One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starters.

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

Thanks, DennasMom. It's ok, you are absolutely right it would have been a good time to work on it with Ruger but apparently I need some training on reactivity first!! LOL As for measuring, I have trained Ruger to sit everytime I want him to be still and apparently it worked to well. If I make him stop, he sits......Maybe I have to teach him "stand"? LMAO Denna sounds like she is getting big. I am sure that you are feeding her fine. I have come to the conclusion that Ruger is just going to be a BIG boy!! He always looks trim and sometimes thin but he keeps gaining. His daddy was 260 pounds of trim, muscled dog so I guess he is trying to keep up.

Great pictures!
Sorry PetSmart was ugly that day. It's a good opportunity for working on reactivity??
Maybe the store trainer should have been there to intervene and help the owner of the GD calm things down!

For measuring.... I tried numerous times to get Denna to stand still for a measurement, but finally gave up. I can get her to stand next to a wall for a little while - and I mark where her shoulders are on the wall, then measure when she's moved away... I get a measurement +/- 0.5 inches, which is better than nothing. LOL!

---------- Post added at 02:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:34 PM ----------

And 125lbs at 7 months. WOW.
Denna is just a week shy of 7 months, and weighed in at 73lbs yesterday. Maybe she's right... and we're not feeding her nearly enough. LOL!

---------- Post added at 09:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:00 AM ----------

Batz, I understand your comfort with the smaller place, believe me but Petsmart and all of the hustleand bustle is such a great socialization for him and that is important to me. We have had such good experiences with it up to now and I sure hope we can again and this last trip didn't ruin it for my boy. Ruger is coming into his "Guarding" in a big way so I have to keep him out and about so that he realizes that he doesn't own everything, ya know? LOL

Rachiemay, I am SO jealous!!! Ruger sits down everytime and you can't get a measurement like that!! UGH!!

Steinhelm, I am sosorry to hear that. A short term fear stage is driving me insane and I can only imagine a permanent one. Hopefully you will continue to make the slow but syeady progress, Good Luck!

Cody, Thank you!!! He is something else! Yes, that is how I should have handled the big cart thing and the truth is that the issue was more me than Ruger. I was so damn irritated that I couldn't focus. Can you reccomend a good trainer for me? LOL

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

Batz, I understand your comfort with the smaller place, believe me but Petsmart and all of the hustleand bustle is such a great socialization for him and that is important to me. We have had such good experiences with it up to now and I sure hope we can again and this last trip didn't ruin it for my boy. Ruger is coming into his "Guarding" in a big way so I have to keep him out and about so that he realizes that he doesn't own everything, ya know? LOL

Rachiemay, I am SO jealous!!! Ruger sits down everytime and you can't get a measurement like that!! UGH!!

Steinhelm, I am sosorry to hear that. A short term fear stage is driving me insane and I can only imagine a permanent one. Hopefully you will continue to make the slow but syeady progress, Good Luck!

Cody, Thank you!!! He is something else! Yes, that is how I should have handled the big cart thing and the truth is that the issue was more me than Ruger. I was so damn irritated that I couldn't focus. Can you reccomend a good trainer for me? LOL

---------- Post added at 09:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:09 AM ----------

It is ok. I sure appreciate the support from everyone here, it makes a big difference. I did wonder if he was trying to tell me something but I was thinking he might have thought that I had a desire to dress him up for Halloween and he wanted me to know that was NOT going to happen. LOL Thanks for the compliment and he sure is becoming a giant in a hurry!

Sorry Petsmart wasn't that great of an experience. I had to laugh about the lifting of the leg though. I think it is funny that he picked the little devil costume. You think he was trying to tell you something...that maybe he is a little devil. LOL. Great pictures and I can't believe how big he is getting.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

It is ok. I sure appreciate the support from everyone here, it makes a big difference. I did wonder if he was trying to tell me something but I was thinking he might have thought that I had a desire to dress him up for Halloween and he wanted me to know that was NOT going to happen. LOL Thanks for the compliment and he sure is becoming a giant in a hurry!

Sorry Petsmart wasn't that great of an experience. I had to laugh about the lifting of the leg though. I think it is funny that he picked the little devil costume. You think he was trying to tell you something...that maybe he is a little devil. LOL. Great pictures and I can't believe how big he is getting.

---------- Post added at 09:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:12 AM ----------

It really is rather comical after the fact. Thanks!!!

Oh geez, Ok, I laughed, but yah, sounds like one of THOSE trips. He's a big handsome boy!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

It really is rather comical after the fact. Thanks!!!

Oh geez, Ok, I laughed, but yah, sounds like one of THOSE trips. He's a big handsome boy!

---------- Post added at 09:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:14 AM ----------

Bruno12, I can understand that for sure!!! Ruger is a very well behaved boy and I never really give it much thought but yesterday with that Great Dane made me really think about the problems that could arise because of an untrained dog. Thanks, he is definitely a big boy!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

Bruno12, I can understand that for sure!!! Ruger is a very well behaved boy and I never really give it much thought but yesterday with that Great Dane made me really think about the problems that could arise because of an untrained dog. Thanks, he is definitely a big boy!

