Dog Store Vent

[RedHotDobe]

Last night I went to the mall to do some Christmas shopping, and decided to walk over to The Avenue to check out the dog store they have there. (Okay I didn't walk, more like ran across four lanes of traffic. ) The store is tiny, so I wandered into Hallmark hoping some people would clear out by the time I came back. It wasn't quite as crowded, so I headed in. I was looking around, checking out all the collars, searching endlessly for a Lupine in the Outback pattern (which they didn't have), and then I started over to the other end of the store. While I was browsing all of the doggie goods, and annoyingly jingling Duke's soon to be new frilly holiday collar, this is some of what I heard from the two ding-dongs in there:

No brain blonde highlite girl-
~He can fit in my hand.
~He kind of looks like a Pomeranian.
~Oh yeah, he bites me. But he's teeeeething.
~I don't want to get him addicted to it. Then I'll have to keep buying it. (Referring to breath mints and Kong stuffing.)

Ditsy short dark-haired girl-
~Awww, now I want a teacup Shih Tzu. (Oh, I'm sorry, a teacup "Shitzoo.")
~Does he bite at all?

And they all go silent when the lady asks who will be wearing the frilly collar and they hear "Doberman." ::gasp:: People actually buy stuff for dogs that weigh more than 10 pounds??

And the blonde highlite girl shut up again when she asked some question about the cashier's dog, and the cashier responded "I don't know, I got him when he was 10 years old." ::gasp again:: There are places to adopt a dog that isn't a tiny little designer mutt puppy??

People make me sooo mad. I would have educated them, but I think the only response they are capable of is a blank stare.
And there was actually more to their 'intriguing' conversation, I just forgot some.

[PitBullie09]

Oh my god. I hate people like that. I really do. I would have tried to educate them..lol. They probally would have scremed and ran at the site of a Pittie or your Dobie or a Rottie. Ugh.

[Lil'Paws]

OMG....Makes you just want to smack the crap out of them don't it. They just don't understand a dog is a commitment til the end. But, people like that don't usually own them for long. Thats the kind of people that take them to the shelter because they realize they take alot of TLC. And time they don't have.

[doberkim]

www.lupinepet.com -- just buy it straight from them

i wont comment on people. i hate people.

[flyndog]

On behalf of all the chemically high-lighted who have little dogs that meet their breed standard for temperament and size, I bang my head in shame for fear of being lumped in with the likes of those two.
Kit

[Global Paw]

ignorance, in itself, is a form of punishment.

[Cassiepeia]

OH....MY.....GODS! Yes, I want to smack the crap outta them. All they want is a fashion accessory, nothing more.
I know it's a terrible thing to say, but I am really coming to dislike fluffy little dogs (looks down at her own dear little fluff ball and smiles apologetically).. not because they're fluffy or little but because now days the only time you see or hear about them.... they're with THESE idiots! Freakin' handbags, is what they are. Fashion, bloody fashion! People like this are the reason these breeds are being ruined. *sigh*

Cass.

P.S. Okay, so I don't 'hate' the dogs.. just the fact that they're such a fad now. It makes me mad to hear people talking about how tiny and cute they are and how they would just LOVE to have one of those "fluffy little white dogs" or the "little tea cup puppies". Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

[Ritz459]

Yesh.....Stupid people...... People either want a small 'teacup' dog, or a really big scary looking dog. I just don't get these people....I like the big 'scary looking' dogs but it isn't just because they are 'scary'. It is because I love their temperment and so many people misunderstand them.
(I've got a thing for things that nobody wants or likes because it is ugly or evil looking. One of my favorite Beanie Babies is a Vulture! lol And a Hippo. lol)
I think that is why I've started disliking small breeds. It is because all of the ones I see to day are all snappy and illbreed. And then they are with those idiots who say, "OMG!! You have a HUGE dog! It's 85lbs?!? That is HUGE!! Oh, its part Rottie!?!? Get it away from me!! It might eat me alive!!!" or "Oh such a cute little Chihuahua. Let me pet it....ouch it bit me! Oh, that's ok though because it is just so darn cute....and it is a teacup so I know it will be a good dog when I just stick it in my purse to carry around with me...."

