"Terriers are aggressive and untrainable" - discuss *with pics*

"Terriers are aggressive and untrainable"

That's the comment I got today whilst taking Squid for a walk. :mad:

We were sat in the meadow behind my apartment, when a youngish couple walked past us. The man looked at Squid and said "hello, little doggie" so of course Squid went bouncing over to say hello. The guy bent down and started stroking him, Squid really liked him and was giving him kisses, which isn't something he does with everyone.

So this guy was telling me what a lovely little dog Squid was, and how he and his wife want to get a dog (at this point his wife was stood about 20 yards away just watching us) He called to his wife "isn't he gorgeous, come and see him!" So she walked over, and Squid started sniffing her feet, wagging his tail etc. just being friendly. And this woman just stood there, wouldnt stroke him, wouldnt even look at him :confused: I said to her, "dont worry, he wont hurt you", and she said "I just dont want him to bite me" which Squid would NEVER do, and I told her so.

We got talking, and she told me she'd love to own a dog, but not any kind of terrier, because they're "aggressive, unsociable and untrainable" and because they "cant be trusted". And this isnt because she's had a bad experience with a terrier, or because she's ever had any experience of owning a terrier, she just dislikes them, period. Needless to say, Squid and I left shortly after that.

Gah, I HATE that kind of prejudice. It's the same stupid thing people have against pitbulls. Granted, I do know a few terriers who are snappy, and some who are dog aggressive, and a lot who are hyperactive. But I know just as many who are lovely, well trained dogs.

Take my two for instance. Both Ollie and Squid, Squid especially, are lovely dogs, and I get tons of comments about how well bahaved and friendly they are.

Lets see:

They both know basic obedience (sit, stay, shake, please, speak, etc.) as well as some of the more advanced stuff.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/DSCF2040.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/DSCF4424.jpg

I can let them both off leash and know that they'll come back when I call them

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/IMG_0395.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/DSCF4603.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/DSCF4457.jpg

They both love to pose for photos and will do pretty much anything I want, if I stacked them on top of each other and told them to stay, they would!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...l/DSCF3358.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...t/DSCF2839.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...t/DSCF2826.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ndtreats37.jpg

I can put food in front of them and they wont touch it until I tell them it's ok. I could leave them in a room with a plate of food for 2 hours and I garuntee it would still be there when I got back.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ndtreats60.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ndtreats73.jpg

They both love other dogs

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/DSCF4629.jpg

And kids

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ets/squid2.jpg

And they are both generally lovely dogs. In fact, I can't think of anyone who WOULDNT want a terrier! Maybe that lady shouldn't get a dog at all ... ?

What do people think? Surely personality depends on the individual dog, not the breed? Now I know how pitbull owners feel. :rolleyes:

the lady is an idiot

Did she not realize that Squid is a terrier & was being friendly, therefore not unsociable or aggressive? DUH :rolleyes:
You should of made Squid do some tricks. LOL Shove it right in her face.

Some people:mad:

Those pics are adorable! I love them all but this one is my favorite. Way too cute! I also really love the last one in the first set. That one needs to be printed out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...t/DSCF2839.jpg

Oh my gosh they're so ferocious! I mean they're just killing me by my looking at the pictures. :D
Your dogs are soooooo cute. Give 'em all a big hug for me and don't get bit now :p

PS: Those pictures are great!

aw - great pictures! lovely to see your dogs!

my dog is a terrier and she is not aggresive either and she was best in the training class but there are time when even I think Jack Russels are untrainable :D

Oh, do I ever know how you feel!! I have been given dirty looks when I'm out with Jada and Ebony, people cross to the other side of the street when they see us coming. Those two LOVE people they would lick you to death. Thats as aggressive as they would get.;)

I was at my in laws with Ebony when we got her (she was still a little pup) their neighbors grand daughter went to pet her. Her grandma said "Dont pet that dog its a pit bull" I was so upset when she said that.. Try not to let people like that woman bother you they dont know what they are talking about..

I love the pictures. Your dogs are so adorable!!:D

I get the same thing with my two. I've heard Cockers have a reputation for being mean, but you couldn't prove it by hanging around Peej. ;) Bailey gets avoided because she's a little larger and won't hesitate to walk up to someone for them to pet her.

People like that used to bother me but now I know they're the ignorant ones and I get to keep all this sweet doggieness to myself. :D

omg so people i would of told her! ooo she those people make me mad! i love the pics tho, its so cute how they pose, sorry but OMG thast ladys so stupid! there so many terriers and she thinks there all bad! a duh then they would most liekly be banned just like they are doing to the poor pitties now! UGGGGH!! she needs tp get her facts straight before she decides to open her big mouth again!

woo glad i got that out of my system:D :D :D :D :p

I just saw the pics. OMG! They couldn't be anymore cute. :D

Oh aren't terriers the worst? :rolleyes: :D The pictures of Ollie and Squid are adorable!!

They are just adorable. :) What good boys. Yes, it hurts when you see your dog being snubbed when he/she is being good (as Squid was). Since Squid seems to like to read anyway, maybe you can get him a book that discusses prejudice and ignorance, so he will understand it is not his problem at all but the problem of the poor sad souls that harbor such feelings. Then if he is feeling up to it after that, maybe he and Oscar will pose for more pictures for us. :D

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I can't stop laughing at your photos. They're so cute and funny! I love the one reading and the "centerfold" photo is funny too. The soccer ball one is great as well. ACTUALLY, they're ALL great.

