Top 5 rude pet owner comments and how to deal

Don't you hate it when total strangers comment on your pet owning or dog training abilities?  What could they possibly be thinking when they do that? Word has it they're trying to be helpful but we all know it's usually just plain embarrassing or even makes the situation worse.

Here are the Top 5 rude comments strangers make about your dog walking or pet disciplining style (read it and weep) and some tips for the backtalk you can provide.

Got a rude comment that just haunts you forever?  Or maybe a comeback that nailed it? Share them by posting a comment!

1. Can't you make him be quiet/calm down?
People who comment on this one either, A) don't have a dog, or B) aren't really dog lovers. Even the best-trained dogs are going to bark when playing outside—when it's allowed—or when they're excited, scared, or nervous. Yes, well-trained dogs should always be under voice control, but people should also learn when to be quiet and keep their comments to themselves.

Karen from Nashua, NH writes:

"Our dog, Maddie, is a 3-month old mutt and a real love bug--she wags her tail at everyone! But she's teething, and therefore, whenever someone approaches, I warn them that she loves to nibble. A stranger recently approached me in the complex asking to pet her. Maddie was in an excited state, so I told her I didn't think it was a great idea. She snapped at me, 'I think I can handle a little puppy. I have three dogs at home.' Ok... When Maddie started at her fingers she got angry and yelled at me, 'You need to teach her not to nip!' I'm trying lady, I'm trying."

2. Dogs are not children—aren't you embarrassed about dressing your dog?
Um, no, or I wouldn't put a coat on him. All dog walkers especially know that certain breeds need added protection from the elements, and veterinarians and breed enthusiasts very much encourage certain types of gear like booties, fleeces and raincoats. It's important to keep the dog warm and dry on long walks and hikes, or even on short walks in severe weather, and to save fragile paws from dangers like hot pavement in summer or de-icing rock salt in the winter. Unless you're buying Chanel cashmere for your Chihuahua, this comment is completely ignorant and obnoxious.

3. I would never let my dog...
Ugh, this might be the most frustrating of all. Why do people feel comfortable telling you, unsolicited, how to raise your dog THEIR way? As a dog walker, your client may have given you specific instructions about when to (or not to) discipline their dog. Someone else's bad experiences or disciplining decisions should have no bearing on your confidence as a responsible dog trainer or pet owner.

Kim from New York City writes:

"My mother-in-law tells me we can't let Bradley, our very nimble, 2-year-old dog jump. Ever. She's afraid he'll tear an ACL because HER (14-year-old) beagle once tore an ACL."

4. Oh no! What happened to your dog's…
After your dog has survived an accident or a surgery, people feel completely free to point it out and ask questions immediately after meeting you, without thinking that a) it might still be painful to talk about, or b) you've gotten this question a million times before.

Mary from Oakland, CA writes:

"The vast majority of the time when strangers meet my dog, Apollo, they ask what happened to his left eye. (He lost it when someone threw a stone in it (by accident) when Apollo was 6 months old.) It makes me think about how people would never have the nerve to ask a human being such a question without permission, but they hold back no curiosity when it comes to our dog. And then of course they say 'Awww, poor little guy,' as though Apollo is in need of their unsolicited pity. He's 3 years old now and can still catch a Frisbee better than I can!

5. Can't he pee or poop somewhere else?
This, at least for urban dog owners and dog walkers, is the most common and the most irritating brand of comment. Responsible pet parents and pet sitters try to keep dogs "curbed" and let them relieve themselves in appropriate areas, but sometimes—especially first thing in the morning or if a dog is sick—when they have to go, they have to GO! As long as you pick up after them, and aren't letting them go on private property, this shouldn't be an issue and is perfectly legal. Even though, as one dog owner found out, that doesn't even stop police officers from adding their $0.02!

Melissa from Boston, MA writes:

"I was walking my 9-year-old dog, Dante, across from a new public park when he darted under a newly-planted hedge to relieve himself. As I was bagging his waste, a state trooper got on his cruiser loudspeaker and barked at me, 'Miss, do not let your dog go there! Walk away. People enjoy this park.' In my experience, the only people who enjoy that particular row of hedges (which was only planted to hide the traffic tunnel from view) are drunks and bums. The previous week, my friend's dog cut himself on a broken piece of glass from a discarded vodka bottle just a few feet away!"

