STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Rant: strangers giving me advice on my dog...

AllieGurl · Marc Jacobs

Easy response to the know it alls " Oh so you are a profesional dog breader of labs? How many years have you been doing this to have so much expierence" ... "oh your not a dog breeder? Are you a vet?"

Other than that walk away and ignore them.

boobaby · Kate Spade

I hate that! When Boo Boo was a puppy, I was walking him and this old lady started gushing over him. She reached down and pet him and then recoiled in horror and said he smelled really bad and started scolding me about how didn't I know that you are supposed to bathe your dogs? Responsible dog owners keep their pets clean, blah blah blah. And then she smelled her hand and said now she'd have to go back home just to wash her hand. I had just bathed him the night before and he seriously smelled fine. I would be the first to admit it if he was raising up a stink, trust me. I thought maybe he had rolled in something but he still smelled like puppy shampoo and being a puppy his breath was pretty fresh. I think she was smelling her foul self. Biatch!

Another woman asked his name and when I told her she said "Why on earth would you name him that? It's awful. You should change it. At the very least, you should change it to Bo Bo." I didn't choose Boo's name, but it meant a lot to the person that did name him. Do people not realize how offensive they are?

Kelly · Hermes

Arg! I hate that...although I've never been harassed as much as you. I can't believe that lady kept pushing you to talk about how much Stella cost. Asking once was rude enough, couldn't she take the hint? You would've been my hero if you made that comment about her weight, though!

What I hate most is people at the dog park. So many of them seem like crazies who are WAY too into their dogs.

Traci has big paws for her size, so everyone there who doesn't know her thinks she's a puppy (even though her face fur is white and grey). They try to tell me what kind of health problems she must have or why I'm not a good doggy mama because she's lazy and shy. Hello, she's old and has arthritis. She likes just sitting around with the other old dogs and watching the puppies play. But if I say that, then they decide to lecture me on how to "solve" her arthritis. At least they don't try to talk to me about her astrological sign, though!

-- Edited by ttara123 at 17:16, 2007-09-23

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Oh my God, I thought this might be a New Yorkers being obnoxious thing, but now I see it's all over the place! Those stories are so funny and also so awful. I just don't get why people think it's okay to be so pushy with these uninvited opinions. Telling you to rename your dog or why you're a bad dog owner and can't cure arthritis -- so out of line!

Ttara, if anyone is ever that pushy with me again on how much we paid, I'll make the weight comment and be sure to tell you.

Other things I imagined saying: "Tell me about the last time you had sex" or "Do you have any credit card debt?" or "Have you hit menopause yet?" Other suggestions are welcome...

HeatherLynn · Gucci

I am always surprised at how tacky people are! I haven't ever experienced it with my dog, but I do have a nice car for my age and I had a coworker the other day asked me how much my the car cost and what my monthly payments are. First off, this is a guy I barely have spoken to, much less be friends with him. i just looked him in the eye and said that I thought it was an EXTREMELY inappropriate question and was frankly none of his business. He was so shocked by my directness he just walked off. I definitely think being direct when someone is rude about something is the best way to go! Good luck!

halleybird · Hermes

I hate this too. Sully is sort of different-looking, and I have had several strangers tell me that he is AT LEAST HALF coyote/wolf. (The vet and trainer agree that if he is at all feral, it's a very small part.) They also try to run over to him & pet him (he is very timid, and this scares him). The dog park is the worst -- after Halley's cancer surgery, the vet said she could go to the park as long as she wore a t-shirt to protect her stitches. I put one of my husband's old shirts on her and took her. Shortly after we arrived, a group of other owners approached me to ask "why you put a shirt on your dog." They felt pretty bad when I told them the real reason, but WTF? My mom's dog (a rescue) has a nasty scar on his leg (we don't know what it's from), and my sister always gets the evil eye when she takes him out, as if she caused it. Nosy dog owners are the worst!

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Halley, that is unbelievable! People should mind their own business.

Mandy · Kate Spade

Scarlett, I can't believe so many people have said such weird things to you about your dogs. I get asked how much my dogs cost all the time too. I never really know what to say. When one of mine was a puppy kids used to ask to hold her all the time. I've also had some people ask if they can have one since I have two that look alike. They are usually kidding, but its still a weird question.

FashionPrincess · Hermes

I would imagine that people who ask how much you paid are interested in buying a dog of that breed (or at least I would hope that would be the motive behind their question) but there is still a more tactful way to ask that. And if you don't answer to not keep pushing! Very tacky!

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

I can sympathize with all the dog owners out there! We have a 6 mo. old Great Dane puppy and he is the love of our lives and when we have him out people always say "Oh, Great Danes have a really short life span, why did you get one?"
My horrible boss was the first one to pose this AWEFUL question to me and she doesn't even OWN a dog!! I know they do tend to have health problems because of thier size, but even so, they are estimated to live 6-12 years, and I think that's about average for a large dog anyway. I will be happy to have him for as long as he is around, and of course devastated when he does go to doggy heaven, but why would that keep me from getting him? He brings such joy to our lives! Should everyone just NOT get a dog that will SUPPOSEDLY have health problems??? That would be so stupid!

