When someone is insulting toward your dog what do you do?

Question

We went trick or treating with my soon to be sister in law and her kids this year and she just pissed me off with the way she acted toward our dogs. For example, I have 2 shetland sheepdogs (sheties) 8 & 4mths old sweetest dogs ever. The are leash trained and normally do great so we thought it would be fun to take them along. Well my son kept running ahead of the grown ups to walk with the other kids and our older puppy kept wanting to pull to keep up with his charge. She asked to walk him and hold the lead then complains when he pulls to get to his boy who in his eyes is to far away from him. Then today she comes by to look at dogs on the net and says I just don't want one like Riley.
Now we see her and her kids maybe one or twice every couple months or so. She has met my dogs maybe 3 times their whole lives. The last time she was here she was begging her hubby to get her a Sheltie like him. So now he isn't a puppy so she doesn't like him anymore? I am still so mad!!

I wanted to ask for the dog back during the outing but my fiancee said it would be rude.
I don't want to cause issues but to judge him like that when I honestly think he saw it as doing his job. As long as my son was near us he walked politely as normal.

To answer the poster no problems that I can think of. I just love my dogs. I just don't see how he is so awful and it hurt my feelings, he means a lot to me. I don't see her enough to have any issues with her and certainly have never had an arguement with her.

I will say this again. I am sensitive because I love my dogs, I promise it is no other reason. We have never been buddies no, but not enemies either she is simply someone who is at the table on Thanksgiving to me lol nothing else, no underlying problem. I don't know her well enough for there to be one. I simply LOVE my dogs and it was hard for me not to say something, the only reason I didn't is because she will be family one day.

Answer 1

Believe me, once she gets a dog, she'll begin to understand. Your sheltie was only doing what is in his nature to do; keep the group together. Shelties are herding dogs and when the pack breaks up, they HATE it. Growing up, we had a corgi/sheltie mix (both herding breeds, hurray, lol)....we went on vacation once and were walking along the beach of Lake Michigan. We were split up into three groups and Jake kept running back and forth....from the front group, to the middle, to the back, back to the middle, to the front, and on, and on, and on....he ran himself ragged trying to group us all together, lmao.

Some people are just plain ignorant. It's like people who don't have children complaining about one having a meltdown and looking at the parent(s) as if they're the lowest human beings on the face of the planet. Once they have kids, they learn their lesson.....the same will be said for your soon-to-be SIL once she owns a dog of her own. She's in for one rude awakening. Just revel in that thought, ok?;)

Answer 2

It is always hard when dealing with family, I think maybe u are dealing with that more than a dog thing.

I have had problems with my sister in law before. when she was watching my son, we didn't agree on how to discipline him.

I think you should talk to her politely and calmly and tell her it hurt your feelings and that the dog must have felt protective towards the child and wanted to be near him. Even if it doesn't go well you will feel better and then maybe ignore her for a while and then try to rebuild the relationship later.

That's what I had to do, we talked she was mad but I felt alot better later. You cant let it stew and olny telling the person that hurt you will let you resolve it. Now, me and my sis in law get along but we are not best friends because she can be really hard to deal with.

If she doesn't want a dog like yours that is still her choice. She will learn if she gets one that the puppy phase wears off.

hope this helps!

Answer 3

She has no conceipt of animals and we are talking about a puppy here. He will learn not to do that. If she was so annoyed by it she should of handed him back to you. I hope she wasnt aggressive w/him. If she was, I wouldnt of cared how rude I might of seemed but she wouldnt be walking my dog. She seems very immature and is not an idealist. Pray for the dog she gets. You were right in my eyes. People can be so stupid.

Answer 4

I actually think that you should encourage her dislike of Shelties, as she obviously doesn't deserve one, and would be a horrible home for a pup..So, if she ever makes another such comment, be sure to chime in, "You are Right! they are certainly not the dog for everyone..but they just fit us to a tee.!!"

I have learned, as I have a breed that people either love or hate, to just be thankful that they aren't a breed for just anybody..
I wouldn't ever try to 'sell' a pup, but just the reverse, I consider it a victory if I talk someone out of one, being totally honest about them....If they have doubts, it makes the screening easier!

Answer 5

I think you make too much of a trivial remark your future sister in law made.. I "insult" my friend's dog all the time by telling him how ugly he is and that he must stay away from me etc. etc. And you know what, I love that little mutt with all my heart! Fortunately my friend's not so sensitive as you are, otherwise we wouldn't be friends any more. To tell the truth, I'm the only person she trusts completely to look after her dog if she has to go away for a few days.

Answer 6

many people regard dogs as commodities/ accessories, not part of the family. that's the reason why the SPCAs are overwhelming with strays & abused animals.

there's no point in being angry or try to reason with her. your sis-in-law just won't get it.

but i'm sure its not a personal attack towards you, or your pet. it's just her off-hand remarks, probably she's a blunt person.

i get that alot, when others commented that my adopted 2 year old ckcs is 'stupid'. because she was treated unkindly by her 1st owner, my ckcs is just 'untrainable', not 'stupid'. trainability & IQ are separate issues.

Answer 7

some people just shouldn't be dog owners and she is one of them...my dog pulls and needs a head coller hence i get questions on if she is a mean dog....my pet peeve is parents that let their kids tease my dog. I had one kid tease my dog with chocolate candy that was the one time i had to step in and tell her you may think it is cute to tease my dog but if she gets ahold of the chocolate bar and eats it she could get really sick and possibly die.

Answer 8

You are really passionate about your dogs and I understand I am the same with mine . Next time take your-dog back after all its YOUR dog. And try not to take what she said to heart after all she probably wouldn't be a good dog owner anyway.

Answer 9

She doesn't understand that he is a puppy still. Goodness I would hate to be her dog. Take a deep breath and calm down. I fully understand your anger. Me I would have probably slap her. It wonderful that Riley is that protective of you son. You are doing a fine job with him and that is what you have to remember.

Answer 10

sweetie, i totally understand your feelings towards your dogs. some people are just rude and don't think, or care, about another's feelings. they also don't feel about dogs the way we do. i have 7 dogs. three of them are my little girly-girls and i love them dearly. anything that happens to them affects me deeply. i laugh because of them and i cry over them when they are sick. they are my "babies" now that my 2 children are grown and on their own.

so as i said, i know how you must be feeling. just be thankful YOU have your little doggies and she does not! i KNOW they have a GREAT home with you!