I got this "DO NOT PET" collar for Xena

Some people here asking politely, "Can I pet your dog?"

In some case, I allow people to pet my dog but not over pet like kissing my dog in her mouth.

But when the Do Not Pet collar is on her, people can't pet my dog.

If they keep trying to pet my do for any reason, I will step up and tell people not to pet my dog.

Find a friend who has a monkey, and go train at the same time. Kids will be more interested in the monkey than your dog.
Seriously, what as worked for me, is to let whoever comes close to you know that your dog will bite. If you tell one kid in a serious voice,"do not come close or he will bite you", and say it loud enough so the parents can hear you, then they will let all the other kids know not to come close. In my area you just have to learn to say it in Spanish.I think you should also either train early or late, when there are not so many kids around, or train at a distance from the play ground.

 Quote: Laurent Pelletie

Find a friend who has a monkey, and go train at the same time. Kids will be more interested in the monkey than your dog. ....

But much cheaper and easier would be to ask Bob Scott to come train with you and let
him answer those people.

 Quote: Bob Scott

I asked her how would she like it if I walked up to her and shoved my nose up her butt.

I may be thinking about this wrong, but I don't think I ever want to say to someone in public that I have an unmuzzled dog with a bite history there.

I know that's not what we're talking about saying, but isn't that what "Yes, my dog will bite your kid" could be interpreted as?

Again, I'm not sure about this, but my gut reaction is "Holy crap, I am NOT going to go around telling people that this dog of mine bites people." What if he ever actually did? There would be clear evidence that you knew he might (your own words) and had allowed it to happen.


But anyway, that aside, I lean towards the folks who don't engage. I don't go into explanations that might be viewed as an invitation to discuss, argue, or prove me wrong. "Sorry, training -- no touching. Thanks" and then turn (or move) away. Zero opportunity for engaging.

This took me a while to feel OK about. I felt too brusque or something. Still, I did it and I do it, and it gets easier all the time.

I do explain the danger to parents -- maybe not from my dogs , but from plenty of dogs who look just like my big one and who should not be dashed up to and hugged around the neck by a three-year-old!

Olivia, it does sound like the park you go to is very crowded with dogs and people, and that would be a special challenge. I guess I'm just lucky because I have some fairly quiet parks nearby. Most people do ask first before trying to pet my dogs. If it's kids, I'll often hear the parents say, "Ask first." I've learned to get past my fear of sounding rude and I just say, "No, I'm sorry, he/she is in training," and proceed on my way. There have been a few occasions where I have had to physically step in front of a fast-approaching child, though, and say firmly, "No, don't come up to this dog." You say Vader is getting pretty good at ignoring the distractions and focusing on you, and that's a good thing, so I guess one way to look at it is that, even though it's annoying, you're getting a lot of proofing in.

I will add that ......if someone approaches me when I'm working my dogs & starts asking questions (other than to pet my dogs) I will tell them that I am training my dogs & when I am done, if they are still around & have questions, I will be happy to answer them if I have some time. Usually it is questions about how I get my dogs to stay in a down out in the middle of the field while I turn my back & walk to the edge of the field or how & I get them to stop & down on the way out to retrieve their balls & that kind of questions. But sometimes it's just, can you train X breed of dog to do xxxxx or how do I stop my dogs from eliminating all over the house. I usually give very brief answers, because they are not going to listen after I say: use a crate or spend time training your dog & be realistic in your expectations, as it doesn't happen in a matter of days or weeks, to get advanced OB, it is many months. By that time the people have shuffled off shaking their heads trying to figure out how you do all that & still hold down a job & have a life.

No wonder there are so many untrained dogs being turned off leash to run at large. Good grief,you mean it might actually take time to train your dog. WTH, you mean that they don't all of a sudden wake up one morning at a year old & are completely trained??!!!!

The quick fix, western medicine mentality strikes again. If it doesn't happen 'yesterday', they are not interested in knowing how to do it.

When people ask if they can pet Vader, say "SURE!!!!!". Then while they are petting him, start petting them.

Within a week, word will get around that you are nuts and people will avoid you like the plague.:smile:

 Quote: michael_wise

When people ask if they can pet Vader, say "SURE!!!!!". Then while they are petting him, start petting them.

On the body .... you know how head-patting can make some individuals anxious and snappy.

Is alpha rolling people acceptable? I would think it is a negligible bite risk.

 Quote: michael_wise

When people ask if they can pet Vader, say "SURE!!!!!". Then while they are petting him, start petting them.

Ohhh... can you imagine doing this with a hidden camera, like the old "Candid Camera" tv show - WHAT a hoot!!!