# Dealing with idiots



## Adam Rawlings (Feb 27, 2009)

Just wondering if anyone else has neighbors that think owning and training the type of dogs we all own is a bad thing? I have a couple of idiots in my area that talk shit behind my back about what we do here. Making the dogs dangerous, psycho dogs you get the point. I don't lose any sleep over it because these people are just typical got nothing better to do types that like to meddle in everyone elses business. I'm not a social kind of guy anyway so it actually works out well for me that I don't have to engage in mindless conversations with these people.:lol: I live in a remote area on 10 acres and our reason for moving here was to have the space for the dogs (and the great fishing).

Any similar experiences?


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Adam Rawlings said:


> Just wondering if anyone else has neighbors that think owning and training the type of dogs we all own is a bad thing? I have a couple of idiots in my area that talk shit behind my back about what we do here. Making the dogs dangerous, psycho dogs you get the point. I don't lose any sleep over it because these people are just typical got nothing better to do types that like to meddle in everyone elses business. I'm not a social kind of guy anyway so it actually works out well for me that I don't have to engage in mindless conversations with these people.:lol: I live in a remote area on 10 acres and our reason for moving here was to have the space for the dogs (and the great fishing).
> 
> Any similar experiences?



Neighbors hell! Sounds like my WIFE!:lol::lol::lol:


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## Danielle Wagner (Dec 6, 2009)

We live in a very snobby neighborhood, where most everyone believes a dog shouldn't be over 10 lbs, most either don't have animals or have teenie chihuahuas. They were also horrified that I use a prong collar on Bevo, one lady told me I was an animal abuser and said that I need to clicker train him for him to really obey me. :-k Maybe I should try clicker training? \\/


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Not in my neighborhood, both neighbors to the side have pitbulls and one side has almost demolished our fence between the yards because of their dogs hitting it trying to get to me out in the yard, so I don't expect any of them to bother me about my dogs.


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## Mike Lauer (Jul 26, 2009)

very few people understand even how to make their dog not jump on visitors, how can we expect them to understand what we do?

if people give me that attitude i just say all dogs bite, i train mine to listen to me when they want to
and leave it at that, they will never get it

they are cousins to the people who cant believe you could actually eat meat, or the ones who cant believe you let your kids play football

i am like you, I have lived in my house about 17 years and i dont even know who lives int he house across the street. I assume its the same guy all this time the car is the same. The guys on either side i have seen on lawn mowers but dont talk to them


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## Loren Leffew (May 11, 2009)

lol, I sorta was that kind of person.  One of my mom's friends trained her dog for protection sports, and I was thinking how crazy that was. But instead of being a butt about it, I went and looked it up. Watched an actual trial. Now, I'm hooked, lol, and that person is one of my best friends.\\/


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## georgia estes (Nov 3, 2009)

We live in a snobby neighborhood too so when I decided on a club training day in my back yard, I invited the neighbors.  I do the same with the wild parties I throw. 8)


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## Jonathan Katz (Jan 11, 2010)

The title of this thread is very misleading. I thought it was going to be about Jeff Oehlsen. LOL


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## Danielle Wagner (Dec 6, 2009)

georgia estes said:


> We live in a snobby neighborhood too so when I decided on a club training day in my back yard, I invited the neighbors.  I do the same with the wild parties I throw. 8)


Good idea!


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## Adam Rawlings (Feb 27, 2009)

Lee H Sternberg said:


> Neighbors hell! Sounds like my WIFE!:lol::lol::lol:


I really hope your wife doesn't ever see this considering the thread title.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Adam Rawlings said:


> I really hope your wife doesn't ever see this considering the thread title.


I forgot about the idiot part. If she sees that I'm in a bit of trouble. She really doesn't "get" why I would teach dogs to bite people. 

She does not interfere but thinks I'm the IDIOT for doing that.


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## Gina Pasieka (Apr 25, 2010)

I also live in a snobby neighborhood with an HOA....what a mistake that was! When people ask me what I do with him, I just tell them obedience training. I won't even open the protection can of worms. They are already horrified that he is in a run outside...the same run it took them 3 months to allow me to have :roll:


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

I live in the city and I keep my dogs biting hobby on the QT the less stupids that know he is trained to bite the better I want no troubles or shit from stupids.


