# Please do not pick up my pup! Who does that?!



## Alula (Feb 3, 2013)

Oh My Gosh so totally fuming! Just came back from a walk, it's getting really busy here now what with Cannes Film festival and the Grand Prix juts finishing. Lots of people come over to say hi to Basil, He is a bit of a flirt, he'll trot up to people and look at them but likes to suss people out before they pet him so now I just tell them that he is a bit timid and he'll take his time saying hello and maybe give them a treat to give him. This is fine when we are ambling along and everyone ends up with a kiss from Basil.

On the way back from our walk however there was a lady taking a group of guys in wheelchairs for a walk along the promenade, she stopped and barely even said hi before trying to pet him, I am telling her in French that he is nervous but on she goes and I can hear him start his little growl, backing away from her then she keeps trying to pick him up, so he scuttles out of her reach. I tell her to stop but she replies in rapid French, I am guessing she is saying something along the lines of 'don't worry, dogs love me!' eventually she grabs his lead just behind the collar to hold him in place and picks him up to show the guys in the wheel chairs, Basil is grumbling away, struggling and pulling away from her - she keeps trying to snuggle her face into him  When she was done trying to get herself bitten we went and sat down on our own for a time out and lots of praise, I was so proud he didn't just lash out despite him and myself warning her over and over that he didn't like what she was doing.

I had no problem with the guys all meeting him and would gladly taken time out to hold him with them and let them say hi but was so shocked by the way she grabbed him, I was a bit stunned, the French is an extra curve ball in that situation. All I could managed was 'he doesn't like it'. 

Has anyone else had a stranger scoop their pup up when they are trying to run away from said stranger? I would never approach another person's pup with out asking if everyone is ok with it!


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## Meg&Titus (Feb 15, 2013)

I'm so sorry that happened! Some people just don't have manners. Praise to your pup for being so good. I just can't believe she kept going after him even after he warned her. I luckily haven't had many people just try try and pet my dogs but I usually cut people off before they try. Especially with kids I tell them how important it is to ask in case it isn't a nice dog, but she sounded like she wouldn't have taken no for an answer anyways. 


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## Kalisee (Jun 1, 2012)

How rude! I have people trying to come up to my girl all the time and pet, but she is not very friendly with strangers, even though she is a bundle of love with the people she knows and loves. So I warn and tell them to let her come to them first.

Had that been Kalisee, that lady would have been bitten just trying to pick her up.


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## lilbabyvenus (Feb 8, 2009)

I've never had that happen, I would be livid! I'm so sorry this happened to you and Basil. Some people have no respect


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## Rolo n Buttons (Sep 22, 2012)

Silly cow. Some people are so rude. I would be majorly hacked off. 


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## Alula (Feb 3, 2013)

Meg&Titus said:


> I usually cut people off before they try. Especially with kids I tell them how important it is to ask in case it isn't a nice dog, but she sounded like she wouldn't have taken no for an answer anyways.
> Sent from Petguide.com App


This is one area that my Chihuahua related French needs to be stronger, I am thinking of learning how to say he has a highly contagious, infectious skin disease for people that just won't back off! Maybe then she would have left him alone 



lilbabyvenus said:


> I've never had that happen, I would be livid! I'm so sorry this happened to you and Basil. Some people have no respect





Kalisee said:


> How rude! I have people trying to come up to my girl all the time and pet, but she is not very friendly with strangers, even though she is a bundle of love with the people she knows and loves. So I warn and tell them to let her come to them first.
> Had that been Kalisee, that lady would have been bitten just trying to pick her up.


Basil is pretty much the same, it has to be on his terms, when he has sussed you out, normally a treat is all it takes but the way she grabbed his lead and then picked him up was awful, like she could just drag him around and do what she liked  No respect at all! I was chuffed he didn't bite, he did bare his teeth but restrained himself, she kinda deserved a nip though lol 



Rolo n Buttons said:


> Silly cow. Some people are so rude. I would be majorly hacked off.
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Why is it always the ones that go one about how much they are a "dog person" and that "even snappy dogs love me" are the ones that do the stupidist things? *This dog is growling at me, so I'll stick my nose in his face* - right, snappy dogs love that!


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## Lisa T (Sep 3, 2010)

She's lucky she didn't get a nip off the dog and a punch on the nose from the owner, silly rude woman. I'm not a violent person at all but that is not acceptable in my book.


