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Other Discussions => Off Topic => Topic started by: Monkhouse on November 16, 2018, 04:24:20 PM

Title: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Monkhouse on November 16, 2018, 04:24:20 PM
I personally really like animals, and dogs especially. So I recently moved in with some people, but the landlord is a couple that my friends recommended (if you followed my last thread with my previous roommate, this is A HUGE STEP up from that,) and at the time, I knew they had dogs, but they both were very sweet and quiet.

There are two dogs, one is a female Jin-do which is a traditional Korean dog, (we'll call her Anna), the other is Yorkshire terrier mix with something else, and he's about three years old and a lot smaller, maybe 8-10 pounds, (we'll call him Joe). She was supposed to be sent to the slaughterhouse and my roommates rescued her. She is very quiet, and extremely shy due to being abused. Since she is pretty big for one year dog, she exhibits and displays dominance over the smaller dog.

Joe barks, and growls a lot, he also gets extremely jealous along with clear signs of crippling anxiety and abandonment. He was rescued as a pup, apparently the home owner found out his dog had given birth and tossed the puppies into a bush, and some passerby heard cries and found them.

When I first moved in, Joe would sneak into my room, and steal my things like socks, food I left behind, and he took one of my favorite pair of shoes. He has the knack for being able to push my door with his body to open it. To prevent this, I now have to lock my door every time.

He is very clingy, and I think he has clear signs of separation anxiety, (which I don't understand because one of the roommates girlfriend works at home and he always lays next to her.) He likes to sit between people's legs, and has a tendency to try to hump Anna. He also has this weird infatuation with eating feathers, something my roommates have been upset and angry with. They have definitely hit and punished him physically. I've seen them do it in action, which is probably what compelled me to do what I typed below next..
__

This is where this gets a little tricky.

DISCLAIMER: I feel like a huge jerk, and I still regret this. So people if you feel the need to insult or demean me, go ahead. But just letting you guys know I feel awful, and I still think about what I did to this day.

2 months ago, my roommates decided to go out to a trip to Myrtle Beach. They took Anna, because she gets way too nervous when her owners aren't there. So one day, it was just me, and my other roommate. My other roommate has been a tenant there for a year, so the dogs are comfortable around him. Joe kept whining all week for my other roommate to let him sleep with him. So I noticed that my roommate probably wasn't home, so I let Joe sleep in my room. As I dozed off, but woke up to see him tearing apart both of my pillows and feathers were flying all around the room.

In a fit of rage, I scolded him firmly, to which he growled and showed his teeth, and I told him, "Joe! Look what you did!" It seemed that he didn't seem to care or showed submission to me, so I poked his head twice. The second time I did, he bit my hand very hard that I immediately started bleeding, and without thinking, I smacked the dog back. I'm pretty sure I got him pretty good, because he yelped really loud, and started showing immediate signs of submission. (Tail tucked behind legs, whale eyes, and lowering his body while licking me constantly, and whining.)

I felt really bad, and I couldn't help but think what a piece of !@#$ I was. Nowadays, whenever I see the dog, he sometimes runs up to my door whenever I open it, and sometimes he doesn't. I have noticed lately that whenever I pet him, he seems very scared. He shows me clear signs of submissive behavior and displays signs of cowering or licking his lips a lot whenever he's close to me. Whenever I make eye contact, he immediately averts eye contact, and yawns when he's close to me.

It's very weird, because he'll follow me around the house, and is always excited to see me when I open the door at home from work. He'll run up to me when I sit on the coach or squeeze between my legs when I'm laying down. But there are times where he shows me that he's really scared of me, and I feel awful.

I don't particularly like the dog, because he is very clingy, and is the strangest dog I have ever been around. (He was always strange even before I put my hands on him.) But I still feel horrible for what I did, and have no idea how to go from here.

I know I should give him space, and leave him alone while trying to give him treats to build up trust.

I thought about taking walks with him, but the owners don't have flea medicine, plus he's a stay home dog that has been acclimated to staying indoors, even though I can tell he gets jealous whenever I walk Anna.

