Hey dog lovers, keep your fingers to yourself
Every dog with teeth has the potential to bite you
I don’t know what’s in the coffee at Starbucks or why it is that this particular crowd feels so entitled to your dog, but it’s become painfully clear to keep my dog as far away from Starbucks as possible. In all fairness, there are busybodies at other places too—the mailbox, grocery stores, public parks and so on. But it really seems like the most annoying crowd is at this coffee chain, and they oddly never seem to have dogs so they don’t realize just how entitled they are.
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A perfect example happened today. I decided I was not going into Starbucks during my dog’s afternoon walk. Why? One time when I went into this location, a lady walked up to me to tell me “your dog is very unhappy” about being leashed outside—-for maybe a solid three to four minutes. The second time, another lady went way out of her way to beeline past open space in a 40-plus car parking lot and through the drive-thru walkway to walk within two feet of my dog, and look for the owner. Again, I may have been at this location for less than five minutes and waiting on my drink (and a Pup Cup).
The final straw was today when my Hound mix wouldn’t stop jumping up and down like a kangaroo and yelping after she realized we were not stopping at Starbucks. (You give a dog one Pup Cup, and she’s spoiled for life.) I paused, knew I had a taste for a hot chocolate anyway, circled back and leashed her on the gate facing the entrance doorway. I walked up to the register, placed my order, paid and walked toward the waiting area. I’m not even sure it took me more than two minutes. And as I’m walking toward the waiting area, I spot this man outside, squatting down and sticking his fingers through the gate, wiggling them back and forth to get my dog to come closer.
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I snapped into action, smacked the glass window to get his attention and walked to the door. I loudly told him, “Don’t touch my dog.” He pointed out that all he did was wiggle his fingers through the gate. I said, “Regardless, do not try to touch my dog. You can look at her. But do not touch her. At all.” He scowled. I stared back. As I turned to walk back inside, I heard him mumble “idiot.” If I hadn’t paid for my order already, I’d have left altogether.
While some dog lovers may have grown up in a society that thinks the world revolves around you, you don’t own everything—and you damn sure don’t have ownership over my dog.
No matter how cute the dog is, it has teeth
On my way back into Starbucks, a barista and a plumber were looking out of the door at me. Both nodded their heads and agreed that sticking your fingers through the fence was a bad idea. It was an especially unnecessary thing to do when the parking lot is wide open, and the guy who was doing it stepped outside to smoke a cigarette. Just as I didn’t feel the need to ask him why he’s voluntarily trying to get lung cancer, give me that same respect in turn. Also, my dog hates cigarette smoke. I know this because my chain-smoking neighbor is always bummed when she won’t come near her if there’s a cigarette in her hand.
The guy did walk a few feet away from my dog to another spot that made far more sense. I still kept one eye on him and a second on my upcoming drink. Anyone over the age of 18 (really I think this should be 13) should know to never stick your fingers inside of a gate with a dog you’re unfamiliar with. No matter how cute that dog is, if it has teeth, she can bite. When the plumber mentioned how cute my dog is, I agreed. Junee can melt your heart with one glance. But she’s mine.
Leashed dogs are the worst to approach
Any time you put a dog in an uncomfortable situation, that dog can bite. Male, female, big, small, dark, light—and no matter the breed. Leashed dogs are especially sensitive to people coming near them because they only have so much room to move. It’s one of the reasons I have very mixed opinions about leashing a dog, even for a few minutes. Well-meaning people who love dogs don't seem to realize that every dog they like doesn’t necessarily like them.
For the same reason I never rush up to a dog I’m walking or stand in their space, I would never stick my fingers inside of a gate nor try to immediately pet a dog. Let the dog smell you. Let the dog walk up to you. Let the dog get familiar with you. If that dog likes you, that dog will let you know. I once did a meet-and-greet with a dog who walked right up to me on the couch, stood on my lap, circled and took a nap. I looked from the owner to the dog and said, “Does this dog always do this?” She laughed and said, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen him do that so fast—and to a stranger.” Clearly, I got that dog boarding job.
I don’t think dog lovers are malicious when they make these careless and dangerous mistakes. I just think they’re naive and very entitled. Either way, please stop. You’ll save the pet owner the headache of the dog potentially biting you. You’ll stop the dog from stressing out at a stranger getting too close. And if you ask for permission first and wait for a response, you may find that all parties involved would be much more likely to allow you to pet that dog.
Shamontiel is a dog lover to her core: 523 completed walks with 93 dogs, eight dog-housesittings and six dog boardings at the time of this publication.
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