Ok, I'm done now...

[Cassiepeia]

I know this is slightly off topic....but.... I think part of the problem is the celebrity factor.
A helluva lot of celebrities are ignorant in reguards to dogs and so you see these flashy celebs walking around with their *cringe cringe* fluffy teacup size fashion accessories, tucked under their arm or in their bags because.. hey... it's not like they have legs and can WALK or anything. (anyone remember Jessica Simpson in Newlyweds when they wanted to get a dog?) And so a huge number of stupid people get it into their heads that THIS is the "in thing" and they go and get themselves a petstore/byb/puppymill/broker pup because no self respecting reputable breeder would allow them near their beloved furbabies.
In Australia the most dumped dog (according to one study) was the Maltese, which is probably one of the most popular dogs down here with the "gee, this week I think I'd like one of those cute fluffy white dogs" people.

Perhaps the problem could be helped if a celebrity was to weigh in and help fight that ignorance?
Not sure it'd ever happen.. but I was thinking about it the other night when I was watching Will & Grace and they had a "teacup size" dog on it... gods it made me mad!!!

Cass.

[flyndog]

Speaking of handbags...have you seen the dog "handles" that are out now? It's a sling with a shoulder strap so you actually WEAR YOUR DOG LIKE A PURSE!!! Now they've gone too far!
Kit

[RedHotDobe]

Aahhh! Celebrities annoy me! They carry this little poorbred dogs around like fashion accessories, and they probably payed thousands of dollars for them. I think little dogs are great, but as a companion. NOT AS A PURSE!!
People hear that I have a Doberman and immediately say "Oh my gosh, a big dog." Meanwhile I'm thinking "No, they're a medium-sized breed." And I politely say "Actually, he's only around 75 to 80 pounds." And then you get the stare like you're some kind of moron for saying your dog isn't large.

And don't worry flyndog, you're far from being one of those ding-dongs I described. I know how it feels though, there was this one lady who insisted that I was a dumb blonde.

[Cassiepeia]

Originally Posted by flyndog

Speaking of handbags...have you seen the dog "handles" that are out now? It's a sling with a shoulder strap so you actually WEAR YOUR DOG LIKE A PURSE!!! Now they've gone too far!
Kit

Oh good gods! People should have to take a course and pass a test before they can own a dog. *sigh*

Cass.

[Coldnose]

My mom even had the nerve to ask me why I would ever want a big dog, like it was some horrible thing to do. GRRRR!!!! As far as I am concerned, there is nothing wrong with a big dog and I totally agree that dogs should not be worn as fashion accessories. It's a good thing that no one could ever wear my 93+ pound Fiona as a handbag. LOL

[DarknessDivine]

Yeah, people always ask hubby and I how we can stand letting such "big" dogs live in our house...

[Ritz459]

I LOVE the big dogs. The reasons for this is:
- I've grown up with big dogs
- I can't find a small dog that fits my requirments (except maybe a Bulldog or something.)
- All of the small dogs I have met haven't been to friendly. (I know that isn't the dogs fault, but it does leave an impression none the less.)
- Small dogs just seem to fragile to me.

A couple months ago we had our Aunt and Uncle up and are Uncle thought Blackie was HUGE!!! (Blackie is around 85lbs and is about the size of a Labrador.) He was like, 'Man your dogs are big.' and I said, 'Not really. I think of big as a Great Dane. Not a Lab.'
My mom really likes big dogs too. So does my dad. (My mom's favorite breed is a Saint and my dad likes GSDs.) I was joking with my mom the other day and said that I'm going to have Mastiffs and stuff when I have my own house and if anybody has the nerve to show up to vist me (cause, you know, those dogs are so 'scary') they won't want to come back because as soon as they step inside the house they will slip and fall down on my wood floors because of all of drool on it! lol