What do you guys think?


Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: SHAQATTACK on November 16, 2018, 04:36:53 PM
Well,  a simular thing happened with our first dog 35 years ago.   The dog reacted to my stern command by showing her teeth .  I knocked her silly , no blood or broken bones   I was down on myself for a long time and wished I did not do it .  Time healed all and improved the relationship 100 %,  each situation perosn and animal and breed
is unique .  I now believe i might have actually done the correct thing for that dog.  NEVER EVER did she show an hostile attitude toward me or anybody .  She was only 1 or so.when it happened  Basically i set the pecking order set straight with that over reaction of mine .  She loved me dearly for the next 14 years,  never did i even speak loud to her .  She became my loyal and trusted friend.   Dogs do this in the wild , they fall into a pack structure . She understood loud and clear who top dog was.  You re in her home and thats harder situation  , but being an adult human you need to establish your place ..one above the animals if going to live there....thats difficult with somebodys elses home and animals..  .  It was a learning experience,  treat it as that. don't dwellon negitive thoughts   Don 't be timid ,be  strong, but show  strength though kindness.

Dogs want you make up ...its a pack thing ,  they are at ease knowing where they fit in.   Sounds like , it was not clear with the dog that you are above its pay grade and command the respect.   You are now in the position above hime and have the ability to allow a make up to occur. .  So make up and make best of the situaion till you can get your own crib and dog.  I would discussit with the owner and explain yo need their sopport to  Respect they give you ....WILL be noticed by the dogs.....and they recognize this power input

Once your there long enough ,  you ll become more respected as part of the pack.   

Dogs read every emotion , and can react to sudden movements , sligjt tone difference in voice ,  your emotional state.....they react to alot of subtle inputs . 

The easiest way to survive is to work at being friends daily , not just once in a while ,  make effort to be happy around the dog or postive .  They sense negativity or if you are worried o upset.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Roy H. on November 16, 2018, 04:47:50 PM
I’m not opposed to reasonable corporal punishment for children, so I certainly don’t judge for people who use it on their dog in appropriate situations.

The only judgment I have is that it was somebody else’s dog. 
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Monkhouse on November 16, 2018, 04:58:50 PM
Well,  a simular thing happened with our first dog 35 years ago.   The dog reacted to my stern command by showing his teeth .  I knocked him silly .  I was down on myself for a long time and wished it did not do it .  Overtime , each situation perosn and animal is unique .  I now believe i might have actually done the correct thing for that dog.  NEVER EVER did she show an hostile attitude toward me or anybody .  She was only 1 or so.  Basically i set the pecking order with that over reaction of mine .  She loved me dearly for the next 14 years.   So dogs fall into order easier than others in the chain of command .  It was a learning experience .  Imexpect it will,be for you too. 

Dogs want you make up ...its a pack thing .  So make up abd make best of the situaion till you can get your own crib and dog.

I see, the dog was still very submissive even before I hit him. I'm 100% sure that the roommates hitting him for eating the feathers, and never walking the dog has led to him to become anxious and extremely clingy. Plus the other dog coming into his life, and completely stealing everything, and being more dominant probably made him submissive.

But what I'm getting from your response, is that the dogs need to see who the pack leader is? So I set an example, and now he knows that I'm the alpha? I didn't want to be perceived that way by force, which is why I'm trying to find what I can do to fix that.

I’m not opposed to reasonable corporal punishment for children, so I certainly don’t judge for people who use it on their dog in appropriate situations.

The only judgment I have is that it was somebody else’s dog. 

I do agree, which is why I felt bad. I mentioned this to my roommates, the owner of the dog, and while they were a little upset, they understood that I didn't mean to injure the dog.

I'm just trying to figure out the best way to regain the dog's trust.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: KG Living Legend on November 16, 2018, 05:28:06 PM

 Wouldn't give it another second of thought personally.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: gouki88 on November 16, 2018, 05:33:27 PM
Honestly, you didn’t do the wrong thing really. If a dog bites you telling it off tends to do little. You don’t want to him in the face, because (besides the obvious cruelty) it conditions them to thinking they’ll be hit anytime they’re patted. But a hit to the rear is generally a good way to dissuade the behaviour.

