# The question I got at Petsmart.....



## myshepharley (Feb 11, 2011)

Harley and I were at Petsmart the other day getting food and we were in line to checkout, this man comes up to comment on how well behaved and handsome he was. He then asks "is he mixed with Great Dane?". I just stood there a minute and then replied, "No he is full Shepherd". He then says, "Oh, well he is tall and has a large snout. I thoughy there was a mix." Am I missing something because I def don't see any Great Dane there. Does anybody else? Just wanting other opinion.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Don't worry...when mine was around 6 months old this lady asked what kind of lab I had because she's never seen one with pointy ears LOL


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

People talk about things they don't understand just to make conversation. I got asked this weekend if Kopper was a Malinois. Because, you know, a dark sable German Shepherd looks exactly like a Mal.


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## myshepharley (Feb 11, 2011)

Wow that is funny. Now I don't feel so bad!!!


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

When I told the lady that he was a GSD not a lab..she said..."oh, yeah I can see GSD in him too". I gave up at that point She was really nice tho...just not a breed expert obviously. LOL


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

hahaha!

I always get "is that a black lab" he sure is with his pointy ears, long snout and longer fur. :laugh:


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Courtney said:


> When I told the lady that he was a GSD not a lab..she said..."oh, yeah I can see GSD in him too". I gave up at that point She was really nice tho...just not a breed expert obviously. LOL


Hehe. . . I gave the lady the mini-lecture about working vs. show lines and the fact that Kopper is East German Working lines, so that's why he looks different from most GSDs she's seen. . . . and she said, "Oh. So kinda like a Malinois then?" 



Yes ma'm. Exactly like a Malinois.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

LOL! I was asked if Ilda (blk/red WGSL with a dark face) was a malinios recently too! I think it's because she's not really big (70 pds).

My rescue boy, with the soft ears but the more rin-tin-tin looking blk/tan coat ....never a question...'Oh look at the German Shepherd'.

Our little tri-aussie, who we decided to not have her tail docked...people think she's a bernese mountain dog. If it's got a tail it's not an aussie.

Ah well..most people are nice about it and sometimes it presents an opportunity to share information!


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

There are folks who dont know a thing about dogs, just like there are folks who don't know a thing about cars (thats me). Doesn't mean anything. It is interesting though when people ask me if my sable GSD is a malinois; I'm surprised they even know of malinois. Most people recognize he's a shepherd, but they almost always ask if he's mixed. And of course the "Is he going to hit 150 lbs?" or "he seems so thin!" questions/comments.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Years ago I was doing a table for the SAR team at a Sieger show and one of the entrants *TOLD* me that my WGWL female was DDR and that i was *wrong* about her origins (all from looking at her..not her pedigree...and she is a fine boned little thing, clearly with a bit of an Egon head, 52 lbs sopping wet) 

So its not just the folks at Petsmart you can excuse for not knowing....

Oh dark sable Grim is a wolf, (no he's purebred but I can't convince some folks he is a GSD so I let them shake their heads)


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Yeah....people do seem to more aware of malinios.

I wonder if it's because the press the breed got after the seal team used them to help take down Osama Bin Laden....

('dem seals and their dogs rock!  )


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Because Hondo has long hair I always get questioned to find out what he is mixed with. 

Maybe one day I'm going to say he is a genetic freak of nature worth thousands of dollars in research.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Verivus said:


> There are folks who dont know a thing about dogs, just like there are folks who don't know a thing about cars (thats me).


Yeah, but I bet you don't walk up to rank strangers and say, "So. . . you got a four-barrel dual-quad 350 smallblock in that thing? You runnin' a powerglide or a Turbo 400?" Just because you heard it in a Beach Boys song once.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Just because they are AT Petsmart doesn't mean they ARE pet smart.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

this stuff has to make you laugh. i was at the car wash
and the guy drying my car told me that he had Shepherds
since he was a kid. then he looked at Loki and said "that is
a German Shepherd isn't it"? i laughed and said "yeah, he's
a German Shepherd".



Courtney said:


> When I told the lady that he was a GSD not a lab..she said..."oh, yeah I can see GSD in him too". I gave up at that point She was really nice tho...just not a breed expert obviously. LOL





Emoore said:


> Hehe. . . I gave the lady the mini-lecture about working vs. show lines and the fact that Kopper is East German Working lines, so that's why he looks different from most GSDs she's seen. . . . and she said, "Oh. So kinda like a Malinois then?"
> 
> 
> 
> Yes ma'm. Exactly like a Malinois.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Courtney said:


> Don't worry...when mine was around 6 months old this lady asked what kind of lab I had because she's never seen one with pointy ears LOL


Just a couple of days ago I got asked if mine was a Lab. It doesn't bother me. People just don't know. You put an Austrailian, a Queensland, and a Border Collie down in front of me and I probably couldn't tell the difference. I only know shepherds because I've had them so long.


