[Seesspoxy]

So I take Achilles to the Petco once a week or so to get new bones. He is 100% friendly and even does well with other dogs (although I'm always in control of every meet).

So I'm walking down the main isle... and a lady coming in the opposite direction just reaches down and grabs my dogs face and says "look at this face!!"

I'm a BIG 275lb bodybuilder and my dog is a BIG AM Bully, so I can't figure how either of us looked approachable... I pulled my dog to my thigh and asked her if she was nutts!!!
She said "WHAT?"
I said "So when you get mauled because my dog doesn't expect you to grab his face, it's gonne be because he's an out of control pitbull, right???"


She got all upset and stormed away... then 2 seconds later a little 10yr old boy leaves his mom's side and runs up and hugs my dog like a stuffed animal. lol I let him because Achilles loves everyone, but I said to the parents "Don't you think you should check with the owner before you let your kid just grab a dog???"
She ust gave me a look like I had 6 heads!

Am I wrong here???? Should I just let everyone grab at my dog and say nothing? What if he takes it as a threat one day when I'm not looking?

I have absolutely no problem with anyone wanting to pet or interact with my dog... that's why I take him out. But is it common practice at a pet store to just grab dogs whenever you feel the urge????

I know he's a big mush but common!!!

[ibiDb4uu]

no i don't blame you at all people should ask before they pet ANY dog. i would have said something to

[marketheal]

I agree, common sense dictates that you ask the owner before you pet their dog, but people will be people.

On the other hand your dog is super cute!

[dogdesign]

I hate when children, especially adults do this to a complete stranger's dog. I raise guide dog puppies and while I've only met one dog or two out of hundreds who would bite in this situation, it is still really annoying and dangerous.

I always just let them know that while my dog is friendly, the next dog they do that to may not be...

I agree with kris, he's super cute!!

[Qrhzbadu]

good lookin boy you got there!

I've been lucky with my doggies. Whenever I'm out with them, I was always asked before someone pet them (mainly because they were afraid of the big bad pit)

It would upset me too, and like you said...when he snaps at someone...it's going to be "the pitbull's fault"

[inmeirulez]

I think people assume if you bring your dog out people just assume that you dont mind them just coming up and grabbing your dog. I think you were in the right to educate people on asking permission first before just running up and grabbing peoples dogs. The people mean well but they go about it very rudely.

[Spisivavona]

Attempting to educate the public is the right thing to do. I think that this is a good reminder to all that we have to forever be on our toes. Whenever we take Lugz out in public, whether it be to a pet store, lumber store, or just to park for a walk (on-leash); we are very watchful of our surroundings. We are constantly watching not only the other dogs but the people also. It pays to be observant at all times.

[wmzeto]

yes people should ask. i dont know how my dog would react if someone just ran up to him, and since he is in a shy stage, i dont reckon it would be good. i will stop people if they try, and ask to please give him a treat. and that he is shy and scared of people right now, and that if they want to pet a dog, my female zahra is perfect. they ushually settle with that. or give him a treat while he dodges any touch by a foreign hand but manages to still get the prize.

[xFZ3k8Mw]

OMG I HATE When people do that crap!!! My dane was perfectly fine and was doing great socializing etc UNTIL dumb freakin people would just come up and grab/touch on him with out permission, I could be looking at something or at the check out and someone would grab at his back end to pet him etc it triggered fear aggression in him so badly and let me tell you, Trying to get a dog out of fear aggression is NO easy task!!! The last straw for me before I just got completly snappy towards people was after working with my dane for over 2 months just trying to get him back on track...I was at the petstore all was well I was engraving a pet tag and my dane was laying at my feet behind me. All A Sudden he gets up, hackles raised, standing sideways infront of me, growling. I looked back to this big lanky guy who was kneeling and he suddenly stood up "Why would you bring such an aggressive dog to a public place?" I snapped "Why Would an adult man who should know better, reach out to touch a UNKNOWN dog without permission knowing dang well you never just touch someone elses pet or child without asking! My Dog isn't really aggressive, he's scared sh*tless because of idiots like you!"

Needless to say he didn't have NOTHING to say...But I also felt like a B*tch but seriously...People can be so dumb and it can truely mess with a dog doing that. And Im sure if my dane bit him I'd be hearing about a law suit But ya know...Its really not fair, a dog whos allowed in a petstore should have every right to be there, get out of the house and NOT be mauled over by people...

Thats what I call it too "People Mauling Dogs" Don't worry about the dogs worry about the idiots around you LOL!