It’s understandable that you feel bad though. Hell, I feel bad if I accidentally step on my dogs foot. I think the best course of action is to try and be affectionate towards the dog now, so that it doesn’t think you hate it.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Celtics4ever on November 16, 2018, 05:42:56 PM
Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill.  What you did was react to being bitten that does not make you a bad person.  Same thing happened to me, once and I hit the dog as a reaction.   I have only been bitten twice in 50 years and dogs generally like me.   Both times I was bitten by poodles which I avoid now to prevent stuff from happening.

Sometimes our actions are instincts is what I am trying to say.   The dog bit you hard and you reacted.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Monkhouse on November 16, 2018, 05:44:48 PM
Honestly, you didn’t do the wrong thing really. If a dog bites you telling it off tends to do little. You don’t want to him in the face, because (besides the obvious cruelty) it conditions them to thinking they’ll be hit anytime they’re patted. But a hit to the rear is generally a good way to dissuade the behaviour.

It’s understandable that you feel bad though. Hell, I feel bad if I accidentally step on my dogs foot. I think the best course of action is to try and be affectionate towards the dog now, so that it doesn’t think you hate it.

 Wouldn't give it another second of thought personally.

Yeah... Not gonna lie, I definitely smacked the dog in the face, and honestly pretty dang hard. Initially, after he bit me, it sort of hurt, but I was more in shock at getting bit, and how much blood was pooling, and already dripping onto my bed sheets that I sort of saw red. Like I said, I have no excuse for what I did.

What course of actions would be recommended to regain trust?
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Neurotic Guy on November 16, 2018, 05:47:11 PM
I’m not opposed to reasonable corporal punishment for children, so I certainly don’t judge for people who use it on their dog in appropriate situations.

The only judgment I have is that it was somebody else’s dog.

Well I think Monkhouse’s point was partly that the “corporal punishment” he applied wasn’t reasoned and measured, it was angry and impulsive.   Thus (I think) this why he feels so bad, and perhaps why Monkhouse seems worried that the dog was traumatized by the hit. 

I’m not judging and have no idea what you can do — other than try, over time, to show him that it won’t happen again.  But it does sound like a dog with some problems to begin with. My daughter owns a rescued dog — and despite years with her, the dog is still skittish— has some probably permanently ingrained neuropathways that won’t change.

 You’re a good guy for caring.  Good luck.  Sounds like a dog psychiatrist might be a good investment by the owners.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: gouki88 on November 16, 2018, 06:03:25 PM
Honestly, you didn’t do the wrong thing really. If a dog bites you telling it off tends to do little. You don’t want to him in the face, because (besides the obvious cruelty) it conditions them to thinking they’ll be hit anytime they’re patted. But a hit to the rear is generally a good way to dissuade the behaviour.

It’s understandable that you feel bad though. Hell, I feel bad if I accidentally step on my dogs foot. I think the best course of action is to try and be affectionate towards the dog now, so that it doesn’t think you hate it.

 Wouldn't give it another second of thought personally.

Yeah... Not gonna lie, I definitely smacked the dog in the face, and honestly pretty dang hard. Initially, after he bit me, it sort of hurt, but I was more in shock at getting bit, and how much blood was pooling, and already dripping onto my bed sheets that I sort of saw red. Like I said, I have no excuse for what I did.

What course of actions would be recommended to regain trust?
In terms of specific actions I’m not too sure, but general warmth and physical affection is for the most part good for dogs. Not sure how else to approach it
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Roy H. on November 16, 2018, 06:08:51 PM
Quote
You’re a good guy for caring.  Good luck.  Sounds like a dog psychiatrist might be a good investment by the owners

What is a dog psychiatrist? 
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Monkhouse on November 16, 2018, 06:14:04 PM
Honestly, you didn’t do the wrong thing really. If a dog bites you telling it off tends to do little. You don’t want to him in the face, because (besides the obvious cruelty) it conditions them to thinking they’ll be hit anytime they’re patted. But a hit to the rear is generally a good way to dissuade the behaviour.

