I don't get it...

[Cindy_17]

This is a rant - So I went to Petsmart today, I had just gotten in the door and there was a lady with a very small Pomeranian 5-6lbs max on a leash, a man walks by with a Husky looking dog and immediately they were fighting, the man had to physically snatch his husky off the Pom...Thankfully the Pom was not hurt BUT it was only seconds from getting hurt, had the man with the husky not acted as quickly it would have been fatal. The woman with the Pom was beyond angry, it was all I could do not to tell her how stupid she was for having the Pom (which was young) on a leash in a pet store! Things happen quick and you never know how strangers dogs are going to react. If mine go in a pet store they are in the stroller. I do not get people, a small baby is no match for bigger dogs! Why chance it?? And for her to have the audacity to get mad at the man that had just saved her dog from getting hurt or killed...grrrr it just made me sick, I witnessed the whole thing, cringing the entire time...maybe I am over protective, but I don't even want my two babies feet on the floor in a pet store, it's not only big dogs but germs!

[capt_noonie]

It's just common sense, and I guess this woman did not have any that day, but to say it was her fault bc her small dog's feet were on the ground I do not agree with. We bring Uni and Toto into Petsmart a lot and they are always allowed to walk themselves. But if I see a large dog we avoid them esp Toto tries to pick fights with anyone who is bigger than him (he's 5 lbs).

[Cindy_17]

I think the thing that got me so bad was she was going off on the man with the husky and he was innocently walking by, she was not paying attention and I should have stressed that in post. It was scary, my heart was in my knees as it was happening and even after. Your right it was a lack of common sense on her part today, I hope she learned a lesson to watch what is going on. My Holly would be the one to pick a fight with another dog, she is my sweetheart with people she loves everybody but when it comes to other dogs she thinks she is 10ft tall and bullet proof, lol, I wouldn't trust her for a minute not to try to be a little bully bossy lady!

[Yorkiemom1]

Dogs are allowed to walk around on the ground in those public places, dropping bugs and germs they have picked up from all over everyplace.....there is NOTHING that specifies the dogs have to be immunized, so you have dogs picked up off the streets, dropping fleas and ticks, parvo germs, and God only knows what else they have been exposed to and are contaminating stores that allow strange dogs to walk all over their stores, unchecked....you do not even have any guarantee that any of those dogs have been vaccinated. They do not PRINT enough money that would entice me to allow my babies to be exposed to God only knows what, dropping all over the floors! Yes, that is right....I am a germ phobic nut, when it comes to my dogs....in my mind, allowing your dogs feet to touch the ground in one of those stores, is tantamount to allowing your human child to run his tongue all over the handle on the grocery cart, as he sits in the basket.....then you bring any and all diseases that dog has walked through and left on the floor in the store, to your home, your yard, and your home. I am not a clean freak, but I am only too aware of how diseases are spread between animals, and I do not want those diseases to contaminate my home, my yard, or my dogs.

[ababy42693]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Dogs are allowed to walk around on the ground in those public places, dropping bugs and germs they have picked up from all over everyplace.....there is NOTHING that specifies the dogs have to be immunized, so you have dogs picked up off the streets, dropping fleas and ticks, parvo germs, and God only knows what else they have been exposed to and are contaminating stores that allow strange dogs to walk all over their stores, unchecked....you do not even have any guarantee that any of those dogs have been vaccinated. They do not PRINT enough money that would entice me to allow my babies to be exposed to God only knows what, dropping all over the floors! Yes, that is right....I am a germ phobic nut, when it comes to my dogs....in my mind, allowing your dogs feet to touch the ground in one of those stores, is tantamount to allowing your human child to run his tongue all over the handle on the grocery cart, as he sits in the basket.....then you bring any and all diseases that dog has walked through and left on the floor in the store, to your home, your yard, and your home. I am not a clean freak, but I am only too aware of how diseases are spread between animals, and I do not want those diseases to contaminate my home, my yard, or my dogs.

Ditto!

[tb98rock]

Exposure builds immunity. But I do agree this lady should be watching her dog. Teddy is allowed to walk but the moment I see a dog I tighten my grip on him

[Jkpal]

Piper likes to lead the way in pet stores and enjoys shopping--going from treat isles to fish section (I don't know, I just let her take me around). I am ever-vigilant and scoop her up if another dog is around; owners say, "Oh, don't worry, he's big, but friendly." Well, that may be true, but I don't know the owner or their dog--so who's to say? I respond by telling them that Piper doesn't like being around big dogs (and I totally get and respect that). And though stated several times in many different posts, it cannot be stressed enough, that with little canines, one simply cannot be too careful.

