Haven't had problems with that yet, on account of my older dog is very well-mannered in public and hasn't done anything that needs correcting. Plus he's voice sensitive, so I just change my tone a bit and he gets all frustrated. But I guess I'll run into that now I have my new puppy.

What I did run into was someone going up to my dog to pet him, and then saying "Oh my God your dog is so shy was he abused?!" Just because he was jerking his head away from the person. He just doesn't like strangers forcing their hands on his head, period--and yet they take that as 'abused'. You'd think a dog who was abused would bite, pull the leash, and drag me to the other end of the street just to get away .

I`m a 15 year old girl who obviously is a total idiot <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> with 2 large dogs. The most common thing I get is "Where are your parents! Do they know what you`re doing to that poor dog!" Usually followed by them yelling for their off-leash and uncontrolled dog. And the most severe thing I`m doing is yelling no or letting them correct themselves with a choke chain when they hit the end of the leash. I make my dogs sit before they cross any street. I have had people tell me that is cruel. Same kind of people think that taking dogs on playground equipment is cruel. I used it to get them used to different surfaces and high open platforms. One way to get rid of them is to ask to test their control by throwing the dogs fav toy into a busy street. So far I have had 3 people follow me home and complain to my parents. At least you guys don`t have people who are convinced that since they are older than you they have authority. I`ve actually had people try to tell me I`m not allowed in a public park anymore. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Everybody thinks that they need to show a kid how it`s done. Occasionaly when I`m doing off-leash stuff I get compliments and questions about where I went to train them. But they all seem to want to run far away from the stupid kid who "thinks" she trained her black lab using a ball reward and boxer with treats along with a choke chain. I had one lady jerk the lead out of my hand and say she is taking my dog until I get my parents to call her. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Luckily there was an off-duty police officer nearby who was nice enough to explain things to her. He likes dogs and was pretty mad with what she thought she had a right to do. This is quickly developing into a rant so I guess I`d better finish up. Ive almost stopped trying to do anything for people in the park. They don`t listen anyway because of my age. Some times people will listen if you give a short demo but most of the time you`re just wasting your breath.

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What I did run into was someone going up to my dog to pet him, and then saying "Oh my God your dog is so shy was he abused?!" Just because he was jerking his head away from the person. He just doesn't like strangers forcing their hands on his head, period--and yet they take that as 'abused'.

Our Boxer doesn`t like people touching his head either. I explain to people that dogs can`t really see up there and it makes them nervous. They normally respect that and have learned a valuable lesson about greeting strange dogs. Don`t know if that`s the real reason but at least they don`t go for the head as much.

I rarely tell people my age. I let them assume I'm like twenty or thirty or something.

Of course, when I was eleven, and I brought my dog to school, he was all over my dog saying he was a dog trainer, he could train her, stuff like that, for like five minutes, then I told him to just shut up for a second and told my dog to lie down from afar. When she did that he glanced at me and asked me who taught my dog. I said I did. I didn't think he believed me...

I look 15 and there`s no hiding it. I don`t tell people my age. They just figure I`m under 18 and therefore stupid enough to need their advice.

Will, i would have paid to see you offering the leash to her, with the dog doing a bark & hold <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> i swear, i would literally have paid $$ to see that. But since u said that i will share this>>there is a creek, where i live, most people walk there dogs off leash as it is mostly deserted. but every now & then you have your jogger or mountain biker come by. i was workingmy dog with various things using his ball on a rope. i see a jogger lady comming twards us from afar, so i direct my dog into the woods & have him down. He was about 6-8 months at the time. meaning his # 1 priority is to please me by listening, i had no worry of him breaking the down. So this lady comes running full speed at me yelling waving her arms that i should get my dog on leash. my dog is getting agitated & is thinking of breaking the down, i can tell his butt is squrming & he is eyballing her hard. i tell her ok & i go & place him on leash. but she is not leaving she is still yelling. i appologise & tell her we are leaving. she is not giving up she is walking away then coming back & yelling. im still walking way. belive it or not (i think she might have had mental issues, seriously) she starts throwing rocks at my dog & out of the blue saying things like your not american, your not a realamerican thats why our conty is fed up. FYI: i look hispanic but im Greek. Ok, my dog is barking his head off at her i im happy he is. i start yelling at her thats asault what u did with the rocks if you dont stop il give u a reason to be complain about my dog. now she never stopped throwing rocks at us. i unhooked my dog & gave him the bite command he flys at her she running the other way. maby ten ft away i give the ous & down. My boy drops like a rock, i love my dog, eventhough he is a gem show <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> but this "B" bicks up a big stick & starts swinging it at my dog. dog broke the down & is doging the stick & trying to get her, she is now yelling. i run there grab Luke & walk away. "b" is not leaving, i swear all this is true. she is following yelling anything she canthink of. i realy thought of testing a real cival senary & see if he really bits her with no sleave on. i realy contemplated sending him in to do it. but i place him on the down. i go to her grab the sick shrow it away(she is shocked) and iman inch away from her face yelling at her. i say look around no one is around here no one hears anyting that is going on, if i was a psycho i could kill you & throw your lifeless body in the mud & no one will find you for a long time. she was fozen stiff. isaid my dog did not bother you at all even though he is off leash u r the aggressor. she kind of came to started to walk away & at the last min said im reporting u to the police. i said u r going tohave to beat me to it, cause imreporting u also. anyway, this turned out to be a big post sorry. but a moth after theis happend i went back tothe same area & there are singnes all around saying dog must be on leash.