 

[Robtouw]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

I bet someone else marked that costume and he was just doing the same! That part is too funny! As for the other, my guy has always done really well in public places. The prob has been other people's dogs. Everyone on here has met a dog that has an owner unwilling to train it and I've grown tired of them. My other prob with our local petsmart is the Blue Buffalo chicky with the green teeth. She follows you from isle to isle trying to convience you that BB is the best. She is like a pit bull after a big bone! I have told her a million times thank you for the info but I have made a different choice. Even Cruiser when he sees her turns in the other direction to get away! I still take him to Tractor Supply and he loves the clerks there and loves to smell everything on the isles. As long as the BB woman isn't in Tractor Supply, I will keep taking him!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

I thought about that, Robtouw, and it was probably the case. As soon as we were home he went back to peeing like a girl. LOL I hear so many stories about the food pushers in petsmart and I have never seen one and we go weekly. I guess I picked the right one to shop at. Maybe they are lurking in the shadows but because I buy Blue wilderness, they don't come to get me? LOL We have never had any issues in public either but the out of control dog was the worst part. I don't understand not training your dog and to top it off, not training and taking them to public places....IDIOTS! I will be glad when we are through this fear stage because it is driving both of us insane! :-/

 

[angelbears]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

Even before we had Filas I was not big on taking my dogs out in public. Just too many stupid owners out there for my comfort. Sorry this happened but I'm happy that Ruger found his inner manly man. Hiking his leg will come with time. Don't be surprised if he tries to pee on you a couple of times. Cane did when he started hiking his leg but we put a stop to that pretty damn quick. LOL

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

The leg lifting was hilarious (sorry) that's how I feel about those costumes as well.

I'm a home body and don't go out often if at all, I usually make my stops on the way to and from work. I'll go into PS once every blue moon just so Thor and Stone can get out. As much good incidneces have occured just one bad experience ruins it for me. Plus with the numerous nitwits and their animals its not worth the extra stress.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

I can understand, angelbears. I am going to keep getting him out as much as I am comfortable in doing. It makes me mad that idiots can even own pets! LMAO If he decided to pee on me, we will be putting a stop to that immediately!!

Even before we had Filas I was not big on taking my dogs out in public. Just too many stupid owners out there for my comfort. Sorry this happened but I'm happy that Ruger found his inner manly man. Hiking his leg will come with time. Don't be surprised if he tries to pee on you a couple of times. Cane did when he started hiking his leg but we put a stop to that pretty damn quick. LOL

---------- Post added at 10:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:50 AM ----------

I agree wholeheartedly about the silly costumes which is why it was un neccessary to piss on them. LOL Yes, the idiots and thier untrained animals make it hard to want to bother with it but I must keep trying. :-/

The leg lifting was hilarious (sorry) that's how I feel about those costumes as well.

I'm a home body and don't go out often if at all, I usually make my stops on the way to and from work. I'll go into PS once every blue moon just so Thor and Stone can get out. As much good incidneces have occured just one bad experience ruins it for me. Plus with the numerous nitwits and their animals its not worth the extra stress.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

I agree wholeheartedly about the silly costumes which is why it was un neccessary to piss on them. LOL Yes, the idiots and thier untrained animals make it hard to want to bother with it but I must keep trying. :-/

The leg lifting was hilarious (sorry) that's how I feel about those costumes as well.

I'm a home body and don't go out often if at all, I usually make my stops on the way to and from work. I'll go into PS once every blue moon just so Thor and Stone can get out. As much good incidneces have occured just one bad experience ruins it for me. Plus with the numerous nitwits and their animals its not worth the extra stress.

 

[Robtouw]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

I've seen plenty of costumes I'd like to destroy myself! As far as taking my guy out in public, I know its a good learning experience for him, but I simply don't trust people with him. I have no fear of him acting badly, its the people I don't trust. They tend to do stupid things and I find them annoying which makes Cruiser tense. He looks at people with what I call a "stupid human" face and wrinkles up that nose when he does not want to mess with someone, and usually they are the ones that want to pet him most! He has never done one thing in public to distrust him and has been a great pup! I'm lucky though, I have friends with horse farms that we visit often, or did before his injury. He gets to visit other people and animals often and that has done a great deal in socializing him. We are also part of a 4x4 community and we take him wheeling often and to meet & greets. Loads of new people are introduced to him each time and he does well, but tires after a couple of hours and usually ends up snoring on a blanket under a tree away from the noise!

