Wording for a Tabard for my dog

S

sandy3924

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 March 2010
Messages
142
Visit site
My 3 year old Springer will not tolerate other dogs invading her space. When off lead she minds her own business, never, ever approaches other dogs and comes immediately back to call. If I see an off lead dog approaching, I call her to me and put her back on her lead. If the dog still approaches, Molly will snap at it, telling it to back off. She doesn't make contact but it doesn't look pretty. As most owners seem to have no basic control of their dogs and shout happily 'Oh mine just wants to play' I thought I'd get a tabard for Molly to wear which states that she actually doesn't particularly want your dog sniffing her backside and will tell it in no uncertain terms. So any ideas for the wording would be appreciated. Short and to the point. Thanks.
 
People don't take any notice, although it might fend off any serious complaints. People will still say Oh he just wants to be friends. We used to have a caravan park and people always gave my dog the most inappropriate food (think jam sandwiches!). I made him one which said DO NOT FEED ME and it didn't make any difference at all. TBH by the time they are close enough to read yours they are probably too close anyway?
 
there are actually tabards, in yellow, that are give me space ones. however agree that lots of people take no notice. I have a GSD who despite lots of practice in the 2.5 years I've had him (got him at 2, with little life experience) is reactive to strange dogs (has about 4-5 dogs he knows and gets on with, but even then really prefers his own space) with enough room on lead he just pulls as he actually wants to get away, but if they are too close he will react. And as he is a big dog it looks worse than a smaller dog doing exactly the same or even worse than he does.

i have not actually got him one of these as never got round to it and he is mostly at the farm with dogs he likes, or on lead. but am considering for when we go to busy places. it's a shame as he loves people saying hi though and this will probably put them off.

http://www.yellowdoguk.co.uk/index.php/online-store#!/c/0/offset=9&sort=addedTimeDesc
 
I am sorry to say that, in my experience, nothing works. i have had tabards with "dog in training" and "I need space", put a bright red muzzle on the dogs which can be seen a long way off, and nothing has worked with the "my dog is friendly" brigade. When I hear this, I now tell them that mine is not. I actually had to shout at a dog to go away yesterday. Amazingly he did. He had not been paying his owners a blind bit of notice and I got fed up hanging onto mine while they eventually tried calling him back. Two of my three dogs were muzzled and on lead. The third was retrieving a ball but came to stand by me quietly while the dog ran over and danced around us. We were all on the heath with masses of room to keep away from each other but the owners were chatting and totally oblivious at first, I could have been waving a red flag and they probably would not have noticed.
 
planete said:
I am sorry to say that, in my experience, nothing works. i have had tabards with "dog in training" and "I need space", put a bright red muzzle on the dogs which can be seen a long way off, and nothing has worked with the "my dog is friendly" brigade. When I hear this, I now tell them that mine is not. I actually had to shout at a dog to go away yesterday. Amazingly he did. He had not been paying his owners a blind bit of notice and I got fed up hanging onto mine while they eventually tried calling him back. Two of my three dogs were muzzled and on lead. The third was retrieving a ball but came to stand by me quietly while the dog ran over and danced around us. We were all on the heath with masses of room to keep away from each other but the owners were chatting and totally oblivious at first, I could have been waving a red flag and they probably would not have noticed.
Click to expand...

Blimey P, even when two are muzzled!? some people can be so stupid.

OP, perhaps the tabbard should read ' If you can read this, back off or your dog gets it!' or perhaps something more subtle, ' I don't like other dogs, I do not want to play, respect my space' in very big letters.
 
Thanks for your replies. I feel frustrated because, except for this problem, she is absolutely no trouble when I take her out on or off the lead. She alters her path to avoid going close to other dogs - just keeping herself to herself. But she always looks like the baddie as she reacts when they will not leave her alone. I now have her back on the lead as soon as a loose dog appears. I'm thinking 'I DON'T PLAY - KEEP YOUR DOG AWAY'. To be honest, though, I think most of the owners I come across will just read it and say how cute it is and still not do anything about their own dog.
 
I have a yellow lead with the word 'nervous' all the way down it, most people see the lead and keep their distance but there is always the one who insists the dear little doggie won't be frightened, all doggies love meeee brigade. They get too close and get barked at. A blue, revolving light on my head wouldn't deter this sort!

I did have a deaf dog who wore an 'I'm deaf' tabbard, so many people responded as if it was me who was deaf an spoke in a slow exaggerated way. Had to point out it's the dog who is deaf, that's why he wears the tabbard! Duh!
 
jumbyjack said:
.....

I did have a deaf dog who wore an 'I'm deaf' tabbard, so many people responded as if it was me who was deaf an spoke in a slow exaggerated way. Had to point out it's the dog who is deaf, that's why he wears the tabbard! Duh!
Click to expand...

Sorry JJ, this did make me laugh.:D nowt so queer as folk.
 
jumbyjack said:
I did have a deaf dog who wore an 'I'm deaf' tabbard, so many people responded as if it was me who was deaf an spoke in a slow exaggerated way. Had to point out it's the dog who is deaf, that's why he wears the tabbard! Duh!
Click to expand...

Mine's the same, harness with "I am deaf" on and I either get people speaking to me clearly or I overhear them talking about my service dog.

I have tried various things over the years to keep people away but have given up and just growl at other dogs while hiding mine behind my legs - but as a preference I will detour away to make it clear I don't want to be near other dogs. Easier where I am though, it's not very busy.
 
sandy3924 said:
Thanks for your replies. I feel frustrated because, except for this problem, she is absolutely no trouble when I take her out on or off the lead. She alters her path to avoid going close to other dogs - just keeping herself to herself. But she always looks like the baddie as she reacts when they will not leave her alone. I now have her back on the lead as soon as a loose dog appears. I'm thinking 'I DON'T PLAY - KEEP YOUR DOG AWAY'. To be honest, though, I think most of the owners I come across will just read it and say how cute it is and still not do anything about their own dog.
Click to expand...

That wording sound good S, hopefully others will take notice.

I've recently been introducing my pup to a friends dog that snaps, (without making contact) because it doesn't like other dogs too close. We've only met up a few short times but it seems to have been good for both of them, as pup is learning that not all dogs want to play with her and will now back off and submit immediately, lying down wriggling and madly tail wagging. Friend's dog is getting used to her too and showing less and less concern with pup being close, each time we meet, although will snap if pup ambushes her... (and quite right too):)
 
In my experience, when I'm joined by random dogs on walks, the owners are usually nowhere near so unless the dog can read, it wouldn't be much use at all lol.

I do feel you pain though. Rufus would never approach another dog but if they get in his face, he flattens them. I don't even wait and see now if the owner has any control of their dog and just assume it will join us so he goes on his lead every time.

Sometimes I have a hissy fit at the 'he / she only wants to play" gang but some days I'm karma chameleon and just shrug it off.
 
:mad::mad::mad:A dog off lead came running up to myself and my GSD who was on the lead the other day as he likes to chase smaller dogs. He just stood there while the owner didn't even try to call her dog back! It was running around my dog barking aggressively which made my dogs heckles go up quite understandably. But the point is, my dog was on the lead so could have been very aggressive and if a GSD or other big dog would have been doing what this other dog was doing they would have cause a massive fuss!!! Annoying how i have to keep my dog on the lead because he is a German shepherd when quite frankly his behaviour is not half as bad as this other dogs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top