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## Caitydid255 (Aug 28, 2010)

jocoyn said:


> Oh dark sable Grim is a wolf, (no he's purebred but I can't convince some folks he is a GSD so I let them shake their heads)


I had one lady so convinced that Freyja was a coyote, that she called a police officer over and tried to report me for animal cruelty and for breaking CT law which prohibits the keeping of wild canids or hybrids. On the bright side, the officer knew GSDs, asked about her lines and told me that he was looking to get a DDR GSD as a partner. The woman was spitting wooden nickles by that point.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Stosh gets the same comments as Hondo because of the long coat. Some people ask if he's a Belgian shepherd and once [at a dog show] someone asked if he was a Shiloh. Of course the worst was my idiot neighbor who thought he was a wolf and shot him.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

jocoyn said:


> Oh dark sable Grim is a wolf, (no he's purebred but I can't convince some folks he is a GSD so I let them shake their heads)


Most the time it doesn't bother me I often get asked if mine is a lab because he is so friendly but back a while ago I had one lady who was telling ME he was wolf. Really he is mostly black and looks nothing like a wolf, but she kept insisting... It ticked me off so I said lady you don't know what you are talking about this is Shepherd crossed with Bear. 

Shut her right up.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

I still really enjoy the girl who stopped my trainer/friend while we were out hiking with the dogs, commented on how small Echo is (29", 85 lbs...really??), was saying she knows shepherds really well because her parents had a 150 lb shepherd when she was growing up. She then continued to go on and on about how there was NO way my friend's dog was a purebred because he's small and all black. He had this dog in the military... he was like "oh my God, you have to go tell the Air Force they got totally ripped off when they got this dog, then!".... she didn't get it.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

yup, Shepherds are valued by the pound


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I forgot about the kid at the vets office last year. We were in the waiting room & he looked at my boy, pointed & yelled "mommy that lady has a WOLF" and was jumping up & down excited. I told him "NO NO, he's NOT a wolf, he's a GSD!". He wasn't convinced...I was relieved when they called my name


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I get dumb stuff like that all the time, also because Rocket's a coatie. The other day I got "Is he mixed with Chow?"

My personal favorite is when they persist, even after I've told them yes, he's 100% German Shepherd Dog with, "But are you SURE he's a purebred? Cuz he doesn't look like one to me".


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

jocoyn said:


> Oh dark sable Grim is a wolf, (no he's purebred but I can't convince some folks he is a GSD so I let them shake their heads)


send Grim here, he can play with my coyote  Even one of the vet techs is convinced he's a coyote???


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

PaddyD said:


> yup, Shepherds are valued by the pound


 
I used to think that all GSD's needed to be 100lbs. Yeah, the most powerful dog in my schutzhund club is a 65lbs male. Hahaha


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

LOL I had a client at my desk and he was admiring my picture of Gavin on my desk, in a show stack, and tells me he's beautiful, is that a field Lab? I also took Gavin to the vet when he was 3 months and laughingly told the Vet his ears were in a funky stage, they were at that cute teepee stage, the Vet said, oh don't be surprised if they don't stand, only purebreds ears stand.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Yeh, I still deal with the "she's small for a shepherd"... Is she a full breed?

As I mentioned once before, I tell people she's a domestic, miniature, pygmie shepherd. Imported from West Germany.
Then I get the "OH, I thought so". 

She looks pretty pure pred to me:


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Verivus said:


> There are folks who dont know a thing about dogs, just like there are folks who don't know a thing about cars (thats me). Doesn't mean anything. It is interesting though when people ask me if my sable GSD is a malinois; I'm surprised they even know of malinois. Most people recognize he's a shepherd, but they almost always ask if he's mixed. And of course the "Is he going to hit 150 lbs?" or "he seems so thin!" questions/comments.


