So I was walking my two dogs with my 7 year old daughter tonight like we do every night. There is a park very close to our house with a playground and a huge field so we walk up there and I let my daughter play for a little bit then we usually let the dogs run and play in the field for awhile. Anyway we had just arrived to the park and my daughter wanted to go play first so I took the dogs and sat on a bench while she played. I was sitting there for no more than 5 minutes and another mom approached me and literally asked me how I could have such a dangerous and aggressive breed of dog around my child!!! I seriously couldn't believe it because when she approached me all my dogs were doing was wagging there tails at her they weren't barking or anything at her, and they didn't bark at her or her kids at all when we got to the park! Now my female is a boxer/pit mix and she does have more of that pit look so I am sure she just assumed they were two pit bulls but even if they were who the hell cares. Pit bulls are amazing dogs And I just don't understand how Some people can be so ignorant and believe everything they see and hear. My dogs are two of the most gentle amazing dogs and would do anything to protect me and my little girl if we were in any kind of danger. I hate the reputations some dogs have and I wish people would actually do research and learn about stuff before assuming my dogs are some viscous animals. Anywayyyy I just pretty much laughed at her and got my daughter and walked away but a part of me wishes I had said something! I know it wouldn't have mattered what I said to her because she will always think that way about "that breed" of dog but it sucks they have a bad rep because of people like her!!!
Dangerous and aggressive breed?!?! Really?!?
- Thread starter Sturpin
- Start date
Smackey
Boxer Buddy
People are ignorant.
My 4 year old and I were outside of our apartment building, walking our 11 week old Boxer mix (he does have a longer snout and I am not sure exactly what he is mixed with, but he does have a bully breed look to him) and this woman pulls over in her car and starts yelling at me because I have a 'mean and vicious' dog around my child. Seriously? He was 11 weeks old at the time and sitting at my son's feet like a good boy. My son got mad and told the woman, "This is our family dog! He is not mean or vicious! He is a baby! Go away! You don't know a thing!" My son was so upset that someone would say his little buddy was mean.
Granted, he is getting bigger (5 months now and 50 or so pounds), and he is a little intimidating to look at because he doesn't have that typical smooshed in Boxer muzzle, but Marvel hasn't ever hurt anyone or anything. My oldest will be 5 in october and my youngest will be a year in September. Marvel is protective of my boys and me, but not overly to the point he will lung or bite someone when they walk up. He just stands his ground and observes first. Now, he is a little leery around other bigger breed dogs when they get close to my youngest or walk by him, but never had a problem. Marvel just watches them very closely. Shoot, he even sleeps with my son's male cat for crying out loud!
I have even had people yell and scream at Marvel from afar yelling "He is going to kill my little dog!" and run in the opposite direction. (The neighbors pitbull (that they found as a stray two days before this incident) attacked a little chihuahua a few months back) and now, if it even looks the slightest bit pit, people freak out. They have even called the police and animal control on my pup. Animal control evaluated him with people, kids, other dogs, and cats and they said they couldn't find a single thing that would deem him mean or vicious. The one guy even told me that he passed with flying colors and he had no doubt that he was a good pup.
People do need to do their research and stop listening to all the media hype they put on these 'mean and vicious' breeds. Do not get me wrong, some dogs do not like other dogs or some don't like cats and some are even scared of children, but in my opinion, the owner should know first hand what their dog's tolerance is and shouldn't ever put them in a situation that they know makes the dog uncomfortable.
If I thought for a second that my pup was 'mean or vicious' I wouldn't have him. I love him to death, but the safety of my family will always come first.
And you are right, I have met plenty of people who have said something negative about Marvel and I wish I would have said something to them, but it probably wouldn't do any good. Once someone has something set in their mind, you probably won't be able to change it. Ignorance is bliss. As long as you know your dogs are safe around you and your child, to heck with what everyone else thinks. They don't know first hand.
My 4 year old and I were outside of our apartment building, walking our 11 week old Boxer mix (he does have a longer snout and I am not sure exactly what he is mixed with, but he does have a bully breed look to him) and this woman pulls over in her car and starts yelling at me because I have a 'mean and vicious' dog around my child. Seriously? He was 11 weeks old at the time and sitting at my son's feet like a good boy. My son got mad and told the woman, "This is our family dog! He is not mean or vicious! He is a baby! Go away! You don't know a thing!" My son was so upset that someone would say his little buddy was mean.
Granted, he is getting bigger (5 months now and 50 or so pounds), and he is a little intimidating to look at because he doesn't have that typical smooshed in Boxer muzzle, but Marvel hasn't ever hurt anyone or anything. My oldest will be 5 in october and my youngest will be a year in September. Marvel is protective of my boys and me, but not overly to the point he will lung or bite someone when they walk up. He just stands his ground and observes first. Now, he is a little leery around other bigger breed dogs when they get close to my youngest or walk by him, but never had a problem. Marvel just watches them very closely. Shoot, he even sleeps with my son's male cat for crying out loud!
I have even had people yell and scream at Marvel from afar yelling "He is going to kill my little dog!" and run in the opposite direction. (The neighbors pitbull (that they found as a stray two days before this incident) attacked a little chihuahua a few months back) and now, if it even looks the slightest bit pit, people freak out. They have even called the police and animal control on my pup. Animal control evaluated him with people, kids, other dogs, and cats and they said they couldn't find a single thing that would deem him mean or vicious. The one guy even told me that he passed with flying colors and he had no doubt that he was a good pup.
People do need to do their research and stop listening to all the media hype they put on these 'mean and vicious' breeds. Do not get me wrong, some dogs do not like other dogs or some don't like cats and some are even scared of children, but in my opinion, the owner should know first hand what their dog's tolerance is and shouldn't ever put them in a situation that they know makes the dog uncomfortable.
If I thought for a second that my pup was 'mean or vicious' I wouldn't have him. I love him to death, but the safety of my family will always come first.
And you are right, I have met plenty of people who have said something negative about Marvel and I wish I would have said something to them, but it probably wouldn't do any good. Once someone has something set in their mind, you probably won't be able to change it. Ignorance is bliss. As long as you know your dogs are safe around you and your child, to heck with what everyone else thinks. They don't know first hand.
RockTheBoxer
Super Boxer
The ignorance of people is amazing. If people like spent a little more time minding their own business or doing something positive, imagine how much nicer this world would be.
whiskers
Boxer Insane
I get a handful of "do those dogs bite?" and "are they mean?" comments from complete strangers when I have my Boxer and my Doberman out together. It almost makes me laugh when it's posed in a question like that, because what do people expect me to say - yes, they bite all the time?! I mean really. I think the caution is mostly directed at my Dobe because I've never had negative comments when I just have Juno with me. Little do people know, these are the 2 sappiest dogs on the planet...
Thankfully I get soooo many more positive comments about my dogs, so I don't even care when people are ignorant. My dogs are friendly and polite and well-behaved, and their behavior will just have to speak for itself!
Thankfully I get soooo many more positive comments about my dogs, so I don't even care when people are ignorant. My dogs are friendly and polite and well-behaved, and their behavior will just have to speak for itself!