Now, would Fenway sit there and let me take pictures. No. He'd get this look on his face like I was going to give him a bath.

Is Fenway trained? Hell no. Is it my fault? Hell yes. He will sit and will do down but does he come when called? No. Does he heel? Only when he wants to. Does he rollover, give paw, high-five, play dead? Do pigs fly?

Will he attack you? Only if you're a chipmunk, squirrill or a fox. If you're a human, he will lick you to death. I've always told my family, he'd go home with Osama Bin Laden himself (and we all know, that's NOT good) if he had the chance. He's VERY friendly. He LOVES people. In fact, I get so worried sometimes because I think he's going to get snatched up by somebody if I leave him in the car (which I won't do unless I can see him - but what if I miss someone breaking into my car)? Or if somebody breaks into my house?

I've yet to meet a terrier that is mean....yappy, yes. But not mean.

Everybody who meets Fenway says, "hey look, it's Benji".

Those people you met are just plain o' dumb.

Perhaps its better that this woman *not* get a dog. If she's going to be that stupid to pin a label on any breed, she surely doesn't need to own a dog.

I, however, have the opposite problem. People see Maggy and think, "Oh how cute, just a little puppy," so they send their brats over and what's the first thing they do? Try to pick her up. Umm, NO! She doesn't like kids, let alone kids she doesn't know. Does she bite? Well, she snaps if you sneak up on her. Is she trained? Somewhat, but she is leary of strangers and keeps her distance from kids. Why doesn't she like kids? We had family over all the time when she was a puppy and what did they do? Pull her hair, tug her tail, yank her ears, etc. Heck, I wouldn't like them either. And of course, all of her behaviors are worse if I'm around.

People get so upset when I won't let their kids touch her. I'm doing you a favor, people!

BTW, your pics are just too precious!

Payson finally learned "sit" and man is he ever proud of himself! Once he learned "sit"= pets all he does is sit! He'll run right up to you, sit and look at you with those sad brown eyes wondering why you haven't started petting him yet.

:eek: OMG they are just adorable.. I love the pick with all three dogs on the couch..

your dogs are ADORABLE. i love all the photos! the one with the treats are so cute. i have never owned a terrier. only mini dachshunds, ACD, a cocker and now a toy poodle. but me and my dad want to get a rat terrier. or a jack-rat terrier. i have never heard anyone say something that bad about a terrier before. if any terrier is agrresive or unsociable it is the owners fault! (normally) that lady is an idiot! honestly, i dont remember EVER seeing a terrier in real life before. not very common around here i guess. but i think they are adorable and normally very smart.

origanally posted by elizabethann:
Is Fenway trained? Hell no. Is it my fault? Hell yes. He will sit and will do down but does he come when called? No. Does he heel? Only when he wants to. Does he rollover, give paw, high-five, play dead? Do pigs fly?

HAHA! lol thats cute, that is exactly like my toy poodle mix!

people are idiots :rolleyes: Perky is a terrier and she is really friendly, really smart, really well trained AND the first dog is Sask. to recieve a musical freestyle title.

Stupid lady. Ugh, she saw her husband playing with him and Squid was being nice and friendly. HELLOOOO duh- He's nice, he's playing with your husband. Huge clue there!! That's is almost like saying this - I'm not going to have a pet betta because they can't be with other fish. I can't have one even though it is going to be in a seperate fish tank.- Stupid lady:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:


Ps- Great Pics

Here's a thought...perhaps that woman was JEALOUS that her husband was paying more attention to Squid than her???

:D

Quote:

---

Originally posted by elizabethann
Here's a thought...perhaps that woman was JEALOUS that her husband was paying more attention to Squid than her???

:D

---

That is a great possibility. It makes sense. Hmm that lady is still stupid if she would feel jealous because the dog was making friends with her hubby. OHH well that lady seriously has jealousy issues. Your Squid is a really nice dog that just wanted to be friends. That lady is so weird.

The woman is definitely NOT a person that should own a dog of any kind. What ignorance she displayed blatantly.
Those pictures are so funny and those two can come over and terrierize;) ;) ;) me any day. They're too cute for words and I can't imagine ANYONE not loving them:D :D

They certainly look aggressive and untrainable to me!!! :D :D

My Tobey is a terrier and he's great!

Terriers are my favorite kind of dog. They have a sense of humor, love people and will try nearly anything. If you can control their digging, they make wonderful pets.

I do think the lady was jealous; any dog she saw with her husband would have had an unacceptable flaw.

Your pictures are adorable. You obviously have worked with your dogs and they have responded.

Wanna come to my house? My three will 'sit', but not much else. And I know it's my fault, not theirs.

That lady is dumb and she should not get a dog. I love my terrier and terrier mix. You know dogs can read people very well and if they aren't very friendly towards someone then that person is not a nice person.

Your pics are too cute, I'd never get my dogs to just lay there without eating the treats.....

I agree I don't think the lady should get a dog at all! My RB terrier, Sandy was one of the sweetest, smartest dogs I've met. He sat, came when called, walked well on a leash, loved dogs, people, even a rabbit. Ok, I will admit he was a trash hound,and don't even think about letting a rodent near him;) , but keep a lid on the trash and keep the hamster in a cage he can't get to and problem solved....I hate people who assume things based on breed :mad:

You know....the worst bite I ever recieved was from a golden retriever....People can stereotype different dogs all they want, but they'll never know what they're missing. :(