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Super Model Dog Once Again in National Press!
Once again, international dog supermodel Odin Ruby's Escape is featured in national press!
I subscribe to some ArcaMax email lists, "Dogs, Cats and Other People" among them.
I have read so much about people being ignorant and creating bad behaviors in their dogs,
that thinking about the vet tech that scared Ruby,
and the frustrating situation that our preference when the kids stayed here that
the grand kids not be allowed run of the house if Jim or I wasn't here to watch the dog,
I emailed my question off on March 16 and lo and behold, for tomorrow's edition,
our super model pup once again got the spot light.
There was some editing of my email, obviously for size, and what wasn't included was:
"
What is wrong with people? I don't like walking Ruby anymore because I don't want to expose her to the risk of someone doing something stupid and have her react despite all her training. ..<snip>......
"Should I try to train Ruby to ignore people who pester her, or just avoid walking her and take her out to the wild when I can?... <snip>....
"I read your column weekly in Arca Max, and I read a lot about ignorant people making their dog's undesirable behaviors their fault. I would really appreciate if you could do a column about respecting dogs that other dog owners like I could print and give to people who get offended when I ask them to leave my dog alone."
Please bear in mind, that NONE of you loyal readers of this site are
any of the ignorant people I speak about. I was upset about the vet tech scaring her,
exactly as Uncle Matty said, lowering her hand and arm down on Ruby's head.
I was also fired up over people around whom I was not comfortable,
and neither was Ruby, whom I asked specifically to leave her alone and did not.
Many of you know Ruby, and if out too long she can get cranky.
And she will take your arm off at the shoulder if you put your hand in the car window.
Do not, as the grand kids tried to do, take food from her bowl.
And poor Rachel can not be allowed unsupervised into the bar in her long pants postal uniform,
even to use the ladies room, yet Ruby will love her up in postal shorts or civvies anywhere.
But Ruby's smart, and if Mama or Daddy are happy, Ruby is happy.
If we are OK, you run the danger of being licked to within an inch of your life at our house or wherever we happen to be.
Enjoy the post from Uncle Matty.
For Eileen
Saturday March 29, 2008
. Dogs, Cats And Other People : Dog Petting Etiquette
. Children's Stories Free by E-Mail
Dogs, Cats And Other People : Dog Petting Etiquette
Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis
From a reader:
"I was taught as a toddler: When around a new dog, hold still and present your hand palm up for the dog to sniff. Recently, I had a vet tech breeze up to my dog, Ruby, and lower her hand down over Ruby's head. Ruby jumped up and "air bit" at the vet tech's hand.
"Also, when I walk Ruby, people encourage their kids to come up and pet her whether or not I say it's OK, including toddlers who want to grab her to steady themselves. I was taught to ask permission to approach someone's dog. What is wrong with people?"
My advice:
Don't reach out to pet a strange dog, even with the owner's permission. Dog owners do not always provide the most accurate assessment of their dog's temperament. This is sometimes a byproduct of denial, but by and large, it's ignorance.
A dog owner who does not grasp the importance of socialization won't understand that Fido's good manners and sweet disposition at home aren't guaranteed to hold true out on the streets with the rest of us. When a stranger asks for permission to pet Fido, his owner might give the go-ahead -- not realizing Fido's inner Cujo hasn't been tamed when it comes to strangers.
And the strangest of the strangers to a pooch? Children.
Children are awkward. They walk funny, fall over, flail their arms, shriek, clap, and their heads wobble all over the place. To a dog that hasn't been raised around children, any of this may feel threatening. I have four fantastic dogs at home. One of them has never been around children, and one of them gets nervous around quick, jerky movements. When my small nephew visits, I keep those dogs away from him. This is not about aggression; it's about fear. And it's the kind of "better safe than sorry" judgment call responsible dog owners should be equipped to make.
If you must pet a strange dog, make a knuckle sandwich. This will protect your fingers. And don't approach head-on, arm-extended. For many people, a rolled-up newspaper remains the weapon of choice in their futile attempts to correct canine missteps. To a dog, your arm looks suspiciously similar to that rolled-up paper.
Body language is important when dealing with dogs. Towering over a dog is taking a dominant position. As is petting the dog on the head. When greeting a new dog, the point is to make friends, not to assert your authority.
Word to the wise: With dogs, it's all about territory. Everything is territory: the owner, the leash, the bed, the yard, the food, the toys. So when you approach a strange dog, even in the public domain, you are invading what they perceive to be their territory. The significance of this invasion depends on the degree of the dog's territorialism.
Remember, dogs are wolves. They may be wearing sweaters and booties with bows on their heads, but the instincts of wolves are embedded deep in their DNA. If a wolf were trotting by, would you reach out to pet it?
Woof!
========
Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Read all of Uncle Matty's columns at the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com, and visit him at http://www.unclematty.com. Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.
Copyright 2008 Creators Syndicate Inc.
Read more about Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis at ArcaMax.com.
New Art at The Superior Bar!
The Superior Bar is proud to announce that it is now featuring the artwork of Superior artist and resident Charles S. Davison!
His work is sold currently at the WildeMeyer Gallery at 4142 N. Marshall way in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The works currently featured at The Superior Bar are a selection of his recent multi-media works and are available for a limited time at silent auction, a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Superior Arts League.
Magma Hotel Collapses!
Superior Animal Rescue goes on the web! Click here to find out more!
Devil Winds Hit Superior!
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