It’s understandable that you feel bad though. Hell, I feel bad if I accidentally step on my dogs foot. I think the best course of action is to try and be affectionate towards the dog now, so that it doesn’t think you hate it.

 Wouldn't give it another second of thought personally.

Yeah... Not gonna lie, I definitely smacked the dog in the face, and honestly pretty dang hard. Initially, after he bit me, it sort of hurt, but I was more in shock at getting bit, and how much blood was pooling, and already dripping onto my bed sheets that I sort of saw red. Like I said, I have no excuse for what I did.

What course of actions would be recommended to regain trust?
In terms of specific actions I’m not too sure, but general warmth and physical affection is for the most part good for dogs. Not sure how else to approach it

Yeah it's pretty tough, as I mentioned before, the owners do not WALK the dog nor does Joe even play fetch, and constantly growls and barks when you touch his stuff, not to mention that whenever I pet him, the other dog also gets jealous and will literally push the dog out of the way.

I will find other methods or toys/treats then.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Monkhouse on November 16, 2018, 06:20:02 PM
Quote
You’re a good guy for caring.  Good luck.  Sounds like a dog psychiatrist might be a good investment by the owners

What is a dog psychiatrist?

While Cesar Milan is well known for his 'Dog Whisperer,' TV show, he's more in line of what they call dog psychiatrists, or 'Animal Behaviorist.'

They figure out the root of the problem behind issues/fears, and fix them with positive reinforcements/treats/tricks.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Hank Finkel on November 16, 2018, 06:26:04 PM
The dog bit you.  If there is no consequence to biting the dog will keep doing it.  So it will understand a smack if it bites and hopefully wont do it again.  It’s not like your smacking the dog for no reason.  I wouldn’t think about it another second. Myself,  I would still be p---ed the dog chewed up my stuff and bit me even after i smacked it. 
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: nickagneta on November 16, 2018, 06:26:18 PM
I wouldn't worry about it Monkhouse it was a natural reaction to violence on your person. Whether it be an animal or human, if someone or something attacks you its human nature to defend oneself and fight back.

I do have to say that the dog is not being treated properly for anyone to expect poor behavior from the dog. Dogs need exercise, especially athletic dogs and natural aggressive breeds. Even a Yorkie is a terrier and needs to be exercised every day. The reason he is destroying things is he has so much spent up energy and is acting out to release that energy. Exercise is the snswer.

Also, walking the dog will give the owner a much better way to show the dog who is boss and how to behave based on commands and how to interact with other dogs and people. A properly walked dog that's trained with a lease gets very confident and acts out very little. I would also recommend getting a kennel crate, a place that is just the dog's where they can sleep at night or be in when everyone is out of the house. Lastly, trying to train a dog by hitting it in the face is not training, it is abuse and like people, the dog can become scarred and act out via biting, urinating, or become terrorized. Well, humans won't urinate but you know what I mean. Also, a few professional training lessons go a long way.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Erik on November 16, 2018, 07:23:15 PM
Dogs are pack animals. When he showed teeth he was challenging your place in the pack (the house). Dogs should always know that they are below ALL humans in the world. They can fight it out all they want to see who the most important dog is, but humans should not be challenged by a dog from a responsible dog owner. While there were lots of options for you to remind him of this reality, your choice was a perfectly reasonable one. It’s not abuse at all. Abuse in my opinion is owning a dog who will bite humans without being absolutely cornered. The reason being is eventually someone will press charges and the animal will be put down.