[Mayzoo]

Mario is a 9 lb service dog, so four on the floor everywhere we go is almost mandatory. I am vigilant to avoid other dogs, but nobody is perfect when it comes to anything, attention included. I watch my kiddo and Mario diligently, but I will not state nothing could ever happen on my watch. I am terrified another dog will attack and traumatize Mario thus setting us back years: An Off Leash Dog Ruined My Life: A Service Dog’s Story | notes from a dog walker

It does not matter where you are, if another dog attacks your leashed dog unprovoked then it is the other dog's owners responsibility. If the attacked dog's owner was paying attention or not, when a dog attacks unprovoked it is that dog's owners responsibility.

I know I would be furious if another dog attacked our leashed, trained, completely passive service dog likely setting both him and my daughter back years. I would attempt to keep my cool to mitigate the damage already done, but I would still be furious!!

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by tb98rock

Exposure builds immunity. But I do agree this lady should be watching her dog. Teddy is allowed to walk but the moment I see a dog I tighten my grip on him

I totally agree with this, and I am one in the camp who do not do booster shots annually. After their puppy shots I am done. Except for fosters and rescues; those have to have new shots before they come into rescue unless the previous owner had good records and they had already had shots within the previous year.

In the same vein, I always think about those parents who bring those shopping cart liners for their human babies when they go to the market. You know those cute patterned comfy looking liners they put in the child seating area of the shopping carts. Those are supposed to protect the child from germs right? I don't understand then, after they are done shopping, they go back to their car, take off the liner, throw it in the back of their car, then bring inside their home, do they take it directly straight into the washing machine? If they don't wash it after every single use, they are just bringing more germs home with them.

We never had such a thing when we were kids and we turned out fine, for the most part.

[KairaPup]

It's very sad they fought but to say that letting your dog walk is not right is crazy.

My dogs are my babies. You better believe if I see a dog who seems sketchy I'll pick mine up. But they walk. One is a service dog and she is of course walking.

Sure there are germs. But there are germs everywhere on earth and my dogs are as protected as they can be.

[tb98rock]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

I totally agree with this, and I am one in the camp who do not do booster shots annually. After their puppy shots I am done. Except for fosters and rescues; those have to have new shots before they come into rescue unless the previous owner had good records and they had already had shots within the previous year.

In the same vein, I always think about those parents who bring those shopping cart liners for their human babies when they go to the market. You know those cute patterned comfy looking liners they put in the child seating area of the shopping carts. Those are supposed to protect the child from germs right? I don't understand then, after they are done shopping, they go back to their car, take off the liner, throw it in the back of their car, then bring inside their home, do they take it directly straight into the washing machine? If they don't wash it after every single use, they are just bringing more germs home with them.

We never had such a thing when we were kids and we turned out fine, for the most part.

As a teacher in training germs are good for kids old enough to fight it if you don't allow them to exposed their bodies won't know how to react so that's why I treat my dog the same

[Maximo]

I'm glad the Pom was okay after scary encounter! We haven't visited a pet store in awhile, but when we used to, Max and Teddy rode in the cart. I carry them at the vet's office too.

I understand what everyone is saying about germs/exposure, and I agree to a certain point. More for human kids especially.

But after Max and Teddy picked up a bug in our small neighborhood and they were vomiting for 24 hours, I'm not keen about walking them in areas where there is a high concentration of dogs. We have about 80 dogs walking a 1-mile loop.

[rhhh75572]

Well...Fay and Moxie love rolling in duck poop, so I'm not sure I'm all for the germ thing, but if you are taking your dog into public, you should always watch your dog and the dogs around you. I've seen many little dogs pick fights with bigger dogs!

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by rhhh75572

Well...Fay and Moxie love rolling in duck poop, so I'm not sure I'm all for the germ thing, but if you are taking your dog into public, you should always watch your dog and the dogs around you. I've seen many little dogs pick fights with bigger dogs!

LOL! Max and Teddy love bird and bunny droppings. Ugh! I have to steer them around all that stuff.

[rhhh75572]

We live on the Guadalupe River, so it is a constant battle when they go out to use the bathroom, and I don't always win!!