[Dailydrool] Warning vest

[Sally King]

AS I started to read the post I found myself thinking "warning vest - good plan". The reason - my two are polar opposites.
Clara has never met a dog she doesn't like. Rolph has never met one he does. Clara wants to twinkle over, sniff and play. Rolph wants to rip their faces off. This has got worse as he has got older.
Once Rolph knows another dog, there is no problem, but unless it is another basset hound (go figure). He snarks first and asks questions later.

Unfortunately, as he has become older, crankier and snarkier, he can also be crabby with humans. If they have been drinking, he wants to nail them. If they are wearing a fluorescent tabard (road worker, postal worker, person with bad taste in clothes) he wants to nail them. Anyone lurking in shadows . . . anyone he thinks may be threatening to me . . . well, you get the picture.

So nowadays, if I see anyone with a dog coming towards me I bring both dogs to a sit in front of me. I call to the approaching human "Please call your dog, mine can be a bit cranky with others", or if they are on a lead, just "Sorry, my dog isn't very friendly". I produce treats and give the command "watch me", repeatedly to both my dogs until the "danger" has passed. Most people are frightened for their pet, grab their dog and scuttle past. Most dog owners in this area now stop as soon as they see us and put Fido on the lead.

However, there are always the one or two who don't get it until sweet, fluffy, comical-looking Rolph is going insane with me clutching his collar and turning him away. Generally, they don't make the mistake twice.

AS for the humans he takes against, well he is never off lead and I so far have had enough control to stop anything nasty happening - and if someone is lurking in the shadows, or stumbling up to me drunk, I don't mind if he does tell them to bark off.

Sally, with Rolph and Clara, UK
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