Allowing your dogs to take food or treats from others?

[sweet_ceana]

LOL the grease story is hilarious!

[1sheepdoggal]

I agree Iron Horse. Let em get dirty and run barefoot. My mother is like that. Wanting kids to be all prissy and clean. She use to complain when Id send pics of them ( though they respectfully are now 25 and 28) that they were always dirty. No, they were having fun! They got dunked in the water tank at days end and they cleaned up pretty good. Tell him to let them wear their old clothes to Pop's and lighten up. My grandkids come here to visit, ages 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 and I cant believe that their mom, my daughter who spent more time in the horse stalls than she did anywhere else coming up, is now like that. Dont let them this, and dont let them that. OMG look at yer shirt now!! Its great when she leaves them and goes away. We have so much fun with out her!

[1sheepdoggal]

Sorry, didnt mean to take that OT. Am trying hard to remain on topic, it was just to easy to relate to. Resuming on topic now. Darci

[Shetlander]

Its been my observations that a well adjusted dog is a pretty damn good judge of character.

 

I must not have had well adjusted dogs all these years. I've had dogs that love everyone, dogs that trusted no one and a few in between those extremes. The BC mix I had as a kid was probably the best judge of character of any of them but he enjoyed intimidating people as a hobby, so I had to take that into account. Quinn is generally friendly but can be skittish with strangers if they come on too strong for his taste. He is my first dog in a couple of decades to be more uncertain around men than women. At any rate, I don't pay to closest attention to what my uppity Lhasa, shy sheltie or not always sure BC thinks of people

 

I allow others to feed my dogs because I'm always with them or else expressly trust whoever will be with them. I do limit any treats largely to what I supply but that is mainly due to their allergies and my distrust of commercial treats.

[bcnewe2]

I don’t want anyone to think I’m putting anyone down this is just something that struck me and gave me food for thought.

 

What a sad day that we reminisce about having our kids run free, barefoot, eat a bit of dirt and considered them all the healthier for it. Trick or Treat was just that. Nothing to worry about. Going to the neighbors for dinner was no big deal.

 

Now we have to worry about our dogs taking things from strangers. Very sad state of affairs indeed.

 

Personally I make that type decision at the time it comes up. I have some dogs that would gladly take a treat and some that would no sooner look at a strange person even if they had steak as the treat.

 

They are never around strangers unless I'm present, except at trials, where I do chain them to the car or a fence. I don't think anyone’s likely to wander over and just hand them a treat unless they know my dogs. I really don't think they'd take a treat in that situation without me standing there encouraging them to do so. They are not social or anti-social, unless you are dressed as a sheep, a person taking them to sheep, or someone that knows them already they could give a rats patoot about people. Not saying if you drove down the driveway they wouldn't be out happily to greet you but that's their turf so they're pretty comfortable. If I'm not home they're not out. If we venture to a park (not a dog park) or petsmart or some other pet friendly place they take their cues from me. If I'm friendly to a stranger so are they, if I walk by ignoring a stranger they follow suite. If someone tried to give a treat to one of them, I'd be forced to make a judgement at that moment.

I never gave much thought to teaching them who to take food from and who not to. In my present circumstance I probably won't start.

But that said IH and can see your point about being a butthead about your GC just to tee off your son, they are so easily ticked off about their precious little ones. Like we didn't do ok with them or wiat.... we must have forgotten how to do kids in our old age! Grandkids are God's reward for making it though parenthood!

 

What a strange world we live in.

Kristen

[Anda]

Loved the grease story, IH

 

My dog doesn't take treats from strangers, as in at the counter at PetSmart, they always offer him treats (he does get his paws on the counter to flirt with the girls.. ) and I have to take them myself and give them to him in the car.

 

Ouzo is very friendly, unless someone tries to be even more friendlier towards him than he is towards them. Then he pauses and looks at the person "Hmmm, something wrong with you?!". Such as someone coming waaaay to fast right in his face and trying to force him to take a treat. One of the new apartment managers did that the other day when I went to talk to her, and although Ouzo was happy to meet her for the first time, when she offered him a treat, he didn't want it, and she wouldn't take no for an answer, and she kept trying to offer it to him and speak in baby talk with him. I politely explained to her he doesn't want the treat right now, but I will take it and give it to him later, but she kept saying "I have a dog, too, we WILL be friends, won't we!" I finally had to open the door (I was in the admin. building) and leave before Ouzo would start barking or growling at her and really leave a "great" first impression.....

 

However, he looooooooooves kids, regardless how much in his face they are Lil' people are good at throwing balls for him, he can train them extremly quickly and is proud of his results

[Pat W.]

I am definately in the supply your own treats for strangers to dispense. With my fosters I encourage them to meet and greet all kinds of people so usually have pockets full of kibble or packets of string cheese.