 I think people started to know about Malinois when the Osama raid went down. That is the first time I had heard of them, too.
Belgian Malinois Navy SEAL Dog Included in Osama bin Laden Raid - Paw Nation


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## SiegersMom (Apr 19, 2011)

Since she is a lighter colored dog they just think all shepherds are dark and the only Great Dane they have ever seen was a fawn so of course your dog has to be a Dane mix A lady argued with me about how much husky was in my dog...my answer...NONE!!!! Your dogs looks all GSD to me


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

Emoore said:


> Yeah, but I bet you don't walk up to rank strangers and say, "So. . . you got a four-barrel dual-quad 350 smallblock in that thing? You runnin' a powerglide or a Turbo 400?" Just because you heard it in a Beach Boys song once.


I understand what you're saying, but most folks only comment on appearance. It's more like someone coming up to you and saying your charger is amazing when you really drive a mustang , lol. Either way, people still don't know what they're talking about. I just laugh it off, since most folks are convinced they're right. Just another moment to share with another dog person.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

I get the great dane comment a lot as well. As if mixing anything with a great dane will make a dog bigger but still have absolutely no other characteristics of a great dane . I guess every smaller german shepherd is mixed with chihuahua!


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

Sasha has a lot of black with red markings (not bi-color but pretty dark) and people always think she's mixed with a doberman since they're black and brown too... That and my black husky/Cattle dog mix is black so she's mixed with black lab for sure since that's the only way you get a pure black dog :roll eyes: Even though she's fluffy, prick ears, and absolutely no lab in her.

Good time to practice your smile and nod...


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

I kind of look at it the way I view a marching band or an orchestra. I can recognize and identify the major instruments, but once you get past the tuba, trumpet, violin or clarinet you've lost me . Plus I don't really care, I just like to listen. I totally consider myself a music lover, though, just the way those people probably consider themselves well educated dog lovers because they watch Animal Planet LOL. 
I have to bite my tongue weekly when someone informs me that a) our black GSD must be a mix because GSDs don't come in black and b) my Lancashire Heeler isn't a real breed because it's not an AKC register-able breed.
On the other hand, we have a friend and his brother who have some mixed breeds that they made up breed names for since everyone asks what kind of dogs they are. The one boxer/pit mix is referred to as a Long Nosed African Boxer and the 2 little mixes are New Zealand Grinning Foxhounds. We tell people that's what they are and some will say, "Oh yeah, I've heard of those" LOL.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Riley is a GSD/Border Collie mix who weighs 70lbs and other than the white patch on his chest, he's physically GSD. I got the "Is he mixed with chihuahua?" comment again the other day when I took him out. I think my jaw drops every time. Chihuahua? really? no.

So far everyone knows Shasta is a GSD.


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

I was driving in downtown a few years back and saw a lady walking a dog that was jet black and looked a lot like a GSD. I had n idea that GSDs did indeed have a solid black variant. So I whipped around, found a parking spot and spoke with the woman.

Convo went sorta like this;

Me: "Oh man, wow...is that a black German? Dog has the lines but I have never seen or heard of such a coloring".
Her: "Yeah, pure GSD.
'Me: "May I pet him?"
Her: "Sure, if he lets ya...."
Me: Rubbing dog "Pretty Boy!"

If the dogs ears were down amd tail tucked I could see someone that does not know GSDs trying to call a sable a Lab (from a distance). Once with the dog there was no mistaking it for a Lab however, Labs are just more...chunky? Squared off maybe.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

I just got home from Petsmart. As soon as I walked in I was asked how old my dog is. I said she just turned 5 months. I got the, "oh she is really small for a 5 month old GSD". Then I got asked what training I have been doing with her. I said schutzhund. Then I got a blank stare. First my dog is 5 months and 7 days old weighs and weighs 43lbs. She is fine on size. Second if you are a breed expert I would think you would know what schutzhund is.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

mycobraracr said:


> if you are a breed expert I would think you would know what schutzhund is.


We get lots of those around here. They know ALL about GSDs but have never heard of Schutzhund. If you've ever picked up and decent book about the breed, even to just skim it, you should have picked up on a little bit.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

bocron said:


> We get lots of those around here. They know ALL about GSDs but have never heard of Schutzhund. If you've ever picked up and decent book about the breed, even to just skim it, you should have picked up on a little bit.


 
I was waiting for her to take out her phone or computer and google schutzhund so she could tell me my dog is wrong for that to hahahaha.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Good analogy. 

Given the worries that come our way in life.....while it gets on my nerves a bit now and then....someone not knowing what kind of dog or line of GSD or size, just really isn't that important.