 

[Marrowshard]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

Oscar's still in training with his DA tendencies and yeah ... the last time we were in PetSmart it wasn't pretty and completely my fault. Not siding with the GD owner at all but Oscar's embarrassed me in public more than once with the bad manners we were trying to train out of him. He's made leaps and bounds in the right direction (especially recently) but I swear half the training is teaching myself not to be so defensive in the first place. We were aggressively charged by an off-leash mastiff not far from home a couple of weeks ago and I nearly lost my head. No owner in sight, no fence, nothing ... just a reactive 140-lb dog and an apparent threat. I was way more worried than Oscar, as it turned out ... he kept his cool and passed on by while I glared daggers at the attacker and gave her the "naughty-dog" finger shake.
Guess where I'm going with this is ... I know just how you feel trying to train down reactivity, and I've often said I'll consider Oscar "fixed" when he can tackle PetSmart on a Saturday without trying to start a fight.

~Marrow

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

I do understand there are cases like yours where the owner is doing thier best to train and I try to see that when it is there (I have to admit that I don't always, I have a tendency to lose my cool pretty easily) But I think this guy was a totally different beast. When he finally managed (By sitting on and putting both hands on the collar) to hold the dog still, he smiled and said "He just wants to play"....I think I would have handled it better and not offered so many choice words if he would have at least offered an apology, ya know? Also, he had just a collar on this dog and I would have thought he would have an easy walker or some aid to help him in controlling the dog that was obviously out of control. Petsmart on a Saturday, huh? I think I have decided that we will never find ourselves in Petsmart on a Saturday again. Good Luck with Oscar and I admire the work that you are putting into him to make him a better guy!

Oscar's still in training with his DA tendencies and yeah ... the last time we were in PetSmart it wasn't pretty and completely my fault. Not siding with the GD owner at all but Oscar's embarrassed me in public more than once with the bad manners we were trying to train out of him. He's made leaps and bounds in the right direction (especially recently) but I swear half the training is teaching myself not to be so defensive in the first place. We were aggressively charged by an off-leash mastiff not far from home a couple of weeks ago and I nearly lost my head. No owner in sight, no fence, nothing ... just a reactive 140-lb dog and an apparent threat. I was way more worried than Oscar, as it turned out ... he kept his cool and passed on by while I glared daggers at the attacker and gave her the "naughty-dog" finger shake.
Guess where I'm going with this is ... I know just how you feel trying to train down reactivity, and I've often said I'll consider Oscar "fixed" when he can tackle PetSmart on a Saturday without trying to start a fight.

~Marrow

 

[Marrowshard]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

Good point on the flat-collar-only thing ... Oscar's never without his prong and e-collar when in public so I can't imagine what that guy was thinking. Same with the "he just wants to play" deal. I know when Oscar goes into "alert" mode it doesn't mean he wants to have a romp, it means he wants to assert himself over the other dog and if they're not immediately submissive it can get ugly.
Was also going to say: we taught Oscar "Hold" as a command to stand still. Normally he sits nicely to have his collars put on but if he's dancing a lot or trying to sit when I want him to stand or even in the yard if I need him to stop moving (a car pulls up suddenly and he's 15 feet away), "Hold" is our word for "freeze". We started that one on the leash (easier to force him to a stop that way) and gradually translated it to other situations. I like it because it doesn't automatically register negatively like "no" or "Oscar!", it just tells him I want him to stand still for a moment.

~Marrow

 

[ruthcatrin]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

I like that...thats one I've been struggling with Apollo on, shall have to look into "hold"!

I have to admit that if that HAD been me and Apollo in the store instead of the GD he honestly would have just wanted to play, which doesn't mean I'd have LET him barrel down like that!

 

[masteneo]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

the trainer at our local petco knows who we are, so there is no escaping her. shes sweet but dang it i aint signing my dog up for training.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

Angelbears, I like the "hold", Interesting and I am going to see how it works with Ruger. Ruth, The Great Dane (from what I could tell) really was just trying to play and although Ruger loves other dogs I think he was reacting tomy "Oh Shit" as the dog scared me to death when he came around the corner. The real problem was that not only was the GD not trained but the owner had NO control. He couldn't even hold him back....He had to sit on him and grab his collar with both hands. I understand a dog in training but this was obviously a dog that has never had any training and the fact that he smiled and said"He just wants to play" pissed me off. He could have at least offered an apology or something. The way he handled it told me that this is something that happens a lot and he isn't doing anything to stop it. I just wish people with pets would be responsible because we all know that if your dog has no training, he isn't happy either. I don't understand why people don't train thier dogs,anyway...It is easier forthemin the long run,too.

 

[Smokeycat]

I don't understand why people don't train thier dogs,anyway...It is easier forthemin the long run,too.

I had people tell me that I should just let Jiggers be a dog when I mentioned that he was going in for obedience classes. Until individuals like that can get it thru their heads that a well trained OB dog can still act like a dog, just not one that is out of control, there will always be the untrained dog out there to give all dogs/owners a bad rap.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Re: One lifted leg, an out of control Great Dane and a moron store clerk...for starte

Its the "he's just a puppy! He'll grow out of it!" mentality. DRIVES ME NUTS. No, he won't grow out of bad manners, you have to teach him better!!!