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## sam wilks (May 3, 2009)

My neighbors have called the cops and spca over 30 times so far. They complain about the dogs barking, but its really because they know what they are used for. Plus I usually train in my yard twice a week.I finally called the captain of the spca and he is gonna set them straight. Then there is my wife who does not understand why I have to have more than one dog or why I get a puppy and when I do its because its a nice cross. She won the battle with the coonhounds who bawled 24 hours a day and only changed the tone of their bawling when wearing bark collars


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## jack van strien (Apr 9, 2009)

My closest neigbour here in Thailand is an American who told me my malinois looks a little inbred!!!!?????
It is ok for his dogs to bark at me but if my dog barks at him he gets all angry and swears a lot!!!
I dont deal with him at all but because the dollar is very low(another thread) he may soon run out of money and go back to where ever he came from.Can t wait!!!


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I have a great advantage over some of my idiotic pet dog owning neighbours. In the 30 years we've lived here with 5 very large and strong dogs, none of them has bitten a human being which is more than they can say.


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

I try to keep the barking in my yard to a minimum so I don't bother my neighbours, so I don't do much training at home. Yard is too small anyway. My next door neighbour had a former border patrol dog when he was younger and before he came to Canada, so he thinks my dogs are cool. Plus my dogs are pretty social, so they just seem like ordinary dogs to most people, not psycho killing machines.

On the other hand, friend with a large, dark sable male GSD had someone call the local animal control to report that she was keeping an illegal wolf cross.


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## Lloyd Kasakoff (Jun 15, 2008)

Back in the day when we lived in a somewhat affluent neighborhood in Massachusetts, we lived in a neighborhood with over 100 acres of forest in a circle. All of us had yards in common, with probably 1 in 50 having them fenced off. 

Our neighbor was a runner, and had been bitten by a dog. A grown man in his 50's, terrified of all dogs, righteously passing his dog fears to his now 16 year old internet surfing son. 

We had placed 6 blinds in our backyard, along with an A frame, a hurdle, tunnels, and many obstacles around. The dogs were kept in 8' by 10' kennels (which Pia now has - hello, Pia!). Imagine his horror when discovering that his neighbors were bringing in an "attack dog training school to Hopkinton, MA, in an unprotected yard". Poor putz. 

His first introduction to us while he was mowing his lawn. He very frustratingly stopped his mowing to march across to our backyard, and interrogate us on our activities while trespassing on our yard. After being polite, he went back to his "security fortress". 

Several weeks later, while at work, all the dogs went crazy while I was at work. She went out to check to see what the barking was about, only to find our neighbor banging on the kennels, screaming, getting the dogs amped up. "What are you doing?" She asked. "I was told that if I made myself larger than life and confronted the dogs, they'd understand that I'm the alpha male, and that it's their job to be submissive!". Trespassing to conduct a self-therapy session was not a good idea. 

After the cops were notified, he denied trespassing, talking, banging on the kennels, and all. Some people will never overcome their p*ssification. 

Days later, he called Animal Control to notify them that we were running a breeding kennel our of the backyard; the neighbor hadn't counted on the fact that a breeding/kennel license started at 9 dogs, and the animal control lad raised chickens, pigs, and donkeys in his back yard along with 8 dogs.

After the police trespassing encounter, we never heard from him again, and he drove off elsewhere to run instead of walk out of his house.

Sad.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I now live in a corner house with next to nothing back yard. I never did bite work at home but always do AKC type obedience on my large side yard. Jumps, retrieves, heeling, hand signals, scent retrieve, etc.
The many neighborhood walkers and dog walkers think my dogs are "adorable" :roll: so I'll live with that.
I reward with a tug and a few have freaked a bit over that.
"Your going to make your dog mean letting them bite that thing". SIIIIGH!
Can't win em all!