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## Tabcat73 (May 8, 2013)

I haven't had anyone try to pick them up I think I'd freak out if they did! My pups don't like kids I've noticed and will growl and back away when they see them approaching while out in walks. So now I hold them if a kid wants to pet so they feel a but more secure. I say great job basil you handled it like a pro 

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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

learn how to say "you been warned......... He Bites HARD" maybe then they will think twice.... I have one man that I occasionally see in Petco that has his bigger dog on a retracable leash and insists on letting the dog roam and lets him run up to my doggies....... he will even follow me all the while letting the dog growl and pull on his leash to get to my dogs. I usually pick them up until I am at a safe distance...... safe, both for me and the other dog 'cause if he even tries to bite my boys, it will be Death by Jan........ to the owner & the dog...... Stupid People........


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

I have had a few adults that tried to pick Jaxx up without asking but luckily Jaxx will move heaven and earth to get back to me if he feels threatened or he thinks someone is not doing something he likes.

I did tell a person once when they wouldn't listen to me about picking Jaxx up that he had worms. It made them back off really fast. The only downside was that they went to our apartment's property manager and told them my dog had worms. I then had to explain why I said it.

My biggest problem is kids that try to get to Jaxx and pick him up. Most of the kids in our neighborhood know now though that if they want to pet Jaxx they have to sit on the ground which makes it so that I know they are not going to pick him up and drop him.

I am so sorry that she did that. It is beyond rude.


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## Alula (Feb 3, 2013)

Lisa T said:


> She's lucky she didn't get a nip off the dog and a punch on the nose from the owner, silly rude woman. I'm not a violent person at all but that is not acceptable in my book.


I'm with you on that one! 



Tabcat73 said:


> I say great job basil you handled it like a pro
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I think so too, it feels like a lucky escape, if he had nipped or wiggled too hard and she had dropped him onto the pavement ... I dread to think!



jan896 said:


> learn how to say "you been warned......... He Bites HARD" maybe then they will think twice.... I have one man that I occasionally see in Petco that has his bigger dog on a retracable leash and insists on letting the dog roam and lets him run up to my doggies....... he will even follow me all the while letting the dog growl and pull on his leash to get to my dogs. I usually pick them up until I am at a safe distance...... safe, both for me and the other dog 'cause if he even tries to bite my boys, it will be Death by Jan........ to the owner & the dog...... Stupid People........


There are some seriously irresponsible people out there, you would have hoped that another dog owner would be more sensible. I guess it's like people who let their dogs off the leash in public places to run up to any other dog as they please, But, it's okay because their dog is friendly right? Until their dog runs up to a dog with a behavioural problem on a leash who then feels cornered and lashes out ... sigh. It all makes no sense to me!



intent2smile said:


> I have had a few adults that tried to pick Jaxx up without asking but luckily Jaxx will move heaven and earth to get back to me if he feels threatened or he thinks someone is not doing something he likes.
> 
> I did tell a person once when they wouldn't listen to me about picking Jaxx up that he had worms. It made them back off really fast. The only downside was that they went to our apartment's property manager and told them my dog had worms. I then had to explain why I said it.


Amy Jo, this was almost what I was worried about, him squirming to get away from her so hard that she dropped him. Thankgoodness that didn't happen. 

The worms story is ingenious and kinda funny all at the same time  Did your property manager believe you?! Poor Jaxx, still as long as it didn't endanger you guys living there I'd much prefer people to think my pup had worms rather than them getting bitten or the pup getting injured!


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

Alula said:


> I'm with you on that one!
> 
> Amy Jo, this was almost what I was worried about, him squirming to get away from her so hard that she dropped him. Thankgoodness that didn't happen.
> 
> The worms story is ingenious and kinda funny all at the same time  Did your property manager believe you?! Poor Jaxx, still as long as it didn't endanger you guys living there I'd much prefer people to think my pup had worms rather than them getting bitten or the pup getting injured!


Yes she believed me when I explained why I said it. She knows that Jaxx takes time to get used to people and he does it on his terms. Jaxx loves people but he does this thing where he runs up to them and checks them out then runs back to me. If people are down on his level he is fine and will play with them all day long. Our property manager sits on the floor just because she loves Jaxx and knows he is more comfy when people are not standing above him trying to play with him.

People are usually scared of worms so I find this the easiest excuse if I feel Jaxx is in danger.



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## miuccias (Aug 22, 2012)

I consider myself lucky, Austrians are very considerate.
My only problem is unattended kids, I am more than happy that they pet the pups as long as they go to the ground and never pick them up, ever! I make myself very clear, not afraid to say NO, either.


