Do you ever run into conflict with others because of your "dog knowledge"?

I'm SO glad it isn't just me!

I have a friend that free feeds her English Bulldog 20 cups of food per day(!!!!!) and a lunch of 3 cheese burgers via McDonalds. I gave that one up a long time ago. It ended badly.

I've run into people buying Pedigree and Purina from Walmart and offered a bit of insight on what the dog was actually consuming and they thought I was being 'snarky' and 'rude'.

Idiots have asked me to breed my "Pomshe" with so many different males its obnoxious. No matter how much of an emphasis on "MUTT" you place, they seem to be unaware. I don't even bother to say she's spayed- most of them don't know what it means. I now say "her vagina is broken." And walk away.

As per your situation- I wouldn't have let him walk away so easy, but then again I'm a person who enjoys conflict and being correct when it comes to these things.

Did you drop some medical terms on him? Thats always fun. Watching them flounder at the medical term for genetic deficiencies is usually the highlight of my day. Then tossing price tags for the genetic defects cost (if its fixable, treatable, or what you must do to maintain). Then I go to work on the dog in question. Even if I BARELY know the standard, I'd eat the dog alive. "Withers are wrong, overbite is too prominent, improper tail, improper stance, blah blah blah blah" until the person just doesn't even want to talk anymore.

I can't even begin to tell you how many people I've fussed at over coming up to me when I have Max (before he was neutered) and showing me their "registered" dog. (Generally a poorly bred Aussie or Collie) and asking me to allow his stud.

Stupid people make the world fun for us. You just have to make sure you hit them in the head hard enough when you're done with them that they don't get back up.

Yeah, I hear ya. My best friend bought a "bugg" (boston terrier pug) from a breeder, so I have to kind of watch what I say around her. I do admit that at the time I didn't really realize how bad a breeder that person was, so I didn't tell her at the time she was looking and that makes me feel like a hypocrite now if I do say anything...anyway..My cousin's fiancee has a huskie b!tc# he wants to breed and every time I hear about it I have to say something. I cannot keep my mouth shut and I have to lecture the both of them about responsible breeding and dog overpopulation; I'm hoping one day it will sink in. I also look for ways to bring up the subject of dog food because they are feeding Beneful...ugh. It makes me so sad and a little mad. With the shock collar, my dad wanted to get one for one of our rescue dogs but mom and I refused to let him. I don't know what the deal is with an electrical shock seeming more humane than spritzing with water. Frankly I would have done the same thing with that wannabe breeder. Such complete ignorance and disregard for living things is hard to tolerate.

Most recently, it was an argument over Christmas puppies. This girl (whom I do *not* like--but that's another story) got a puppy for Christmas; and her one of her friends got one last year for Christmas. This year's girl's pup came from the parents (she also got a kitten), last year it was a boyfriend gift (which have become VERY popular around here).

*Everyone* I seem to tell that Christmas puppies are a bad idea is baffled. No one understands *why*--even after I say how THAT is how puppies end up in shelters.

I was recently talking to my friend (who was fostering out a Boxer mix). She almost got the pup adopted by an older couple whose children had recieved a Boxer puppy for Christmas, and they thought it was too cute--reason they didn't want this dog? "Too big".

But even that friend ^^ didn't get the Christmas puppies idea. Her response when I said it to her "my dog was a Christmas gift". Though it was totally different--they adopted around Christmas time, and she picked it out. But still; I wasn't expecting *that* response from her (she's very shelter-active.)

Good for you about the incident that happened an hour ago.

Well, last week I was at my best friend's house whom they just got a new puppy. I was talking to her mom in the other room and she asked me what food we feed and I said: Well I feel pretty bad that we're feeding purina pro plan, but I'm looking into switching as soon as I can.

She said what's wrong with purina? Because they're feeding purina organic.

I said "ohh maybe we'll look into the organic stuff..."

This other girl I was talking to a month or so ago said she wanted to get a dog from a pet store and I replied with saying how about rescue. She commented that all rescue dogs are "retarded."

I said that my dog is a rescue and she is def. not retarded and she said that she probably is. I was so mad I just got up and walked away.

Sometimes.

Mostly, I get defensive and mouthy when it concerns my own dogs. The vet telling me to feed Science Diet, my landlord insisting she "knew" I had a pit mix, or people that comment on my training (particularly the "cruel" pinch collar or equally as "cruel" crate.) This is when I don't mind telling people exactly what they need to hear.

There are times I use more tact, like when I visit my mother-in-law's house and find that she lives her new puppy chi locked in a crate for 22+ hours a day.

And then there are times when I just keep my mouth shut. Like the time I was at PetSmart behind a woman who was proudly showing off her "____apoo." Oh...but you SO want to say something.

Well I never thought about it much, but dogs is one area I don't have drama on. I am lucky that my dogs through the years are very well behaved. If I am in someone else home and their dog acts up, I correct that dogs behavior automatically. I find that most people want to do the right thing with their dogs, they just don't know how. While my in laws can bad mouth all their children, their spouses, their grandchildren down to the two-year-old, but my in laws have never been able to bad mouth my dogs. It is even a strain for them to say nice things about my dogs, but they do. I don't get into the dog food debate, millions of dogs eat cheap dog food and live happy healthy lives, and live past their life expectancy. Now trying to find a vet with a brain, now that is another story........

This is a tough question to answer. I think that in the case of the person who wanted to breed the deaf puppy I think that he needs to hear it. Maybe someone else will give him the same answer and he will reconsider. When it comes to things like the way that people train their dogs, it is often not worth the effort because they have already created a monster dog at that point.

Yes, all the time, as my profession and passion is working with dogs (and cats!). My biggest pet peeve is people who don't spay and neuter. People who have never been to a shelter or seen a freezer full of dead animals. Unfortunately people are generally uneducated when it comes to this.

I also do have my pet peeves when it comes to how people train there animals. It make me laugh that people idolize "trainers" like cesar Millan. I wouldn't have recommended a squirt bottle or a shock collar. i do positive reinforcement only, and conditioning.

I agree with you, Science Diet is ****. I feed my pet Innova. The only reason I feel Vets recommend SD is because Hills (the manufacturer) writes the books they study from in Vet school. There is also a conflict of interest. The Veterinary Association owns stock in Hills (or visa versa, can't remember). Vets are not nutritionist, just as human doctors are not.

If someone told me they were interested in breeding, I would remind them that millions of dogs and cat are killed each year because they have no homes. But I don't typically associate with breeders. People will do what they want, regardless of the ugly truth staring them in the face. I would probably have left just as you did.

Ha ha, Good for you!

I was in friendlys a couple a weeks ago and some how breeding came up.

My mother was claiming that breeders make "big bucks". And stating she wants to start breeding to make a fortune. (No, she is not going to breed. She was just trying to get me riled up and let me tell you, It worked!)

Anyway I was trying to explain to her calmly that breeders some what actually loose money when breeding. But stubborn Ol' Ma doesn't listen.

So the conversation got more intense and thank fully our meals came.

I felt so sorry for the people who were sitting around us! Lol.

My thoughts are that EVERYONE is entitled to MY opinion. If I kept my mouth shut just because I thought I might offend someone, then I would never get to talk!

I have told people that I didn't know that Science Diet is expensive CRAP food. I tell people that their low quality, POS pet store dog should be fixed, that offends many, but if only ONE person stops, then it was worth it!

My daughter nailed it a few years ago when she had a school project to "invent" a superhero. She told everyone that "I" was a superhero. Tackless Woman! "Able to offend an entire room in a single utterance!"

Never hold back! Tell people the truth!