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Yep! Definitely! Just a couple weeks ago, I was late to my own son's birthday party b/c I had to run to Walmart last minute for some supplies. On my way back, traffic was stopped dead at an intersection b/c there were about 8 people trying to coax a little dog (looked like a chihuahua) out of the street. But every time it got on the sidewalk, they would all advance, bent over, with very coaxing unsure body language, trying to get the terrified dog to come to them. I sat in my car for 15 min. An older gentleman got out of his car in front of me with a blanket and was trying to throw it over her. Then I finally got out, walked over, the dog was snapping at the older man who was trying to coax her in that baby talk voice to "Come here, little puppy, it's ok..." So I walked over and said in my "firm" voice, "Sit!" The dog did not sit, but her ears came up and she stopped dancing around and she looked at me instead of looking for the way out. I went to pick her up and she snapped at me, so I said, again in my FIRM VOICE (which I have been told is scary and must be obeyed, but I do NOT raise my voice!) "No! Sit!" And I picked her up, and THEN I started talking to her in my calming baby talk voice, "Oh who's a good girls? Was you scared? Poor baby!" Pet her for a little bit, and handed her to the woman who was waiting to take her (not her dog, someone must have dumped her at the intersection.
) While I was walking away, the older man says, "I don't know who taught you about dogs, young lady (I have 4 kids, I take offense to that), but you should NEVER yell at a dog like that!" I just gave him an incredulous look and walked on. Yeah, buddy, who picked up the dog without getting bitten? Whose voice made her calm? Dogs don't want to be babied when they're terrified. They want someone to tell them what to do.
Yep! Definitely! Just a couple weeks ago, I was late to my own son's birthday party b/c I had to run to Walmart last minute for some supplies. On my way back, traffic was stopped dead at an intersection b/c there were about 8 people trying to coax a little dog (looked like a chihuahua) out of the street. But every time it got on the sidewalk, they would all advance, bent over, with very coaxing unsure body language, trying to get the terrified dog to come to them. I sat in my car for 15 min. An older gentleman got out of his car in front of me with a blanket and was trying to throw it over her. Then I finally got out, walked over, the dog was snapping at the older man who was trying to coax her in that baby talk voice to "Come here, little puppy, it's ok..." So I walked over and said in my "firm" voice, "Sit!" The dog did not sit, but her ears came up and she stopped dancing around and she looked at me instead of looking for the way out. I went to pick her up and she snapped at me, so I said, again in my FIRM VOICE (which I have been told is scary and must be obeyed, but I do NOT raise my voice!) "No! Sit!" And I picked her up, and THEN I started talking to her in my calming baby talk voice, "Oh who's a good girls? Was you scared? Poor baby!" Pet her for a little bit, and handed her to the woman who was waiting to take her (not her dog, someone must have dumped her at the intersection.
