Very annoying/frustrating misconceptions of my dog....GRRRRR

ThoroughbredStar

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Although I may seem a little feral and scary sometimes ( :p ), my dog is the complete opposite. I find it increasingly frustrating that people see my dog, particularly so called "animal/horsey" people, and think, "oh dear god, big, vicious, horrid dog."

I have a boxer, now aged 4 and a half, entire male. He is the most well behaved, obedient, kind natured and in-offensive little chap. He comes to the farm and sits outside my stable watching horses/ppl/cats/other dogs go by, has a little sniff about but never goes too far from where we are, politely says hello to anyone that wants to say hello etc etc. He's so so so so good with the horses and all other animals for that matter, including my tiny bunny flabbit who he sunbathes with in the summer.

However, I find it so up setting that people, mainly at the yard, see him and always glare at him/wont be as friendly to him as they are to the snappy, yappy, flighty little dogs of the yard. He is the most well behaved dog, yet all the whipper snappers (which I adore) are treated so differently, lots of talking to them, strokes etc etc. My poor boy :mad:

I don't expect horsey people to be like that, I thought we were all a little more educated on dog breeds and the un-necessary bad branding of some breeds....grrrrrr
 
I know exactly how you feel! I have a brown Doberman bitch and have had people cross the road so they wont have to walk pass us. She's well behaved and I've never had a problem with her. The thing is, I usually have my son with me who is 3 years old. Do people really think I would be out walking her with my son, if she was dangerous?!! I think not!
 
I wouldn't class a boxer as a big dog, nor one with a bad reputation.

The fact remains though, that a lot of people don't like dogs or are intimidated by larger ones.

Don't take it to heart, I'm sure the dog hasn't!
 
I wouldn't class a boxer as a big dog, nor one with a bad reputation.

The fact remains though, that a lot of people don't like dogs or are intimidated by larger ones.

Don't take it to heart, I'm sure the dog hasn't!

Hehe, that made me laugh PerseP, the last bit! Poor pup, its probably cuz he always has that soppy/sad/confused look that makes me feel bad for him lol :p

I know, its just annoying. My partner gets up-set about it too. I just carry on and do what we do, keep him off lead, let him follow me and horses etc.....that just shows he is good dog.

No, I have always thought boxers are an adored breed?? Very silly, loveable, loyal etc. They are medium sizewd aren't they?? But I think it is cuz my boy is BIG in every sense of the word, huge huge chest, great big paws, chunky neck etc and very muscley. Hey ho, I love him and so do most others but just some of the ppl at the yard are peculiar! :D
 
I own a whippet snapper (love the term! I call her skinny latte!! LOL) but would never ever look at a boxer in the way that you are experiencing! I think they are fabulous, I understand why some breeds have elicited certain responses from people (although I totally blame humans for this and not the dogs:() But a boxer doesn't even have a 'bad reputation' I remember when I was little I had only ever known small dogs and I met a boxer in france called Garcon (he slobbered all over me and melted my heart, since then I have always adored them! I'm with you, how can some people get it so wrong, especially since a boxer is only notorious for slobbering and bouncing, my colleagues boxer is such a gentle girl and humans and dogs (even the most timid and wary) flock to her. Your boy sounds an absolute star, far better than a skinny latte whippet snapper!! Mine would probably eat the bunny wabbit!

x
 
Although I may seem a little feral and scary sometimes ( :p ), my dog is the complete opposite. I find it increasingly frustrating that people see my dog, particularly so called "animal/horsey" people, and think, "oh dear god, big, vicious, horrid dog."

I have a boxer, now aged 4 and a half, entire male. He is the most well behaved, obedient, kind natured and in-offensive little chap. He comes to the farm and sits outside my stable watching horses/ppl/cats/other dogs go by, has a little sniff about but never goes too far from where we are, politely says hello to anyone that wants to say hello etc etc. He's so so so so good with the horses and all other animals for that matter, including my tiny bunny flabbit who he sunbathes with in the summer.

However, I find it so up setting that people, mainly at the yard, see him and always glare at him/wont be as friendly to him as they are to the snappy, yappy, flighty little dogs of the yard. He is the most well behaved dog, yet all the whipper snappers (which I adore) are treated so differently, lots of talking to them, strokes etc etc. My poor boy :mad:

I don't expect horsey people to be like that, I thought we were all a little more educated on dog breeds and the un-necessary bad branding of some breeds....grrrrrr

I thought you were going to say you had a Rottie or Staffy or something....but a boxer? Are they all mad on your yard? You cant ask for a nicer, friendly, bonkers, mad, brilliant with kids dog!! Id rather deal with your boxer than some small yappy thing.

