# how would you react?



## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

hypothetical question/situation.

Lets say you go to a friend or family members house in which you have not visited in a while or have never been to, and this person has a small yappy pooch in this house, how do you react. The behavior of the dog is for this situation, barking wildly at you as soon as you enter, or jumping on you from the moment you get inside. 

I know as GSD owners, we tend to not tolerate this behavior from our dogs, so how would you react when another dog, be it an "ankle biter" acts this way towards you.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Unfortunately if the owner isn't doing anything, your best bet is to just try and ignore, once the dog sees it's not getting any reaction it may stop. If they're physically touching or jumping on you, I don't see how a firm but gentle push or poke would be wrong. If it continues tell the owner that you're uncomfortable and ask them to remove or control the dog, that may be enough "hint" that the owner will step in


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

I would attempt to calm the dog down if possible. If not I would ignore it. I don't see how this requires your correction as it is not your dog.


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## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

It is just a completely hypothetical scenario... I was reading the chihuahua on dangerous breed thread and was thinking about the breed stereotypes. You go over to a friends house with a big ole dog trying to jump on you, you get mad, but if it is a smaller dog, does a big dog (such as a gsd) owner get mad? just kinda wanting other perspectives on this.
I guess what im getting at is would you just let it happen or would you tell the friend they need to correct it or correct it yourself (if this was happening to you)


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

I would ignore the dog and the behavior. I might turn my body to stop the jumping, since jumping dogs irritate me, but I would not correct the dog or reprimand the owners in any way. If the dog was being overly obnoxious I might mention it in conversation, but in a nice, non-confrontational way. It is not my dog so I have no right to issue any type of correction. I would only help if they asked.


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

If the dog was jumping and didn't stop after I greeted it, I would tell it "down." But I wouldn't take it further because it isn't my dog. I would do the same for a big dog. I wouldn't say anything to the owner, but if they asked I would offer them advice and demonstrate how to train his/her dog. If the dog was too annoying I wouldn't return to their home, but I am pretty tolerant when it comes to annoying dogs.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i would ignore it but if it was to much i would
ask them to confine the dog. leave and invite them
to your house.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Verivus said:


> I would ignore the dog and the behavior. I might turn my body to stop the jumping, since jumping dogs irritate me, but I would not correct the dog or reprimand the owners in any way. If the dog was being overly obnoxious I might mention it in conversation, but in a nice, non-confrontational way. It is not my dog so I have no right to issue any type of correction. I would only help if they asked.


This.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I had this happen a few years ago. A little yapper was tormenting me. The owner finally picked him up, and held him for the duration of my stay.
As I was leaving, I shook my friends' hand, and the little yapper lunged at my sleeve and shredded my leather jacket sleeve.

He laughed, I was P.O.'d, but shrugged it off, and was glad it wasn't a GS.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

The girl I work with has a dog like this, the first time I went to her house, the dog barked non stop. I tried to play with her, tried, ignoring and I tried feeding it. Only when I gave her food did she stay quiet for more then 10 seconds. Needless to say this dog barked at me non stop every time UNTIL they got a second dog...all of the sudden when I went there she let me hold her and gave me kisses..I was amazed that she changed like that and very quickly.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

My cousin's dog was like this. I would just shove the dog away with my foot (I won't say "kick" since I never intend to hurt or injure a dog but I don't tolerate dogs of any size charging me and biting or jumping on me) and say "NO!" in a scary voice.


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## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

Anthony8858 said:


> I had this happen a few years ago. A little yapper was tormenting me. The owner finally picked him up, and held him for the duration of my stay.
> As I was leaving, I shook my friends' hand, and the little yapper lunged at my sleeve and shredded my leather jacket sleeve.
> 
> He laughed, I was P.O.'d, but shrugged it off, and was glad it wasn't a GS.


Im no expert at little dogs, but isnt it rewarding the bad behavior by picking them up. I heard that somewhere and my rommies chi always has to be in her arms.


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## TimberGSD2 (Nov 8, 2011)

I just do not understand the mentality that it is ok for a small dog to act like this. If it's not ok for a big dog why would it be ok for a small dog? I have one of each and my little dog is expected to behave as well as my big dog. I just don't understand how it's "cute" if a little dog does it. 