The other day at the park I actualy had some small kids start throwing sticks at Max. What P***ed me off was he was on lead and heeling. It took a moment for the daycare nannies to get there wards under control. Unfortunatly it seems it is mostly the same ethnic group that has a problem with GSD's. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Athough the local Sch club I belong to is really diverse in membership. I guess it's something they see on the tv concerning civil rights struggle during the 50s&60s.

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they all seem to want to run far away from the stupid kid who "thinks" she trained her black lab using a ball reward and boxer with treats along with a choke chain

I remember those days…. I have many a fond memory of some parent telling me the playground equipment was for children and how dare I put a dirty dog on it.

My favorite was when people would get mad at me when I corrected my dog for jumping on them. They got upset at me and told me it was okay and that I shouldn’t be so mean to my dog. The e-collar has almost totally fixed this problem and now people ask why my dog is wearing a bark collar while on a walk. (I miss :rolleyes: Is it gone forever or just lost to me?) If they realize it is a “shock” collar and give me a hard time, I usually say one of two things. “It hurts less than a car.” Or, if they look like they want to stand there and argue with me, I will turn it around and say something like “my dog jumps on people and I don’t want him to accidentally hurt a child. You don’t think dogs should jump on children, do you?” Neither myself or my dog are very intimidating, so I have to rely on sarcasm and difficult to rebut one-liners to give myself a chance to escape. I wish I could be as intimidating as VanCamp and scare people away better.
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My GSD wear two collars when we're out: his fur-saver and prong (thanks Ed!). He wears the fur saver all the time just to hold his tags. He's microchipped but that really wouldn't help if someone found him wandering not that he ever, ever would but I have found so many tagless dogs who are obviously pets and no way to get them home. People assume he must be terribly vicious to need two chain collars <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Just yesterday I was walking him in the neighbourhood and he was being his usual well-mannered GSD self, noting and ignoring all people, children and other dogs. A woman comes down her porch steps with a 35-40lb dog who is barking and going absolutely ape at the end of the leash. My dog doesn't break stride though he did sneak a peek. As we pass she yells: "why don't you keep your dog in your yard" Go figure! In her world all the well-trained dogs should be confined so the untrained can roam free. Actually what I hate most are people who insist that they are "not afraid" of my dog and behave stupidly and aggressively. There is something about a small woman and a big dog that brings out the worse in young human males (and some old enough to know better.)

I tell them, "you wanna live with an out of control 90lb GSD? Neither do I". <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I got it from my vet last week. Needless to say, she's no longer my vet. She suggested I take him to puppy classes. I explained to her as politely as possible to mind herself. I'm not abusing the dog with the prong collar, but he should learn to mind me. If I can't control him, then he's a danger to the public. When I had my first GSD, peeole (mostly men, sorry guys) would ask me "can you handle that dog?" Now I'm 5'3" and 120lbs, but assuredly, I don't have anything around me I can't handle. I think most people are afraid because they can't handle their dogs. (They can't handle their kids either). Let me put a prong on their dogs too, and I bet they'll be as sweet as my Sabian. He's been an angel to walk now that I have that collar. I make fewer corrections and less often. The lady at the pet store nearly cried when I bought it. My next collar will be a Martingale, but i think I'll keep the prong collar and lead in the doggy bag just in case