The point is that most rude comments, as you know, are more a reflection of the person who says them than anything else.  They are a mark of insecurity, jealousy, or just plain snarky-ness. Either way, rise above it—wink, thank them, acknowledge the irony, chuckle, or just plain ignore them altogether.  You know why your dog or the dogs you are walking are the best!

Tell us about any whopper rude comments you've heard by posting a comment!

Comments

[Karen]

Also, when Maddie was just nine weeks old, we took a trip to the Jersey shore. One night we took her to get a kiddie cone of vanilla soft serve at a stand. There were tons of people running around. Some lady came up to me and started petting her without asking, then says "I expect she's up-to-date on shots?" I wanted to say "Are you?!?" The nerve.

[Sara G.]

So, once I had someone once tell me that I need to take my dog on more runs. She's a pug! She can barely breathe! I also had someone tell me that a dog's place is outside, not inside, and having a dog sleep on your bed is just plain gross. Roxy's the best snuggler on the planet, and she's not sleeping anywhere but with me! :)

[Claire P.]

I was walking my now-3-year-old Chocolate Labradoodle, Ceara, on Circuit Ave on Martha's Vineyard when she was about 9 months old and was trying to make my way around people. It was the middle of summer, and the narrow sidewalk of Circuit Ave was packed with tourists. As I walked by the Ritz (the Island's own dive bar), a man out front told me that I should be holding her on my right side at all times. He said that holding her on my right side made her "know her pack position." I wanted to tell him to try and walk his 9-month-old puppy on Circuit Ave in the middle of summer and navigate around all the people while at the same time keeping her on one side of me. What would I say to people as they tried to pass? "Oh, sorry, I can't get out of your way--my dog needs to stay on my right side or she won't know that I'm boss." It was so annoying.

[Jennifer M.]

How about this one: “My goodness, that’s a BIG cat!” [Substitute dog, Guinea pig, etc.] We all know what that means: your pet is fat! It’s not as if I haven’t tried everything under the sun to prevent my cat, a 15-pound feline, from eating whatever is in sight. And he is just plain big, even the vet agrees with me. But there’s always someone who has to comment on his rather round belly. I usually snap back with, “He tells me he’ll go on a diet when I do. I’m sure you have the same problem!”

[Dianna H.]

I have 5 cats and routinely hear, “You certainly have a lot of cats!” Believe it or not, I know how many cats I have. And yes, I realize that having five cats puts my husband and me in the category of “crazy cat people” in many people’s minds. What I find useful upon hearing this comment is to list exactly HOW we ended up with five cats. “I had two, and my husband had one,” I explain. “So then we had three. When my husband’s mother became ill, we adopted her two.” Suddenly we have become, in the eyes of the stranger with raised eyebrows, good Samaritans.

[Yanni B.]

I just love it when I hear, “You don’t let your cats outside? Isn’t that cruel?” Cruel? As if letting our cats out to be hit by cars, devoured by coyotes or infected with FIV would be a kindness. I generally give this response, “We actually bring them out in the yard on halters when we can supervise them." This turns the judgmental response into a delighted inquiry (although I suppose it could be just as annoying as the initial comment), “What? Cats can wear halters and use a leash?”

[ashley g.]

yes. My dog wears clothes. Yes, I sew and I make dog clothes and other dog accessories. Yes. I do know that she is not a human, I am aware of this. But if it is not hindering her any way and it's not stressing her out and in fact she enjoys wearing the clothes because she's get attention, than who cares what she is wearing.

[Edna Wilson]

My neighbor has a pit bull which he leaves out on his upper deck for long periods of time. This deck is adjacent to my kitchen window and I have to listen to this dog bark constantly. He claims its not his dog. Come on, its right next to my window. And he also throws his dog's dirt over his fence and into the community area where children play. He claims he owns 5
" from his fence and he can do whatever he wants. I know if I call the Health Dept. I will find four of my tires slashed. He has a bad temper and wears a police monitor because of a drug bust. I am at my wits end with this dog. He also ties him out front on a long leash so the dog can run all over my newly planted garden. What to do?

