# Excuse me?!



## NewChiDad (Oct 31, 2012)

I was just walking Butterbean around the block (okay, to the liquor store). Approaching on our side of the street was a woman walking a big English bulldog. The woman started to act concerned that her dog might become aggressive, so I steered Butterbean pretty far clear of them. As we were passing, the bulldog looked over at us, and the woman said to it, "That's just a rat. Not worth your trouble." She said this at a normal conversational volume that she must have known I would hear. The bulldog actually appeared very well-behaved, and gave no sign of aggression that I could see (it was on-leash, too), but the woman's stupid remark kind of annoyed me. 

In other idiotic owner news, last night when I walked Butterbean through a nearby park (a large one that always has lots of dogs, children, people on bikes, etc.), a huge Doberman was running around off-leash while its moronic owner shouted for it in an increasingly angry voice, to no effect whatsoever. The dog ended up snuffling around a trash can. When the owner caught up to it, he berated it viciously and commanded it to lie down, but the animal just stood there and made no move to obey until the man literally pushed it to the ground. I wanted to yell, "Hey, since your dog obviously ignores all your commands, maybe you should put a leash on it." Four busy roads surround the park, with no barriers to even slow the dog down if it just took off in one of those directions. Unbelievable.


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## Rune (Nov 17, 2012)

The idiocy of some people never ceases to amaze me.


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## Ay Chi-mama (Nov 28, 2012)

Hahaha oh no! Poor Butterbean! Some random guy at Petsmart came up to me, pointed at my puppy, and said "No offense, but why would you even get that thing? It's not even a dog.". Why would you leave the house, when you are clearly an idiot?


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

So many people are rude and mean now days, use to be only once in awhile you would see people like them, now it is all the time. Sad.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Unfortunately, comments like the rat thing are pretty common. They are either joking or just plan rude. I've learned it's easier just to grow a thicker skin. Ignorant people aren't going anywhere. 


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## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

Ahh I detest ignorant people... so frustrating! The saddest thing of all is that those folks will go on with their lives never knowing the love of a chihuahua. That is a shame.


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## sfgirl (Nov 13, 2012)

My current pup is around 5lbs, but I used to have a hairless blue who was only 3 lbs and had HUGE ears. He actually kind of did resemble a rodent. I handled it a couple ways.
Usually if someone called him a rat I'd just tell them "He's not big enough to be a rat! I think he's more of a mouse". Most people would catch themselves that they were being rude. 
Butterbean is such a cute name!


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## NewChiDad (Oct 31, 2012)

Even worse, it was chilly out, so Butterbean was wearing a little coat my mom got for her:










I just think it takes rudeness to the next level to insult a dog wearing a coat on a cold day in front of the person who loved the dog enough to put it on.

On a happier note, Butterbean made a few interesting friends in the park earlier today. Someone (a visiting breeder) had FIVE full-grown Rhodesian Ridgebacks:










Sorry the picture isn't better, but my camera isn't much good. They were beautiful and their behavior was militarily precise.

Then there was this little teacup chi pup:










It just would not stand still, and that's the only time I caught it in-frame. That's a terrible shame, because he interacted not only with Butterbean, but also with the Ridgebacks. I think it was smaller than their snouts, but they were so, so gentle with it. Just amazing to see them trying to snoofle him, but not too hard. 

I had to loan the teacup's owner my spare bag when another dog they had (some kind of terrier, maybe?) went #2.


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## NewChiDad (Oct 31, 2012)

Ay Chi-mama said:


> Some random guy at Petsmart came up to me, pointed at my puppy, and said "No offense, but why would you even get that thing? It's not even a dog.". Why would you leave the house, when you are clearly an idiot?


I hope you actually said that, or even better, kneed him somewhere.


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

Isn't that nice, love the pictures. I wish we had a park around where I live. My dogs don't get to socialize with other dogs. No we don't have any friends with any, we don't know anyone around here, we have only lived here 1 year, and no family here.


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## NewChiDad (Oct 31, 2012)

LostLakeLua said:


> The saddest thing of all is that those folks will go on with their lives never knowing the love of a chihuahua. That is a shame.


Their loss . . . and they have no one to thank for it but themselves.


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## Ay Chi-mama (Nov 28, 2012)

> I hope you actually said that, or even better, kneed him somewhere.


No! Normally I would have, and I wish I did. Instead I told him we recently lost our Rottweiler, and this was our new puppy. He asked if our Rotty was a big lap dog, I said yes, started crying, and ran away. I could tell the guy felt really bad, and a lady who over heard asked him why he would ask a question like that. Lol Take that insensitive guy!!! 
Butterbean looks so cute in that coat! That lady must have no heart. I bet her kids hate her.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

I get that with Douglas too...the kicker with him is he is protective and when people act off around me he bares his teeth at them and growls. He is usually great but god forbid he thinks I am in danger.