*zen moment* eace:



bocron said:


> I kind of look at it the way I view a marching band or an orchestra. I can recognize and identify the major instruments, but once you get past the tuba, trumpet, violin or clarinet you've lost me . Plus I don't really care, I just like to listen. I totally consider myself a music lover, though, just the way those people probably consider themselves well educated dog lovers because they watch Animal Planet LOL.
> <snipped>


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Gwenhwyfair said:


> Good analogy.
> 
> Given the worries that come our way in life.....while it gets on my nerves a bit now and then....someone not knowing what kind of dog or line of GSD or size, just really isn't that important.
> 
> *zen moment* eace:


Agree. I honestly don't care but get a good chuckle out of it.

I have made mistakes myself in attempting to identify the breed of someones dog...the mastiff family really throw me off.


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## DanielleOttoMom (May 11, 2010)

I been asked "Why did you crop your labs ears!?!?" My instant reply "What? No! He is a black GSD!?! Sorry no Lab here just GSD.


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

bocron said:


> I kind of look at it the way I view a marching band or an orchestra. I can recognize and identify the major instruments, but once you get past the tuba, trumpet, violin or clarinet you've lost me . Plus I don't really care, I just like to listen. I totally consider myself a music lover, though, just the way those people probably consider themselves well educated dog lovers because they watch Animal Planet LOL.
> I have to bite my tongue weekly when someone informs me that a) our black GSD must be a mix because GSDs don't come in black and b) my Lancashire Heeler isn't a real breed because it's not an AKC register-able breed.
> On the other hand, we have a friend and his brother who have some mixed breeds that they made up breed names for since everyone asks what kind of dogs they are. The one boxer/pit mix is referred to as a Long Nosed African Boxer and the 2 little mixes are New Zealand Grinning Foxhounds. We tell people that's what they are and some will say, "Oh yeah, I've heard of those" LOL.



I just died laughing xD


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## Alexandria610 (Dec 2, 2010)

I'm always getting asked if Alex is a wolf or a wolf-dog....well...that one isn't as far a stretch, but, seriously. Every time I try to tell them she is a GSD, they look at her fur and say "but she isn't black and tan..."


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## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

i dont have a GSD yet, still on the research stage but...

i have a cool story/joke that happened to me.
we own a "shorkie",
we brought her to the vet for an ear infection and i was asked what kind of dog she is.
i said," it's a police dog."
the girl then said," but he doesn't look like a police dog."
i replied, "she is undercover."
the girl got this strange look trying to figure things out, then girl in the information desk stared at me and laughed...


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## lisgje (Sep 3, 2010)

I had a lady at PetCo, (hmm, seems to be a theme) tell me that my long haired GSD (Shane) was not a purebred because "German Shepherds dont have long hair". Have also been berated by various pp at Petco for having a purebred (chance) and not going to a shelter. Just have to brush it off. People are idiots.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

People always ask what Bianca is mixed with, for some reason.

Ummm...nothing?

I've also gotten the wolfdog comment. Also one lady asked if she was a Collie.

She's a red and black saddleback, can you get more GSD looking than that? I don't get it.


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## Msmart (Dec 18, 2011)

More times than not I get asked what kind of dog that I have. Mind you she has the the very streo typical black and tan markings (with excessively big ears lol). First time I heard it I was insulted but now I am very used to it.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I was used to the "what type of mix is that" and "Oh look an Irish Setter" with my field-type red Golden Retriever, but I really thought I wouldn't get the same sort of comments with a typical standard-looking German Shepherd. Apparently I was wrong!



Ginger, who was not an Irish Setter


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

I was asked "Wow!!! Your dog looks like a dingo!!! Is it a dingo!?" i just busted out laughing and said "no, he's a german shepherd." the guys said, "sooooo no dingo?" 
i said, "nope-full shepherd. sable. working line." he said oh and walked away. :smirk: really? my sable looks like a dingo????? even the dog looked at me like "really mom?? can i bite this guy??"


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

LissG said:


> I was asked "Wow!!! Your dog looks like a dingo!!! Is it a dingo!?" i just busted out laughing and said "no, he's a german shepherd." the guys said, "sooooo no dingo?"
> i said, "nope-full shepherd. sable. working line." he said oh and walked away. :smirk: really? my sable looks like a dingo????? even the dog looked at me like "really mom?? can i bite this guy??"