[freflellalafe]

I hate that to I always ask before I pet anothers dog and I let the dog smell me first. I do this so I don't get bit. tootsiewas beat on by man as a puppy (before i got her) so she shy's from some men. she hates them to touch her real fast. but i have people touch my dogs all the time. also In the area I used to live in. people (alot of teens) were stealing peoples pit bulls. so i have never let people touch them to much. so mine are not super friendly, they like to be touched and peted but it takes them some time to warm up to you. and I do not know why parent's let their kids mess with others dogs (any kind of dog.) and most of the time its a bad kid that te parents aren't watchind. but are ready to sue. and go crazy if something happens.

[joOEMcheapSOFTWARE]

If that should happen again, I would say to the person: while my dog is very friendly, another dog might not be as friendly so it's always best to ask first before petting any dog.

[jurnalkduo]

I agree.. you should always ask before petting someones dog. Pitbull_lover My dane has the same problem. She is very sweet, she just doesnt appreciate people startling her. I was at Petsmart actually a week ago with my Dane. We were just looking at Collars..and I felt something other than my dog tug on her leash.. I whipped around and some guy had grabbed my dogs leash and said "You look like you need help with such a big dog" (I am only 5'3 and 112lbs) but I can manage my own dog.. I freaked.. yelled at him for doing that told a manager and left quite quickly.

[Dkavtbek]

While common sense dictates that it's not the thing to do; it still happens all the time. When I take V. out I am hypervigilent. People - she is great with; but if a strange dog were to ambush us out of nowhere...that has the potential to go south...fast.

One time when we were in the pet store, a little 4 -5 year old girl ran over and threw her arms around V. giving her a bear hug. The Mom toddled over just as I was making V. sit and disengaging the little girl from V.'s neck. The first thing the mom said was, "well...it's certainly a good thing that that dog is friendly". ( )

And of course it would have been inappropriate for me to say, "Yeah, wow! Can you imagine if she wasn't?? What a bloodbath that could have been...".

[7kitthuptarill]

That drives me crazy! That's why I had to stop taking my other dog to Petsmart. When my son was young, even when we were at a dog park, he was always told to ask before he could pet. By the way, your boy is so cute, he looks pretty approachable and snuggly now!

[oscilsoda]

I agree with everyone and I am about to go live on an island alone with my dogs, this way no one will bother us. J/K
I think people asume that everydog that is out is fine and this is not always the case. I believe that people don't think it is rude, they really just don't get it.
However Maddawgxxl if I saw your dog I would totally want to go smush on him he is a beautiful boy and would cuddle with him any day!

[avaicavum]

I don't think anyone has ever walked up to Bunch without asking. Of course, that's probably because she's generally jumping at the end of her leash when people walk toward her, and they think she's going to kill them.
My children know better than to approach ANY animal they don't know.

[bahrain41]

I agree that people should ask before petting any dog.

But, I would not have said this....
I said "So when you get mauled because my dog doesn't expect you to grab his face, it's gonne be because he's an out of control pitbull, right???"

While I understand that your dog is an American Bully and not an American Pit Bull Terrier, the general public does not know the difference. That statement does not look good for the breed. APBTs do not maul people for petting them. It also gives the impression that you believe your dog would bite a stranger for simply touching it's face.

[avaicavum]

On a related note, a guy's mini schnauzer was mauled at a Petsmart here on Friday. The news claimed the dog that attacked is a pit bull/doberman mix. Of course, there were no pictures of the dog, so there's no way to verify, but just to be on the safe side, I will NOT be taking Bunch to a pet store again...ever. Not because I'm worried that she's hurt someone or something, but because I'm afraid of how people will react to her after said incident.

[Grzqbmhy]

I am torn on this one.

First I understand your reaction, as APBT owners we are held to a different set of rules than most any other dog owners, and the public at large does not realize this. So when we over-react (in their eyes), WE see it as justified.

In my opinion if someone has a dog in a store it is a little different than just walking down the street. Still, they are in the wrong.

I personally never had a problem with people (mainly children) running up and hugging/playing/saying hello to my Star. Her love of all people was incredible. The biggest problem I would face was (using one time as an example)... 3 young children come running over to her.... she starts wagging, licking, and bending in half (super-tail wagging)... the children love on her.... the smiling parents walk up commenting on how sweet of a dog she is.... then the question... "what breed is she?" ...."oh, she's a Pitbull ma'am"..... "CHILDREN!!!!..... get away from that dog!!!!!!" the confused children walk toward the mother as she huddles then up (scowling now at me and Star)...... Star comes over close to me.... head down..... obviously wondering what she has done wrong..... tail between her legs

[snova]

I don't know why people think they have to pet/touch a dog when they see it??

Can't people just look at a dog without touching it???