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## Kalisee (Jun 1, 2012)

Alula said:


> This is one area that my Chihuahua related French needs to be stronger, I am thinking of learning how to say he has a highly contagious, infectious skin disease for people that just won't back off! Maybe then she would have left him alone


Non! Non!!!! Ne pas toucher, les vers! (do not touch, worms!!!!)


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

I agree that it is rude, but above that, it is dangerous. I shared on the forum before when someone else dealt with this same thing about a situation concerning a Maltese on another forum I am on. This Maltese was the size of our Chihuahuas. Her owner would take her to the store she owned. Someone came in one day and picked her up without asking and dropped her. The person left the store quickly, so the owner couldn't find any information on them. The Maltese suffered terribly--had to have surgery--the vet let her get such horrible burns from laying on a heating pad after surgery that she had to have skin grafts and ultimately died. She suffered horribly and IMO her life ended in excruciating pain all because someone decided it was OK to pick up someone else's dog without permission.


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## Tessa'smom (Mar 25, 2013)

She was very lucky. Had that been Tessa, she would be missing part of her face! Tessa is a rescue dog who still bites everyone she doesn't know!! I have to warn everyone very quickly when they try to approach her. She is very cute and everyone wants to pet her...sadly that woman would have deserved a good bite! Makes me want to bite her myself!!


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

Sadly I have the same problem too. I bring my babies to would with me everyday. I used to keep them in the front office but when customers come in they would go up to them in their playpen and pick them up. Not ask me a thing. Like I said to my boss they pick them up drop them and break a leg or worse then what oops I am sorry and off they go. I thought about putting a sign on the playpen but thought that might have seemed rude. So I moved them to the warehouse away from the customers and that did solve it either but the customers that knew they were there and would ask where they were. My boss would tell them like a dummy then some of them would just walk through the company and just open the door to the warehouse and help themselves to my dogs. So now when I see those customers pull up I lock the door to the warehouse so they can't go out there. How do people have the nerve to much less pet or pick up someone's dog without even asking. And to just walk through someone's company with out saying a word to anyone. The nerve of people. So irritating. :-(


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

Damn spell check that was suppose to be bring them to work with me. Lol


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## Alula (Feb 3, 2013)

Kalisee said:


> Non! Non!!!! Ne pas toucher, les vers! (do not touch, worms!!!!)


Hehe, I will be perfecting that 

Gosh all these terrible stories that ultimately put pups at risk of serious injuries. Sad all round.l  I am definitely going to ask my French friends how to say no in a firmer way to help prevent it happening again

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## Xi-feng (May 26, 2013)

Oh dear, and if he'd felt provoked into nipping her or the guys in wheelchairs of course it would have been 'the dog's fault' rather than the stranger doing something he clearly wasn't comfortable with, right? Some people really have no clue... good boy Basil for putting up with her stupidity!


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Jemma, I can imagine how you must of felt.
There is a very persistent lady on our block that tried to pick up Bella several
times, even though I told her why I do not want people picking her up. 
I caught this woman every time, before she actually got to put her grabby
little hands on my dog against my wishes....until one time...she came from 
the back, while I was waiting at a light to cross the street, I did not see her
coming, next thing I know she is picking up Bella off the ground. Before I had 
a chance to even find an appropriate reaction to the situation, Bella POOPED 
on her! Haha, oh it was just great! The woman continued to say "Oh it's ok, 
I love dogs, I don't mind"...yet from that moment on she NEVER tried to pick
up Bella again, lol. 

It was a silly situation, but it did scare me to think at how easy it is for someone
to quietly snatch your little dog. I thought that my eyes were 100% always on
my dogs, but I guess it only takes a moment for me to glance at a street light
and someone can take my dog. She was on leash, but still, it gave me a scare.


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## JumpingBean (Mar 27, 2013)

These stories are all so upsetting. I've never have a problem with people saying hi to Finn until this one time this group of little girls would not leave him alone. I kept walking and eventually had to pick him up cause he was getting trampled on. The one girl starting grabbing his tail and yanking on it as I'm holding him. I told her don't do that, he doesn't like it. I was saved by her mom calling her away but I couldn't believe the manners this girl had. Don't parents teach their kids rules of petting animals anymore?


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## Chico's Mum (Sep 9, 2008)

I cant believe that women. I never pet a dog with out asking the owner first. Who better know there dog behaviour than the owners. So if the dog is friendly he/she will say sure. But if aggressive they well say no and way. 



Tabcat73 said:


> I haven't had anyone try to pick them up I think I'd freak out if they did! My pups don't like kids I've noticed and will growl and back away when they see them approaching while out in walks. So now I hold them if a kid wants to pet so they feel a but more secure. I say great job basil you handled it like a pro
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


yes I do the same with Chico.


