RE: Re(2): [pyrnet] company

["Carol Lugg" <heislord@uswest.net>]

With all due respect, when you go to someone's house where they may have a
spouse or a child you don't like, I don't think that you fear that they are
going to bite you.  I've asked my mother in law to either leave her dogs
outside, or to leash them when my Dad is there.  She will not do it, and I
don't think that's right.  She feels my Father's fears are unfounded.
Personally, I've witnessed her dogs' behavior, and I don't know if they'd
bite or not.  It just so happens I'm not afraid, and I've only seen them
once or twice.  My Father has a real fear of her dogs, and she is not doing
anything to alleviate it.  I'm not saying that we should lock our dogs up,
or anything else, but at least leash them, or leave them outside.  I want
people to feel comfortable in my home, and I don't think my dogs will die if
left outside for a little while.

Another example was a few years ago, when our son was in pre-school, the
district had a policy of having the pre-school teacher and a person from the
office staff come by to visit each pre-school child's home.  (We are a very
small district.)  The teacher let everyone know up front that she was afraid
of dogs, so would we please keep our dogs outside.  We did, and we had a
great visit.  She thanked me several times for respecting her fears.  She
told me that several families just let the dogs loose, and she refused to go
in.  I now have a great relationship with this teacher, and she is slowly
overcoming some of her fears.  The few times I've taken one of our pyrs to
the school, she'll even come up and pet them!

Carol Lugg
Calhan, CO


-----Original Message-----
From:	owner-pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org [mailto:owner-pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org] On Behalf
Of Ann K. Wetherilt
Sent:	Monday, October 30, 2000 11:01 AM
To:	pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
Subject:	Re(2): [pyrnet] company

I think there's a  difference  between acknowledging peoples' real fears
and catering to people who visit our homes and happen not to like our
dogs.  Ive visited friends who have kids or a spouse that I don't like
much, but I'd never suggest they send them elsewhere while I visit, and
I'm afraid I feel the same way about my dogs. I never invite people to
visit without telling them I have pyrs, and our dogs are not in peoples'
faces once they (read Paddington) have been introduced. But it's their
home. On the other hand, I never assume my dogs are welcome in others'
homes until they're invited. And I've spend many a time awhen out walking
working with people who are fearful of dogs themselves, or who have
children who are. I'll never forget the day the activity director at the
nursing home we used to visit asked to have a picture taken holding both
Shelley and Paddington. She'd been terrified of them initially, but wanted
to get over it because she recognized the value for her clients. That
picture is one of my treasured possessions.
Ann, Peg, Paddington and Ivy Rose


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