Why do complete strangers offer odd advice?

[WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo]

I know they mean well. I was walking my springer/lab x this afternoon, stopping every time he pulls and its starting to work.

A total stranger said 'I've got springers, what you need is a willow switch and tap him on the nose every time he pulls'. And kept pushing his back to make him sit - I was so incensed that 'please don't do that' stayed in my head and didn't come out of my mouth. He was trying to help but there is no way I'm going to hurt my pup.

The next stranger said 'don't worry about him jumping up, that's fine, mine does that all the time. Here puppy, puppy!!'

Why do they do it?!

[RedwingWinter]

It's so annoying, isn't it?! I had to have a rant on here a few weeks ago to complain about a neighbour who tried to give me a lecture on dog training. I had to tell him not to push my dog into a sit too. Luckily I haven't bumped into this guy again since.

The worst thing is that most of this well-meaning advice is rubbish.

It sounds like your training is going really well on the not-pulling-on-leash, so well done!! Before long, instead of offering advice, they'll be saying 'I wish my dog behaved like that.' :)

[WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo]

I'm so glad it's not just me!

I wouldn't dream of man-handling someone else's dog, much less offer dodgy advice.

[scrappydoodah]

My DH is guilty of this.... Every time he goes to a dog training class he is just determined to share his new found knowledge with all and sundry. I tend to die of embarrassment, and threaten violence behind scenes.

If you meet us.... sorry

[Avantia]

A complete stranger starting offering me advice with lab was about 6 months old.

Then asked whether he could give me dog a treat - I naively said yes , she sat for him but he spent so much time farting around with his treat bag she lost patience and just jumped up and grabbed them ! wrong I know but I had to giggle .

Anyway lesson learnt there -ignore advice from strangers and never let them give or attempt in this case give you dog a treat.

[MrsWhitaker]

Had to comment. We take our JRT x to a local trainer and we work in real life situations with her. One of the things we wated to work on was sitting/standing still with our dog. She was fearful and would bark and lunge at other dogs when on the lead so I wanted to work on standing and talking or sitting on a bench or picnic blanket so she could enjoy more family time with us. At one of the local parks sat on a bench with the trainer wearing a t-shirt with DOG TRAINER on it and the name of her business and V wearing a IN TRAINING coat people insisted on coming up and give us their 2pence worth. Drove me insane. One man stood there with his dog (my dog going mad) telling me to let her off the lead and she would sort herself out! Admittedly she is much better off lead BUT this was a park in summer where not a huge distance away people had toddlers playing and other dogs were milling about. V is tiny (3,5kg) but even so she still has teeth. Did this fella really think I was goona let my learner dog off to cause a law suit???? - Rant over!
And just for the info after a lot of hardwork and determination V is now an amazing family dog. Took her to the groomers the other day for the first time as had always been to afraid before and when I picked her up she was milling about with all the other dogs the groomer owns. She now runs with a socialisation pack at the weekends with MUCH bigger dogs and puppies both male and female. It seems to non-dog people to be silly to say it has changed our lifes but it really has! V is now a fully fledged member of the Whitaker pack!

[midori1999]

I find telling them to sod off and mind their own business means they avoid you forever more. Or cutting them off before they get to you by saying 'he/she's not friendly' works too, although not with Golden Retrievers who get madly excited at the mere prospect of a human who might possibly give them a second of attention...

[minimuu]

It is just the same as having DC's the number of people that knew exactly how to bring up my twins was fantastic (most of them not having any DC's at all!)

I put cold coats on one of my dogs in the summer as he hates the warmth - the number of people who tell me it is cruel to have a coat on my dog in summer is unbelievable.

Also I have a fully airconditioned van (that works when the van is stationary) again the number of people that assume my dogs are going to cook to death in the van. Even when I open the door and they feel the cold air and see the temperature gauge they will not be reassured.

I always explain why I am doing things with a smile and then ignore their advice.

The funniest thing was an old man who was telling me how to train my reactive collie and saying the dog needed to be hit with newspaper and shown who was boss. SO I went off into my positive training rant, the man left beaten into boredom! I meet him several months later where he started to tell me that I should use positive training on my dogs as it is the best way to train and he had done it for years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You need a thick skin and a sense of humour to own a dog!!!

[minimuu]

Mrs Whittaker well done you - I do know how many hours of hard work you must have put it but what a result

[MrsWhitaker]

Thanks Minimuu! We have been dog sitting over Christmas and will be giving some unsolicited advice to the owners on their return ;-)

[sitandnatter]

I've had "I breed Staffies, your dog has got worms, treat it". She was skinny because she was off her Mum early at the rescue centre and the litter were picking up every infection going, they needed rehoming and second vaccinations to get well and start to put on weight. Her worming is up to date.

I've had, you must put a brick over your drain cover or your puppy will drown.

It's cruel to only feed her Burns Puppy Food, puppies need wet food too (Burns is 70% protein)

It's cruel not to give her puppy milk (advice RSPCA was for water)

It's cruel to not let her on the bed she's only a baby, no, she is a puppy and she will be a dog then it won't be so cute to have her in bed with me.

Don't walk with her in crowded places.

The list is endless, I thought I had changed into Cruella De Ville and not noticed.


I spoke to the rescue centre to confirm everything again, they said everyone has an opinion on a puppy, but they'll say nothing when she's grown.

We'll see...........