Sorry I'm done on my tangent. It just really irritates me. Especially if I go somewhere with my shepherd and people are "oh it's a big dog, is she going to hurt us???" while their small dog is running around barking and nipping and jumping.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

My little dogs love when people come over and can be overly excited so I tell people to ignore them and they will calm down, I also have to tell them to NOT make eye contact with the JRT or he will assault you with his Cuz ball if they don't repeatedly throw it for him, he literally tosses it in your face till you throw it, he'll even climb up the back of the sofa and roll it down your shoulder into your lap, he's kind of embarrassing


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Two of my kids have three little yappers between them. They all go nuts and jump all over when I come in. My son tries to make his stop, but they don't listen. I find that if I just bend down and say hello to them, they don't bother me for the rest of the visit, except to jump up in my lap for cuddles every now and then.


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

If it was friendly & calmed down with attention then I'd interact with it...pets, snuggles, fetch...whatever. IF it was an evil little so&so I'd ignore it. IF that didn't work, I'd dose it with the malevolent stink eye (assuming it's not acting out of fear). IF it was fearful, I'd try to be reassuring, non-threatening & silently thank Yahweh the little nerve bag isn't mine.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

I dont reward the obnoxious behavior by engaging the dog other than other then discouraging the dog from jumping on me. I dont think its acceptable for a dog of any size to be jumping on people especially guests. I don't tolerate it from clients dogs when we're in class or doing a private lesson. If the dog jumps on me, I disengage by turning my back or removing myself from the room or even placing the dog in a timeout room. 

Client we worked with sunday afternoon. 6 month old english mastiff puppy who was already 70 pounds. They are wanting a polite member of the family yet dont reprimand their two girls for encouraging rough housing with the puppy, even after asking us how to get the dog to stop biting and jumping just from our observations. Only thing we can do is teach the owners how to teach the dog. Its up to the owner to handle the rest. This puppy is 70lbs. She's literally the size of my girl Shasta and she likes biting. And she's not even close to gentle about it either. Give me landshark puppy bites over the bites that dog issues. She just grabs your arm and chomps down full on. I'm not joking when i say she does a full bite. and if she's been put in a timeout away from everyone, when she comes back, instead of biting, she takes a flying leap at you. I have obvious teeth mark shaped bruises on my arm from her obnoxious behavior and i'm almost sure i may have a paw shaped bruise on my shoulder when she got me at one point. She's a hard hitting pup and when we werent engaged with her and the adults, the kids were climbing all over the dog trying to ride her like a pony and encouraging the biting and jumping. 

So no, i dont tolerate jumping or biting from little dogs. Big dogs are bad as is, if they engage in obnoxious behavior. Little dogs can be just as bad but even more persistent because they've learned they can get away with it. Sorry but not with me. Even before mentoring, I have been known to leave early if a friends dog wasnt mostly polite and I wont go back unless the dog is put up. Size shouldnt matter on manners training.


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## 1337f0x (Feb 21, 2012)

In all honesty, all my buddies know I have dogs and for the most part I know how to discipline my own animals. 

When their dog are yappy or hopping on me, I firmly tell them to sit, or stop and they usually stop, sit, or react quietly from there on. Not a rude "sit" or "stop," just a respectful, firm answer to calm it down.

Smaller dogs tend to like attention I've noticed lol. Since my friends know I love animals and own them, they don't really get angry at how I treat the situation, it usually motivates the owners to train their dog properly.


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## Tiffseagles (May 12, 2010)

Turn my back/ignore/push dog off me/tell dog 'off'. This is what I do with my neighbors Fox Terrier/Chihuahua.


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## W.Oliver (Aug 26, 2007)

I pull treats out of my pouch and befriend the dog.......has worked for me several times.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Ignore it.

I visited a house recently that had a large dog (boxer X) doing this. Although not jumping on me, barking at me incessantly. This gal is moving to an apartment, too. I felt so bad, because apparently this dog does this all the time. 
And, usually ignoring them helps. 
I realized she was inadvertently rewarding his fearful behavior by "coddling" him and so told her that, and also recommended a trainer for her and her dog.


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