Tactful way to tell a so called friend.....

that my Daisy is not a B_ _ tch because she does not care for her two dogs crowding around her while on leash sniffing and bumping her and "barks" her dogs off.

This has happens every time we are walking through the neighborhood and run into them. Yesterday was the final straw for me and I am angry.

One of many scenarios:

Happily walking Daisy in the evening through the neighborhood, walk around one bend and there is the 4 of them, Husband and Wife and their two cattle dogs. They see us and immediately let one of their two of leash to run to us. We get appropriately excited and greet him and the other 3 quickly come up where all 3 dogs say hello...after a few sniffs and leash tangling Daisy gets anxious and barks...said friend, the woman, says Daisy is such a b-word. Usually I just consider the source and move on but last night I was ticked! Seriously?!? I never said anything but I was seething.

She now refers to my doodle as that. I am really done with it. I don't want to make an enemy but I do want to put her in her place. We used to be closer but since they don't follow the association rules i.e. keep your dogs leashed, and I am on the Board I have had to distance ourselves from them. The dogs have charged other animals and walkers so many times and even bit an elderly gentleman that they have a fine and threat of their animals being removed from the property.

Don't get me wrong, I actually love their dogs, and so does Daisy but only when all are off leash and playing at the dog park or in our basement.

The other thing that bothers me about the humans in this foursome is the way they don't pet Daisy and she is such a people pup. The husband actually puts his hand in his pocket when she goes to him to say hi. When Daisy was little, they loved and cuddled her so that is what she thinks she gets with them but they just ignore her and talk about their dogs.

I know I am being a big baby about this but I really am offended and I just want it to stop. Any suggestions?

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Permalink Reply by Margaret & Pebbles on June 3, 2012 at 8:03am

Watch it Lisa....Jane can make a stop in Ohio while driving from Florida to Michigan!!

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Permalink Reply by Deanna & Desi & Cori on June 3, 2012 at 10:08am

Right on, Jane!!

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Permalink Reply by Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty on June 3, 2012 at 8:03am

here here!

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Permalink Reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on June 3, 2012 at 8:00am

I don't think you are being a baby at all. You have the right to take your dog for a walk in your own neighborhood without having her harassed and called names.

My advice is that you are going to have to put on your big girl pants and have a conversation with the wife about a couple of things. Not a confrontation, a conversation between two people who are (kind of) friends. Just tell her, from your heart, how you feel. "Mary, it really hurts my feelings when you call Daisy a b***h. I know you are just kidding, but ..." " I'd like to ask you to please not let Beavis and Butthead run up to Daisy offleash when she is on a leash, because it obviously makes her nervous; it is very common for a dog to feel threatened in that situation", etc.

The fact is that she is putting her dogs in jeopardy, and you might want to work that into the conversation, too. Keep the Association rules out of it for this conversation. The fact is that there are dogs who will attack an unleashed dog who runs up to them when they are on-leash, and that would not be an unusual response. I personally have warned other dog owners that if they allow their dogs to get in JD's face when he is on leash and can't get away, they are not going to be happy with the outcome.

I would not have this conversation out on the street with the dogs and husband there. Call her and tell you you would like to talk to her about something that has been bothering you, and you would like to get the air cleared so that you can continue haivng a pleasant relationship with her.

The bottom line is exactly what you said in your last sentence: you are offended and want it to stop. That can't happen if the woman has no clue that you are feeling this way. Talk to her. :)

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Permalink Reply by Lisa, Daisy & Dexter on June 3, 2012 at 8:19am

Thanks Karen, I know big girl panties are in order here, I have do this! I have, in the past, made comments back like Hey, that's not nice and such but those things clearly don't work. Thanks

She is pretty scary though, a Dutch body builder with a little more testosterone then most of my friends - LOL, maybe I should wait until Jane is driving up from Florida and take her with me.