dedicated owners who train their Rottweilers.

My husband and I walked our 2 girls at a local exercise park. This woman, walking 3, and her husband, walking 2, schizoid-ill-behaved-neurotic-rumpled-looking-small dogs.

Since our girls have a greater stride, we non-challantly passed them. Neither of ours paid the least bit of attention and we walked single file to leave them plenty of room.

The woman became frustrated at her dogs incessant lunging and barking. She and her husband pulled off the walk. The walk was big enough to drive a full sized truck!

After we'd passed, she yelled something about how rude we were to bother her dogs! Two total strangers coming the other way defended us saying, "Lady, you've got it backwards."

About week or so later I was at the same park with my Rave. I happened to notice this woman, husband and 5 dogs and altered my route to avoid them. I went around the larger half of a figure 8 first, before walking around the lake.

To make a long story short, we came to an apex together anyway. Rave minded her own business and again her dogs made a ruckus. The woman made some nasty coments to her husband about me. She then proceeded to complain to the Park police. They ride bikes there, and he'd stopped not too far away in the shade.

I heard bits and pieces: "I don't understand why dogs like that are allowed!" "Did you see how her dog frightenes mine?" "...big brutes! As soon as kill you as look at you!" "Look what we have to put up with!" etc.

Then, very clearly, in a calm, patient voice but loud enough for me to hear said, "Ma'am, behavior counts here. Her dog didn't turn her head to even look at yours. So how was her dog bothering your dogs?" Then, "On the other hand, yours are in dire need of some manners. Perhaps you should bring them one at a time so you can work on it."

I snickered all the way to my car!

OP: A quick remark, like, "Why would you want a dog to rip another's neck out?" "A dog like that should be PTS!" often helps. For caninecoach, "GEEZ! I hope yours never gets out of that fence!" and look fearful. TRY IT! Don't change your route. The best revenge is a well behaved, shining example of the breed! Yes... you still have to do your part fighting BSL. Unfortunately, it's almost entirely due to idiots like this.

[smileygirl]

ok...as I am reading the posts on this thread(with my two rotties laying at feet very politely) my two stir...it's the neighbor three doors down...once again chasing her golden ret. into MY driveway...this is the same woman who was visiting the adjcent neighbor when my two were out in the front yard ON LEAD when her precious golden AGAIN..OFF LEAD decides to run into MY yard barking it's fool head off and when my two stand up to check out the commotion screams at US "get those two vicious dogs away from Anne(her golden)...when my husband tells her to grab her dog to gain control and remove her from our property she states"NO..I'm not going to get bitten(by her own dog)! I later politely explained to the neighbor she was visiting...they have leash laws for a reason! Sadly, when we want to just "hang out" in our own yard it tends to be the backyard...with a 6ft. fence~! The number of idiots squashs a fun time with two well behaved dogs...and talking doesn't seem to SINK IN! Tina

[jaxnvilleguy]

Sabellesmon, That is a great story!! I am just grinning with satisfaction!!

[maggieman]

I used to walk my boy, Mason past one of our neighbor's homes and his dog would always bark his brains out. Mason would notice the fuss and simply keep walking. The neighbor asked his dog, jokingly, and for my benefit, "do you have a death wish"? In the 10 years of my walking Mason, the neighbor learned that he was a 120 lb friendly mush. Mason went over the bridge, 1 year, 1 month and 3 days ago (osteosarcoma). Mason jumped up and into my SUV every day of his life (including the next to last) for our daily morning walk in the woods where we would meet and greet other dog owners. When my "death wish" quoting neighbor learned Mason had been euthanized, his jaw dropped and he nearly wept. Our good fur babys eventually educate any of the doubtors. Nevertheless there will alaways be people who want to pick a fight with other people. Should a poor innocent canine be owned by such a cruel individual, it's not in the least surprising that he might want his dog to pick a fight with your dog. I recall a bunch of guys driving past Mason and me, yelling out the window, "would you like our dogs" to fight? (A Mr. Vick-like character?)