But it just makes me so sad when people try to tell me, "oh, he won't live very long" HOW RUDE!!!!!

-- Edited by Luv2Shop at 13:34, 2007-09-24

boobaby · Kate Spade

Luv2shop, my brother went to a dinner party and the hosts had Great Danes. My brother's guest asked the hosts how old their dogs were and then commented that they probably won't live that much longer. My brother was mortified by his guest's rude behavior.

Besides, I had a neighbor once who had a 14 year old Great Dane, so anything is possible!

-- Edited by boobaby at 13:42, 2007-09-24

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

I am just aghast, honestly--I had no idea there were so many ill-bred people in the world! And way to shut that rude guy up, HeatherLynn!

pollyjean23 · Marc Jacobs

I have thought about this topic a few times now after having read it when you originally posted it. I have been wanting a dog lately because I like them and could use the excuse to exercise more. This post made me remember how I don't like a lot of attention in general - -especially when I am walking for exercise (or just to get out of the house). Having people ooo and aww (and, apparently, say stupid stuff) when I pass with my dog would probably get on my nerves. I have one of those whadda you lookin' at complexes. I still want a dog though.

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

pollyjean23 wrote:

I have one of those whadda you lookin' at complexes. I still want a dog though.

As much as all us dog people are complaining about the rudness that is out there, I'm sure they will all agree with me on this:
A dog's love can trump any bad feelings brought on by stupid people. A dog's love can pretty much trump any bad feeling!! Don't let this hold you back!

boobaby · Kate Spade

Luv2Shop wrote:

pollyjean23 wrote:

I have one of those whadda you lookin' at complexes. I still want a dog though.

As much as all us dog people are complaining about the rudness that is out there, I'm sure they will all agree with me on this:
A dog's love can trump any bad feelings brought on by stupid people. A dog's love can pretty much trump any bad feeling!! Don't let this hold you back!

Agreed! Sometimes it is really annoying, especially when I'm tired or in a hurry or the person is freaky. Sometimes you meet really great people. I've made friends while walking the dog.

I remember one time I was walking Boo Boo and this woman driving down the street came to a screeching halt and ran out of her car to tell me he was the cutest dog she had ever seen. It was strange, but it made me laugh. Boo Boo stops traffic!

Kelly · Hermes

get a dog! You can always put on a grumpy face. Or find a breed with a constant grumpy face

If we're on the street and someone says something, I just do a little half-smile and keep on walking if I don't want to talk. And I am the hero of all the little kids of my street because I have the fluffiest dog in the neighborhood and they always want to pet her.

halleybird · Hermes

Luv2Shop wrote:

I can sympathize with all the dog owners out there! We have a 6 mo. old Great Dane puppy and he is the love of our lives and when we have him out people always say "Oh, Great Danes have a really short life span, why did you get one?"
My horrible boss was the first one to pose this AWEFUL question to me and she doesn't even OWN a dog!! I know they do tend to have health problems because of thier size, but even so, they are estimated to live 6-12 years, and I think that's about average for a large dog anyway. I will be happy to have him for as long as he is around, and of course devastated when he does go to doggy heaven, but why would that keep me from getting him? He brings such joy to our lives! Should everyone just NOT get a dog that will SUPPOSEDLY have health problems??? That would be so stupid!

But it just makes me so sad when people try to tell me, "oh, he won't live very long" HOW RUDE!!!!!

-- Edited by Luv2Shop at 13:34, 2007-09-24

I can't believe someone said that to you! How horrid!

pollyjean - I agree with the others. The benefits of having a dog far, far outweigh the negatives. And I don't like a lot of attention either. Sometimes the dog helps -- I told my husband that I feel homely when I go out with Sully, because everyone looks at him & not me!

wetbandit42 · Marc Jacobs

FashionPrincess wrote:

I would imagine that people who ask how much you paid are interested in buying a dog of that breed (or at least I would hope that would be the motive behind their question) but there is still a more tactful way to ask that. And if you don't answer to not keep pushing! Very tacky!

I agree. I don't think it's a rude question because if they're asking, they're probably interested in buying a dog. Who knows - it might lead them to ask you which breeder you got it through.

However, for her to keep pushing you once you made it clear that you didn't feel comfortable answering was rude!

I've never really gotten rude comments about my family's dogs when I'm out walking them. However, I got my senior picture taken with my dog (I know, nerdy!) and the photographer said that she was ugly! cry

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Well, if someone wanted to buy the same kind of dog I think they'd preface that question with "I'm looking for one too..." or something along those lines. I really think they were just being nosy, especially the one who was so pushy.

But as annoying as these comments are, I agree, the happiness of having my dog far outweighs these negative things. Coming home and seeing her is such a wonderful feeling, and there are a million other things about her that make me love her more. I love how her paws smell, I love when she falls asleep with her head on my leg, or crawls onto my pillow and rests her head on mine, or the way she smiles up at me when we're going for a walk...she brings a lot of happiness into our lives!