Maybe the dingo ate his baby? aranoid:


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## racer (Nov 5, 2010)

I don't get the dumb questions or comments about my gsd but I sure get a lot about my female rottie like she can't be a rottie becuase she has a tail or are are your rotties geman or american rotties


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

LissG said:


> I was asked "Wow!!! Your dog looks like a dingo!!! Is it a dingo!?" i just busted out laughing and said "no, he's a german shepherd." the guys said, "sooooo no dingo?"
> i said, "nope-full shepherd. sable. working line." he said oh and walked away. :smirk: really? my sable looks like a dingo????? even the dog looked at me like "really mom?? can i bite this guy??"


LMAO you need to learn to have fun with that one... I would've said "yes... oh BTW I forgot to feed him before coming into public.. have you checked on your baby" maybe slipped your pup something yummy so he was licking his lips when the guy looked at him :rofl:

As for me I ALWAYS get the stinking shiloh shepherd comment because she has long hair so she HAS to be. I WISH people ever thought she was part chow because as a puppy I had a guy argue with me forever on what she was. She was orange and a big fluffy fuzz ball I would've given someone a big break if they asked if she was chow or a chow mix just because some people don't know but this guy TOLD me she was a husky. When I said no he said husky mix I told him no again and he flat out told me YES! I told him she's GSD he said mixed with husky again told him no pure GSD then I got THE question "did you get papers" yes she has papers then he tells me I should go home and look at them again because they aren't right. I gave up and shut up because he was on the ground giving Jinx belly rubs and she was loving it so I dealt with the idiocy. 

Then PetSmart EVERY FLIPPING TIME there is a cashier who chases us down the isle asking if she is a Shiloh Shepherd I say no then she starts talking about how she's straight backed and only Shiloh's have a straight back and lectures me on how they are the original shepherds and the americans bred GSD's down smaller so they could do agility and police work etc... tells me all about how there are only 5 real GSD/Shiloh breeders in the US of course her breeder is one of them and how great her 130 lb couch potato (self admittedly) and that's how GSD's are supposed to be. I just nod my head and walk away not worth the fight. Then next time I come in the same thing now I try to avoid her one day she was off and another cashier asked if she was Shiloh and goes all into her co-workers Shiloh :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: I can't escape it lol!

Then just random public ask what kind of shepherd she is or if she's a "belgian" since apparently that's only one class there lol. I get used to it at least most people say she's beautiful give her a pet then carry on.


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

hahahaha yea i'll try to do that next time someone asks if he's a dingo!!


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## Chance&Reno (Feb 21, 2012)

I was standing in a pet store one day with my Chance (RIP), and my 2 other dogs. One is a greyhound, the other a pomeranian. 
A gentleman walks up to me with his family in tow and says to me "wow, your Rottie is so adorable!". I said "excuse me??" and I know I had a bewildered look on my face. He proceeds to tell his 2 sons (roughly 9 and 11) that Rotties were bred to live amongst sheep and serve as protectors of the flock. His wife is just standing there nodding her head in agreement with her husband's story.
So I'm standing there, listening to this guy's story and looking around to see what the heck he was referring to. After he finished, I asked him to whom he was referring to. He points to my 8 lb teddybear Pomeranian! I looked him dead in the face and said "He's a Pomeranian!" He then proceeds to argue with me over what breed of dog *I* own! He became really agitated over defending his statements because he was embarrased that he was talking out his butt and he knew it! 
Some people are so ignorant and it scares me to think that this guy was educating his kids with complete BS!


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Chance&Reno said:


> I was standing in a pet store one day with my Chance (RIP), and my 2 other dogs. One is a greyhound, the other a pomeranian.
> A gentleman walks up to me with his family in tow and says to me "wow, your Rottie is so adorable!". I said "excuse me??" and I know I had a bewildered look on my face. He proceeds to tell his 2 sons (roughly 9 and 11) that Rotties were bred to live amongst sheep and serve as protectors of the flock. His wife is just standing there nodding her head in agreement with her husband's story.
> So I'm standing there, listening to this guy's story and looking around to see what the heck he was referring to. After he finished, I asked him to whom he was referring to. He points to my 8 lb teddybear Pomeranian! I looked him dead in the face and said "He's a Pomeranian!" He then proceeds to argue with me over what breed of dog *I* own! He became really agitated over defending his statements because he was embarrased that he was talking out his butt and he knew it!
> Some people are so ignorant and it scares me to think that this guy was educating his kids with complete BS!


If his wife was equally ignorant it doesn't bode well for those kids. Could have been a good opportunity for Daddy to admit that Daddy makes mistakes.


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