Do you hate it when people pick up your dog without asking?

Question

I have two small shih tzus that attract a lot of attention from people. I don't mind people petting them, but I get very annoyed when people pick them up without even asking. Some people even cause the leash to pull on their necks because they don't pay attention to the slack on the leash? Does anyone else have this problem? How do you handle it?

Answer 1

Your dogs must be very cute to attract this much attention!

Yes, I don't like it when people pet or pick up my dogs without my permission. For one thing, they don't always handle the dogs properly, and may not be gentle enough.

So, here's what I do: as a person approaches, I make the dog "sit" and "stay". I make sure that the person sees me do this. As the person gets closer, I'm praising the dog for doing a good stay.

If they start to bend down, I say, "Excuse me, Puppy is having a little training session right now, I'm teaching her to have good manners when she's around people. You can help by not petting her."

And, unless the person is a complete jerk (which can happen!), this usually works well.

If I think the person is okay to pet the dog, I will release her and have the person hand her a tiny treat, and tell the person how I want them to approach the dog (not reaching over the dog's head, etc.).

Most people don't respect small dogs, and think of them as adorable little stuffed toys, not living creatures who have strong feelings about how they are handled!

I hope these suggestions help you and your adorable little ones!

Answer 2

I would be really upset, I get annoyed when people pet my large Lab without asking. But I would lose it if he was small and they picked him up, that is so rude. My Lab is 116 lbs and does NOT like stranger petting him, but yet people do. I should not be surprised because I use to have this really really aggressive Akita that hated people. I always had a muzzle on him, yet they still insisted on petting or even trying to hug him. I would ask them, "You think the muzzle is on because he likes to lick people to death?" That usually stopped them. Now with my new dog I just tell them straight out he hates people, it is NOT the truth, but hey they leave him alone. In your case I would lose it. It is so rude on their part to be that bold, so I would be that harsh back. Tell him them do not pick up my dog, they do not like it and either do I.

Answer 3

I have the same problem with people coming over and picking up my cats. Not all cats like to be held and if they do, it's usually in a certain way. I usually just tell people that my cats do not mind being pet, but that picking them up is off limits. It's not their pet, and you set the boundaries. It would be like someone walking by and picking up your human baby. NO WAY! Hands off! You can say it nicely, like, "Oh, I would appreciate it if you didn't pick up my dog...he's quite particular about who holds him." If they don't get the hint, take your dog from them and walk away.

Answer 4

First, you should never let a stranger pet or pick up your dog without your OK.
Only people that know my dog ever touch him. He's a 75lb. Pit Bull. That scares most people. He is a well trained and well mannered dog, unlike the stories that are spreed about the breed.

Answer 5

My dog is a 1.5 pound Yorkie that is 18 months old and just adorable. She stops crowds! I always have people stopping and trying to pick her up. I just simply ask them to please leave her on the ground, but you can pet her as much as you want. What really gets me is the people that think their kids can pick her up just because they are able to. I have had kids drop her a couple times. I ask parents to please watch their kids so that they do not pick her up.

Answer 6

When I walk my boss's Chihuahua/Dachshund cross I get that frequently. He's always in a harness so I don't worry as much about his neck, however I have taught him to ACT like he nips when people go to put their hands around him. He's just fine being petted but if they grab the leash or put a hand under him he growls and acts ferocious.. Haven't had a problem with him being picked up since.

Answer 7

no my dog will bite anyone who attempts to pick her up, when she was a baby she was always with me and just learned to nip at a strange hand. its not good and when i am around children i keep a very close eye on her. she responds to verbal commands,i have spent three years training her and i am very pleased with her, I stand right beside her at the vets and tell her " NO sugar. she minds me but would rather bite the vet,she has never disobeyed me yet but there is always a first time. My dog is a long coat chihuahua,akc,ckc and a *****. but i love her.

Answer 8

YESSS!! when i walk my terrier mix and golden [usually people pay more attention to my molly,the golden] but when they try to pick up my terrier it annoys the crap out of me its like if you were walking with yr 2 year old and someone cam over you dont mind if they go aww she is so cute! but if a total stranger picks her up you get tense.

now even though my dog is only 2 i say when i see them getting ready to pick him up "oh sorry she is really old and it hurts her back when she gets picked up, you can pet her though if you like!"


and my dog HATES when strangers pick him up

lol my golden molly on the other hand wouldnt mind of someone could hold her
she LOVEs when my bother picks he up as if she is as tiny as mikey, my little dog, when really she is a 60 pound dog lol

Answer 9

properly in actuality yeah!! I had a canine and he became like my little toddler.... he became leaping, working, and wanted all and sundry to scratch him (properly no longer all and sundry, a pal and me basically)... i think of he became basically being a typical canine.... My pal have been given very pissed and aggravated so he pushed him away so no longer basic that my canine became harm and scared for a quick time... at latest I threw him out. The friendship became never the comparable after that... i basically won't be able to stand human beings he treats animals undesirable... My canine became greater scared than harm... we the place in the kin room and he ran to my room and conceal below my mattress.... it took me some severe time to get him out of there... (he became a shi tzu- nevertheless pup by then)

Answer 10

I have 2 shih tzus too and i don't let people pick them up. When they reach I say no they bite- and one of them will. I have a Rottweiler too and he is the sweetest of all of them, nobody wants to come near him.