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## Alula (Feb 3, 2013)

Xi-feng said:


> Oh dear, and if he'd felt provoked into nipping her or the guys in wheelchairs of course it would have been 'the dog's fault' rather than the stranger doing something he clearly wasn't comfortable with, right? Some people really have no clue... good boy Basil for putting up with her stupidity!


My thoughts exactly, he'd be investigated under some dangerous dogs act or something lol!



~LS~ said:


> Jemma, I can imagine how you must of felt.
> There is a very persistent lady on our block that tried to pick up Bella several
> times, even though I told her why I do not want people picking her up.
> I caught this woman every time, before she actually got to put her grabby
> ...


This is a wonderful story, I can't tell you how proud of Bella I am hehe! Go Bella, the perfect dirty protest  ewww. It's true, when Basil backed off she simply grabbed his leash right where it connects to his Buddy belt, essentially trapping him and there was no way of anyone stopping her picking him up at that point, it would be very easy to unclip the leash as and be off 



JumpingBean said:


> I couldn't believe the manners this girl had. Don't parents teach their kids rules of petting animals anymore?


It doesn't seem so sadly, I was always taught never to approach a dog you do not know, although the rules seem to change in some peoples eyes for little dogs. They still very much have the same dog instincts though!



Chico's Mum said:


> yes I do the same with Chico.


I tend to hold Basil now, but sometimes being up in my arms and unable to run freaks him out just as much, I will simply say He doesn't like it, he is too shy and simply walk away in those situations. The thing that people do not understand is simply - do not put your hands in his face, it's rude! Let him sniff you first and you'll get covered in kisses in no time! :daisy:


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## Jayda (Jun 15, 2012)

One of my best memories in a unfortunately situation was when we first got Lady and she actually nipped my 2 1/2 year old niece who had been petting her. Her mom told her its OK and Lady is just nervous because everyone and every place is new. Now every time I see my niece she asks me if Lady is nervous! I think Lady taught her what the word nervous means!!!!! Now, just last week I was visiting a friend and walking the pups in her neighborhood. There was a group of teenage girls congregating. The obvious leader was like, oh they are so cute can I pet them? I simply said they are a little shy. She keep approaching them, I said again, there are a lot of new people here please don't pet them. She approached again. I lost it and said you are making them nervous. Rarely are my two nervous anymore, they usually are happy to meet people. It is my opinion this young lady was trying to show off for her friends. I finally said "please leave them alone". This is a rare example of someone who just did not get it!!!! Stinks but sometimes it just happens.


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## BellsMommy22 (Dec 23, 2012)

I don't like when strangers pick up my dogs either, especially without asking! Boo is sweet as can be and will gladly let complete strangers hold her. Bell isn't mean but she does take a little while to warm up to new people. She's happy to come up and sniff new people, but she gets scared if they try to grab her or pet her too abruptly. She usually just backs away until she feels comfortable. But even with Boo who is very friendly I don't like strangers picking her up. I don't know how much dog experience the person has, she could easily wiggle and be dropped. I usually tell people to pet her from the ground or I pick her up so they can see her more closely.


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## srdefoe (Feb 23, 2013)

We had a drunk woman shove her face right into Rico's(who is our least stranger friendly). He growled at her and she backed off. I am very pleased he didn't snap at her and am surprised he didn't. I'd like a nickel for the times I have asked parents to keep their children away from our dogs and they just ignore what I am saying. I often need to be very blunt and tell them that our dogs are afraid of kids and will bite if the kids try to grab them. We are often the ones that leave the vicinity!
Sue


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

I, like Rachel, have to quickly warn that he bites! Because he does! So far it has not been a problem. I usually walk my golden and Angel at the same time. People have been asking, mostly kids, if they can pet a dog, so I always have Susie that they can pet! 

Some people have such nerve! Aren't they afraid of being bitten? Even if it is a chi, they can hurt!


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## Thomskim (Feb 25, 2013)

I had something similar happen to Dior. She wasn't scared (shes scared of very little) but was a mother and a younger child had stopped and was petting her, she was wagging her tail quite happily and the mother suddenly just scooped her up and proceeded to tell me how much smaller she was than her own chihuahua. Dior wasn't scared and didnt struggle as shes very people friendly but i was abit shocked at who just does stuff like that. I wouldnt dream of just picking someones dog up.


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## Buildthemskywards (Jun 16, 2012)

How rude! I've had people pick Mylo up without asking but he wasn't bothered but I was! I'd have been livid in your situation, what a horrible woman!


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