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> I now live in a corner house with next to nothing back yard. I never did bite work at home but always do AKC type obedience on my large side yard. Jumps, retrieves, heeling, hand signals, scent retrieve, etc.
> The many neighborhood walkers and dog walkers think my dogs are "adorable" :roll: so I'll live with that.
> I reward with a tug and a few have freaked a bit over that.
> "Your going to make your dog mean letting them bite that thing". SIIIIGH!
> Can't win em all!


I'm really lucky . I was desperate to find a place to rent during my divorce . Couldn't find anything and was planning on giving up my dog and going back to patrol . 

I called on a townhome in a very nice neighborhood for my kids . When I called they stated they had mistakenly advertised it allowing pets . When I told them I had a PSD she said they'd make an exception. 

Later after moving in , the townhome association president stopped by . I asked if others had complained about my squad car being parked outside . The rules state all cars must be parked in the garage but 1/2 of mine was taken up by my dog's kennell and the other my truck . He stated they better not because he likes seeing it and he'll tell them to get bent . He had just stopped by to invite me to the neighborhood party . 

Been here coming up on 4 years and the last 2 they haven't raised my rent when it was time to renew the lease . Noone gets worked up about the dog and most want to meet him .


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

I had the cops called me this afternoon.

I was on my way home from training and needed to stop at the grocery store. It's still on the warm side here so I opened up the back door of my Explorer, locked my crates and walked in the store.

When I came out, there was a cop and a woman at my truck. She was telling the police officer that I have vicious dogs and they tried to bite her.

The ONLY way they could possibly get bit is to stick their fingers inside the crates. Still there was no bite so there couldn't have been a try, these dogs will bark at you if you get too close to their crates. This woman was full of shit and trying to get me in trouble.

Anyway, I showed the cop my set up and how the dogs can not break out and the doors were locked. At that point he basically told the woman and her kids to STFU about and she should be sticking her hands in the crate. 

I pulled the mali out to meet the kids. Then she telling me the cop that I am guilty of animal abuse because I'm starving my dogs. She then says she's seen people do this before and that type of person is the kind that is into dog fighting.

The cop said the dogs looks just like the dogs at the station.

IDIOTS


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Chris Michalek said:


> I had the cops called me this afternoon.
> 
> I was on my way home from training and needed to stop at the grocery store. It's still on the warm side here so I opened up the back door of my Explorer, locked my crates and walked in the store.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the club . I've been complained about for various things like leaving my K9 unattended in my squad , leaving my squad running unattended with the dog in the back , my dog barking from the squad , my squads window tint being too dark . I'm sure something new will come up before I retire from K9 .

The starving thing is funny . I've heard that said about my dogs and others in the unit all the time . They're not use to seeing dogs at the proper weight . It's usually followed by " Well my dog weighs 100 some pounds. " and I fight the urge to tell them that their dog is fat then .


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

I actually get agrivated about the wolf dog question I view my dogs structure and coat color as being GERMAN SHEPHERD not the joke/sadsack of bones people are confused about.
Oh yeah hes to skinny has come up but I get many compliments on his fitness and structure from working dog people. 
I used to explain and try and educate now I just keep moving


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## Sue Calkins (Nov 5, 2009)

Chris Michalek said:


> Then she telling me the cop that I am guilty of animal abuse because I'm starving my dogs. IDIOTS


When people tell me they think my dogs are a little thin, I usually respond by pointing out how most people are on a diet, but they keep their pets fat, and point out that my dogs are athletes - not sumo wrestlers.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Sue Calkins said:


> When people tell me they think my dogs are a little thin, I usually respond by pointing out how most people are on a diet, but they keep their pets fat, and point out that my dogs are athletes - not sumo wrestlers.


I just tell people I live vicariously though my dog.


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## Lloyd Kasakoff (Jun 15, 2008)

When we first moved into Orange County, the lady next door, who makes it her business to be the neighborhood gossip and thinks she owns the hill we live on, decided to get worked up about our dogs. 