[Sabrina]

I have a dog and a bird,volunteer at a low kill shelter and pet sit.
This one is about a sweet dog in the shelter.
His name was Angelo. Angelo came in terrified of everything. It took about 10 days for almost anyone to be able to get to where he wont cower when you went more then 10 feet to his kennell and a few more days to actually get to the kennel. I was writing my progress to aspca and when he finally trusted me I saw a fly in his kennell and he really was scarred of it. I would have scarred it out of his kennel and off of his nse but I was scarred that I would scare him too. He was Deaf and I was teaching the non scarry signs. Hello was kinda scarry. He had some bruises so we think he was really abused when before he came to us and the fact that he was really scarred. For big events he had to spent the day in the vets office ,so too many people wont scare him. Soon after two weeks he trusted almost everyone and became a lovebug loving to do nothing more then kissing everyone he saw but noone wanted to adopt him.There was one fam 4 hrs away who saw his pic and wanted him and were willing to meet half way to get him but when volunteers drove him out they were a no show because they had already found a stray on their street they decided to keep instead.
So I decided to tell my church about him. I figured they were animal lovers and someone would want him. He is such a love bug and loves everyone,people,kids, and dogs and probably cats and I have never heard him bark,so he is quiet. There was one church member who was very interested in him. She had an outdoor cat so I did not really want her to have him but I was hoping she would do better with dogs then cats. She felt really sorry for him and was very much interested in him and he sounded really cute and lovable and somewhat big for a lap dog(60lbs). She fell in love with the personality description. Than she asked for a picture and when I sent it to her she said "I am not breed neutral, he looks hedious,you can stop writing now".
Wow a church goer from my own church who preaches not to judge based on looks is calling a dog hedious looking.
We switched churches since then. Oh Angelo was a pit bull and got adopted a few mos after that by a family with a 3 and 4 year old child who according to mom are inseperable and they spent every single minute playing and loving eachother until bed time when she has to force them to seperate.
We made a wall at that church writing what we have learned so I wrote "God only creates beauty in EVERYTHING he creates. God does not make anything hidious" The last part is word for word,the first part could have been something similar.

[Julie Newman]

I was returning back to my apartment with my Jack Russell Terrier from an evening walk, when my neighbor loudly approached and said "You will have to do something about your dog barking". I said I do tell her to stop barking, but all the noisey neighbors upset her. She said "This place was quiet until you and your MUTT, moved in. She has come to my door in her nightgown on two occasions and whined the same complaint. My dog is quiet, but she does not like anyone lingering at my door or windows or hearing loud noises. She is adorable and sweet and this woman is scary. Obviously she does not appreciate animals. Mutts are great too.

[Robin Mitchell]

How about when you are walking a dog and some passer by makes some idiotic comment like, "Who is walking who"? I mean, really, don't people have better things to do in life?!!!

[Susan H.]

One day when I was pet-sitting a lovely older cock-a-poodle, I decided to try a new park near the ocean here in FL. It clearly posted a sign reading animals allowed, please pick up. My adorable "Lizzie" had already did her "duty" in my yard, but bringing her there was my treat. As I left after a nice walk, an elderly lady commented to me that I left something behind and should pick it up or dogs won't be allowed in the future. Knowing it wasn't "Lizzie", I went to where she pointed and had decided to pick it up anyway. "It" turned out to be a piece of bark from a nearby tree instead of a dog dropping! "Lizzie" and I had a good lauph and decided that that lady badly needed new glasses!

[Anita A Silva]

If my dogs are bothering you maybe you should go.
My dogs are my children and they love me unconditionaly!
People may love you but not like dogs!
I always tell people that my dogs sit on the couch and they have a blankie and not to sit on there blankie. Also my dogs were here before you came and they will be here after you leave!

