Do you try to correct someone else's dog or do you just give in to their bad behavior?

Question

So we went over to a couple's home (hubby's friend's house) and they had a black lab that was about two years old. We walked in and met the dog and he seemed friendly, as he was wagging his tail. As the evening progressed, I got really uncomfortable. The friendly dog would go up to you and bark loudly at you over and over again until you pet him. If you ignored him for a split second he would whine, bark, and nudge you to get you to pet him. Don't get me wrong I love dogs and don't mind petting them but I couldn't even hold a conversation! I had to focus my attention on him or else be barked at and nudged. His owners didn't even say anything to him, they just said 'oh he likes attention' and laughed. I really wanted to say 'no' to the dog and try to get him to stop, but I didn't want to seem rude so I just kept giving in. Did I do the right thing? What would you have done?

I wanted to add that it was a cute little bark, it was a deep bark and it almost sounded like he was getting really mad if you didn't pet him.

wasn't*** omg it's still too early haha

Answer 1

It sounds as if these folks are not very dog savvy at all, and don't realize that they already have a behavior problem on their hands, one which could potentially become more than just annoying. It appears that they have let the dog assume a dominant role, and I can't help but wonder what might happen if someone refuses to give in to the dog's demands, and it decides to discipline a disobedient human. At the very least, it is certainly incosiderate of them to allow their dog to harrass a visitor - another failure of leadership on their part.
It's really not your place to train their dog for them, but if I were in that situation, I think I would find it very hard not to give the dog a short session in sits and downs. Since they're allowing the dog to dominate the conversation, one perhaps should then attend to the dog.
Since they're your husband's friends, perhaps he could try to explain to them why that behavior is not amusing, and what they could do to work to correct it. But if they are truly as oblivious as they seem, they are probably going to miss the point, or reject it out of hand.
Perhaps your only option is to simply refuse any further invitations to go to their house.

Add: I agree with ginbark - that dog is going to bite someone one day, and then the excrement is going to hit the air circulating device for real.

Answer 2

I don't think you can tell people they have a poorly-behaved dog. Even if they do. Because you don't know what they have tried with this dog, if they are working on the behavior. Maybe they have done nothing and are so clueless that they don't see anything wrong with it. And if you say somehting they'll probably take it the wrong way.

If I were in this situation, I would tell the dog to "sit" or "down" and then give affection, because then you are giving it on your terms, without reinforcing the barking/whining behavior. Then you aren't really correcting the dog and telling him "no." You're just redirecting. Otherwise, I would ignore the dog, and ignore the whining and barking. It might be hard for you to ignore, but it will be hard for the owners to ignore too, and they'll have to do somehting about it. They'll have to put the dog in another room at least. If they do nothing at all, I would ask "how do you handle this in your house when he acts like this?" Because they may have a method that they use but don't want to tell YOU that you are doing the wrong thing by petting him (which only encourages him to whine and bark more). They may not have wanted to correct you. And if they admit they do nothing and have no idea how to stop it, you can suggest something (if they seem receptive).

If all else fails, just bring the dog a chew toy next time you go there. The people will be delighted you brought a present, and the dog will be occupied with his chew. Problem solved!

Answer 3

I have 5 and the can be a handful for guests, because one loves people and two are afraid of tall men(most of my friends are guys)and will stand there and bark. I correct them, and i tell my guests to correct them too. I tell them, if you don't like what my dogs are doing, tell them to stop.
I also have no problem correcting another person's dog. I wouldn't go into a full alpha roll with anothers dog, but a knock it off and maybe even a scruff i have no problem with. This has caused many problems at the dog park....one of the many reasons i don't go anymore. It's not cute when mine bark at guys, or jump all over guests, so i don't let t happen. I expect my guests to do that too. I am always yelling at them(people) like don't let him jump on you, i don't care if you don't mind.

Answer 4

Sounds like that dog needs some serious training..

If I know the people well, yes, I do correct their dogs. If I don't then I voice my concern and if the dog makes me really uncomfortable I ask for it to be removed from the room. I have left friends houses before because I could not deal with how their dogs behaved.. One of them would actually bite you (and draw blood!) if you didn't pet it but it's owners thought it was cute because it was a toy dog.

People that I know well pretty much expect me to correct any behaviour I find offensive from their dogs though.

Answer 5

the guy sounds like the type to declare "nicely my dogs would desire to triumph over the sh|t outta your dogs, wanna pass out back?" while confronted. particularly with that idiotic behaviour. i'd do my superb to maintain my mouth close (of direction there'd be no ensures) Yeah particular the "chew" element could be a novelty trick while at domicile, yet while she's under pressure like that? only an accident waiting to take place the way I see it. upload: I desire I had the comparable freedom you need to take your canines to the back. some years back we went to a vet for an hassle-free rabies replace. My Border Collie is wonderful with the vet, however the beagle gets particularly worried (replaced into attacked years back friends vet with injury and so on. and so on.). This previous guy allowed his little dogs off the leash interior the waiting room. It approached my canines and enable loose a growl. I in the present day took my canines outdoors and asked in the event that they'd enable me comprehend while our turn replaced into. yet truly, why would it not truly is a sturdy concept to enable your dogs roam around different worried/demanding/ill canines? we've not long gone back.

Answer 6

Labs are vocal and as a pet owner I would be miffed if a guest didn't want to give my dog attention but I also only allow them to bother guests for a few minutes then I down them to their beds. i would have to say I would ask the owners if they wanted to correct him or if you could because you'd like to pay attention to them now. I would probably say that's enough to the dog loud enough for the owners to get the hint but sometimes they don't Good Luck to you.

Answer 7

I would have asked them to correct their dog and if they did not I would have left. My good friends all allow me to correct their dogs since I am their trainer and the dogs and people know me well. That dog is a spoiled brat on his way to biting someone, he wasn't being friendly he was in charge and demanding you do what he tells you to. He is Alpha in that home and even a Lab can bite. One of the nastiest dogs I knew was a blk Lab out of field stock. And a rough Collie bit a kid on Christmas Eve and bit me 2 days later when he was impounded. That was the worst bite I have ever recieved. He gave no signs when we examined him and gave him shots but when in his run and I was filling the water bucket he came at me and hung on my arm. So much for Lassie..lol.

Answer 8

I won't let mine bark in the house at anyone.

My BEss will nudge and everyone loves her. She will only nudge if you have already shown her attention and quit. She is everyone favorite and they seem to think she does it because she likes them.

My little one if you talk to him in a nce friendly tone he gets annoying as hell to me but again for some crazy reason people think he likes them and love it.

Lillie barks at people from under the tablein the corner SHE HATES EVERYONE. Even people she knows.

Not much bothers me with peoples dogs. I see so many that have no skills whatsoever that it is habit if it is so bad I will do something. My biggest pet peave is people in public that let their dogs leash it entangled in or wrapped around me. I hate retractable leashes people don't have the slightest ability to use them. Their dog should be by them. Many times I have dogs with me that may eat your litlle pocket poo.

Answer 9

In this situation the best correction you could do was to ignore the dog. I don't 'correct' other people's dogs, as much as just define what the behaviors are that I'll put up with. If a dog is polite about interacting, I'll interact. If they're not, I won't.

www.fearfuldogs.com

Answer 10

um.. if you really cant stand it, maybe ask the owner politely why the dog is acting this way. That's what i would do. Usually owners get the hint and do something.If it still continues and the owner doesnt do anything about it, say ' can you please stop?' to the dog and have eye contact with it, but still have a smile on your face and laugh softly. By now, the owner should get your point and at least do something about it.