You’re fine. You should be more upset that the dog bit you. Their owners are not responsible dog owners. We’re lucky they don’t own dangerous dogs. The dog won’t resent you for showing him you’re above him. They actually get somewhat more relaxed knowing it.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: nickagneta on November 16, 2018, 07:25:28 PM
Dogs are pack animals. When he showed teeth he was challenging your place in the pack (the house). Dogs should always know that they are below ALL humans in the world. They can fight it out all they want to see who the most important dog is, but humans should not be challenged by a dog from a responsible dog owner. While there were lots of options for you to remind him of this reality, your choice was a perfectly reasonable one. It’s not abuse at all. Abuse in my opinion is owning a dog who will bite humans without being absolutely cornered. The reason being is eventually someone will press charges and the animal will be put down.

You’re fine. You should be more upset that the dog bit you. Their owners are not responsible dog owners. We’re lucky they don’t own dangerous dogs.
Well said.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: tarheelsxxiii on November 16, 2018, 07:53:48 PM
Quote
You’re a good guy for caring.  Good luck.  Sounds like a dog psychiatrist might be a good investment by the owners

What is a dog psychiatrist?

While Cesar Milan is well known for his 'Dog Whisperer,' TV show, he's more in line of what they call dog psychiatrists, or 'Animal Behaviorist.'

They figure out the root of the problem behind issues/fears, and fix them with positive reinforcements/treats/tricks.

You may both benefit from laying the poor thing down and asking him about his puppyhood, ya slap-happy savages. 
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: KungPoweChicken on November 16, 2018, 10:19:51 PM
You feel guilty because you know you did a cowardly thing. Please learn from it and do better to control your emotions in the future.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: KGs Knee on November 16, 2018, 10:33:27 PM
You didn't really do anything wrong, per se, so there's really nothing to feel guilty about. There are more effective means to get your point across to this dog, however, as has been mentioned by others.

The bottom line is, dogs cannot be allowed to bite humans, period. When a dog does, punishment is in order, otherwise they ain't going to learn their boundaries.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: KGs Knee on November 16, 2018, 10:41:36 PM
You feel guilty because you know you did a cowardly thing. Please learn from it and do better to control your emotions in the future.

I find it curious that your response to someone who made themselves vulnerable by sharing a personal story, was to act like a jerk.

Hopefully you'll be treated a bit better if you ever decide to put yourself out there as the OP did.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: GreenEnvy on November 17, 2018, 02:33:02 AM
Prob shoulda been smacked sooner, dog sounded annoying and doesn’t sound as much anymore.

I saw my dad hit my dog once and he turned out to be a really bad dog, always wondered if that contributed to his issues as he got older.

I think he was trying to be alpha with you and you changed that.

It’s not animal abuse, I wouldn’t sweat it.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: gouki88 on November 17, 2018, 02:39:10 AM
You feel guilty because you know you did a cowardly thing. Please learn from it and do better to control your emotions in the future.

I find it curious that your response to someone who made themselves vulnerable by sharing a personal story, was to act like a jerk.

Hopefully you'll be treated a bit better if you ever decide to put yourself out there as the OP did.
The dude pretty routinely trolls, so I can’t say I’m too shocked
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: JSD on November 17, 2018, 06:51:33 AM
I don’t think you did anything wrong. Based on what you said, you were in the wild dealing with an animal who became aggressive and threatening. You acted in self defense. Nothing to worry about
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: kraidstar on November 17, 2018, 07:26:54 AM
The owner is the problem, not you.

Tell your roommate to start watching the "Dog Whisperer." Cesar Milan has great insights into leadership and the pack mentality. After watching that show my skills with dogs improved immeasurably. Heck, even my cats follow my commands with minimal fuss. Once they realize you are engaged and are in control, they happily fall in line.

Also tell him he needs to start walking the dog. Walking IMO is by far the best training technique. When done properly it teaches the dog to follow its owner's lead - this mentality leads to huge benefits. It also allows the dog to blow off steam and it creates more frequent social situations for the animal.

Walking is inherently social - and dogs love the outdoors. Dogs inevitably learn to love walking, and by extension they get more comfortable being around others.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: JSD on November 17, 2018, 05:24:07 PM
This thread reminds me of that Will Ferrell skit.

https://youtu.be/MI6Jmgb04lU
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Big333223 on November 17, 2018, 07:11:11 PM
Well I thought this thread was going to be about you running over a dog with your car, so this is much better.