[Brenda Frey]

I have people tell me all of the time that dogs belong outside. I think some of these people belong outside. My dogs are more respectful and clean!!! Also a regular customer at my bartending job had the nerve to tell me, when he heard me say something about my dog sleeping with me, that he wouldn't put up with that. I said "well I feel sorry for your wife who has a husband that comes home drunk every night!!" I wouldn't put up with that! maybe she would prefer a dog to sleep with her

[Pamela Clarke]

Okay, where I live there is a leash law. I walk my two dogs, with harnesses and leashes at a park nearby. We are coming to the end of a wooded path and run right upon with a guy on a bike with one dog on a leash and a smaller one loose. Surprised, I stop and keep mine beside me, tell the guy to get his dog. The guy says he's ok, he won't bite. All the while I'm thinking is he waiting to see if his gets bitten or hit?!, as you can drive through the park as well. Hello? How much do you love your best friends?

[Amie]

I have a funny story about this. I use to work 2nd shift so I would take my dog out for a walk late at night, around midnight every night. I live in a nice area so I didn't think anything of it - and I was walking my 120 lb Irish Wolfhound so I wasn't scared. One night this cop pulls over to ask me what I am doing... I try to keep a straight face as I tell him I am walking my dog. He asked me what was in the bag in my hand. I had to tell him it was dog poop! Hilarious!

[Kasia Blasik]

I was walking my female black lab one day and this family pull over in their car and say "Om my! You found our dog!" ...you see I got my dog from a friend when her dog had puppies, I saw her when she was 2 days old, then took her home at about 9 weeks, and I told these people this. Yet they kept insisting that this was their dog and their argument was that she was really happy to see that because she "recognized" them. She's a labrador...she gets happy for any reason...heck, any dog would get happy if they met someone new. But they kept trying to argue with me about it. Then all of a sudden they say "its ok, you can keep her" and leave. That was the weirdest thing ever....

[Jessica]

My friend drives me nuts with her dog. I understand that a dog is going to do bad stuff but on the other hand there is no excuse when the owner does nothing about it. Every time my friend eats, the dog gets right up in her face. I mean like not even a half an inch away and stays there the entire time she eats. My friend does not do anything about it. Plus when she is cooking in the kitchen, her dog gets up on the counter and licks the counter. Gross. You prepare food on that! Dogs can have manners if they owners care.

[ELADITSA]

I have a story that would make many laugh. When my dog was alive, I used to take him long walks. I rarely took him out at night unless he needed to. I was walking on the Astoria blv expressway service road. A guy comes from behind me, and tells me to put a muzzle on my dog. I said "you come behind me a young woman at night with a black large dog and expect me to put a muzzle when he is suppose to protect me from a lunatic like you? My dog longed at him almost biting him, but he was protecting me. He had room to go to the side of the buildings where there is a grass area. I can't because if they catch me they will think I'm trying to hide my dog's poop. Many go to alley ways to get away with not picking up. The funny thing about the whole situation is he was gay and he looked like a woman as he argued with me. So I copied him and was imitating his foolish behavior. All the guys in the cars waiting for the light, were like "tell that fag off" lol we were all laughing. It was just hilarious the way he acted when he said "you have to put a muzzle? you know with such a feminine attitude : 0

[Meghan D.]

This was actually funny to me, but I can see how it would be perceived as rude. Both my cats are big boys, especially Oliver, who weighed 17 pounds at his last vet visit. I was selling some stuff on craigslist, and a guy ("Dave") came over to pick it up. Oliver, in typical Oliver fashion, went up to Dave to say hello and get petted. Dave says, "Wow, that's a huge cat. What do you feed him, the people who make you mad?"

[Rachel]

I always get friends and service people say "Man your cat is big" I feel like saying are you thinking I gave him my candy bar, lol! I hate it when people say not so nice things about my cat.

[Nanette]

I also have a BIG cat - 25 pounds at his last weigh in. When people comment on his size ( he's an orange & white just like Garfield) and just smile and say yes but that his size came from lots of LOVE. Then I explain: He was adopted from the SPCA. My female cocker spaniel fell in love with him and even though she never had puppies of her own - she started producing milk for him.The vet said there was no harm in her nursing a cat so we let them be. She nursed him for 3 years until she got sick (pneumonia) and passed away. Long live big well loved cats!!!!!

