Face pawing

[We5Kings]

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this annoying problem?
There is a dog in our village who seems always to want to paw Dudes face! She likes to sort of lock her front paws round his neck! Needless to say Dude doesn't like it,but, being a gentle chap,just stands looking hang dog when it happens.This happens when both dogs are on lead. Dude is bigger, and the other is a 2year old mini doodle rescue bitch. I have tried various "polite"things such as just pulling Dude away and making our escape. I have said "he doesn't like it" hoping the owner will take the hint, but to no avail. We now keep our eyes peeled and do our best to avoid them! The woman says things like "Oh look it's Dude, you want to cuddle him don't you!"
Anyway, my question is, Why does the other dog do this? I know little pups like to paw faces but this isn't a pup. Anny

[Ianto!]

As per usual, Anny... no solution from me! But, as I've discovered recently with our younger lad, sometimes being brutally honest is the way to go. The little one has become hand-shy, due to people lungeing at his head because he's 'cute'. Unfortunately, I hadn't realised just how much it was affecting him. Now I have to tell people bluntly not to touch him... being polite just didn't work, they ignored my requests. Perhaps you just need to tell this woman straight out that Dude doesn't like her dog's behaviour and that she needs to stop her doing it?

Anne, Ianto & Wyre x

[We5Kings]

You are right... No more politeness! I've told her Dude doesn't like it many times... I need to ramp up my Anny Anger and tell her to teach her dog some manners!! ( Doesn't it drive you nuts when people talk through their dogs? "Dude needs a cuddle"etc! )

[Ianto!]

....or to your dogs instead of you.... I got back to my OH and the lads in the Chatsworth Stable yard today, to find him chatting to a couple... He'd told them that the little one is nervous and needs to be given some space. She leaned right into the pup's face, looked directly into his eyes and said, "Oh, but you're so cute, aren't you?" When I interposed myself between the puppy and her, she said, "Oh, now you have two people to protect you!" She could have added, 'and one of them isn't smiling any more....'
H'mmm, perhaps I should start pawing people's faces....!

Anne, Ianto & Wyre x

I like the idea of Anny Anger... I call it 'Putting My Big Girl's Pants On...'

[Bid]

It's amazing how people approach a dog with their hands over the heads and no dog likes it! Anne, is your little one OK with a hand under the chin or on the chest? Daisy is like that but OK with a lowered hand approaching her, and I was thinking that it is sometimes easier to tell someone what your dog will accept than asking them to keep away. It's the same training people as dogs really - train them what you do want rather than what you don't

[Ianto!]

He's got so hand-shy now Bid, that I am trying to give him some space. At the moment, he doesn't like anyone approaching him - if they ignore him, he may approach them and then, if they are sensitive enough to take it slowly and maybe eventually stroke his chest or chin, he is fine. It has to be on his terms.

You are right about using positive language though, rather than negative terms - although it's very difficult at times to remember (especially if they've managed to creep up behind us...) I'm a little bit like the cowboy in the saloon now; back to the wall, eye on the door... whilst trying not to let him pick up on it. The best person I met just sat down on the ground to the side of him, didn't look in his direction and put a small treat down on the floor for him - he liked her!

I have asked friends to treat him without looking directly at him, or trying to touch him which has been very successful - they don't hunt him down, just hold one down in case he wants to come and take it. It's early days, and we usually try to make sure that we aren't somewhere where he feels over-whelmed. I've also given him a short back and sides to try and remove a certain amount of the 'cuteness' (but with a dood, that's hard.)

The biggest problem is, no matter what, people always seem to want to be 'the One' that he is comfortable with...

Could you suggest something positive that I can use to ensure that they back off, please? Most things tend to begin with, 'He doesn't like', or 'please don't'... "He prefers to be let alone" sounds a little Garbo-esque....

Most of them are so determined, that polite requests are ignored and I have to be more proactive. Once or twice, I have be tempted to go all Sigourney Weaver's Ripley -as in, "Back off, b*tch!!" Fortunately, I have resisted the urge... I also try to redirect their attentions to his brother, as Ianto loves fuss - and sometimes, Wyre has decided that if Iant is being fussed, he wants some too...

Anne, Ianto & Wyre x

[Bid]

Can you teach him to sit behind you? It's a very useful command for when you see a dog approaching that you don't like the look of, and I am sure it would work just as well for people you don't like the look of as well!

[Ianto!]

Thanks, Bid. I'll start on it... at the moment, I tend to step in front of him to block them so this way, he will be doing some of the work! He does learn very quickly, he just needs his 'trainer' to be better at what she does...
Anne, Ianto & Wyre x

Edited to add: Sorry for hi-jacking your post, Anny. x

[We5Kings]

Not at all Anne! The wonder of this forum is how one thing leads to another... and another
Today we were in town where there were plenty of other dogs( lots of Cockerpoos today)and not one of them did the paws on face thing to Mr Dude, so we had a v nice time Dude comes into shops with me and enjoys a browse as much as I do! Anny and Dude

[suzi23173]

Anne- Could you use one of those leads or bandanas that say I need space or shy or I bite bu##er off?
Seems a shame to make him wear his heart on his sleeve but might be the quickest way to get it across. Xx

Edit- just had a quick look on eBay and there are lots- nervous, Give me space, Shy etc...

[Ianto!]

Wow! Would that you could take our dogs into the local shops, Anny! They are welcome in most in Bakewell... and lots of pubs!

I'd definitely like one of those bu##er off! bandanas, suzi....! He has a yellow ribbon on his lead but that depends upon people understanding what it means. I'm getting him a 'Nervous' sleeve for his lead, from yellowdoguk.co.uk and am looking into getting him a tabard made too - just need to work on the positive wording for it... I'd like to say, 'In training: please do not distract' but as Bid says, people tend not to take negative wording on board. I'm wondering if 'In training: Please ignore me' would work better...? I don't want to label him as a nasty dog, just get people to give him space.

Anne, Ianto & Wyre x

[We5Kings]

What about " Too shy for stroking" Or "Shy guy, pass me by"? Down here in Somerset people ask " Can I smooth your dog?"( smooth, pronounced "smoove"= Stroke)so it would say "Move, don't smoove!" As you say, he's shy, not aggressive! "Please pass by, because I'm shy" maybe?
Regarding shopping with Dude some towns are better than others. Street in Somerset is brilliant. Falmouth is great. In fact Cornwall is very dog friendly.I always ask "Can we both come in?" and usually it's a Yes! Anny

[Bid]

In my experience, if you have a jacket with wording on, people get really close to read it!

[Ianto!]

I love your suggestions, Anny! ...What about, 'Help me! And leave me be...' ?

It's true Bid, people do move in to read a jacket - I've been known to strain my eyes a little to read what's on a lead sleeve (though from a distance...) But as they're moving in close anyway, I may as well take advantage of it! Though I'm going to have to make sure it's in large print...

Anne, Ianto & Wyre x

[Pollydoodle]

Hmm, how about a "Rolled in fox poo this morning! " Anne, you could wear a shirt with same printed thereon. Sure folks would understand you are referring to the dog, of course.

Anny, re paws on neck I understood this as part of the bossy dog ritual.May explain why Dude is not too pleased.
If was me I would unceremoniously remove the other dog if I thought the dog was 'safe'.
I am also one of those that will block another dog if it approaches like this and the owner is uncooperative.