It didn't take long before complaints began to be made to Animal Services; Joy, from LBPD/Animal Services, readily told Sally Wilde, our complaining neighbor at the time, that "Schutzhund Dogs" are attack dogs, that if the dogs escaped they would attack her, and any dogs in the neighborhood. The only reason people do Schutzhund training is to get attack dogs and that our dogs would actively try to escape and attack everyone in the neighborhood, as dogs are actively trained to be aggressive. As people, we fit a particular "profile", and she should be "scared". Mind you, one of our dogs was a service dog, and we were doing ringsport...but the details are immaterial. 

We have since worked out some of our differences with our neighbor, who told us the above story. It turns out her dog barked considerably more than ours, and has since passed. 

Here's Joy from the Laguna Beach Animal Services. I wonder if Joy meets a "profile" ? Perhaps she's a cat person, and doesn't like working dogs so much...


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Mike Scheiber said:


> I actually get agrivated about the wolf dog question I view my dogs structure and coat color as being GERMAN SHEPHERD not the joke/sadsack of bones people are confused about.
> Oh yeah hes to skinny has come up but I get many compliments on his fitness and structure from working dog people.
> I used to explain and try and educate now I just keep moving


I get that alot during our 2 weeks at the state fair . People just don't want to believe it's a GSD . I explain the differences and point out the showline GSDs across the room from us . Most like the Workline better when they are able to see them side by side .


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

I have never had any problems at my home about my dogs. I made sure by talking and showing my neighbors what my dogs do and that they love kids, even kids that aren't related to me. Also one of my neighbors were getting threating phone calls. When the county showed up at her home they told her not to worry that there is three safe homes in the neighborhood and two of them were on either side of mine.

I believe that communication is the key to what we do.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

I consider myself fortunate when I read all these neighbor issues. I know all my neighbors and they know my dogs personally. They are aware of the type training the dogs received. They know the female is nuts. They know I am a responsible dog owner and that I watch my dogs closely. 

I have a young son and most of the neighbors have kids. Their all their kids often play inside my home. Not one of the neighbors ever expressed concern about whether to allow their children to play here.

Makes me kind of proud of them and me.:-D


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## Amy Swaby (Jul 16, 2008)

Here people take such shit care of their dogs + the ghetto mentality I never have an issue with neighbours. Hell I was walking down the road yesterday and someone had their "pitbull" on a chain tied to a weight or something going absolutely nuts along the line of the fence.

Barking is such a normal noise here that no one ever complains if the dog barks once or twice because the whole island is pretty much dogs barking most of the night.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Jim Nash said:


> Welcome to the club . I've been complained about for various things like leaving my K9 unattended in my squad , leaving my squad running unattended with the dog in the back , my dog barking from the squad , my squads window tint being too dark . I'm sure something new will come up before I retire from K9 .
> 
> The starving thing is funny . I've heard that said about my dogs and others in the unit all the time . They're not use to seeing dogs at the proper weight . It's usually followed by " Well my dog weighs 100 some pounds. " and I fight the urge to tell them that their dog is fat then .


We've had a PETA investigation centering around the way we confine the dogs to that little area in the Crn Vic. If I had a dollar for everytime someone told me: "I have a dog just like that, only it's bigger", I really would have a lot of dollars. We also get the complaints of: windows too dark a tint, engines running, barking dogs, the dog tried to bite me, we don't feed them enough and on and on and on. I also get the frequent offer of a free dog. It is real mean so it would make a great police dog. 

DFrost


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

That reminded me.
I had Lacey with me one day and needed to stop at the post office. I didn't realize I'd be there for an hour waiting in line - but when I got out I left my engine running with the AC going (it was summer) for her. 
Some lady comes in and says something to the effect of "who has the silver car with the dog locked inside?"

I say "that's my car and my dog, why"

She goes on and on about how cruel it is to keep a dog in the car in this heat and blah blah blah. I proceed to tell her that it's running and the air conditioning is on, and it's probably cooler than my house is right now.
So she changes it to "someone could steal your dog while you'er in here" and I just laughed and told her it would be their mistake to open my car door and I doubt she'd be very easy to steal.

My crime in the whole thing? Wasting gasoline because my car ran for about an hour waiting in line at the PO. Dog was quite cool and comfortable on the front seat when I got back.


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