Coupled with the spiked collar he wears they usually shut up or comment on how loyal he is. He's small but very few people underestimate him anymore.


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## BaileysMum (Nov 2, 2011)

I've NEVER made a comment like that to anyone about their dog or pets.. EVEN if it was an actual rat . I'll be honest though... before I got Bailey, I hated the breed, thought they were yappy and annoying... It stemmed from my grade 9 socials teacher bringing his two to school.. they were like that. Now that I have Bailey, I could not imagine loving another breed of dog the way I love Bailey. We have such a strong bond that I never thought was possible with a dog. YES I will be getting more chis in the future


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## NewChiDad (Oct 31, 2012)

Evelyn said:


> I wish we had a park around where I live. My dogs don't get to socialize with other dogs. No we don't have any friends with any, we don't know anyone around here, we have only lived here 1 year, and no family here.


Savannah's historic downtown district, where I live, is like one big dog park, to the point that most business owners and managers put water bowls out on their sidewalks, and keep boxes of dog treats handy behind their counters; signs reminding to scoop are everywhere. It's great when dogs are on-leash, well-behaved, and scooped after, but not so great when one or more of those is not the case.


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## NewChiDad (Oct 31, 2012)

BaileysMum said:


> I've NEVER made a comment like that to anyone about their dog or pets.. EVEN if it was an actual rat . I'll be honest though... before I got Bailey, I hated the breed, thought they were yappy and annoying...


If Butterbean had been yapping and straining at the leash to provoke a confrontation with the bulldog, I wouldn't have liked the woman's comment, but would have understood her point of view on the situation. Butterbean didn't make the slightest peep, though, and shyly crossed behind me to hide on my other side. For that matter, like I said, the bulldog didn't seem particularly interested in us, either, or in need of any kind of talking-to like that.


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

Our friends came over last week. Jack was cuddled up in his lap getting petted and scratched. He made the comment that Jaxx was a cat in a dogs body because of things he does. His wife told him to apologize and that wasn't nice. I just laughed and said cats are beautiful creatures and that was a compliment compared to some of the things we hear.


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

intent2smile said:


> Our friends came over last week. Jack was cuddled up in his lap getting petted and scratched. He made the comment that Jaxx was a cat in a dogs body because of things he does. His wife told him to apologize and that wasn't nice. I just laughed and said cats are beautiful creatures and that was a compliment compared to some of the things we hear.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


I was just telling Ike's vet, that he acts like a cat, she said, they do have a lot of actions like a cat. We had a Chi when I was a child, I don't remember him having cat actions.


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

People also calls Chico a Rat and It doesn't help that his brown. But I learned if you laughed it up with them they will stop saying it or close the subject. 

People make fun of others to get a reaction from you. It like it feeds there own security. 
And I learned if you ignored it, it will be more as a challenge for them to keep saying it tell you do get mad. But if you just pretend it doesn't bother you and agree with them. They wont say it anymore. It works. It did with Chico and it did with me when anyone makes fun of me.


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## heartagram (Aug 4, 2012)

LostLakeLua said:


> Ahh I detest ignorant people... so frustrating! The saddest thing of all is that those folks will go on with their lives never knowing the love of a chihuahua. That is a shame.


They don't deserve their love! or any dog for that matter imo.
Recently after a war memorial service that I went to with noah, some people came up to me to make a fuss of him, one women asked if he was my first chihuahua, I replied yes he is my first dog to which she said well they're not exactly dogs though are they or something, uhmmm yes?  her friend also asked noah's name and was like aww "noah" how christmassy  you can only laugh at how stupid/ignorant people are tbh..
Chi's are no less of anything just because their small, le hmf -^-)


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## Ay Chi-mama (Nov 28, 2012)

I've always had big dogs. My husband and I fostered LOTS of pit bulls, big ? mixes, and I grew up with Collies and Dobermans. Mostly when people would see us coming they would cross to the other side of the street because our dogs looked scary(Biggest babies! lol). I have an 8 year old corgi, but people are afraid of her and she is 29 lbs! (I would be too though, she doesn't mess around.) I'm used to people being impressed by how well behaved and in control the dogs are, because of all the work we put in. I wouldn't like my dog being called a rat or any name. If someone started insulting my dog, I would probably react the same way as someone insulting my child. MAMA BEAR. How do you even handle a situation like that gracefully? I think I would have a tough time laughing it off...


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

In these situations if the person is just being ignorant then I usually just smile and walk on. If they are just not informed about the chihuahua breed and think through past experiences it is a horrible breed I try to give them information.
One of our neighbors the first time they saw Jaxx they made a comment about him not being a dog but just being a rat that yaps and bites. I talked to them for a while and explained that the poorly trained chihuahuas are the ones that yip yap and bite and like any dog chihuahuas need training too. This was about 6 months ago and last month they brought 2 chi/dachshunds home. 
We also have the type of neighbors that are just rude though. We have one neighbor that every time I walk by they comment that they don't understand why I keep walking a rat. They have even asked if I wanted them to buy me some rat poison. I do not even acknowledge that I even hear them and I just keep walking.


