Thank you for sharing that and for reading the article. Experiences like that can really affect how we feel around dogs and can stay with us for a long time
My rescue dog is some Pitt-terrier mix. He’s 70 lbs and so handsome. Grey with golden eyes which are so expressive. He has eyebrows and eyelashes too! Astro thinks he’s a lap dog and climbs into my lap sometimes. It’s not the breed you have to worry about. It’s the owner you have to worry about. It’s the way the dog was trained. Astro is a big handsome softie. His breed is known to be aggressive but he is not.
He sounds like a beautiful dog and I love the name! It's so sad how easily breed can shape people’s assumptions, sometimes before they’ve even met the individual dog in front of them.
This has come up repeatedly when I’ve talked with shelter volunteers, particularly dog walkers. Stories about nice dogs that got scared and a bit reactive with someone who wasn’t used to them. Then once they’re reported to be aggressive, that label follows them forever. It usually dooms them.
That’s such an important point, especially in shelter environments. Once that label appears on a dog’s record it can follow them long after the original situation has passed. And as you say, sometimes the behaviour was simply a dog being frightened or overwhelmed in a moment they didn’t understand. It shows how weight a single word can carry.
This is super insightful. As someone who has experienced social anxiety because of my ex partner’s dogs I can relate to this.
Thank you for sharing that and for reading the article. Experiences like that can really affect how we feel around dogs and can stay with us for a long time
It's true!
My rescue dog is some Pitt-terrier mix. He’s 70 lbs and so handsome. Grey with golden eyes which are so expressive. He has eyebrows and eyelashes too! Astro thinks he’s a lap dog and climbs into my lap sometimes. It’s not the breed you have to worry about. It’s the owner you have to worry about. It’s the way the dog was trained. Astro is a big handsome softie. His breed is known to be aggressive but he is not.
He sounds like a beautiful dog and I love the name! It's so sad how easily breed can shape people’s assumptions, sometimes before they’ve even met the individual dog in front of them.
Beautiful dog! And thanks for the read 😊
Thank you Aaqiel, I'm so glad you enjoyed reading it 😊 he really was a beautiful dog and he taught me so much.
He reminds of my dog…
Her name is Laila.
And the best part is…
They look similar 😊
That's a beautiful name, she sounds lovely 😊
I couldn't ask for a better companion be honest lol
This has come up repeatedly when I’ve talked with shelter volunteers, particularly dog walkers. Stories about nice dogs that got scared and a bit reactive with someone who wasn’t used to them. Then once they’re reported to be aggressive, that label follows them forever. It usually dooms them.
That’s such an important point, especially in shelter environments. Once that label appears on a dog’s record it can follow them long after the original situation has passed. And as you say, sometimes the behaviour was simply a dog being frightened or overwhelmed in a moment they didn’t understand. It shows how weight a single word can carry.