I don't think hitting a dog is an unreasonable reaction to being bitten. Your reaction sounds fine to me.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: fairweatherfan on November 17, 2018, 08:25:49 PM
If a dog bares its teeth and lashes out when you aren't being threatening, it's generally asserting higher status than you. The acting out by destroying and stealing your things is right in line with that too.

Clearing up the pecking order is a pretty rational response in that situation. The #1 "right thing" to do would be to physically pin it until it submits but unless you know what you're doing it might've gotten you a couple more times in the process so a good swat across the chops isn't a bad alternative.

You should never hurt a dog maliciously or sadistically or just anytime it isn't doing what you want, but it doesn't seem like you did any of those, and feeling bad about it is a pretty natural response for someone who isn't that kind of malicious person. And sounds like the dog got the message. Chalk it up as a necessary evil and watch the dog's signals more carefully in the future, as it'll hopefully be watching yours.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Redz on November 17, 2018, 08:32:40 PM
I have a hundred pound Rottie who is absolutely terrified by the threat of being flicked in the nose. It’s pretty funny.  No actual contact necessary when she is getting too big for her britches. 
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: SHAQATTACK on November 17, 2018, 09:14:57 PM
opps wrong thread
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Erik on November 17, 2018, 09:40:02 PM
“Too big for her britches” is perfect. Similar to fair weather fan, my general go to move when that happens is putting my dog on her back and staring into her eyes. 5 seconds of struggling from that position and she’s submissive again. She usually walks away looking sad and then comes back to me and licks my hand. My friends think that I’m really strange, but it’s a very similar move to what “mother dog” does when her pups get out of line.

Another tip is to never lose a “physical game” with your dog: Tug of war with a sock, etc.  I usually give her a fighting chance amd then pull it hard for the win. Never let your dog enter a room before you. Never let your dog get on top of you. Never sleep on a lower surface than your dog. If the dog sleeps on your bed (I don’t recommend it, make sure it’s at the foot). I know that it sounds like harsh and people love their dogs, but I’m telling you they look for signs of weakness to takeover your spot in the pack. The more you let the dog think it’s more important than you, the more corrections you have to make. Also if the dog thinks that it is the head of the house pack, the dog will challenge humans elsewhere in public.

I always watch in amazement as I see dogs walking their humans - pulling their leash, especially if it’s a big dog. I don’t go anywhere near those animals as they are dangerous.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Ogaju on November 17, 2018, 09:47:19 PM
Erik, may I ask where and how you learned so  much about dogs your posts are very enlightening. I will start watching for dogs that walk their owners.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: Erik on November 17, 2018, 09:54:52 PM
I got in over my head as a first time owner with a really stubborn breed. After making so many mistakes, I just spent months of research. There’s a ton of resources on the internet.

At the end of the day, if you can not control your dog, it can die: getting off leash, not listening to you and either biting someone or getting hit by a car. I just had to commit the time to make sure that I wouldn’t let down my dog. They need you.
Title: Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
Post by: nickagneta on November 17, 2018, 11:46:48 PM
I have a hundred pound Rottie who is absolutely terrified by the threat of being flicked in the nose. It’s pretty funny.  No actual contact necessary when she is getting too big for her britches.
Yeah, as most old timers here know, I have had boxers for the last 20 years. One of the most athletic dogs with one of the most powerful bites. They get mistaken for pit bulls all the time by people who aren't dog people.

But all three of those dogs would flinch just from getting a mean look from anyone in my family, even the kids when they were young. But man, they were protective of the people they knew when people they didn't know acted the least bit threatening.

But I trained them and exercised them very well and every day. Every day was a new learning lesson for them for the first 5 years of their lives. And, in the house around not only the direct family but also the extended family, they were just 80 pound lap dogs. Athletic goofy loving piles of muscular mush. But it was all in the training, which to be honest, is less about training the dog and more about training the owners.