PS. Just incase anyone thinks ive a thing against Rotties/Staffys i dont, i just assumed thats what OP would have as alot of people have preconcieved ideas about them.
 
I know exactly how you feel....I have an adorable boxer bitch, as well as a little yappy monster. People assume my boxer is a vicious wild animal, but the truth is it's the little one you've got to worry about! She has seriously sharp teeth, and unlike the boxer, she is not adverse to using them!

For me, boxers are the best dogs you could wish for, and poo to anyone who doesn't think the same :D:D
 
I agree its annoying. I have a large young GSD which, OK, is a barker. You can imagine! He is never ever aggressive but just likes to shout. He is frowned upon all the time, but everyone elses little yappy dogs can bark all day and get away with it! I have a little yapper too tho ;)
Hes not scary, just misunderstood!
 
Some people can be so judgemental.

We have a pair of rescue greyhounds. We get "looks" because we muzzle them when out and keep them away from other dogs. People think that we're being controlling and mean to them because greyhounds are soft and laidback and wouldn't hurt a fly. Many are. Ours just can't be trusted around other dogs so we keep them away. We need to muzzle them because the people that protectively scoop up their teeny lapdogs at the sight of a "scary" doberman, happily let them bound up to our dogs (which makes no sense because what do greyhounds do best??? chase little things...).
 
Yeap..I feel your frustration too. I have a fab staffy who is perfect with people, dogs, cats, horses, kids. And yet people are still ridiculously wary of him!
It never fails to niggle when people will go to the extent of picking their creatures up and crossing to the other side of the road with them in fear of mine eating it or something.
I got quite upset once when some horrid woman had a totally un neccesary go at me in a park about being irresponsible bringing such a 'dangerous' dog onto a public area. He was on a lead completley minding his own business bar getting the odd tail tug from the kids!:eek::mad:
 
You should try having a malamute! People either cross the road because they think she is a wolf or seem to think she is a nasty dog.

She is kept on the lead as she can't be trusted with smaller dogs which i think is being a responsible owner and yet when someones terrier baits her until she snaps, whose fault is it? My poor dog.

As long as she isn't feeling intimidated (despite her size and appearance she isn't very confident) she is fine, but people are always going to be wary/scared of anything outside of their usual narrow vision.
 
Pssst - you know that a lot of buffoons think that anything with a squashy face is a pit bull terrier? Just a thought. I know a dog warden who has had a tonne of what turned out to be boxers reported to him, as well as, erm, an akita!!!! A one of them there hairy, pointy-eared, curly tailed, pit bulls....
 
lenandram.jpg


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not sure if these work?? But here he is!
 
I can sympathise, I have the problem in reverse. I have a JR/Staff/probably corgi, who's now about 15. He is rather cute and is small so seems to attract children.

When he was younger he was mostly friendly - apart from men wearing black or brown boots who he's always had a problem with. Now he's older and losing sight/hearing he's not so trustworthy. We always walk him on a lead, under control but the number of children who come running up to pat him and dogs who come bounding up totally out of control is quite scary.

Parents of said children think i'm miserable and if I have to give the "you need to ask if the dog's safe rather than just running up to him" talk once more I will scream.

Other dog owners thought I was mad, asking them to keep their dogs under control - but now he's snapped at most of them they tend to give us a wide berth.
 
Know just how you feel I have a 3yr old rotty who is impeccably behaved but when out for a walk I never let her off the lead as she is v playful and bouncy with other dogs and she can get a bit over excited. Unfortunatly other people think it's acceptable to let their dogs run loose and jump all over her just because they've got a labrador or terrier, then when the inevitable happens and she jumps all over them and squishes them they get upperty with me
 
Pssst - you know that a lot of buffoons think that anything with a squashy face is a pit bull terrier? Just a thought. I know a dog warden who has had a tonne of what turned out to be boxers reported to him, as well as, erm, an akita!!!! A one of them there hairy, pointy-eared, curly tailed, pit bulls....

That is so true CC!!!! He was even called a giant pug once!!!!! That did make me laugh though :D
 
lenandram.jpg


lp-1.jpg


len.jpg


not sure if these work?? But here he is!