[Gail]

My pets have always been treated like members of our family(as they SHOULD be)-and we don't "own" them-They took US in as members of THEIR family. In the past, I have always had purebred dogs, but after my last "friend" passed away at 18, I decided to visit a local pet store where they were holding a pet adoption day. I went in, and this little 6-wk. old "baby" came across the playpen and tried to climb up to me-when I picked her up, she snuggled right in like she belonged with me. I filled out the paperwork,and had to wait about a week for them to run a backround check on me,they paid a visit to my house, and when Iwas cleared for adoption they contacted me(after NUMEROUS phone calls from me!), and I went to the Vet's office to pick her up-I found out later she was a Dobe-Pitt mix and had been abandoned. You know, she is the best friend anyone could ask for, she is "attached at the hip" with my husband and myself, as well as my children and grandchildren, AND our friends. She is well-behaved, protective,likes EVERY food except for Jello(go figure), LOVES to run,goes on vacation with us, and she "watches"out for the neighbors' houses-she can see the driveways to four houses around us, and lets us know if anyone is around that she doesn't know. And this is not outside-I would not house any animal outside-they are members of our family, they belong INSIDE with us!I guess you could say we are animal people! I heard someone make the comment one time,"animals don't go to Heaven". Well, if they don't, I don't want to be there either!

[Morgan]

I was walking my 3 dogs one day and a woman at the City Hall exited the building and said "You know, you are supposed to pick up after your dogs!"

I then produced my poo-bags and informed her that I always pick up my dogs' droppings.

I then informed her that when and/or if I find out the leaver of other dog's poo that I will inform them of their obligation to remove the waste and, if need be, inform her to the identity of the offender(s).

I then had a pleasant conversation with the lady from City Hall. I told her that perhaps that the city may wish to post signs asking folks to clean up after their pets. She said that people should "already know" to clean up after their pets. This does not seem to be the case.

So, I then produced several note-pad papers and threaded a plastic sword through the notes that simply stated: "PLEASE, PICK UP YOUR DOGS' POO! THANK YOU" I then signed the back of the notes "THE POO-PIRATE" and inserted said notes around the area that I usually walk my dogs.

Interestingly, I have not noticed any new poo left in this area.

BWAHAHAHAHA!

Pets are awesome in so many ways, it is said that people who own pets and take care of them, are more happier and less stressed. I grew up on a bad side of town, but it was always interesting, say the least for a family of die-hard animal lovers. The animals: dogs, cats, even a turtle and a parakeet! knew where they could go if they were lost. We've come across some wonderful owners, and some really really horrible ones.
There was a pit that came to our yard, no tags, or collar...and we waited for the owners to come around and look for him (we gave a time limit before calling the local shelter), usually a day or so. We also had a German Shephard and Pomeranian that lived with us, so it was exciting for them as well. Anywho, my dad, who is a smoker, went to go and feed the Pit and was looking (outside the cage) *it was outside connected to a inside enclosed area in the garage* for any signs of abuse, physical lacerations, etc. Well, he lit up a ciggerrate and the dog FREAKED! He backed up, hair raised and teeth baring. Dad thought about it and flicked the lighter again after the Pit calmed down. He was scared sh@#less of the lighter! We never did find the owner and he ended up having to go to the shelter and let the police know the little tidbit of information. It's horrible knowing that there are really bad owners that don't give a crap about their pets. Why do they have them then??!! I think there need to be harsher laws on animal care. I worked for a Pet grooming place and there was the cutest Toy, maybe a month old that the owner dropped off to have some grooming down early that morning...after several calls and no response, plus being closing time (we actually stayed an hour past) when she finally came, claiming she 'forgot' her pet. I was sooo MAD!!!!

To the owners and two legged family members, thank you for doing what you do every day. Your four legged pals definately appreciate it!

"This is Bob signing off, please remember to spay and neuter your pets!"