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## Ay Chi-mama (Nov 28, 2012)

> We have one neighbor that every time I walk by they comment that they don't understand why I keep walking a rat. They have even asked if I wanted them to buy me some rat poison.


Are you serious?! That is horrible!!!


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

Ay Chi-mama said:


> Are you serious?! That is horrible!!!


Yes, they have said it several times. I talked to the property manager about it but they just shrugged it off and told me that the entire family in that apartment was crazy. If they lived in a different building in our complex I would avoid that area but they live in our building


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## glittergirl (Aug 11, 2011)

> We have one neighbor that every time I walk by they comment that they don't understand why I keep walking a rat. They have even asked if I wanted them to buy me some rat poison.
> Are you serious?! That is horrible!!!


SOme people are just scum!!!!


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

^^ Sandy wants to know why it is so insulting to be called a rat?

Seriously though just the other day I was SO SO SO mad about this for the first time. Usually I let it it slide off, or start a discussion about how cool rats are or show off Kerri's cool tricks or something. But I do dog rescue with a local group and happened to in my volunteer duties end up at the kill shelters adoption center (I actually work with a no kill private rescue). Well there was a woman walking around saying loudly, and to many people how "Chihuahuas were not dogs" and kept going on about how they shouldn't be called dogs and they were not "real" pets they were like sewer rats. For petes sake we were in a KILL SHELTER. That kills at least 300 chis a year, many of them puppies. I wanted to tell that lady well they might not be "real dogs" but they are going to be "real dead" tomorrow when they get put down because people like you and everyone else in this city throws chis away like they are trash. The thing that got me too was she was fawning over a Jack Russel puppy, and it is not like they are big dogs either. But to her chis were "rats" not dogs. Some people.....


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

I keep pet rats also, you little one is lovely.

That is so sad and stupid. I hate people.


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## Kelliope (Mar 11, 2011)

doginthedesert said:


> For petes sake we were in a KILL SHELTER. That kills at least 300 chis a year, many of them puppies. I wanted to tell that lady well they might not be "real dogs" but they are going to be "real dead" tomorrow when they get put down because people like you and everyone else in this city throws chis away like they are trash. [/quote]
> 
> This makes me so incredibly sad. I don't even know what to say. My heart just breaks for every little chi out there with no loving home. All dogs, actually, but for some reason chi's get to me so much.
> 
> P.S., your little Sandy is adorable!!!!


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## NewChiDad (Oct 31, 2012)

doginthedesert said:


> Sandy wants to know why it is so insulting to be called a rat?


How cute! Of course, when people call chi's rats, the implication is that they're vermin worthy to be at best regarded with disgust and at worst exterminated, as the horrible neighbor who "jokes" about rat poison makes explicit.

That's not a wonderful thing to say or suggest even hypothetically, but someone has a real empathy problem if they can look into the big eyes of a sweet, gentle, quiet little chi who is present in the flesh, and still write them off like that.



doginthedesert said:


> For petes sake we were in a KILL SHELTER. That kills at least 300 chis a year, many of them puppies. I wanted to tell that lady well they might not be "real dogs" but they are going to be "real dead" tomorrow when they get put down because people like you and everyone else in this city throws chis away like they are trash.


How awful. It makes me sad to think that Butterbean was ever anywhere on the road to a destination like that.


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## Mrs.J. (Nov 29, 2012)

The first one actually made me laugh. People can be so stupid!
My husband lovingly calls our Chi a "rat". She is his little rat. 

The second is scary! Good thing that big dog wasn't aggressive.


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## Mrs.J. (Nov 29, 2012)

doginthedesert said:


> ^^ Sandy wants to know why it is so insulting to be called a rat?
> 
> Seriously though just the other day I was SO SO SO mad about this for the first time. Usually I let it it slide off, or start a discussion about how cool rats are or show off Kerri's cool tricks or something. But I do dog rescue with a local group and happened to in my volunteer duties end up at the kill shelters adoption center (I actually work with a no kill private rescue). Well there was a woman walking around saying loudly, and to many people how "Chihuahuas were not dogs" and kept going on about how they shouldn't be called dogs and they were not "real" pets they were like sewer rats. For petes sake we were in a KILL SHELTER. That kills at least 300 chis a year, many of them puppies. I wanted to tell that lady well they might not be "real dogs" but they are going to be "real dead" tomorrow when they get put down because people like you and everyone else in this city throws chis away like they are trash. The thing that got me too was she was fawning over a Jack Russel puppy, and it is not like they are big dogs either. But to her chis were "rats" not dogs. Some people.....



He is SO cute!
And that is so sad. I'm happy I don't overhear things like this, it would be hard to keep my mouth shut.


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