:eek: :eek:

*goes running away from screen at sight of gargantuan terrifyingly scary vicious dog*

PMSL Bloody softy!! :) :D

Now, I have always thought if we could genetically modify a Jack Russell or a chiaua to be the size of a rottie then they would

http://www.newsrealblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mean-chiuaua.jpg

Come to think about it this one is remarkably like me in the mornings!
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/copies/RTEmagicC_655px-Killer_Chihuahua.jpg.jpg
 
same issues here wew have a GSD x Sibby & she is SO very soft & silly its not funny sometimes but people get really nasty about her being loose with our ponies & toddlers. My land, my animals, my kids, my choice & most importantly MY LAND!!! normally as they use our private paddocks as a cut across to the network of footpaths & nature reserves from the village, alouth it proberly doesnt help that my bitch plays tag with the sec A, she barks at his ankles & he nips her spoiler (silly sticky up layer of fur on her backside above her tail/back legs)
 
I adore Boxers. My uncle's mother bred them, so they were a real fixture throughout my childhood. Maybe the people at your yard have had too many bad experiences with the smaller dogs, and are now proceeding with caution. I, however, would have a hard time ignoring your gorgeous boy.


I do want to add that not all small dog breeds are snappy and bad-tempered. My Boston terrier has never met a person she didn't want to snog, and the pug is a gentle mush who seeks out so-called scary breeds for wrestling time. Bichons and Havanese are just two more small breeds renowned for their sunny temperament. I've even met a fair few chihuahuas and Yorkies that don't bark and want to take your hand off.
 
he looks like a dude (a big terrifing one ;) ) our friends had a boxer and when ever it saw people it used do what can only be described as a little bronking fit on the spot was the funniest thing to watch
I would say dont worry about it if he is happy down the yard then it dosent matter what other people think some of the softest dogs I know are huge including a fully grown great dane scared of a kitten
 
I was bitten by a springer spaniel as a child, and to this day I'm still wary of them. I love boxers as a few of my friends have had them, and they were always bouncy friendly dogs but I also know of a few that are trouble at their respective yards, so really, you've got to understand that people are only drawing on their own experiences of particular breeds, to be wary of them.

Don't take it to heart.... ;-)
 
:eek: :eek:

*goes running away from screen at sight of gargantuan terrifyingly scary vicious dog*

PMSL Bloody softy!! :) :D

Now, I have always thought if we could genetically modify a Jack Russell or a chiaua to be the size of a rottie then they would

http://www.newsrealblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mean-chiuaua.jpg

Come to think about it this one is remarkably like me in the mornings!
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/copies/RTEmagicC_655px-Killer_Chihuahua.jpg.jpg

Those pics are hillarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually lol!!! Very funny! :D
 
I love boxers but a rotti I'm pretty scared of due to a bad experience with one when I was younger. To you they might be a big softy but other people might be a bit scared.
I wouldn't take it personally.
 
he looks like a dude (a big terrifing one ;) ) our friends had a boxer and when ever it saw people it used do what can only be described as a little bronking fit on the spot was the funniest thing to watch
I would say dont worry about it if he is happy down the yard then it dosent matter what other people think some of the softest dogs I know are huge including a fully grown great dane scared of a kitten

Bucking bronco yes!!!! Its hillarious and quite endearing!!!
 
My horse is in love with a boxer dog which lives in a house with a garden which joins onto our field. Belle stands and kisses the dog over the fence (who stands on his/her back legs with front paws against the fence to reach). It's cute!
 
I'm surprised cos I don't know of anyone who has a bad image of boxers? Most people I know think they are loopy clumpsy oafs (meant with love of course!!) I've yet to come across anyone thinking they are nasty? You should try walking out with 6 rescue staffies and see what people say. ;)
 
We used to have a boxer the image of yours OP. Ridiculously silly thing not a dangerous/sensible bone in him.
Now we have a Dane and a dane x rotty, both of whom are wetter than a haddocks bathing costume! Lots of people are terrified of Merlin tho, mostly because he is a huge black dog with blue eyes who woofs to let me know anyone is about. Everyone who knows him adores him tho.
Give me a big dog over a pocket rat anyday!!
 
Afraid I can't say I know how you feel - one big fat yellow Labrador over here :)
But I agree with the expectations of us country folk to be a little better educated on our canine friends ! As for me I'll fuss any dog; no matter its size or breeding - I'm probably going to get attacked one of these days !
 
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